Why is Wright on a publicty tour now?

[MattP]

I am for Obama and will be heartbroken if he loses and think that the worst thing in the world is for Wright to be all over the air right now, why would he risk a once in a lifetime chance for the presidency for Obama.

[MNDemNY]

1. Ego.

[MattNC]

2. indeed

I agree that it's better Wright speak now than in October, but he could've waited a few more weeks.

[The Blue Flower]

3. I disagree

He is de-demonizing himself, which is a good thing.

[invictus]

5. Exactly! Better to resolve this issue now so that it is not a problem later. n/t

[kerry-is-my-prez]

35. I agree....

It's certainly not any better to wait....

[MNDemNY]

7. There is NOTHING this man can say to help Obama.

His mere presence on the scene is very damaging. Remember ALL that MOST voters will hear are the divisive sound bites. He's only adding to that arsenal.

[mikelgb]

19. they're not devisive, MSM just keeps telling everyone they are

[MNDemNY]

25. In an election perception IS reality...like it or not.

[The Traveler]

41. Perception is never reality

Perception is a cognitive process by which we apprehend reality ... and that is a quite different thing. When perception is distorted, when untruths are unchallenged, then one's approach to reality is inevitably driven by error. For America to organize itself around policies more a sound basis in the constraints and opportunities of reality, grounded in logic, inspired by compassion, we must first achieve clarity.

A campaign is about more than winning power. It is also about introducing Americans to ideas, possibilities, and truths both exciting in their implications and humbling in their consequences.

[John Q. Citizen]

21. I disagree.

[MNDemNY]

26. No, your just in denial.

[John Q. Citizen]

44. We will see, won't we. Gotta go now. There's work to be done. I want to see Obama win big in MT.

Do you know if Hill plans to open any offices here?

People are already organizing all over the state for Obama, both from his 5 official campaign offices in the small cities and in the many local volunteer efforts in our smaller towns and rural areas. No body seems too concerned about your concerns. Volunteers just keep pouring in and we need to put them to work.

Good luck!

[MNDemNY]

47. I wouldn't know any thing of Clinton's campaign, i do not support her.

[John Q. Citizen]

18. You are correct.

[The Traveler]

32. Conviction

There are relatively few occasions where a pastor of this sort gets to speak directly to a large number of the general American population. By doing so, Wright has introduced millions to Liberation Theology. Sure, the pundits are all a-lather over it. And if you don't like Liberation Theology, then you probably don't see any value seizing this moment. If you are a corporatist or a Bushista, you definitely want in marginalized and repressed. Me, I think the message of historical reflection and reconciliation is exactly what we need right now.

[MNDemNY]

42. That will work...because most voters in the GE are SOOO aware of nuance.

[The Traveler]

45. Contempt for the voter works better, I suppose

But I don't hold with it.

[MNDemNY]

46. 'tis the reality, like it or not.

[rucky]

4. Silencing him would've been worse.

and wrong.

and since when do people out for publicity choose the Detroit NAACP? especially when he could've booked himself on Oprah, or anybody's show for that matter?

[LisaM]

6. Does he even get along with Oprah?

I thought that she had stopped attending his church, and that relations were cool between them.

However, I think he was also on CNN, not just at the Detroit function.

[MNDemNY]

11. Oprah wouldn't have him. She's smarter than that.

[cyndensco]

40. I thought he was great on Bill Moyers,

I kind of wished he had stopped there.

He had every right to speak at the NAACP dinner, but CNNs coverage seemed exploitative to me, C-span less so. I have been to dozens of those dinners and never has a national news service covered them, regardless of the speaker. While I do realize these are different times, I think the purpose of their coverage was disingenuous - they were just hoping for a misstep.

That said, I find Wright refreshing but unfortunately, he is just singing to the choir. I think those who are accepting will continue to be - the haters will not change their opinions of him. Maybe his countless appearances will just add fuel to the fire...

[FlaGranny]

8. He's writing a book.

Most authors go on publicity tours when their book is going to be released. Other than that, he is being invited on interviews, and being invited to do speeches because of the media-created controversy. I can't blame him for wanting to "clear" his name.

[MNDemNY]

9. As stupid as he seems to be, he'll probably release it in October.

[SoCalDem]

20. He said later in the fall, so you are probably right about that n/t

[MNDemNY]

27. Obama's got a friend in jeezuss!

[Cali_Democrat]

10. How dare a well respected man in the Black community speak to the Detroit NAACP

Doesn't that uppity negro know that he needs to shut up, sit in the corner and lick his wrists for the good of America? An individual speaking out to defend himself against defamation is wrong and he needs to accept character assassination in order to please white America.

:sarcasm:

[navarth]

15. well spoken, Cali. n/t

[fed_up_mother]

12. So the Republicans will have more soundbites

:sarcasm:

He may think he's winning in the short term, but we will all lose in the long term. Long term being November elections. :(

[DearAbby]

13. They should have kept that uppity N**** in chains...

Right? The man is doing what he has always done...except now the media is twisting it, as they had done before...The media decides what it covers...in my 53 yrs I dont remember the Media covering a NAACP speech. Not on this fecking scale....THEY ARE THE ONES CREATING THIS MESS...NOT WRIGHT, NOT OBAMA..


ITS THE MEDIA STUPID

[Bigleaf]

14. Why? Because he personally and his church were trashed and the only time he will be able to respond

is now. Once the election is over, so is his chance to respond to the vicious hatchet job done to both him and his church. The media will ignore him at that point. I want Obama to win also but Wright has the right (no pun intended) to defend his church and himself. He owes the candidate Obama nothing. He is defending Obama as a member of his church. The shit is flying and we will see how well it sticks in the coming days and weeks.

[John Q. Citizen]

16. Do you have a background in electoral politics? Wright is helping. He's meeting America instead of

hiding in the shadows.

By the fall, he will be old news.

[MNDemNY]

31. You wish, this will only sno-ball.

[DearAbby]

38. You wish

[MNDemNY]

39. No I don't, this stink is to the point where it is liable to get on any Dem. in the GE

Local, state, and federal.

[Bigleaf]

50. Yep. This will be all played out by then. Dealt with. We Obama supporters are not

going away. We're not abondoning him. We will not be played for fools. Sorry, the fuck-over ends here.

[zulchzulu]

17. The Big Question is why the mainstream media are covering him so intensely

Jeremiah Wright has been doing what he's doing now for years. He has given speeches, he's gone on book tours, he's gone on trips with his message.

What you should ask is why the mainstream media have satellite trucks on his tail and recording his every move? They want dirt. They want "crazy" quotes. They want to then tie those words or quotes around Obama.

Pay no mind that Obama has stated repeatedly that he disagrees with some of Wright's incendiary quotes. That doesn't matter now.

You are to think that what Wright says is what Obama thinks.

[jobycom]

22. I think it's an Obama strategy.

I think he's doing two things: First, Obama is trying to get all the focus on him, so that he begins to look like the nominee, to undercut any focus Clinton might have because of PA (not complaining, that's just smart and fair politics).

Second, he's making the issue into "old news." The more it's talked about now, before he's campaigning against McCain, the less McCain can bring it up as current news. People would keep badgering Wright, and Obama about Wright, until Wright spoke, so might as well do it now. If you get a good, long look at the monster under the bed, you often find he's not so scary, and you move on to other concerns. Since the NC flap brought the issue back out into the open, now was a good time.

A third thing he might be up to... Wright's views will appeal to some people, especially some Democrats. Even those who don't like some of what he says may agree with other stuff. It's a way for Obama to campaign to that group without having to say these things himself. Those who like what Wright says will think "Obama believes that, even if he can't say it," and those who hate what Wright says will think "Wow, he's crazy, but Obama doesn't believe that." All candidates get someone else to say the controversial stuff. Except Clinton, who tries to say it all herself, and keeps getting in trouble for it. Obama gets Michelle or Wright or "bloggers" to say it. Gives him plausible deniability.

Yeah, I'm a Clinton supporter--doesn't mean I can't recognize good strategy in others when I see it. :)

[NJmaverick]

23. The NC repukes were keeping the Wright issue alive, with their ad

So it's a choice of ATTACk the issue, or die a death of a thousand cuts, by weakly defending the issue hoping it will go away.

[crankychatter]

24. I'm for Obama but

ad nauseum

consider the fact that Clinton and McCain's "pastoral" connections are with full on fascists and homophobes that think we're at War with Islam and are calling for a holocaust... ARMAGEDDON... FOR blue laws that make it legal to discriminate against Gay people... economic Darwinism... hating the poor... the full privatization of Social Security... ALL manner of crazy shit.

The problem is the MEDIA which is owned by WAR PROFITEERS that have made it their business to DISINFORM America.

You need to figure out who the enemy is or just run up the White Flag and register Republican.

ya dig?

This post is disingenuous. That's my opinion.

I don't believe you.

[stillcool]

28. Perhaps because of bomb threats..

to his Church that has a membership of over 10,000? Perhaps because of death threats? Or perhaps he is just tired of the media kicking him like a dog.

[cliffordu]

29. Because it's a free country and these speaking dates are usually

set up months in advance.

I just LOVE this controversy. I don't have to think about $10.00 per gallon gas.

[ShortnFiery]

30. Please! You "concern" and "worry" are noted but facts are facts ... Wright is NOT Obama. Duh. eom

[Adelante]

33. Better in April than October nt

[Metric System]

34. The Obama campaign is NOT happy, according to the NY Times:

"Our colleague Jeff Zeleny tells us that associates of Mr. Obama said privately that his campaign was furious at Mr. Wright’s decision to step forward so publicly, but that they were unable to do anything to control this. They added, however, that the pastor’s actions prove that he and Mr. Obama are not that close, otherwise why would Mr. Wright do this now?"

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/rev-wright-defends-church-blasts-media/

Not that close? Yikes, the Obama camp better hope that Wright doesn't hear that!

[JackORoses]

48. who would trust anything that Jeff Zeleny says? he's an absolute Hillarite tool.

[nsd]

36. Cause he's an egomaniac?

Obama just needs to put Wright on "ignore." They obviously have very different worldviews and I think Barack can make the case that it's unfair to judge him by what this other person says.

[uponit7771]

37. Better now then November

[whistle]

43. Oh please, Obama can take the nomination and the election with a landslide

....all he has to do is stop taking in generalities and get very specific about how he will accomplish everything he has asked to voters to take on just good faith up to now. When Obama lays out specifics he will be unstoppable. If he continues to talk in generalities it will be Obama and nobody else who blows his chances for a victory!:yoiks:

[Seabiscuit]

49. First time I've agreed with an Obama supporter in four months.

This is indeed the worst thing that could be happening for Obama right now. The last thing Obama needs is for people to be reminded of Jeremiah Wright, who just keeps digging a bigger and bigger hole for the two of them.