Is Obama or Wright a..(Pause)...Judas?

[DrFunkenstein]

It seems to me that Obama did an exceptional illustration of loyalty when he refused to disown Wright at great political risk. Did he betray Wright for the sake of politics today? Honestly, that was my first thought until I caught up to speed with what Wright has been saying over the last few days.

But having watched an read Wright's comments, I was thunderstruck by how completely disloyal the pastor had been. Beyond reiterating crackpot theories about HIV, there was absolutely no reason for Wright to defend himself by suggesting that Obama was merely posturing. If anything, Obama was painfully contorting himself to give his pastor a broad and generous context for his outrageous statements.

Now, I'm pretty far out there politically. Aware of Agent Orange and the Bikini Island nuclear tests on its own soldiers, aware that the the foreign policies of United States going even before the 1954 CIA coup of Iran through the training of extremists like Bin Laden in Afghanistan had contributed to context of 9/11, aware that the government and the media have an extablished anti-Palestinian history, I still think that Wright has only served to confuse very important matters with poor explanations and mixing them with ridiculous conspiracy theories.

I know what America is capable of doing "without batting an eye," but that does not justify Wright's betrayal to both Obama and his vision for hope, peace and compassion. His recent talks were displays of both profound betrayal and egotism, which for Wright seems to represent his 40 pieces of silver.

[hisownpetard]

1. Amen. Couldn't agree with you more.

And it's a damn shame, if you ask me.

[Olney Blue]

2. Obama tried as hard as he could to be loyal, but Wright gave him no choice.

[noel711]

3. No,no,no... Judas is Richardson... get your dems straight...

[ms liberty]

4. I agree with you 100%...K&R n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

5. Oh, for crying out loud.

So you've decided for us how we should feel about Wright? That's just sad, you know, expecting all those black Americans over the age of 50 to sit down, shut up and behave so that they can get a black man that all white America can embrace.

You know who betrayed Obama? You did.

[EFerrari]

6. Um, Wright referenced the book Medical Apartheid and

the Tuskeegee experiments, he has no crackpot theories about HIV. He did not orginate the theory -- it's out in the community and he was engaging it.

He has had, on the other hand, a ministry charged with outreach to HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, as well as building a congregation that welcomes their GLBT brothers and sisters. Get your facts straight.

And, GASP, he identified Obama as a politician. That was a mistake. We sure like our politicians in drag as something else, don't we?

[candelovsky]

7. Wright cannot be a Judas, as he was not Obama's follower

It was the other way around.

[LVjinx]

8. You see Wright as nothing more than an extension of Obama?

He's a pastor who has been preaching for years... Why should he change what he preaches, or what he says, for Barack Obama? Obama is very well aware of what went on in his church, to say that he wasn't is unbelievable. So how can Wright be blamed for continuing to do what he's always done - and there is videotape to prove these comments are NOT new, he's been making them for years.

Personally, I think Wright's comments are abhorrant, but he has every right to make them and, near as I can tell, he doesn't owe Obama anything.

[GoldieAZ49]

9. They deserve each other

screw'em both