Check in if, after all this time, you STILL don't see what the big deal was about Wright?

[Mooney]

Maybe I've got blinders on, but this just never seemed like an issue to me. Hopefully it's been put to bed finally, but when it first came up, I just couldn't see what the big deal was.

Reverend Wright said some controversial things. I get it. And Obama may or may not have been within earshot when he said them. But unless you believe that hearing something is the same as believing something, I don't see what the big deal is. I hear things people say all the time, and it doesn't make me believe them. I watched the entire 2004 GOP convention on TV, and I still voted for Kerry. Why, I read dozens of pro-Hillary Clinton posts here every day, and I still don't support her. And I also feel no need to reject or denounce them.

Basically, I've thought this whole thing was completely ridiculous and a total non-issue from the get-go. Am I alone in the world, or does anyone else agree with me?

[democrattotheend]

1. I think the whole thing was ridiculous

Manufactured outrage, questions about "what did he hear and when did he hear it" as if he had done something wrong, and a big double standard from a racial perspective (and I'm white).

[Mooney]

3. Thank you.

I thought I simply lacked a moral compass or something.

[roguevalley]

37. given that hillary's fellowship and mccain's hagee get no equal

airtime for their bs, this is no problem. until they all have to answer for their associations with assholes, Obama is home free and clear with me. Don't you know that hypocracy is a mortal sin? Or does that matter to some whose outrage is apparently situational?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. It's thing's like Wright which is why people make fun of GD:P

[thoughtcrime1984]

4. I agree with you, but the media blows everything having to do with Democrats

way out of proportion. There are many independent voters who are unable to accept that the "news" is wrong, unfortunately.

[Mooney]

8. I actually don't fault the media for this.

I don't actually fault the media for much, to be honest --- I think they're just a reflection of what people want to see. If this story hadn't played into something that lots of people apparently thought was a big deal, they would have stopped covering it as a reaction to subsiding viewership.

I expect to be fully flamed for saying that, by the way.

[thoughtcrime1984]

34. I'm not going to flame you, but I disagree strongly

The media puts out what they want to put out, and people watch it because it is there. It is my belief that the MSM exists more for RW propaganda than it does for ratings, but they'll take ratings, too. Influencing as many people as they can to vote against their own best interests allows the big-money corporate media to keep Republicans, or at least corporacrats, in control of our gov't, thus ensuring less regulation on their industry, and more money in their coffers.

[Mooney]

38. There's certainly a chicken/egg aspect to it.

I guess I don't like the idea of letting the viewers off the hook, as if they're being victimized by their television sets. It's the same reason I can only get so upset with politicians --- they're just sounding boards for the dumbasses who voted them in. Nobody told the people of North Carolina to vote in Jesse Helms over and over again, just like nobody told the people of New York City to vote for Giuliani. People have to be held responsible for their votes and for what news they choose to consume. They have a choice.

I think that what's on TV is driven by the viewers at least as much as people's opinions are driven by what they see. But in this age of hundreds of television channels (and especially the internet) I think people have a lot less of an excuse to act like they don't have a choice. Anyone who feels like they're being manipulated by Fox News (for example) has the choice of going over to C-Span to watch commentary-free live senate proceedings with no editorializing whatsoever. But they don't. If people really wanted "fair and balanced" reporting, it's out there, but they don't want that at all. They want news coverage (and I use that term very loosely) that confirms what they already believe and doesn't challenge them in any way.

My experience has been that the majority of Americans aren't really interested in an equal and un-editorial presentation of the news. They lack the intellectual curiosity for that. They want to be told what matters and told what to dwell on.

[Cosmocat]

43. There is an axiom in politics ...

that someone has to hear your name 13 or so times before they start to form an opinion of you ...

while, on the text of it, the Wright is a COMPLETE non-story, they finally seem to have gotten that issue that they can effectively beat BO to death with ...

Just watched about 7 pieces about it this afternoon on the cable news, and everyone was negative toward BO ... One media bimbo, in basically the same sentence, hammered him for throwing a friend under the bus AND for taking too long to do it ...

They are just going to town on it ...

So, with them recycling this three times now, for extended periods, it is like a slow drip ... Like they framed Gore as arrogant and Kerry as a flip flopper ...

[graywarrior]

5. It was so meaningless to me I didn't even pay attention to it.

[judy]

6. Totally manufactured...

I just wish Obama hadn't taken the bait...

[izzybeans]

7. Most people haven't acted like suckers on this issue. It's ridiculous.

[azmouse]

9. I always thought it was a complete non-issue too.

I want religion out of politics no matter who's side brings it up.
The whole Wright controversy always smelled of desperation from Obama haters looking for anything to bring him down or just make him look bad.

[blm]

10. Check - now, if only theofascists who actually DO influence DC policy would get some attention

from Clinton camp the way they paid attention to Wright....oh yeah, they DO get attention from HRC - she's been meeting with them every week since 1993.

[LibDemAlways]

11. I haven't been paying attention to it. To me it's a non-issue.

Wright's not running for anything. He's not my pastor. Why should I care what he says? Just assinine that the media managed to inflate this beyond all reason.

[Kali]

12. yes I agree

Intellectually I understand why Obama had to cut Wright off, but in my heart I wish we had a system that allowed for him to have stood up to the innuendo and told the media to fuck off. Better yet I wish we had a system where the media did its job and didn't need to be told to fuck off (unless it was by a criminal like boosh who was under intense investigative questioning for his crimes)

[Window]

18. What Kali said, word for word.

:thumbsup:

[Cosmocat]

52. He tried ...

first go around he stood by the guy ...

Wright SHOULD have respected him for taking the high road like he did, cause make no mistake, the MSM would have LOVED to have forced Obama to throw him under the bus from the beginning, to proof it's will over him ... In fact, part of the vengence they have right now is that he did NOT throw Wright under the bus initially, he denied them that ...

But, instead of respecting Obama for not throwing him under the bus, and keeping a low profile until the election was over, Wright goes and spouts off even more indindary stuff ... Look, the man isn't stupid, he KNEW if he so much as said the that USA was great, instead of saying the USA was REALLY great, that the MSM would try to use that from now until November ... So, instead of showing Obama the respect of their friendship and protecting him by keeping his mouth shut, he throws out red meat for the whores ...

Only thing the MSM has right at this point is how narcicisitic that Wright is, cause that is something that they are intimately familiar with ...

[Cosmocat]

53. He tried ...

first go around he stood by the guy ...

Wright SHOULD have respected him for taking the high road like he did, cause make no mistake, the MSM would have LOVED to have forced Obama to throw him under the bus from the beginning, to proof it's will over him ... In fact, part of the vengence they have right now is that he did NOT throw Wright under the bus initially, he denied them that ...

But, instead of respecting Obama for not throwing him under the bus, and keeping a low profile until the election was over, Wright goes and spouts off even more indindary stuff ... Look, the man isn't stupid, he KNEW if he so much as said the that USA was great, instead of saying the USA was REALLY great, that the MSM would try to use that from now until November ... So, instead of showing Obama the respect of their friendship and protecting him by keeping his mouth shut, he throws out red meat for the whores ...

Only thing the MSM has right at this point is how narcicisitic that Wright is, cause that is something that they are intimately familiar with ...

[kwenu]

13. Shamefully ridiculous.

[Vinca]

14. It's guilt-by-association to make sure Hillary is the candidate.

Why else would Monica, Gennifer, Paula and the rest of them not be brought up under any circumstances? Republicans want Hillary as the candidate, MSM is owned by Republicans, the mission is to take out Obama.

[Frustratedlady]

15. Wright was the only thing they could come up with, early on.

They (both sides) were looking for something to bring him down off his pedestal and Wright fit the bill. Wright, Muslim...easy to get people riled up. They still are. Last one I saw was something on Oprah's new religion. I didn't even read it.

[DearAbby]

16. I don't care what Wright believes or said

It has nothing to do with the issues and problems we face today, the shrinking value of the dollar, high cost of fuel, the war. the economy...on and on..What the hell does Wright has to do with these issues? Is he running by proxy?

Being an atheist, I could care less where people go to church or why. It just doesnt matter. This shit really frightens me. Why is religion such an issue in our politics?

[The_Counsel]

17. * Raises Hand *

The M$M has pushed this all along. They want ratings. They NEED ratings.

I'll say yet AGAIN: It's all about the horse race, kids!

Giddyup. :eyes:

[quantass]

19. I am completely baffled as to why on earth this was an issue...

Are Americans so in NEED of TV that they forget that they can think?

[Mooney]

39. That's about the size of it.

[Nite Owl]

20. I didn't get the whole

thing either. Seemed like just a lot of talk to fill air time instead of talking about the real issues that face Americans.

[Triana]

21. Absolutely. This was a gang-bang of the media, Barbara Reynolds, Wright, and Hillary...

...against Obama.

And the lamestream media is of course, to get those ratings and get rid of Obama, more than happy to play into it and stupid people patronize the crap by watching it.

[Lerkfish]

22. modern day electronic lynching.

Obama is too close to being president -- they had to stop him. Wright was just the rope they chose.

IMHO.

[IndianaJones]

23. some of his statements were appalling. nt.

[Mooney]

40. But what does that have to do with Obama, or his fitness for office?

[IndianaJones]

41. Obama found them appalling...that's good right? nt.

[Mooney]

47. I don't care one way or the other.

If he was appalled, fine. If he wasn't appalled, fine.

I just don't see what any of this has to do with anything.

[NOLALady]

46. Appalling?

He was being silly and trying to entertain the audience.

He succeeded. They loved him.

[IndianaJones]

50. Obama said it. nt.

[monmouth]

24. It really was stupid and manufactured by the media and HRC to be

a story. Come to Mass with me sometime and listen to my guy on the pulpit. That's when I re-arrange my purse....lol.

[redqueen]

25. I'm of two minds about this.

On the one hand, I see it as no big deal.

On the other hand, I can see some being worried about whether or not it would soften support for him.

However, that depends on one thing: the way he handles it.

We can look at the last few months, and the way his support has changed after each nasty attack she threw at him... and it seems that the way he has handled these issues has been effective.

Now, let's contrast that with the way Hillary has handled the nasty attacks hurled at her... okay all I can think of is Bosnia... is there more?

But... really... do we need more?

[Jensen]

26. The media treat US as stupid cause we fall for the BS all the time

that is why we are in Iraq and people are dying!

[ClayZ]

27. I imagine, if I had been a Pastor for 30 years,

and I got smeared like Rev. Wright did, that I might give in to my OUTRAGE, too.

Walk a mile in his shoes and get to RETIREMENT, get shoved into a media shit storm like that.



I saw a clip of him with Hannidy. After Hannidy insulted him for the entire clip, at the end Rev Wright, said God Bless you to him three times.


There is still plenty of time for Obama and Wright to make amends. "Forgiveness" is something the whole world will be needing to learn.


My anger with the MSN is difficult to bear. I will be needing to let go of it.

P.S. I am not involved with any Organized Religion. I think the term is an oxymoron. I have enjoyed Rev. Wrights sermons. I believe he is a scholar.


I HOPE Obama has been influenced by him.

Obama 44th POTUS

[NOLALady]

44. Amen.

I KNOW I would give in to my outrage.

[ClayZ]

51. Here is the clip of Rev. Wright and Hannidy.

He blesses the RAT at the end. He is a bigger man than me and I am not a man.

I have to admit that I have done nothing but CURSE the RAT.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNTGRL0OJWQ the blessing is at the end of the clip.

[mainer]

28. If your priest is a pedophile, does that make you a pedophile?

It's the same thing, isn't it? Think of all those Catholic priests. And all those congregations of pedophiles-by-association.

[nichomachus]

29. Politics of personal destruction -- the Clinton's learned it at Rove's feet

[Lerkfish]

31. hell, who's to say they aren't getting it DIRECTLY from Rove?

he's certainly cheerleading her publicly.

[zulchzulu]

30. I would describe it as an attempt at Hortonized Desperation

The whole guilt by association mantra is ridiculous and if it had succeeded (I think it's over), it would have been a tragedy that someone running for President could have their minister/pastor bring them down by mere association to the nth degree.

Are all the people who know Wright or were at ANY of his sermons invalidated to run for President? What one person thinks, and especially someone like a minister who is supposed to rattle your spiritual cage, says does not mean that you support every word they say.

The people I've met so far in recent Obama grassroots efforts think the whole thing was bullshit. The only people who thought it was an "issue" were clueless idiots...all three of them.

[NOLALady]

32. This is simply their best shot at Obama.

Pathetic.

Rev Wright was upset about the smear attack so he decided to defend himself. This wasn't about Obama. This wasn't about the election. This was about Jeremiah's need to defend his character and his Church. Plain and simple.

A person with brown skin does not need Jeremiah Wright to tell them about discrimination in this country. Even with a white Mother and a middle class background, they will learn about racism beginning in preK.

In the meantime our soldiers and innocent Iraqis are dying.

[Symarip]

33. Was/is/will be a non-issue for this Democrat

It's really rather simple for me: I don't care what anyone's religious affiliation is. If Obama was a card carrying Satanist I still wouldn't care. I also don't care that Hillary is a member of the 'Fellowship' or that Tom Cruise is a Scientologist.

Maybe I have too much faith in America, but I don't think average citizens care either when we're pressed against a failing economy, an injust war (that two other presidential candidates voted for), global warming... Well, you get the picture.

[Az_lefty]

35. The whole thing was absurd. Obama was being held accountable..

for something someone else said.

[stillcool]

36. Manufactured Outrage...

in an attempt to prove Senator Obama is unelectable because he is black. Pure and Simple.

[Norrin Radd]

42. kr

[death to the DLC]

45. Fake Outrage

is all the rage, just ask Shillary.

[TragedyandHope]

48. /signed

If anything it showed that the MSM has sunk to new lows.

[Zodiak]

49. Here here

I never thought that a man's pastor should be an issue....there is no religious test for the Presidency, as outlined in the Constitution. Personally, I think the power-that-be was frustrated that they could not paint Obama as an "angry black man", so they dug a little and got a surrogate.

[krabigirl]

54. Checkin in. I never cared and still don't.

[Generator]

55. Oh I get it but

if you know anyone that ever is on the fringe of this society then not only have you not heard what he said before, you may have said it yourself.

Goddamn America is shocking? From a preacher? Oh I guess. America has never done anything wrong. America is perfect. America is blessed. America never killed Indians or had slaves. It's always fair and balanced. It's shocking!

AIDS caused by the government, I had a gay friend that died of AIDS in the late 80's that thought that. Hardly a new thought. We know some thought that the government purposely let the levees fail in New Orleans, if you have nothing and they take even nothing away well it makes you damn suspicious. This is NEWS? This is shocking? Not to me.

Americans are the terrorists-Noam Chomsky and a few others. Right here on DU too-Hiroshima et all.

It is shocking to the apple pie mom and pop-GOD BLESS AMERICA I have white skin, know no gay people and all is right with the world people. Elizabeth Christian Hasselbeck-FOX news blondies-to them-it's shocking that America isn't the perfect place for people that aren't Christian, aren't straight, aren't white, aren't well off. It's shocking that others think differently. That they are ANGRY. That maybe they have far out theories-because they know not everything is the way it's on the NEWS. That's not THEIR life. So Wright wasn't at all shocking to me-or knowing how the Black Community can feel differently about things.

What's shocking is how we all pretend there is one country and it's great for all of us-and we all think the same. And if someone dares have a thought that challenges the "greatest country on earth" meme that we all shit our pants.

[livingmadness]

56. I totally agree

From the get-go I was thinking "is this is? is this all they've got" we're home free!! But then you just can't underestimate the cravenness of the MSM. Ick.

[Yurovsky]

57. It's the FauxNews effect on Amerikkka ...

it's the "us vs. them" mentality that Faux has been foisting upon the population post-9/11, and now they've concentrated their ire on the non-white segment of the US populace. You're either a flag-waving christian conservative or you're Osama Bin Laden's cabana boy. There is no middle ground, and this allows them to conveniently lump Senator Obama in with the bastards who conspired to bring down the WTC.

I wish I could afford to move to Canada. If gramps wins this November, I might just say fuck it and hitchhike to Toronto.

[Mister Ed]

58. There just ain't much "there" there.

So, Obama associates with a guy who, on several occasions, has publicly given voice to the pain and anger he feels as a black man?

Why, it's positively scandalous. (sarcasm)

[Hamlette]

59. I don't get it AT ALL.

The role of a pastor is to try to get ppl to believe in a fairy tale so why would you turn to them for truth telling in the first place?

I have had mentors in my life, a few teachers in college and a few professionals.

I don't vouch for their personal lives or beliefs on other issues. Hell, I don't even know much about them personally.

[OneBlueSky]

60. entirely a creation of the corporate media intended to . . .

divert discussion from the real issues . . . and it's working . . .