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Obama Condemns Wright's Defense
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ShareApril 29, 2008 2:34 PM
ABC News' Ed O'Keefe Reports: Sen. Barack Obama strongly condemned recent comments made by his former pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, in a high-stakes gamble by his campaign to control a spreading political firestorm.
Reacting to what he called the "spectacle" of his former pastor at the National Press Club, Obama, D-Ill., denounced Wright saying, "What Rev. Wright said yesterday directly contradicts everything I have ever done or said in my life."
"Whatever relationship I had with Rev Wright has changed as a result of this," Obama said.
WATCH OBAMA'S PRESS CONFERENCE BY CLICKING HERE
Speaking the National Press Club in Washington on Monday, Rev. Wright called the recent criticism surrounding his sermons "an attack on the black church".
"This is not about Obama, McCain, Hillary, Bill or Chelsea, this is about the black church," Wright said, speaking before an enthusiastic audience of black church leaders at the onset of a two-day symposium.
Throughout his speech and a subsequent question and answer session, Wright defiantly argued that many of his critics had not heard his whole sermons and that the media had twisted his words.
Wright vigorously defended himself against accusations he is unpatriotic but in Washington, he went on to compare U.S. troops to the Roman legions that killed Christ, to praise Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farakhan, and to suggest that the AIDS epidemic was a racist plot.
WATCH THE WORLD NEWS VIDEO REPORT ON WRIGHT'S CONTROVERSIAL COMMENTS BY CLICKING HERE
The Reverend also said he was quoting a previous U.S. Ambassador to Iraq when he said African Americans should sing "God damn America" not "God Bless America" in his first sermon following the 9/11 attacks.
"You cannot do terrorism on other people and not expect it to come back on you," Wright said on Monday. "Those are Biblical principles, not Jeremiah Wright 'bombastic' principles."
Obama came out forcefully on Tuesday, insisting he was "disappointed" by Wright, and rejecting his one-time pastor's assertion that the controversy was an attack on the black church.
The candidate went considerably further than he has in the past in distancing himself from Wright, accusing him of "insensitivity and outrageousness" in his Monday appearance at the National Press Club in Washington.
"The person I saw yesterday was not the person I met 20 years ago," Obama said.
Wright has been Obama's pastor since the Illinois Democrat joined the church. He performed Obama's marriage ceremony and baptized the candidate's two daughters.
At a speech last month in Philadelphia, Obama made clear that while he disagreed with some of the sentiments Wright espoused in sermons, he would not "disown" a man he considered to be "like family to me."
"He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children," Obama said in that speech. "I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother -- a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."
Obama did not say if would stop attending Trinity United Church of Christ on the South Side of Chicago. A new pastor, the Rev. Otis Moss, recently took over for Wright, after Wright's retirement from the pulpit.
The reaction was much stronger than what Obama offered the previous day and reflects a decision by the Obama campaign to try to directly confront the comments by Wright, after weeks where Obama tried to perform a more delicate dance where he distanced himself from the message but not the messenger.
"I have said before and I will repeat again that some of the comments that Reverend Wright has made offend me and I understand why they've offended the American people," Obama told reporters hastily gathered for an impromptu press conference on the tarmac in Wilmington, N.C.
"He does not speak for me. He does not speak for the campaign and so he may make statements in the future that don't reflect my values or concerns," Obama continued, later adding with a smile, "I think certainly what the last three days indicate is that we're not coordinating with him."
Clearly the Obama camp deemed that effort not enough and the decision to speak out again seems designed to quell concerns among Democrats -- including superdelegates -- about some of Wright's more inflammatory remarks.
But it also raises additional questions for Obama -- including why he maintained a 20-year spiritual relationship with Wright, and why he chose not to denounce Wright when the story first spread six weeks ago.
ABC News' Rick Klein, Sunlen Miller, Jake Tapper, Nitya Venkataraman, and David Wright contributed to this report.
April 29, 2008 in Bush, George W., Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (881)
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Puleeze!Guy's got more twists than a mountian road.Hilary isnt any better and dont get me started on Insane McCain.These three are a joke.Obama has known this man how long and is JUST NOW deciding he doesnt like what he is saying?ROFLMAO.If my country wasnt going to h3ll so quickly I would think this was cute.
Posted by: cowgirlinthesand1 | Apr 29, 2008 2:49:13 PM
Mrs. Clinton and Mr. Clinton are the biggest bunch of liars out there. All of you who say that he has known the guy for 20 years etc... give me a break. The problem with the world and our govt is that ANY politican will say anythign to get elected but, once in office things change. Sniper fire and her life was in danger yeah right Hillary never lies either
Posted by: CWagner | Apr 29, 2008 2:50:15 PM
It is funny that people question Obama for "staying" with a pastor for 20 years. A pastor who seems to be off his rocker. But no one is questioning why Hillary would stay with a man that cheated on her and disrespected her. Interesting spin in my opinion.
Posted by: marie | Apr 29, 2008 2:50:23 PM
Good job Barack! You listened to your people and cut the dead weight. We can sympathize with you on your loss because we feel the same way about Bill Clinton...A once great man whose time has past...WHEN WILL HILLARY DENOUNCE BILL???
Posted by: Beka13 | Apr 29, 2008 2:50:54 PM
Give me a break! Now that Obama's strength is weakening, he jumps in and condemns Wright.....just weeks ago he was singing his praises. I guarantee you that Obama would continue with the status quo if his numbers were not be affected. Obama is desparate. He is disingenuous and I disgusted with him and his entire supporters.
Posted by: dixiecharms | Apr 29, 2008 2:51:12 PM
can you imagine this guy obama appointments jesse ,al,wright,farrakcan a humming bird would fly backwards before they could spell cat.
Posted by: pw | Apr 29, 2008 2:51:13 PM
Hillary and John McCain supporters have nothing to discuss other than petty issues. I am strong Obama supporter. I was deeply offended by Rev. wright and understand that some of the things we look for in our leaders are not just about policies. But I also believe that every politician have had bad associations. Ed Rendell praised Farrakan. But politicians try to diver us from the policies and what affect us by using things like Rev. wright like it is going to put food on my table. I like Obama fundamental campaine goal of bringing us together. That is the only way to achieve. Rev.Wright is a selfish bastard.
Posted by: james | Apr 29, 2008 2:51:20 PM
I am disappointed in Mr. Obama. I listen to Rev Wright yesterday because I wanted to see who this guy was... he spoke truth. He was somewhat defiant, but this was to be expected after having had his name slandered on National news for the past month. The USA DOES NOT like to hear negative things said about the nation... even if they are true. This is one thing I have noticed. It is a FACT this this nation is guilty of war crimes, genocide, the use of nuclear WMD upon civilian cities, invading and stealing vast areas of land from other nations and declaring it our own, government condoned bigotry, you name it. This nation is guilty of it by virtue of its past leadership. But just TALK about it and you will get reamed by all these "proud patriots" who only want the sugar side and will practically kill you if you expose the dirty laundry that IS our history.
Posted by: RW | Apr 29, 2008 2:51:20 PM
Funny to see Obama stuttering through another unscripted press conference though, making up stuff as he goes along (ie. all of a sudden, Wright is not his spirtual advisor). The GOP will destroy him.
Posted by: Eric | Apr 29, 2008 2:51:24 PM
Obama - just made this worse for himself now he has inconsistencies in his race speech compared to this News conference. He is so not a leader.
time to go to HRC's camp. Obama is a liar. He said in his race speech that Wright is like an Uncle - and now he was only my pastor - which is it? Your stories don't add up.
Posted by: Brian | Apr 29, 2008 2:51:39 PM
Rev. Wright said at the national press club that Obama says things because he is a politician not because he believes those things.
This may be the only thing upon which I agree with Wright. Obama threw his long time friend and pastor under the bus to save his presidential bid. It's all for his political survival. Nothing new here from the change maker.
GO HILLARY!
Posted by: Emily | Apr 29, 2008 2:51:57 PM
Please give this a rest! You are all sounding like the closed minded, worthless Elizabeth Hasselbeck from "The View". If this is all you have against Obama then wake up and ask yourself - Why did Hillary stay with her adultous, Impeached Husband??? You can not judge a canidate against whom he had dealings in the past but what they can do for us in the future.
Guilt by assosiation is stupid PEOPLE!
Posted by: rch | Apr 29, 2008 2:52:04 PM
Obama is such a wimp!
Posted by: plainsm | Apr 29, 2008 2:52:06 PM
Obama is the best hope we have for a better America...cdeny him at your peril!
Posted by: Herbert Davis | Apr 29, 2008 2:52:08 PM
Obama is the best hope we have for a better America...cdeny him at your peril!
Posted by: Herbert Davis | Apr 29, 2008 2:52:16 PM
He can run but he can't hide. Obama could have silenced this issue early on but chose not to. He thought it would go away. Now he, his campaign, his supporters and the democratic party have to wallow in it.
Posted by: JD, Pittsburgh, PA | Apr 29, 2008 2:52:17 PM
Obama is a POLITICIAN. It took him 2o years and counting to finally stand up to a Pastor. Wow and he wants to be our President?
Posted by: Chiman | Apr 29, 2008 2:52:23 PM
Ok - in an 8000 member church how in the world could you be close? 8000 people? That's huge.
At least Obama stands up to the plate and doesn't lie, or as Hillary calls it "I knew my comments weren't in keeping with what I knew to be true".
Funny that her supporter is the organizer for the Press Club and the one that extended the invitation to Wright. That tells me that she's not got much of a campaign message and needs to divert attention from her floundering.
Posted by: Indiana voter | Apr 29, 2008 2:52:53 PM
Obama didn't denounce him because he agreed with Wright. He had the race speech so he can get elected. It is too late him to denounce Wright now.
Posted by: kathy | Apr 29, 2008 2:53:10 PM
Please
I was sat in a church when the vicar started to condemn the invasion of Iraq, an invasion i wholeheartedly supported. In which friends of mine were participating.
I got up and walked out. Later on the vicar met me at a social event and asked me why i had walked out. I explained the reasons. I also told him that I would no longer be attending his church services, and joined another (actually better) church.
Barak Obama should have done the same. Especially when he chose to represent everyone regardless of the color of their skin.
Posted by: Christopher Linthwaite | Apr 29, 2008 2:53:41 PM
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