Pastor Creates ‘Guilt by Association’ Problem for Obama
File: Barack Obama with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, pastor emeritus of Obama's congregation, Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. (AP Photo)
Surrogates for Barack Obama on Sunday downplayed the significance of Obama’s relationship to a controversial pastor and suggested the discussion is a diverson from bigger issues in the Democrat presidential race.
“The fact of the matter is people would like to move on to other things,” said Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, characterizing remarks by Obama pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright as “outrageous,” but saying they are not relevant to Obama’s candidacy.
“He’s rejected it. He said no– he doesn’t have any association with it. He finds these comments outrageous,” Dodd, an Obama supporter and former presidential candidate, told “FOX News Sunday.” He added that “guilt by association is not typically American.”
But some political analysts say that comments by Wright could pose a major obstacle for Obama because unlike average Americans, politicians suffer from “guilt by association.”
“This is a man who he chose to be associated with. It’s not a family member. He chose to be associated with Reverend Wright and saw advantage in it. And that’s why he exploited it up to a point when he realized, especially when he was announcing, that he couldn’t have Wright by his side for the announcement in Springfield and now seeks to somehow distance himself. But it speaks to his character, and it speaks to the judgment which is the basis on which Barack Obama has been running his campaign. So I think it could be a big problem,” said National Public Radio national correspondent and FOX News contributor Juan Williams.
It also could suggest an insincerity by Obama, said conservative syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer.
“This, I think, is a huge story because it contradicts the whole persona and appeal of Obama as a man who transcends race,” Krauthammer said. “I think it ought to be explored a lot more deeply.”
Out on the campaign trail on Saturday, Obama was dogged by questions about comments made by his spiritual leader of 20 years, whose quotes have been sprayed over the news in the last several days.
At a town-hall meeting in Indiana, Obama said he was not in the pews when Wright said, for example, the U.S. is run by “rich, white people” or that the U.S. created the AIDS virus to kill African Americans. The Illinois senator said he “completely rejects” the preacher’s controversial sermons, including one in which he said the United States was asking for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks because it had supported “state-sponsored terrorism” against black South Africans and Palestinians.
“Although I knew him and know him as somebody in my church that talked to me about Jesus and family and friendships but clearly, if all I knew were those statements I saw on television, I would be shocked,” Obama said.
Obama who is new to disavowing himself from the remarks, told his audience that people should speak up forcefully against comments like Wright’s.
On Sunday, the United Church of Christ defended Wright’s character.
“The Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.’s character is being assassinated in the public sphere because he has preached a social gospel on behalf of oppressed women, children, and men in America and around the globe,” wrote Rev. John H. Thomas, the church’s General Minister President in a press release.
Meanwhile, Clinton supporters are refusing to jump on the opportunity to attack Obama for his slow response. “I mean, as you know, I prefer Senator Clinton for a whole lot of reasons, but I don’t cast aspersions on Senator Obama for what somebody else said,” said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Voters should “accept what Obama has said and move on,” said Rep. Nita Lowey, D-N.Y.
The Clinton campaign may be following a well-known operating principle of politics, which is when an opponent is shooting himself in the foot, stand back and let him. According to the results of a new, four-day Rasmussen tracking poll out Sunday morning, Obama’s national lead has narrowed to just 3 points over Clinton.
“The Clinton campaign won’t touch this with a 10-foot poll, but they don’t have to. … It will dribble, dribble out for at least a few more days and in this Internet era there’s no limit to what you can” dredge up, said Democratic strategist Susan Estrich.
Estrich said plenty of more information will come up in the weeks leading up to the Pennsylvania and North Carolina primaries.
“I don’t know, this guy didn’t give just two bad sermons, nobody … does the wrong thing just twice,” she said. “We all have to fill space for six weeks, this is how we’ll fill it.”
According to pollster, Scott Rasmussen, the recent controversy and prolonged fight between the Democrats is also turning out to be a gift for presumptive Republican presidential nominee and Arizona Sen. John McCain, whose numbers are up. That’s a fear Democrats are hoping won’t be realized as the discussion over race and sex issues distract from their overall message of defeating McCain.
“I think we have to lift ourselves out of all of that. Look, we’re talking about running for president of the United States. We’re talking about the leader of the free world. We’re talking about the hopes, the aspirations of the American people being placed — and not like any other job in the world, placed on this person. And I think people are much more interested on the ideas, the vision, the judgment, the plans that people have. And that’s why people are drawn to both of these candidates,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking on ABC’s “This Week.” Pelosi has not yet stated her preference for the top of the party ticket.
My Lord People Wake Up Here! What kind of man is Barack Obama. Who could support a man who supports a church like that. It’s insane to put a man as president who sat under a man like that. Obama knows this man well. I don’t think that sermon was a one time thing. Please people wake up. McCain is just another Bush! Hillary Clinton is the best candidate. Vote for Hillary!!!!
The Obama apologists out there really are too much. Isn’t it obvious that Obama can’t claim that he “abhor(s) divisive politics” AND simultaneously support this pastor for nearly 20 years. At the very least it brings Obama’s judgment into question. More ominously it suggests that Obama’s platform is not based on “Change you can believe in” but rather a campaign based on duplicity and hypocrisy.
We are entitled to free speech in this country. We are forgetting that Barack Obama is running for President not his Pastor, Obama says he disagrees what his pastor said lets move on. What about Rev. Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, And John Hagee endorsing Presidents Reagan, Bush Sr., the current President Bush and now Republican Nominee Sen. John McCain.’s These minister’s have preached hatred and racism themselves, how come they haven’t been discredited and denounced by Bush, McCain, and other Republican candidates?
I am white, but I am not at all racist, or sexist…. I would vote for Condoleeza Rice in a heartbeat…. but when I look at the candidates for the Democratic race… I would hate to know that I was a die hard Democrat and had to vote for either one of them… two names, but no choices!! If you’ve ever even picked up a Bible, then you know that you cannot vote for either of the Dem’s names…. There should be an island somewhere for Democrats to dwell on…. they certainly don’t love America the way that I do!! As for Jeremiah Wright…..he apparently has his form of “Jesus” that certainly does not line up with the Jesus that I know personally…. he must have asked Jesus to wait in the lobby on the days that he gets revved up like what I have seen on t.v…he must not know that Jesus is everywhere…. he even watches when we act like the devil…..I would hate to know that I had to answer as a pastor for some of the things that he has been brainwashing his “faithful, little followers” with…even if the white man had invented the AIDS virus…he certainly did not tell anyone that they had to spread that virus…. sounds to me like some morals and self control could help to combat all the hard work the white man is doing to kill off the African American population with AIDS…or the whites for that matter. Good thing he is retiring since he has completely ruined his career in blasphemy.
I have heard Geraldo say that he doesn’t think Barack agrees with his pastor and the racist hate mongering, anti American incendiary rhetoric. However, I have to say that I do believe that Barack has the same thinking as his pastor since he chose that church with the philosophy of Black Nationalism. There is no reason to pick a church and stay with that church for 20 years and choose to have your children’s values imparted by that church, unless you agree with the church. Barack Obama has been revealed as a politician that has the agenda of Black Nationalism.
That is not the agenda of the American nation. Also Barack votes and his speeches, though toned down, show the Anti American slant. Why else would he denigrate the surge strategy that has worked? I may understand him not wanting to implement that strategy before, but now that it has had proved to work he has kept with his publicized policy of immediate troop withdrawal. This would make the Iraq endeavor a failure, unless he wants America to fail. Now the benefit of doubt is shed about his failure to wear the flag pin and his physical reluctance to put his hand over his heart in public appearances when the Star Spangle Banner is played.
Barack has very careful to have the most vague agenda of hope and change. Change to what has not been answered. Does he really believe that America is in a slough of despair? Then why does his speeches say he can bring about a greater unifying spirit?
Barack has not been upfront. He has tried to con the American people that he is above race, yet he deeply involved himself with a church that unashamedly espouses Marxist Black Liberation ideology, which is Black Nationalism. Why did Trinity Church give an award the Farrakhan, a professed Muslim, but for Farrakhan efforts toward Black Nationalism?
White voters are perfectly willing to vote for a black man as long as his agenda agrees with theirs and he professes his desire for a better America? The division comes from his church, not the voters.
The videos have been eye opening for the voters and a real shock. The videos are an example of real hate speech toward whites and America.
This is inexcusable and if Barack did not think these sermons reflected his views, he should have quit years ago. Not renounce the sermons once he has been caught.
And just how is it that the media had this information all along and chose to release it now —- after millions have been wastefully spent on an Obama campaign which never should have existed in the first place. A “suspected” black separatist can never be elected to the presidency —- just as a white supremacist or a skinhead or a Ku Klux Klan member or a Nazi would never be acceptable. We want to unite this country —- not divide it. A Colin Powell would have won this campaign easily. But, quite obviously, Obama is not presidential material. After the PA primary he will see that it is time for him to withdraw from the race. If there are more videos, possibly one showing that he was present for his pastor’s ranting rages against the U.S. — he will be forced to withdraw sooner.
For the basher(s) of the Fox News Network’s continued coverage of the Rev. Wright’s socio-
political rantings should be aware that this media is in keeping to its long established policy of
reporting to us the THING AS THEY ARE and NOT THE WAY THAT THE POWERS-TO-BE WANTS US TO THINK.
As for the other news media’s not engaging on the present revelations of the Reverend’s inexcusable behavior is simply because they know that there is nothing that can be said to
negate the damage that has been caused by this affront.
Thinking back Fox News has never been made to “stand on the carpet” to retract an erroneous report that has been filed like the other outlets.
I’m not afraid to accept reality!
The slogan “WE REPORT YOU DECIDE” is OK with me!
I attend a black church and my minister is a motivator of hope and christianity. TUCC does not represent all black churches. I notice on TUCC’s website that there is no mention of Jesus Christ(other than the word Christ in the Churches name). I only see reference to GOD. Many religions reference God. Although Christianity is all about Jesus Christ and salvation. I see no mention of salvation either. Just find that curious. I had such hopes for our country and Barak Obama as the one to unify us, but, alas he is not the one. I know that my children will witness a black president, but, I pray that it is not Barak Obama. While America is not perfect when it come to race relations, I can not imagine living anywhere else.
And just so you know, Barak was present on at least one occasion when Reverend Wright was promoting racial division. There is an article that was written by newsmax.com where the reporter went into the church this past summer and recorded the serivce as well as pictures of Barak during a book signing.
I have heard Geraldo say that he doesn’t think Barack agrees with his pastor and the racist hate mongering, anti American incendiary rhetoric. However, I have to say that I do believe that Barack has the same thinking as his pastor since he chose that church with the philosophy of Black Nationalism. There is no reason to pick a church and stay with that church for 20 years and choose to have your children’s values imparted by that church, unless you agree with the church. Obama Barack has been revealed as a politician that has the agenda of Black Nationalism.
That is not the agenda of the American nation. Also Barack votes and his speeches, though toned down, show the Anti American slant. Why else would he denigrate the surge strategy that has worked? I may understand him not wanting to implement that strategy before, but now that it has had proved to work he has kept with his publicized policy of immediate troop withdrawal. This would make the Iraq endeavor a failure, unless he wants America to fail. Now the benefit of doubt is shed about his failure to wear the flag pin and his physical reluctance to put his hand over his heart in public appearances when the Star Spangle Banner is played.
Barack has very careful to have the most vague agenda of hope and change. Change to what has not been answered. Does he really believe that America is in a slough of despair? Then why does his speeches say he can bring about a greater unifying spirit?
Barack has not been upfront. He has tried to con the American people that he is above race, yet he deeply involved himself with a church that unashamedly espouses Marxist Black Liberation ideology, which is Black Nationalisman. Why did Trinity Church give an award to Farrakhan,a professed Muslim, but for Farrakhan efforts toward Black Nationalism?
White voters are perfectly willing to vote for a black man as long as his agenda agrees with theirs and he professes his desire for a better America? The division comes from his church, not the voters.
The videos have been eye opening for the voters and a real shock. The videos are an example of real hate speech toward whites and America.
This is inexcusable and if Barack did not think these sermons reflected his views, he should have quit years ago. Not renounce the sermons once he has been caught.
Hillary is much, much better and John MCCain with all his flaws is also better for the country.
What about the fact that Obama has said he did not know of all the people that were being displaced from their homes or living in deplorable conditions in his own community because of what Rezko has done. If Obama cannot know of anything that close to him, how can he run the entire United States.