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 now seems a very normal run o the mill politician. He seems also cowardly in his response to his “spiritual advisor” and the ingrained beliefs of his home church. I really cannot see him winning the Presidency. This furor and the assured others that will follow will assure McCain will win. I may even vote for McCain and have been a Dem for 56 years.
Ok, this Wright stuff is disturbing. We have a need to know Senator Obama from every angle and what he believes when he talks of equality for America. You know, I am trying to cut through all the media spin, the off-handed comments and the accusations and just focus on two people and their two resumes. Afterall, we are trying to hire someone to be the CEO of our country. Someone with experience, someone with fortitude, intelligence and whom will work really, really hard for every American out there. For anyone to say that race and gender are not factors in this campaign or in the US is to be, well, out of touch. So, that said, how do we look at these two people fairly (without filters for race or gender) and pick the best candidate to beat McCain and win back the White house? Race is a factor, as is evident when prior to Senator Obama’s arrival on the scene, African Americans, showed a strong support for Senator Clinton. Then, almost immediately, 80+% of African Americans threw their support behind a candidate with less experience, and did so why? Hmmm. Also, there are men who, when asked flat out if they would ever vote for a woman for President, say no. No reason, even if she had a better resume. So, that’s gender bias. Ok, that said, we still need to cut through the clutter and the mud being flung by both sides and really figure out who we want to get things right and on track for our country. Just electing someone “likeable” who will “be a uniter not a divider” may just get us what we got last time someone said that (ie - Bush, for all you really young folks) - and is that worth the risk? Only each one of us can answer that for ourselves, after honestly researching the candidates’ resumes. This decision and election is too important not to.
The free ride will be over if media outlets such as Fox pursue Obama’s character and sincerity with proof that he was present during his Pastor’s sermons. It is entirely impossible that he would not know, let alone share in Pastor’s Wriite’s diatribes and slanders to his country. This is all the more apparent in their close relationship for over 20 years. Pity the press did not do it’s job sooner but chose to build up his image at the expense of substance. Ever see the film “Wag the Dog”?
Some of the Rev’s comments were certainly inappropriate for sure. On the other hand, some of the comments were right on the money, with a poor “delivery”. Some of you are to young to remember the Civil Rights movement of the 60’s. Busses from all over the country carried people of all ethnicities, known as “freedom riders” to the deep south to march with MLK. Some of Rev Wright’s comments are reflective of that time. He’s right that Hillary doesn’t understand or know how hard life can be for someone of color growing up in inner cities with great poverty. The chickens comming home to roost is a true statement and I think we all know it! That comment was made right after 9-11-01. All of us jumped on the Patriotic bandwagon, put flags on everything, remember those days?
Back in the day, it was also hard for poor white people to survive and get ahead. Obama can lift people up, provide a positive role model, and lead us all to a better place in life and spirit. Hillary doesn’t begin to understand what has motivated Rev Wright to make comments like these. Obama does! I’m a 67 year old educated white female and certainly don’t hold Rev Wrights inflammatory, apalling statements against Barack.
This in my opinion has made Mr. Obama someone I could never vote for, because when you have publicly declared this person as your mentor then you are saying you know them trust them and believe them. It makes it very hard to beleive that after all this man has said that Mr. Obama never heard him speak so racially and anti-American. America needs to look close for someone here is a very good actor and we are being played.
just leave obama alone , he already said what he has to say ,what wright,s has done is not obama ’s mistake, fox news sean hannity can’t you talk anything good about obama ? i don’t like you and will not watch your talk show again,
To make a an issue of the remarks said by O’bama’s minister is to in itself admit that there is still a great greviance placed on this nation by racism..Anyone with disponding views,or negative comments about what was said by that minister is a hypocrite. Everyone in this country who happens to be a citizen, …excuse me!..EVERYONE in this country,citizen or not has been guilty of expressing their views on how this nation is operated,and most of those comments have been sympathic to the views of our nation’s enemies. Is there truth to what was said by that man, or is that just his opinion. Obviously, the dogmatic effect of racism in this country is still a smoldering forest fire.
For those people who believe Obama never knew of Rev. Wright’s hate filled sermons I refer you to a news publication dated in August 2007.
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2007/8/8/194812.shtml?s=lh
It was a well know fact that Wright was a hateful pastor. So why has it taken Obama so long to come out and denounce Wright - because Obama could no longer hide it from the mainstream media.
It’s over for Barack Obama. It’s finally come out. Some of us were wondering where this guy came from anyway? He has mesmerized Americans with his fancy speaches. Now I hope American can see his true agena.
So, Barack Obama now claims to distance himself from his racist Pastor and that he never heard any of the comments made - he must not be much of a congregant. He didn’t go to church after 9/11? OK, well, then…
what about all of the people who DID GO and hear all of those messges? Why haven’t they distanced themselves from the pastor? We know that there has not been a mass exodus away from the Chruch, so why do we not talk openly about BLACK racism? Why do we alwasy assume that black people are good for diversity?