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.
My question is really this…Did Mr. Obama EVER attend church when Inflammatory comments were made? After listening to the NEW pastor’s Sermon yesterday on Untying the Colt…I felt THAT was inflammatory.
Like the DECEMBER one with Clinton not ever having been called a “N….”
By the way, Black Americans….Clinton HAS been called a “Monster, Witch, B…., C…., W….”which are EQUALLY divisive, AND JUST AS DEGRADING.
My issue with the Chuch is GROUPING ALL Whites in the same role. That is why I think they are RACIST in nature remarks. So…according to Trinity’s MOLD…Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy, House Speaker Pelosi, Ted Kennedy, Al Gore, John Edwards, …just to name a few…ALL FIT INTO YOUR RACIST COMPARISON OF RICH WHITE AMERICAN POLITICIANS.
No wonder it is taking a long time to heal the wounds….UNTIL there is a FIRM Belief we are ALL AMERICANS,
we will never heal. It is time for ALL Americans to walk away, turn off, not listen to those that would EARN money on inciting Hatred of any kind under the “cloak” of religion.
Obama is lying. Check out this link:
http://newsmax.com/kessler/Obama_hat%20e_America_sermon/2008/03/16/80870.html?s=al&promo_code=9991-1
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Do it now and the public would soon see those two looking noble and doing and saying the things presidents do. To watch the McCain/Romney team going about expressing what’s best for America in a time of war would make an indelible impression on the public mind; especially when Democrats are still slinging mud at each other and figuring out how to fix their self-created dilemmas.
And McCain/Romney might bring some excitement back to the GOP campaign!
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If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there, does it make a sound??
Most spacious argument Obama!!
All that has to happen is to place Obama who has denied attendance at all of these
meetings where hatred is being spewed about whites and America and his run for the presidency is over.
Over.
All we need are a few people to come forward. Does he sign in when he comes to the church?
The church should furnish us these recordsd. What do they have to hide from the public.
Lies????
Of course he was at the services. His close contact with this pastor is a stop point for me regarding Obama.
I think it bodes fairly well for Mr. Obama’s reputation that in an intensely mad scramble to find something…………..ANYTHING negative concerning his character, ability and past, the most one can muster up is a sermon by some preacher at a church he went to. Our country is trying to find its economic footing and repair our severely damaged international image and in the quest to appoint our next leader the focus has turned to preachers.
Interesting how these type of comments have gone on for a long while, but once it is brought to light the separation exists. He stepped down last week from Obama’s religious leadership council. Certainly you don’t have to share beliefs with everyone you associate with but he still goes to this church and associates with this biggot. Shame on you Obama. Shame on you.
Yeah Obama never knew “Pastor” Wright said those types of things or that is what he believed. So why did Obama not let him be involved with his President candidacy announcement as originally planned? Obama has beena member at that church for over 20 years (Wright just stepped down this year) and he never knew of those remorks or beliefs. Oh and also Wright gives Farrakahn man of the year awards, but Obama did not know of those ties. Seems to me Obama does not know alot of things that a normal person has to keep up with regularly. So why is it that so many Americans want this man to be our next President?? Oh that is right because he speaks well, is appealing, and makes you feel all nice. Wake up SHEEPLE!!!!
“A vote for Obama is a vote for Osama”
NewsMax… of course. Looks like ‘dem conservatives are pullin’ out all the good Christian stops.
After reading the full story written by Jim Davis, he would have to be an outright liar for obama to not have been there. He states that he actually witnessed Obama at the sermon. So, the question is, why would Jim Davis make up a story like that?