The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s pastor, was impressive in a thoughtful hour-long interview on PBS Friday. He explained how the snippets of video excerpted from a couple his old sermons and played over and over on cable TV shows were taken out of context to portray him - and by extension, Obama - as unpatriotic and fanatical. Unfortunately, most Americans probably didn’t watch that interview. Instead, they will hear more sound bites from his weekend NAACP speech or his speech today to the National Press Club - such as his refusal to condemn Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
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59 Comments
I watched all the sermon that Fox News offered, 4 or 5 parts, don’t remember.
In all fairness to the Reverend Wright, he did extend the invitation to accept Christ at the end of the sermon like most Christian Ministers do.
The Farrakhan thing - eh - not so much.
Phil
Be HONEST!
The Pastor Wright “sound bites” come right off of the CD’s that Wright sells over the internet.
He can be offensive for serveral minutes running.
He has been offensive on several different occassions.
When, Phillip, have you ever resisted the temptation to jump on something stupid that a Republican said?
When, Phillip, did you ever defend anything a Republican said because it was “taken out of context”?
There is NO context for what Wright has said.
It is wrong, no matter what came before it.
It is wrong no matter what came after he said it.
Context can not fix hate.
Context can not cover up lunitic leftist ideology.
Wright defended Farrakhan AGAIN today!
“He did not put me in chains, he did not put me in slavery, he did not make me this color”
HUH?
Wright has had a very comfortable life, much better than 90% of the population.
Islam was very involved in the slave trade. Slavery STILL exists, in some Moslem countries.
And that last bit? Is Wright mad at God for “make (ing) me this color”
Wright is an egomaniac.
Obama needed Wright, since Obama had no “street creds” in Chicago, prior to meeting Wright.
However, Wright is now THE issue.
Wright is not Obama. Hagee is not McCain. Wright seems to make a lot more sense and is a lot less dangerous than Hagee. In fact, he’s seizing the opportunity educate Americans about the history and nature of black churches. My guess is that his speaking fees will skyrocket, providing a very comfortable retirement. What’s wrong with that. The TV monkeys going overboard with their phony indignation. (TV monkeys are talking heads on television trying to imitate journalists; most are attached by a leash and a paycheck to an organ grinder, like Rupert Murdoch and Roger Ailes. Their counterparts are called Radio Monkeys.)
I find McCain’s link to Hagee very problematic. McCain sought out Hagee. He cultivated his support. He brought Sam Brownback along to help cultivate Hagee. Hagee is a very dangerous man, and a bigot to boot.
Franklin: If Wright is now the issue, will you accept the notion that Hagee is ALSO the issue. If not, then why not?
Your premise is faulty.
Wright is an issue.
Hagee, not so much.
McCain did not give Hagee $22,500.00 in 2006 alone.
McCain was not married in Hagee’s church.
McCains kids were not baptised in Hagee’s church.
McCain did not attend Hagee’s church for over 20 years.
McCain never called Hagee a “mentor”
McCain never gave Hagee a position on his campaign.
Also, Hagee is certainly not an anti-semite.
Also, Brownback is Catholic, and Brownback went to Hagee, on behalf of McCain.
No, not the same!
Paul - by working so hard to sidle up to “Catholics are Whore of Babylon” Hagee John McCain has made him an issue.
McCain EAGERLY sought the endorsement of Hagee.
Then he got it.
Then he found out who and what Hagee was.
Then McCain denied seeking the endorsement.
This all feels familiar somehow…
I remember someone acting on bad intelligence and asking for something…what was it?
Oh YEAH authorization to use force in Iraq!
It was BUSH! And then when no WMDs were found, and since, we know that bush LIED about WMDS.
And John McCain is running on that record too.
If I had to defend Rev Wright, I’d try to change the subject too!
I’m a bit confused Franklin. You make valid points to support an idea. But is that idea that Hagee is NOT an issue, or NOT SO MUCH?
Why does Obama need to defend Rev Wright? He denounced what Wright said. If McCain would denounce what Hagee said, he wouldn’t have to defend that either.
If McCain was my nominee?
I’d want to talk about anything but him too!
As soon as McCain denounces Hagee, he has a great chance of winning back my vote. In fact he will win it back.
Ok this is a degree of separation.
But the pastor Wright thing was made news by neocon shill and bushbot radio ranter Sean Hannity.
I just heard Sean Hannity refer to Ron Paul supporters as “rude”,”mean”, and “resembling a cult”!
You dems are kidding here right. You really don’t know what to do about Wright so attempt to marginalize him. Just like Hagee- huh - when was Hagee’s last headline grabbing sermon?
He threathened Obama if/when he becomes prez.
Wright to Obama: ‘Coming after you’
By MIKE ALLEN | 4/28/08 11:58 AM EST Text Size:
The pastor insisted Obama ‘didn’t denounce’ him and ‘didn’t distance himself’ from Wright’s controversial remarks, but ‘did what politicians do.’
Photo: AP
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright said Monday that he will try to change national policy by “coming after” Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) if he is elected president
______________________________________
We need this loose cannon in the White House because?
Get a grip on reality. Obama is toast. Now the dem party has to figure out how to kick him to the curb without splitting the party.
Let me guess grm. You are not marginilizing Hagee. When was Wrights last sermon? That’s a stupid question. Please don’t insult my intelligence with those types of smoke and mirrors. I agree that Wright is a religious nutjob. I agreed several times. But for some reason, you just can’t wrap your mind around the fact that Hagee is as well. As soon as McCain grabs a pair and tells the religious right to stick it (like he did in 2000) he will win the independent voters from Obama and you republicans won’t have to run against Hillary to win.
If McCain would denounce what Hagee said, he wouldn’t have to defend that either.
———–
What’d he say that got your shorts in a bunch?
Wright’s a racist.
End of story.
Jeremiah Wright can claim that he and Obama were secret lovers for all I care. Jeremiah Wright can claim that he farts the national anthem. He can claim that he has a key to Camp David. He can claim that he took sniper fire (oops wrong one) I don’t give a rat’s ass what Jeremiah Wright says. As soon as John McCain says that Hagee was out of line with his whore of babylon statement, I won’t give a rat’s ass what he says either.
Is Shery posting or is Shad?
Hagee is WAY FARTHER out there than Wright is. The comparison isn’t even close.
I don’t know outlander. Maybe he said that Catholics are the whore of babylon. Maybe he said that the religious right needs to remove such “nonsense” as the part of the constitution that says “Congress shall pass no laws respective of religion….”. Maybe he said that my tax dollars are supposed to go into his collection plate under the faith based initiative. I can go on, but I don’t need to.
Well Pmom and LLTVET when he threatens to come into the White House and tell McCain how to run the government then I will get concerned. No comparison anyway you spin it.
ksgrm - and when did Obama say Wright would run the White House?
Finally!!!!!McCain offered carefully measured words. He has spoken as to how he doesn’t have to agree with Hagee. It’s a cowardly approach. But at least it is a start.
He has spoken as to how he doesn’t have to agree with Hagee.
And hasn’t Obama said much the same about Wright?
Hagee didn’t call the Catholic Church the “whore of babylon”.
yes. Sorry Ben, but you know me, the atheist libertarian. My work is done now. I will leave it up to Franklin and grm to keep trying to make this an issue. If they act too stupid, just give me a buzz.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-hamsher/mccain-proud-of-endorse_b_89227.html
McCain “Proud” of Endorsement From John Hagee Who Calls Catholics “The Great Whore.”
Mr. McCain, who has been on a steady search for support among conservative and evangelical leaders who have long distrusted him, said he was “very honored” by Mr. Hagee’s endorsement. Asked about Mr. Hagee’s extensive writings on Armageddon and about what one questioner said was Mr. Hagee’s belief that the anti-Christ will be the head of the European Union, Mr. McCain responded that “all I can tell you is that I am very proud to have Pastor John Hagee’s support.”
I know because I watched the video on the Huffington post that purports to show it. I don’t know where they get it.
Here is Hagee’s statement on his website. It is in text form so you don’t have to watch the video.
http://www.jhm.org/ME2/Sites/dirmod.asp?sid=&type=gen&mod=Core+Pages&gid=47BEB58F9EF24337835DB74C0E0760D9&SiteID=4AC79C9B25B24DF3AF21C42311BE3921
I wonder why the left would make this up? Lie or just ignorance?
Regardless, I think that Rev wright will continue to be a millstone around Obama’s neck. Did you see the new polling that shows Mrs. Clinton doing much better against Senator McCain that Obama?
At this point I could feel sorry for Obama. But as he said you can’t disown the crazy uncle. Or something to that effect.
Raj Goyle meeting tonight at Souper Salads, Kellogg and Rock. Seven to eight pm. If you are in his district just a heads up.
Outlander I think the left honestly believes that if you say something enough it becomes true.
I’m sure the Bill Moyers interview should be available at http://www.pbs.org. It’s got the full context of Wright’s sound bites and he expands on all those clips inpressively.
Even if “Regular” listened to “…all the sermon that Fox News offered…,” he missed a lot, wgat with the Faux Noise Channel being a wholly-owned
whoresubsidiary of the Republic Party.The interview doesn’t help Obama all that much; Wright dismisses Barack as “speaking like a politician,” but his theology — and Christianity — is thoughtful and provocative. Whether I agree with him or not, he poses logical soul-searching questions any person who aspires to morality should consider.
I don’t think the “Wright Issue” is about politics or even race; it’s about an attitude where some people go to church to get answers and some people go to church to get questions.
The usual gang of wing-nuts appear in this forum convinced — CONVINCED, mind you” — that they have the inside track as to what “God” is thinking and if you disagree with them, you’re a heretic.
The sound of conservatives and TV monkeys talking about the Wright Affair (interestingly, not the Hagee Affair) reminds me of our rich political history of Joseph McCarthy, the HUAC and “guilt by association.” Is that right? Stanley Fish did a better job explaining it than I could. Maybe the United States isn’t yet ready for different voices or religious diversity. And we’re the ones trying to get the Shi’ites, Sunni’s and Kurds to “reconcile?” Whoops, that’s a Jeremiah Wright word. Wright’s a radical, but Hagee is not? Talking of reconciling blacks and whites in America is radical, but talking of Armageddon, End of Times and nuking Iran is “conservative?”
Ben, you asked me where the feed was for Hagee. Here it is
http://althouse.blogspot.com/search?q=john+hagee
Monkeyhawk
Posted April 28, 2008 at 5:25 pm | Permalink
Even if “Regular” listened to “…all the sermon that Fox News offered…,” he missed a lot, wgat with the Faux Noise Channel being a wholly-owned whore subsidiary of the Republic Party.
————————
They were unedited other than breaking them up into easily downloadable parts.
Oh and MonkeyHock, at least I listened to all of the sermon, which is more than you have.
I am informed; and you MonkeyHock are well…clueless as usual. Making up stuff as you go along.
“I just heard Sean Hannity refer to Ron Paul supporters as “rude”,”mean”, and “resembling a cult”!”
I AM NOT RUDE! I am mean and I hope Sean DOES mind waking up with a horse head in bed with him. To the sound of the rest of us hitting our tambourines and singing chants! But quietly, we would not want to wake the entire neighborhood… That would be just rude.
“Regular,” — reduced to name calling, posts –
“…MonkeyHock, at least I listened to all of the sermon…”
Which, of course is diametrically opposed to his previous post:
“I watched all the sermon that Fox News offered….”
Pick one lie, “Regular,” and stick with it for once.
The scab covered MonkeyHock can’t help itself. Pus pockets forming on brain prevent him making intelligent discourse.
“Regular” contributes –
“The scab covered MonkeyHock can’t help itself. Pus pockets forming on brain prevent him making intelligent discourse.”
Yeah. Nothing demonstrates “intelligent discourse” like name-calling (“…scab covered MonkeyHock…”)and “Pus pockets forming on brain….”
And they say irony is dead.
Let’s be honest here - who the Hell cares what Fred or McCluer or Grm or Outlander thinks when it comes to Democrats?
Really?
This is a non-story, non-issue.
Sooner or later, Max and the Americans will chime in, but their opinions are also meaningless.
The more important issue is what does Obama think and that has been noted over and over again.
Unfortunately, it would seem that America is not ready for hope and bipartisanship.
But McCluer, Fred and Grm prove that every day.
Interesting reading:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352945,00.html
Memo to Rev. Wright: Do Souls Have Colors?
Monday, April 28, 2008
By John Moody
E-Mail Respond Print Share:
AP
April 28: Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. addresses a breakfast gathering at the National Press Club in Washington.
I’m white.
I’m American.
I’m Christian.
I’m not a racist.
And I’m offended by Jeremiah Wright. The Trinity United Church’s former pastor put on nearly an hour of smug mugging for the cameras at the National Press Club in Washington. Among other things, he repeated with a kind of glee that the attacks on 9/11 were retribution for America’s sins. He tried to distinguish African-influenced Christian churches in the United States from those that are not. He said, in part, that his recent plunge into the limelight “just might mean that the reality of the African-American church will no longer be invisible.”
What reality is that, reverend? How is reality visible or invisible? Is it a different reality from my church? Who says so? God? Or just you? What the heck, to be polite, are you talking about?
Let’s be clear: Reverend Wright has the right to say what he wants; that is the beauty of this country that he believes has so wronged him. His remarks are protected, even if they offend me, which they do. I, too, have rights, including the right to offend the Reverend, which I expect this will do.
I attend a Roman Catholic church where the pastor and most of the congregation are white. Yet my pastor would no more speak of white America, or the white church, or the hardships imposed on white people by the U.S. government because of affirmative action, than he would say “Goddamn America”. This does not mean that there is uniformity of opinion in my church. I know that my pastor and I disagree on issues of politics. I know that because we have talked outside the church, not because he preaches his politics from the pulpit. I would find it impossible to attend if he did this, because that would be an abuse of his position. His job is to help me in my quest for eternal salvation, not to tell me the kind of world he wants to live in until he and I achieve that goal.
He does not preach in order to divide. He preaches to bring comfort and hope to those in the Lord’s House.
Wright speaks about white racism while espousing the kind of hateful, bitter (yes, I know that word’s been used before) division between white and black that is the essence of racism. Do I know what goes on inside his head? No. But neither does he know what thoughts I secretly harbor.
“Be not deceived, God is not mocked,” Wright said, quoting Galatians 6:7. Reverend Wright, who dislikes being judged by sound bites, omitted the first passages of that biblical book. “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such a one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. 2 Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. 4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For every man shall bear his own burden.”
Whose burden were you bearing when you spoke, Reverend? If Americans have sinned, are you ministering to them in the spirit of meekness? You speak of the black church, yes. But what of the white church? Do churches have colors? Do souls? Are you and your church superior to mine? Allow me to tell you: you and it are not.
Your words, reverend, were an affront to me, but of far more importance, to the Almighty. You can still atone, but remember, God is not mocked.
John Moody is Executive Vice President, News Editorial for FOX News
It’s a good point, JR.
I have no data to back it up, but my gut tells me the reason for Hillary’s surge has less to do with Wright or Harvard or his being black, and more to do with the fact the many Democrats are seeing Hillary when she’s in full fightin’ mode.
You get the feeling watching her that anybody want a piece of her, she’d take over in that alley over there and let’s go. Bring out the knives? Cool, she’d be down with that (figuratively) (should go without saying, but hey).
You see a lot of that kind of fight in Obama, too, but you see more of it in Hillary right now.
Americans love to see their leaders relish a fight.
I think I need more sleep. Wrong thread at 8:59.
By Lawrence Korb and Ian Moss
April 3, 2008
In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country,” gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines.
In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)
The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy’s premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief’s medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery. For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation.
What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated.
While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father. Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.
Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?
Timothy McVeigh was a better man than Rev. Wrong. McVeigh was also more of a patriot. Wrong’s weak-sister claim that his patriotism is proved by his prior military service is feckless and hollow. McVeigh also served. Someone needs to put this putrid festering bag of virulent pus down.
I’m amazed that Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson weren’t taken more to task for their blaming America’s sins (in their view..homosexuality) for all the natural disasters we’ve suffered the last few years. Did they get a pass because they were white? They were both good friends to Bush were they not? I believe both fervently supported his presidency, also.
9/11 DID happen due to America’s failed policies in the Middle East and our support of Israel’s military. It’s no secret how America has treated African Americans like second class citizens, and in some places still do today. Racism is rampant in this country and the bigots want to kill the messenger.
I’m starting to believe that the reason Wright is being tared and feathered IS because he’s black.
If all you have on Obama is that Wright was his minister, than you all must be pretty desperate for something to make him look bad.
You certainly don’t have to go to such lenghts to find the skeletons in Hill’s closet.
It would be really great if you never live to be 54 or maybe your tally whacker will turn black and fall off and you’ll have to live to 253 without it which would be OK too.
You need help “White” male…you just made my point perfectly.
Amen!
Damn linda you can be hard core when it IS called for.
I know some Obama supporters could use some of that sorta spirit just now.
Lieutenant Colonel, George Armstrong Custer, 12/5/1839-4/25/1876, United States Army 7th US Calvary, Fort Riley Kansas, saved the blankets the sick people who had, Small Pox, slept in and passed them out to the Indians on the Reservations. The Indians traded these, not knowing of the diseases in them, to the Slaves using the Underground Railroad. this sickened and killed Indians and Slaves during the Civil War. Custer was not court martialed for this, he was court martialed for being AWOL, by Fort Leavenworth Ks. He had abandoned his post to visit his wife. When he was returned to duty in 1868 by, General, Philip Sheridan, he was campaigned to do the “Winter Campaign” against the Cheyenne Indians. He killed 103 Warriors, 53 women and children were taken prisoner, 875 Indian ponies were shot. Every public school system in the uSA, to this day, uses the Custer History in their American History Classes. If Custer could and did spread “Small Pox”, why is Rev Wright wrong to feel that HIV/AIDS was placed upon Africa? Africa is the capital, by Ethnic Population, of HIV/AIDS patients. I do not agree with all of Rev Wrights thoughts or views. I dont agree with anyones, views or opinions 100%, either. I realize noone does. I realize noone agrees with 100% of mine either. I do agree with some of his views. I do agree with the important ones. Africa could be getting infected, just like the indians and slaves in the Civil War. History repeats itself on everything. Why is he so wrong on this? Herbert West III, west.herb@yahoo.com http://www.wen2k.com
editors, I truly hope that you know who WHITE MALE is, someone who holds Timothy McVeigh up as some hero…certainly needs to be investigated as much as someone who would claim Muhammed Atta is a hero.
Watching all you racist white Repukes get your panties in a wad over Reverend Wright while giving Rev. John Hagee an anti-Semitic, anti-Catholic, and anti-New Orleans pass gives away the game. For Repukes, it’s skin color, not substance.
outlander,
Here’s Pastor John Hagee describing the Roman Church, represented as the whore of Babylon, riding the “anti-Christ system.”
http://youtube.com/watch?v=uViQ0hVV57Q
I eagerly await another installment of “who are you gonna believe, me or your lyin’ eyes?” brought to us by outlander.
So, let’s review:
-Anti-Catholic and anti-Semitic bigoted white pastors who endorse white Republicans = Wingnuts approve
-Racially inflammatory African-American pastors who minister to African-American Democrats = Wingnuts disapprove
It’s because it’s the only thing they can come up with to swiftboat Obama.
It’s really stupid. Who care about Rev Wright? He certainly enjoys the publicity, but Obama has already made it clear he doesn’t agree with a lot of his views.
I think I agree with Wright’s opinions more than Obama does.
The PBS interview was one of the biggest softball interviews you could imagine. With questions like:
“What is your notion of why so many Americans seem not to want to hear the full Monty — they don’t want to seem to acknowledge that a nation capable of greatness is also capable of cruelty?”
“You preached that sermon on the Sunday after 9-11, almost seven years ago. When people saw the sound bites from it this year, they were upset because you seemed to be blaming America. Did you somehow fail to communicate?”
As an editor at the only major local newspaper in Wichita, Phillip Brownlee should have the moral courage to criticize this fluff masquerading as journalism.
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