<p>A black friend of mine and an Obama supporter had an interesting take on the Obama/Wright split. She believes that some in the “old guard” black leadership are threatened by the new leadership of people like Obama, saying his views of reconciliation take away their purpose and power. Because Obama is one who wants to put aside the divisions of the past and build on our commonalities, his rise, and the potential for his world view becoming the dominant one diminishes their own relevance in the black communities. She is furious with Wright, and believes he is consciously or not, sabotaging Obama out of revenge (and fear of his displacement)- seeing Obama as a rival, philosophically. She feels that Obama had to make the break after Wright’s rants on Monday because he couldn’t see, after all that had transpired, any way to bring the distinction between his world view and Wright’s without doing so, yet is was painful because of their personal relationship. She thinks Obama hoped and believed that he would have Wright’s support in spite of their differences, and was surprised as well as hurt when it became apparent to him that he did not.</p>
<p>ASAP, I agree with your friend’s reading of the situation. </p>
<p>If you are deep blue or deep red, then you are threatened by the thought of 50 purple states.</p>
<p>And what, pray tell, was Obama the Healer doing for the first 20 years he spent in this church listening to the gospel of hate?</p>
<p>It seems to me like he was listening and evaluating, and forming his own philosophy of how to make the world a better place.</p>
<p>And, when, pray tell, was Obama the Philosopher planning to actually do something with his 20 years in the making philosophy – besides run for the next higher office every four years? Was voting “present” on a bill outlawing strip clubs and porno shops within 1000 feet of Illinois schools part of his “philosophy”?</p>
<p>Christcorp: You said “If a person has such little respect for their wife and doesn’t honor their commitment to her, then we have doubts of their honor and commitment to things less personal to them but more important to us. Such as running the country. We do believe such personal actions do affect his decisions and ability to govern.”</p>
<p>Let’s see: McCain threw over the wife who waited for him while he was in Viet Nam to marry a wealthy blonde 25 yrs younger than himself with one month between the divorce and the second marriage. He also states in his autobiography that he was messing around a lot even before his 1st marriage broke up. </p>
<p>Newt Gingrich, while foaming at the mouth over Pres. Clinton’s infidelity, was in the midst of his affair with his now 3rd wife. He’s the prince who served divorce papers on one (I think #2) wife while she was in the hospital recovering from breast cancer surgery. </p>
<p>Guiliani: Well, it’s Guiliani which is nuff said. </p>
<p>Fred Thompson: Divorced, well-known Hollywood playa, married again to a woman who is even younger than Mrs. Cindy McCain is compared to John McCain. </p>
<p>All of these guys possess, according to the Republicans, character that is presidential. Is it that character only counts when there’s a (D) after a name?</p>
<p>Query Was Wright the only minister in the church for his entire tenure?</p>
<p>Novelisto: Indeed. I think the very last people in the world who should be pointing fingers about infidelity are registered, active Republicans, given the atrocious history of their prominent leaders’ personal lives.</p>
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<p>Yes. Obama met him in 1988.</p>
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<p>I’m sorry, Idad, but is that all you’ve got? How exactly how is that a charge of racism? Sounds like he’s saying that Hillary’s tears are manufactured for political expediency (not a view I support, btw), that they come from a woman who doesn’t truly care for anyone other than herself, and her own ambitions. That’s hardly a charge of racism. </p>
<p>Again, when have “he and his campaign systematically called her a racist”? Quotes and references please. Those which specifically reference the “R” word itself would be most credible.</p>
<p>It’s a small detail, but Wright was the Senior pastor at Trinity. There were and are other pastors at the church (Assistant Pastors, Youth Ministry Pastors, etc.) An 8000 member church cannot be adequately serviced by just one pastor.</p>
<p>You don’t think the “Katrina” reference from Jesse Jackson Jr. was tinged with racial overtones? Especially when it was followed in the next sentence by Jackson pointing out that 45% of the voters in SC are black and would be concerned about that?</p>
<p>You don’t think the list of racial attacks prepared by the Obama and distributed to the media before the SC primary was intended to fan the passions of voter in South Carolina?</p>
<p>You don’t think Obama’s SC campaign chair comparing President Clinton to Lee Atwater had racial overtones? Give me a break.</p>
<p>Look. It’s fine. Obama did what he had to do. He’s won 92% of the black vote since he played the race card. Good for him. The cost? People such as myself are furious that the Obama campaign and the Democrats have unfairly painted Bill and Hillary Clinton as racists. I’m done. 30% of Clinton’s supporters are done. </p>
<p>We’ll see how the coalition of college students, aging hippies, and black voters holds up for the Dems in November and how that coalition fares under eight more year of a Republican President. You’ve got what you wanted. Don’t complain to me about it.</p>
<p>No quotes, huh?. Just your word. OK…</p>
<p>I disagree that the Wright/Obama issue is about the new versus old guard. Inherent in that assumption is the idea that people like Wright actually know better, but intentionally skirt truth in order to maintain control over their followers for personal gain. Somehow, I don’t think Wright is trying to derail Obama because he’s concerned about losing a battle over the minds of 8,000 members at a church where he has retired. </p>
<p>It’s nothing more than personal ego at play here.</p>
<p>Never mind. I found the Jackson quote about Clinton’s tears and katrina. I agree, that was a low blow. Now I’ve got to look for the Lee Atwater reference. Just as an aside, I don’t even remember who Lee Atwater was. I’m in the middle trying to make supper, so I’m not able to spend an in-depth search right at this moment.</p>
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<p>Lee Atwater was the Republican strategist who introduced race-baiting into the Presidential playbook. He’s the one who had Reagan announce his candidacy with a speech on “states rights” (long-standing code word) delivered in Philadelphia, MS. A blatant symbolic call to arms.</p>
<p>He’s the one behind the Willie Horton ad. And a litany of coded anti-black messages to take down Democrats.</p>
<p>Remember when the press went ballistic on Bill Clinton in SC for “telling off a CNN reporter”. The question they never showed was, “Mr. President, Obama’s state chairman So and So compared you to Lee Atwater this morning…”</p>
<p>Do you have any idea how insulting that is to a President of the United States who HAS SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE WORKING FOR EQUALITY AND MINORITY GROUPS? It would be less insulting to call him the grand wazoo of the KKK than to call him Lee Atwater. Disgusting. Don’t talk to me about “bridging divides” and all that nonsense. Where was Barack Obama, Howard Dean, Ted Kennedy, and James Clyburn on THAT one? Crickets. </p>
<p>But, heh. That’s OK. You’ve got your candidate. Never mind that his campaign is a sleeze-fest and has been since they kicked it off with that 1984 attack ad.</p>
<p>Here’s what I think: take your Democratic Party and shove it. Oh, and polling this week show that 30% of Clinton supporters feel exactly the same way I do and intend to vote for McCain. Tell Al Sharpton that maybe we’ll riot in the streets, too.</p>
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<p>It was an intentional pre-meditated strategy to play the race card and insinuate that Bill and Hillary Clinton were racists. Obama did it before SC. He did it before every southern primary. And, his campaign is doing it again before the N. Carolina primary.</p>
<p>So be it. It worked. He’s got 92% of the black vote. He’s lost 65% of the white vote.</p>
<p>Idad, I don’t know if your particularly bellicose tone was directed at me, but I must tell you, I don’t appreciate it. If you’ll look back on my posts, it should be readily apparent that Obama is not “my candidate”. I have stated time and again that, John Edwards was my candidate. I have indeed said that I much prefer Obama over Billary, but also, that I’ve not yet decided who I’ll be voting for the in the fall, only who I’d not be voting for. But even then, I’ve recently admitted that I may well have to reconsider my insistence that I would vote McCain over Clinton. And, I’ve also more than once lamented about the absence of a candidate I could truly vote “for”. </p>
<p>So please don’t tell me what “I can tell Al Sharpton”, because if you knew anything about me, you’d also have figured out by now that I have no respect for the man. It’s not like I’ve kept that a secret.</p>
<p>I’ve always found you to be a thoughtful and reasonable man on these forums, and have always endeavored to be respectful in our past exchanges, even upon those few times when I’ve disagreed with you. I would appreciate treatment in kind.</p>
<p>I do not drink the KoolAid. And I am not your enemy!</p>
<p>Sorry. I misinterpreted your defense of Obama on playing the race card against the Clintons issue – an issue that makes my blood boil. Again, I was a Democrat BECAUSE leaders like the Clintons have been on the right side of that issue their entire lives. Vote for 'em. Vote against 'em. But, don’t send the campaign chairman out to call 'em racists.</p>
<p>I didn’t mean that you specifically can tell Al Sharpton. The Reverend Al has promised that African Americans will riot in the streets if Obama is not the Democratic nominee. I just somebody to tell Al that he may have to leave room in the streets for some Clinton supporters, too.</p>
<p>Oh, new FOX poll today:</p>
<p>[FOXNews.com</a> - FOX News Poll: Obama’s Favorable Rating Drops - Polls | AP Polls | Gallup Poll | Opinion Polls](<a href=“http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353459,00.html]FOXNews.com”>Fox News - Breaking News Updates | Latest News Headlines | Photos & News Videos)</p>
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