This Morning Wright Reignited A Controversy- And Added Lighter Fuel

Then, if you're right, what the hell is Wright thinking when he says the stuff he says? He's got to know it's not helping Obama.

Yes, I heard that. I think Wright's conflict is he is angry about being declared as possessing "a profoundly distorted view" during Obama's famed Phillie speech, a speech that was broadcast, re-aired, printed and indelibly imprinted in the nation's memory. It is revenge and Wright has drawn a line he dares Obama to cross.

A public feud will only help Obama. He'll come out looking like the sane one who stayed in the church mainly because his entire religious experience revolved around it. He could have moved on as Wright got up their in years, got more angry, more bitter, and more "spirited' in his political remarks. But he stayed knowing that Wright would retire eventually (and he probably wasn't planning to run for President until at least 2012 or 2016). This just lets him make a clean break from Wright's politics -- he can write the old man off and be done -- and it won't look like political expediency, just the result of a public difference of opinion.

I think a public feud takes Obama off-message and that is what the country will see. Many more in the undecided camp will scratch their heads and wonder why this didn't come up earlier in the race.

I'm not a churchgoer, but I would think that those who are must have a religious experience beyond their weekend pew visits. If not, what's it all about?

Sure, it takes Obama off-message. But in reality his message needs only to be that he's electable and that these "distractions" won't resurface with any punch during the general election. He's already won -- the only thing that will stop that now is perceived lack of electability in the minds of superdelegates. He can afford a day or two off-message and perhaps a somewhat less convincing win in North Carolina and a loss in Indiana if the end result is that Wright becomes a dead horse.

touche, JR, the rest of this year and then some

Man, that's creepy stuff.

This inevitably goes back to Obama and his long-term association with Wright, who thinks Farrakhan is a fine fellow. Goes to judgment.

This reminds me of an article I wrote here on Newsvine on March 16 entitled "Proximate Cause--Who influences you DOES matter: Elijah Muhammad-->MalcolmX-->Louis Farrakhan-->Rev. Wright-->Barack Obama"

Wright is a former Muslim. And quite probably was a NOI member.

Wright is a former Muslim

Link? Other than the Free Republic that states it in a single off-handed remark with nothing to back it up.

I heard Wright's comment about how when Farrakhan speaks, black America listens. It's a point extremely well taken. Regardless of how you feel about Farrakhan, when someone can get the attention of 20-30 million Americans like that we are completely crazy not to try to find out why.

You've offerred some carefully selected quotations here, much like everyone did with Reverend Wright. They have the same effect -- they scare the hell out of some of you. Which can only happen if you believe that handful of carefully selected quotes represent the entire philosophy of Louis Farrakhan. Which isn't likely. I personally don't know anything about him other than his pretty negative image but I do know enough not to trust that.

I can't help but wonder if we did what intellectual honesty would dictate, and placed those snippets in the context they came from, if Louis Farrakhan might also come out of it smelling like a rose, just like Reverend Wright has. But that's not really what we're talking about. What I'd like to know is what on earth does it have to do with the Obama candidacy?

JohnRussell, the ignorant choose to be blind and remain uninformed even when presented with the most blatant and obvious of facts that are easily researched and proved as true. This election has really put a focus on how many people choose to be deluded because it feels comfortable to them.

JohnRussell: I don't doubt that NOI has done some beneficial things within the 'community', but it is founded on racism. That is the bottom line, and Wright has praise for this man, Farrakhan, and the group. It is unacceptable.

Lots of things are founded on racism. Did you know that the Pentagon has twice as many bathrooms as necessary because it was built in the 40's, when segregation was the law of the land? It has two sets of bathrooms because it had to have one set for white and one for black. Did you know that the U.S. Military was legally segregated until 1951? Are you aware that there is a network of private schools across the South that sprang up when the federal government mandated integration in the public schools? Many of them are quite good. But they too, are founded on racism. If the reason you aren't calling for these schools to be publicly condemned and immediately closed is because you're unaware of their existence I forgive you. But now that you're aware of them, do you feel that any candidate whose children go to one, or who knows anyone who teaches at one or attends one, should denounce them? Do you see how silly this is?

Obama refuses to disassociate himself from all this, that is what it has to do with Obama.

Obama went to a lot of trouble to disassociate himself from all this. Can you tell me why you think he hasn't? Just exactly what do you want the man to do that he hasn't already done?

JohnRussell: The NOI adoration of Elijah Muhammad is current AS OF TODAY. What is confusing about this?

I'm sure I was quite clear about what's confusing about this, but I'll do it again.

Why did you say Obama refuses to dissassociate himself from "all this?" What do you want him to do that he hasn't already done?

What does Elijah Muhammad have to do with Barack Obama's candidacy that John Hagee doesn't have to do with John McCain's?

one can conclude that many of the sermons were on these 'offensive' topics. Over the course of 20 years, that's a lot of sermons.

That's a presumption, and a racist one at that. You're presuming that year in and year out Wright was preaching hatred of whites. Where is your evidence of that? Search the site of his former church and you find, for example, the word "racist" mentioned nine times, generally referring to examples of racism in America and how that's against' God's will. Now, how does that make this 20 year record "offensive"?

Has he become a bit of a PITA? Yes. But it he being used by the mainstream media to tar and feather Obama unfairly? Absolutely. You are propagating an opinion based on ignorance - and based on ill intent, as far as I can see.

Why are you dodging my questions John?

I'll chime in:

1. There isn't much Obama can do at this point to disassociate himself. Whatever he might try will be too little, too late, and will seem disingenuous and being done only to serve his political purposes.

2. Elijah Muhammad espouses virulent hatred combined with taking action against a large group of Americans -- all of us evil white people. John Hagee does not do this.

Next ...

Yes, I know that Elijah Muhammad is no longer alive! I used the word "espouses" -- present tense -- because his writings are alive and well and read by deluded followers.

No, this is but round two. Wright can't let Obama get away with today's denunciation. No, Obama must deny Wright thrice.