Obama Rips Rev. Wright

Dem Candidate Says He's Outraged By Ex-Pastor's Remarks, "Saddened" By "Spectacle" Of Recent Appearance

(CBS/AP)  Barack Obama angrily denounced his former pastor for "divisive and destructive" remarks on race, seeking to divorce himself from the incendiary speaker and a fury that threatens to engulf his front-running Democratic presidential campaign.

Obama is trying to tamp down the uproar over the Rev. Jeremiah Wright at a tough time in his campaign. The Illinois senator is coming off a loss in Pennsylvania to rival Hillary Rodham Clinton and trying to win over white working-class voters in Indiana and North Carolina in next Tuesday's primaries.

"I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened over the spectacle that we saw yesterday," Obama told reporters at a news conference Tuesday.

"Obama's decision to address Wright's recent comments after several days of trying to stay away signals concern over the damage that was being done to his candidacy," said CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs.

"His strong denunciation of Wright's remarks, particularly those made yesterday at the National Press Club, was aimed at voters in the upcoming primaries, a national audience and the Democratic superdelegates who hold so much power in the nominating process," Ververs added. "It may bring even more attention to the issue but Obama clearly felt he needed to make a very clear and public break with his former pastor." (Click here to read Ververs' full analysis).

His strong words come just six weeks after Obama delivered a sweeping speech on race in which he sharply condemned Wright's remarks but did not leave the church or repudiate the minister himself, who he said was like a family member. After weeks of staying out of the public eye while critics lambasted his sermons, the former pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago made three public appearances in four days to defend himself.

On Monday, Wright criticized the U.S. government as imperialist and stood by his suggestion that the United States invented the HIV virus as a means of genocide against minorities. "Based on this Tuskegee experiment and based on what has happened to Africans in this country, I believe our government is capable of doing anything," he said.

And perhaps even worse for Obama, Wright suggested that the church congregant secretly concurs.

"If Senator Obama did not say what he said, he would never get elected," Wright said. "Politicians say what they say and do what they do based on electability, based on sound bites, based on polls."

Obama stated flatly that he doesn't share the views of the man who officiated at his wedding, baptized his two daughters and been his pastor for 20 years. The title of Obama's second book, "The Audacity of Hope," came from a Wright sermon.

"What became clear to me is that he was presenting a world view that contradicts who I am and what I stand for," Obama said. "And what I think particularly angered me was his suggestion somehow that my previous denunciation of his remarks were somehow political posturing. Anybody who knows me and anybody who knows what I'm about knows that I am about trying to bridge gaps and I see the commonality in all people."

Although Obama leads in pledged delegates, no Democrat can win the nomination without the support of the superdelegates, the elected officials and party leaders who can vote their preference. The Wright furor forces those Democrats to wonder about Obama's electability in November.

Facing that reality, Obama sought to distance himself further from Wright.

"I have been a member of Trinity United Church of Christ since 1992, and have known Reverend Wright for 20 years," Obama said. "The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago."

The Illinois senator said of Wright's statements Monday: "All it was was a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in truth."

"Obviously, whatever relationship I had with Reverend Wright has changed," Obama said. "I don't think he showed much concern for me, more importantly I don't think he showed much concern for what we're trying to do in this campaign."

CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder reports that Obama saw the news coverage yesterday, and, according to aides, was deeply angered and insisted that he give a press conference today.

Obama said he heard that Wright had given "a performance" and when he watched news accounts, he realized that it more than just a case of the former pastor defending himself.

"His comments were not only divisive and destructive, I believe they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate," Obama said. "I'll be honest with you, I hadn't seen it" when reacting initially on Monday, he said.

Wright had asserted that criticism of his fiery sermons was an attack on the black church. Obama rejected that notion.

"He has done great damage, I do not see that relationship being the same," said Obama.

Wright recently retired from the church. He became an issue in Obama's presidential bid when videos circulated of Wright condemning the U.S. government for allegedly racist and genocidal acts. In the videos, some several years old, Wright called on God to "damn America." He also said the government created the AIDS virus to destroy "people of color."

Obama said he didn't vet his pastor before deciding to seek the presidency. He said he was particularly distressed that the furor has been a distraction to the purpose of a campaign.

"I gave him the benefit of the doubt in my speech in Philadelphia explaining that he's done enormous good. ... But when he states and then amplifies such ridiculous propositions as the U.S. government somehow being involved in AIDS. ... There are no excuses. They offended me. They rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced."

While Obama said he remains a member of the church "obviously this has put a strain on that relationship.

"There wasn't anything constructive out of yesterday," said Obama. "All it was was a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in truth."

At one point, Obama said he understood the pressures Wright faced but wouldn't excuse his comments.

"I think he felt vilified and attacked and I understand him wanting to defend himself," Obama said. "That may account for the change but the insensitivity and the outrageousness of the statements shocked me and surprised me."

[jack3213]

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE.

[jack3213]

BY THE WAY: CLINTON IS THE MOST MANIPULATIVE PERSON AND THE MOST EVIDENT LIAR ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH ..YOU''''D HAVE TO BE THE BIGGEST DUMMY TO BELIEVE A WORD SHE SAYS, TOO. IT WOULD BE TOTALLY EMBARRESSING TO PUT A CLINTON BACK IN THE WHITEHOUSE. IT WOULD BE AN OUTRAGE TO PUT A PERSON IN THE WHITEHOUSE AS WELL, WHO STUDIED UNDER A HATER OF THE USA FOR 20 YEARS- DON''T FORGET ANYTHING - AND REMEMBER ALL THE LIES- THE LIES GO BOTH WAYS-

[andylance1]

''Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here a while,
My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile
The tedious day with sleep.

Player Queen:
Sleep rock thy brain,
And never come mischance between us twain!

Hamlet:
Madam, how like you this play?

Queen:
Obama doth protest too much, methinks.

[popstom1]

Ho I am outraged after 20 years way too late

[jack3213]

IT''S NEVER TO LATE FOR SOME WHO CHOOSE TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE DICTATORSHIP- VETO DOWN SOCAIALISM AND ANY DEMOCRAT WHO WANTS TO CONTROL YOUR LIFE- IT''S TIME TO STAND UP AND HAVE FAITH IN YOURSELF FOR A CHANGE. IT''S TIME TO HAVE FAITH IN A PATRIOT. MCCAIN 2008

[williamfold]

when there''s Americans like JACK3213, you kinda gotta ask yourself, is this place worth trying to save?

[antoniof123]

Well, Hillary just won and say hello to your new President.

[downtowner97]

I don''t care how eloquent Reverent Wright is, he''s an idiot. He has had the opportunity to watch a black man, a member of his congregation, get elected. Instead he''s opted to take the opportunity to be a hero to the militant fringe.

[texanforlogi]

when there''''s Americans like JACK3213, you kinda gotta ask yourself, is this place worth trying to save?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by williamfold at 02:39 PM : Apr 29, 2008

This country is worth trying to save, but with folks like Jack3213 around, it will be impossible to save.

[jlbizzle]

Too little too late. He will lose some of the African American vote, now. And he''s already lost so many other demographics. As I''ve been saying for weeks.... He''s now unelectable.

[speakinup]

I can see it now, every one of Obama''s supporters will now recognize that he did the correct thing.


AFTER, he did it. Perish the thought that they would criticize him for not doing it before.


And the far left has the gall to say Bush supporters have blinders on!



HAH! Hypocrites!


Come on, getcentered, and J-whitman - what have you got to say, boys!

[tazntpa]

After 20 years of attending Rev. Wright''s church, listening to his sermons, having him marry he and his Wife, Baptizing their Children Barack Obama suddenly does not agree with Rev. Wright???????? After Rev. Wright''s beliefs came to light, I was thinking twice about support Obama - not any more, I''m convinced I WILL NOT support Obama 08.

[dante805]

OK, NOW he''s outraged. Maybe if he said that 2 months ago he would have more credibility. This guy is a fraud and elitist. Go back and complain to those San Fransico Elitists who did you in.

[downtowner97]

I''m listening to Rush Limbaugh, and he''s focusing ever second of his on-air time to Hillary and Obama. This is the same man who implored everyone not to vote for McCain in the early primaries. Now that McCain is the only Republican candidate with a chance, those who backed Bush and Cheney have decided he''s infallible.

[samthetvcat]

-----"Obama sat there for 20 years listening to this racist clown,,, He is almost as bad. He got caught. Could you imagine if Hillary was sitting in a on Klan meeting.... He may as well concede."-----
Posted by guyfrompa45

I''ve said this before - everything in competition is relative . . . Hillary stood by her cheating man KNOWINGLY for YEARS.

And McCain calls his wife a ''c*unt'' . . .

This is the final three . . . I think this speech sounds great!

Obama 08!

[nanging3]

MILLIONS MISSING FROM KATRINA DONATIONS REV.WRIGHT WAS COLLECTING VIA TUCC

ATLAS EXCLUSIVE: OBAMA%u2019S PASTOR WRIGHT!WHERE IS THE KATRINA MONEY? Bill Warner has been doing some serious investigating on Obama%u2019s spiritual
mentor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. Back on September 19, 2005, Trinity United
Church of Christ ran a plea for cash on their bulletin. They were directly
taking contributions/donations for %u201CHurricane Katrina%u201D demanding that the check
be made payable to Trinity United Church of Christ. %u201CWe are not taking clothing
or non-perishable items%u201D. JUST CASH%u2026.why not the Red Cross as the %u201CPay to%u201D, who
monitored the money, where did all the cash go, who monitored Rev. Wright and
his non-profit church ?


In 2007/2008. the Trinity United Church built a $1 million mansion for Wright
(where did all this cash come from?)

http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/04/atlas-exclusi-1.html

[sjbj2322]

Seems the writing is on the wall. Many of us here tried to tell people over a year ago that Wright would come out to tarnish the fascade Obama is trying to portray but NOOO...people were too busy lapping up their koolaid called Hope. Now Barack has the audacity to state that Wright is not speaking for the spirit of the black church. What a blastid idiot. He said just the opposite not two months ago. Waffle...waffle....flip....flop! In the meantime McCain is starting to soften his ideas on healthcare. Read it folks....who is the one that has remained the most consistent and determined. Yep...HILLARY!!!!

[shortestfuse]

Obama rips Rev. Wright, after he praised him for having been an inspiration. Sounds like Obama is taking lessons from the John ''Waffle'' Kerry.

[nanging3]

Too, late Obama..and the fact that he will continue to attend that church that believes in the Marxist teachings of James H. Cone.
have you read this?%u2026%u2026%u2026.this is what his church teaches to his daughters on
Sundays%u2026%u2026%u2026.these are the writings of James Cones - you can look it up -

%u201CBlack theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the
goals of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people,
then he is a murderer and we had better kill him. The task of black theology is
to kill gods who do not belong to the black community. Black theology will
accept only the love of God which participates in the destruction of the white
enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in black power which is the
power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at
their disposal. Unless God is participating in his holy activity, we must reject
his love.%u201D

[speakinup]

Flip-flop.

[jsilver2th]

Team Clintonoid needs to remember it was them that had Rev. Wright to the White House for their Christian ceremony to pray for the cleaning of Willie''s thing after the Monica Lewinski cigargate...
It''s Hillary reading his book too in that cute pick-

[nanging3]

In his 1993 memoir %u201CDreams from My Father,%u201D Obama recounts in vivid detail his
first meeting with Wright in 1985. The pastor warned the community activist that
getting involved with Trinity might turn off other black clergy because of the
church%u2019s radical reputation.

When Obama sought his own church community, he felt increasingly at home at
Trinity.

Obama says that rather than advising him on strategy, Wright helps keep his
priorities straight and his moral compass calibrated.

%u201CWhat I value most about Pastor Wright is his day-to-day political advice,%u201D
Obama said. %u201CHe%u2019s much more of a sounding board for me to make sure that I am
speaking as truthfully about what I believe as possible and that I%u2019m not losing
myself in some of the hype and hoopla and stress that%u2019s involved in national
politics.%u201D

[DCropp]

Now when is Hillary going to denounce Bill Clinton for making millions from foreign governments and foreign corporations?

When is Hillary going to denounce Bill Clinton for closing down an Indiana factory and shipping the jobs to China?

[nanging3]

Put a fork in him..He is done !

[cathaleen]

It''s about time Obama stood up to that crude, arrogant man.

[nanging3]

Liar Liar Liar ...
Much Too Late...

Staying at that church is not going to cut it..

[obamasgranny]

Well today we have more political posturing from Obama. How could anybody believe this guy now? If he really disagreed with Pastor Wrong he would have done this before his announcement to run for president. Do you really believe that he would pray in secret with the pastor if he didn''t already know about his comments? It is not even a matter of "sound-bites" any longer, now it is clear that this is who Wright is and has been for 20 years,...nice try Obama, MOST people aren''t that stupid!! DUH!!

[samthetvcat]

-----"Well today we have more political posturing from Obama. How could anybody believe this guy now?"-----
Posted by OBAMASGRANNY

Again ppl, everything in competition is relative . . . the issue isn''t trust if you''re comparing Barack to Hillary or flip-flopping McCain.

Clearly something else is at play . . .

[nanging3]

Obama introduced the Rev. Wright to the audience with these glowing and highly
personal words:

And then I%u2019ve got to give a special shout out to my Pastor. The guy who puts up
with me, counsels me, listens to my wife complain about me. He%u2019s a friend and a
great leader not just in Chicago but all across the country, so please everybody
give an extraordinary welcome to my pastor Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr., Trinity
United Church of Christ.

Where%u2019s he at? There he is. That%u2019s him, that%u2019s him right there.

You wearing a suit today, right?

This reveals a very intimate portrait of Obama and Wright%u2019s relationship. Notice
the last bit where Obama jokes about Wright%u2019s penchant for wearing an
Afrocentric style of dress and that his wearing of a suit at that event was
uncommon. These are the remarks of a close friend to another loved intimate, not
the words of a man making perfunctory comments.

[speakinup]

As bad as this is, and it IS bad, Wasn''t Hillary the one that reiterated her claim to have voted for Iraq invasion when Saddam was caught ?

Both of them are tainted, according to DNC thinking!


What to do, what to Do!


The house of cards are comin down - the lies are catching up with the Democrates.


Yup, Chickens are home to roost!




Flip-flop, flip-flop.

[nanging3]

You know, I%u2019ve been on a journey trying to get at the truth that question for a
long time. I mention Rev. Wright%u2026 I first met Rev. Wright when I moved to
Chicago after college.

And that%u2019s where I met Rev. Wright and started going to Trinity United Church of
Christ and he helped me on another journey. I learned that those things that I
was too weak to accomplish myself, maybe he could accomplish them for me if I
placed my trust in Black Theology. And I learned that ordinary people can
achieve extraordinary things when they believe. And they come together.

So, we see that Obama obviously had a close, long-term relationship with Wright
not a casual one where Obama might have missed the Reverend%u2019s long-standing
agenda.

[nanging3]

Obama has shown is poor judgement again..
Look at his other associates..Ayers..his wife !

And Wright was on his campaign staff, remember ??

[enoughya]

As scary as this Jeremiah Wright Jr. guy is, Hillary Clinton and John McCain are even scarier.

This Wright Jr. guy is a total idiot, and anyone who touts him as being intelligent is an even bigger idiot. I have supported Obama all along, and I still believe he is the better candidate to level the playing field for the middle class and for looking out for those on the bottom, and so I will still vote for him. But, Obama really needs to disavow himself of this bombastic, egotistical preacher. The thought of such a dullard advising Obama in any way makes me cringe. Obama has displayed an intellect far above this Wright loser, and I hope he has enough sense to completely throw off such shrill self-aggrandizement.

[dnsallday]

Clinton''s enthusiastic Backer Barbara Reynolds organized and arranged to have Rev. Wright speak at the Press Club. Do you think they care about the American people or do you think they care about doing whatever they can do to obtain personal power? This is what Dem is willing to do to another Dem in order to win. I don''t care about Rev. Wright anymore than I care about McCain giving the commencement speech at Jerry Falwells campus, after Falwell blamed 9/11 on Americans.

[megamanx1-2009]

lol why are the same 4 people posting over and over?

[guysdigdirt]

Sure Obama, you attend his church for over 20 years, have this bigot to your home and fund his preaching and now when he shows who you are by association, now you condem him?

That is who you are too Obama.

[mike71067]

This is the funniest thing to happen in this entire campaign! Does Obama really think we''re all this stupid? He''s acting like he just now found out about Rev. Wright''s philosophy! Like Obama''s the last person in the universe to discover this! What a jerk! This should be the final sign to all Obama supporters that it''s time to change your vote.

If Obama really believed what he''s saying, he would have said this a month ago, before Hillary started killing both him and McCain in the polls.

Anybody but Obama in 2008!

[carlad1958]

I don''t get why everyone is so upset about the post 9/11 comments of Rev. Wright. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson said basically the same thing at the time except they blamed it on a homosexual agenda, as did Rev. Hagee regarding Katrina. So, it is OK for old white men to say "our chickens have come home to roost," but not for Rev. Wright?

[davthewav1]

Obama is taking on a three front assault from McCain and his republican political machine, Hillary Clinton, and now Rev. Jeremiah Wright. If he can survive to win the presidency after this, he will likely be a tougher and wiser man .


A joint Obama-Clinton or Clinton-Obama ticket may be the only way for the Democrats to win in November no matter who the Democratic nominee is, because of the the polarized split among Democrats, (as long as the supporters of the second place candidate don''t vote for McCain out of spite). Hillary can not win without the support of African-Americans and Obama can not win without the support of working class whites. But both of the candidates must stop the negative attacks on each other and start attacking McCain instead because they may be working together for the next eight years.

[guysdigdirt]

As parents we are all aware and afraid of our kids associating with the wrong types of friends because we know our kids will be just like those they associate with. Obama and his religious leader are no different, they wear the same clothes, talk the same language and think the same things whether one says differently or not.

[rjudy3]

All you idiot Obamanuts who worshipped at his feet, the man you all want to be President, listening for TWENTY YEARS to this buffoon. My God, can you imagine the people he would appoint in positions of power over the rest of us?! Thank-GOD the "chickens have come home to rooooost!" finally! WHEW!!!!
I''m voting Hillary, she is the ONLY one who can beat McCain in the fall. Obama is rotting fish about right now.

[davthewav1]

it''s true that Wright seems to be enjoying the spotlight and continues to make coarse statements to his own advantage, (book deal maybe?), at Obama''s expense, but that only demonstrates the dissociation between the two. They have completely different agendas. Rev. Wright says that he has to defend himself and his church from all the negative media he has received lately. Rev. Wright may also be angry at Obama for condeming his most controversial remarks and so he feels no loyalty to his former parishioner. He has also declared that he will come after Obama if he is elected. If Wright''s persisted disputation cost Obama the nomination he may not feel any compunction about it and in his mind he may think that Obama deserves to lose for his disloyalty to Wright''s church.

Whatever Rev. Wright''s motives are, he has given the far right neo-cons ammunition to try to damage the Democratic Party with their despicable swift boat type smear ads. The Republicans know they can''t win on the issues so expect a particularly nasty election season this year, probably worse than when John Kerry was running in 2004. The world can not afford another Republican president after Bush, at least not at this time.(Continued below)

[mudrose-2009]

Wait til Ayers, Rezko and Farrakin get to talking about you if you think the Rev. Right Brain harpooned ya.

[speakinup]

So, it is a hard one to take - but Obama MAY not be cooked yet.

Remember who his Democratic opponent is.

Hillary has done stuff just as dumb, and given time, has lived to bounce back.


When your choice is dumb and dumber, who do you choose ?


HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

[carlad1958]

And good grief, could we stop worrying about what the candidates'' friends are saying and focus on what the candidates themselves are saying? I would hate to be held responsible for the things my friends think and say, but they are still my friends. Do all of our acquaintances have to mimic our every word? I thought in America we each have the right of free speech. Doesn''t seem that way.

And, shame on the media for making this an issue in the first place. This story would have died a peaceful death in about a week if the media hadn''t kept pounding it. Then, they tell us this is what we want to hear. Not me. I want to hear about the issues facing us all: war, economy, health care, gas prices.

[guysdigdirt]

I don''''t get why everyone is so upset about the post 9/11 comments of Rev. Wright. Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson said basically the same thing at the time except they blamed it on a homosexual agenda, as did Rev. Hagee regarding Katrina. So, it is OK for old white men to say "our chickens have come home to roost," but not for Rev. Wright?
Posted by CarlaD1958

Yes, moron, it is OK for anyone to say and think these things.

What is not OK is for them to lead other people. And for *** sure not OK for a loyal follower and financial funder of such religious based hatred to lead the country.

[jjarden]

How nice to see a 20-year friendship destroyed, all because of EGO and AMBITION in the Life of Politics.

[pumaespiritu]

Obama-hatin'' fools relish in any opportunity to go on the offense... but let''s keep this in perspective now: Obama doesn''t have to own up to ANYTHING Wright does- he never should have in the first place but the Media kept spinning this so-called news. Moreover, it gave closet-racists a wonderful opportunity to backlash against blackness. The greatest controversy, and no doubt tragedy, is that our national consciousness and awareness has never been so dim. We have white-trash candidates knocking on the door to replace the current one yet here we are rallying behind them because of who they are up against. In the end it will be apparent to most of us- everyone except for the neo-cons and perhaps some of the Hillary fanatics- that Obama is a genuine figure of importance who can and will leader America out of ignorance. Many Americans believe in him, and slowly but steadily we are overcoming you.

[guysdigdirt]

And good grief, could we stop worrying about what the candidates'''' friends are saying and focus on what the candidates themselves are saying? I would hate to be held responsible for the things my friends think and say, but they are still my friends.
Posted by CarlaD1958

What you miss Carla, is the fact that you and your friends have the same ideals and beliefs, or you would not be friends. A missed comment or joke, that you can deride a friend for, closely held beliefs and ethics, you share those with friends and religious leaders- or they would not be friends or religious leaders.

[guysdigdirt]

You talking about Obama''''s "mentor" here. The guy that he dedicated his book to. This is the church that Obama attended for 20+ years. Remember the Philly speech where he said he could no more disown his white grandmother than Uncle Wright, and no more disown this church than he could disown the black community?

That was only three weeks ago.
Posted by trapbreak

Well put and all true. Makes you proud to be a democrap doesnt it.