Barack Obama Watch: Jeremiah Wright Flap Contained?
Michael Ramirez on Rip Van Obama
Shocker – there is evidence that the Jeremiah Wright Flap may have some lingering effects to the Obama campaign.
Sen. Barack Obama’s Philadelphia speech on race relations last month seemed to put the controversial remarks of his former pastor behind him. But three weeks later, there is evidence of lingering damage.
“It has not been defused,” says David Parker, a North Carolina Democratic Party official and unpledged superdelegate. He says his worries about Republicans questioning Sen. Obama’s patriotism prompted him to raise the issue of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.’s remarks in conversations with both the Obama and Clinton campaigns.
“I’m concerned about seeing Willie Horton ads during the general election,” Mr. Parker says, referring to campaign ads that Republicans widely credited for helping defeat Michael Dukakis in 1988. Mr. Parker said the Wright controversy didn’t hurt his opinion of Mr. Obama.
National polls show the Illinois senator hasn’t suffered among Democratic primary voters. Contests in Pennsylvania on April 22, Indiana on May 6 and West Virginia on May 13 could serve as an important test. His performance among largely white, less-urban voters could show how well he can secure critical swing states in November.
Sen. Hillary Clinton has argued that she can better withstand Republican attacks. One of her senior advisers last week told the Talking Points Memo blog that he had raised the Wright issue with superdelegates. The campaign didn’t dispute the report. “[C]ertainly, as you recall, it was very heavily in the news and people, you know, sometimes have it on their minds,” Sen. Clinton told reporters last week.
Recent polls suggest that, in key swing states, the New York senator fares better in head-to-head matchups with Republican nominee Sen. John McCain than does Sen. Obama. In Ohio, Sen. Clinton led Sen. McCain 48% to 39%, while Sen. Obama led Sen. McCain 43% to 42% in Quinnipiac University polls conducted in the last week of March.
Flap knows the Jeremiah Wright flap has done serious damage to Obama and the Democrats. It has drawn the attention to voters of the inexperience of Barack AND Hillary.
If voters have NOT seen the God Damn America Wright videos, they will OVER AND OVER again this fall should Obama be the Democrat nominee.
McCain may very well have an easy time handling either of these candidates on GRAVITAS, EXPERIENCE and TRUSTWORTHINESS alone. Unless McCain self destructs with a personal scandal, the senior Senator from Arizona will be elected the next President.
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Barack Obama Watch: Maybe I Would Have Left Jeremiah Wright’s Church
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Hillary Clinton Plays Obama – Jeremiah Wright Card – The Obama Response
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Barack Obama Watch: Quelling the Jeremiah Wright Flap
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Mandy
I don’t think Wrights comments shud be forgotten. These were very serious comments damming America, whites and Jews. This man wants to be President of our great country.
Wright was his pastor for years and he is lying saying a man that made those comments never said anything like that in his presents. I will never believe that. He shud of left him years ago if he was not prejudice.
I was once a supporter of his and now I will never trust him again. There was one other incident that happened that confirmed it for me. On his was to the New Hampshire caucuses he stopped off the beaten path and went to a small church. What he said really turned me off from him. He told the congregation to listen to their civic leaders, pastors, even gang leaders because when he becomes President he will have a meeting and there will be new rules for the black man.
Sorry this man has a hidden agenda. I will never trust him again.
John
Why can’t you just get over this Pastor Wright thing? OK–Obama went to a church located on the south side of Chicago where the pastor said a few unfortunate things over his 30 year career of preaching. News flash—angry things are said in black churches on Sunday morning in every city-and if you would take the time to read the entire sermon where he said GD America(and which has been played on cable news so many times that no living person could have possibly heard it fewer that 20 times)you would see that he was actually quoting another person in his sermon. And Wright isn’t running for president-Obama is-and he has denounced the hateful things Wright said.
To continue to harp on this Wright issue is about like critizing Tiger Woods after he shoots a round of 66 by saying that he missed a ten foot putt on one hole that he could have made. Everybody makes mistakes. McCain almost went to prison for the Keating scandal and it is well-known that his wife stole money from a charity she founded to provide money for her pill addition. Only McCain’s influence got her off with community service.
Can’t you see the bigger picture of what is happening with this Obama thing? He has emerged as a once in a generation leader that inspires millions of people (not just in the US but world-wide)He has the very real potential to move this nation forward and reach new and exciting horizons we all so badly need and wish for. You don’t believe me? Who would have ever guessed he would come from nowhere to raise over $200 million from 1.4 million supporters and be on the threshold
of getting the nomination and being the next president.
And as for McCain winning against Obama in November-forget about it! A 72 year-old (and an old 72) who continues to say the Iraq war is going well and doesn’t understand the economy? That should get him the support of all the right-wing radio listeners and a few others who don’t get it. Just do the electoral college math-Obama easily wins NY, NJ, Cal, Ill, Penn, Ohio, without any effort, and he will surely attract millions of new young voters to go with a huge African American turnout, hispanics, gays, union members, a lot of women, and almost all other intelligent voters who went to college. He could easily win 30 other states (Virginia, Georgia and Colorado are almost certain Obama states) This thing will be a landslide.(The betting lines already have Obama 2×1 to beat McCain) And those groups who will turn out in record numbers to vote for Obama could’t care less what the retired old minister Wright said in his sermons years ago. It doesn’t matter-except to those who would not have voted for him in any event.
Like it or not, Barack Obama is inspirational, brillant, insightful and is one of the greatest orators that has come along in this nation’s history-maybe ever. He has also run an almost flawlwss campaign that will probably be considered the finest in political history. And you haven’t seen anything yet. He’s filling basketball arenas now-by the fall campaign he will fill football stadiums everywhere he goes.
Why don’t you just stand back and give this amazing young guy the credit he deserves? Admit that he really is something special-and instead of continuing to try to make the Wright thing a real issue,which it isn’t-you should look at all Obama offers and be thankful for it. And just try saying “President Obama” a few times-it’s really easy– and it will prepare you for the next eight years.
Flap
Obama trails in the electoral college state by state polling.
This is before the GOP plays the Jeremiah Wright loop over and over again.
You should practice saying President McCain a few times.
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