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 just can’t let this issue go. He keeps trying to defend his pastor, if he keeps this up, Hillary won’t have to steal the nomination. Obama distanced himself from the “rev.”, but now everytime he opens his mouth, he manages to justify what his pastor said. It was only a few sound clips. Obama needs to have the courage to say I stand by what “rev” Wright said, because everyday it seems there is another story where he is defending him in one way or another.
He still has not addressed the racist manifesto of his church - the “Black Values” system. The media has completely ignored it giving him another free pass. If you inserted the word “white” for “black” throughout the document the ACLU and the Southern Poverty Law Center would have it listed at the top of the “hate” list.
I believe it was Obama that made the statement saying JUST WORDS meaning words do matter
QUOTE (dont tell me words don’t matter I HAVE A DREAM just words,all men are created equal just words,we have nothing to fear but fear its self just words don’t tell me words don’t matter words do matter) end quote that was from one of Obama’s speeches on February 19 2008 now weather it was from a 60 sec sound bite like his pastor or not Obama says words do matter. I guess they don’t when they are negative towards him he is flip flopping to suit his needs and the American people should look at that speech and use it like Obama said WORDS DO MATTER
Obama is no longer a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is a wolf in a suit. It is too late for Obama to denounce his beliefs. They are being exclaimed by those who support him, like this ridiculous excuse for a man of God. Neither man is worthy of any respect or admiration.
Is this what you want running our country? If it is, there is something wrong with your perception of the United States of America.
God help us individually and as a country if we allow this man to go any further politically than he has already.
If he wins, we are undone.
I don’t understand why the media can not determine exactly how often the pastor made such remarks during his sermons. I tend to believe Senator Obama when he says that this was not a usual sermon and that these types of remarks were not a common thing. I think the media has beaten this issue to death and it is time to put it aside. If it continues, I will be forced to vote for Obama in the general election. I am a staunch Republican, white and highly educated but this Obama bashing has gone too far. When I hear it on the news, I turn to another channel. I suggest that the public do the same.
Obama’s retort to the revealing of his pastor’s ranting is just another indication of his lack of depth and judgement. Because Wright didn’t say those things all the time Obama believes they aren’t that important nor do they reveal what Wright is all about. As a retired pastor I wonder if I had stood in a pulpit and used the “N” word just once in my 33 years of preaching what the reaction would have been. The truth about anyone’s convictions is not determined by the number of times he or she speaks about it. It is obvious that Wright believes what he said or he would not have said it in the first place.
So math works out to be
30 x 52 x 3 = ~ 4,680 sermons
1 minute hate per sermon = 4,680 minutes = 78 hours of preaching bigotry and hate
Sufficient time to indoctrinate couple generations with hate and racism
We are not accounting for sermons given as guest speaker, writings and Trumphet.
Who cares, Obama didn’t hear thing or know anything about it. That is all what matters.
Hillary please drop out so McCain can beat the crap out of this guy in GE.
the obama campaign only talks about the possibilities but the reality is that neither clinton nor obama campaigned overseas but overseas votes was acceptable but when it comes to florida obama is saying he did not campaign in florida.some supporters of like kerry,richardson, do not make me take obama serious for his comments on superdelegates.look the battle is based on electoral college rules and this proportionate confusion does not matter in november.
Someone please tell Mr. Obama that Mr. Wright’s comments have not been taken out of context. There is no context that makes it okay to say G D America or that America created aids to destroy people of color or his racist remarks. It is not okay to say any of those things no matter what color your skin. Mr. Wright should seek counseling for his anger and try to get over it.
30 years into 30sec.is the most pathetic thing he has said .he is trying desperatly to make this go away , well it is there in the american minds and it is not going away, to little to late.i dont trust dick morrises statment either, we all know he was booted out of the white house by the clintons, and he has a personal vindeta.if the topic was on something as foolish as marbles morris would manage to turn it around on the clintons, any chance he gets.