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.
Obama really needs to shut his trap and move forward. He is just digging a deeper hole by supporting Wright and trying to tell us this man is almost a saint taken out of context. Pastor Wright is a racist, bigoted, Anti-White, and Anti-American preacher. The old saying goes, “It takes one to know one” The apple never falls far from the tree. Obama is too much like Pastor Wright to see any real discernible difference. Obama therefor lacks judgment and clarity on this very serious matter.
I have to say that I was very proud of Obama for not ending his ties with the pastor over the inflammatory remarks he made. It would have been the easy way out to just cut ties, throw the relationship away by disowning him and simply walk away. But, Obama took the high road and stood by the man while making it clear that he did not share his views on those particular statements. Completely distancing and “throwing away” the relationship is something I am certain Hillary Clinton would have done without a second thought. It’s the easy road, but it shows no character or integrity. It takes a real person of integrity to stand by this man despite his human faults, even when you know it will be viewed negatively by many, and try to get people to understand the era that the pastor grew up in and why he has the feelings he does. The fact that Obama can understand the pastors feelings and yet not share them shows a deep understanding of the racial healing that needs to take place in this country. So, if one takes the time to really analyze the situation on the level of human caring and understanding, Obama further distinguishes himself as a person of outstanding moral character.
Obama excuses Wright for racist comments, therefore he promotes racism himself. Giving a true nutjob like Farakahn a lifetime achievement award, as Obama’s church did, is insane. I wonder if Obama was present to shake Farakahn’s hand at he presentation of this award?
Enough already. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong and I don’t care who you are.
Senator Obama is right.
How much of a bigger man Senator Obama appears to be in this situation than the right wing zealots who want to continue to live in and exploit the ignorance of the past.
Maybe Senator Obama has something here.
See Pastor James David Manning now he is a true gutsy, agent for CHANGE not this jive talk of Obama’s
Waah!! Go ahead and cry about it Obama. The only difference between you and the kkk is they don’t hide behind pathetic and obvious lies! If you are half the honest man you say you are fess up to your true feelings about “white” America! Go ahead and vote this bigot in America and we can replace the Constitution with the Black Value System. Your “former” pastor can be Secretary of State. You are nothing more than a disgrace to your Black and White heritage!
A soundbite was all that it took for Sen. Obama to call for Don Imus’s firing.
The hypocrisy insults the voters’ intelligence.
QUIT CRYING –as a candidate for the highest office in this country you have NOT been honest with the American people. First Obama tells us, oh, he wasn’t in the pews when Rev Wright said God D… America, etc. Then, in a speech on race, Obama admits he has heard Rev. Wright spewing these comments. Everyone I know says that they would NOT continue to sit in a church for 20 minutes let alone 20 YEARS with this pastor spewing hate, racism, and anti-American hate rhetoric. Obama, however, found some reason to stay–and THIS is WHY we will NOT vote for you in a primary and DO NOT want you as the Democratic nominee.
Restore “dignity” to the Democratic Party before MORE of your questionable affiliations surface let alone the subject of your known Cocaine Drug Habit which MSM has not really dealt with.
STEP down Senator Obama, do it for your party, do it for America.
More hog wash…
Of course Obama baby is complaining about the sound clips. The MSM finally stuck something to Mr. Teflon. Hillary is the only candidate with the ability to restore our standing at home and abroad. I cannot trust Obama and neither should the rest of America. I will not vote for him if he would manage to steal the election, with the aid of the MSM. Finally, Hillary weighed in on the Wright issue. Contrary to the Obamamainiacs and many of the MSM pundits this is not sinking to low tactics. That was Obama’s doings. Why shouldn’t Hillary comment on this issue? You can bet this alone has nearly eliminated Obama’s chance to win in November. Remember, he knee-capped himself with the Wright thing by “sitting in the pews for 20 years”, etc. If, and that is a big “IF”, Obama is identified as the nominee the Repulicans will immediately start a full scale assult on this issue and more of the same McCain will win in a landslide. Therefore, in my humble opinion, Hillary better do everything she can to get the nomination or we the democrats are doomed again in November. So MSM, if Sen. Obama isn’t able to get our nomination because he continues to get an all but free pass from you guys then doesn’t it behoove “US” to find that out now, before it is too late? Or do some of the good ole’ boys in the MSM, RNC, and possibly the DNC fear a female as “Commander in Chief” so badly that your willing to concede the general election to anyone, as long as it’s not Hillary? America really needs her skill and expertise. She is the best choice we have to restore our standing at home and abroad. I am far from alone in that opinion. Take a look at her position papers, plans, and solutions for America. Then, and only then, can you decide that she is right not Wright for America. You will vote Hillary once you look at the facts. I know I am. Thank you for considering America first. Finally, I knew the extremely nasty comments would start about Bosnia by the MSM. So, for my take call it spin, exaggeration, embellishing, we all do it. It’s not [W]right but, politicians particularly spin. Unfortunately for Hillary the MSM is going to seize on every opportunity to downgrade her at every turn and she should know that. Stupid thing to do but, in a man’s world, we women have to make ourselves more masculine than we are and in my mind & probably hers too, hyping of the war zone would do that for you guys. Sexism is far more prevalent in America, in my opinion, than racism and we women do what we must to survive.