Obama: I think it's important to judge me on what I've said in the past and what I believe.

[RiverStone]

From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review interview 3/13/08
Obama addresses pastor's remarks.

<snip>

Q: I don't know if you've seen it, but it's all over the wire today (from an ABC News story), a statement that your pastor (the Rev. Jeremiah Wright of Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago's South Side) made in a sermon in 2003 that instead of singing "God Bless America," black people should sing a song essentially saying "God Damn America."

A: I haven't seen the line. This is a pastor who is on the brink of retirement who in the past has made some controversial statements. I profoundly disagree with some of these statements.

Q: What about this particular statement?

A: Obviously, I disagree with that. Here is what happens when you just cherry-pick statements from a guy who had a 40-year career as a pastor. There are times when people say things that are just wrong. But I think it's important to judge me on what I've said in the past and what I believe.

more interview here:

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_557231.html

Asked and answered!

[scheming daemons]

1. That's a solid response..... not much else he can do except to keep repeating that response...

...

[rodeodance]

20. "The Obama campaign couldn't immediately say whether he'd remain on the committee."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Wrights_com...


March 13, 2008

Wright's committee

Jeremiah Wright, in the news today because video of a sermon (parts of which had been reported, and disavowed, before) adds some heat to the discussion of his relationship with Obama, has generally been described as connected to Obama only informally — a religious figure with whom Obama has said he disagrees at times, a kind of cranky uncle.

But he also has a formal role on the campaign.

Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee — the sort of largely honorary, advisory body that in recent days has recently been used mostly to throw people off who say controversial things.

The Obama campaign couldn't immediately say whether he'd remain on the committee.

[MethuenProgressive]

2. Chicago Tribune: "In Wright he had found both a spiritual mentor and a role model."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-070121-relig_wright,1,271630.story
Some "role model"...
REV. JEREMIAH A. WRIGHT, JR.: Pastor inspires Obama's 'audacity'
Chicago Tribune: "In Wright he had found both a spiritual mentor and a role model."
"Wright helps keep his priorities straight and his moral compass calibrated."

[Cant trust em]

9. Here are some other good quotes from the article

"The black church is probably the only space in America where black men can have unquestioned authority," he said. "It's hard to give that up for a lot of black male pastors."

Wright said the decision was not hard difficult. "The church is built around the personality of Jesus, not Jeremiah Wright," he said.

[MethuenProgressive]

13. " the senator does check with his pastor before making any bold political moves."

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/custom/religion/chi-070121-relig_wright,1,271630.story?ctrack=1&cset=true&page=2&coll=chi-religion-topheadlines

[Cant trust em]

17. Yep. Here's the further explanation

"What I value most about Pastor Wright is not his day-to-day political advice," Obama said. "He's much more of a sounding board for me to make sure that I am speaking as truthfully about what I believe as possible and that I'm not losing myself in some of the hype and hoopla and stress that's involved in national politics."

[MethuenProgressive]

28. Looks like Obama came down firmly on both sides of that question - as usual.

He voted Present on that question.

[Cant trust em]

3. Good answer, but the GOP won't care

At this point he can only repeat that over and over and over. The GOP will run their ads and Obama will just have to keep reaffirming those statements.

[uberblonde]

4. I don't know about that.

This guy's said a LOT of really controversial things and the Obamas gave $22K to his church just last year. I don't think it's going to be this easy.

[Drunken Irishman]

7. Uh, duh! It's his church. People tend to give money to their church.

[557188]

5. I like how Obama named specific things...

errr wait Obama answered very generic like always.

[LTR]

10. What's so generic about his response?

He answered the question directly.

:shrug:

[557188]

15. What does Obama disagree with?

If I disagree with something I know right away what I disagree with and would be very vocal about it.

Obama's response is passive and generic. Its a bunch of nothing.

[LTR]

18. Again, here is his response

Q: What about this particular statement?

A: Obviously, I disagree with that.


Let me make it easier for you:

Q: What about this particular statement?

A: Obviously, I disagree with that.

[saracat]

22. IS OBAMA GOING TO DENOUNCE THE REST OH WHAT WRIGHT STANDS FOR?

[stillcool]

39. God I hope not!

The man speaks the truth. What's wrong with that?

[Cant trust em]

23. He was asked a specific question about a specific comment

and answered that question. Where's the ambiguity?

[saracat]

31. He wasn't on that "one " question. Is he going to denounce racism?

[Cant trust em]

34. Obama has denounced racism plenty.

I admit, that it's always been the racism that has been leveled against him, but he has denounced it. I do feel, however, that being against racism is good enough. Let's also not forget that Obama is half white. I find it hard to believe that someone raised by his white grandparents is going to be racist against white people.

[saracat]

41. Yeah well try reading "dreams from my Father". He admits he feels guilty about

dissing "the white folks" but did it anyway. He says that the blacks "can't afford the morality his mother taught him about judging a man on the content of his chazracter rather than the color of his skin"

[Cant trust em]

42. speaking as someone of mixed race

it's easy to fall into those "hate the white man" patterns. It definitely has some street cache to be part of a minority group.

[stillcool]

40. What is racist about...

a black man speaking to his Congregation of life as a black man in a white man's world?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

6. Makes sense to me.

[LTR]

8. This shit-flinging toward Obama will work in his favor...

...If he is effective at slapping it down. And that's one of his strongest suits. I think he handled this well. Far better than John Kerry would have.

[saracat]

11. Except that isn't the ONLY remark Wright said that was offensive.

You could use any of his sermons and all of them are filled with offensive comments and all on video. Damn America is only one.There wasn't any need to "cherry pick"

[scheming daemons]

16. The guy has 40 years worth of sermons, and you saw clips of less than 10 of the sermons....

Where do you get off saying ALL of them are filled with offensive comments?


Come on....

[saracat]

19. Because that is his philosophy. His daughter and his founstion gave the

Jerimiah T wright Award to Luis Faraakan in recognition of his "greatness". Are his daughters also "batty old men?They gave him that award 1n 2006.

[Cant trust em]

25. Maybe you missed the Ohio debate, but Obama

rejected and denounced Farrakhan. Out of 40 years it just isn't logical that every statement the man makes is going to be something denounce-worthy. Obama should denounce the things worth denouncing. Like the subject of the OP.

[saracat]

26. Maybe he should remove Wright from his campaign, which he hasn't done.

And Wrights racism is worth denouncing.

[Cant trust em]

32. I agree. He's going to have to go.

Even if it is just a fluff committee, his time with the campaign is over. Now that this is becoming a big kerfuffle Obama will have to smash their relationship.

[RiverStone]

30. And Obama was not the only person at his sermons

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5068556

Do we need to question the integrity of everybody on this list?

I fully separate the man -Obama- from the wacko statements by the pastor. I feel very confident in the content of the character I have seen in Barack - very confident! :)

[saracat]

12. Delete Dupe

[anigbrowl]

24. I don't feel particularly offended by them

And I'm white like a glass of milk. I think most of the outrage posted here is nothing more than a pose.

I notice on mixed boards and over in Freeperland they're vacillating between condemning him and having to give up the Muslim slur. Plus, some of the more thoughtful conservative folk (er, not on Free Republic, but...) seem aware that it's not all that different in tone from the stuff they hear at their own churches. McCain's staying quiet about it because his religious buddies are even farther off the beaten track.

It's all a big yawn for me anyway since I'm not Christian and don't listen to sermons.

[global1]

14. One Has To Take What Most 40 Year Career People Have To Say ....

and weigh it carefully. Many elderly grew up in real hard times - not only with economic hardship - but with real and violent racial division. Many still harbor the feelings that were ingrained in them through their lives. One has to look that we've come a long way in this country in terms of race and racial discrimination. One also needs to look at the younger generations and see that they grew up differently and many of the ideas and feelings of the past are gone. One just needs to look at the fact that there is a black man in the lead for the nomination to become President of this country to see how far we've come.

To fault Obama for something his elderly pastor is saying is just not right.

Do I believe that some of the elderly vote that is going for Hillary is coming from the same type of feelings that I described above. One can't fault them either. That is so embedded in their psyche that no matter what anyone says or does won't convince them otherwise.

We need to move on in this country and can't let the MSM fuel or re-fuel racial division in this country. It's not good for any of us.

[Cant trust em]

21. There's nothing Obama has said to believe that

Wright's "radicalism" has had that much impact on Obama. I find it ironic that many people on this board see Obama as being too centrist, but when this comes out Obama is now some kind of radical.

[SeaLyons]

27. I've never heard Obama called a centrist...

he's the most liberal senator we have.

[Cant trust em]

33. I've seen it on DU plenty. It's been a pretty common refrain. nt

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

35. Being here all of 2 weeks.

:eyes:

[BlackVelvet04]

29. I judge him on his actions or lack thereof...

his words are meaningless in the fact of his actions and the facts are he has supported this church for 20 years and he chose Wright as his personal mentor. People don't do that when they seriously disagree on fundamental matters. Obama is a fake.

[Alter Ego]

36. There it is: "Obviously, I disagree with that."

Not much you can infer from that other than, well, he disagrees with Rev. Wright.

Of course, I'm sure the Clintonistas here will start shrieking that his denial "wasn't forceful enough. It didn't come from the diaphragm".

[Cant trust em]

37. They'll never stop until a person gets keelhauled

burnt at the stake, or forced to take hemlock.

[Megahurtz]

38. Kick. Asked and answered.

:thumbsup: