Obama needs to speak up!

[backscatter712]

Those of you who actually listened to what Rev. Wright knows that what he's saying is right. You know he's a decent, intelligent, passionate and funny human being who is worthy of our respect.

Of course, we all know what the fascist media's going to do - chop that speech up into sound bites, pore over them with a microscope, take them completely out of context and find something to tape-loop that makes him look like a kook, thus hurting Obama.

Obama, the ball's now in your court. You need to speak up on this.

The goal should be the same as in your last race speech - humanize Wright, legitimize what he's talking about, discuss racial issues with the American public, talking to us as adults.

We're tired of predigested pabulum coming out of the back end of the fascist media's digestive tract.

It's time for some truth. The truth will set you free, Barack Obama, it'll set Rev. Wright free, and it will set all of us free.

[MNDemNY]

1. If Obama mounts a full scale defense of Rev. Wright, he's done.

[scheming daemons]

This is about the 12th time in the past months you've said "he's done". You've been wrong each time

[backscatter712]

9. Did I say defend Wright's offensive remarks?

No, but do defend the man.

America's tired of fear/smear/gotcha politics. They want to see decent human beings on the stage. The usual assholes will throw Wright under the bus. Decent human beings will sure, criticize the offensive statements, but also defend the man, and defend the good things he has to say.

I didn't hear Wright say "God damn America" last night. I heard a hell of a lot of good stuff last night from Rev. Wright.

We need to realize that if we just ignore this and let the media do their usual thing, it will turn into a smear. But if we speak up and take sente (to use a term from Go) - take the initiative, we can turn Wright into an asset for Obama, not a liability.

Stop focusing on putting out fires, and start focusing on setting them, not just at Hillary, and at McCain, but at the media. The more we call them out for their biases and distortion, the less they can get away with doing it.

[MNDemNY]

16. Try to separate the man from his words??? Good luck with that.

[NJmaverick]

2. Let Wright defend himself, let Obama run for President

better that these two men's paths diverge.

[keep_it_real]

6. Exactly

[Andy823]

3. What he really needs to do

Is take on McCain, ignore Hillary's attacks, and let forget about Wright! As long as he has to keep going back to Wright, he can not talk about the issues, and that's what we need to hear, how he will address the issues that need to be changed. As long as he has to defend Wright, or defend himself against the fear and smear tactics of the Clinton camp, he is not addressing the things this country really are worried about.

[keep_it_real]

4. Maybe he should do a speech on separation of church and state?

And judging character.

[BeyondGeography]

5. He has already spoken up and it's clear they are two different people

even if they mostly agree on the big picture. I'm sure he's done with in-depth speeches on the Reverend, and rightfully so.

[Bluebear]

7. Personally, the less Obama talks about religion, the better

To me so much of his campaign has been intertwined with religion and church that it has made me uncomfortable. Let Wright be Wright and let Obama be Obama.

[Iwasthere]

10. Couldn't agree more

I think Obama focusing more on Religion will drag him down. ENOUGH religious shit already!

[peaches2003]

8. Wright is no friend of Obama's

Obama defended Wright in a wonderful speech and this is what he gets in return??? Wright knows exactly what he is doing to Obama by making such a public display of defending himself from the right wing onslaught now. If he was a friend of Obama's and a true Christian he would wait and not hurt Obama by doing this. I say it is time for Obama to reply in kind and cast himself totally away from any connection or defense of Wright. This is a shame and even more a shame that Obama might be brought down by what his preacher says!

You join a church, you do not join a fan club for the preacher.

[MadBadger]

14. This isnt about Barack Obama. Can't you understand that? This is about a man's life's work

He feels like Obama is ashamed of him, and you know what? I can understand him feeling that way. Wright has every reason to be upset, but he isnt coming out to spite Obama. If you watched the damn speeches and if Americans watched the speeches, they would see a more easy-going likeable side to Wright. God forbid anybody did anything by themselves instead of letting the media speak for them.

[peaches2003]

19. I have watched all his "damn speeches", thank you,

and understand exactly what Wright thinks has been done to his reputation. He has a valuable life's work he wants to defend. However, he also must understand how the words he said and how they are being repeated over and over by the media (unfairly) are being attributed to one of his parishioners and what that is doing. He can defend himself, but to do it now in the public way he is doing it after Obama defended him and his church is not necessary and certainly not Christian behavior for a pastor.

[MadBadger]

21. You sound like a fool trying to say what's Christian and what isnt.

[jpertello]

11. Wright is after Obama

He said something about "coming after Obama" if he becomes president.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/28/jeremiah-wright-at-nation_n_98949.html


I think Wright is deliberately trying to hurt Obama now. He is playing the media and they're responding to Wright's manipulation. He is a brilliant speaker and I listened to the entire speech. But Obama cannot let this thing fester. Wright is the Billy Carter, the Roger Clinton of Obama's campaign.

[Bensthename]

22. I think you are right.

[Swamp Rat]

12. No he does not.

Rev. Wright spoke for himself just fine.

[MadBadger]

13. Wright is correct, Obama is a politician. He cant respond that way.

[sunonmars]

15. much easier to just write his concession speech and save us the trouble.

[Window]

17. IMO, Sen. Obama does not need to say anymore about Rev. Wright unless

asked a direct question, and maybe not even then. It's been addressed to many times already.

This is about Rev. Wright responding to the whore media for denigrating the man, his church and his people.

Oh, and I haven't heard anyone respond to the death threats/bombing of the church he's been receiving since the sound bites were first played.

Fuck 'em all.

I love Sen. Obama and all that he stands for, but if the people let Rev. Wright sink his campaign, the presidency was not for him. Que sera, sera and all that jazz. We will get the government we deserve. Period.

[kentuck]

18. Nobody that supports Lewis Farrakhan...

can be elected President. Period. He needs to clear up this perception.

[nsd]

20. Defending Wright is not Obama's problem.

By starting this press tour right now (the week before NC and IN), Wright demonstrated that he's not much of a friend to Barack. I don't think Obama owes him anything.

[backscatter712]

23. Fair enough.

Maybe Obama should respond by again talking to the voters about race like they're adults.

[palindrome]

24. he should defend wright for sure