A response to PB
Honestly, I don’t know what else Obama could have done.
I believe Wright speaks a great deal of truth, but unfortunately for all concerned, he also speaks about what a great guy Louis Farrakhan is and how the Marines are similar to the Romans who killed Jesus and how the the US government invented AIDS to kill African-Americans.
More to the point, the Rev. Wright was probably speaking the truth when he said that Obama may or may not agree with what Wright was saying, but that Obama had to say what he had to say to get elected, but it was pretty much political attempted homicide, so I guess that would make Obama’s actions self-defense.*
When it was just clips taken out of context, then that was no big deal. I’d say that had about blown over. However, when Wright repeated his comments in front of the National Press Club then there wasn’t much Obama could do about it, other than say, in effect, “hey, this guy is wrong and I disagree with what he is saying and the hateful directions he is taking the discourse in, and by the way, speculating that I’m just saying what I need to say to get elected was way uncool. I would think my spiritual mentor would have more respect for my integrity.”
It really makes me wonder if Rev. Wright was trying to sabotage Obama. Mind you, I have no idea why he would do this, but damn, I’d say that Wright saying:
Politicians say what they say and do what they do based on electability, based on sound bites, based on polls, Huffington, whoever’s doing the polls. Preachers say what they say because they’re pastors. They have a different person to whom they’re accountable.
is hard to interpret any other way.
If I were a minister and I thought that a former congregant was answering to the polls rather than God, I sure wouldn't say so in front of the National Press Club.
Would you?
CC
*Note also that Rev. Wright could have said that people of faith can disagree when asked why Obama disagreed with him, instead of throwing Obama under the bus by confirming Rev. Wright’s detractor’s worst fears.
9 comments:
Three things:
1) I think a minister's trading on the fame of one of his congregation is disgusting and inexcusable. That is what happened with Wright's sit-down with Moyers and especially the event at the Press Club. He is not someone who ever would have appeared in those venues had Obama not been running for president. The NAACP speech was different; Wright already was well-known in those circles and had something to say to that audience that didn't depend on his being Obama's former pastor.
2) I agree with Bob Herbert that Rev. Wright is living a narcissist's dream. After a lifetime of studying the Bible, growing a now-huge congregation and advocating for the oppressed, he is a household name. Bill Moyers wants to interview him; the National Press Club, at the suggestion of a Hillary Clinton supporter, wants to hear him speak. On a venally human level, this is hard to resist.
3) My own belief is that Rev. Wright's Black Conservatism is so ingrained -- his conviction of America's racism so unchangeable -- that he never believed Obama had a chance at the presidency. If Obama entered the White House, Wright would have change his whole worldview, because a black person now would be the head of the government Wright rails against. If Obama loses, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. Wright seems far more inclined to have prophecy fulfilled than to open his mind to the possibility that America is overcoming racism, and that our failures of domestic and foreign policy are not caused solely by racism but may be repeated even by a person of color. How is Wright supposed to cope if a President Obama orders a surgical strike on Iran's nuclear reactors, or takes military action in Pakistan?
I too think that Wright does speak a lot of truth, yes.
But if ya ask me, he's turning into a media hog, and that is theoretically a sin (see "pride"). And theoretically, the man is a Christian.
"It really makes me wonder if Rev. Wright was trying to sabotage Obama. Mind you, I have no idea why he would do this"
My theory? Wright is a narcissist. And I don't mean that in a casual way but in a clinical way.
If he torpedoes Obama, he will be known as the man who turned the 2008 presidential election. This will mean more fame, more money, more power, and an everlasting legacy in the annals of presidential politics rather than a mere footnote status. He might even make the Oprah Show.
It's twisted but for Wright, it's more about attention for himself than it is about being a minister to congragant Obama.
And I agree with PG's point number 3. Wright does not want to solve our race problems bc. he makes his living off of promoting them.
(((If he torpedoes Obama, he will be known as the man who turned the 2008 presidential election. This will mean more fame, more money, more power, and an everlasting legacy in the annals of presidential politics rather than a mere footnote status. He might even make the Oprah Show. )))
I dunno. Ralph Nader is pretty widely viewed as the guy who turned the 2000 presidential election and I don't know that it has turned out this well for him.
CC
Still thinkin!! Thanks for the post, and comments. The only thing I'll is in response to pg's opinion that Wright is "trading in on the fame of one of his congregation." I think it's hard for us on the outside of this very personal falling out between two men who loved and respected each other to see how easy it is to get lost in the advice of advisors and handlers. When you're hurt and thrust into the spotlight, it must be very hard to make the wisest choices, especially when the phone is ringing off the hook with supporters saying, "Set the record straight, Jerry!"
Don't take this personally, anyone, but I absolutely loathe the game of applying clinical diagnoses to people we don't personally know and aren't treating. It's ugly and irresponsible.
Oh, let me clarify that: PUBLIC FIGURES we don't know. A la the popular tagging of Prez Bush as a "dry drunk" that was all the rage among UU ministers, and was even the highlight of a GA Minister's Days presentation one year.
Welcome to Chicago politics.
Obama, Wright, Rezko, Alsammarae (Iraq's former Minister of Electricity), Farrahkan, Auchi, Ali Ata (who just flipped in Rezko's trial), Illinois Gov Blagojevich... these guys are all about boodle.
Wright's cashing in on the fame. It's as simple as that.
Just look at the mansions they all live in... Obama's with the help of a loan from Auchi's food-for-oil skim.
This isn't complicated.
If there is something wrong with trading on the fame of one's parishioners,we UUs are in trouble! Celebrity UUs are not only our top evangelizing tool, but for many congregations, their primary archival reference point.
Elz,
I have no problem with Wright cashing in on Obama. Afterall, Obama used Wright for many years when Obama was getting crushed in local politics and needed to prove himself.
I haven't cashed in, but we Chicago bloggers who have followed Obama for a long time have gotten a lot of attention... especially from Foreign media calling us up.
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