[AP Foreign]
Dispite specifically addressing the Reverend Wright controversy in a well prepared nationally broadcast speech crafted over a long weekend and addressing the matter on multiple occasions since, Barack Obama has changed his explanation of why he tolerated his pastor's racial, ethnic and religious intolerance for 20 years—yet again.
After initially claiming he was not present in the pews when Wright said "God damn America," that the US deserved 9/11, and that the US intentionally caused aids to kill blacks, then claiming he was unaware of the more controversial statements, Obama now claims he would have left his Chicago church had his longtime pastor not stepped down, and had Wright not “acknowledged” to Obama in conversations of unknown date that what he said was wrong. (If this sounds completely inconsistent, it is.)
The interview, hastily scheduled by the campaign in light of yet additional revelations Thursday (see here and here) about anti-Jewish and anti-ethnic publications by Wright in his church newsletter, will be broadcast Friday. However, excerpts of the interview have been pre-released to the media.
Our take: This change in story will most certainly be viewed by skeptical Democrats and most Republicans as additional cause to wonder about the veracity of Obama’s explanations—since Obama never before maintained that he discussed the controversy with Wright, let alone that Wright had “acknowledged” his statements were “inappropriate”. Nor has Obama ever maintained that he would have left the church if Wright had not retired—until now.
We fall into this growing category of skeptics.
On the other hand, for die hard Obama supporters who have been satisfied all along with Obama’s explanations or felt he adequately addressed the issue in his speech on race, they will undoubtedly think the additional revelations—including virulent anti-Jewish statements republished in Wrights news letter last June—is much to do about nothing.
It was also reported Thursday that Wright has referred to other ethnic groups in disparaging terms, including his reference in the same news letter to Italian’s as “garlic noses”.
To add to Obama’s difficulties, Michelle Obama caused additional controversy Thursday over remarks she made back in January—but only recently published in the media—about Americans feeling “justified in their own ignorance.” (See here.)
Dispite specifically addressing the Reverend Wright controversy in a well prepared nationally broadcast speech crafted over a long weekend and addressing the matter on multiple occasions since, Barack Obama has changed his explanation of why he tolerated his pastor's racial, ethnic and religious intolerance for 20 years—yet again.
After initially claiming he was not present in the pews when Wright said "God damn America," that the US deserved 9/11, and that the US intentionally caused aids to kill blacks, then claiming he was unaware of the more controversial statements, Obama now claims he would have left his Chicago church had his longtime pastor not stepped down, and had Wright not “acknowledged” to Obama in conversations of unknown date that what he said was wrong. (If this sounds completely inconsistent, it is.)
``Had the reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that what he had said had deeply offended people and were inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn't have felt comfortable staying at the church,'' Obama said Thursday during a taping of the ABC talk show, The View.
The interview, hastily scheduled by the campaign in light of yet additional revelations Thursday (see here and here) about anti-Jewish and anti-ethnic publications by Wright in his church newsletter, will be broadcast Friday. However, excerpts of the interview have been pre-released to the media.
Our take: This change in story will most certainly be viewed by skeptical Democrats and most Republicans as additional cause to wonder about the veracity of Obama’s explanations—since Obama never before maintained that he discussed the controversy with Wright, let alone that Wright had “acknowledged” his statements were “inappropriate”. Nor has Obama ever maintained that he would have left the church if Wright had not retired—until now.
We fall into this growing category of skeptics.
On the other hand, for die hard Obama supporters who have been satisfied all along with Obama’s explanations or felt he adequately addressed the issue in his speech on race, they will undoubtedly think the additional revelations—including virulent anti-Jewish statements republished in Wrights news letter last June—is much to do about nothing.
It was also reported Thursday that Wright has referred to other ethnic groups in disparaging terms, including his reference in the same news letter to Italian’s as “garlic noses”.
To add to Obama’s difficulties, Michelle Obama caused additional controversy Thursday over remarks she made back in January—but only recently published in the media—about Americans feeling “justified in their own ignorance.” (See here.)
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Questions about the Obamas’ judgment—not to mention core values—are not going away, notwithstanding an Obama enamored media’s declarations this week that Obama has “weathered the storm” and citing an anomalous and questionable poll as “proof”. Obviously, Wright could not have expressed contrition to Obama about his racist, anti-Jewish, and anti-American statements (as Obama now claims) unless Obama was aware of them. But the questions that remain unanswered are when did this occur, why didn’t Obama mentioned his confrontation of Wright and Wright’s contrition in the speech that Obama specifically crafted to explain the controversy, and why did Obama wait so long to confront Wright on his racist views?
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These are the questions that an Obama enamored media should be asking, but is not. And until answered, these questions will haunt the Obama campaign until he either loses the nomination or the general election in November.
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These are the questions that an Obama enamored media should be asking, but is not. And until answered, these questions will haunt the Obama campaign until he either loses the nomination or the general election in November.
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