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Obama Looks Beyond Wright

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May 02, 2008 1:09 PM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Barack Obama admits the fallout from the controversy surrouding his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has not been helpful to his presidential campaign in the lead-up to the Indiana and North Carolina primaries on Tuesday.

"We have had a rough couple of weeks, I won't deny that," Obama told reporters at a press conference Friday in Indianapolis, "We've had to fight thorough over the last week an awful lot of noise."

Recent poll numbers have shown that 1 in 5 voters say this controversy has made them unsure about him as a candidate and Obama admitted that the controversy might take a toll next week, saying, "I don't think that what happened with Reverend Wright was helpful. I don't think there's any denying that."

Since giving a stern and somber press conference on Tuesday in which he broke ties with Wright, Obama said he's now getting back to focusing on issues, rather than the controversy that he says has been drama distracting to the American people.

Obama said his plan for the closing days –- and beyond the Indiana and North Carolina primaries –- is to not get bogged down in the back and forth between his opponents that makes him lose focus.

"I do think that when we start getting drawn into a tit-for-tat, look what he said, look what she said argument, and then we lose focus from where we should, from what this campaign should be about," he said.

Regarding Clinton's fate in the close election, Obama diplomatically he said that he would let Clinton make her own decisions about whether or not to drop out depending on the results of Tuesday's primaries.

"If she is behind in the delegate count," Obama said before then stopping mid-though, then beginning again, "You know, that's not what we're spending a lot of time worrying about. What I want to do is make sure I'm finishing strong."

May 2, 2008 in Bush, George W., Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (54)

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Obama diplomatically he said that he would let Clinton make her own decisions about whether or not to drop out depending on the results of Tuesday's primaries.

?????What's diplomatic about that? Heis going to let her stay in the race. how arrogant.

Posted by: geevill | May 2, 2008 1:27:58 PM

Obama will NEVER get beyond Wright because he will never be able to adequately explain how he listened to hate-filled sermons for twenty years. No amount of race-baiting on his part, or on the part of his surrogates and supporters will ever change what the public already knows.

Rise Hillary, Rise!

Posted by: Emily | May 2, 2008 1:30:36 PM

Sensitive arent we?

It has been a couple of tough weeks, he will survive and mthe supers will just keep coming.

Posted by: Thinking | May 2, 2008 1:31:58 PM

Mr. Obama has adjusted his stories (lack of candidness and truthfulness) on the topic of Rev. Wright too many times to believe. Senator Obama stated publically that he never heard Rev. Wright make any controversial statements. Then he later stated that he did hear some over the years he's been in church. Which is true and which is false? He gives a speech shown on national television saying “I can no more disown him (Jeremiah Wright) than I can disown my white grandmother." -- Barack Obama, Philadelphia, March 18, 2008. Now in North Carolina he says the comments were “shockingly divisive and destructive”. What comments is he talking about? We all heard the shocking, hatred for American and the white people several months ago, this is not a new issue! The truth is that Mr. Obama has just realized that the American public now realizes that Rev. Wright sells racial hatred and therefore Obama’s judgment is now in question. So the new message is now rejection, dump the reverend not because Rev. Wright said disgusting and degrading things about America and the white population, but because it clearly now shows a lack of sound judgment for a very LONG TIME on Mr. Obama’s part. Yes, as he says today no more “silly” discussions, let’s stick to the issues. No more talk about my character. The issue today is the gas tax relief and I say no because it will make me look like I am pandering for votes (don’t want to make me look bad) and I am telling everyone that it will only save them some $30.00. I would love him to tell a trucker filling up his “big rig” this story. What is wrong with trying to help out the American public while you try to figure out how to best solve this problem…..no, I guess it is better to let it reach “crisis” proportions before you do anything. By the way, Mr. Obama $30.00 is a lot of money to me on social security, maybe nothing but a small “tip” for you for a dinner out.

Posted by: Anne | May 2, 2008 1:34:32 PM

Every one of the remaining primaries will demonstrate how disgusted the electorate is with Obama and his "uncle" Wright. Their twenty year relationship is indefensible, and so is Obama's reluctance to leave the church.

Hillary will stay in the race, and will be the nominee.

Posted by: Emily | May 2, 2008 1:36:57 PM

The gas tax holiday is a bad idea, do the research.

Posted by: erin | May 2, 2008 1:38:20 PM

don't think so. the dnc is sick and tired of her political maneuverings. the numbers are against her and there's no way they're going against the numbers. not if they want to win in november.

Posted by: counting crows | May 2, 2008 1:39:57 PM

@ counting crows: What's really boring is the desperation of the Obama camp. When the polls drop, bring on the race-baiting, name calling, and ad hominine attacks on Hillary, and her supporters.

Posted by: Emily | May 2, 2008 1:41:26 PM

Unfortunately, whites won't forget his uncle pastor too soon.. It will hunt him all the way to Nov...

Simply, Obama can't win whites and he can't win Nov...

Posted by: True Truth | May 2, 2008 1:44:16 PM

IT'S OVER HILLARY SUPPORTERS !!

The 'establishment' has already determined the Obama will be the democratic nominee. You can thank Dean, Pelosi and company for that.

All that's left for you to do is fall in line behind Obama and be good little democrats. All for the sake of a broken party!

Posted by: Aston | May 2, 2008 1:47:47 PM

The Obamabots are fooling them selves again.. No we can not forget the Wright thing! NO WE CAN'T!
Obama does not know how to lie in a straight line about the Wright thing!
Every time his story changes Obama says the wrong thing!
Obama is not wright and wright is wrong!
Obama can not make this disaster go away, it will eat him alive.
YES IT WILL!

Posted by: HP Boston | May 2, 2008 1:52:01 PM

@ Oscar Meyer:

While I certainly feel a kinship with my fellow Hillary supporters, we aren't the same person, and we aren't paid for our support. Unlike some Obama bloggers, we demonstrate our support for Hillary for free, and we try our best to remain respectful of others who don't share our views. (Although, we have, and will continue to defend ourselves against specious slams by Obama bloggers.)

Posted by: Emily | May 2, 2008 1:57:35 PM

Double standards and unfairness. Why no one asks Bush family about their relationship with the Bin Laden family.
They were two family friends.

Posted by: Peace | May 2, 2008 1:59:52 PM

So, he thinks he has wiped the slate clean and go forth as the clean heroic torch bearer? To paraphrase Rev. Wright's retort to America, "the chickens are coming home to roost!" Twenty years of listening to the rantings, the hatred, and the disunity themes, you would have to be totally disengenuous to run for President on a theme of CHANGE and UNITY. Words are not "just words" as he said. They have a way of coming back to haunt you.

Posted by: georgia | May 2, 2008 2:00:33 PM

Bloggers help with the answers......The most important questions still remain. Please someone ask Senator Obama. (1)Why does Barack Obama belong to a church known to be a leader in a seemingly radical, black-centric, movement known as black liberation theology? (2)How will Mr. Obama's association with this movement influence his beliefs, ideas, and actions as president of the United States? (3) Does Mr. Obama know the principles, values and teachings of black liberation theology---the foundation of his church?

Posted by: Anne | May 2, 2008 2:02:15 PM

Great Hillary cover up. Bring Rev. Wright back in.

Posted by: Becky | May 2, 2008 2:03:50 PM

You media people must really think the majority of the population are stupid. Along with Hillary and Bill.

Posted by: Becky | May 2, 2008 2:05:20 PM

hmmm. don't think the obama camp is desperate. we're just calmly biding our time. what IS desperate, though, is someone totally trashing the seriousness of the iraq war and the efforts of our kids over there by telling a funny - yeah, she was actually smiling - little story about her sniper fire experience. misspeak? an inane word to describe a disgusting lie told to bolster one's so-called experience. if i ever had the inclination to support her, that crushed it, that put her in the game-playing, politics as usual, win-no-matter-what-you-have-to-say-or-do camp. make no mistake, if somehow she manages to wrest the nomination away from obama i will vote for her but i'll be sick to my stomach for weeks afterwards. however, i'm not stocking up on tums in anticipation of this unhappy event.

Posted by: counting crows | May 2, 2008 2:12:58 PM

look past Obama and you're left with the most divisive disgusting politician in America today: Hillary Clinton.

Posted by: john | May 2, 2008 2:48:31 PM

Regarding the Wright controversy: Obama attended a church whose pastor made controversial statements. Obama said he completely rejects those views, yet that is not good enough for some. The argument is that if Obama really does reject those statements, then he should have left the church.

If that is the standard for Obama, then by that logic every Catholic should leave the Catholic church, because it is not enough for Catholics to be outraged by church officials who at the highest levels covered up the criminal and morally reprehensible actions of priests molesting kids.

Which is worse? Wright saying outrageous things, or Bishops who simply transferred molester priests to other parishes so they can molest more kids? It's pretty clear to me.

This is a double standard and has NOTHING to do with the problems that face this country.

If the electorate does not vote for Obama based on his pastor comments, then it is no different than voting for Bush because you'd rather have a beer with him. This is not a good way of determining who should lead this country. Just look at what the drinking buddy test has gotten us over the past eight years.

Posted by: Thomas | May 2, 2008 2:49:53 PM

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