Schedule Puts Obama in Miami During July ‘07 Wright Sermon
December 2000: Barack Obama's former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright speaks at funeral service at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. (AP Photo/Chicago Sun-Times)
Barack Obama issued a firm denial Monday to a report that he was in church in Chicago last July when his controversial pastor delivered an anti-white sermon.
Doubts were cast on the story Monday as records showed the Democratic presidential contender was in Miami that day.
On the “fact check” portion of Obama’s campaign Web site, the campaign states: “Fact: Obama Did Not Attend Services on July 22.”
Click here to see the denial on Obama’s Web site.
Reports circulated over the weekend that Obama had attended the fiery sermon that day by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. But a copy of Obama’s schedule viewed by FOX News as well as video of Obama speaking appear to place him in Miami that day at a convention of the National Council of La Raza.
A National Council of La Raza official recalls Obama arriving on time that day for a 1:30 p.m. event that was part of the group’s annual national convention.
It is not clear whether he might have been able to attend church in Chicago before or after flying to Miami for his appearance. The National Council of La Raza official told FOXNews.com he was not involved in any travel plans for Obama to arrive at the convention.
Click here to see a video of Obama speaking that day in Miami.
Speaking with reporters Monday, Obama declined to field new questions about Wright. In what is campaign is billing as a major speech on race, Obama said he would in part discuss how some issues are being perceived inside and outside the black church community.
Obama again said he condemned the controversial statements by Wright that had come to light, but he believed the media frenzy has taken a wrong turn on its coverage.
“I think the caricature that is being painted of him is not accurate,” Obama said.
Obama in the last few days has denied being present for any of Wright’s inflammatory speeches at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where Wright retired last month as senior pastor.
Obama’s purported attendance at the sermon was first reported by NewsMax.com freelance reporter Jim Davis; it was noted again Sunday by NewsMax.com writer Ronald Kessler.
Davis reported last Aug. 7 that Obama and his Secret Service detail had been among the parishioners attending the July 22 sermon in which Wright spoke of the “United States of white America” and blamed the Iraq war on “Bush administration bull—-.”
NewsMax issued a clarification Monday to its story, adding that Davis stands by his reporting that Obama attended a service in July fitting the description he first reported, but he no longer was sure it was on July 22.
Click here to read the original report by Jim Davis.
Click here to read the report Sunday by Ronald Kessler.
The report was advanced Monday by columnist Bill Kristol, a FOX News contributor, in his weekly column in The New York Times. Kristol cited Kessler’s report as evidence that Obama is not being fully candid about his relationship with Wright. The New York Times later published a correction to Kristol’s piece.
Click here to read Kristol’s column in The New York Times.
Wright’s comments in the July 22 sermon were mild in comparison to other sermons he delivered, sermons Obama has said he did not attend.
In one sermon Wright repeatedly said, “God damn America”; in another he blasted former President Bill Clinton, saying he “did” blacks “just like he did Monica Lewinsky.”
Following mounting pressure last week, Obama denounced Wright’s words, and Wright stepped down from Obama’s African American Religious Leadership Committee.
Obama told FOX News Friday that he condemned the text of Wright’s controversial sermons, in which he condemned the United States as institutionally racist and blamed the government for HIV and the Sept. 11 attacks. Video clips of the sermons were played in heavy rotation on national television late last week.
“Once I saw them I had to be very clear about the fact that these are not statements that I am comfortable with,” Obama said. “I reject them completely — they are not ones that reflect my values or my ideals or Michelle’s.”
Obama called Wright’s remarks “inflammatory and appalling” in a written statement Friday.
Hillary Clinton’s campaign has yet to comment on the matter. Clinton faced heavy criticism over a racial issue of her own last week after top campaign adviser Geraldine Ferraro said the only reason Obama had gotten so far in the presidential campaign was because he was black. Ferraro resigned from the campaign’s finance committee shortly after her remarks.
Everybodys been at the wrong time and place at one point in their lives ( if Obama did attend the service or not). People have the right to their own opinion, if the Rev. feels that way I am sure he is not the only one. But this is about Obama and I still support his campaign. My vote is for the future not the past!!!!!!!
Gee during my church services we talk about Jesus and what the bible stands for, They call this a church? What kind of religion is being preached here? I know that these statements were not made continuously by this so called preacher, But the statements were made. What do they preach here hatred? Did they go to Libya for a church getaway to meet with a terrorist leader, Was Farakan there with Wright for the hell of it. To sit there and say ” G-d damn America!” Who does he think he is? You know how many men and women sacrificed their lives so that clowns like him could preach his gosphel of hate. Then you have Sen. Obamas wife saying for the first time she is proud to be an American. Here is some advice, If you don’t want to be here, Don’t let the door hit you in the rear end. Some advice use better judgment on what kind of church you attend, Don’t play it off that you don’t what this so called priest stands for.. It’s easy to say he teaches hatred. If a white priest talked that way he would for sure be labled a racist. I’ll vote republican before my vote goes to Obama, I’m a Democrat and i am backing Hillary, And by the way his middle name is Huessein, It amazes me how many people voting for him in the primaries can’t see the forest from the trees.
Amazing that his “rejection” doesn’t come out until the videos come out. I take it before that he was comfortable with this Pastor as the Pastor was on his religious committee! I am to believe that Mr. Barack never heard this gentleman speak before. It seems these sermons have been going on for quite sometime. But alas, my fellow americans tend to believe everything they read and will still vote this man. As the saying goes “we get what we deserve”
Soooooooooo, he wasn’t present at Wright’s Hate Preaching on July 22, we will find out. However, over a period of 20 years and over a thousand Preachings, the Obama’s (both he and his wife) would have had to be present. Obama’s wife surely is taking Wright’s Hate Speeches to heart; her husbands will be discovered.
Where’s the outrage from Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson regarding hate speech, where’s the call for one’s resignation from the Senate as openly displayed by the liberal media when a conservative Republican is remotely identified with some implied racist biggot as the did with Trent Lott. The politically correct liberal eltist crowd and their hypocritical double standards need to practice what they preach. Oboma should resign from the Sente and drop out of the race, one can,t choose their relatives but a twenty year relationship with this hate mongering biggoted facist was of his choice based on his own free will as his pastor truly disqualifies him from public office. What’s the difference between Obama and David Duke both associated long term with racist biggots??? What is good enough by the liberals for Duke is equally good enough for Oboma. The media and the politically correct junkies are spineless cowards for not calling for Oboma to step aside as a candidate for president and to resign from the Senate.
Hello, concerning Obama’s pastor, seems there is repudiation only after one is ‘caught’. Example - Spitzer, Clinton, various pastors, etc., from a young child to a hero etc.
you guys are chasing shadows-this is mugind trying to come up with dirts just to stop Obama.First it was july 22 now no one is sure if it was July 22.i wonder how many americans have left the US because they do not agree with Bush’ policy regading the war in Iraq and afganistan and the economy.You guys should know that the church is not a political organisation that you can just walk away from even if your pastor preaches a radiacal messages .It takes more than on the part of a pastor before a member can leave the church-especially in obama ’s situation. The truth is that you republican press have no point you are just witchhunting.
WHY HASN’T THERE BEEN MORE GRILLING OF OBAMA FOR HIS LONG-TIME ASSOCIATION AND ATTENDANCE TO THESE SERMONS-DID YOU HEAR THE PARISHINERS APPLAUDING THE HORRIBLE STATEMENTS? WHEN OBOMA HEARD THESE TYPES OF STATEMENT-CAN YOU IMAGINE HIM NOT APPLAUDING?
I think that if Obama could be a member of this church for twenty years and not know about the inflamatory speaking of his pastor then he is not lucid enough to be President of the United States. How can he claim not to know about these sermons–which are sold as a CD collection? This is even weaker
than Bill Clinton’s “I smoked but I did not inhale.” Give me a break!
If you believe Obama never sat through any vitriolic anti-American sermons at Wright’s madrassa, er… church, I have some swampland in Florida for sale.