Ok, he probably isn't crazy. But he doesn't seem all that bright at this point either.
When the shenanagins surrounding Reverend Wright (now known as Obama's former pastor) first started, I remember having several conversations with friends asking: "Why didn't he just come out and immediately say that his statements are just that, HIS statements. And that they may or may not be a reflection of the beliefs, principles, or politics of Barack Obama." That's like giving Barack an alley-oop for what most people think was a slam dunk (his speech). Opportunity squandered I guess.
When asked, most people responded along the lines of: "He and Barack probably talked about it when it first hit the fan and Barack probably asked him not to say anything." Reading between the lines, I think people meant this to say that Barack didn't want him to say anything so he could seize the opportunity to give his speech on race. I didn't so much buy that idea and I still don't. I don't think they spoke about the comments Reverend Wright made when they were first aired to the American public and I definitely don't think Barack asked him to not say anything.
What I do think is that there is tension between the two that probably existed from the moment those videos first hit the airwaves and the tension increased exponentially after Barack straight-up denounced Reverend Wright's comments (which didn't seem all that crazy to me anyway). I'm sure Reverend Wright didn't appreciate that considering he's known Barack for quite a long time.
But Reverend Wright could have spoken up a long time ago and separated his sermons from Obama but he did not do that. Instead he sat in the background for a month and a half and probably contacted Obama after the speech (in which Obama denounced his statements) and I assume Barack said something like:
"Look Rev, I respect your opinions and I understand why someone might have those thoughts and suspicions. But you have to understand that you are focking up my run for the presidency so I had to say something. There's no way I can do what I want to do for this country if I am associated with statements that I don't believe in or feel are conducive to bringing this country together rather than dividing it. So I'd appreciate it if you just do you and Imma do me."I'm sure this conversation might have hurt the Reverend's pride a bit considering he is the man up in Trinity and Barack is really just a church member (not even a deacon for that matter).
So perhaps, after some time to think about it, the reverend decided he needed to speak up for himself and tell people how he really felt.
"M*therf*cker for WHAT!?!"
He waits a month and a half to reintroduce himself (and more importantly, his controversial speeches) back into the spotlight. And seemingly just so you can try to assuage your own ego while saving a little face? I don't get it! Reverend Wright gets the media all worked up (again) about an issue that was losing steam and in the midst makes himself look like the lead character in a minstrel show to those who don't understand the nuances of how Black preachers preach. Once you take that style of preaching out of the pulpit and to the American masses, someone's going to NOT understand. A lot of us Blacks know that in a lot of Black churches the pastors are almost like entertainers. Charismatic and humorous but at the same time poignant and uplifting. But the rest of America doesn't necessarily know this. They haven't sat through those sermons. Reverend Wright has to realize this or he's an idiot, which I don't think is the case at all.
But let's be real here. I'm not naïve enough to think that the media isn't manipulating these videos and how they are presented to the mainstream American public. And the man has a right to say what he wants and also a right to defend himself if he feels it's necessary. But why wait so long? Why do things during your (post-controversy) speeches that could be completely re-purposed and misrepresented? Why not just turn the volume down a little in hopes of not undermining Obama's run at the White House?
It seems like Barack is wondering the same thing and also trying to separate himself even farther from the Reverend. I don't blame him!
(Props to Notes from a Different Kitchen for posting this video.)
I think what we have here is a case where Reverend Wright felt like Barack betrayed him, which is not something I completely disagree with. But there's a time and a place for everything. I'm not so sure this was the right time for him to come back into the spotlight. At least not this way. Barack just lost Pennsylvania and needs to re-gain some momentum and the heat had died down a bit from those Reverend Wright's videos that were brought to light. But it seems to be more about Jeremiah Wright and his selfish pride than about the larger goal of getting a man in office who may be able to do great things that change the American landscape to the point where Reverend Wright won't have to make those "God d@mn America" comments ever again. But the Reverend seems a bit short-sighted and self-centered if you ask me. Not that you did, but still.
Put yourself ahead of the greater good. Serve your own personal agenda and potentially undermine Barack's run at the White House just to save some face fairly long after the fact? I don't get it. As religious leader I'd think that Reverend Wright would want to serve the greater good rather than himself and his ego. Or maybe I've got this entire situation confused.
12 comments:
Nice post, I agree with a lot of the things you said. Yet, there is a big part of me now that just wishes this whole debacle would just DIE! I am so sick of people, the media, co-workers, hell I was at the city department getting a sticker for my car and one of the clerks was talking about it. I don't want to hear anymore about this BULL-ISH! We are paying over four dollars for gas in the Chi, all I want to hear about is what bio-fuel I can buy that will keep me from spending $50 to fill up my gas tank.
Geeeez, and the media acts like crack whores trying to get another hit with this story. So, uncle and nephew have fallen out, what's new? Don't we all have this mess in our family, get over it. At this point people are going to vote for who they like and if Americans aren't smart enough to separate Obama from Wright then that's them. So, symbollically I am going to pour out a little hennessey, (well some iced-tea, can't have hennessey at work) to lay this issue to rest! Join me...
I hate to say it but why do you not want to hear more about it now? It's really more relevant than ever now that there seems to be tension between Barack and Rev. Wright. Which leads one to wonder how could Barack sit in the pulpit for years (presumably) hearing this type of talk and just now start to try and separate himself from it? He could have stopped going to Trinity a long time ago if he really felt so strongly about Rev. Wright's statements.
Don't get me wrong, I support Barack and I think Rev. Wright is showing poor judgement. But, the fact that Rev. Wright is speaking up and in a way challenging Barack is going to raise a lot of questions for people and give some fuel to those that oppose Barack and question him.
This is what politics brings. Media frenzy. It's pretty much par for the course. This is probably the most media-crazy primary election ever.
And while I think it was good that this issue died down quite a bit over the last month and a half, I think it's going to get retreaded for a bit of time now that it's hit the fan again.
I wish I could say I'm laying it to rest, but obviously I still feel like it's worth discussing. You can't just sweep everything under the rug in the name of Obama. That's not politically correct.
Well everyone sure doesn't look at this the same way that you do. I was listening to talk radio this morning and all I kept hearing on the media side was how Barack's denouncing of Rev. Wright will not erode the fact that Wright is a racist, unpatriotic...blah, blah, blah.
I guess as a political apprentice, I don't like to enfold religion in politics because it is too sticky. Everyone has different, yet very strong opinions when it comes to religion and when you add that to the political arena it's like setting off a timebomb.
To me all of this jargon would have been relevant five weeks ago when the clip first got fire, but now it seems like "old politics," and I guess I am just sick of it. CNN, MSNBC and of course FixNews spent several hours on this yesterday. No news on the rising crime waves across the country, the rise in kids getting kidnapped, the rapid rise in gas prices, the state of the economy, two fortune 500 companies having to cut thousands of jobs...I mean, it's as if this controversy is the most important thing in the world - when frankly IT'S NOT!
I happen to like and respect both men, and find it a bit sad that they are on the outs, but let's move the hell on. Then, I am also looking at the big picture. I don't want McCain in office, nor do I want Billary. This is exactly what they want - people to be befuddled by all of this back and forth religious/hate crap while they lick their chops and go in for the kill. It won't seem relevant come June and the superdelegates choose her because they couldn't get past the Wright issue. It really won't seem relevant if that happens and the Democratic party loses more than half of the black vote as well as all of the new registered young voters who claim to stay at home if she is the candidate. The end result is the Republicans in the White House AGAIN and for what? Because most of America doesn't understand the black church? Because most Americans want to act like racism doesn't exist in this country anymore? Because Barack and Rev. Wright don't see eye to eye on the future of this country?
No, that's not how it should be, but that's where we are headed.
I think that Rev. Wright's recent minstrel-esque demonstrations are going to make it easier for people to file his previous (and future) comments as that of someone that doesn't have it altogether and is possibly an "angry Black man" that is just lashing out at the wrong people in the wrong way.
And while his some of his recent demonstrations (as shown in the video above) may be along those lines, I don't believe that his initial comments that were "exposed" were that of someone that is a racist or unpatriotic. He even made the comment himself that he served in the military but how many years did Cheney serve. That's real talk!
But he's done so much talking and "entertaining" via his speeches up to this point that the media is going to flip stuff he says from here on out most likely. And even if they don't, people will reference the older comments just to have something negative to say.
If you ask me (yeah, I always say that), he played himself on this one as far as the public's view of him goes. Black folk understand, but the media and the powers that be might not understand and more importantly, probably don't give two shyts.
"when you add that to the political arena it's like setting off a timebomb. " Very true.
And the media definitely runs this stuff into the ground but I think the media runs EVERYTHING into the ground. I'm tired of hearing about all the ills of our society. Not just about Reverend Wright. I don't want to hear about gas going even higher! I want to hear about how it can be lowered. I don't want to hear about rises in violence. I want to hear about what we can do to stop the violence. The media's job is to let us know what's going on and the race for the nomination is of more immediate importance (in the minds of the tv programmers) than these other issues. The Wright controversy isn't trivial but at the same time, it's nowhere near as important as the other issues you have mentioned. But we hear about them all over-and-over again and I'm still driving down the block on my way to work in Baltimore seeing kids on the corner and homeless folks begging for money. Let's talk about what we can do to fix things.
I'm rambling, sorry.
Hopefully we don't end up where you are saying we're headed. But I can't say that I disagree with you either. It's up to the individual to critically think about these things and decide what he/she is going to do. That's why an education is priceless. LOL.
I'm rambling, I'll stop. Thanks for the insight though.
to play the conspiracy theorist here...
ok, the sneaky b@stards in the hillary camp (ya'll can say it was the republicans but again, this is a conspiracy theory) scrape up some old clips from a rev wright sermon and put it out with a spin to make barack look bad. now, barack did the presidential thing and made a lovely speech. and STILL lost by 10 points in a state where he spent MILLIONS. no matter how hard he tried, it seems this rev wright thing just wouldn't die!
so, barack and wright hatch a plan. (no way am i implying that barack agrees with ALL of what wright was saying in his sermons, but anyone who has grown up in the black church knows how it is, sometimes you just let ur pastor rant and zone out thinking should you call ahead to the outback steakhouse or just wait to sneak out after alter call. lol). so, barack says, "yo, wright, this thing wo'nt die. we need to have a public falling out so people can see i'm fo'real!" and wright says "yeah, man, i'm with that, i need to get my celeb up anyway!"
and there you have it.
so, have you listened to the political commentary lately. they love barack! even feel a little sorry for him that he was forced to publicly turn on his beloved pastor! great plan!
OOOOR rev wright could just be a selfish guy, playing on his 15 minutes, or 15 clips, of fame to advance his career into retirement, not caring that he could cost the 1st black man and someone he claimed was a friend the presidency of the united states. you couldnt just shut up till november dawg???
one or the other....
I personally think Barack was losing PA with or without the Rev. Wright thing. He does not appeal to working class white folks and apparently there are a lot of them in PA (Philly probably being the exception).
But your conspiracy theory sounds plausible because it definitely seems like the Rev. likes the spotlight. Or at least likes to be outspoken to the point where he demands the spotlight.
And you're right. Now that Barack has completely distanced himself from Rev. Wright, the commentary is definitely becoming more positive. But I'm sure a lot of people on the Republican side as well as skeptical democrats may not be so convinced.
I think a lot of people feel like that's what he HAD to do (which I agree with) and others feel like it's what they want him to do so they don't have to worry about a Rev. Wright style guy in the oval office. I'm sure those that wanted him to separate himself from Rev. Wright wanted him to do that from the beginning. In hindsight, I can see why Barack denounced his words, but not "the man" and sort of extended Rev. Wright an olive branch. But now it's as if the Reverend took that branch and snapped in half.
In the words of Red Foxx..."YOU BIG DUMMY!"
You are completely wright Mike, Obama wasn't going to win PA, because PA is like MI, OH and those other northern middle states that are more racist than most southern ones because of the high percentage of lower class whites who have probably recently been laid off.
What the media isn't reporting is that those white voters who gave Hillary that win won't even be voting Democratic come November. Those are poor, blue-collar, barely in the middle class white folks who will vote for McCain, even though technically they don't fit into the tax bracket to be a Republican. They all switched over to Dem for the primary and got Hillary in there because well, she's white.
But make no mistake about it. If she were the candidate, the Republicans would have a field day with her. They want her to win because they know they have a better chance to win up against her. They don't want Obama because his youth, optimism and intelligence would overshadow McCain. It's like the Jedi's against the Dark Side. While the Dark Side is powerful, they have this old ass emperor who looks like he has one foot on the banana peel and the other one in the grave. It's just not as appealing against Luke Skywalker.
Wow, I went all the way to the back of the boat and back with that one, but you get my drift...LOL!
"What the media isn't reporting is that those white voters who gave Hillary that win won't even be voting Democratic come November...They all switched over to Dem for the primary and got Hillary in there because well, she's white."
Interesting. Gotta admit I have never thought about it that way.
Let me find out you brought up the Luke Skywalker reference. Wow. You got a lil Computer Nerd in you I see.
"Wow. You got a lil Computer Nerd in you I see."
Okay, maybe just a smidge, but you weren't supposed to say it out loud all willy nilly like that.
Although I could possibly say, "it takes one to know one"??? Could it be that you're holding up a "lightsaber" as well.
I think my track record speaks for itself.
But I have to admit that I have never seen Star Wars. Not a sci-fi guy. But I know the computer science folks that I know are all up on that ish.
win or lose, although difinative to 49% or 51% of the vote, in the primary democratic campaign it has been quite relative. if obama walked out of PA with a "loss" by only 3-5% margin instead of 10%, it clearly would have been a win for him. living and working in the Philadelphia media market, I watched the PA polls go from 60-40 to 52-48 in 6 weeks. and where as though polls have not been completly reliable this election cycle, I also listened to this key demographic of "white, working class" voters, slowly shift sides from: Hillary (the one we know) in the summer of 07 to Obama (we really DO need a change though) in February 08 and then back to Hillary in the final weeks before PA, as the media up here played Wright and "bitter-gate" comments non stop! it was crazy. I even lost my mind for a brief second (literally like 2 seconds only! LOL) and lost confidence in obama. and I had to question, as a woman, who I would have actually pulled the knob for on election day. but thanks be I came to my senses and Delaware voted already so my vote was secured! :)
"if obama walked out of PA with a "loss" by only 3-5% margin instead of 10%, it clearly would have been a win for him."
True.
I don't know that there's much Obama could do at this point to lose my vote. Unless he said something like "let's stay in Iraq for 100 more years" or "I landed in Bosnia under sniper fire".
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