Obama Complains That Pastor Was ‘Boiled Down’ to Sound Clips
GREENSBORO, N.C. — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama on Wednesday sought to quell concerns over anti-American remarks by his former pastor, saying people are paying too much attention to a small number of “stupid” comments.
Obama gave a sweeping speech on race last week in which he condemned incendiary remarks by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but the words of the former pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago continue to dog the candidate. Reflecting the campaign’s concern about the fallout, Obama used a question about religion at a town hall forum as an opportunity to address the issue.
“This is somebody that was preaching three sermons at least a week for 30 years and it got boiled down … into a half-minute sound clip and just played it over and over and over again, partly because it spoke to some of the racial divisions we have in this country,” Obama told an audience in this central North Carolina city.
“There are misunderstandings on both sides,” the Illinois senator said. “We cannot solve the problems of America if every time somebody somewhere does something stupid, that everybody gets up in arms and forgets about the war in Iraq and we forget about the economy.”
On Tuesday, Obama’s rival for the Democratic nomination, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, weighed in directly, saying: “I think that given all we have heard and seen, he would not have been my pastor.”
The controversy began earlier this month when videos of Wright’s sermons surfaced, including one in which the pastor shouts “God damn America” for its treatment of minorities.
Wright has said the U.S. government invented AIDS to destroy “people of color” and also has suggested that U.S. policies in the Middle East and elsewhere were partly responsible for the 2001 terrorist attacks on New York and the Pentagon.
In the speech last week, Obama sharply condemned Wright’s remarks and the preacher’s refusal to acknowledge progress in race relations. But he refused to repudiate his longtime spiritual mentor, saying he could no more disown Wright than he could disown his white grandmother.
Wright has canceled some planned public appearances this week. Obama said Wednesday he has spoken with the pastor.
“I have talked to him. I have not asked him to do anything,” the Illinois senator told reporters.
Are we forgetting that the pastor’s rants of hatred were on the DVDs sold at this church. Therefore it is evident this was the message the church espoused. Obama, as a 20 year member, had to know the message of his church. And now we hear about the anti-Italian message written by this pastor. Remember this pastor is Obama’s spiritual advisor.
I think that the pastor, if he really wanted to prove to his audience that he could back what he was saying, then he would of stood up even if he got knocked down, for the ridiculous remarks and arrogant nasty speeches that he has given to a bunch of (yes you read right) a bunch of idiots!:) Obama cannot afford to denounce this creature no matter how much he slithers like a snake.
Obama can say whatever he pleases…
Rev Wright is all about an Attitude, Racism, and Victim Mentality. This is the foundation of his inner belief system, all opinons are formed around this foundation…..I don’t believe for one minute that this was evident in his every day speaking and sermons….
Sorry, but I think most people have a pretty clear view of exactly what Rev. Wright is about.
Can you just imagine, if a white pastor used the same exact words as pastor Wright did. The black community would go nuts over it, Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson, Farrakhan and the black panthers would be marching on Washington, DC. But, yet they want for us to put it behind us.
I say no way to this put behind us; I now know who the true bigots are. At least IMUS apologizes and Pastor Wright no apology but ran and hid. Yet Obama basically condones Rev. Wright…yea I know, Obama said he does not agree on what Rev. Wright says.
I am no fool, Obama is a member of that Church for 20 years…you know, for a person to belong that long, he had to agree on Rev Wright teachings.
It’s like a junkie who says I don’t use drugs, but has been a junkie for 20 years. The junkie may not really like drugs, but is addicted to the drugs. Obama is addicted to Rev. Wright’s teachings.
Wake up America!
For every action there is a reaction!
I see that you all chose not to place my response on the blog here. Why? Because again, it’s a matter of not wanting to face the real issues. You don’t want any light to be shed upon the truth.
Strange that an AP report would leave out all the other things Wright has said… they want to focus on the “Go_ Damn America” Quote to “prove” that republicans are going overboard. What democrat cares about the phrase “Go_ Damn America”???
BUY BARAK’S MEMOIR ON TAPE (READ BY BARAK HIMSELF) “Memoirs of my father” or something like that….
He Quotes Wright as refering to the “Clan” running America… a bit more devicive than “go_ Damn America”
He talks about “Apartied in one Hemisphere and Apathy in another”.
And Barak himself refrences the “Hiroshima/Nagasaki” speech that he originally claimed he was unaware of when the Wright story broke.
…Or you can drink your Democrat cool-aid and stare at the rolling stone cover on your wall…. your choice….
Kind of sad that the people have been passing around the Pastors page pamphlets from the TUCC about anti Israel and pro Hamas views for a month now. There are 116 UCC churches in Chicago and dozen with in miles from Obama’s home. Why this anti American ideals church? WOW it takes Fox, ABC and MSNBC to all air it before we get one word on CNN. Also the news finally being reported about the anti American statements that America is run by white racists. Yet still he supports the pastor and this church. A MONTH, COME ON GUYS REALLY? ARE YOU A NEWS NETWORK OR A HIDE OUR HEAD IN THE SAND IF IT BAD ABOUT OBAMA CAMPAIGN HEAD QUARTERS? NO VETTING ALLOWED! NO HARD QUESTIONS OR NEGATIVE FINDING SHARED TO BE REPORTED TO AMERICA! SHAME ON YOU CNN! VERY SAD WHEN WE THE PEOPLE HAVE TO FIND OUR OWN FACTS AND GET OUR OWN NEWS!
Doesn’t matter. Unless Obama can prove that Wright’s “sound clip” was actually someone else’s quote (other than Wright’s), what he said was evil. Period.
Do politicians think we are stupid and believe everything we hear on tv. I read the whole
sermon and Obama should thank his lucky stars that all we got were sound bites. His pastor
seems to be teaching his clergy to hate. He speaks in the past and not of the present but anyone who is in awe of him wouldn’t understand that. The pastor to me seems to want to
start a riot.
Is there any nationality that this pastor hasn’t condemned besides the blacks. I find it very disturbing that now there are words about the italians being “garlic noses” and even more disturbing statements about the jews. This clearly is not going to go away and with out doubt there will be more to come out and then it will be harder for Obama to justify his relationship with this pastor and church for so many years. Clearly I do not some who has been associated with this nonsense to be my President. He can say anything to get elected, but how do we really know what he is thinking? How do we know that he doesn’t believe what this pastor has preached? We don’t and just because he askes us to trust him is not enough, not when you want the most important job in the world.