Obama Says Pastor Was in a ‘Time Warp,’ Suggests He Would Have Left Church
Barack Obama says his controversial former pastor was stuck in a “time warp” and suggests he would have left his Chicago church had Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. not retired.
While still defending what he called the “broader aspect” of his long-time pastor, Obama said in a pre-taped interview with ABC’s “The View,” which aired Friday, that Wright’s most offensive sermons drew from an outdated view of America and its prejudices.
“What they spoke to was, I think, a brilliant man who was still caught in a time warp back in the ’60s, early ’70s and the ’50s, where he grew up, and had a sense of where America was and didn’t have a good enough sense of how it had changed,” he said.
Obama disputed what he called an overstated notion that Wright was his “spiritual adviser” or “mentor.”
Hillary Clinton earlier this week for the first time spoke out on the controversy over Wright, whose anti-American and racially charged sermons threatened Obama’s campaign. The New York senator said she would have left the church if her pastor behaved like Obama’s.
Asked what he’d do if the reverend had stayed on, Obama told “The View”: “Had the reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people and were inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn’t have felt comfortable staying at the church.”
As he did in his speech on race more than a week ago, Obama continued to defend Wright’s character. He said he spoke with him recently, and “I told him I feel badly that he has been characterized just in this one way. People haven’t seen this broader aspect of him.”
Obama reiterated that he never personally heard Wright’s most controversial sermons.
“Now keep in mind he’s preaching three times every Sunday and for 30 years, and I’m not vetting my pastor and I didn’t have a research team during the course of these 20 years go pull every sermon that he’s given and see if there’s something offensive that he said,” Obama said, adding that “I don’t purchase all the DVDs.”
In his sermons over the years, Wright has railed against the United States and accused it of bringing on the Sept. 11 attacks by spreading terrorism. He also has said the government invented AIDS to destroy “people of color” and has shouted “God damn America” for its treatment of minorities.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
” This is a Cop-out. Coulda, woulda, shoulda….” from Obama shows how little integrity and true character this man really possesses. Obama doesn’t have the necessary qualities, nor does he practice what he preaches about in this campaign. Empty Words are just that….Obama is Empty also.
Didnt he tell us last week that he could not walk away from the Rev. in that historical speach? I’m confused.
All Obama is doing is using the age old tactic of “I don’t recollect” which almost every Democrat has used while being investigated.
Obama, “Had the reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people”. What is this?????????? Why is Obama trying to give people the impression that Wright said he was sorry????? HE DID NOT!!!! Sounds like another Obama lie, or as the Obama people say, another boneheaded mistake.
I cannot for the life of me understand how Obama can listen to this Rev.Wright every Sunday talking trash about America.
I go to church and had been to other churches,you stick to a church that represent your core beliefs and ideals.I don’t think I can sit there every Sunday and listen to this negative views and blaming America for the past and everything else in between,you should thank God you live in America!! the best country in the world.Try living in a 3rd world country where I came from.
If Obama feels like he says he does about this country he would have not listened to that for 20 yrs.!!.
He would have left the church if Wright had not retired? How does he explain 20 years of affiliation with this chuch and this man? He can’t and he’s desperately trying to save face with the black community and white voters. There is no way to excuse what Wright said and to stand with him will, of course, cost him votes.
As a pastor, I know that people attend and become members of a church because they agree with it basic philosophy. They may not agree with every statement that comes from the pulpit but they do agree with the overall message that the church presents to the community through its pastor and its programs.
No one could belong to a church as long a Obama and not know that his church’s overall philosophy was one of anti-American and racist. He chose to continue to belong because he either agreed with the message or for political benefit. Either reason is reason enough to disqualify him from being president.
Johnny Pike
“Asked what he’d do if the reverend had stayed on, Obama told “The View”: “Had the reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people and were inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn’t have felt comfortable staying at the church.”
What does he mean “had he not acknowledged what he said deeply offended people…” When did the reverend make this acknowledgement? Obama no longer looks straight into the eye of those interviewing him or the public attending his rally’s.
I still do not believe Obama. Just look at some of the members in the congregation. Cut me a break and stop thinking that the American people are stupid.
Is this the same person who intends to have a “dialogue” with Iran’s, Libya’s leaders if he reaches the White House? Does Senator Obama recognize the difference between fact & fiction? It is impossible to believe that, in 20 years of attending the same church, he never heard his pastor’s most inflammatory, racist speeches. Do we need an apologist like this in the White House?
Here’s a statement form another apologist:
“Pastor Wright’s statements have been taken out of context”.
Really? Ranting and raving against all this country stands for can actually be “taken out of context”?