Reverend Jeremiah Wright did Barack Obama a favor yesterday. Speaking at the National Press Club, Obama's former pastor went off the deep end even for him, blaming the United States for AIDS and the 9/11 attacks and questioning the sincerity of Obama's political and philosophical positions. This provided Obama the urgent necessity and clear opportunity to finally and irrevocably break with the screwball minister, a move he should have made six weeks ago.
Obama made himself clear. He characterized Wright's diatribes as "appalling," "ridiculous," "offensive to all Americans," "insulting" and "disrespectful" to Obama personally. He declared that he "denounced unequivocally" the "rants" of a man whose words are "giving comfort to those who prey on hate." Obama did not just throw Wright under the bus, he put the bus in reverse and backed over him. It was about time.
By finally blasting and disowning Wright, Obama shows some backbone. With the preacher's insults beginning to turn on Obama himself, Obama appears the aggrieved party rather than a politician playing electioneering games. And though he let this drag on far too long, there can finally be an end to the farce. For from now on, if Wright stays quiet the issue begins to recede. If he continues to run his mouth he confirms Obama's description of him as "a caricature of himself," whom Obama was well justified in disavowing and denouncing.
Barack Obama has been on defense far too long over this, suffering significant damage with the electorate's opinion of him in the interim. Polls have shown his "negatives" increasing. This will continue to play out over the coming months in Republican attack ads, even if the McCain campaign itself does not run them. And McCain can still benefit from taking the high road by criticizing such ads while down-ticket campaigns help him by continuing to raise the issue.
Nevertheless, by finally speaking out, Obama has acted to reduce the bleeding. It will be interesting to see if it is enough to save his chances in Indiana a week from today.
1 comment:
Martin Luther King gave a sermon once, that had a markedly differant flavor than most,for one thing, it was entitled "why America may go to hell", it emphasised the power and nessecity of RESISTANCE, and didn't pull any punches in his condamnation of the war profiteers, he strongly advocated dodging the draft...he called for American soldiers to, "lay down their arms" especially the Black men who, if they survived the "illegal", "immoral", war, came home to a racsist America ...M.L.K. was assasinated later that day..... O'bama seems stuck on "I have a dream", his campaign feels juvenile, torturously patronizing,and "safe". Rev. Wright has integrity and is unafraid to speak the truth, whereas O'bama endorses the false narrative of punditry.
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