Oh pulleezze... Another politician lying trying to do damage control?

"I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accept instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source; where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials, and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all. " - John F. Kennedy

Rezco, Farakkhan, Wright... these
are not all unfortunate coincidences... Use some
common sense America!

Couldn't someone have briefed the briefer? That's embarrassing.

If it was an attempt at misinformation, even worse.

it's so upsetting that the dems flocked like silly little lemmings to obambi's side. this is what clinton meant by vetted. the repubs are not going to let this go. he will get the nod, but he is minced meat.

I wonder how he is going to blame Hillary for all of this? Obama will never recover from this. He needs to let Hillary bring peace to the world, he clearly has been missleading his followers as a goodie to shoe. I think your mentor is calling for you Obama, time to pray.

hey d. yeah, i can always smell through a narcissist. obambi is clearly narcissistic. he had people floating in the clouds. when's the last time you heard the "yes we can" chant? doesnt sound that thrilling after your adored one has crashed and burned.

Truth is; Rev. Wright's sermons aren't much different from sermons you'd hear in any all black church in America. Welcome to a new world view- America isn't perfect. It's time we deal with some of these racial problems. I hope Obama can rise above this. I don't share the same views as my pastor.

Truth is; Rev. Wright's sermons aren't much different from sermons you'd hear in any all black church in America. Welcome to a new world view- America isn't perfect. It's time we deal with some of these racial problems. I hope Obama can rise above this. I don't share the same views as my pastor.

There are hundreds of churches in Chicago. If you disagree with your pastor's religious/political views[because he was espousing BOTH], then you can choose to attend a different church. Obama is a fraud, and thank God we discovered this sooner rather than later!!!

Obama didn't say any of these things. How can you call it a scandal when Obama didn't do anything. I'm so tired of this constant Obama bashing by republicans and the news media. If you can't beat him fair and square, go after the people around. It's not going to work though.

It's been interesting to read several comments on various boards alluding to the existence of many preachers like Wright, saying that this is a traditional type of preaching in black churches. Well, I guess now we can understand why Michelle has been ashamed to be an American. We can also understand why the blacks as a group (and don't yell at me for that--the democrats have treated them like a subgroup for decades and asked them for their votes every 2-4 years without ever doing anything they promised they would for them)....anyway, as I was saying, now we can understand why the blacks as a group have not aspired to movin' on up to the eastside, except in a sit com. If they have been listening to this kind of garbage Sunday after Sunday since 1963, it's no wonder they think the rest of us are horrible people. I wonder if they would be disappointed or baffled to learn that most of us white folk are just about our business, taking care of our families, paying our bills, looking forward to vacation and (this is the part that might throw them off kilter a bit)....not sitting around thinking bad thoughts about them or wishing them ill. This is your official invitation if you've been in one of those violent-preachin' churches (from a Christian Danish-American--and I'm only 2nd generation....so I will claim the hyphenation for this post only--feels too silly and ostentatious to take seriously)...anyway...here's your invite: (1) please feel free to leave that violent-preachin church; (2) please make yourself at home in America, and look forward to making more money next year than you did this year; and, (3) realize that when I see you on the streets of our small town, my notice of you will consist of "hi" with a smile, as I walk by. Geez, you people really need to relax. Just because you have had racist preachers yelling at you for 33 years DOESN'T MAKE IT SO.

over lots of different blogs i see people saying this is just what black churches are like and we white people just don't understand. they are simultaneously calling us insensitive racists AND insulting black churches.

SENATOR OBAMA is entitled to participate in a religion that is preaches hellfire and damnation for those that are opposed to black people, doesn't bother me in the least. I've personally heard the N word used in a Southern Baptist church by a Sunday School teacher. He can be President and have participated in this church. For me, the real test is does he separate church and state. To apply this test I have to look at the way he manages his campaign. If he places such incendiary theologians onto his campaign I would argue that he doesn't make such a separation. If he places such on his campaign and waits one year, and only after there is an outcry, to take action to remove such from his campaign, he has failed in JUDGEMENT and in EXECUTIVE CAPACITY. SENATOR OBAMA has indeed failed along these lines. I really don't care what anybody else says about this, the case is clear to me and can now be closed.

Yeah, the whole "That's what black churches are like" is a lie. It's just being done to cover up Obamas choice in message. Yes, our Churches get emotional, loud and filled with the Holy Spirit. That means filled with grace and goodness, not hate and anger. We did feel it during Katrina, but not as much in hateful way as in a hurt and let down way. However, it was very encouraging to see that the entire nation was on our side of that argument. In fact, a lot of White people made me cry with their goodness and compassion. Damn it, I hate what Obama has done. He's worse than Bush. Bush united us against his callous stupidity and Obama created an angry racial wedge.

Obama is just going to say he did not know his pastor said all those things, before fox news put them out.

Then give a talk on his mother being white his dad being black, that he is the best to unite the nation. so make me president.

Mr Obama has lied so many times already.

Why did you not have your pastor speak at your announcement of your candidacy?

Will Obama make available all his speeches in there entirety of all the churches he spoke at on his campaign trail.

Wright is an honorable man. Yes, his statements were angry, but they were not all that wrong either.

The Mainstream Media has done a hit and run job on this man, a former US Marine and man of god!

The MSM tone about Wright is fundamentally prejudiced. We have white pundits gets all huffy and scared because a popwerful black preacher is angry at American arrogance and racism. I note that the MSM doesn't invite any black commentators to give THEIR view. It's only the white perspective. (And of course, conveniently, white fire-and-brimstone preachers get a pass -- why? because of the white comfort level) The response to this is totally irrational. Wright is proudly black and indignant about Americas failings. BO aside, I think the MSM is, to borrow a phrase, truly engaging in a "high tech lynching" here.

As an aside, the WaPo columnist Colby King, a black man, said he has heard preachers like Wright many times before. He said it is a way for the black community to vent their frustrations. And he pointed out that the most segregated day of the week is Sunday morning. Apart from him, I haven't seen anyone ask a black person for their perspective on this. Just whites talking about white's feelings.

Wright's view is not uncommon among black America.

"Don't let anybody make you think God chose America as his divine messianic force to be a sort of policeman of the whole world. God has a way of standing before the nations with justice and it seems I can hear God saying to America "you are too arrogant, and if you don't change your ways, I will rise up and break the backbone of your power, and I will place it in the hands of a nation that doesn't even know my name. Be still and know that I'm God. Men will beat their swords into plowshafts and their spears into pruning hooks, and nations shall not rise up against nations, neither shall they study war anymore." I don't know about you, I ain't going to study war anymore."

Martin Luther King Jr.
Address to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (1967-08-16)

The fact that the Democrats, and the Media, constantly roll over and pander to the rightwing is the problem.

Here's how it works:

1. GOP smear artists dream up next scurrilous attack.

2. Rush Limbaugh and Drudge push it.

3. FoxNews picks it up and plays it again and again.

4. CNN and MSNBC copy them.

5. Pretty soon the NYTimes and WaPo start talking about it.

6. Mission Accomplished -- Rightwing spin becomes news.

I think the MSM and Dems have to stop being so cowardly and panicky about the GOP smears. Start fighting back for a change.

I thing Reverend Wright's speeches are angry, disturbing and with regards to foreign policy, not all that different from what Ron Paul,a US Congressman from Texas and presidential candidate said. Also, I understand black people have a different perspective from whites and have cause for anger. However, Obama is being tested. Media coverage is not always fair and one has to persevere. Let's see how he does.

This is McCarthyism and Lynching rolled into one.

America is being lead like lemmings by the Rightwing smear machine.

Wright is old and a bit fruity, but hardly a "racist". His church has white and black members. You are unfair and wrong to judge him by a 15 sec. ABC/FoxNews video splice job.

This is wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

SHAME ON YOU!

Does America have any decency left?

"What is Barack Obama lying about? "

I smell a witchhunt.

So this is Land of the Free?

McCarthyism at its best.

And you, sir, have no decency.

MLK said it best:

"Don't let anybody make you think God chose America as his divine messianic force to be a sort of policeman of the whole world. God has a way of standing before the nations with justice and it seems I can hear God saying to America "you are too arrogant, and if you don't change your ways, I will rise up and break the backbone of your power, and I will place it in the hands of a nation that doesn't even know my name. Be still and know that I'm God. Men will beat their swords into plowshafts and their spears into pruning hooks, and nations shall not rise up against nations, neither shall they study war anymore." I don't know about you, I ain't going to study war anymore."

Martin Luther King Jr.
Address to the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (1967-08-16)

Clinton Surrogate Nina Lowry say to Timmeh on MTP on Sunday:

"Now, you and I know that no one since 1960 has won the presidency without winning Iowa. We know you have to win Iowa, we have to win............. There are key states that are critical to getting the number of votes in the electoral college."

I wonder what's the "damage control" on this?

Looks like Clinton's Chief Sunday Morning Surrogate has endorsed......Mr. O.

I sometimes wonder about Lowey LOL but then I guess Obama is wondering about Durbin with his gaffe today!

Iowa is the key to the Presidency.

Clinton spokeswoman has said so herself.

But I seem to remember that Clinton did not win Iowa. Something seems wrongs here....I wonder what it could be.

Puleeeze don't tell me she misspoke.

Yeah, James, did you happen to pick up on the different level of classiness to the speeches? Well let's see a simple example...Did you notice that Jerry Springer and Bill Moyers deal with social issues?

I can't understand people who think it is okay for any preacher to preach hate and anti-American sermons. I also can't see me voting for a person who has sat every Sunday in that church and listened to this hate spewing person. Obama said that Rev. Wright was his dearest friend, mentor, pastor, advisor, etc. He's welcome to the Rev. but I don't think the America needs a president who admires a person who hates all races except black and hates America. I'm sure in order for Obama to have any thing in common with with mentor he must have expressed the sentiments to his pastor. We need a president for all the people. We need a first lady who has always loved America and is proud to be an American. All you dreamy eyed people who think it is okay for this Preacher to preach hate America and hate for all the people except his own race, need to join Rev. Wright and his church along with Obama. Obama needs to resign. He has split the party and he will never win. If he wins, we will have another 4 years of the do nothing Republicans except push and talk about Iraq. The Republicans have more than this on him.

griffin, you are so right. there is NOTHING he can say to undo the reality of his 20 year close relationship, support, and praise for wright. i will not waste my time listening to more lies. and i will certainly not listen to the liars on msnbc or cnn try to spin his lies into gold - i've had them on permanent and total boycott for a month now.

totally agree that he's just trying to save his campaign. may or may not work for the nomination, although i doubt it. will NOT work for the general, so bye bye obama. couldn't happen to a more deserving typical political hack.

He is following instructions from Donna Brazile verbatim by having the speech and she claims to be an uncommitted SD? She defended Wright as well by sayin he was one of the more moderate black pastors and a respectable man she knows personally.

Obama's speech is happening because of one thing only - the truth about his pastor and his church, the truth that Obama has been trying to suppress since before the campaign started, has been exposed. Thankfully, some real reporting has started and his free pass days are over. His speech, just as his panicked rush of interviews last Friday, is a reaction to his attempt to keep the ugly racist and anti-American underbelly of people who he has been extremely close to for over 20 years (8,000 church members go a long way in a state senatorial district election) under wraps has failed.

It's the result of
Obama's own very poor judgment.

If the speech was so important, why did it take days of playing his pastor's hateful rants on TV to get him to give it? It's political desperation as he sees his image begin to crumble as he finds himself running against two strong candidates who never give up and are unwavering in their love for country and disdain for racism. His candidacy is based on transcending these race issues and on being different and transparent. Yet he has attempted to hide this from us and has (badly) attempted to brush it away as and then to talk his way out of it. He's failed us and himself at every turn.

He's just another highly ambitious politician who's quite good at reading a scripted speech. No doubt, some adoring admirers will be bamboozled by yet another speech from the speech candidate.

Let's see him answer questions.

do we really want a president that defends someone that not only preaches hate but also revisionist history.i just heard another sermon where wright said that we staged pearl harbor so we could attack japan! and you followers of obama think this is about race,horse puckey,its about in my belief that wright is just a america hater and that obama for all of his fine words might be also.birds of a feather DO flock together,we CANNOT and MUST not take this chance with this snake oil salesman at this point in time.let him serve another 8 years in the senate and show us by his actions that he does truly love this country like he says.but not the presidency not NOW.

Only those who benefit from the present racial injustices would gladly declare it does not exist.
The playing field is not level for all.
Obama has maintained he does not approve of what his pastor said.I believe him.
It is illogical to ask anyone to live his place of worship because he does not ALWAYS approve of the sermons of his pastor.
HAVE ALL CATHOLICS abandoned their church in America because the clerical hierachy in America deliberately looked the other way while thousands of AMERICAN CHILDREN WERE BEING ABUSED BY SOME PRIESTS?
Obama is in no way responsible or guilty of the utterances of pastor Wright just as I am not, of the sins of some of my catholic priests. I have remained Catholic inspite of the human failings of some of its clergy.
The body of Christ is a body of sinners for only the sick seeks the physician as stated by CHRIST HIMSELF.
I urge my fellow citizens not to, allow this well orchestrated faning and politicising of an unfortunate sermon, distract us from the goal of our Founding Fathers...... making America the land of freedom, equality under the law, and prosperity for all.