 |
Obama Circling the Drain as the Pundits Get it Wrong
by John C. Dvorak
If you listen to the media, left and right-wing versions all the chatter is about Jeremiah Wright and his emergence into the public domain to “defend” mostly himself over accusations that he is a firebrand nutcase as the conservative Rush Limbaughs and Michael’s Savages would have us believe. If you are liberal you have to go with Obama’s evaluation: Wright is beloved but a little like his crackpot old white woman Grandma.
“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.”
So Wright suddenly re-emerges this week and again brings up the ‘we had 9/11 because we Americans are the terrorists and we get what we deserve’ screed. But this time he does it at the National Press Club (to applause it seems). Of course he blames the Bible for the idea. Yeah, this is helping Obama to the max.
So you have to ask the bigger question: why is he saying anything? He is single handedly sinking the Obama campaign and nobody can do anything about it. The pundits say he is grabbing for attention to maybe do a book deal. Perhaps, but has anyone thought of the obvious reason for all this?
Obama insulted him (disrespected, if you will) in that major Philadelphia speech about race by associating him with an old white woman who he implied was a little off her rocker. I personally do not like Wright from what I’ve seen, but I can understand his deciding to now screw over Obama to teach him a lesson about respect. And you can be sure that Wright didn’t appreciate essentially being called a woman. You become Jeremiah Wright for that moment watching that speech. What would you think as your blood pressure hit the roof? Most people didn’t catch the insult. Wright sure did.
This was a terrible slight coming from someone who was a regular at your church, one of the flock. This is a simple vendetta now, and nothing more. And it will end the Obama chances since there seems to be no exit strategy out of this quicksand.
See how fast it can happen? And, of course, Hillary is seen as the one who opened the can of worms so forget the massive black Democrat vote in November. — J.C.D.
I think your way off. I don’t see a comparison of Obama’s Grandmother to Wright at all in that statement. He was making a statement to his inability to distance himself from the people in his life that hold different opinions than he, his grandmother being another good example that anyone can relate too (insert racist relative here). It’s exactly what he said and it’s what any educated person can gather from it. I think the assumptions that Wright is some simple minded hot-head that can’t figure that out is absurd.
To be honest, your report on this is more fluff than substance. Wright’s speech was more of a history lesson about the “black religious experience”, the black church and American history regarding is politics and foreign policy. Once you have done your homework you would find that Wright is not “Anti-American” or unpatriotic. He did serve in the U.S. Marine Corp. for 6 yrs. How many has years has Cheney served? As far as George W. Bush is concerned, he is no more a former “fighter pilot” than Hillary arriving in Bosnia under sniper fire.
What he is saying is these things that the U.S. Government has done through its foreign policy, special interests and military actions is viewed by other countries as immoral and equal to terrorist acts. Violence begets violence regardless of your intentions.
Please anyone who reads this article, please watch the entire video before spouting off your opinion.
#101–KeithB==I don’t think having served in the Military 40 years ago indicates patriotism==you own example of Bush shows that.
I did have the same reaction to the entire Wright speech as you post. I do think though that “most” Americans listening to the same speech will only hear an anti-American rant. People hate being criticized.
Too bad Wright couldn’t choose his words just a bit more judiciously, avoid the HIV topic totally, and get his ungodly egotism out of the presentation? But he’s not preaching to the Blogosphere.
#96 – The candidates weigh (height?) in!
Clinton – 5′6″
McCain – 5′7″
Obama – 6′1-1/2″
McCain better pray that Hillary gets the nom…
Oh jeez… Are we gonna have to open up that old thread about the lack of scientific evidence to support the power of prayer?
🙂
On a tangent but related issue, Arriana Huffington just wrote a book that includes how the media is in fact favoring the right wing in America. I think she basically is on to something==how “fair and balanced” corrupts balanced thinking.
http://tinyurl.com/588axh
“I can no more disown pastor Wright than I can disown the black community.” -Barack Obama
Change!
What exactly is the “Black Church”? I know about the Catholics, the Methodists and the Baptists, but I seem to have missed the “Black Church” day in comparative religions class.
NEWSFLASH–MSNBC on Hardball==Barack just got divorced from Reverend Wright. Obama says affirming the statements that Obama thought were incorrect was not acceptable.
Good for Obama. Shows values and judgment.
Next it will be his white grandmother.
More than any other post he has made, I believe this one truly shows John C. Dvorak’s ignorance on so many levels. In my opinion, it also could easily lead one to think that he is also a bit of a racist.
And from reading the comments, it is also clear that there are a lot of racists who love John.
#109–Jerry==I personally can’t wait for Obama to get elected and bring the races together.
I have a dream that one day people can take a unique position on race, and not be called a racist.
I may not get there with you,- – – etc.
Ha… I think Dvorak’s point is well made, judging by the tenor of some of the comments. Sadly, too. Once again, we got our chains yanked, and we fell for it just like we always do. Hopefully, the new surge in social networking will actually have people talking to each other, rather than letting the media tell them what is important.
Look, if the media is getting their feed from the blogosphere (wait, isn’t that US?), then their credibility runs just this side of Wikipedia as far as authoritarian. Meanwhile, they’re hoping to keep us dizzy enough with all their spin that we don’t notice they don’t know what they’re talking about.
When will someone (who would it be, anyway?) put these folks to task and either step up or step down? In this age of global Twitter the role of journalists to shove a stick in the spokes of the big business juggernaut once and a while is even more important, and the mainstream media gets a FAIL on that one.
Scroll up if you want to read my predicting Obama’s Sister Souljah act.
Obama will win the nomination since he only needs 295 more delegates, out of 408 up for grabs, and 305 superdelegates.
Obama will win the nomination easily and this gives him an opportunity to rid himself of the Reverend Wright.
Meanwhile, make some bucks on betting on the nomination against some Hillary supporter.
The main reason Hillary will lose:
1. The superdelegates are going to decide this.
2. Hillary doesn’t work well with others so superdelegates don’t believe they’ll listen to them if she were to get elected. They know Obama will listen to them and value their advice. Case closed.
my predicting Obama’s Sister Souljah act.
Hmmmm. Interesting!
That gave Bill Clinton a big boost in ’92, perhaps the Obama team, being students of history, came up with this.
I saw Wright on the daily show and then watched the whole speeches on Youtube. Jeremiah Wright rocks, he is really a comedian and he knows what he is talking about and has no problem being on camera.
I say Jeremiah Wright should get his own show on TV, put him as the host on Late Night after Conan O’Brian retires. Seriously guys, check out “Jeremiah Wright NAACP” or “Jeremiah Wright Press Club Q&A” on Youtube, it’s quite awesome.
> Obama will win the nomination easily
– Unless super delegates give a voice to Florida and Michigan who fairly should have their votes counted. With Florida and Michigan, Hillary Clinton is in front.
– Unless super delegates interpret Hillary Clinton’s victories in most Blue states as a sign that she is actually the one that the Democrats in the USA rather want as their candidate. And thus has a better chance of beating McCain.
– Unless Hillary Clinton wins in the last primaries and seeing how she got a 10% advantage in Pennsylvania, she can do it.
– Unless Barack Obama submits to public pressure into debating Hillary Clinton in an unmoderated 90 minute debate in which Hillary Clinton surfaces as the better candidate who knows better what’s the right thing to do when president.
118,
Please don’t troop out that lame-ass shit about Florida and Michigan. Clinton is a lying pandering sleaze who manipulated the situation there to create a ridiculous outcome in her favor with no basis in the true intent of the voting public in either state.
Either do the two primaries over again or shut the hell up about them. She knew the rules when she entered the game, and has tried to play it her way at every turn. This is one issue that completely exposes her operating philosophy, and it shows Hillary is only interested in getting the office and will do anything to accomplish it.
#117, hmm good idea. Conan is out next year, moving up to Leno’s spot.
So Florida and Michigan don’t get delegates. That’s no reason for the superdelegates not to consider their votes in the popular vote total. Hillary is leading in the popular vote and the electoral vote, and it was Obama that chose to take his name off the ballot in Michigan, and he was on the ballot in Florida.
Let’s not forget, John is taking bets on “the hawk” McCain to win the presidency. It actually pays him to have this view. Not saying that it’s not his legitimate view, which it is. Just saying though.
> Hillary is leading in the popular vote
Only in fantasia where Michigan’s vote is counted, where despite only Hillary being on the ballot she only managed 55% of the vote.
Not impressive.
The superdelegates aren’t buying that one either.
The word on the street is that Obama has statistically clinched the uncommitted superdelegates he needs to win.
Game over.
My husband’s analysis of it last night was pretty much the same as yours – and neither of us had read this yet.
O distanced himself from Wright and also insulted him in the bargain… a petty, vengeful person would opt to ‘teach him a lesson.’ Is Wright petty and vengeful? I don’t know… but it’s sure looking that way.
i have to admit, my pastor is involved in the Neo Nazi movement. i don’t share his feelings when he mentions how “if he was black, he would beat box like this, and say yo what up my niggah” i am my own person, just like obama is his own person. that’s where my vote is going. will i tell my pastor, hell no. that’s why they invented booths