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.
I don’t understand why my comments weren’t posted when this story first broke. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that plain truth needs to be kept away from view. Maybe it has to do with showing one more American who is sick of hate messages crowding our airwaves like this sick story has unfolded to be. And maybe it has something to do with the fact my opinion included anyone who votes for Obama would seem the same as casting a vote for a follower of a KKK leader. Hate is hate no matter what color it comes in. And no matter what type of building it’s meetings are held in. I believe in God and love and peace and harmony and moving toward that light. We should only pray this hasn’t set racial relations back a hundred years and hope people’s opinions like my own who love everyone no matter what color or religion you are will prevail. Shame on you Obama and Wright.
May God Bless America.
You call this Christianity, Senator?
Please gimme a break. And you defended this for twenty years? You used this to blame President Bush for Iran hating America?
Leaves me speechless.
You are a rotten gold-seeker opportunist posing as Messiah of Change, a very dangerous man to have in Public Office.
Funny… Imus had been on the air for a long long time… yet his one slip was lambasted by Barack Obama who, as you remember DEMANDED his firing, yet here is the remark HE made about the REV.. (haha) Wrights numerous slip ups.. “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.” “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” I also am interested in the fact that the REV. canceled his 2 sermons this week.. I am sure it had nothing to do with security but rather he KNEW that the media would be there listening. Because ALL HE SPEWS is racist and anti American he had nothing to “preach” on. .. (he doesn’t seem to use scripture at all, and he is probably having a hard time writing a sermon that actually is based on the BIBLE)