Michelle Obama: "Voters Are Tired Of This"

Barack Obama, Wife Try To Put Controversy Over Rev. Wright To Rest

(AP)  Democrat Barack Obama and his wife said Thursday the public is tired of hearing about incendiary remarks by their former pastor, as they sought to put the controversy that has rocked his presidential campaign to rest.

"We hear time and time again voters are tired of this," Michelle Obama said in an interview the couple gave to NBC's "Today" show.

"They don't want to hear about this division, they want to know what are we going to do to move beyond these issues," she said. "And what made me feel proud of Barack in this situation is that he is trying to move us as a nation beyond these conversations that divide."

Barack Obama said he initially tried to give the Rev. Jeremiah Wright the benefit of the doubt when films clips first surfaced on the Internet of fiery sermons the pastor gave at their Chicago church — a series of haranguing declarations from the pulpit in which he damned the United States for racial oppression and accusing the government of deliberately spreading the HIV virus to harm black people.

"When the first snippets came out, I thought it was important to give him the benefit of the doubt because if I had wanted to be politically expedient I would have distanced myself and denounced him right away, right? That would have been the easy thing to do," said Obama. This week he denounced Wright's comments as "giving comfort to those who prey on hate."

In speeches and interviews over the past week, Wright has said that criticism surrounding his sermons is an attack on the black church. He dismissed Obama's widely-praised speech last month in Philadelphia — which sought to put Wright's sermons in the context of the black experience in the United States — as political posturing.

Wright had been Obama's pastor for more than 20 years. Wright brought Obama to Christianity, inspired the title of his book "The Audacity of Hope," officiated at his wedding and baptized his daughters.

Barack Obama acknowledged the Wright controversy, as well as his own remarks about voters clinging to guns and religion in economically-depressed Pennsylvania towns, have hurt his campaign and the damage is beginning to show in polls.

"I think it's pretty clear what has happened," he said. "We've had — what — two months now, or a month and a half, in which you've had the Reverend Wright controversy, you've had the issue of my comments in San Francisco that have been magnified pretty heavily — that's been a pretty full dose."

In a separate interview with CNN taped Wednesday, Michelle Obama said her husband's denunciation of Wright's comments was "a tough thing for him to do."

"Yes, it was painful. Yes, it's been difficult, but I think that the more difficult thing that this country is facing is trying to move politics into conversations around problems and problem-solving, and that's what we're going to be pretty determined to do," she said. "I think that this is about all I'm going to say on this issue, and I think we're going to close this chapter and move into the next phase of this election. With that, I'm hoping that we'll talk about something else."

[ranger1948]

I am wondering ho obam will throw under the bus next. Will it be Michelle ? Will it be his church?

[ranger1948]

WFBDEM
If obama accomplished anything oit was to bring out the wite racists groups. And Michlle was a great help in that also.

[pepperwood2]

He and Michelle have attended a racist and anti-American church for 20 years. They supported Rev. Wright financially. Obama called him "my spiritual advisor". Now that the truth about Wright''''s racist beliefs and racist church are out in the media and is doing damange politically, Obama "denounces" Wright. Obama claims not to have heard any anti-American talk or anti-white rhetoric in the 20 years he''''s been a member of Trinity. Really? So is he a liar or stupid? Probably both! I know he''''s not presidental.

I''m Catholic and I wonder if Obama''s problem would be the same as attending mass while a pediphile priest is on the staff, that hasn''t been discovered yet? So sad!

[pepperwood2]

Posted by RowdyTexan2 at 11:27 PM : May 01, 2008
+ report abuse

Oh, baloney! It''''s a civil suit filed by a con! It''''s called a frivilous lawsuit! They''''ve already thrown it out once, and they''''ve thrown out his phoney tape because they found voice overs on it.

With all due respect Sir - It really sounds like just ANOTHER frivolous Clinton lawsuit that''s going to Court. Again you''re half right!

[jt_lancer]

Isn''t it amazing (and arrogant) that candidates (and their spouses) seem to think they always know what is best for all Americans?

[guadalcanal3]

P.S...I am a voter...and I am not tired of it...so don''t speak for me Michelle...Took you and you husband this long to figure out your pastors beliefs?...yeah riiiiight....sounds like O.J. b.s. to me.

[guadalcanal3]

Awww shucks Michelle...runnin'' fo public office starting to get to you?...GET USED TO IT!

[blkpresident]

Jane Fonda, Patty Hearst and Hillary Clinton...

Vote smart Indiana and North Carolina. Terrorist don''t play SOFTball or powder-puff football.

[ksh1022]

Of course Michelle says voters are tired of this. What she means is Obama supporters and she and Obama are tired of the talk about Wright. This is a huge issue that speaks directly to Obama''s judgement and character. He and Michelle have attended a racist and anti-American church for 20 years. They supported Rev. Wright financially. Obama called him "my spiritual advisor". Now that the truth about Wright''s racist beliefs and racist church are out in the media and is doing damange politically, Obama "denounces" Wright. Obama claims not to have heard any anti-American talk or anti-white rhetoric in the 20 years he''s been a member of Trinity. Really? So is he a liar or stupid? Probably both! I know he''s not presidental material!!!

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by ranger1948 at 12:04 AM : May 02, 2008

Amen!