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Obama Comments on the Rev. Wright and Rezko

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March 14, 2008 9:12 PM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: During an interview with MSNBC's Keith Olberman, Sen. Barack Obama confirmed that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is no longer on the Obama campaign spiritual advisory committee.

When asked if the decision came from the campaign or from Wright, Obama was short on specifics, saying only, "I think there was a recognition that he’s on the verge of retirement, he’s taking a sabbatical and that it was important for him to step out of the spotlight in this situation."

Obama said that the did not know the extent of Wright's controversial comments until recently. He confirmed that he was not in the church when Wright made the comments that were reported this week.

"I wasn't in church during the time that these statement were made," Obama said. "I did not hear such incendiary language myself, personally. Either in conversations with him or when I was in the pew, he always preached the social gospel."

Obama reiterated his condemnation of Wright's remarks, saying it is something he strongly objects to. But Obama stopped short at repudiating the man, Jeremiah Wright, saying he was like an uncle to him.

"I would not repudiate the man," Obama said. "It's like a member of your family that says something that you really disagree with: You don't stop being a member of the family but you have to speak out forcefully on the issue."

He said Wright represents the older generation of African Americas "that came of age in the '60s -- an African American man who because of his life experience continues to have anger and frustration," and that Obama's own generation is different, the generation that benefits from Wright's generation's struggle.

Obama said he knows that this will be used as a political tool into the future -- and hopes the American people will trust his own values.

Obama was pressed further in a subsequent Fox News interview. Obama admitted that he would have quit his church had he witnessed and heard Wright's statements firsthand.

"If I had heard them repeated, I would have quit," he said. "If I thought that was the repeated tenor of the church, then I wouldn’t feel comfortable there."

But in a third interview with CNN, Obama said he will not quit the church now.

"As he's about to retire, I have no intention of leaving the church itself," Obama said.

He argued that the frequency of the statements matter, saying that Wright's most controversial statements were strung together and complied in the media out of hundreds of sermons over the course of his lifetime.

Obama said that he knew of one of two of the controversial statements before this week -- and that he didn't know it was as "problematic" as it has been revealed in the last few days. But what he knew before was not enough to distance himself from the church or Wright at the time.

"I didn't know about all these statements," he said. "I knew about one or two of these statements that had been made. One or two statements would not lead me to distance myself from either my church or my pastor. ... If I had thought that was the tenor or tone on an ongoing basis, then yes, I don't think it would have been reflective of my values."

"My belief was this was something out of the ordinary, and obviously these statements indicate this was happening with more frequency," he added.

On another story swirling this evening, Obama on MSNBC addressed his interview with the Chicago Tribune this afternoon in which the newspaper reported that Tony Rezko played a larger fundraising role for Obama than previously known. The Tribune reported that Rezko has raised as much as $250,000 for Obama.

Obama debunked the "newness" of the information and said, "We talked about the fundraising he has done for my two state races, congressional race as well as a U.S. Senate race. The total amount is the figure they put forward, and is not particularly new or different."

March 14, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (775)

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Fair enough, Barrack.

Now the Clinton attack team is preparing talking points for the use of surrogates.

C'mon, guys, you're already two news cycles behind!

Posted by: Gorgon '08 | Mar 14, 2008 9:17:25 PM

change and spin and lies and a mean hateful pastor what can you say he will never get elected and he has made a sham of this race.

Posted by: Bishop | Mar 14, 2008 9:20:26 PM

why isn't anybody accusing BO of playing the race card. I am white and I am offended of those remarks. SHAME ON YOU BO, I would be embarassed having an 'uncle' like that. family or no family, I wouldn't attend a church of racist values. People have been saying for a long time this church was not as peace loving as BO spoke of. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME. and I am sure this pastor just didn't end his career on one bad sermon.

Posted by: D | Mar 14, 2008 9:36:01 PM

Well, you hillary folks are not going to budge a bit, are you? Nothing will please you but for the front-runner to just give up and turn over the keys to the White House to Hillary and Bill! Welcome back, Monica!

But don't celebrate just yet.

Obama 2008 -- Yes, We CAN!!!

Posted by: Jackt51 | Mar 14, 2008 9:40:42 PM

I have been seen more and more reason not to trust Obama, and am confounded with the worshipful treatment given him.

I grew up in Chicago. One of the comforting memories from my childhood was the realization that my pastor did not preach AGAINST anyone; he preached acceptance.

Obama's defense of Wright, and his long, close relationship with him is alarming. This is going to be the new leader of the free world, without enough courage and leadership to guide Wright or change churches?

The same legal scholar who "borrowed" without attribution? He keeps making very lame excuses, but nobody minds.

Posted by: Allie | Mar 14, 2008 9:43:18 PM

If Obama fails to QUICKLY distance himself from Black Militants and anti-American extremists, he WILL lose the election. It's that simple.

Posted by: Rhys | Mar 14, 2008 9:46:47 PM

I still don't belive in obama. his campaign one of the kind and can do anything to win a election. Obama campaign has painted anybody who said against obama had painted them racist eg. bill clinton and his comments "fairly tail" and hillary "johnson comments" Barak himself is divisive and his campaign is very good at it and blame on others being divisive. Very good example is when he goes north where white majority lives he talks about his mom who was white and her contribution and when he goes south where black popluation is he talks about his dad and being a black. so who is divisive. Any body says that in lousiana people voted based on race and it is true, they have been painted racist for saying so. I still feel barak is two face guy. Who says something and do something. No wonder NFTA and foreign policy comments of his sr advisors are the good example of it. Now his relation ship with rezko and his pastor. my god what else ? His polical life is not even that long. What will happen if he becomes president and what will he do ? i don't belive in this guy. He is a good speaker but not a good karma. well he steals people line use it in his inspirational speeches and don't even give the credit of stealing words to the people he is stealing from. Media is treating him like a jesus christ what a joke. MSNBC and ABCnews now becoming a big joke by not focusing in issue but focusing in his personality and how much inspirational he is.

Posted by: viren | Mar 14, 2008 9:50:41 PM

Um Rev Wright has been spewing the same message for the entire 20 years Mr. Obama has been a member and financial doner to this church.

Sorry, the I wasn't in church that day line is total horse manure.

Mr Wright visited Khadafi in Lybia with Mr. Farakhan in the late 80's, when Lybia was still targeting US miltary instaltions.

Did Mr Obama not know about that either?????

Posted by: s.b. | Mar 14, 2008 9:55:07 PM

Too late the damage is done.People won`t forget easily especially how the blacks are ready to call others racists but now Pastor Wright(false Prophet)will bring the mighty obama down....Obama can try to distance himself but eventually the free media ride will come to and end..The media tries hard to protect him but ultimately its us the voters who will decide..Obama you will lose..

Posted by: JC | Mar 14, 2008 9:55:13 PM

He has been a member of that church for 20 years. So Sen. Obama is going to have us believe that everytime Wright preaches, Sen. Obama sticks his fingers in his ears and says "la-la-la-la-la".

Posted by: smartprimate | Mar 14, 2008 9:55:33 PM

How unforunate that he just happened to have not been there when his "spiritual advisor" preached that garbage. And what about the other so called "sermons" that he so called preached? Obama was not in those either? Boy! Obama really thinks we're ignorant. Somebody should look into these tapes and check them out real good to see if he is not indeed in them. I knew it would just be some time for the real Obama to come out. Now that he has, he doesn't know what to say to cover his own shady messes. He always beats around the bush with his explanations and all of them carrying lies. I wouldn't doubt it if his buddy Rezco, also gets the world to know that Obama was more involved in his shady dealings than what Obama is letting on. Time to take a seat and see the real Obama be known.

Posted by: rdb | Mar 14, 2008 9:55:51 PM

Obama on Rezko
"The mistake was he had been a contributor and somebody involved in politics," Obama said. Voters, he said, should view it as "a mistake in not seeing the potential conflicts of interest" while also "see[ing] somebody who is not engaged in any wrongdoing ... and who they can trust."

Obama's decision: Obama allow Rezko to raise Money for his campaign even when there was a mistake from Rezko.

Obama on Wright
"... When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign..."

Obama's decision: Obama allow Wright to work for campaign even when he was aware of statements.

Obama should have better explaination for above decisions else Obama's judgement on Iraq will be consider as a co-incidence..

Posted by: Humm | Mar 14, 2008 9:58:55 PM

Rev Wright is not going anywhere. He will be out of sight just like sharpton, jackson , rezko, and all the others. If Obama wins i can imaginge them skipping thru the halls of the white house.

Posted by: Carol | Mar 14, 2008 10:00:01 PM

Ah well, I guess he handled it well, I mean compared to Hilliary. At least he isn't blaming it on "some vast left wing conspiracy!!!"

Posted by: cba | Mar 14, 2008 10:00:21 PM

I wrote few weeks ago and this is exactly what my contention was and still is...the more we discover the skeltons in Obama's closet, the more we will come to the conclusion, he is not ready to lead this great country. First Ruzko and now this...a Anti American ranting priest whom he calls his sounding board, his uncle, his spiritual leader...someone he has spent quality time with... I wonder what's next and what all lies will we will get to hear in next few days to control the damage.

Posted by: kavi raj singh | Mar 14, 2008 10:00:35 PM

I wonder if he's aware of anyone else in his campaign that would like to say "GD" to America. He doesn't know who is in his circles. I just wish the people that want to vote for him would just look at the cloud surrounding him. Enough. There is too much. Including his wife who only "now" is proud of her country? Am I missing something here or isn't the President of the United States supposed to be around and with people that love this country!!!

Posted by: JB | Mar 14, 2008 10:01:06 PM

O'bama is a Wolf in Sheep's Clothing who would love to bring this country to his knees just like his preacher said.

Posted by: Will | Mar 14, 2008 10:08:06 PM

Now let see his wife report that she had written in college. If it has this type of tone as their pastor. let see how much they were not listening.

Posted by: suzelee | Mar 14, 2008 10:08:16 PM

Only NOW that the pressure is building Obama FINALLY denounces this sermon! Listening to what his wife and he have said about America, I think Obama is the LAST person on earth that should lead this great country!!!

Posted by: Mark | Mar 14, 2008 10:08:42 PM

It's not God damn America, it's God help America. Sadly, many will support the Rev., and if America elects Obama, the we will get the government we deserve. As I said, God help America.

Posted by: TTILL60 | Mar 14, 2008 10:10:08 PM

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