• AOL
  • My AOL
  • Mail
  • Make AOL My HomePage
  • ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
  • MOVIES
  • TELEVISION
  • MUSIC
  • RADIO
  • GAMES
  • BLACK VOICES
  • TMZ
Black Voices
Black Voices
Web
SEARCH Search The Web Magnify Glass
x
  • Main
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Life & Style
  • Sports
  • Work & Money
  • Blogs
  • Boards
Send Us Feedback
BV BLOGS
  • Main
  • AIDS: 25 Years and Counting
  • Black Spin
  • BV Buzz
  • Casually Obsessed
  • Entertainment Newswire
  • Hair Apparent
  • It's All Reel
  • Money Talks
  • More Than Words
  • Style Spotter
RESOURCESsquare
  • Contact Us
  • Corrections
  • Problems
  • RSS Feeds
  • Send Us Tips
BLOG ROLLsquare
  • (Red)
  • Afrobella
  • AIDS Combat Zone
  • All About Race
  • AMBERmag.com Fashion & Beauty
  • Anderson@Large Political Blog
  • Black Web 2.0
  • Bossip
  • Brown Sista
  • Cake & Ice Cream
  • Canada's HipHossip
  • Clay Cane
  • Clutch
  • Cocoa Lounge
  • Concrete Loop
  • Crunk Disorderly
  • Drew Reports
  • Funky Brown Chick Humor
  • Jack and Jill Politics
  • Janet Charlton's Hollywood
  • JuicyScoop
  • Love B. Scott
  • Molifeney
  • Nah Right
  • NPR News & Notes Blog
  • Perez Hilton
  • Political Machine Elections Blog
  • Politics in Color
  • Pop Culture Junkie
  • Popeater AOL Music
  • Queersighted
  • Real Talk NY
  • Rhymes with Snitch
  • Sandra Varner's Talk 2 SV
  • Smoking Section
  • Soul Bounce Music
  • Spinner
  • Stereo Hyped
  • StyleList AOL Style
  • That Grape Juice
  • The Black Informant
  • The People's News
  • The Root
  • TMZ
  • VisualAIDS
  • Wallet Pop
  • Young, Black & Fabulous

Barack Obama on the Rev. Wright Ordeal

Posted Mar 15th 2008 10:00AM by Faye Anderson
Filed under: BlackSpin, Spirituality and Religion, Elections, Barack Obama

The Democratic presidential nomination battle is growing increasingly personal.

At the same time, the racial waters boiled over following a report of incendiary remarks by the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., Barack Obama's former pastor. Wright is being criticized for past racially charged statements such as calling America the "U.S. of K.K.K.A."



In full damage-control mode, Obama made the rounds of Fox News, CNN and MSNBC. He rejected Wright's "inflammatory" and "appalling" statements. "I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies.

I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue."

While Obama tries to distance himself from Wright, Trinity United Church of Christ's new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss III, said Wright's "character is being assassinated."

It is an open question whether Obama's "call for unity" will calm the racial waters. Fact is, the race genie has been uncorked. It will take more than hope to put it back in the bottle.
  • Permalink
  • Email this
  • Linking Blogs
  • Comments [181]

Reader Comments

(Page 1)

1. How To Assassinate A Presidential Candidate

Ammunition is an insidious, inflammatory and
unpatriotic video of a 3rd party individual

Weapon is repetitive visual media coverage.

Intended Results to tarnish the image of the African
American Candidate, and to kill his Candidacy.

Purpose is to pull voter's from Obama, so they will
more than likely vote for Clinton or McCain, giving them the pledges needed to obtain the nomination, without the Super Delegates,and which will diffuse the potential threat of violence they keep sayng will occur at the Convention, if the election is stolen from Obama.

What is Clinton doing during all of this. Why she's courting the super delegates, while the media does her work for her...that way she does not appear to be a racist.

Question 1: The media is not a member of that church, so which of Clinton's supporter's provided this information that has been out there for years to the media to attack Obama?

Question 2: How many people want to be accountable for what their Pastor's say across the pulpit....should it affect our ability to obtain our dream jobs?

Question 3: Where are the Black Leader's who should be stepping up and helping Obama, why have they seemingly have turned their back on him by their silence....do they not have a Forum....the only people I've seen paraded out by the media are a couple of fools, and a lot of white people trying to explain the thinking of African American people.

MyAudacity at 4:54PM on Mar 15th 2008

2. For get Rev. Wright, what he said was not a crime. Lets deal with Hillary's crime:
Trial date to be set in Paul vs. Clinton on February 21, 2008
By Kathy Miller | The Hillary Project Posted 3 weeks, 5 days ago
The Case Management Conference hearing in Paul v Clinton et al on February 21, in Los Angeles Superior Court will finally set a trial date in the long delayed civil fraud case and it will set a schedule for discovery that will include the sworn depositions of the entire Clinton family and the Clinton hierarchy of the Democratic Party.
A trial was set for March 2007, but it was delayed due to an appeal of a lower-court's decision to dismiss Sen. Clinton as a defendant. The California Supreme Court upheld the decision, but Sen. Clinton, nevertheless, will be required to testify under oath along with her husband as material witnesses.
Seven years ago Peter Paul began whistleblowing to the government and alerting the media of numerous illegalities committed by Hillary and Bill Clinton in order to win Hillary’s first election to public office.
The multi-million dollar donor to Hillary’s Senate campaign that caused Hillary’s finance director to be indicted and tried in May, 2005, for hiding his contributions, and whose complaint to the FEC resulted in a finding that Hillary’s campaign broke the law resulting in the only FEC fine imposed against Hillary’s campaign, will begin the discovery process leading to a trial in Los Angeles later this year of the Clintons and others for destroying Paul’s public company.
The lawsuit claims that Peter Paul was fraundulenty induced to make a 1.2 million in-kind contribution to Senator Hillary Clinton's 2000 senate campaign in exchange for former President Bill Clinton to be a rainmaker for this company once he left the White House. Paul claims that former President Clinton backed out of the $17 million deal, and his company collapsed.
Paul contends Clinton has filed four false FEC reports, in an attempt to distance herself from him after a Washington Post story days after the August 2000 fundraiser reported his past felony convictions. Clinton then returned a check for $2,000, insisting it was the only money she had taken from Paul. Clinton, Paul asserts, continues to hide from the public false statements about his contributions and her relationship with him, made to the Post through her spokesman Howard Wolfson. Clinton vowed publicly she would not take any more money from Paul, but one month later, she demanded another $100,000, to be hidden in a state committee using untraceable securities.
Paul’s allegations that his $1.2 million in donations were hidden by Hillary’s campaign have been corroborated by the Justice Department, FBI and FEC General Counsel- while the lying has been done by the Clinton appointed Judge in the Rosen trial, Hillary’s lawyer David Kendall has maintained Hillary’s campaign filed accurate reports until the campaign admitted hiding more than $720,000, and her lawyer Lyn Utrecht in false statements made to the FEC General Counsel denying Paul’s contribution of $1.
In May 2005, Sen. Clinton's former finance director, David Rosen, was acquitted for filing false campaign reports that later were charged by the FEC to treasurer Andrew Grossman, who accepted responsibility in the conciliation agreement. Paul points out the Rosen trial established his contention that he personally gave more than $1.2 million to Clinton's campaign for the fundraiser that his contributions intentionally were hidden from the public and the FEC.
Witnesses to be deposed include former President Bill Clinton, Chelsea Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore, Gov. Ed Rendell, Kelly Craighead, Howard Wolfson, Terry McAuliffe, and a host of A list Hollywood celebrities including, Barbra Streisand, John Travolta, Olivia Newton John, Brad Pitt, and Cher.
The case is the subject of a video documentary largely comprised of intimate "home movies" of Hillary Clinton and her Hollywood supporters captured by Paul during the period.
The cover-up of the largest campaign finance fraud in U.S. history will soon be exposed.
The complete corrobation of the records can be viewed at Hillcap.org
LATEST UPDATE READ: Judge delays setting trial date

Judge delays setting trial in Clinton fraud case
By Kathy Miller | The Hillary Project
Posted 3 weeks, 1 day ago

Jenifer Taylor at 4:58PM on Mar 15th 2008

3. I sent this Fox News:

A behind scene of Hillary Clinton 2000 Senatorial campaign at Blac Church

Sean needs to get over it! The statements Obama minister said have no relevance. What frightens the Clinton's is "unity" and any sign of "Universal" principles taking root in this society. Higher laws and thinking is like kryptonite to Hillary. Hillary devoted her entire life "fighting" as a woman, not as leader. Her fight was against a [phantom enemy. Her causes have always been women driven, and if she becomes President, her hand picked women staff is ready to enter the Whitehouse once again. And, one more time, Bill will be given the West wing to roam around to fine another Monica. There will bombs dropped in some sort of Phantom war, like Bill dropped on Kosovo. All the prior scandals with Hillary's DNA all over them surely will once again resurface, if she enters the Whitehouse. Leopards can't change their spots. So, please enough with the Clinton propaganda.Tthis couple has chosen politics as an escape from their marriage of convenience and we the public obviously like to be subjected to psychological abuse. Obama need to stay the course and let Bill and Hill self-destruct on the garbage they have busied themselves digging up. Obama pastor has retired and that is that.

Part Two/ Black Church: A behind scene of Hillary Clinton 2000 Senatorial campaign

Did she complaint about the statement made about her New York opponent when she was running for office? Did she denounce Richardson when she wanted the Black votes? This is what the Black pastor, Richardson said of Hillary's Senatorial opponent while she stood in the pulpit next to him. There was no rejection or denouncement. So, what we have is a double standard, and the Clintons doing everything in their power via surrogates to lower Obama down to the level that they are comfortable with. That means the Clintons are closet racists. They cannot campaign against Obama as a equal, intellectually or spiritually, because they are the ones who have spend their entire lives as welfare recipients, while hiding behind Black people when it suited their purposes. They used gullible Blacks to do their dirty work, and that include Maggie Williams who took part in hiding and finding subpoenaed records that Hillary refused to turn over. There was Betty Currie, who was used at the lowest level to shield Bill sexual interludes with Monica. Then, the Clintons called upon Jesse Jackson for spiritual counseling. They run to Black church for victory magic as depicted in the excerpts from the book below. They are professional frauds, and we all know misery loves company.

From: "The Girls in the Van: Covering Hillary," Berth J. Harpaz, 2001 a behind scene of Hillary Clinton 2000 Senatorial campaign

p/8 The Black Church:

In one of the black churches (Binghamton) we’d attended, the choir had sung “Victory today is mine,” and in another, the pastor had told Hillary and his cheering congregation, “God said, “We got victory! Our first lady got our vote. We got the first lady on lockdown. We got the polls on lockdown. When we pray, God answers our prayers, so its already yours!” It was clear that she felt that way, here and now, in a completely different place, a place filled with black faces in the inner city. She had a smile as big as a half moon, her voice was strong and everything about her body language sad, “I a winner!” …..Our plane was leaving in a few minute for Buffalo, but I needed to grab some quick quotes from few spectators….”she’s smart, that why I’m voting for her, one of them said. “She’s the president wife and she’s done a lot of good for women,” the next one said. “She’s a world class lady, and anyone with half a brain would have to vote for her.” “We need a woman. We need an intelligent woman. She ‘s not puppet of the good old boys,” said another
P8 Black Church /Part Three: A behind scene of Hillary Clinton 2000 Senatorial campaign

But it was also amazing to me how many of these black pastors actually seemed to know Bill Clinton personally. I had never been to most of the churches Hillary visited, despite years if following candidate around on their vote-getting treks and I had never even heard of a lot of them, despite having lived in New York my entire life. But it seemed as if in every other church we went to, the pastor got up and talked about meeting the president, or speaking to him, or writing to him, or visiting him in the White House. Black voters often complain about being taken advantage of by the Democratic Party, but the Clintons were obviously not guilty of this. One Sunday a Grace Baptist, a church in Mount Vernon in Westchester, not far from Chappaqua, pastor, W Franklyn Richardson, something of a bigwig in black Baptist circles, introduced Hillary by recalling a phone conversation he’d recently had with the president. P197

I said, “you my new neighbor,” Richardson recalled, and Bill said,”Yeah and your old friend.” We were treated to the Harriet Tubman tale, followed by prayer and hymns sung by the entire congregation, with Hillary joining in and McGuire leading”

I told Satan, get thee behind
I told Satan, get thee behind
Get thee behind
Get thee behind
Victory today is mine!

But on the second go-around the words change. McGuire raised her voice above the rest and loudly led with new lyrics until the congregation heard the change and carried on without her. Hillary, I noticed wasn’t singing this version.

This is what the Black pastor, Richardson said of Hillary's Senatorial opponent while she stood in the pulpit next to him the implication is undisputable, continued from the above:

"I told Lazio, get thee behind!

I told Lazio, get thee behind!
Get Thee behind!
Get Thee behind!
Victory is mine


Jenifer Taylor at 5:00PM on Mar 15th 2008

4. The racist Mudslime Omama is done stick a fork in him ! THANKS REV LORDY LORDY !

Righty Whitey at 5:11PM on Mar 15th 2008

5. I havve one question to ask, when do you people ever stop? Obama will have to answer questions about tis mans statements, and you all can hate Hillary Clinton all you whant to. I forgot I have another question to ask which is do you people really think that Barack Obama will sit down at a table with you all and single handidly solve all of your problems. Oh I will answer the second question for you and the answer is no. With all of this mess that the current adminstration has made it will take sixteen years to get out of it and he nor anyone else can fix it right now.

Shelley at 5:29PM on Mar 15th 2008

6. By the authority invested from the hand of the lord, I decree that Obama will be our next president. God saith so. "righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people." What is done in the dark shall be revealed. God doesn't wink at sin, He forbids it. And a liar shall not tarry in His sight.
We have sin His hand in these primary elections and we shall see Him triumph over all satanic forces trying to intervene. "The prayer of a righteous man prevails much." We as intercessors of this USA are praying in the Holy Ghost language of the Spirit and we shall prevail. Obama keep ur head high. God is still on His throne. He will perfect those things concerning you. In His Name. Satan we bind you and ur cohorts to take ur filthy hands off Barach Obama, he is a servant of the most high God and you have no more power or authority over him. We send you back to the pit. I say go now. thanks Lord! God did it.

elizabeth white-garraway at 5:35PM on Mar 15th 2008

7. After seeing 30 second excerpts from Dr. Wright's sermon, my heart sunk! I just knew that the media was going to take this whole sermon and use it against Obama. White America has a way of doing that. i've sat in on sermons at quite a few churches in my 65 years, I might not have agreed with the pastor, but his opinions were his opinions and not mine.Why would I walk out of the church simply because I didn't agree with him, but enjoyed other sermons that he has had in the past? Ask Hillory and Bill. They've attended numerous Black Baptist churches who have endorsed Bill during his campaign. Did they renounce the churches endorsement? This is all a bunch of bull. Couldn't Hillory's campaign come up with something better? Just because someone speaks his mind and white America doesn't agree, they blame the candidate for begriending this person? How stupid! When Congress or the Senate votes on a bill, everyone doesn't agree on the bill or the rhetoric of the bill, they just politely vote. Obama has remained a gentleman throughout this campaign. He is against this 'GARBAGE CAN' politics. My goodness, doesn;t Hillory know that so much can be thrown her way. Did she forget that they wanted to impeach her husband? How disgusting can it get, a United States PRESIDENT, not campaigner, but president, having sex in the white house right up under Hillory's nose.America now wants to bring him back as 'FIRST MAN.'There were other scandals at that time too. Now here we go with the scandal in New York, instead of asking if this will hurt Obama's campaign, someone should be asking the Senator of New York "If the chicken's came home to roost"..

Beatrice Gray at 6:59PM on Mar 15th 2008

8. Shelly I don't know where you live, or who you thinking you are fooling. I don't understand the language or your spelling. I truly believe that you are white trying hard to imitate some Black people. If this is true then you need to get a life and if this isn't true then you need to learn how to spell. Pastor Green should not teach hatred, and all those Pastor that are lying, stealing and cheaping will have to give encount of their actions. Jesus set a perfect example for us, he model integrity, honesty, mercy, grace and most of all LOVE. All this hatred, racism and name calling is out of control. I am so disappointed in the Christian Leaders or should I say those that say that are Christian. They are not because Christian means to be Christ like, and the pastor, Bill nor Hilary has demostrated the examples of Jesus Christ. I feel sorry for the nation because the pastor's are running behind money to line their pockets and Bill and Hilary are making promise to get a vote. The devil came to steal, kill and destory. This is what I am hearing about the pastors and the Clintons. How can we ever teach or lead the youth, the congregate and the community, with bribery, bigotry, and adultry is being displayed. What kind of examples are we allowing to lead the nation one who lies, steal, commit adultry and truly don't have any one interest at heart but her owns. For all of the people who reads the blog; I would like to ask you this question is there a White heaven and a Black heaven? Instead of fighting amount yourself and about the elections FIND JESUS CHRIST for yourself. Before you leave this world you are going to need him. Truly your leaders don't know him. Hilary stated that all Obama has is words. If she truly knew God she would know and understand that this world was created with words. Genesis 1-3 Read it God spoke the word and the world came into existence. Words have power. People put your trust in God not your pastor, Hilary, Bill and Obama. GOD.

jane at 7:25PM on Mar 15th 2008

9. SHELLEY YOU IDIOT, SENATOR OBAMA PROBLEMS DEALS WITH SOMEONE ELSE'S OPINION. WE HAD 6 YEARS OF THE CLINTON'S MESS. THIS COUNTRY IS SAD. THE ONLY WAY THEY CAN BRING THIS BLACK MAN DOWN IS TO USE HIS PASTOR. SHELLEY I DON'T THINK SENATOR OBAMA WILL JUST HELP BLACK PEOPLE. THE SENATOR WILL HELP ALL THE PEOPLE. OBAMA IS GOOD FOR AMERICA. CLINTON IS SELFISH. HER ATTITUDE IS EITHER I WIN OR I WILL DESTROY THE DEM. PARTY AND MAKE SURE MC CAIN WIN. HILLARY STATEMENT " MC CAIN AND I ARE THE ONLY ONE'S THAT HAVE THE EXPERIENCE TO BE PRESIDENT, OBAMA HAS A SPEECH ", SHE AS A DEMOCRAT AND YET SHE IS PROMOTING A REPUBLICAN OVER HER DEMOCRATIC RIVAL, HILLARY HOW LOW CAN YOU GO. SELFISH, SELFISH, SHE WILL SAY AND DO ANY THING TO BE ELECTED. SHE CAN'T BE TRUSTED!!!!!!!

mo power to the people at 7:43PM on Mar 15th 2008

10. Typical Negroes.

You knew this was going to happen. Obama is a chameleon. He is black and white. He is atheist, muslim and christian. He is a divider and a uniter only for people that follow his views only.

He joined Rev. Wright's church to get in the Illinois politic scene and when he don't need him he distances his self.

I guess that's fine judgment to be President of these United States. I am glad I did not waste my vote. Not going to tell you who I voted for. LOL!

I guess his chickens are coming home to roost. LOL!

interesting at 8:29PM on Mar 15th 2008

11. I have watched a very self-confident young man slump in his posture because of his choice in his Religious advisers. I would like to know about the people, the candidates that are Catholic and it became known that their teacher, confessor or spiritual leader is a Pedophile, are they questioned about their association? Do the Clintons have a Church that is not Black?

Pearl Forbes Chaffers at 8:49PM on Mar 15th 2008

12. Obama got some very bad political advice. He shouldn't denounce his mininster. He just sounds like another politician. I would prefer he say "I don't agree with everything my pastor says, but he's my friend and a mentor, and I won't turn my back on him." This is just a huge non-issue. It's a way of making this election about race. BTW I'm a white republican and I think this is all just a dirty trick.

Dean at 9:55PM on Mar 15th 2008

13. If I am not mistaken that is exactly what he said "I denounce the statements of the man not the he denounces him. Obama should not be judged by what his former paster's statements were. Jerimiah Wright should not be judged by 2 sermons as I have heard he has 30 years of good work in the black community. And
god knows if it were not for churchs like that many in black community would not survive. People are judging what they dont understand.

junie at 10:16PM on Mar 15th 2008

14. Shelley, #5 first of all you gave yourself away when you said "you people" you sound hopeless and stupid, nobody is asking the man to solve EVERY PROBLEM NOR EVERYBODY'S PROBLEMS, that is an ignorant statement and does not even deserve an answer. But even more ignorant are the statements from interesting #10 if you want to see a divider just go take a look in the mirror. If you were just a SLIVER of a man that Barack Obama is I MIGHT THINK about replying to your backwards azz statement, but since you're not just do yourself a favor and SHUTUP

Omaha Ne. Patricia at 10:35PM on Mar 15th 2008

15. obama will create a cival war, it is best if he withdraws now and goes back to kenya where he belongs.

vote mccain powell

hank at 10:47PM on Mar 15th 2008

Next 15 Comments

Add your comments

Please keep your comments relevant to this blog entry: inappropriate or purely promotional comments may be removed. Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. To create a live link, simply type the URL (including http://) or email address and we will make it a live link for you. You can put up to 3 URLs in your comments. Line breaks and paragraphs are automatically converted — no need to use <p> or <br> tags.

Your name (required):

Your email address (required, will not be shown to the public):

Your site’s URL (optional):

Do you want us to remember your personal information for next time?
   
Add your comments:

Comments

Most Recent Comments

(7 Days)
  • Tonya on Mass Murder in Zimbabwe, We Don't Care
  • Lena on Tia Mowry: Grown Up, Married & Starring In Hit Show
  • Richard Ott on Hot Talk With Chilli: TLC Singer Talks Dating Rumors, Music & Reality TV
  • Rozlyn Ratliff on Obama, Clinton Hug It Out, But Don't Mess With Bill
  • Rozlyn Ratliff on Obama, Clinton Hug It Out, But Don't Mess With Bill
  • YARD CORE on BLACK BEAUTIES GONE WILD: Irresistible
  • Rozlyn Ratliff on Obama, Clinton Hug It Out, But Don't Mess With Bill

Most Commented On

  • Notable/Quotable: Oprah Winfrey (520)
  • Oprah's Empire Will Strike Back (463)
  • Luv Coach Q&A: Love and Honesty (323)
  • Princess Parent: 19-Year-Old 'American Idol' Finalist Paris Bennett is Pregnant (316)
  • Proud Black Men Promote R. Kelly Boycott (287)
  • More Obama Monkey Business - Jim Crow Images Reappear (195)
  • Obama Wins Democratic Nomination (189)
  • Say What? Barack's a Threatening Black Man (172)
  • Frankly Speaking: Angie Stone On Being Dark Skinned In Entertainment (160)
  • Darius McCrary: For The Love Of Superhead (150)
  • Ancestors Are Reaching Out On Juneteenth (146)
  • Usher: 'Retired' Mom Not Retired At All (120)

Also on AOL

More on Black Voices

  • African American Culture
  • Black College Sports
  • Black Entertainment
  • Black News
  • Black TV
  • Black Blogs
  • Black Movies
  • Black Music Month
  • Black Gossip
  • TV Blog

Hot Topics

  • Juanita Bynum
  • Barack Obama
  • Hurricane Katrina
  • OJ Simpson Arrest
  • Kimora Lee Simmons
  • Essence.com
  • Kwanzaa
  • Janet Jackson

More On AOL

  • Mail
  • Search
  • Movies
  • Spinner
  • Winamp
  • Shoutcast
  • MapQuest
  • CityGuide
  • Games
  • Music
  • TMZ
  • Television
  • Sports
  • Money
  • Engadget
  • Autoblog
  • Joystiq
  • BloggingStocks
  • TUAW
  • DownloadSquad
  • Styledash
  • Cinematical
  • TVSquad
  • RSS/Feeds

  • Terms Of Use
  • Updated Terms Of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Updated Privacy Policy
  • Trademarks
  • Site Map

AOL Black Voices, the premiere site for African-American culture and community, offers African-American message boards, profiles and chats, Africa-American sports, Africa-American news, African-American entertainment, African-American style and beauty, relationship advice and more. Share your voice at BV!

© 2008 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.

AOL@Black Voices © 2007 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.

BACK TO TOP