CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Barack Obama sought to distance himself further Friday from the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, telling a North Carolina rally that comments by his former pastor that have been described as ”crazy” should not be used to judge his candidacy.
Obama has said his presidential bid was damaged by a recent series of public appearances by Wright, in which the pastor repeated earlier charges the Sept. 11 attacks were retribution for U.S. foreign policy and that the U.S. government had a hand in spreading AIDS to blacks.
But the Illinois senator, locked in a battle for the Democratic nomination with Sen. Hillary Clinton, said earlier on Friday in Indianapolis he would leave it to the pollsters to analyze the extent of the impact from the Wright flap on his campaign.
Obama broke publicly with his longtime pastor earlier this week when he called a news conference to criticize Wright’s remarks as “outrageous” and “appalling.”
“As we’ve done well in this election, as we’ve been successful, increasingly my opponents have spent their time talking, not about the issues, but about me,” Obama told a rally of about 9,000 people at Charlotte’s Cricket Arena.
“They’ve been saying, ‘Well, look at those crazy things his former pastor said or he’s not wearing a flag pin or he’s got a funny name, sounds like he’s Muslim,’” he said. “Those are strategies to divide us. We’ve seen those strategies before.”
Obama said his critics were out of line in questioning his patriotism.
“You want to understand my patriotism? I owe everything to this country,” he said.
Photo Credit: Reuters/Chris Keane (Obama speaks in Charlotte, N.C.)
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i think it is a shame that people would listen to the Rev. and use that against Senator Obama. It’s evident that the Rev. is a sick man. I wouldn’t want anybody to judge me on my mothers flaws who I’ve known all my life. Nor my best friend who I’ve known almost all my life.
- Posted by angelIt is totaly unfair.
While I am beating up on Mr Obama , when I was a child , through my teen years , and through my years as a working adult , The people I called my close friends , and my associates I hung around with , None of which achieved a level of being my mentor , You could see a lot of me in them , their beliefs and lifestyle were very close to mine , I saw the same thing in my own children growing up - the people they hung out with and associated themselves with are very much like them , My mentors were My Dad , Uncle , grandfather , and 2 other people . We were very like minded , We are so much alike , I feel one of my mentors would join me to sacrifice our stimulus check to buy Mr Wright a one-way ticket BACK to Libya for his retirement , and Mr Obama – since My mentors and Myself are so like minded I feel confident 2 more of them would also donate their stimulus check so you could accompany Mr wright to Libya to live . To clarify that my wish for you is not in bad thought , it is only I know Mr Wright wishes to retire , So my wish for him is not hateful , it is only that if he retires here in America , everywhere he looks He will see people Like me , and He will feel his life’s work is not yet done , In Libya , all Those lovely people around him will be full of hate , and will be committed to the destruction of America , He will have a peaceful retirement surrounded by like minded people who will make him feel his life’s work is complete , and for you Mr Obama , being surrounded by like minded people , who also hate America , I feel confident you will become acquainted with a few more like minded people , and you will soon will have as many mentors in your life as I have .
- Posted by MarkI don’t blame you for your pastor. I have had a few like that myself, so changing churches wouldn’t have mattered much at all. I have been to over 10 churches seeking one that was not so controversial, be they black or white congreations and I here almost the same type of preaching. So I understand.
Unfortunately, not many whites will understand as I do, and I understand that as well. But you know what this means in a broader term? I don’t think there will ever be a black president in this country because if it boils down to America judging a black man or woman on what the pastors say from the pulpit, then I guess this will forever come up again and again. Even when there is a white preacher with a black congregation it will come up.
The sad thing about this as I watch day in and day out is that those of the Catholic faith are not asked to denounce the priest and the Catholic church when they have been much more damaging to families on a personal level. All of this seems far deeper than Wright to me, but I am sure no one will admit it to themselves, they will go on with something that makes them feel good.
As far as the excuse of no experience, we have had former presidents that did a great job without prior executive experience such as:
4 James Madison
No Previous Executive Experience, Virginia state legislature (1776-79) & Continental Congress (1780-83)]
6 John Quincy Adams
No Previous Executive Experience, United States Senate (1803-09)
15 James Buchanan
No Previous Executive Experience, Pennsylvania House of Representatives (1814-20) & United States House of Representatives (1821-31)]
16 Abraham Lincoln
No Previous Executive Experience, United States House of Representatives (1846-48)
So I don’t really buy that excuse because the president surrounds themselves with experts in many areas, which is what makes them great presidents. As far as Executive Leadership, I and the rest of the world knows that you, Obama have demonstrated excellence in this area, without a doubt. I would much rather rely on that experience than that Hillary. The only thing about Hillary that moves people to her side is call Bill Clinton who has been a president. If it were Hillary alone she would have been out of this race long ago.
I have watched the “anything goes,” kitchen sink strategy and the responses to those tactics. I myself, would not be so nice in my attacks on her, not after seeing that she is willing to detroy you as a person. She is akind to Wright in that the last “show” he put on said loud and clear that he was “angry” and out to get you. The same way you put him in his place nationally would be the same way you should have put the Clintons in their place, regardless of what people would say, because like my mom always told me, people are going to talk about you anyway, regardless of who you are and what the truth is, so with that in mind. I would attack Hillary in ways that would set the world on fire.
My prayers go out to you and your family and if this is what is destined for you, you will have it. If not, millions of Americans have been inspired with hope for a government that would finally be on our side. The 90’s gave us a fairly good economy, but it has never given us hope as we have been inspired by you.
As a supporter of your campaign, we have been beaten, lynched and hung out to dry, just like you. We have been call ignorant, delusional, cult members and people who think you are the messiah. I know for myself, that Jesus is my Lord and Savior, not Barack. However, it does not matter what our reasons are for supporting you, we have become the worst people in this society. Why?
In conclusion: After I heard John McCain confirm what I knew all along, that we are fighting this war and many more for oil. I thought to myself about Rev. Wright; this is exactly what he was saying, that America has played the role of terriost in other countries. We may not want to face the truth because it is ugly, but the truth is the truth. We invaded Iraq, secured its oil fields first, killed many innocent people, lost over 4000 Americans, and an unknown number of our allies, overthrough their government, destroyed their place of living, and continue to do so right now, and we expect nothing in return.
Every great American should know that what we do to others will happen to us in the future, this is what our moms taught us. This is what the Bible means when it says that”who so ever a man soweth, so shall he reap,” and that is what Wright was saying.
I was truly enlightened about this when John McCain said as much. He will not be able to live this down. Then people say that you cannot beat him. The only way McCain can win this election against any democrat is if the dems are greatly divided at the end of this process and I beleive that is what the Clintons have worked for and that is exactly what they will get, but 2012 will not make a great difference with our problems, we need help today, or at least beginning in Jan of 09.
Again, my prayers are with you and I stand by you in your quest for a better (color blind) America. I will vote for you now and in the election, if the DNC follow the rules as they have been for many years, if not, maybe you can become and Independent and we can vote for you then, if not, I will be at home doing as I have always, trying to just get through this life until my time comes to leave this earth.
God bless!
- Posted by AngeleneI am weary of the small minded individuals who insist that if you are not voting for Obama, it’s because you wouldn’t vote for any black person……the only thing I can say to this is you must be either desperate or oblivious. To make such an assertion is completely off base. The truth is, I voted for Deval Patrick (1st black gov. of MA) because of his stance on the issues and although he too didn’t have a lot of experience, my thought was that it’s State government and he would be afforded a little bit of time to get things off the ground……but the Presidency (with the situation in our country after 8 years of G. Bush/Republicans) it’s a completely different story…..to say nothing about Obama having this off the wall pastor who he’s been with for 20 years……If you truly think this man (who doesn’t walk on water) is actually going to get elected you must still be on ‘fantasy island’. The greatest injustice is that the American Public wasn’t informed sooner…about his character.
- Posted by terryAnd lastly, I am soooo sick of hearing ‘Obama voted against the war’ when it’s blatenly not true ……..what gives with you people? Do you think you can go around making things up and then calling other individuals character into question?
This whole situation is a disaster for everyone (especially us, the American public) with the exception of John McCain.
And when/or if Obama is distroyed by McCain….I’m sure his deluded supporters will blame (distort) it on someone else. We should have known sooner that he was un-electable! Shame on the press for treating him with ‘kit gloves’.
Lastly, I say these things not because I am sooo against Obama (he seems like a perfectly nice guy…maybe I’ll vote for him when he gets some experience) but because he can not actually win the presidency…..and so the Republican reign will carry on….ruining my country…..what a complete mess.
The whinin’ boy Obama complains that people are spending time talking about him instead of the issues. He fails to understand that becuase HE is the one who would hold the office-if elected-HE is the biggest issue there is. His failure to understand this just proves that he is too ignorant, and inexperienced, for the job.
- Posted by ErinThe reality is a vote for Obama is really a vote for McCain. The reality is that if Obama sadly wins the Democratic nomination, Senator McCain will eat him alive! It’s a joke to think that such an inexperienced man will be elected president….and that’s coming from me and ultra-liberal person. The reality is that the press has done a dis-service to the American people (and system) by not exposing Obama sooner because we now almost have a candidate that is un-electable. All those that thought Obama walked on water and choose to project all kinds of attibutes onto him….I say please come back from ‘fantasy Island’ before it’s too late. If the American people are face with choosing either Obama or McCain….I am afraid the ‘war hungry McCain’ will win. No one is going to vote for an inexperienced black nationalist. For me, if Hillary doesn’t get the democratic nomination, I feel I will have no choice but to abstain from voting…..for the first time in my life (46 yrs)…..for any election (local or national). McCain or Obama? Is this the best this country has to offer? I’m disgusted……we’ve all been manipulated by the media (who have shown their bias). If the American people had been informed about Obama in the first place he would have been out sooner but the cat’s out of the bag now and the reality is he will never be elected president of the United States. So what are we left with? John McCain, who want’s to continue this pointless war. A man who wants to keep the enormous tax cuts that have contributed to our current economic crisis…….I’m disgusted by it all…and sad, we deserve better.
- Posted by terrySincerely, Terry McKay : (
Look, the ad the Republicans crush Hillary with looks like this:
I voted for THE AUTHORIZATION OF THE USE OF FORCE IN IRAQ, but I had no idea the President would use that authorization to use force in Iraq. [Crude Image of Hillary flipping over]
I voted for the bankruptcy bill after I took the banking lobbyists’ money, but I’m glad it didn’t pass. [caricature of Hillary flipping upside-down]
I championed NAFTA and trade with China, but now I’m against them. [Image of Hillary flipping over]
I supported driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants before I opposed it [Image of Hillary flopping over]
I said Ronald Reagan “played the music beautifully” in Brokaw’s book, and called him one of my favorite Presidents in New Hampshire before attacking my opponent for saying he had changed America, even though my opponent never said for the better. [Image of Hillary flipping over]
Then we see her throwing her head back in that laugh- over and over, as she details the sniper fire story time and again while video of what really happened runs under the image of her, still laughing.
And then we watch President McCain get sworn in.
She’s not electable, and we will never change America with Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton. Obama puts fifty states in play, Clinton hopes to win maybe Ohio this time.
- Posted by arbiteIt’s interesting that the Obama critics still don’t manage to cite his own words, his own past, or his own actions.
They still call the man who went to Occidental on scholarships and Harvard Law on loans an elitist, never mind the food stamps his single mother collected.
They still say he never held a job, even though he worked on the streets of Chicago trying to help a community stay on its feet when steel mills closed.
They still attack him for a few atrocious lines, spoken by his ex-Marine pastor over twenty years, never mind that the pastor’s sermons are on DVD, and these thoughts only came up a handful of times in twenty years, and Obama’s face never appears in the audience as the camera pans across it.
In other words, Clinton/McCain supporters, running desperately away from the record they brought America in the last ten years are attacking Obama for words he neither said nor heard, but condemned. The foam is showing on the corners of your mouths, but it won’t bring our soldiers back from Iraq, or win the war we should have been fighting all along against the bin Laden and the Afghan-Saudi terrorist network that attacked us on 9/11.
Your attacks won’t bring us a change in the lobbyist written bankruptcy bill Clinton and McCain supported. It won’t end the culture of corruption in Washington that led Clinton to say she was glad an early version of that bill didn’t pass, even though she voted for it, and later didn’t vote against the identical version that did.
No, your attacks will only serve to drive away more voters, to drive our nation downward as we spend our time, as the Nazi party once did, questioning one another’s patriotism and loyalty while our nation goes to hell.
How dare you?
- Posted by drewIt seems that so many are quick to post negatives propaganda about Obama. It is clear that the polls do not support your negative views. Many of you are die hard hillary fans and for the most part do not want to vote for a black man. Obama has a record, now and before holding public office. He has served as a state senate, and a US senator and the world has not come to an end as a result of it. In fact nothing negative can be found in his political past so some try to assinate his character based on people he knows. I equate this effort to a hight teck lynching effort. A politician represents all the people in his constiuency and not just a select few. Any democrat that is so narrow minded as to state that they will vote for McCane before they will vote for Obama is stuck on stupid and would not vote for a black may under any conditions. If ever MacCane is ever elected because of such narrow minded stupidity then we get just what we deserve so don,t complain later. If the nomination is stolen from Obama based on such prejudiced thinking then he should run as an independent so that all the voices of those that believe in him can be represented. Record shows that there are more for him than there is against him. A presendent is not free to do what ever he wants, he has the congress and the senate to answer to and some of us pretend now that we have a one man rule in this country and that Obama will reuin us. If we can stomach 2 terms of Bush Jr. and consider a third bush term through MacCane then Obama is a real breath of fresh air. No one is talking about the fact that the Clintons pandor to any and ever one, and will stoop to anything to get elected. Presedent Clinton earned so much money since being out of office due to speaking engagements for both speaking in the USA and abroad, I wonder how much of that money was a prearranged kick back for favors he preformed while in office. Why else would anyone pay so much to hear you speak over and over again by so many? He is the one that gave us Nafta, and he is the one that pardon the criminals from prison on his last day in office and one of them was a convicted member of that underground group that was involved in the bomning in the usa associated with the Mr Weatherby. Ms Clinton said Chelsea was Jogging around the twin towers when it was attached and barly missed being killed when it fell but we learned that she was at home and in bed sleeping at that time. She lied about sniper fire and so many other things. I can,t feel confortable with bill wondering around the oval office again with interns working there. We for get about white water, and the sex scandals and all that but some of us are quick to condem Obama who has done nothing more than serve this country putting the needs of the people before the needs of his family and all with out scandals. For those democrats that want MacCane, then good luck. If not Obama then who? If not now then when.
- Posted by Curtis Woods