Politics | 04/30/2008 12:00 am

wOw's Views on the News: Is Rev. Wright Leading to the Demise of the Obama Campaign?

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Sen. Obama unequivocally denounced his former pastor yesterday, expressing his outrage and sadness at Rev. Wright’s recent speeches. Click here to read about it on MSNBC. Was this the right thing for Obama to do? Should he be ignoring Rev. Wright altogether at this point? Ultimately, will the controversy derail Obama’s candidacy? Does this justify Sen. Clinton’s decision to remain in the race, despite her long odds and growing pressure from some Democrats?

281 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Oops, I’m tired too. I mean, no one should be held responsible for other people’s remarks. And the whites I mean are the blue-collar whites he needs and is not sure of yet.

By Moran Moraine on 04/30/2008 12:57 am

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Great Question…Is rev Wright leading to the demise of the Obama campaign? One point, seeing is about what you look at and what you are looking for simutaneously. Let’s look at the fact that the Obama campaign is leading in the polls. Now the questions become what are you looking for. If we are looking for the leading candidate to announce to the world that the people of the United States of America elected him President Barack Obama of the United States of America ito go to the White House and on day one to annouce that we the people are open to the conversation of change and inclusiveness of good and beneficial ideas and actions for the global community. What would not be right is to turn to wright to see Obama. Can you imagine that anyone could confuse the two? It is obvious that Obama’s ears are larger. Let’s Talk

By NJ Mitchell on 04/30/2008 1:20 am

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not tonite, N J … it’s tempting but I gotta get to sleep. Have fun with the gang. aloha from honolulu

By Michael Salling on 04/30/2008 2:49 am

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this is endless; it basically is just gossip; is this the measure of who we are?

By Esther Bradley-DeTally on 04/30/2008 1:50 am

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Public discourse seems to be based on quicksand. I remember seeing a magazine from about 1913, Ladies Home Journal or something of that sort, and it had a long, very interesting piece by Susan B. Anthony in it. And nearly all the writing in the magazine was on that level. Stuff that Britany and Lindsay and the Olsen Twins probably could not read either for lack of attention span or vocabulary. The media has the wrong topics, the wrong approach, and a total disregard for objectivity and for “true” facts, as my mother called them. So that’s what happens, because we don’t hold each other to a higher bar. What to do?

By Mugsy Peabody on 04/30/2008 2:03 pm

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Well, let’s see if I can figure out a way to segue gracefully into today’s hot topic (what a surprise - I just hope I can come up something that I won’t be accused of lifting off of Jack Cafferty’s website. Let’s see where did I leave that darn thinking cap?) Back in a flash.

By Michael Salling on 04/30/2008 2:07 am

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Well, obviously when I started it would have made sense if I’d tacked this onto that sweet post by QE3 at the top of the page. I hope she/he’s still there tomorrow.

By Michael Salling on 04/30/2008 3:01 am

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Senator Obama had no choice. It might even now be too late to repair the damage done by Rev. Wright. The issue may-hap be if the damage is to his gaining the nomination; of that I am not certain but I am absolutely positive that if he did not make this break, without undue clarification, then Senator Obama could not win in November. Some of the remarks made by the reverend cannot be explained away. I did notice, however, in the film clips that while some of his parishioners in support of his comments, stood up loudly proclaiming that support, others remained quietly in their seats. I do not identify with the Black Liberation Theology but telling lies in or out of church is still a sin. And, finally, one can see the anguish in Senator Obama’s eyes while he spoke yesterday. I still, however, find it difficult that he did not realize that the race-baiting conducted by the reverend was more than just an acting out of ‘victim-hood’ to gain modern appeal from his parishioners. Rev. Wright, to my knowledge, has yet to admit that he was lying in the pulpit when he advanced his castigation against America for trying to kill African Americans by creating AIDS. Disgraceful!

By Bonnie Oliver on 04/30/2008 2:29 am

Oh, just one more note. It is late. I have not seen a confirmation of a report I heard on Fox News that Rev. Wright will soon be moving into a 5 or 6 bedroom newly built home located in a predominately white golf course community. In addition, he will have access to a $10 million line of credit provided by the Unity Church. This is his retirement package. Golden parachutes among the clergy….good grief. If all the above is true, it is even more imperative that Senator Obama distance himself as far and as fast as he can from his former pastor, if for no other reason than the appearance of hypocrisy.

By Bonnie Oliver on 04/30/2008 3:37 am

Demise of the Obama campaign? ****NO WAY!**** Barack Obama has character and integrity and he WILL rise above this. We have come to know what the man stands for. The hateful ugly words from his former friend and pastor must have hurt him deeply but they do not, cannot define him. This is a media-driven non-issue, and the voters will recognize it for what it is.

By ~ countrywoman ~ on 04/30/2008 2:34 am

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Friend?Did he was his friend?Pastor in some american family play big role mentors ,so I think Barak Obama did know what his Pastor teaching.

By Lana Light on 04/30/2008 7:06 am

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Obama has character?What planet are you from? Everytime he opens his mouth he sticks his foot in it! I thought you were judged by who you surround yourself with! so that makes Obama a anti-American black radical right? If your looking for character and integrity look no further Hillary Clinton is all that,at least we know her agenda!!!!

By ann joyce on 04/30/2008 10:54 am

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Hillary lost the right to talk about her integrity under heavy sniper fire.

By Lorraine Bates on 04/30/2008 12:15 pm

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Awhile back I spent a lot of time posting in response to a charge on wowOwow that Hillary is a “pathological liar”, so I think it may be worth re-posting it here — although in Lorraine’s eyes I’m sure Hillary lost the right to talk about anything long before the sniper fire snafu. So, Lorraine, don’t even bother reading this, it’s not for you. You’ll call it pure spin and excuse making no doubt, as others have: [WARNING - I typed this in all caps on an “Office for Mac” program thinking I couldn’t magically convert to lower case with ‘shift + F3’ like Word does. So, pardon the screaming] MADAM, SHE’S NOT A PATHOLOGICAL LIAR OR SHE’D HAVE BEEN OUTED AND BRANDED AS SUCH LONG AGO, AS HER HUSBAND WAS BRANDED A WOMANIZER FROM DAY ONE AND NOBODY CARED. BECAUSE HE WAS A MAN, THE ELECTORATE OVERLOOKED THIS ACHILLES HEEL — HE WAS ELECTED AND REELECTED, JUST AS SHRUB BUSH WAS REELECTED WHEN MOST AMERICANS KNEW HE HAD A BIT OF CREDIBILITY HIMSELF. [YES, I KNOW ALL CAPS IS SUPPOSED TO BE ONLINE SCREAMING, BUT WHAT IS ALL LOWER CASE — ONLINE WHISPERING?] WHAT HILLARY DOES SO WELL IS WHAT ALL STORY TELLERS HAVE BEEN DOING THROUGH THE AGES SINCE WE GATHERED AROUND THE FIRE OUTSIDE THE CAVE EVERY DAY AFTER SUNDOWN. AND WHO WOULD DISPUTE THE REALITY THAT ANY WOMAN TRYING TO SUCCEED IN THE MALE DOMINATED WORLD OF LAWYERS [BACK IN THE 70s FOR SURE] HAD TO HOLD HER OWN IN THE “PUFFERY” DEPARTMENT. WHICH OF US CAN HAVE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST INKLING OF WHAT THIS COURAGEOUS WOMAN HAS HAD TO LEARN AND ENDURE IN THE LAST 35 YEARS, AND I’LL TELL YOU, I SEE HER YEAR AND A HALF ON THE CURRENT CAMPAIGN ODYSSEY AS NOTHING LESS THAN EPIC AND HEROIC. HILLARY DOESN’T HAVE A CREDIBILITY PROBLEM, SHE’S GOT A CARING PROBLEM. SHE CARES TOO INTENSELY, NOT ABOUT POWER FOR HERSELF AND THE “CLINTON DYNASTY” [IF SHE LOSES, I PREDICT CHELSEA WILL BE OUR FIRST WOMAN PRESIDENT] BUT ABOUT HER RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL WOMEN PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE WHOSE SPIRITS AND POTENTIAL WILL BE RE-BORN WITH THE TECTONIC PARADIGM WHICH THE ELECTION OF A WOMAN PRESIDENT WILL REPRESENT. DURING THOSE PRECIOUS MOMENTS WHEN SHE HOLDS AN AUDIENCE OF RAPT SUPPORTERS WITHIN HER GRASP, WHAT MATTERS MOST OF ALL TO THE “STORYTELLER”, ESPECIALLY ON AN UNCONSCIOUS LEVEL, IS THAT THE AUDIENCE LEAVES WITH A GUT LEVEL KIND OF CONNECTION TO THE REALITY OF HER LIFE JOURNEY AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF A HILLARY CLINTON PRESIDENCY. RECOUNTING AN EXPERIENCE SUCH AS THAT LANDING ON THE TARMAC IN WAR RAVAGED BOSNIA MUST HAVE PRESENTED AN IRRESISTIBLE OPPORTUNITY OF THAT KIND. HER ROMANTICISED EMBELLISHMENT OF THAT DAY’S EVENTS PROBABLY TYPIFIED HALF OF THE LANDINGS AT THE TUZLA AIRPORT IN THE PRIOR MONTH, AND THE KIND OF RISK THAT SHE HAD BEEN MENTALLY PREPARED TO TAKE AT THE TIME THE DECISION TO GO THERE WAS MADE. IF HILLARY WERE AN ARROGANT PATHOLOGICAL LIAR OF THE KIND DESCRIBED IN THE INTOLERANT POST ABOVE, THERE WOULD BE A HUNDRED SUCH “GAFFES” POSTED ON U-TUBE AND BEING ENDLESSLY RECYCLED ON FOX, MSNBC, AND CNN. SLEEP DEPRIVATION CAN CAUSE STRANGE BEHAVIOR, EVEN HALLUCINATIONS. I LIKE TO THINK THAT HILLARY’S BOSNIA RECOLLECTIONS ARE LIKE SOME OF MY EARLY MORNING “EPIPHANIES” WHEN MY POOR OLD BRAIN IS STRUGGLING IN THAT BIZARRE HALF AWAKENED STATE WHEN IT’S LISTENING FOR THE ALARM CLOCK AND TRYING TO MAKE ORDER OUT OF THE COMING DAY’S HEAVIER THAN USUAL AGENDA OF MYSTERIES, ENIGMAS AND CONUNDRUMS.

By Michael Salling on 04/30/2008 11:48 pm

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It takes a true, blue country woman to speak some sense. I agreed with your first post and I agree with this one. Sally Quinn was on Charlie Rose last night and likened this whole debacle to a Shakespearian drama as did Maureen Down in today’s Times. Religion again has reared its controversial head into this campaign –––– let’s hope Obama will have the swift sword of Achilles to chop it off and get on with his messages.

By phyllis Doyle Pepe on 04/30/2008 11:01 am