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Barack Obama Channels Robert F. Kennedy Speech After Martin Luther King, Jr. Assassination to Distance Himself from Jeremiah Wright
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=6FsqDTVmlKk[/youtube]
Barack Obama reflects on Bobby Kennedy’s MLK speech in Indianapolis on March 15, 2008
Barack Obama in his first campaign speech since his appearance on Cable News networks yesterday evening attempting to explain/excuse/damage control his association with Jeremiah Wright channels Robert F. Kennedy, Jr’s speech at the time of the Martin Luther King,Jr. shooting.
Sen. Barack Obama on Saturday decried “the forces of division” over race that he said are intruding into the Democratic presidential nomination contest.
“We have to come together,” he told a town-hall meeting at a high school.
Obama cited inflammatory remarks made by his pastor that are now being used as political ammunition against him—remarks that Obama has denounced.
“If all I knew were those statements I saw on television, I would be shocked,” Obama said.
Obama suggested that more and more is being made of racial divisions as his contest with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton heats up.
“The forces of division have begun to raise their ugly head again,” Obama said.
“It reminds me: We’ve got a tragic history when it comes to race in this country. A lot of pent-up anger and mistrust and bitterness. This country wants to move beyond these kinds of things.”
The text of his remarks are here.
But, if these shocking remarks of Jeremiah Wright are being used as political ammunition then why doesn’t Obama QUIT this church – and why didn’t Obama QUIT years ago?
Later, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told Fox News’s Greta Van Susteren: “In terms of Sen. Obama, I think he has a credibility question.â€
Gingrich continued: “Does he honestly expect the nation to believe that for 20 years, longer than 20 years, according to his own testimony, … he didn’t notice the anti-American rhetoric? I mean, does somebody seriously believe that in over 800 potential Sunday visits, it never once came up, no one ever mentioned it to him? I think that strains credibility.â€
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=l9HUdF9OZa8[/youtube]
Barack Obama’s Spiritual Advisor and pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright Blames the US for the Terrorist attacks on 9/11/2001
And, what about when Pastor Jeremiah Wright offered these up quotes five days after 9/11 in 2001 (video above):
“We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye….We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America’s chickens are coming home to roost.”
Obama was an Illinois State Senator at the time. Does anyone REALLY believe someone did NOT tell him about this sermon/rant? Please…… this strains belief.
Obama is shocked because he has FINALLY been called to account for his association with this anti-American and anti-white preacher. He won’t condemn Wright just as he NEVER left HIS church.
Channeling Robert Kennedy is not going to help or excuse his poor judgment. Obama’s damage control is poor.
Kaus has it right: The First Law of Obama – “If it offends you, I condemn it!”But, Flap will give you The Second Law of Obama – “If I am called on something OFFENSIVE, I will play the post-racial figure card.“
Barack Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Previous:Barack Obama Watch: The Jeremiah Wright Credibility Problem
Barack Obama Watch: The Tony Rezko Problem; Update: Obama Strains His Credibility
Barack Obama Watch: Is Jeremiah Wright a “Death Blow†to Obama?
Barack Obama Watch: Disagrees With “God Damn America†Statement of Jeremiah Wright
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Barack Obama Watch: The Jeremiah Wright Credibility Problem
[youtube]http://youtube.com/watch?v=uT-z9q6E_3k[/youtube]
2008 Democratic Presidential Nominee contender Senator Barack Obama makes an appearance on Hannity and Colmes on the Fox News network to discuss his mentor and pastor of 20 years Jeremiah Wright and the controversial statements which he has made from the pulpit for so many years.
Listen to Barack Obama above and read his MEA CULPA piece over at the Huffington Post and explain to Flap how Obama retains any credibility – not to mention whether he has used good judgment.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2FCJ7zWEQ&eurl=http://flapsblog.com/[/youtube]The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side.
Obama is asking voters to believe that he attended a church where Jeremiah Wright was the Pastor for ove twenty years and was NOT aware of his anti-American and anti-White statements and rants.
If it were true that Obama never knew that Wright was making highly objectionable comments until the start of the presidential campaign, and if Obama denounced the comments at that time, then I think he would have a good defense, i.e., he belonged to the church for years without knowing Wright’s anti-American, anti-white, and generally crazy views, and by the time he learned about them Wright was on the way out, so it made little sense to quit the church – denouncing the statements was enough.
Note, however, that Obama doesn’t say he didn’t know Wright was making highly objectionable comments, only that he never personally heard “the statements. . .that are the cause of this controversy.†It’s plausible that Obama might not have heard (or gotten wind of) the several sermons that have been the focus of this controversy. It’s less plausible that, over a 20-year period, Obama was oblivious to the strong anti-white, anti-American views of Wright. (emphasis Flap’s)
Also, I’d like to see the statements Obama allegedly made denouncing Wright’s comments once he says he learned of them. The statements by Obama that I’m aware of characterized Wright’s comments as merely “provocative†(that, according to ABC News, was Obama’s reaction to Wright’s statement that the U.S. had 9/11 coming) and the kinds of things an eccentric uncle might say. That’s far from a denunciation. In fact, ABC News quoted Obama as saying, “I don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial.” That’s even further from a denunciation. And we also know that Obama placed Wright on a special committee of religious leaders supporting his candidacy after Obama became aware of at least one of Wright’s statements in issue.
FInally, Obama to my knowledge hasn’t denied he knew that Wright had honored Louis Farrakhan. Knowing that one fact should have caused Obama to look elsewhere for a spiritual leader, assuming he is strongly opposed to what Farrakhan stands for.
This is NOT believable.
Either Obama is blatantly LYING or is DISINGENUOUS.
Michelle Malkin calls Obama a “TYPICAL POLITICIAN.”
Wow. You could see Glowbama’s halo flickering. He looked and sounded nervous, shifty, and truth-challenged as he tried to have it both ways with Jeremiah Wright (whom he continued to praise as a “Biblical scholar†and “well-regarded†even as he paid lip service to disavowing him and denied eeeever hearing Wright’s vitriol).
Indeed, Obama looked and spoke ill-at-ease. Flap twittered such at the time and his impressions of Obama were not kind.
Obama has lost all of his credibility in this flap. Put a fork in him – He’s done. The Democrat Super Delegates will vote for Hillary.
Barack Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Previous:
Barack Obama Watch: The Tony Rezko Problem; Update: Obama Strains His Credibility
Barack Obama Watch: Is Jeremiah Wright a “Death Blow†to Obama?
Barack Obama Watch: Disagrees With “God Damn America†Statement of Jeremiah Wright
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Barack Obama Watch: Is Jeremiah Wright a “Death Blow” to Obama?
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMZHQsQJ6Y&feature=related[/youtube]
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side.
TPM asks the question: Is Wright a “Death Blow” to Obama?
Flap says yes. The play this fool is getting in the blogopshere both right and left and Obama’s half-hearted repudiation will give this guilt by association a life of its own.
From a commenter at TPM:
Imagine this 30 second ad, run heavily next October. I think it would be devastating among undecided and swing voters.
“What does Barack Obama really believe in? His spiritual teacher for 20 years has been Jeremiah Wright. Wright wedded Obama & his wife. Obama named his book from a sermon of Wright’s. [insert video of favorable comment about Wright by Obama]. What has Jeremiah Wright taught Obama? [Insert rabid clip of Wright capped by “God Damn America!! God Damn America!!”] We need a solid patriot to lead our nation. Someone we can trust. Vote John McCain 2008.”
Obama can kiss Pennsylvania good bye and Hillary will exploit this flap to win over Super Delegates. Obama may have the Democrat nomination lead today and he may very well be able to defeat Hillary but Jeremiah Wright is a DEATH BLOW to his electability in November.
Update:
Has Barack Obama thrown Jeremiah Wright under the bus?
Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.
Well, sort of….but he did not name the statements. Why?
Because Obama did NOT attend the church when spoken or EVER hear them?
The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation.
Obama’s statement falls short. He may have thrown Jeremiah Wright under the bus but what Obama REALLY needed to do was THEN run him over a couple of times.
And, sure Obama is denouncing Wright today but where has Obama been the past twenty years? Or, three years ago when Wright made the sermon and said “God Damn America.”
These words of Jeremiah Wright will live on to haunt Barack Obama.Update #2:
Jeremiah Wright has left the Obama campaign.
Too little and way too late. Why didn’t Obama leave that church after 9/11 or repudiate Wright in 2003 when he said “God Damn America?”
How about last year, why did Obama disinvite Wright from his Presidential anouncement?
Well, Obama will have an opportunity to answer these questions as he goes “on air” at Fox News within the hour.
Barack Obama and Rev. Jeremiah Wright
Previous:
Barack Obama Watch: Disagrees With “God Damn America†Statement of Jeremiah Wright
Barack Obama Watch: The Sounding Board – Jeremiah Wright
Barack Obama Watch: The Jeremiah Wright Problem
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Barack Obama Watch: Disagrees With “God Damn America” Statement of Jeremiah Wright
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMZHQsQJ6Y&feature=related[/youtube]
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side.
WOW, this is a relief. Barack Obama disgrees with his Pastor of over twenty years in a statement made in a sermon in 2003 that instead of singing “God Bless America,” black people should sing a song essentially saying “God Damn America.”
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.
Again, a repudiation of the line but not a repudiation of the numerous outrageous statements of a man whose church he attended for many years. A man who was Obama’s spiritual counselor and a man Obama called his “SOUNDING BOARD.”
This avoidance of the Jeremiah Wright problem will NOT help Obama with the Jewish community or in the general election.
However, McCain will NOT push the issue.
Yeah, we’ll see about this. It’s not totally implausible: Maverick has enough trouble with evangelicals and, potentially, with Catholics via Hagee that he might be shy about going after a pastor, even one as scummy as Wright. Better to let the media handle it than give Obama an opening for the tu quoque.
Makes sense to me. Why should McCain go after Wright when Hillary’s people will do it first? McCain can rise above the fray and talk about his own themes while Hillary and Obama fight it out in the streets.
Exactly. The Clinton cabal are licking their chops, particularly in painting Obama as anti-Semitic.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY6qjeJ5mG8[/youtube]
Barack Obama’s new pastor at the same church of Jeremiah Wright. At 2:00 he talks about Obama choosing Trinity and Wright because they were in line with his “values†as an organizer.
Previous:
Barack Obama Watch: The Sounding Board – Jeremiah Wright
Barack Obama Watch: The Jeremiah Wright Problem
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Barack Obama Watch: The Sounding Board – Jeremiah Wright
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEMZHQsQJ6Y&feature=related[/youtube]
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama’s pastor for the last 20 years at the Trinity United Church of Christ on Chicago’s south side.
There is a Wall Street Journal piece today that asks about Barack Obama’s close association with Pastor Jeremiah Wright.
Hearing Mr. Wright’s venomous and paranoid denunciations of this country, the vast majority of Americans would walk out. Instead, Mr. Obama and his wife Michelle have presumably sat through numerous similar sermons by Mr. Wright.
Indeed, Mr. Obama has described Mr. Wright as his “sounding board” during the two decades he has known him. Mr. Obama has said he found religion through the minister in the 1980s. He joined the church in 1991 and walked down the aisle in a formal commitment of faith.
The title of Mr. Obama’s bestseller “The Audacity of Hope” comes from one of Wright’s sermons. Mr. Wright is one of the first people Mr. Obama thanked after his election to the Senate in 2004. Mr. Obama consulted Mr. Wright before deciding to run for president. He prayed privately with Mr. Wright before announcing his candidacy last year.
Mr. Obama obviously would not choose to belong to Mr. Wright’s church and seek his advice unless he agreed with at least some of his views. In light of Mr. Wright’s perspective, Michelle Obama’s comment that she feels proud of America for the first time in her adult life makes perfect sense.
Much as most of us would appreciate the symbolism of a black man ascending to the presidency, what we have in Barack Obama is a politician whose closeness to Mr. Wright underscores his radical record.
Jeremiah Wright has provided Barack Obama spiritual guidance for years. Obama owes the American people an explanation as to what he repudiates of Wright’s extremist views such as:
- “America is still the No. 1 killer in the world. . . . We are deeply involved in the importing of drugs, the exporting of guns, and the training of professional killers . . . We bombed Cambodia, Iraq and Nicaragua, killing women and children while trying to get public opinion turned against Castro and Ghadhafi . . . We put [Nelson] Mandela in prison and supported apartheid the whole 27 years he was there. We believe in white supremacy and black inferiority and believe it more than we believe in God.”
- “We started the AIDS virus . . . We are only able to maintain our level of living by making sure that Third World people live in grinding poverty. . . .”
- “His depth on analysis [sic] when it comes to the racial ills of this nation is astounding and eye-opening,” Mr. Wright said of Mr. Farrakhan. “He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest.”
So, with what does Obama disagree with Jeremiah Wright?
There is little doubt that Obama is attempting to allay Jewish concerns they have about his candidacy. He has been working hard to capture this Democrat Party constituency. But, Obama’s association with Wright who has praised and whose church and children have awarded the Nation of Islam leader is a problem.
Yet there is unease among some Jewish voters about the Illinois senator and Democratic presidential contender.
Why?
Part of it is a division between blacks and Jews that’s been growing for years, a split that Obama has challenged fellow blacks to confront.
Another element is the praise Obama has received from Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan, whose disparaging comments about Judaism are toxic to many voters. Obama’s own pastor has a history of supporting Palestinian causes.
And there are questions about Obama advisers who some U.S. Jews see as less than ardent advocates of Israel.
Over to Obama.
What say you?
Do you agree with Jeremiah Wright’s black liberation theology?
For his part, Obama has said he does not agree with Wright on every issue, religious or political. But that doesn’t sit well with some.
“If Barack Obama has really submitted himself to his church like he’s claimed, why does he have a different expression of faith from his own pastor?†asks Anthony Bradley, theologian and research fellow at the Acton Institute in Grand Rapids, Mich.
As Flap said before:If there is NOT a repudiation then Obama cannot be considered a post-racial figure.
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Barack Obama Watch: The Jeremiah Wright Problem