LOL, I love it. Ultimately this is the result of the echo chamber on the left. The ridiculous softball talk with Moyers only served to give this guy the false assurance that he's just fine and the rest of the world are the crazy ones; he's the victim you see.

This is gonna be fun

Sent by deek | 10:45 AM ET | 04-28-2008

Most of his comments are right on target. He did however make me cringe when he made fun of President Kennedy's Bostonian accent in his famous call for action.."ask not etc...
Why is this all so important NOW! because of his 20 year connection to Barack Obama, that is why Wright is in the news. It is troublesome for Obama because now Obama wants to be president for all the people of the USA.
It is OK for anyone to attend any kind of church and live his life as he or she pleases, but to have a wife, Michelle go on the stump saying things like "she is not proud to be an American" and knowing that Barack attended Wright;s church with its hate filled sermons, and then go out and campaign for the presidency? That is the problem.

Sent by Sumaya Conners | 10:50 AM ET | 04-28-2008

Sumaya, you need to get facts straight. Your purported quotation of Michelle Obama is false. She never said that. And I think you're missing the fact that Wright's sermons for twenty years are not "hate filled." That's a bigoted and uninformed approach. Anyway, Stanley Fish had a good bit about the politics of association yesterday on the NY Times' web site. http://fish.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/much-ado/

Sent by Sweetie | 11:26 AM ET | 04-28-2008

I have listened to Rev, Wright for the past two days. I must say that I am ashamed of the media's attempt to portray this man as divisive and unpatriotic. This is simply an attempt to distract America from the real problems this nation faces. I am sure Rev, Wright is not asking the media to cover his speeches, but he is certainly using it to his advantage. My advice to America is, "Wake Up!!!" and don't be fooled my the media's spin on everything. As a nation, we have fallen asleep and have depended upon the media to give us a "Truth Pill" about what's really going on. The media is only concerned about giving you half truths. These half truths will on perpetuate the divisions and ignorance in our society. The reality is, those that control America only wants us to see things through their ideals and values, and anyone who challenges that is called unpatriotic, divisive, and out of touch. If people would only educate themselves, they would truly see that what Rev, Wright has said and is saying maybe tough to swallow, but it is certainly something worth looking into. As far as Barack Obama is concerned, he has already won the nomination but they are trying to destroy his chances of winning in November. He is facing an evil that he has never seen before, an evil that is rooted in the love of money and not the love for the people. His message of "Change" threatens the comfort of that evil because that evil wants to keep people disillusioned and dependent upon its negative venom. The truth will make us free, but it can also make us angry, appalled, and bitter; simply because it challenges us to take a real look into the mirror and deal truthfully what we see. I can only pray that the majority will not yield to the deception of those whose job is to put a negative spin on reality in hopes that they can rise in the ranks of status and economics while at the same time, pull down those who sincerely care about America and the rest of the world; those who are different but are labeled divisive.

Sent by Frank Levi | 11:32 AM ET | 04-28-2008

I have more of a problem with the Atlantic Monthly writer using a non-word "essentializing." What kind of English is this?! I support Senator Clinton, but having watched the Bill Moyers, the NAACP, and the National Press Club speeches by Dr. Wright this, I found him to be extremely well-spoken, cogently making the case for the historical black church. I see no reason for Sen. Obama to distance himself from his church or his pastor. What was more troubling was watching CNN anchor Rick Sanchez try to stir up controversy immediately after Wright's NAACP address. He was not serving as a neutral anchor, he was trying to foment an argument (for TV purposes to justify staying on the air Live on a Sunday night). I am just plain sick of this "gotcha" mentality acted out on the level of the sandbox. "He hit me; well, she hit me first. Did not, did too." This is hardly the playing level expected of supposed adults in the most important presidential campaign since 1968.

Sent by Margaret Shannon | 11:48 AM ET | 04-28-2008

Come on now people, calling his speeches or sermons Hate speech misses the entire breathe of this great African American preacher. Who had and has no fear of the passioned expressions of truthful discourse which included the spiritual journey from the historically poignant view of a black man in America. Somehow when whites cringe with their the kneejerk discomfort of "guilt by association" with the unconscionable deeds of early American whites (treatment) of African Americans with that truth and pointing to soundbite-isms as hate (ALL Out of context mind you) both his speeches were profound.
WHO was really doing the HATING here?
As an orator his runs circles around the current crop of politicians or the "Famous" talking heads we tolerate for the supposedly "real content".
Let's face it Reverend Wright is right, the haters made fools of themselves and they did not know him, they did not know he is one to speak deliberately the oft unspoken, with passion, conviction and mind you in service to his large congregation.
Obama has nothing to be ashamed of.
Reverend Jeremiah Wright is an American Hero in service to his country and his congregation.

Sent by Chris Darling | 12:07 PM ET | 04-28-2008

Wright is hardly more caustic than Old Testament prophets foretelling punishment for their people's misdeeds, or Jesus weeping for what lay ahead for Jerusalem. In Bush's time as in Ahab's, prophets are more popular when they praise the boss's ideas. Wright sounds like an angry Christian who hasn't sold out to the right wing.

Sent by Bill | 12:22 PM ET | 04-28-2008

Apparantley Rev. Wright is more interested in his reputation than in actually seeing Obama in the White House. All this could have waited a month. WHY NOW? Rev. Wright may not have a gun, but he surely is killing Obama with his words. THEN he will have his self fullfilling prophesy of saying that a black can never win in white America. And he is doing his best to prove it. It is another form of a Black On Black assalt attack. Only it is being done via his words and the all too willing media. A shame on all of us.

Sent by Carol B. in Maine | 12:31 PM ET | 04-28-2008

It's ridiculous how people are jumping all over Obama with these patriotism charges. The flag lapel, his wife expressing a renewed American pride, describing Americans as bitter, etc. It's as if this is 1998, not 2008. In the past 10 years, we've had more than enough reason to be ashamed of America and bitter about our government. Things are different now. America is in trouble. It is being destroyed by fake patriotism, greed, and intense selfishness and decadence. For Clinton to come out and pretend we're all buying GI Joe's and watching Rocky take down Ivan Drago is just asinine. Things are bad. Let's stop pretending as if everybody doesn't think they're bad.

Sent by anonymous | 1:10 PM ET | 04-28-2008

Hear that Great Big Sucking Sound?

That's the sound of democrats realizing that they may have made a very big mistake.

Sent by deek | 5:14 PM ET | 04-28-2008

Three things...1) It doesn't matter if Rev. Wright is a Pastor...his words of GD America from the pulpit are a poor choice and CAN be seen as hateful speech. 2) His statements about HIV and the Government's plot against blacks is baseless...where's the proof? 3) Obama choose this association...it's represents once again his extremely poor judgement and hypocritical character...Obama knew the nature of this man...what's the saying..."once you know the nature of a thing, you know what it is capable of"...Obama is slow to act because for him it's all about his votes and now his seems to have been thrown under the train...turnabout is fair play, now perhaps he will understand how his grandmother felt when she landed under the bus...Obama is not Presidental, sorry Obama supporters...you've chosen the wrong candidate.

Sent by ard | 5:25 PM ET | 04-28-2008

To 'deek' and 'ard': Why are you two so afraid of black people? You two feel a little guilty about something? Been throwing around a few racial slurs while flipping burgers at work or something?
You two afraid that all those scary black people are gonna take revenge on whitey if Obama becomes president or something?

I mean, seriously guys. Put aside whatever ignorant, nationalistic, ethnocentric dogma you're sold at the militia meetings just long enough to actually look at what Wright was saying, and think about how obvious it is that the U.S. government made some foreign policy blunders that lead to an increase in terrorism.

Try to consider the possibility that the government actually made a mistake, and that it had repercussions. Pretend, just for a moment, that you understand cause and effect. Shouldn't be hard for a couple of obvious 'conservatives', who probably hate the big, scary, evil federal government for taking their money, to consider that it made a mistake here and there, eh?

Then, try to consider the possibility that it's ok for people to be different than you - different clothes, different church, different music, different skin color - and then try your hardest not be afraid of them because they're different (I know it's hard for you guys, but you can do it!).

I know this might sound like a lot to ask, and might even be impossible for people like you, but we'll keep praying that you come around some day :)

Sent by anon | 6:40 PM ET | 04-28-2008

So, why isn't anyone making a big stink over McCain having sought the approval of Jerry Falwell (which he flip-flopped on), and even going so far as to speak glowingly of him at his university? Didn't Falwell say that 9/11 was God's righteous wrath for our tolerance of homosexuals and the ACLU?

Isn't that at LEAST as stupid and offensive, if not MORE SO than what Rev. Wright said? Why is no one making THAT connection? Is it because white America will forgive it's good 'ol boy religious crazies, but not a black one?

Talk about a double standard.

Sent by obstreperous | 6:51 PM ET | 04-28-2008

Ard:
How about McCain's judgement with Keating, Joseph Bonano etc.
How about the Clintons with Marc Rich.
Please spare us the association doctrine.

Sent by Christy | 7:10 PM ET | 04-28-2008

Anon,

You have your opinion, respectfully, I disagree and unfortunately, you take the "shortcut" and think this is a racial decision...my stand is about character...I feel sad for you...your sense of reason makes you a prisoner of your "colored mind"...remember, we are Humans first, Americans second...our race should be of no consequence(really)...now who is it that has the narrow perspective...time to get in touch with the real world...it doesn't revolve around color, despite those who don't know how to exist any other way...too bad.

Sent by ard | 7:20 PM ET | 04-28-2008

Christy,

It still goes back to Obama's inability to demonstrate GOOD JUDGEMENT and to stand up on his own(he seems to need protection and support from others to do his fighting)...America needs a person of strength and not just rhetoric that reflects toughness...Obama has had opportunity to demonstrate he can handle these "awkard situations"...he avoids, avoids and avoids...he's counting on the clock running out and all of this simply going away...I think he's making the wrong gamble and will lose if not in the nomination then definitely in the General Election...he simply is not ready...maybe next time.

Sent by ard | 7:30 PM ET | 04-28-2008

ard: Oh, it's about character, is it? Funny, I have yet to see you clearly define just what it is that is lacking in Senator Obama's character, and support it with anything other than intentional misinterpretations, and tabloid journalism.

Epic fail. Please try again.

Sent by anon | 10:19 PM ET | 04-28-2008

At the risk of sounding unpatriotic (most of what I hear is not patriotic but jingoistic, anyway) and because I agree with ard that we are human first and Americans second, wouldn't it be a good idea and, at the very least, human over American, to acknowledge our past sins in order not to repeat them? Here's a start:

slavery, segregation, poll taxes, Tuskegee, Wilson's many invasions of S. America, the School of the Americas, training those who killed Archbishop Romero, Japanese internment camps, HUAC, Vietnam, being the only nation in the world to use nuclear bombs, nuclear proliferation, Iran-Contra, maintaining military bases all around the world including places that many Muslims consider sacred, patronizing China but maintaining embargoes with Cuba because of our economic benefits over humanitarian causes, and tell me when to stop because I haven't even reached the Bush administration with Abu Graib and Gitmo, torture, the abolition of Habeas Corpus, Iraq and not Darfur, backing out of Kyoto, not participating in international courts, etc. Nor have I really touched on the general jingoistic, consumeristic, and often racist ethos of America independent of the government.

Now what of these is wrong to criticize? Is it unAmerican even to mention them? It seems to me that Wright might have over-exaggerated some issues but didn't go far enough on others.

The only issue here, as far as I'm concerned, is politics. That is, how will the general public react to *Obama* because of Wright. The bad thing about it is that Obama himself cannot address these problematic issues of our past or how we do things in the present because it will look like he actually listened to Wright, who has become a convenient pariah upon which we can focus in order to ignore our sins.

Sent by Drew | 3:52 AM ET | 04-29-2008

1. Different is fine, paranoid, ignorant, hateful and crazy isn't.
2. "But what about Mr/Mrs ______" isn't an adult argument.
3. Drew we hear that stuff ad nauseum from the left. Do we have to hear it for a thousand years?
4. This is number four.

Sent by deek | 9:26 AM ET | 04-29-2008

deek,
There once was a church who just hired a new preacher. On his first Sunday, he preached a very well-received sermon. The second Sunday, he preached the same sermon; his parishioners gave him the benefit of the doubt since he was new. On the third Sunday, he again preached the exact same sermon. When an elder approached him to ask him why he kept saying the same 'stuff ad nauseum', the preacher said, "once you act like you've heard it, we'll move on."

The question is, deek, what makes you think that anyone has actually heard these problems? If we do know about the faults and sins of our nation, why do we keep repeating them?

When Reverend Wright preached "God damn America", he added "as long as she acts like she is God". To continue in the sinful ways 'for a thousand years' is fine. To have them pointed out and then to ignore them is hubris. To completely disregard them as something below us is idolatry, making Wright's comments spot on.

And why is pointing out these things considered liberal? I thought the right was supposed to be the moral center. I thought the GOP was the party of values. Is respecting the lives of others not a moral concern?

BTW, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the revoking of treaties with the Cherokees leading to the Trail of Tears as well as the killing of the unborn.

Sent by Drew | 9:59 AM ET | 04-29-2008

"1. Different is fine, paranoid, ignorant, hateful and crazy isn't."

I lol'd at that.

You really need to turn that wildly judgmental eye of yours back on yourself, deek, as does the rest of the 'right' in this country.

Glass houses, sir... glass houses.

Sent by anon | 11:44 AM ET | 04-29-2008

Drew, Wright is a delusional liar and has no business tending to a flock.

Sent by deek | 12:29 PM ET | 04-29-2008