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!

[ranger1948]

I see that let michelle out of her cage. They must have been able to reporgram her. Yes i agree America is tired of all of this, the lies, the racism, the terrorists, the mobsters, the church that swear allegiance to Africa, and a man who doesn''t know if he is black or white or where he stands on issues. We need somone who can lead this nation.

[rowdytexan2]

Posted by pepperwood2 at 10:37 PM : May 01, 2008

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.

But it sounds good to an Obama honker, doesn''t it...to bad you''ve ignore his 936 lies (outdoes Bush/Cheney) and believe the BS he tells you!

[pepperwood2]

A vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote to continue%u201D a long, self-destructive Democratic campaign, former national party Chairman Joe Andrew wrote in a letter designed to have an impact on the turbulent race nationally as well as in his home state of Indiana.
He urged Democrats to %u201Creject the old negative politics%u201D and unify behind Obama.

This attempt to demean Reverend Wright is a perfect example. Being white the Old Guard Clinton Campaign are hoping that old people like us will become intimidated. Become bitter, & negative concerning Obama & rally around Hillary our Great White Hope.

I was a Clinton supporter but have been much disappointed with this Negative polictics of Hillary''s. She claims to have 35 years experience in Washington and when I look at the polictics in Washington during this time. It was a very negative, hostile, & warring time. The all about me agenda.

I realize that she has made a small fortune 110,000,000 dollars practicing her polictics of personal destruction. Little has been done for the People during this time of Bitter rhetoric.

The special conciderations the Judge gave her in the Peter Paul case. Its becoming evident that the Clinton campaign is biased and getting special considerations from the Judical & Media. It''''s time to stop this policy of personal destruction and get back to doing the work of the American people. 35 years of negative polictics is not the answer. Chairman Joe Andrew has it right.

[decided]

People of tired of you, Michelle and your husband. Just go away

[grammawhamma]

Exactly right sgtRDS because Obama won''t be a candidate.

[sgtrds]

Whack, whack, whack. Beat the dead horse. Come November the voters will be saying rev who?

[grammawhamma]

I wish they would untie Rev Wright and let him out of the basement. I want to hear what he has to say about being denounced by Obama.

[rowdytexan2]

Obama stayed with "Uncle Wright" for 20 + years. He stayed when Wright was going to Libya with Louis Farrakhan to visit Quadaffi when Quadaffi was considered a sponsor of terrorism in 1984. He stayed with "Uncle Wright" when Wright gave Louis Farrakhan the church''''s highest award, a lifetime achievement award. He stayed with "Uncle Wright" throughout all the hate-America, Hate-Jews, back to Africa sermons.

Suddenly, after losing Pennsylvania and Wright getting bad press on Meet the Press, he throws him under the campaign bus. Is this political?

.


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

Posted by Trapbreak at 03:35 PM : May 01, 2008

Of course it is! It means AGAIN that his being above politics as usual is the biggest frigging hoax of the century! He''d throw his own children under the bus to get elected!

[myshiba]

TO: BLKPRESIDENT /2/2008

Jane Fonda Endorses Obama
Filed under: 2008 Election %u2014 DRJ @ 7:58 pm
[Guest post by DRJ]

In what the LA Times%u2019 Top of the Ticket blog admits may be a %u201Cless desirable%u201D endorsement, Jane Fonda told photographers yesterday that she is voting for Barack Obama for President:

%u201CFonda was eating out last night and exited the restaurant, ignoring as celebrities often do the assembled press contingent.

But a video camera was rolling as she approached the street and someone, perhaps just trying to get her to turn around for a picture, shouted out at her back, %u201CWho are you going to vote for?%u201D

There was a moment of silence. Then, the actress did turn around toward the cameras, paused and with a smile said simply, %u201CObama!%u201D Then she got into a car and drove away.%u201D

As the Times%u2019 blogger Andrew Malcolm notes, this endorsement probably won%u2019t help Obama lure crossover Republican voters away from McCain.

[lachatte-2009]

Well, who the ... cares what Michelle Obama thinks? She''s long on spew and short on social skills. Her husband is the one who seems to be causing problems, not Hillary Clinton. He can''t close the deal because his immaturity is finally coming to the forefront. Just how can he defend himself about Wright when it took him 20 years to figure it out. Or how about Tony Rezko? Or what of that phony dialect he launches into when trying to appeal to those without a big education (just listen to how his language differs when addressing the senate). He''s just not ready for primetime and the world is finally beginning to see it-- and not a moment to soon!