Jeremiah Wright: Obama’s Root Canal
Barack Obama needed this like he needed a root canal.
Just when the Jeremiah Wright furor seemed to be dying down, the ex-pastor is back and suddenly inescapable. On the tube with Bill Moyers. Speaking to the NAACP. Showing up Monday at the National Press Club.
There it was yesterday, that endless loop of Wright shouting “God damn America” over and over. Yet another opportunity to talk about how he thinks the US of KKK-A created the AIDS virus to kill blacks.
This is rather amazing. At great political risk to himself, Obama refused to disavow Wright even as he tried to distance himself from the reverend’s more inflammatory rhetoric. Wright might have repaid the favor to the man whose wedding he handled by laying low, at least until November.
Instead, Wright is mounting a media blitz that he has to know–has to know–is going to damage the most famous member of his former church. No matter how reasonable he sounds, he just reignites the controversy and throws his friend under the bus.
Root canal might be more attractive to Senator Obama and his campaign right now.
Someone should remind Reverend Wright that the heat of a campaign is not a time when he can explain himself.
If there are ways to explain his comments–and I believe that many of them can be explained, it would be better for him to wait until after November. Until then, all will be YouTube-driven, sound bite frenzy, hardly a time when intemperate words can be explained coolly.
To me, the Wright story has always been more complicated than the sound bites or the editorial cartoons conveyed. In looking at some of Wright’s pronouncements and in heeding some who know him well, I’ve concluded that he is a basically solid Christian minister who nonetheless adheres to some reprehensible, indefensible ideas. When he is prophetic, as he can be in the most positive Biblical sense, he nonetheless also displays an allegiance to notions that are in turn, kooky, dangerous, or bigoted.
It appears that Wright is so bent on “clarifying” himself that he can’t or won’t defer addressing what he regards as unfair assaults on his character and his message until the election is over.
The results could be the scuttling of both his own reputation and the election of his former parishioner to the presidency.
His desire to speak out is, I suppose, understandable. His timing is horrible.
I wrote a series of posts on Wright from my perspective as a Lutheran Christian pastor:
Is Wright Wrong? Part 1
Is Wright Wrong? Part 2
Is Wright Wrong? Part 3
Is Wright Wrong? Part 4
Is Wright Wrong? Part 5
[This has been cross-posted at my personal blog.]
11 Responses to “Jeremiah Wright: Obama’s Root Canal”
[...] Mark Daniels, a Lutheran Pastor himself, offers this comment: To me, the Wright story has always been more complicated than the sound bites or the editorial [...]
[...] Daniels at The Moderate Voice, channeling Kurtz: Obama’s Root Canal, which he needs right now like a hole in the [...]
Looks like Senator Obama will be forced to rhetorically blow Reverend Wright up. The press is running with Wright's recent appearances and Wright's enjoying the run.
Thankfully CNN broadcast Rev. Wright speaking at the NAACP last night and presented it thoughtfully and did not cherry pick. You saw the whole man. Someone who is intellectual and engaging and a wonderful speaker. Not the cartoon that MSNBC keeps promoting over and over again.
I am amazed the irresponsible way MSNBC portrays this man. This morning they were hit, from what I gather from their comments, with tons of email trying to get them to stop making him the cartoon and be more thoughtful. And yet they keep on their same bent.
I dont' know if they are stupid, wanting to help Hillary or McCain, but, they are the ones who are being obtuse and irresponsible.
Anyone who watches this man can see why Obama went to his church. Wright is a scholar who speaks 5 languages and teaches in his talks history and social comment.
I am a 50 year old white woman. I was never shocked by the soundbites. I knew it was a hit job and that was not the man. I also knew why it was being done. I am also aware of AA churches and that they are not sedate like the white church is and can be provacative.
[...] H/T to MemeOrandum: Michelle Malkin (Right); at-Largely (Left); Hot Air – Ed Morrissey (Right); The Moderate Voice (Center); Obsidian Wings (Left); Drudge Retort (Left); The Left Coaster (Left) Bookmark: Tags: [...]
Why should he hide — or be concealed from the voters? What else may be hidden from us? is a prompt response to that.
Transcript of the Wright appearance at the National Press Club:
http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/04/28/transcr…
So, now we have a debate about who has the one and only true interpretation of Biblical teachings?
Both the aruthor of this post t and Rev. Wright draw from the same source, but arrive at different political applications. Theya re both mortal men, subject to their human limitations. The Holy Spirit hasn't descended to choose sides.
Rev. Wright uses scripture to do battle on behalf of the oppressed, while Rev. Daniels appears to be more concerned with battling differing readings of Bible passages.
In his recent public appearences, Rev. Wright has stressed the theme of reconciliation, while Rev. Daniels continues to pick over the scabs of divisiveness..
I pick recondilitaion as the most Christian approach.
“The press is running with Wright's recent appearances and Wright's enjoying the run.”
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I couldn't disagree more on the 'enjoying' characterization.
.
In fact, I think Rev. Wright was making a seirous effort to explaine the syle in which his messages are framed. Since the caricatue he has been reduced to by his critics is so much dependent of a misreading of his style, that's a very
important topic that needs to be aired publically..
That this should need explanation, just goes to show how invisible to current sensibilities black culture really is. A certain flamfoyancy in oratry , like the use rhynes ti drive home a pont, is part of black rhetorical style. . Because the style is different, from what is common in Europena bred, oratory, it is often regarded with suspicion or as inferior. That is one of the misconceptions, a serious one, Wright was addressing. Because he speaks in ine style he is trying to explain, I don't think he can be said to 'enjoy' it anymore than any other publci speaker.
“displays an allegiance to notions that are in turn, kooky, dangerous, or bigoted”
Mote, eye, whatevah.
Read an article that explains how the psychological theory of “cross-race recognition deficit” may be exacerbating the indelible linkage of Jeremiah Wright’s views to Barack Obama…here:
http://www.thoughttheater.com