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Obama, in Indiana, Denounces 'Forces of Division'

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March 15, 2008 4:51 PM

During a town hall in Plainfield, Ind., Barack Obama brought up controversial statements made by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, weaving the storyline into the history of race in America, perhaps another attempt at distancing himself from his pastor’s commentary.

“You heard some statements from my former pastor that were incendiary and that I completely reject, although I knew him and know him as somebody in my church who talked to me about Jesus and family and friendships,” Obama said.

If all I knew was those statements that I saw on television, I would be shocked," he said. "And it just, it reminds me that, you know, we've got a tragic history when it comes to race in this country.”

He used the comments as an example of the divisions that are still present in society.

“The forces of division have started to raise their ugly heads again, and I’m not here to cast blame or point fingers because everybody senses the shift,” he said, referencing recent reporting and commentary by supporters of different candidates.

Obama, who said he has “little pieces of America” in him, said there is still a lot of pent-up anger, bitterness and misunderstanding, but that if the country wants something different they’ve got to move beyond divisions.

He then summoned words from Bobby Kennedy’s speech in Indianapolis on April 4, 1968, upon receiving news of Martin Luther King’s assassination.

“When people say things like my former pastor said, you have to speak out forcefully against them," Obama said. "But what you have to also do though is remember what Bobby Kennedy said, that it is within our power to join together to truly make a United States of America.”

Obama's town hall in highly Republican Plainfield followed a night of cable appearances by the senator explaining the extent of his relationship with Wright and repudiating the preacher's controversial comments that moved into the media spotlight this week.

March 15, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (610)

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Sure, let's bury our own trash and expose everyone else's. What an empty suit!

Posted by: Surelock Homes | Mar 15, 2008 5:04:46 PM

Do those forces of division include Reverend Jeremiah Wright who sat on OBAMA's CAMPAIGN. Obama is attempting to use the CRAZY UNCLE defense, but why did he sit the guy on his campaign if he knew that the guy was like a CRAZY UNCLE?

Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | Mar 15, 2008 5:08:30 PM

He's so full of cow manure he stinks. If that kind of energy were recited to me as if it were a mantra for 20 years it would be etched forever in my soul. Seems to me Mr. Obama has too many associates that he keeps having to move away from. You are the company you keep.

Posted by: mgck59 | Mar 15, 2008 5:08:31 PM

He is never going to talk his way out of this. Known the man 20 years, had him marry him, baptise his children, is his spiritual mentor, advisor, loves him like an uncle and never knew this guy hates the USA, hates whites and probably hates just about everyting except himself. Sorry Barack, I just don't believe you.

Posted by: lola | Mar 15, 2008 5:09:50 PM

Those who denounce those who denounce divisiveness are divisive.

Posted by: Jim B | Mar 15, 2008 5:20:08 PM

Janice

The forefathers of America were over two hundred years ago, Wright and Obama are TODAY.

Posted by: JR | Mar 15, 2008 5:21:05 PM

Can I get some answers to my question please? Why are you all outraged at Obama, but have spent 20, 30, 40 years bragging about how proud you are of your country that was founded on racism?? You've never once denounced its founders, nor apologized for slavery or counting blacks as 3/4th of a human. What is more demeaning and criminal than this, yet you have no problem shouting your outrages about how hypocritical Obama is. Should we not hold ourselves to the same HIGH standards that we hold others?

Posted by: Janice | Mar 15, 2008 5:22:23 PM

Mainline news media make me SICK for not scrutinizing him in the beginning of the campaign. I was not a Mitt Romney supporter; but the media trashed him in regard to his religion and let Obama skate....WOW! Racism is its worse form and the media sat by and continually deceived the voters.....now it is coming out that Obama lied in regard to contributions received by Rezko, too....this guy is a total sham and i hope that we can count on our media, this time, to report what is really going on with Obama....no free pass this time, media, WE WANT TO KNOW, WHAT THE PERSON RUNNING FOR THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN OUR LAND IS REALLY ABOUT, and i think we found out with little assistance from the mainline media...thank the talk jocks for this one.Obama is definitely racist

Posted by: Margie | Mar 15, 2008 5:27:02 PM

JANICE,
You have to understand that a good % of the American population are from immigrants that moved here after slavery was ended. So how can you blame people like us, who make up the majority of Americans, for slavery??? A bit ridiculous, don't you think?
And this is not OUR country, it's YOURS too. We cannot go back and change the attitudes of our founding fathers - obviously they were deeply wrong in many respects. But they were also deeply right on other respects which our country has tried to maintain (religious freedom, etc.).

Posted by: J | Mar 15, 2008 5:27:54 PM

Let's see how the forces of division work in Iowa this weekend. 30% of the delegates are up for grabs (previously Edwards delegates) and there may be some shifting of the ones projected for Obama and Clinton. As grandma used to say "well butter my butt and call me a biscuit". I hope the precent delegates have been keeping up with the campaign news!

Posted by: DCVoter | Mar 15, 2008 5:29:35 PM

MSNBC and CNN crucified Bill Clinton and Geraldine Ferraro for their comments about Obama.

Where is the same indignation reflected in their reporting and press releases for Obama's pastor blatant racism and anti-American rhetoric? They tried to ignore and bury the story until it broke nationally and ONLY then had no choice but to do their jobs.

Posted by: hlewis | Mar 15, 2008 5:31:32 PM

wow! All of the Hillary supporters have completely devolved into republicans.

Posted by: leviathan1 | Mar 15, 2008 5:32:20 PM

Real_Talk,

Nice try, but those are all non-issues. The people are smarter than that. They are hungry for a genuine, hopeful president who will help them with their everyday issues and help restore some credibility for America. There is a reason Bush's approval levels are the lowest of any president in recent history!

McCain does not have the judgment and patience to lead America. He is an ill-informed, myopic, close-minded man who is easily swayed by the bigoted religious right. Check out the result of his BRILLIANT support of the "Surge", not to mention the fatally wrong idea to go to war with Iraq in the first place, and not actually go after the 9/11 terrorists. Check this link out:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/18722376/the_myth_of_the_surge

Posted by: miles1967 | Mar 15, 2008 5:32:33 PM

That minister is NOT running for president. BARACK OBAMA IS. Do you honestly believe that the child of a Caucasian mother and an African father, raised by his mother, an Indonesian stepfather, and Caucasian grandparents (in Hawaii) hates Caucasians?

Posted by: isaac | Mar 15, 2008 5:33:23 PM

Words cannot describe the utter disgust I have for Obama's attempt to lay blame on others for his lack of judgment and the judgment of his pastor.

Holw dare he. How dare he.

Posted by: Chris | Mar 15, 2008 5:34:31 PM

How come all the people accusing Barack of being a racist cannot come up with the words that Wright said that they are somehow attaching to Barack that are racist? What is it that Wright said that is racist? Give me a quote so I can understand.

Posted by: Jim B | Mar 15, 2008 5:37:01 PM

This guy just keep digging himself into a deeper hole. No apology, no taking responsibility - instead he "senses a shift" referring to the other candidates. There you have it - It's all Hillary's fault! He could have just said that and saved himself a lot of time.

Posted by: Jim | Mar 15, 2008 5:37:16 PM

Obama went to the church for TWENTY years. He was very close to this man.

The democratic party is in DENIAL if it thinks it can 'damage control' this and Obama can be the nominee.

The republican media will SHOW THE VIDEOS . They will show MICHELLE OBAMA ranting.

They will FIND OUT that he WAS there for some of the rantings.

The american voter will NOT put someone in power who is this FAR LEFT out of control anti white anti american.

Nobody believes Obama would STAY in that church if he hated what the guy was saying.

Let him damage control it all he wants.

He is damaged goods now. He is not electable. There is no way you can get rid of this.

Posted by: tomdavie | Mar 15, 2008 5:37:24 PM

He was a member of the church for 20 years. He went to libya with Wright and Farrakhan. He says he did not know that Wright or Farrakhan given "incendiary" speeches against the White devils. His wife never saw anything good in USA till now. He did not know Rezko was a crook, and his decision to take money from a crook and ask for property was a "bonehead" decision. 20 years!! And now the Obamacan-mites want to close their ears and their eyes to any simple test that shows the man is being nixonian. He is not a Kennedy but a Nixon.

He is destroying the Democratic Party and this guy is going to bring the nation together? Give me a break!!

Posted by: A. Kafir | Mar 15, 2008 5:38:01 PM

Hillary will be attending church (not Trinity) tomorrow, and thanking God that Obama turned down the idea of a dual ticket.

Posted by: daryl | Mar 15, 2008 5:38:23 PM

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