Obama On Wright: "He Does Not Speak For Me"
WILMINGTON, NC -- In a hastily-arranged press conference next to the whirring engine of his 757 Monday afternoon, Barack Obama spoke about his controversial former pastor the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Wright is back in the news today after delivering a fierce defense of himself and the ideas he has put forth in which he argued that mainstream America did not understand the black church.
Obama did not address the content of Wright's remarks to the National Press Club in Washington today, instead restating his view that he found some of the pastor's remarks offensive but that the man whose church he has attended for 20 years haa a right to speak his own mind.
"He does not speak for me," Obama said. "He does not speak for the campaign, and so he may make statements in the future that don’t reflect my values or concerns," the senator told reporters who strained to hear him on the loud tarmac.
Obama said he would remain focused on the issues voters ask him about, such as how to deal with lost jobs and high gas prices. He said voters had not mentioned Wright to him. He argued, as he did earlier today, that his rivals were trying to distract the American people and make this election about him.
"Obviously, what people like John McCain are now doing is, not being on the strong side of the issues, have decided they're gonna try to make this campaign about me," he said.
He said voters could separate him from his associates.
"I think people will understand that I am not perfect and that, you know, there are gonna be, you know, folks in my past, like Rev. Wright, that may cause them some concern but that ultimately, you know, my 20 years of service and the values that I've written about and spoken about and promoted are their values and what they're concerned about, and that's what this campaign has been about and what its going to continue to be about," he said.
Obama also reacted to a Supreme Court ruling today that would allow states to require that voters show a valid photo ID at the polls, arguing that it discourages turnout and that there was no evidence of voter fraud to justify requiring such measures.
"There are a lot of seniors who don't have photo IDs," he said. "There are a lot of low-income people that don't have photo IDs. The fact that they may cost money means that some people will choose not get them and are less likely to vote. I disagree with the decision, but we're going to do everything that we can in our campaign, and I trust that not only the Democratic Party but fair-minded Republicans are gonna do whatever they can at the state levels to make sure that people are able to exercise the franchise. "
(NBC/NJ's ATHENA JONES)
April 24, 2008
If we use the Reverend Wright comments and the reference of how could Obama remain a member of the church and not simply gotten up and left... Then the Catholic Church should probably be out of business with no remaining parishioners. I know I’d have left if I found out the church I attended was found guilty of molesting underage boys and children of the church. So what am I missing? Were these acts done in the name of god or just under the guise of god, in the house of god? If you approved of these acts done in the Catholic Church, shouldn’t you be the one’s begging for America’s Forgiveness? How about if you even attended the Catholic Church and failed or were too weak to get up and walk out? What then are you? Political Hypocrites? Paid News Punks? Paid News Assassins? Please enlighten America. We awaited your paid distractions...
A simple American
Mr. D.
Mr. D.
Stop being so rational. Don't you realize we live in an irrational world?
Truth is, everyone in the world knows that A) Rev. Wright is fully capable of speaking for himself (and thus Barack need not answer for him and B) Rev. Wright was 100% correct that American foreign policy under both party's leadership resulted in direct causality of being attacked. In the intel world it is called BLOWBACK. In the real world it is called common sense (and God knows, most Americans are fresh out of that).
Wright is as homophobic as Falwell, Hagee and Robertson, and Obama should denounce him.
Obama has praised and stood beside pastor Wright even after Wright was exposed on television to the brink of loosing all of his voters. Obama and his children stayed at this church for 20 years,learning the teachings of a pastor that hates whites plus he will not say the pledge of alliegence to the flag. The stars and stripes stand for ALL Americans. Where I live Obama was not in a church when he was with pastor wright he was in what we call a cult,did you see the standing ovation after his hatred to whites if he does not honor the American flag I don't believe he honors the American people. Does Wright know the churches praise god,he should start reading the bible to learn u don't use gods name in vain .
Did you see all of Obamas friends at this so called church. Making a standing ovation on pastor wrights hate sermon. Think are they praising god *NO* they are NOT. Obamas friends are racist all applauding a monsterous hatred towards all white Americans.
As Jerimiah Wright stated on National TV.