The fallout of Pennsylvania was bad enough for Barack Obama, with media coverage and pundits waking up to his glaring weaknesses with key elements of the Democratic coalition. Now, could the Obama campaign imagine a worse scenario in the last full week before the Indiana primary than to have Jeremiah Wright conducting his "everybody talk about me!" mini-tour?
Goodness graciousness, even the wall-to-wall MSM coverage has reached a near consensus: this is NOT good for Obama.
Accordingly, let's revisit this post's discussion of a conceivable path for Clinton to yet win the nomination. That outcome is still unlikely, but the path itself is sure taking shape (with the resulting argument that can be made to superdelegates that Obama could be a disaster come November).
Her huge and decisive win in Pennsylvania did much to change the media focus on the race. If she can benefit from Jeremiah Wright's amazing ability to inadvertently savage his former parishioner's campaign, a solid win in Indiana and a narrow margin of defeat in North Carolina are entirely feasible.
If those outcomes occur, and if the exit polls continue to show a wasteland for Barack Obama among down-scale whites, Catholics, the older voters, he may well of come close to completely losing control of the narrative of his campaign. As any campaign hand will tell you, that turn of events is an absolute, cast iron bitch.
The longer Obama continues his entirely tepid and otherwise coolly academic response to the Wright issue, the more likely all this is to occur. Just like Michael Dukasis wilted after his bland response to Bernard Shaw's famous debate-opening question(see Debate #2), Obama is fearfully close to showing the American people he doesn't have the gumption and instinct to respond to tough issues they way Presidents are expected to do in performance of their duties.
P.S. Come to think of it. I'm probably wrong about all that. The P-I says "over the course of a long public career, Wright has misspoken a time or two."
"A time or two."
Got it.
Posted by Eric Earling at April 28, 2008 09:06 PM | Email ThisIt seems like Wright had it in for Barack Obama - who knows why ? He would have gone away if he really wanted to support his candidate, but instead he was more interested in fame and showing off his hate speech and spite in front of the NAACP and the National Press Club.
McCain is the only candidate that I'd want to see in charge over the next four years. The vermin of the MSM will be flush with hit pieces on him (don't think many of them will stick though) as soon as the Democrat nomination process is over and you can take that to the bank !
Posted by: KS on April 28, 2008 09:08 PMThese two elite democrats will spend 100 million throwing mud at each other instead of McCain.
Posted by: GS on April 28, 2008 10:11 PMOn the other hand, certainly less military service than John McCain. Of course, Wright isn't running against McCain. But most of you folks sure wish he was, and will pretend that he is McCain's opponent anyway. :)
Posted by: Richard Pope on April 28, 2008 10:28 PMIve heard some theories today too..ranging from his upcoming book to his hoping Obama loses so he can exploit that for power and money.
It's mind-boggling.
It really puts Obama in a damned if he does/damned if he doesn't position. If he backs away from Wright, he'll be labeled a hypocrite and typical pandering pol; if he doesn't, he gets tarred with Wright's words by association.
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on April 28, 2008 10:45 PMThe University of Chicago Divinity School (where Wright got one of his two master's degrees) isn't exactly an institution for intellectual lightweights. And I bet Wright never graduated in the bottom 1% of his class either.
Posted by: Richard Pope on April 28, 2008 10:48 PMYou're right, although I think his best move right now is to strongly criticize Wright. It might hurt himself among African-American voters, but it will ensure that the super-delegates don't get cold feet. He has the nomination wrapped up, unless something drastic happens. This is almost drastic enough, and Obama shouldn't wait to find out for sure.
Posted by: thehim on April 28, 2008 11:11 PMTo explain this all it seems like there must have been sort of a soul selling for Obama at some point in the past. He wanted street cred with the Chicago black community for political aspirations, so he got in with Wright. Wright obviously has bought the full John Cone Black Liberation theology nutiness to the point of recklessness. And Wright is also obviously most impressed by himself. So as Obama rises to national level politics, Wright is reminding him, don't forget how you got here and feeling that Obama will be his ticket to elevating Black Liberation Theology to a national stage. Then the sermons come out and Obama is forced to distance himself from Wright. Being the narccisistic nutcase that he is, Wright is angered at this slight and lashes back.
This might not be at all what happened, but it's certainly plausible given Wright's statement that if Obama does get elected he will be out to get Obama.
Whatever the reason, it's truly historic to witness such a drama played out at the level of Presidential politics.
Perhaps thehim also now sees how most voters will count this as a very serious mark against Obama's judgment. Because how does a serious presidential aspirant ever get mixed up with a nut like Wright? It's a very good question.
Posted by: Jeff B. on April 28, 2008 11:42 PMUm, Yeah Pope, but so did Theodore Kaczynski You may know him by his other name 'the Unibomber'.....your point is what?
By the way Richard, having an education doesn't make you smart. Heck just look at you! Mr. Lawyer.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 06:13 AMGinrich says it is a setup by Wright to destroy Obama.
Destroying Obama is kind of sad in a ways since he seems like a good guy with a nice voice, but hey, this is the presidency. I would no more want him president than my next door neighbor.
So, if the invite to the Press Club were orchestrated by the Arkansas mafia (quote from above), this certainly is strategic.
Also, today, Sharpton came out strong against Obama to question Obama's bonafides just before North Carolina. Up to now, Obama was getting 90+% of the black vote, so if Wright continues and Obama shrinks in North Carolina and Indiana, Clinton will have a strong case for her nomination.
And if the blacks revolt against Obama, there would be little backlash if the Democrat supers steal the nomination from Obama.
Posted by: swatter on April 29, 2008 07:19 AMWhat next are we going to get to? Is McCain going to have to state whether he was a member of the Tailhook association and denounce their actions in Las Vegas several years ago? McCain should denounce Rush Limbaugh for his sadistic glee of wishing violence and mayhem upon an American City. I am sure the Denver Police Department doesn't appreciate Rush' comments.
Posted by: tc on April 29, 2008 07:22 AMNo one listens to these kinds of programs except rabid partisans of both stripes. There are no undecided voters tuning in to Sean Hannity or signing on to Daily Kos. All those folks have long since made up their minds and only look for information that supports their ideology while discounting as lies and spin, any information that does not.
So other than irrelevance, the problem with this line of attack is that John McCain has his own pastoral support concerns from a man who is far more hateful of America and most of its inhabitants than the good Reverend Wright. John Hagee goes around saying things that should give everyone pause.
Frankly, if this is the worst dirt you can find on Obama, the general election should be a walk in the park for him. Here is a quick list of the scandals to which McCain must respond:
Professing the willingness to stay in Iraq another 100 years if necessary
His admitted and demonstrated cluelessness on economic issues
Association with corrupt Arizona congressman Rick Renzi
Flying on his wife's jet for free
His inability to figure out the difference between Sunni and Shia on multiple occasions
His involvement in the Keating 5 scandal
The dubious handling of his public, then private, now public campaign financing
And the hits just keep on coming. These are matters that very well could come into focus between now and November.
Good luck with those John.
O-brother. Talk about reaching. As someone who has known more than a few Navy pilots in my time. Tail hook happend a LONG time ago and it became more of a MSN smear with little to do with facts!
I'm not fan of McCain, but TC. If this is all you can come up with. Gezzz dude.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 07:47 AM"I would no more want him [Obama] president than my next door neighbor."
And why wouldn't you want Obama to be your next door neighbor?
Posted by: Richard Pope on April 29, 2008 07:52 AMMany people seem to regard elections as occasions for venting emotions, like cheering for your favorite team or choosing a Homecoming Queen.
The three leading candidates for their party's nomination are being discussed in terms of their demographics -- race, sex and age -- as if that is what the job is about.
One of the painful aspects of studying great catastrophes of the past is discovering how many times people were preoccupied with trivialities when they were teetering on the edge of doom. The demographics of the presidency are far less important than the momentous weight of responsibility that office carries.
Just the power to nominate federal judges to trial courts and appellate courts across the country, including the Supreme Court, can have an enormous impact for decades to come. There is no point feeling outraged by things done by federal judges, if you vote on the basis of emotion for those who appoint them.
Barack Obama has already indicated that he wants judges who make social policy instead of just applying the law. He has already tried to stop young violent criminals from being tried as adults."
Read more at:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/04/an_old_newness.html
Posted by: JDH on April 29, 2008 08:00 AMIn case you have not noticed Rev Wright is not Sen. Obama's only problem. There are at least three other men of the cloth that support him that are out there, also the connection to Ayers, the black panther party being on his website, the fact that Hamas wnats him to be president, a Hamas fundraiser on his website (the page was approved by the Obama campaign as it is the only way to set up a page), his bitter comments, his staff stating that he will not pull all the troops out of Iraq and leave them there for at least 10 years, his staff claiming that he is not against the trade deals when he says he is and the list goes on and on and on....
Posted by: TrueSoldier on April 29, 2008 08:03 AMGood Christ Pope, are your reading comprehensions skills that bad?
He's saying that Obama is no more qualified to be president than his nextdoor neighbor, not that he wouldn't want Obama as a nextdoor neighbor.
Who did you have to pay to take the bar exam for you?
Conservative commentators and Republican pundits have routinely taken the road of politeness by saying they're sure Obama doesn't share Wright's views. I don't think most people buy that for a minute. One can visit the Huffington Post or the Daily Kos anytime and read views that might even be too radical for Wright himself to stomach.
Hillary has to play her cards right to snatch the nomination away from Obama. She just might pull it off if she can manage to keep disguising the fact that she's just as far left as Obama.
Army Medic/Vet @26
My! My! Are we a little grumpy today. My statement about the Tailhook association was tongue-in-cheek. With this campaign degrading into a smear by association campaign, anything may come up. Heck, given the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon, I am sure there will be some way to link each of the candidates to him. Hope voters like Kevin Bacon. My point is this is getting downright petty and very one sided. For example, Hillary accusing Barack of supporting 60's radical views, when he was 8 years old, yet she herself has legitimate 60's radical tie-ins. She herself went to work for a Law firm in SF that had to professed Communists as partners and that defended Black Panthers. It is very hypocritical of her to slam Obama over a community campaign fundraiser and serving on a board that also includes many bankers and other community leaders that are not named William Ayers.
Have you seen the new DNC ad. It's shows our boys being blow up in combat.
Tell me they support our troops again? )-:
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 09:16 AMNot even grumpy. But sick of dem's who smear a bunch of good pilots who I know a few with nothing more than hear say. For what?
When all was said and done. Many good men who had nothing to do with Vegas lost their jobs or rank.
Yet we can have people like Kennedy who has done all kinds of things in Congress and what happened to him. zip!
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 09:23 AMI'd love to have Obama as a neighbor. Like I said, he sounds like a great guy. But not as President.
Witzel, I've heard and read the Hagee comments. I believe you folks have selective reading disorder and selective hearing disorder.
Posted by: swatter on April 29, 2008 09:25 AMIt's time for the failure of their ideology to be examined. I might not be very enjoyable for them.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 29, 2008 10:12 AMBut, your point is well-taken. You seem to make a lot more sense in this reincarnation of Witzel from a couple of years ago.
Posted by: swatter on April 29, 2008 10:40 AMDemocrats are saying that the things that Wright has/is saying are not all that nuts, outside of the mainstream of rational intellectual discourse, legitimate but out of context remarks - and all of this is true IF YOU JUXTOPOSE Wrights remarks against the political rhetoric espoused on the various websites that Obama brags about having raised record amounts of cash on.
Compared to these raving loons (DU, Huffington, MoveOn, Daily KOS), by God Wright seems a paragon of propriety and when Obama supporters compare Wright's rhetoric to that being espoused on the very same websites that Obama brags about, writen by Obama's supporters, he isn't out of their mainstream. This is their reference frame, what they use to measure Wright against. AND compared to them Wright's views seem rational and coherant.
However to the vast majority of Americans, just because the vile, hateful rhetoric of Wright doesn't quite sink to the depths of the contemptible revolting bigotry served up daily on these sites.
Posted by: JDH on April 29, 2008 10:45 AMOOPs forgot to finish my sentence above @40.
Posted by: JDH on April 29, 2008 10:54 AMMcCain doesn't stand a chance going toe to toe with Hillary, he doesn't have the ruthlessness, he is as slippery, and he lacks the organization with the guts to take her on head on.
Posted by: JDH on April 29, 2008 11:30 AMWell, well, well.
See? Being 'in touch' has its benefits, no?
Posted by: jimg on April 29, 2008 11:55 AMOh Barry! Oh what a mess!... Hillary will really have something to talk about on O'Reilly tomorrow night.
Donner party dems indeed.
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on April 29, 2008 12:00 PMI just knew a few good men who were smeared by Tailhook who didn't have anything to do with a few men acting as boys! Even that was was over played.
_______________________________
I see Obama not only threw his Grandmother under the bus. He just tossed Rev Wright too. LOL
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 12:01 PMWright is Controversial, but Not Wrong - Ruth Conniff, The Progressive
Much of what Wright said was absolutely true--yet too hot for white America, for the National Press Club, and for a mainstream U.S. Presidential campaign.
Most progressives, and even most Democrats, understand where Wright is coming from. Just as Bill Moyers made reference to his previous encounters with Wright and the friends they have in common, many of the touchstones of his politics are familiar to both black America and progressive America.
None of which is terribly shocking to those of us who are quite familiar with the U.S. government's misdeeds over time.
And, if I heard Obama right, he tossed Farrakhan too. YIKES!
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on April 29, 2008 12:08 PMMe thinks Obama has a real problem now. You bet Billary is going to use this for all it's worth.
But how long will it take when someone screams racist!
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 12:13 PMI'm getting out my popcorn.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 12:17 PMDoesn't that say it all? "Wright is Controversial, but Not Wrong".
Wright just exposes what most "progressives" really believe, to the great horror of most Americans who really haven't been paying attention to how far to the left Democrats have really swung.
There is no worse disaster for these people than having the bulk of the voting public finally understand that Rush and Hannity haven't been kidding about who these people are.
Rush was responding to a radical leftist group called "Recreate-68" that desires to recreate the 1968 Chicago riots during the Democratic Convention in Denver.
When was the last time Rush, or anyone else on the conservative side fomented a "riot"?
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 29, 2008 12:48 PMI'm not buying your Rush part, and yes I've heard him talk about it. Yet Sharpton has said he would make problems if Obama didn't get the suppers. Plus a group called Re-create 68 is saying that they will make trouble. Rush has been talking about both of them.
Odd, you never see this type of stuff going on at Rep conventions by Rep. Only the wacko groups who follow the dem's ideas.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 12:53 PMScreamin' Dean has lost complete control over the candidates, the supers, the party and especially the fringe of the party.
Posted by: Ragnar Danneskjold on April 29, 2008 01:09 PMNot to fear. I'll take Duffie to the nearest VFW and buy him a tall cold one. (-:
Maybe two if needed.
Just think how bad this is going to be for the dem's. If they give it to Hillary the blacks will bail.
If they give it to Obama the whites will bail after Wrights remarks. Either way, it's a lost.
I don't the black vote will give her a pass even if he takes himself out at this point, though they might and if they do McCain is no match against someone as ruthless as Hillary.
Posted by: JDH on April 29, 2008 01:56 PMI feel that Rev Jeremiah Wright is a true man of God serving a power higher than that of the White House or even Barack Obama. Dr. King received the same degree of hatred when he spoke on racial injustice, and 40 years later, we still haven't learned to see the bigger picture.
The idea that Obama is being consistently attacked for his affiliations with strong black men; while truly questionable associations of Clinton and McCain are being ignored is symptomatic of the race-baiting being revealed in this election. I believe that the reason why Rev. Wright's words bothered so many people is because deep inside their subconscious, some of it may have a ring of truth to it.
Which explains 2 things perfectly: First, that to be a fringe left winger is to live in the world of delusion, and second, why Barry O tossed Wright under a double-decker bus today.
Clearly, Wiz, you don't know any more about politics than you do brain surgery.
So, exactly who is it that Barry O is disowning? His church? His grandmother? The so-called "black community?"
Posted by: Hinton on April 29, 2008 02:34 PMBack when they were all jumping into the primary, Hillary was widely accepted as the presumptive nominee. Knowing what we know about Obama and the way he postured and positioned himself for politics, I think it was his intention just to get on the public stage as preparation for a future candidacy.
That he overwhelmingly stole the stage probably came as a shock as much to him as it did to Clinton. His gaffes, misstepps and lack of pre-emptive damage control seem to prove his being unprepared for winning as he has.
I agree that the way it's playing out is going to be ugly. If the supers deny Obama even though he has the delegates, the Rev Wrights of this country will turn it into a racism bloodbath. If the supers have a sense of doom about his electability because of his associations but they don't turn away from him, charmers like the Re-Create 68 crowd will turn it into a bloodbath. Either way Howard's gonna be screamin'.
Show me the polling results that indicate Obama was actually hurt by this.
Posted by: Unkl Witz on April 29, 2008 02:47 PMI imagine they considered it a "gotcha" moment for a minute or two. Then it ocurred to them. Oh yeah, WE'RE the people who always riot.
If Rush had called for Republicans to take to the streets of Denver and turn over police cars they might have had something to hang their biased little hats on.
tc, Rush was pulling your humorless leg.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 29, 2008 04:20 PMSorry but Sharpton created a riot in one city (not sure which one) and a young man was killed by the crowd he help to make.
So even thinking he won't pull that game again.
As I said TC, it's only the lib/dem groups who start riots. Can you say WTO is Seattle.
Posted by: Army Medic/Vet on April 29, 2008 04:27 PM9-years later their public education brainwashed little brothers and sisters fill stadiums and listen to Barack Obama tell lies about how the country has been destroyed by the Republicans while they chat on their $600 a month video phones.
Posted by: Bill Cruchon on April 29, 2008 05:00 PMHa, you don't know me well enough. But as I was defending Wright yesterday, he was very eagerly changing the debate on his own. He let his ego get in front of his sense and now Obama has an actual problem to deal with.
To explain this all it seems like there must have been sort of a soul selling for Obama at some point in the past. He wanted street cred with the Chicago black community for political aspirations, so he got in with Wright. Wright obviously has bought the full John Cone Black Liberation theology nutiness to the point of recklessness.
I certainly agree with that. Obama doesn't agree with this guy. But in neighborhoods like that, you have to be part of the church or you're not part of the community. That is what it is. And I personally think it would be a shame if that hurts Obama (and it's why I've been rather vocal about my disagreement with Eric over whether his involvement in the church shows a lack of judgement).
And Wright is also obviously most impressed by himself. So as Obama rises to national level politics, Wright is reminding him, don't forget how you got here and feeling that Obama will be his ticket to elevating Black Liberation Theology to a national stage. Then the sermons come out and Obama is forced to distance himself from Wright. Being the narccisistic nutcase that he is, Wright is angered at this slight and lashes back.
Again, that's a good read on it. And really, it is sad to see someone with as much education as Wright has not be able to grasp the reality of his actions.
Perhaps thehim also now sees how most voters will count this as a very serious mark against Obama's judgment. Because how does a serious presidential aspirant ever get mixed up with a nut like Wright? It's a very good question.
I'm still not entirely sure yet. Obama's response today was a good one. When I talk to my father-in-law (he's a conservative from So. King County) he sees what's happening within the black community as a case of disingenuous leaders like Wright keeping their communities down. Even though I think the reality of what's happening in black America is more complex than that, Obama's rejection of Wright could play favorably in that respect. He could be seen as the man who rejects the old ways.
Still too early to tell.
Posted by: thehim on April 29, 2008 05:54 PMSources close to the McCain campaign are indicating Senator McCain is becoming more dependant on Governor Huckabee.
"After their meeting the other day, McCain seems eager to give Huckabee more time in the press to talk on his behalf"
Sources that can't be named say "I think Senator McCain feels very comfortable with Governor Huckabee, I wouldn't be suprised if he picks him as his Vice Presidential running mate."
It's becoming clear, McCain can use Huckabee's articulate speaking skills to toss zingers over to the Obama Hillary campaign while McCain concentrates on raising money for his campaign.
Having a running mate who can fend off the attacks of the Obama Hillary campaign could prove to be the most valuable prize in capturing the presidency this November for him and the Republican's.
Huckabee could turn out to be one of the most valuable players in the Republican party. With McCain's mechanical style and Huckabee's personal style, this could be a match made in heaven for the Republican party.
I have not seen that DNC comercial (thnak God). AFN does not play any political commercials (But I am sure you know that). My only question is did the DNC get the vidoe directly from their pals in Al Qaeda or from Iran's puppet Al Sadr or did "Jihad" Jimmy Carter bring them back with him as a present from Hamas?
Posted by: TrueSoldier on April 29, 2008 10:54 PM