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.
Who cares what Obama complains about. He doesn’t even deserved to be quoted in the news
Whether it’s one clip or 10 clips this guy hates America and whites. Bottom line! It’s even scarier that most Americans don’t have a problem with this or the fact that Obama refuses to disown such a “hate Mongerer”! Our own people aren’t one bit afraid that they may be putting a terrorist or “anti white” nut in the White House. Get real - we want good things for this country and Obama isn’t the guy. I’m a Hillary fan but guys, vote Mccain if you don’t like HIllary please just don’t take a chance on a guy we know nothing about.
Leave it alone Senator before it hurts you even more. The more you try to rationalize the more cannon fodder you provide the those filthy Clntonites.
I guess he is taking heat for throwing the pastor under the bus. He is in a tough spot…it may have been better for him to rely on integrity and stand up from the start. It’s just like the Michigan/Flordia situation. If he had said no from the start, even before the primaries, and stuck with it, I may agree with him, but he is a politician. He is looking for personal benefits. He is sacrificing his integrity for the sake of votes.
I think we’ve been given a little peek at what’s inside BO’s heart. It’s absolutely shameful! Only in the democratic party could that jerk find support.
…oh…WAH!…Obama..
that is what you democrats have been doing to republicans for years now…what…you don’t like it now that it is being done to you…STFU moron!
ExT
Again- Obama complaining and “whining” about something.
Even though they are soundbites, it is clear as to what he was saying. Obama has had to have heard some of which Rev. Wright had to say in his sermons. How can you be a member of a church for 20 years, and not be influenced by your Pastor. What kind of influence did this pastor have on Obama’s children, yet he continues to defend him. What kind of President would he make after having Rev. Wright as his mentor????
tell obama tell it to sweeney// he sure picks friends who hate everyone in America
“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,”
Welcome to the real World, Mr. Obama!
“But he refused to repudiate his longtime spiritual mentor, saying he could no more disown Wright than he could disown his white grandmother.”
This is where you sink. Stand by your man, even if you know that he did wrong and call your granny a “typical white person”. Hillary stud by Bill during the Monica affair and after and she is haunted by that misstep until today, so get accustomed to the fact that this mentor will be a millstone around your neck.
These were not some “stupid” comments, they were hateful and racist and Wright knew exactly what he was talking about. Your attempts to play them down are stupid and useless, because it will fail.