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.
Obama or whatever your real name is,came clean and tell us the whole truth and not what Rev Wright is telling you to say…and putting a spy in Hillary camp is pretty low in my opinion and makes me think you are scare the Lady is going to beat you,,,and I sure hope to hell she does because you in the white house sure scared me to death and your wife as the First Lady please like Obama MaMa said on the net she cant clean her own house…what does that mean…and why wont she ansewer Orielly bout her comment she made on tv, that would be interesting to all of us…It Is Time For You To Get Out and stay out for a while maybe when you are not wet behind the ears you meant make it and I hope I am not here to see it…Everything we hear and read bout you is All Bad and getting worse everyday…Wake Up American….
Why are we still talking about Jeremiah Wright comments during his final sermon before retiring to judge Obama? There are plenty of hate mongering by the right wing media and republican supporters against Obama and his church and no one is talking about that. Obama clearly is the kind of leader this nation needs. He understand that this is a diverse country with diverse ways of expressing anger towards government policies that put our country in danger & debt. He repeatedly speaks about coming together on all sides by putting aside our anger of fail policies and views of each other to improve life in America. The right wing media supports nothing but division because that is what keeps the republicans in office. They choose to lie and pass negative statements with no proof. We need to examine there comments and hold them accountable. The real story to me is how some media and right wing talk show host and commentators use the Rev. Wright comments to promote division amongst Americans, a tactic they have been doing this for years. Why are we giving this people a free pass? They aided Bush to spread the weapons of Mass Destruction Lie and silent the voices of the inspectors that did not find any. These right wing racists are very dangerous and need to be exposed. Embellishing a small portion of Rev. Wright’s speech as hatred and racist against America is a lie and they are using this as a tool to push their racist and superiority agenda over all great Americans that believe in “united we stand divided we fall”. Who in America believes that is patriotic to take American jobs overseas, attack countries that have no plans to attack us and refused affordable health care for all Americans.
For the record: it is not racist for anyone to speak against those you feel have contributed to America’s fall from grace but is racist, hateful and deceitful to push a perception against one church for political power. The Neo – cons, right wing media need to be unmasked. These television talk show hosts and radio personalities have said a lot worst about Americans and our troops than Jeremiah Wright one time comment base on books, conspiracy theories, biblical interpretations and decades of mistreatment of the poor of all races by corrupted people with power. Why do we want to crucify Obama that believes that a persons positive and spiritual positions weights more than views that people call hateful and allow a president and a republican party to send our bravest Americans to a bottomless pit based on one of Americas must controversial decision in decades. What is more offensive? What is causing more pain? People forget that actions speak louder than words. Therefore, what if Obama’s handle himself as a true Christian and decided that he would not denounce a friendship? I HAVE NOT SEEN ANY ONE WALK OUT ON BUSH YET. Look at the Bush family history from his grand fathers and now. Did anybody discredit him by association?
Here is the problem Obama has dished up guilt by association for everyone else referencing McCain/Bush economics, McCain/Bush War.
Sorry Mr. Obama but these are your chickens comin home to roost!!!
Pull you off subject, he slithers away.
we cannot afford to send to the white house a weak leader we are a time of war and peace the democrats are weak on national security obama is living a great illusion clinton want power how can we afford these two people in the seat of authority we must work to send john mcain to the white house a man of great strength and character .
Don’t you have better interesting topics to disscuss about in the news? I’m personally fed up seeing Obama and Rev. Wright on the telly.We should be thinking of what lies ahead of America not blaming Obama for what someone else said.We should focus on the economy, healthcare,Iraq war and the welfare of the Americans. Rev. Wright speech will not solve our problems.
The controversy over so called Rev. Wrights anti-American results will not go away. It reminds me of the judge who tells the jury “disregard the remark.” The damage has been done and American voters who feel offended about the remarks will not forget. Obama made the choice to associate with this Charlaton. Obama will return to the senate in 2009 and continue his undistinguished senatorial career.
How can Obama be considered a leader when he exposes his family including his impresionalby young children to the hate whitey venom. It is nice to disclaim his support for the commets of Rev. Wright but then expose his family is not acceptably.
THE MAN THAT STANDS BACK AND LISTENS TO THE MOST POPULAR VIEWS THEN AGREES IN WORDS ONLY WITHOUT COMMITMENT or (ING) TO ANYTHING. – TO GET ELECTED
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IN MY OPION
THE GENERAL MEDIA INCLUDING (CNN) IS TRYING TO WHITE WASH THIS FOR HIM IN THEIR BROADCASTS. (JUST WATCH CNN AND LISTEN – BY DOWN PLAYING THE CHURCH THING FOR HIM THEN BY OVER PRAISING HIS SPEECH)
I SUSPECT OBAMA HAS SOME DIRT NOT YET UNCOVERED OR REVEALED BY THE MEDIA AT THIS TIME AT LEAST NOT UNTIL HE STARTS RUNNING AGAINST McCAIN. THEN IT WILL HIT THE FAN. ALL THAT DANCING RAISES SOME DUST THAT WILL MAKE YOU DIRTY.
SOME OF IT IS ALREADY STARTING TO LEAK EVEN THOUGH THE MEDIA (CNN and others) DO NOT WANT IT TO HAPPEN YET.
GO HILLARY
This is SO….Same Ole Soup, warmed over and over……no longer NEWS…….
Mr. Wright is not a Pastor, Preacher, or anything else to do with God. He is a racist and trouble maker and I hope that some smart Democrats will see that Obama has supported this man and that Obama in the White House would be the worst thing that this country has ever had to deal with. Sure Obama denounces what Wright has said now. It’s just hard to cover some things up and I hope that the people see through the smoke.