Obama: Wright flap has 'shaken me up'

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama told CNN on Wednesday the recent uproar over his former pastor's sermons has reminded him of the odds he faces in winning the White House.

"In some ways, this controversy has actually shaken me up a little bit and gotten me back into remembering that the odds of me getting elected have always been lower than some of the other conventional candidates," the Illinois senator told CNN's Anderson Cooper in an exclusive one-on-one interview.

Obama declined to speculate on whether the controversy surrounding the Rev. Jeremiah's Wright's sermons may damage him politically, but said his campaign does best when it doesn't follow the "textbook."

"If I was just running the textbook campaign -- doing the conventional thing -- I probably wasn't going to win because Sen. Clinton was going to be much more capable of doing that than I would be," he said. "We had tremendous success, and I think we were starting to get a little comfortable and conventional right before Texas and Ohio."



Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/03/19/obama.interview/index.html

[NJmaverick]

1. A nice article and a good insight into the man

and his thinking

[40ozDonkey]

2. He's doing it wrong,...

He's not supposed to make honest speculations about his mistakes during the campaign, he's supposed to go on SNL and blame the media.

Gosh, this guy needs experience.

[hollowdweller]

3. One thing I like about Obama is his candor.

[Skittles]

5. you just can't stop sniping, can you?

:puke:

[donheld]

7. I thought the donkey was being silly

:shrug:

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. Me too -

.
.
.

Sometimes ya gotta put that sarcasm thing out there front and center.

[Megahurtz]

21. Sounds like the donkey

needs some experience.

[QUALAR]

4. INGRAINED PERCEPTIONS

Obama’s speech on race left many questions unanswered. I had difficulty getting past the point where Obama said he was indeed in attendance when Reverend Wright made some of his inflammatory statements. This statement directly contradicted his previous denials and his statement that he would have challenged his pastor if he had heard such statements. I hope these were not deliberate lies because we already have a perpetual liar in the White House. Regardless of his intent, he should have apologized for these misstatements then I would have accepted his refusal to denounce Reverend Wright, but, unfortunately, he didn’t.

I feel Obama does represent something new and uplifting; however, I have serious doubts about his electability. Obama’s lack of experience can be overcome by surrounding himself with competent advisers, but past examples of poor judgment cannot be overlooked. After this brouhaha about his spiritual adviser, he will not be able to win in the General Election if the Rezko corruption trial leaves any perception that Obama may have done something illegal. He’s already admitted that he used bad judgment in entering into a real estate deal with Rezko to purchase his house and accepting political contributions from him. Both were done after Obama was aware that Rezko was under investigation. This is very troubling, because the Republicans will hammer him incessantly as being dishonest and unpatriotic. To date a black man hasn't been able to overcome what I call the Katrina Factor.

Hurricane Katrina not only stripped away lives and livelihoods, but exposed such sad, infuriating racist perceptions that permeate within our society. I was outraged when racial underpinnings effected news coverage of this tragic event especially from a helicopter. Wading in polluted water carrying food, BLACKS were described as STEALING while WHITES were FORAGING for food to survive. Obama may not be able to overcome such stereotyping, but if he can help eliminate this bullshit, I’ll vote for him. But for the sake of this country he better not lose!

[customerserviceguy]

6. I think that only recently

he's been getting the point about how Wright's sermons look to people not familiar with Sen. Obama's church. One of the things I'd be encouraged to see is if he can get Wright to apologize for the more extreme stuff.

At this point, I do think that a President Obama can help bridge the gap between races, but it's going to take some mutual apologizing along the way. Sen. Obama can do a lot to convince others that he can lead the path to racial reconciliation if he can get at least his side to start the apologizing, then he stands on the moral high ground to get the other side to do what it needs to do.

[humbled_opinion]

16. His Side?

What side is that? The amazing thing about Barrack Obama is he is not Black nor White he is a melting pot. He transcends race. Thats why I don't understand all this hoopla over Rev Wrights comments. If Obama was not offended by any of it then that should be the standard for everyone because Obama is everyone...

[customerserviceguy]

23. I clearly think he identifies

with his African ancestry. He really hasn't mentioned it all that much, but in this situation, in this speech, I think that came out.

Certainly, he has been a member of Rev. Wright's church for a long time, and I have to say that "his side" means people who agree with what the Reverend said in his most controversial moments.

Please, make no mistake about it, I favor Sen. Obama over Sen. Clinton, but if one of the things we would like to see from President Obama is another huge leap in racial reconciliation, we will have to have a lot more understanding from both sides, and that will take some apologizing and reconciling. I know that white society probably has more of it to do, especially in terms of building up opportunities for people of color, but it will take an air of mutual concord to bring about the change Sen. Obama's speech held the promise of.

[Anexio]

8. Its all about character.

This is just the kind of thing that shows the immense character this man has.

He's the leader I've been looking for a long, long time.

[CANDO]

9. He is this generation's Bobby Kennedy

I'm afraid for this nation if he should not get elected. Hillary and McSame are not leaders, they are power seekers. Barack Obama inspires me and my wife. I'm inspired for perhaps the first time in my 43 years. I still remember voting in the third grade straw poll...I voted for Nixon. Somewhere along the way, I came to my senses! Welcome to DU!

[humbled_opinion]

17. I agree thats why....

If Hillary steals this nomination from him, I am supporting him 100 percent as an independent. I will leave the Democratic party if it comes to this. As I think thousands will.. I won't vote for a repug but I will leave the Democratic party...If Obama won't run independent then I may have to vote for Ralph Nader or write in and I never felt stronger about it. Hillary should have been gone, she and Bill stirred up this race baiting shit pot and I hate them for it.

[CANDO]

19. I may not bolt the party, but I will be mighty pissed off.

My wife is not political at all, but she is really engaged in the process over Barack Obama's candidacy. She says she cannot vote for Hillary, and I believe her. I may not go that far. I just can't believe people don't see through Hillary as a power hungry extension of her husband. They've both done such damage to this country and our party. We lost congress because of these two. We've had NAFTA shoved down our gullets because of these two. I saw where the released White House papers show her lobbying congressional members in favor of passing NAFTA. Now she's going about acting as a working class savior.....bullshit, and I don't buy it!

[humbled_opinion]

20. Exactly Hillbillary legacy

was built on the backs of working class people like us and I won't give her an inch because IMO she has been a disasterous traitor to Progressive causes.

[Megahurtz]

22. I feel the EXACT same way

as you do.

:argh:

[Anexio]

24. ...

I'm glad to read you feel Obama can really make change happen in Washington because thats the way I feel too.

I wasn't around when Bobby Kennedy was killed but I've heard plenty from my grandmother and parents and have read the history as well as seen the pictures. Totally tragic.

Personally, I trust the Secret Service to keep him alive and healthy all the way through what I hope to be two terms as the President of the United States.

...but if Hillary wins this election I'm moving to a more progressive country, like Haiti. LOL

Thxs for the welcome, CANDO.

[aquart]

10. Never mind my delegate counts. I'M THE UNDERDOG!

Always has to have it both ways.

[Orsino]

12. Out of context.

The phrase "shaken me up" makes him sound beaten, but he seems to have meant something different. He's speaking of being shaken out of complacency.

[gtar100]

13. Good catch!

That headline is very misleading.

[underpants]

15. That is a reverse mind trick by the Hillary hatin' media

or something like that, I read it in the GD: P so it must be true

[humbled_opinion]

18. Reverse, reversed..

Yep the media are fawning on Hill/Bill but slam Obama with this crap... It simply mind boggling. Why bother putting the Clintons back in the White House to get BJ's they can just go on over to CNN any day and get sucked all they desire.

[Peace Patriot]

14. It's refreshing to hear a leader express doubts, uncertainty and open-mindedness.

Haven't we had enough of the liars who say they have all the answers?

I'm liking Obama more and more. And I'm also beginning to understand what a long shot he himself thought he was--that he himself is surprised by his success, and perhaps didn't realize the massive extent both of profound discontent in the country, and hunger for recovery of our most fundamental values (social justice, fairness, equality, the rule of law, good government).

And THIS helps me to make that basic gut call that we all must make about political leaders, under this "Iron Curtain" of fascist disinformation in the media: Is this candidate somebody's tool? Or does he/she seek to be a true servant of the people?

He thought he was a long shot, and has been surprised at his success, means that nobody was GUARANTEEING him success.

Think about THAT.

[Fredda Weinberg]

25. "Clinton was going to be much more capable "

Yup, she sure is. Now, take your amateur show back into rehearsals ... it's not ready.