Clinton: Wright "Offensive And Outrageous"

In Interview, Dem Candidate Says Voters Will Decide How Controversy Over Obama's Former Pastor Affects Race

(CBS/AP)  For the first time since Barack Obama lashed out at his former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Democratic rival Hillary Rodham Clinton has weighed in on the controversy.

In an interview Wednesday with Fox News Channel's Bill O'Reilly that will air tonight, Clinton says that she found the comments made by Wright to be "offensive and outrageous."

Clinton also reiterated her previous remarks about Wright that she would not have stayed in the church after hearing the comments. She said it was up to voters to decide how the controversy over Wright impacts the campaign.

O'Reilly asked Clinton to describe how she felt "when you hear a fellow American citizen say that kind of stuff about America."

"Well, I take offense," Clinton said. "I think it's offensive and outrageous. I'm going to express my opinion, others can express theirs. It is part of just, you know, an atmosphere we're in today."

Meanwhile, Obama was scrambling on Wednesday to put his presidential bid back on track a day after a public denouncing of Wright and both Democratic candidates pushed onward in a nomination struggle that appears to be dividing the party.

For almost a week Obama has been trying to put the controversy over Wright behind him, reports CBS News correspondent Dean Reynolds, and now he is about to find out if it is going to continue.

With key primaries in Indiana and North Carolina looming next week, their fight has given Republican nominee-in-waiting Sen. John McCain weeks to unite his party and define his candidacy with few major challenges from the opposition.

Obama called a news conference Tuesday to denounce the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose comments and highly publicized appearances were threatening to sink his historic bid for the White House. While he holds an apparently unassailable lead in elected delegates, the Wright controversy had created a heavy drag on Obama's momentum.

His refusal to sever ties to the theologian was seen as part of the reason Clinton turned in a nearly 10-percentage point victory in Pennsylvania last week. She has used her performance there to argue that the party's key superdelegates should back her as the most electable Democrat in the November general election.

There are about 800 Democratic superdelegates, officeholders and party officials who can vote for either candidate regardless of the results of state primary and caucus contests. Clinton has a narrowing 21 superdelegate lead while Obama has outdistanced Clinton 1,728.5 to 1,595.5 overall.

With only nine state and territorial contests remaining, Clinton cannot achieve the 2,025 delegate count needed for the nomination without capturing most of the superdelegates who remain uncommitted.

That would put the party hierarchy at odds with Democratic voters and could further deepen the Democratic split. A new Associated Press-Ipsos poll already shows many backers of both Clinton and Obama saying they would support McCain if their candidate does not take the nomination.

A somber-faced and angry Obama took on his former pastor Tuesday after weeks of defending his good works. He told reporters he was outraged and appalled by what he termed a "performance" by Wright at the National Press Club in Washington a day earlier. The fiery preacher repeated charges that the U.S. government created the AIDS virus to harm blacks, that the country brought the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on itself through its own tactics abroad.

The comments have battered Obama's campaign since they first came to light last month, and are seen as severely damaging to his support among white working-class voters in Indiana and North Carolina.

"I am outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yesterday," Obama said in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

"I think he caricatured himself. That made me angry, but also made me sad," Obama told reporters.

Obama flatly rejected the views expressed by Wright, who officiated at his wedding, baptized his two daughters and had been his pastor for 20 years before his retirement earlier this year. The title of Obama's second book, "The Audacity of Hope," was taken 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 denunciations 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."

Wright had characterized Obama's earlier rejection of his remarks as "what politicians have to do."

In a highly publicized and well-received speech last month, Obama sharply condemned Wright's remarks. But he did not leave Wright's Chicago church or repudiate the minister himself, who he said was like a family member.

Obama's tone was far different on Tuesday.

"I have been a member of (Wright's) 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."

Obama said when he watched news accounts, he realized that it was 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.

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said Obama has put as much separation as he possibly could between him and Wright.

"I think he has done about all he can do, but the question is, will that be enough?" Schieffer said.

CBSNews.com senior political editor Vaughn Ververs added: "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."

"His strong denunciation of Wright's remarks, particularly those made 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 said. "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).

Obama's struggle to find the right tone reflects a striking difference in how Democratic voters view the controversy and its proper handling.

Many white voters say they were deeply troubled and baffled by Obama's association with Wright, even before the preacher reiterated some of his most incendiary comments on Monday.

But black voters, in particular, urged Obama to rise above the campaign attacks and dustups, saying he is not responsible for what Wright says.

"I'm not so concerned" about Wright's comments, said Aliki Martin. A compliance officer at Duke University Medical Center, she was among 18,000 people who awaited Obama's arrival late Monday night at the University of North Carolina's basketball arena in Chapel Hill.

"I hope he keeps things positive," she said.

[popstom1]

rufisgufis stop that now the Rev william procanick
is from CLINTON NY. has nothing to do with
Hillary Clinton you and blackspit must date

[popstom1]

She got more then the cheep gold plate chicago
politician wimp Onoballs Obama

[gorgeousm]

Hussein Obama and his Moslem, anti-America associates are too dangerous to be considered.

Shun Hussein Obama and his Moslem, anti-America wrecking crew like the plague!

[gorgeousm]

Hussein Obama''s lies and deceptions are not just little ones. They are the NATION-WRECKING kind!

Hussein Obama and his secret, Moslem associates'' agenda, seek to destroy America from within.

By now, the above points of information should be of no surprise to anyone.

[mitch5511]

The so-called %u201CWright controversy%u201D, in my view, represents all that%u2019s wrong about American politics and the American media. Barack Obama is not his pastor. Reverend Wright%u2019s views are not Barack Obama%u2019s. The media%u2019s obsession with Wright is mere sensationalism. Choosing to report so heavily on Wright and stories like this for their mere %u201Cshock value%u201D while paying scant attention to the real issues is, in my opinion, %u201Cshockingly%u201D irresponsible. Even when the media chooses to deal with real issues, it does so only in the most facile, superficial way. Giving passing reference to economic issues or health care issues, or %u201Cthe war in Iraq%u201D, simply naming issues and occasionally adding a rhetorical flourish giving expression to their seriousness is not really seriously discussing the issues. Finally, the predominantly white media%u2019s obsession with Wright and it%u2019s seeming determination to have Wright undermine Obama%u2019s changes for nomination is a clear indication of the profound racism that still resides just below the surface of American society. Surely, Hilary Clinton%u2019s Bosnia lie is a clearer indication of character than Barack Obama%u2019s association with Reverend Wright.

[anappleadae]

I wright wrong? Yes. Does seem odd that Obama has taken so long to repudiate the man and his beliefs.

Unfortunately the wright issues has served to detract from Obama''s really scary negatives. That would be his terrorist ties with Ali Abunimah who claims to have close working ties with Obama in Chicago and is convinced Obama will give in the Palestinians "right to return" issue once he is elected. Ali Albunimah thinks most of Obama''s followers are sympathetic to the Palestinian issue opening the door once elected to siding with Palestinians'' "right to return"

Such a return would require the dismantling of Irael as we know it. And does not require Palestinians to acknowledge Isrsael''s right to exist.

Do most Obama followers believe in the "right of return" senario for Palestinians? Is this part of the non specified elements of "Change" Obama wants to change in Washington? Do any Abama followers understand the grave consequences such a U.S./Palestinian alliance would develop for Israel?

[hillary4us]

AN OPEN LETTER TO REV. JEREMIAH WRIGHT. DO WHAT JESUS WOULD DO.................http://larrysinclair0926.wordpress.com/

[libh8er]

I lost a couple of golf balls and think she is hiding them in her cheeks.
Posted by rufisgufis at 02:48 PM : May 01, 2008

There was a story in here somewhere where some union thug told the audience that Hillary had balls...

[libh8er]

It''s time that we all came together, Democrats and Republicans alike.

If you support the policies and character of John McCain, please drive with your headlights on during the day. If you support Obama or Hillary, please drive with your headlights off at night. :)

[pentangyl]

Is it me or do Obama and Hillary remind you of the Road Runner and Wiley Coyote!

Obama (Road Runner)is racing around the country getting delegates, superdelegates and etc, while Hillary (wiley) is using all of her acme products(kitchen sinks) to stop the Road Runner. But in the end it always winds up back firing and falling on top of her! Beep Beep!

[rufisgufis]

I wonder if Hillary has been near my country club. I lost a couple of golf balls and think she is hiding them in her cheeks.

[rufisgufis]

Hillary said "You can''t choose your family but you do choose your pastor."

WRONG!

Hillary chose her family: Bill - "I did not have sexual relations with that woman - Clinton.

[rufisgufis]

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-10793

CLINTON''S PASTOR GOES TO PRISON

When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his sexual-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

But as the former Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge Michael L. Dwyer said Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified.

%u201CAs a minister of God, you got on the stand and you lied,%u201D Dwyer told Procanick, the 54-year-old former pastor of Resurrection Assembly of God church on Kirkland Avenue.

You may have to put all the site address together if it doesn''t come out in a straight line.

[rufisgufis]

Before you praise Hillary Clinton as regards her China policy, you should have been aware of the following:

While Hillary was in Valparaiso, Indiana decrying the loss of the Magequench Co, its jobs and its technology because it was sold to China, what she didn%u2019t tell voters is that the Magnequench factory was originally sold to Chinese interests during her husband''s administration, which okayed the move despite concerns about national security and eventual job loss. Experts say the Chinese acquired the "technical sophistication" that created the magnets as a direct result. Hillary thought the sale was an excellent idea. So when you praise Hillary%u2019s current posture on this issue, it would be nice if you also expressed her past promotion of this deal.

[rufisgufis]

We can''t afford another Clinton White House. When Bill Clinton came to the White House in 1993, Democrats were a congressional majority, with 258 seats in the House. When he left in 2001, they were a minority with 46 fewer seats. There were 30 Democratic governors, when he arrived, 21 eight years later.
A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found nearly 60 percent of voters think Clinton is dishonest and will lie when she thinks she needs to.

[rufisgufis]

http://www.ireport.com/docs/DOC-10793

CLINTON''S PASTOR GOES TO PRISON

When the Rev. William Procanick put his hand on the Bible during his sexual-abuse trial in Oneida County Court earlier this year, he swore to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

But as the former Clinton pastor was sentenced Friday to three years in prison for inappropriately touching a 7-year-old girl at his home last March, Judge Michael L. Dwyer said Procanick sacrificed his honesty the day he testified.

%u201CAs a minister of God, you got on the stand and you lied,%u201D Dwyer told Procanick, the 54-year-old former pastor of Resurrection Assembly of God church on Kirkland Avenue.

You may have to put all the site address together if it doesn''t come out in a straight line.

[rufisgufis]

When Bill Clinton came to the White House in1993, Democrats were a congressional majority, with 258 seats in the House. When he left in 2001, they were a minority with 46 fewer seats. There were 30 Democratic governors, when he arrived, 21 eight years later.
A recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found nearly 60 percent of voters think Clinton is dishonest and will lie when she thinks she needs to.

[rowdytexan2]

The old gas bag Wright is outrageous and offensive and you can add repugnant! It''s amazing that people want to gather and listen to his hate America swill!

Obama has chosen to roll in this krap for 20 years with him! And then he chose to lie about it!

The point is he lied! The other point is he obviously believes this krap!

[antoniof123]

Posted by LibH8er at 01:34 PM : May 01, 2008

I hate to tell you this but you should do like me turn on all of them hate them all they are worthless pieces of you know what. Latly though the hate mongers have pis ssed me off the most but give it time and the other will pis s me off just as much.

It works for me.

[libh8er]

Turn your guns on McCain and you will certainly defeat him.
Posted by jjhughes8665 at 11:58 AM : May 01, 2008

The only reason you want to see Ubama elected is so you can see the US travel down the same dead end road to socialism - as the UK did.

No thanks. Hey, what''s the wait on life saving surgery there in GB? I bet you''re lovin'' getting taxed out the arse to support that socialized medicine.