Obama's Risky Denunciation Of Rev. Wright

Analysis: CBSNews.com's Vaughn Ververs Says Harsh Words For Ex-Pastor May Help Obama, But Challenges Await

(CBS)  This analysis was written by CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs.

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After days of largely ignoring the media blitz his former pastor has waged, Barack Obama reversed course and denounced the Rev. Jeremiah Wright in the strongest and most direct terms yet on Tuesday. It was a decision that may help him reclaim some of the initiative in a tight presidential primary contest, but it is not without risks.

The decision to specifically address Wright’s controversial statements came after the campaign maintained for days that Obama had said all he had to say on the subject - a sign that there has been growing concern that the controversy was damaging his candidacy. The result was not just a denunciation of Wright’s comments, but of the man who attracted Obama into the Trinity United Church of Christ, married him and baptized his children.

The turning point was Wright’s combative appearance in Washington yesterday at the national press club, where he stood by the comments he has claimed were taken out of context in press accounts over the past months. Wright maintained that the U.S. government was capable of acts of horror such as spreading AIDS through the black community, accused the government of committing terrorism abroad and called criticisms of such remarks an attack on the “black church.”

“I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday,” Obama said in a last-minute press conference today. The candidate said that after watching Wright’s appearance from Monday, “what became clear to me was that he was presenting a world view that contradicts what I am and what I stand for."

Hitting on most of the major points in specific terms, Obama said “there are no excuses” for such comments. “They offended me. They rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced."

In his much-heralded address on race relations after Wright’s earlier comments began gaining wide circulation last month, Obama pointedly denounced the comments but not the man. That position changed today. Calling Wright’s appearance Monday a “performance,” Obama went further, saying his remarks “were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate.”

With potentially pivotal contests looming in North Carolina and Indiana, the focus of the Democratic contest has been on Obama’s political weaknesses. For weeks, questions revolved around pressure on Hillary Clinton to drop out of the race. But after her sizable win in Pennsylvania, the pressure has shifted to Obama to demonstrate he can deliver a knock-out punch.

He needs to show not only that he can attract the kind of blue-collar, “Reagan Democrat” vote that has kept Clinton afloat in the race but also demonstrate to those all-important superdelegates who will decide the nomination that he has what it takes to win in November. Part of that is proving that he can handle the kind of crisis that Wright has become for his campaign.

In taking such an aggressive stand Obama may succeed in publicly distancing himself from the spectacle that the Rev. Wright has become, but his newfound outrage raises some further questions. In his Philadelphia address, Obama stood by his friend. “As imperfect as he may be,” he said of Wright a month ago, “he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children. … I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community.”

In today’s press conference, Obama said he sought in his earlier speech to “provide a context and to lift up some of the contradictions and complexities of race in America,” but that he found Wright’s comments Monday to be a “bunch of rants that that aren’t grounded in truth.” But many of Wright’s “rants” were simply a confirmation of many of the statements which had stirred up controversy in the first place.

Despite his appropriate outrage over Wright’s performances of late, Obama’s claim that his longtime pastor is exhibiting new behavior is certain to come under scrutiny. “The person I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago,” Obama insisted today. That comment, and any suggestion that the relationship between the two men was never as close as portrayed, are questionable.

Some of Wright’s remarks that sparked this mess were made over five years ago, specifically his oft-played comment that the nation’s “chickens” were “coming home to roost,” which he made shortly after 9/11. Obama has indicated Wright was instrumental in attracting him to the church he joined and has said he titled his book, “The Audacity of Hope,” after one of Wright’s sermons. That 20-year relationship will not be easily broken as a result of one afternoon press conference.

“What I think particularly angered me,” Obama said of Wright on Monday, “was his suggestion somehow that my previous denunciation of his remarks were somehow political posturing."

In a New York Times profile of the Obama-Wright relationship in April 2007, Wright himself predicted such a split based on the controversial remarks that were already under some scrutiny. “If Barack gets past the primary, he might have to publicly distance himself from me,” Wright told the paper over a year ago. “I said it to Barack personally, and he said yeah, that might have to happen.”

Whether Obama’s strong words of denunciation today were sincere or “political posturing” will be decided by the remaining Democratic primary voters, the party’s superdelegates and, perhaps, the national electorate. But it’s not a discussion that is likely to disappear entirely from the public’s consciousness.

[sgtrds]

Is the media EVER going to get tired of this self-created story? Are they ever going to get tired of beating this dead horse? I don''t CARE what Wright said or thinks because he is NOT running for office! What''s next? Are they going to report that Hillary has an anti-semitic dentist so we should blame her for it? Or maybe McCain has a racist furnace repairman, so don''t support him! Let''s get back to REAL news!

[blackyowe]

It is a dead horse, Obama is over.

[truthyness]

IT''S NOT RACISM, STUPID.

IT''S ELITISM!!

[popstom1]

This show''s Obama mind set for 20 years and was
created by Obama and Rev.Wright not by the media
and the only dead horse is Obama

[sgtrds]

IT''''S ELITISM!!

Posted by truthyness at 05:28 PM : Apr 29, 2008

So stop being elitist! Sheeesch! And take a pill for Pete''s sake!

[truthyness]

IT''S NOT RACISM, STUPID.

IT''S ELITISM!!

[mspiff]

I call for Obama to drop out of the presidential race. His judgment is too poor - if we beleive he isn''t on board with Wright. And that''s the BEST scenario. Poor judgment, rather than anti-American.
DROP OUT OBAMA

[libra127]

Ho-hum. More politics AS USUAL. The bloom is off the Obama rose.

[sgtrds]

I call for Obama to drop out of the presidential race. His judgment is too poor - if we beleive he isn''''t on board with Wright. And that''''s the BEST scenario. Poor judgment, rather than anti-American.
DROP OUT OBAMA

Posted by mspiff at 05:40 PM : Apr 29, 2008


Why would he drop out when he''s already won?

[mspiff]

Because he is a FRAUD, a CON, and we''re onto him now. He and his anti-American wife. That''s why.
DROP OUT OBAMA. DROP OUT. DROP OUT OBAMBA

I want my vote back, you phony fraud.

[jimmb4]

It''s funny that no matter what the story, the same people post the same things. They didn''t like it because he didn''t denounce him and they don''t like it when he does. I guest the only thing that you are consistent about is that you don;t like BO. Might as well skip the story and just have a headline with the single word OBAMA and you call then spew your bile. Go for it kids.

[sgtrds]

I want my vote back, you phony fraud.

Posted by mspiff at 05:54 PM : Apr 29, 2008

ROTFLMFAO! I love it when right wing trolls and toads pretend that they actually supported Obama at one time, but now have been driven away or lied to or have "caught on" to him or some other such bullsh*it! LOLOLOL! They actually expect people to believe them!!!

[undecided08-2009]

Look out...Rev Wright is firing torpedoes! Oh No! They are circling back toward Obama''s ship! Zig Zag, Zig Zag, Direct hit! Now hear this! Abandon Ship! Abondon ship!

[rowdytexan2]

Why would he drop out when he''''s already won?


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Posted by SgtRDS at 05:43 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Because he hasn''t won. And he won''t.

Hasn''t won but 12 little democratic states and 16 republican states.

He never had it won, he just told you he did and you believed him.

The DNC knows he hasn''t won, that''s why he doesn''t have the nomination, even though he''s lied to you says he does.

[sgtrds]

Hillary knows that the nomination is out of her reach this year, so her new goal is to make sure that she gets McCain elected, so she can run against him in 2012. Of course many of our troops will die during four more years of a republican controlled war and many more people will slip into poverty or lose their homes because of four more years of GOP economics, but why she she care? As long as she gets to be the president she''ll gladly and very selfishly sacrifice them all on the alter of her ambition. Her drive to become president at all costs has turned her into George W. Bush in a pant-suit.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by undecided08 at 06:04 PM : Apr 29, 2008

ROFL!!!

[rowdytexan2]

Hillary knows that the nomination is out of her reach this year, so her new goal is to make sure that she gets McCain elected, so she can run against him in 2012. Of course many of our troops will die during four more years of a republican controlled war and many more people will slip into poverty or lose their homes because of four more years of GOP economics, but why she she care? As long as she gets to be the president she''''ll gladly and very selfishly sacrifice them all on the alter of her ambition. Her drive to become president at all costs has turned her into George W. Bush in a pant-suit.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 06:12 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Obama honkin wet dreams.

[laboyi]

I have been watching the elections from london and I am shock at all the fuss!!! If the american people and the media think that Reverand Wright is RACIST then why do you keep showing him on the TV screens? dont you think that all this is boosting his confidence and making him even more famous!!!! I say stop showing him on TV. by the way where are the rest of the racist preaching of 30 YEAR?????? And for all those who are saying all those bad things about obama, what''s the difference between all of you and reverand wright? We all have to answer for our actions before God some day, so I say let God be the judge of all things.

[lachatte-2009]

Obamba wonders why he can''t attract older voters when the answer is so simple! He''s immature, and it''s becoming more and more obvious every day. He whines and lays blame instead of owning up to who he really is. Personally, I find it extremely difficult to believe he doesn''t (and didn''t) subscribe to Wright''s brand of toxic rhetoric. Just why has it taken him 20 years to decide he disagrees with it? Come on , Bambi, we''re not all stupid!

[rowdytexan2]

have been watching the elections from london and I am shock at all the fuss!!! If the american people and the media think that Reverand Wright is RACIST then why do you keep showing him on the TV screens? dont you think that all this is boosting his confidence and making him even more famous!!!! I say stop showing him on TV. by the way where are the rest of the racist preaching of 30 YEAR?????? And for all those who are saying all those bad things about obama, what''''s the difference between all of you and reverand wright? We all have to answer for our actions before God some day, so I say let God be the judge of all things.


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Posted by laboyi at 06:14 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Well, lots of us haven''t lied quite so much as Obama has, so we''re not too worried.

[laboyi]

I have been watching the elections from london and I am shock at all the fuss!!! If the american people and the media think that Reverand Wright is RACIST then why do you keep showing him on the TV screens? dont you think that all this is boosting his confidence and making him even more famous!!!! I say stop showing him on TV. by the way where are the rest of the racist preaching of 30 YEAR?????? And for all those who are saying all those bad things about obama, what''s the difference between all of you and reverand wright? We all have to answer for our actions before God some day, so I say let God be the judge of all things.

[downsteamjim]

It is a miracle. After 20 years, Obama can hear again.

[popstom1]

Obama is like the kid with his hand in the cookie jar
or the broken lamp you know he''s knows and they lie
right ot your face it''s not my fault

[sgtrds]

The only possible way for Hillary to get the nomination is to steal it via so-called superdelegates at the convention by getting them to over-ride the will of the party faithful who have given Obama the lead in delegates and popular votes, at lead which she has no realistic mathematical chance of over coming. If the party gives her the nomination via the superdelegates alone, then I have no doubt that many democrats will not be able to bring themselves to vote for a candidate that stole the nomination through non-Democratic means. I believe that in that case most Democratic loyalists will sit on our hands in November and stay home.

[libra127]

Hillary knows that the nomination is out of her reach this year,

Posted by SgtRDS at 06:12 PM : Apr 29, 2008

I wouldn''t count on it, Sarge. It''s a whole new ballgame now that Obama is being properly vetted as he should have been long ago. There are still 9 more primaries for Hillary to win. Polls now show her beating McCain by 9 points! The superdelegates are likely to put her over the top since she is now far more electable than Obama.

President Hillary Clinton. Get used to it.

[rowdytexan2]

Frankly I think this is all a bunch staged krap to keep Obama''s face out in front, and to give the old gas bag Wright airtime.

This is the stupidest ploy I''ve ever seen a candidate play in my life.

[rowdytexan2]

The only possible way for Hillary to get the nomination is to steal it via so-called superdelegates at the convention by getting them to over-ride the will of the party faithful who have given Obama the lead in delegates and popular votes, at lead which she has no realistic mathematical chance of over coming. If the party gives her the nomination via the superdelegates alone, then I have no doubt that many democrats will not be able to bring themselves to vote for a candidate that stole the nomination through non-Democratic means. I believe that in that case most Democratic loyalists will sit on our hands in November and stay home.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 06:18 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Obama doesn''t HAVE the will of the people to steal. That''s the point! He''s never had it! And he never will.

[kbasd]

The people asking for their vote back never voted for Obama. These shills need to get a life. The reality here, is that McCain is the winner. The democratic party has too many self inflicted wounds to survive in the fall. Obama: It was done to him by Hillary, the press and himself. Hillary: it was done to her entirely by herself. Hillary now has no ability to cry foul and expect sympathy, when the Republicans throw the kitchen sink at her. I have spoken with a number of African-Americans and they are telling me that they plan to stay home. This is indeed troubling. My concerns now are for the congressional and senatorial races. We still need everyone to vote here. I think this has to be the democratic party strategy in the fall, ensuring people show up to vote. Things do not look good, especially with the supreme court upholding the ID law.

[sgtrds]

Obama doesn''''t HAVE the will of the people to steal. That''''s the point! He''''s never had it! And he never will.

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 06:20 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Well considering that he leads in both committed delegates and the popular vote and that there is no realistic way for Hillary to overcome either before Denver, then I''d have to say you''re just plain wrong.

[kbasd]

The people asking for their vote back never voted for Obama. These shills need to get a life. The reality here, is that McCain is the winner. The democratic party has too many self inflicted wounds to survive in the fall. Obama: It was done to him by Hillary, the press and himself. Hillary: it was done to her entirely by herself. Hillary now has no ability to cry foul and expect sympathy, when the Republicans throw the kitchen sink at her. I have spoken with a number of African-Americans and they are telling me that they plan to stay home. This is indeed troubling. My concerns now are for the congressional and senatorial races. We still need everyone to vote here. I think this has to be the democratic party strategy in the fall, ensuring people show up to vote. Things do not look good, especially with the supreme court upholding the ID law.

[sgtrds]

President Hillary Clinton. Get used to it.

Posted by libra127 at 06:18 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Vice-President Hillary Clinton (R). Get used to it. She''s the best friend the GOP has had this year.

[rowdytexan2]

There''s also another way to look at it.

Mr. Obama has stolen what votes he got, by presenting himself as something he is obviously not. He was greatly assisted by the media to do so!

And now that he''s finally showing the real Obama, people just aren''t buying it.

He was totally unknown, and they presented him as a Messiah, without telling you that he''d been a failure for 7 years of Illinois senate seat. By letting him promote himself as above politics as usual, a total lie, and by holding out his freakoid associations until after super Tuesday.

So, there''s nothing to steal from Obama, that he hasn''t tried to steal himself.

[blackyowe]

Something every on here seems to be forgetting. Politics are not for the faint hearted and being nice is not going to get you into power. That is not saying you have to be a creep to win but you do have too be single minded and just a little bit ruthless. Hillary is an old war horse and it seems Obama is a "My Little Pony". Doesn''t any one here remember the Democratic Party of the 60s? This is blood and guts stuff folks. All this new age nice is a front!

[rowdytexan2]

Well considering that he leads in both committed delegates and the popular vote and that there is no realistic way for Hillary to overcome either before Denver, then I''''d have to say you''''re just plain wrong.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 06:23 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Sorry, but I''ve kept a tab on every vote that comes in, just like the DNC has. Obama has never had the popular vote. He''s won marginally in districts with mass populations where only a marginal percent of the people even voted.

He has never had the will of the people.

[sgtrds]

Hillary''s single minded goal is to get back into the White House and she doesn''t care how much damage she does to the Democratic party to do it. If John McCain offered her the VP seat she''d jump parties in a heartbeat hoping he''ll die off in the first term. She started out as a republican, so it''d be just like going home for her. She''s the best chance the GOP has right now.

[downsteamjim]

Hillary: President of Bosnia
McCain: President of Mexico
Obama: President of Zimbabwe

[blackyowe]

Well look at the bright side, McCain looks absolutly terrible and maybe he will fall off the twig before Nov.

[vastr-wcon]

.
The ultra-left-wing apologists have been called out to defend the indefensible: hussein''s devotion to the racist hate-monger "uncle" jeremiah. And now we get some more half-hearted, insincere denials from hussein.

Many Democrats simply do not want the party to make the same mistake twice by nominating another Kerry-like shallow, arrogant, platitude-spouting, gas-bag - who is so mentally deficient from extensive drug use he even has to plagiarize his hollow platitudes!.

Thanks to "uncle" jeremiah, the true nature of hussein has finally been revealed. For nearly twenty years hussein has been the disciple and avid follower and supporter of this racial bigot. hussein has publicly praised wright on numerous occasions. hussein gave wright''s church $26,000 in 2007, plus many thousands more previously. wright''s vile, bigoted harangues against America, in general, and white Americans, in particular, illustrate the true foundation of hussein and the "church" of which he is a devout member. The foundation of hussein is racial division and strife - not unity. If it were not for the thin veneer of whitewash slapped on him by his handlers, I would expect hussein to adopt wright''s "God Da''mn America" as his theme song. hussein is clearly an outrageously unacceptable candidate for any elected office or position of responsibility in America.

One thing is certain: millions of Dems will leave the party if Tony Rezko''s sleazy-deal partner is nominated.

/

[blackyowe]

No one just gives the office of the President of the USA away on a platter to the most worthy soul. It''s a fought over prize. It seems almost no one in America understands a bloody thing about how politics work.

[jockh]

Hillary can never win the election against the Republicans because take a look at what she had going for her.
Hillary was the presumed nominee, had all the big donors, did not have to answer to negative campaigning, was ahead in Superdelegates, had over 20% margin in national polling, had the backing of a President, had more experience and identified more with voters. So why didn%u2019t she close the deal on Super Tuesday and why is she trailing behind an underdog newcomer like Obama?

[jdasnake11]

We Should all stop being senseless hypocrites,

I am catholic, and my priest was a sicko and it all was a very ugly cover up, does that make me a sicko too. Of course not.

I listed to the rhetoric from Pat Robinson from the 007 club or Jerry Falwell, does that make most southern evangelical baptists diabolical racists. The answer is Flat NO!

Lets Stop the Nonsense.

Wright is a crazy old 60''s era ego manaic.

[rowdytexan2]

Hillary''''s single minded goal is to get back into the White House and she doesn''''t care how much damage she does to the Democratic party to do it. If John McCain offered her the VP seat she''''d jump parties in a heartbeat hoping he''''ll die off in the first term. She started out as a republican, so it''''d be just like going home for her. She''''s the best chance the GOP has right now.


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Posted by SgtRDS at 06:28 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Yes, Hillary is very single-minded in serving this country as she has always been. Her aim when she entered this race was to win. As has Mr. Obama who has played every dirty trick in the book himself. On top of that he''s lied every single piece of himself.

No one is to blame for his bad judgment but Barak Hussein Obama.

[jockh]

The Clintons are clinging to the throne and will have to be dragged away kicking and screaming.
Hillary%u2019s campaign has always been about the Clintons%u2019 own self-interests. Hillary started her campaign believing she was headed for a coronation; a sense of entitlement that screamed %u201CI deserve to be president.%u201D She has deliberately tried to undermine Obama%u2019s electability in the general election, knowing that it could prevent democrats winning in november. She has engaged in what can only be described as the %u2018kamikaze strategy%u2019 - (%u2018I%u2019ll destroy Obama before I%u2019ll let him win!%u2019) Is Hillary trying to set Obama up for a November loss so that she can be the Democratic candidate in 2012?

[blackyowe]

May the best farkin war horse win! It''s just getting good now ''cause it''s just getting real. All the candy-*** candidates may go home now.

[jockh]

Does it matter who backs Obama?

Hillary has the only stamp of approval that counts......the Republicans!

All you Hillary supporters who keep banging on that even though she is losing she is more electable, why do you think the Republicans are so desperate not to face Obama?

The Republicans have negative ads against Obama but not Hillary because they know that Hillary is more unelectable and easier for them to beat.
Hillary has won some big battles but has lost the war!

[jockh]

People keep asking "why can''t Sen. Obama" close the deal?

The same question should be asked about Hillary - why can''t SHE close the deal.

Back in October the media had declared her the nominee! I think it says allot about Sen. Obama''s abilities to have had little name recognition and take on the most powerful political establishment couple in our history.

He''s run a campaign that has left all the old pros scratching their heads in amazement.

[blackyowe]

jockh, you bet the Clintons are and they are good at it and should be admired. They understand the system. Until we change the system it will give us presidents that are corporate pawns.

[jockh]

Hillary Clinton has raised more then $189 million dollars for her campaign and yet is $10 million ($15 including her loan) in the hole. This goes to show why she is unfit to be President.

$15 million in debt and she claims to have passed the Steward of the Economy test.

[rowdytexan2]

He''''s run a campaign that has left all the old pros scratching their heads in amazement.


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Posted by jockh at 06:36 PM : Apr 29, 2008

Actually, no he hasn''t. He''s just lied a lot with the media''s help.

[jockh]

Hillary wants to cast Obama as unelectable because of her views on the issues of: race, jeremiah wright, bitter comments etc%u2026.
But Hillary is unelectable because polls show that 60 % of people regard her as the most dishonest politician in the presidential race !!