Co-blogger T-Steel already offered his take on this subject today, but I wanted to give my own musings on whether and what Obama needs to see regarding his pastor’s praise for Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan.
I do want to briefly digress to note that I think T-Steel’s example of his ex-murderer friend is somewhat in-apt. I certainly agree that T should not be forced to throw his friend under a bus if he ran for office. After all, his friend has rehabilitated, paid his debts, and has reintegrated into society as a full and productive member. But it would be different if his friend were still out killing people, and the problem with Rev. Wright is that he still apparently believes, right now, that Farrakhan is a figure worthy of praise and respect. If Wright had abandoned this belief years ago and it were being dredged up now as an attack ad, I’d totally be on board. But unlike T-Steel’s friend, there is no “ex” in Wright’s problem, and that changes the calculus significantly.