Good for them, I'm tired of all the attacking going on. And why is most of it aimed at Obama?

Sent by C. Wess Daniels | 10:46 AM ET | 04-25-2008

I would just like to mention what a crappy time WUNC has chosen to run their begathon, when we could be getting some finally-relevant-to-NC news from NPR. I will be getting my newselse where until it's over.

Sent by Ruby Sinreich | 10:55 AM ET | 04-25-2008

I really would like to know what exactly is wrong with the ad.

Some people would see "implications of race" in their oatmeal because that's they way the see everything. However, it doesn't mean that it exists.

So, what's wrong with the ad.

Sent by deek | 10:56 AM ET | 04-25-2008

I think what's wrong with the ad is that it has nothing to do with real issues. It's not linking them because of their political beliefs, but because they endorsed someone associated with someone else. The NC GOP needs to run an ad actually relevant to what people are interested in: the economy, education, health insurance, etc.
Good for WSOC-TV and WRAL-TV for not running such a waste of time.

Sent by Kate | 11:11 AM ET | 04-25-2008

It is refreshing to see some more movement of American politics out of the gutter. Kudos to WSOC and WRAL!

This may be bad news for the dirty trick style of political strategy (too bad Karl Rove), but it is great news for democracy in America.

America is hungry to put those days behind us. Thank you Sen. Obama for starting this and John McCain for picking up on it!

Sent by Gary | 11:21 AM ET | 04-25-2008

What's wrong with the ad is the - intentional - implication that attending a church where the minister provides fiery sermons in the tradition of Black evangelical churches means that one agrees with everything the minister has ever said whether you were there or not there. The racial component is the manner and method of sermon delivery, which can appear striking to people not used to it even though the underlying tones of salvation through overcoming oppression has stood the African-American community well through the years. By *knowing* people's reactions to the way the sermon is given the ad is saying "this approach to giving sermons is bad", which is an insult to those who have found comfort, meaning, and peace through them. Hence sensitive people (McCain included) being uncomfortable with the ad.

Sent by Randy | 11:25 AM ET | 04-25-2008

It is completely mind boggling to me there are still non-African Americans that refuse to see, accept, and admit racism/predjuice is alive & well in this world, not just the USA. People are only willing to accept what it seen on television & portrayed in the media (all forms) as acceptable examples of African American life & behavior. Just because you think you are friends with someone of a different race and/or background does not mean you would be able to handle one hour in that person's shoes let alone one day. Just as whites feel the things Dr. Jeremiah Wright said in the 30sec clip of his sermon were inflammatory and predjuice and were extremely offended, this is how African American feel on a daily basis when are intelligence is insulted on a daily basis just because we have more pigmentation in our skins than whites.

I have white friends & family & I love them dearly but I never forget that they have no clue what it is like to live as I do. I do not assume what it is like to live as they do.

Thanks to media pundits whose sole purpose is to tell uninformed Americans what to think and who to like/admire, this country is more divided than when we were all focused on George W. Bush. We are getting nowhere with this campaign.

Doesn't anyone wonder why people who HATED the Clintons before all of a sudden love them now? Does anyone wonder why Republicans are now helping the Clintons defeat Obama?

Sent by Yolanda | 11:29 AM ET | 04-25-2008

I've always preferred WRAL news and web presence. This just confirms it.

Good points, Yolanda.

Sent by TJ | 11:48 AM ET | 04-25-2008

No, deek, you don't want to know what is wrong with the ad. You just want to be right about your conservative beliefs (and prove all the liberals are wrong).

Your construct of reality does not have a space for what is wrong with this ad. Sorry, but until you can give up your conservative know-it-all view of the world, you will never get it.

I know what I am speaking of. In my younger and more foolish days, I was also a conservative know-it-all. Nobody could tell me anything. I was right, and everybody else was wrong. The ball is in your court, but you will have to actually listen with an open mind. I don't think you are ready for that. I know I wasn't for many years.

Sent by Gary | 12:09 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Gary that's a non-answer.

What's wrong with the ad, it's a simple question.

Sent by deek | 12:31 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Randy are you kidding me?

Showing actual video of a person talking about something can now be considered racist somehow merely by the sheer act of SHOWING it?

That is utterly ridiculous.

Sent by deek | 12:39 PM ET | 04-25-2008

I was appauled when I heard Miss Davies try to justify the ad in the name of truth. Really, the very right the Reverend has to free speach is the very thing the these narrow minded, bigotted GOP people are attempting to use as a weapon against the democratic candidiates. Mrs. Clinton had nothing to do with the controversey but was lumped in by association to the democratic party. Just sheer desparation on the NC GOP. There must be some real fear that a democrate may win the race. I admire John McCain for having the wisdom and class to call his own party on these tactics. Any of the three candidates are better than the current head of state. I am sure this low handed "Rovian" malarky is just the beginning of what is to come. It is refreshing to see intolerance for it. Miss Linda Davies, please check your conscience and ask yourself if you are living in a clean glass house.

Sent by Sandra Steer | 12:46 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Yolanda, OK racism exists. Does admitting something magically make it go away? It will always exist; it is part of the human condition. If you want to live your life feeling like your life is controlled by people's attitudes that you can't control then that's your perogative; many others don't feel that way however.

As far as Wright, I think it's an insult to anyone's intelligence to sit through his ignorant, illiterate, paranoid rants. The 30 second sound bite excuse doesn't cut it. He has a history of lunatic beliefs.
CIA created AIDS to kill black people?
CIA imported crack to kill black people?

Does garbage like that help the black community list itself up or does it reinforce beliefs that "it really is hopeless since everyone is out to get us, so why try?"

Sent by deek | 12:54 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Deek, the whole issue is misleading. The original quotes were taken out of context, and Obama's connection to them is non-existent. It's what you call intellectual dishonesty. That is what is wrong with the ad. But, like Gary mentioned, you'll never see that until you do some personal work.

Sent by Anonymous | 1:14 PM ET | 04-25-2008

The current narrative about Barack Obama is that he's unelectable by "the Heartland of America" because he's "different," because he comes from an African-American cultural background. This is a man who is half white, was brought up by his white mother, and his white grandparents. And yet, because of his appearance, his darker skin, and Kenyan features, he was treated differently by the white community while he was growing up. He was treated, in short, as a black man. Is it any wonder then that he ultimately felt more at home with, and embraced the African American community? Yet now the mainstream thinking is to turn this affiliation against him. Yes, race and division still exist in the U.S., and we all participate, whether subtly or otherwise, in the division. Senator Obama is out there trying to bring the country together. He may be naive to think he could overcome decades of a country's habitual thinking, but he's idealistic enough to believe we as a country can do better. His reward: the mainstream media and political partisans trying to pigeonhole him back into the African American corner.

Sent by Jing | 1:16 PM ET | 04-25-2008

I think, deek, the point Randy was making is that the remarks by Wright were taken out of context, and used to suggest he, and by association Obama and other Dems, share a "terrorist" mentality that none of these people possess. It's red-baiting and guilt by association -- which we know today as "McCarthyism."
I hope you are familiar with Joseph McCarthy...

Sent by janice prindle | 1:20 PM ET | 04-25-2008

No - it is not the sheer act of showing it that is racist. It is the implication that all African Americans think alike. It is the fact that we could take a 30 second bite from Bill Graham going off on how Jews run the media and say Clinton is an anti-Semite. We could take the clips from Jerry Falwell and Pat Robinson decrying gays, pagans, and feminists for causing 9/11 and then show clips of McCain sucking up to them - but no. We don't. That kind of hate is tolerated by white America because it is delivered in a calm matter -of-fact style, but the fire and brimstone of this sermon somehow is MORE hateful? No. American aggression abroad was one of the reasons that these terrorists wanted to hurt us. It's not like we were just sitting here minding our own business. That is not agreeing with the terrorists, or saying that it was right, but it looks for a why. Asking why 9/11 happened is a valid question, and just summing it all up to "they hate freedom" is simplistic and ultimately incredibly dangerous because it hinders our efforts to stop the violence. We have to know the cause to deal with it. Otherwise, we end up in unjustified wars on foreign soil and the deaths of thousands of American soldiers. Asking "why" is not hateful. Repeatedly showing one 30 second clip to reduce several people's thinking is ridiculous, and in this case, is motivated to play on the fears of white people who are uncomfortable with Black anger.

I weep when I think that the one person who wants to rise above the gutter is getting slammed. I weep when I think that there is no real scandal to connect him to so one is manufactured to play on his race. In a democracy we get the government we deserve.

Sent by Heather Cantrall | 1:21 PM ET | 04-25-2008

We are the only society that do not know as much about others like they do about us.This has led to our dependency on individuals who are known as think tanks in some federally funded organisations in Washington claimimg to be experts of regions they may have visted just a few times or read about, but may not know all what they claim to know. This is dangerous. Some of these caricatures have indirectly played a significant role in wrong decision making by the Bush administration. This has somehow affected the common man in the street. Until people like McCain realize that our welfare comes first, we cannot vote them into power, because like the Bush administration he would turn around to those same caricatures to tell him what to do.

Sent by Ty | 2:46 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Good heavens. Showing video doesn't IMPLY anything. It stands on it's own. It simply is what it is. Either Wright has said and written a bunch of whackjob lefty stuff or he hasn't. It isn't about race, it's about mental stability.

Making up fake implications doesn't make them true. The darn video EXISTS for goodness sake merely showing it doesn't IMPLY anything.

Sent by deek | 2:53 PM ET | 04-25-2008

ANY fact taken out of context is done so to IMPLY something. It is propaganda, and that is not informed debate and civic engagement.

In this case, the implication that Obama hates America.

Sent by Heather Cantrall | 3:37 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Deek:
Maybe you ought to be reminded that the only group of people in this country who were intentionally and maliciously infected with syphylis (STD) were blacks. What Rev Wright said was not correct but he did have a reason....that reason was history (Take a time off to read about the actual history of the people you share this great country with, and built it with, and cheer on sundays for one more touch down (that is if you think that is all they are good for).

Sent by Christy | 3:45 PM ET | 04-25-2008

OK I find one thing wrong with the ad.

It's pretty stuipid to link the people running for governor with Wright through Obama. They weren't sitting around that so-called church and endorsing Wrights bile by their presence.

Obama's association with Wright is a legitimate issue, this ad doesn't speak to that, it about 2 other people that have nothing to do with Wright. So yes it's pretty dumb.

Sent by deek | 4:37 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Heather, the clips of Wright are completely in context. THAT is what he does pretty much ALL the time. It's absolute context. He is a demagogue.

What sort of context does one need to question his friendship with Farrakhan? What sort of context does one need to question him about his thought that the CIA started AIDS and imported crack into cities to kill black people?

The need to defend Wright so dishonestly is an admission that he hurts Obama. That IMPLIES that there is something to be hurt by.

Sent by deek | 4:47 PM ET | 04-25-2008

How can America be considered a World Leader and have such a negative and determined resistance to get pass this type of shallow and crippling mindset....First...White, Black, Red or Yellow Americans have done terrible things in the past...this "chip on the shoulder" attitude and unwillingness to forgive the past keeps all Americans unwilling prisoners to this "Racial Elephant" in the room...people talk about not be racist, but know people that are or about being offended by what someone has said something to them, or about them that clearly indicates that person to be a racist...can we agree that PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE and if you took "race" out of it, in many situations the communications would be the same....there are so many internal problems that occur within the different races anyway, that it almost seems hypocritical when someone wants to get offended when someone outside their race communicates the same message...Obviously these stations are Obama supporters and perhaps are concerned with offending the Black community, surely it's not an issue of stifling Free Speech...since when does the media decide to shut down a news story without a hidden agenda...this Nation needs to move forward and stop perpetuating convenient "racist allegations"...considering that anyone can find whatever they are looking for if they look hard enough...this Nation has made tremendous progress and suddenly, it feels like people want to go back to the 60's by stimulating racial tension...CAN WE MOVE FORWARD...facts are facts and sometimes we don't like the facts but ultimately the truth stands...and sometimes it stands alone.

PS: Clinton was ahead in PA (as Obama is in NC) and I don't believe this situation arose there(why should race separate this point)....perhaps Clinton's Campaign was confident enough to believe she could take on whatever her opponents wanted to throw in her direction...Obama needs to learn to take on his own battles and avoid what appears to be "others fighting for him"...he CONTINUES to look like a weaker candidate...

Sent by ard | 4:49 PM ET | 04-25-2008

C. Weiss: Because he's an easy target, but the one thing his enemies really want to target about him is too politically unacceptable. They're a little frustrated by that, I think.

deek: see my explanation in the prev. newsblog on this topic. You're welcome.

Gary: you couldn't be more wrong about what is going on here. Allow me to explain: All McCain needed to do was keep the furor over Wright going, because he knows perfectly well that Obama is a stronger competitor for him to face (hmm... a hawkish white woman or a diplomatic black man... which contrasts more against a hawkish white man?). So McCain needs Clinton to be his opponent, but he also needs to not look like a bad guy.

So, someone sets up this ad and runs it, or merely talks about running it. Guaranteed, there will be no money trail to McCain, don't even bother looking for one. McCain gets to denounce the ad - so he gets to be a hero - and the gullible news agencies, sadly NPR included, give the attack all the airtime he could ever want for it - FREE. Yes, the news media just picked up the dime for a political attack ad by showing clips of it.

This has Karl Rove's fingerprints all over it. It's the exact same kind of strategy, ironically, that Rove perpetrated against McCain in the Republican primary season leading up to the 2000 election. His style is very recognizable: say a word in the right quarter, and step out of the way to let your enemies obligingly fall on their swords for you.

My admiration for him only grows with every campaign. Lee Atwater had nothing on him.

Sent by Kasreyn | 5:02 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Deek,
You're comments are picture perfect evidence of what I've already stated. You have no one iota of a suggestion of what it's like to live in my skin. Therefore you would never know what it is like to be perceived to be less than because nature decided you would have darker skin.

My real comment was meant to make people wonder why all of a sudden is Fox News is suddenly for Hilary and Bill Clinton? Why is Rush Limbaugh all of a sudden a Clinton fan and not McCain? I mean all this is ridiculous. We are supposed to be decided who will be the next leader of the greatest country in the world but we cannot get past who's minister said what & who was there when he said it. Even on Hilarys side, if you don't vote for her you're sexist. I mean get real.

I want to know who will change the direction this country is going in, not whether he or she can control what comes out of the mouths of other adults he or she has no control over.

Sent by Yolanda | 5:06 PM ET | 04-25-2008

I believe that the vast majority of conservatives are not clueless about what is wrong with this and similar ads. That is why McCain rejects it. He knows very well that his party loses black voters who would otherwise listen to a conservative message because of this slime. That is also true with the Hispanic vote. Rove knows that this garbage has its limits and its downside. Ultimatly, McCain, if elected, will be in a position to tell Rush and his fans to kiss his fanny and make deals with the other side. And he might not get elected because of this garbage, because the vast majority of Americans, especially young Americans, are not clueless about what is wrong with this and similar ads.

Sent by Mike Fleissner | 9:55 PM ET | 04-25-2008

Kasreyn: Your complicated explanation does sound a bit paranoid. But, what a trap that would be. You may be on to something. Who else would be that evil and that brilliant?

Yolanda: Yes, of course the corporate MSM and the right wing hate radio crowd are trying to boost Clinton. If they don't interfere with the Democrat's selection process, then Obama will be their opponent in November. They are ready for Clinton and can think like her, but Obama is something that scares them.

Sent by Gary | 1:36 AM ET | 04-26-2008

Yolanda, you make assumptions about my color as well when you have no idea who I am.

Sent by deek | 12:27 PM ET | 04-26-2008

It is called racism

Sent by kathy | 11:22 AM ET | 04-28-2008