by Frank James
Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor, sounds like he isn't holding it against the senator that the presidential candidate has publicly castigated the man who performed his marriage and baptized him and his two children.
Then, again, some of what Wright said in a recent interview is bound to be unhelpful to Obama.
The PBS program "Bill Moyers Journal" is releasing snippets of Moyers' interview with Wright to be broadcast tonight. In one Wright says this in response to Moyers' question which was essentially how did it go down to have Obama publicly flog you:
It went down very simply. He's a politician. I'm a pastor. We speak to two different audiences. And he says what he has to say as a politician. I say what I have to say as a pastor. Those are two different worlds. I do what I do, he does what politicians do. So what happened in Philadelphia where he had to respond to the soundbites, he responded as a politician.
Uhh ohh. For over a year, Obama has worked hard to craft an image that he's not your typical politician, that he transcends normal politics.
Now his former pastor seems to be suggesting that Obama is doing what he needs to in order to win, in otherwords, that he's your standard-issue politician for all his high-flown talk and unique personal story.
That doesn't help the Obama message, does it?









Comments
So Wright is telling the truth about Obama, but is just crazy when he talks about other subjects?
Let the twisting of words continue.
Posted by: tomj | April 25, 2008 12:44 PM
This seems to be Wright's personal subliminal put down of Obama. Either way Obama will never get to be President. Thanks to Wright and his other cronie associates...............
Posted by: kaye m. | April 25, 2008 12:57 PM
oh puh-leeze. now obama is a typical politician because he's trying to win an election? i think we've reached a new nadir of hack journalism, mr. james. congratulations.
Posted by: chad_broski | April 25, 2008 1:00 PM
Wright likes the spotlight and wants to undercut Obama for some unknown reason. He definitely cares nothing about Obamas campaign. If he did, he wouldnt be on the interview circuit.
Posted by: Wayne | April 25, 2008 1:12 PM
Let the witch hunt continue. This is the intelligence of the right. If you can't argue issues with the man, find someone he knows that you can argue with. By their comparison anyone who has lived in the south for 20 years must be a racist. How can they live next to someone and not be just like them. If you live in a border state in the south you must think like Mexicans do. These same people attend church for 20 years where they teach to forgive and love all mankind and they don't. If this is true...then McBush from 20 years as a politician..is just another politician.
Posted by: bill r. | April 25, 2008 1:22 PM
"he says what he HAS to say as a politician".....Classic!
Posted by: em | April 25, 2008 1:24 PM
tomj,
Exactly, following Republic logic requires me to do mental gymnastics I'm just not capable of doing.
Posted by: janet | April 25, 2008 1:25 PM
yeah, kaye m. right on. heaven forbid a presidential candidate rub elbows with anyone other than pillars of personal perfection. as everyone knows, john mccain and hillary clinton only associate with flawless individuals who have no stains on their record. nobody wants a president who actually knows some real people who have complex personalities.
and everyone knows that you automatically disqualify yourself from being president not only if you yourself has ever said or done something regrettable, but also if you've ever associated with someone who has said or done something regrettable.
america is perfect. therefore, our leader must be perfect. i certainly don't want a president who has broad experience dealing with people of varied backgrounds who hold varied viewpoints that may be different than mine or theirs. i mean, everyone knows that you have the same opinions as all of your friends! there's no way you can ever know and like someone yet disagree with them on some points. and it's totally common knowledge that anyone who has some questionable stances on certain issues is of no value whatsoever and has nothing to contribute. ever.
just last week i booted one of my best friends since childhood because i found out he thinks belligerent american foreign policy for the past 50 years which has caused vast inequalities in the distribution of wealth and power may have contributed to international resentment toward us, and may have even had something to do with 9/11. what hogwash! everyone knows the terrorists hate our freedom! i can't associate with someone like that who doesn't realize that america is the most perfect country ever and that we never do anything wrong!
the fact that obama even knows someone who thinks like that should disqualify him from being president.
this is basic stuff!
Posted by: chad_broski | April 25, 2008 1:28 PM
Obama is a politician!! oh my god Noooooo!
Posted by: tai hunter | April 25, 2008 1:29 PM
Semper Fi, Rev. Wright. Thanks for your service to this great country, and it can be even greater, when Senator Obama is elected President!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 25, 2008 1:31 PM
there is no question that obama is a gifted and charismatic man. the people that he has surrounded himself with over the years, cause me to feel unsafe and i cannot vote for someone i am afraid of. if he wins the nomination, i will not be able to vote for him.
Posted by: ellie | April 25, 2008 1:36 PM
I think it's wrong that North Carolina television is refusing to play the anti- Rev. Wright video. What happened to the 1st amendment? It proves what we knew all along, Obama knew what Rev. Wright believed and believes it too. That is not what we need for this country right now!!!
Posted by: CHRIS | April 25, 2008 1:37 PM
Barack responded not as a typical politician, but as a leader. There is still racism that divides this country. Barack addressed that because the issue needed addressing. Was Lincoln speaking as a politician at Gettysburg? He was a politician, but he was speaking as a leader.
Posted by: Rob H | April 25, 2008 1:39 PM
Hillary seems to forget that Rev Wright was the first person Bill Clinton turned to when he got caught committing adultery with Monica Lewinsky in the White House.
http://www.docstrangelove.com/2008/03/20/bill-clinton-to-reverend-jeremiah-wright-i-have-sinned/
Rev Wright served his and our country in the Marines, if anyone has the right to get mad and say "godamn America", it's him.
Posted by: John E | April 25, 2008 2:02 PM
I don't like Wright nor his comments but he is 'right' about Obama being a politician. They all are politicians Mcain, Clinton and Obama too. Obama was just good at covering the obvious.
Posted by: Ryan | April 25, 2008 2:18 PM
We're in Iraq refereeing a civil war, our economy is tanking and people are dying because they can't afford health care...and I'm supposed to care about what Obama's pastor may or may not have said?
Posted by: trailertrash feminazi's for the Clinton dynasty | April 25, 2008 2:20 PM
chris - if you had any clue about the first amendment, you'd know that freedom of speech only applies to government action. if a privately owned television station decides not to run an ad, that is not government suppression of speech, and thus does not run afoul of the first amendment.
but good for you for having the courage and good sense to make an argument without having any idea what you're talking about. that's the american way!
Posted by: chad_broski | April 25, 2008 2:44 PM
I just thank God that we have this idiot who clearly loves the spotlight thrusting himself back into the public square fast enough to ruin Obama's chances in North Carolina and Indiana.
Posted by: Jeff | April 25, 2008 3:15 PM
John E--how the dickens can you worm in a bash of HIllary into this?
The stupid guy did an interview with Bill Moyers---this has NOTHING to do with Hillary.
Obama supporters best remember that
1. if the media's messiah makes it to the top of the ticket--you'll need us former clinton edwards kucinich supporters.
2. This isn't the first political season PBS has been on the air.
Posted by: calmdownkoolaiddrinkers | April 25, 2008 3:25 PM
obama is the most vicious and cunning politician ever. the very first time he entered the political arena, he was virtually unopposed 'coz he disqualified most candidates even the incumbent. now, he is preaching a different kind of politics and a change from the old ways. indeed, a change to his chameleon like politics where he preaches on different persona. and now that his true colors are emerging, he is very quick to invoke racism at all fronts. i have never seen a politician so cunning and so good with rhetorhics that the very young populace are easily swayed by the sweet tongued obama. where is the substance by the way. his speeches are reminiscent of the very old ways of politics.
Posted by: jaime | April 25, 2008 3:33 PM
1. if the media's messiah makes it to the top of the ticket--you'll need us former clinton edwards kucinich supporters.
2. This isn't the first political season PBS has been on the air.
Posted by: calmdownkoolaiddrinkers | April 25, 2008 3:25 PM
Catherine,
Reality bites doesn't it? Clinton and her nazi feminist goons (you) have already lost so either get on the Barack train now or go jump on the old man McCain bandwagon and remember that if McCain wins I will personally rub it in your face every single day.
Posted by: John E | April 25, 2008 4:02 PM
I just thank God that we have this idiot...
Posted by: Jeff | April 25, 2008 3:15 PM
;
Oh I see, Jeff. It's a disgrace to call Gen. Petraeus, Gen. Betrayus but you can call a 20 year Veteran of the Navy an idiot. You sir are the king of double standards.
Posted by: jackson | April 25, 2008 4:11 PM
Last I checked, Reverend Wrong is retired and not an active commander of our forces in the middle east like General Petraeus, arrogant Jackson. Also, try and find the tape of General Petraeus saying "goddamn America." You can't because it doesn't exist. Being a marine so long ago isn't a get-out-of-racist/anti-american-speech free card for Reverend Wrong, either. Like John Kerry it's not what he did when he was a soldier that's objectionable. It's what he did after. Amazing that you lefties still don't get that.
Posted by: Jeff | April 25, 2008 6:29 PM
So now the Reverend Wright is against Obama. Well, that just makes him another racist, like Geraldine Ferraro!
"Stop the voting"
- Dick Cheney, 2000
Posted by: ElliotNC | April 25, 2008 8:47 PM
Reverend Wrong: "For every one Tiger Woods, who needs to get beat, at the Masters, with his cap, blazin’ hips playing on a course that discriminates against women. God has his way of bringing you up short when you get too big for your cap, blazin' britches."
Does anyone here know what he's saying? Because I can't, for the life of me, figure it out.
Posted by: Jeff | April 25, 2008 8:50 PM
The media always thinks everyone is dishonest and devious. I think Barack has run a fair and non name calling campaign and is always talking about changes for the better for all Americans not just for Black Americans. Why would you even think that Barack is a racist, hateful and anti-American, just because he knows Rev. Wright. Boy, the media just keeps stuff going to get another advertisement, and keep the racsist alive and kicking. What is real disturbing the majority of bitter and self loathing people can't see we need some serious changes in America. They have no insight in what the media is really doing...covering up the fact that America is not the perfect America we want it to be. Deep in your hearts you know that America is really getting to be a horrible place to live in. Just think which of the three canidates are addressing that issue, because we have to strive to be the America that the White Folk intended it to be...Fair , God fearing, and equal.
Posted by: Diane McBean | April 26, 2008 2:49 PM
Being called a politician is NOT good when your message's intent frames itself as more shamanic and visionary, than crafted for constituency congruence.
At the same time "The Rev" comes from the tradition of social prophecy that puts down the secular and the temporal. It's absolutist, which everyone nods to hear but would disown for its practice.
Whether looking for our secular messiah or the person who keeps us in a non-over-challenged state of comfort, we are just as guilty since we knew, despite the punditry, that BushCo caught all of us with our pants down jacking-off while they came kicking ass and literally taking names.
A good politician is able to explain the "art of the possible" as the more favored reality between utopianism and cynical inertia.
"It will take the courageous few to lead the reversal of the callously bold."
Donations received at www.paypal.com account Pr_Arjuna@yahoo.com
Posted by: Merlin | April 26, 2008 6:25 PM
Sorry guys but Obama is a liar and is decieving every single one of you. Do some research on all the things he's "supported" over the years that when it came down to it he went agains his word. He's a very good public speaker and all those that don't do research or get swayed by the way he speaks lack intelligence. I'm not going to continue because I could go on all day about the flaws in Obamas plans. If anyone took the time to watch the air time he bought out last week you can read this neutral article to back just the most recent ways Obama has twisted his words to fool so many of you "Americans". It was the headline for yahoo news in less then 12 hrs after his air time. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081030/ap_on_el_ge/fact_check_obama_ad
Posted by: Eric | November 3, 2008 1:35 PM