I like the point where so many other ministers have said such outlandish things, and yet no one went after a politician that they were tied to, so why this time? Why now? It is pretty sad that we have made a choice to play the race card when it suits us, I guess these people playing the race card just ignored the steps the rest of the world has taken forward. We are no longer a society of color, we are a society of ideas! Votes: +2

right on point! Votes: +1

I don't think anyone is playing the race card - while other ministers have said outlandish things, they have never risen to the point that the comments made by Mr. Wright do. Do you really think that the US Gov't invented aids to keep the black people down? This has nothing to do with race, its the rhetoric.

I for one have said for awhile that I think that the US is ready for a black President but the ones that have ran were far too polarizing (i.e Sharpton, Jesse Jackson) and I still believe that.

Mr. Ford, if we are a society of ideas the churches should be preaching those ideas and moving us forward, rhetoric like Rev Wrights do nothing to move any issue forward. Votes: +0

Do as I do, throw out any thing that Mr. Wright has ever said, and take him out of the picture, then take a real look at the issues. I am saying forget the race BS out there. I do not want to make race an issue, as I am of mixed race myself, and feel that everything is over exaggerated about race issues.

Also now, your making AIDS an issue. On the other hand, are you starting a conspiracy theory? Please you are raising the issues, and making them worse. Stop, get to the real issues of what is best, and needed to change for all America. The real issues are the Economy, the War in Iraq, fuel prices, food costs going up, Jobs, and how we are perceived by other countries, that?s some of the real issues. Not some "Minister" that probably got his credentials out of a comic book, that's not an issue that's a diversion by ones whom don't care to take on real issues.
Votes: +0

Not making anything an issue, just repeating Mr. Wrights words - that is all. Take it how you want, but the bottom line is you put race and Mr. Wright into the same conversation by your original post. You imply that Mr. Wright is only getting the scrutiny because he is black, I respectfully disagree with that - anyone making those comments needs to be scrutinized.

Re-read my post, how polarizing were Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton in the past on the economy, jobs, food costs, etc. They were too far to the extreme and blame America crowd, that is why I feel they didn't have a realistic chance.

OK, here is something, lets forget about Wright and focus on the problems, but do the same for McCain and Clinton, I expect your outrage as well when this blog or others start taking about McCain and Clintons past and their associations. Lets focus on the issues you say, well lets do it for all not just for one. I will look forward to your outrage on those candidates as well.
Votes: +0

I feel little effect from your comments, thanks anyway. "Yawns" Votes: +0

truth, you wrote: Do you really think that the US Gov't invented aids to keep the black people down? No I don't believe that.

But perhaps you should look up the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment and I think you can see why Rev. would maybe have a thought like this. Votes: +0

I almost forgot about that one, until you brought it up. Damn your a book of knowledge! Votes: +0

I have to be honest here, I have been doing reading on this since this hullaballoo all started and I read about it somewhere in some article about the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. The light bulb went on for me and I made the connection. I don't agree with the Rev. on the Aids thing, but our government has been know to do some not so nice things to our own.

It is so important that we look past a few snippets to look at the history of what our government has been involved in that we are ashamed of. Remember the internment of Japanese during WWII. Many in this country have a "love it or leave it" mentality and when someone talks or writes about our own warts, they are unpatriotic. Votes: +0

Once again, Bill Moyers demonstrates that he is in a league of his own. His thoughtfulness should serve as an example of how good journalism is so crucial to a free society.

We should reflect on why the white preachers have gotten a pass. Hagee's statements on nuking Iran by far surpass anything Wright has said. Wright's statements on aids can be taken as an indication of how untrustworthy our government has become. The Tuskegee experiment was real. Whether we like it or not, the issue of racism is a cancer on America. While Wright's statements are intentionally inflamatory, it seems to me that he is pointing out things that we just can't face and they make us recoil rather than reflect.

Perhaps we should regard Wright's statements as an opportunity to look inward and then act. What we have tolerated politically has not lead our country to a higher moral plane. It seems to me that the cure is not focusing on Rev. Wright but to take action at the ballot box and determine that we not only can do better but our actions will serve as a model for the rest of the world. Not as a jack-booted cop but as a nation who really believes that all men are created equal. One must be extremely naive to think the we have been the shining example in the past 50 years or so. It is up to us to elect those who will reflect the ideals that the Founding Fathers gave us. No better example exists than how we treated Japan in defeat and the respect we earned from a defeated imperialist nation.

The recent rhetoric of gas tax gimmicks, nuking Iran and just flat out lying about vote totals versus taking a higher road should serve as a reminder as to just what kind nation we wish to become. Rev. Wright, as far as I know, is not running for any office. Votes: +1

Ok, I'll bite, I was aware of the Tuskegee experiments and if those two are associated and serve as a link to each other, then its not too far of a stretch to think that Obama believes many if not all of Wrights comments because he stayed in the church for all that time. You linked the guilt by association by linking the Tuskegee to the AIDS controversy. There will always be that question and doubt about Obama does does not agree about the things that Wright says, that is a big problem for Obama and its not because of race its because of the rhetoric. Votes: +0

Truth, I think it is too far of a stretch to think that Obama believes that as well. I did not link guilt by association. What I did was try to give an explanation as to why Rev. Wright would make such a seemingly outrageous statement about Aids and the government's involvment. Perhaps it is because of what happened over a 40 year period perpetrated by our government.

I also don't think this is a big problem for Obama. I also read and I believe it was in a Frank Rich column why the focus is on Wright when Falwell et al have made similar outrageus statements and have sat at the right hand of the Bushes.

I also have to question the feigned outrage by others when I didn't see masses of Catholics leaving the Catholic church after the abuse scandals broke out and the bishops covered it up. (I read about this as well.)

In the end this has made Obama a much tougher candidate. Votes: +1

I have to disagree with you, I think this whole controversy made Obama much more vulnerable. I don't think its too far of a stretch to believe that Obama believes some of the things what Wright has said (not all but some of them) otherwise he would have distanced himself from the get go, no in my opinion, he was hoping some of these things wouldn't come to light. I am not saying that we all don't associate at one time or another with people who say things we don't agree with or embarass us but to continue to associate with those people on a regular basis (other than by happen stance or being iin the same place at the same time by coincedence) people began to associate us with them - right or wrong that is what happens.

There is a difference between Falwell, Robertson and the BUSHES as you state. The Bushes did not go and listen to these guys each and every Sunday for 20+ years, that is a huge difference in my mind. Votes: +2

Well, I guess as long as we are disagreeing, Obama was not at the church services "each and every Sunday for 20 + years." Let's see, he's been in Washington dc for at least 2-3 years, and I'm sure that the Rev. didn't give incendiary sermons each and every Sunday for 20+ years, otherwise we'd be treated to all those on You tube as well.

You exaggerate just a wee bit, IMHO.

The bushes continue to associate with these individuals and hold them in high regard as does McCain. Votes: +0

No Chet, that is exactly the point. Votes: +1

I don't think its the point, I think the point is that the rhetoric that Wright spewed is far worse than what I have heard the others say (I give you that I have not heard everything that was said by others and they may have said things just as despicable and hate filled, if so please let me know) and that he needs to be called on it. Plus Obama did not distance himself right away and it was only after Wright said that Obama only said he was repudiating himself from Wright because that is what politicians have to say is where the problem lies. That in-fighting between Obama and Wright has me concerned about just how much of Wright's rhetoric Obama believes.

It may not seem rational because you support Obama, but step back and take a long hard look at the whole issue and you may see that this has hurt Obama. OK, I will take away 3 years from the 20 yrs, but 17 years of this rhetoric even if it was only 3/4 of the time is alot of time that Obama. Even Oprah was smart enough to distance herself from Wright a long time ago, but Obama stayed. It causes me some concern.

But why the outcry here, even Obama has said that the Wright issue is a legitimate issue. Votes: +1

I listened to the whole national press club speech and frankly, while his remarks regarding ferichan(or however you spell it...) were unfortunate as well as "this is about the black community"(all of which were responses to gotcha questions, not the speech), the overall arc of the speech was a good one. He discussed the ministry and history of the black church along with the work of Trinity, which has been a strong moral force in the chicago area. We dismiss the work that Wright has done and instead settle for 5-second soundbytes that we settle upon.

I am a proud member of an evangelical congregation. It happens to be quite conservative. The head of the North Dakota Family Alliance is a member of our church, another member is running an independent campaign for governor believing that Hoeven hasn't been conservative enough. Our pastor is strongly against abortion and some of his sermons have frustrated my views(I'm not exactly pro-choice, but I do think that abortion has been used as a wedge to get votes while nothing of any real substance has been done about it. There are numerous issues like world hunger, Darfur, Iraq, the violence in southern Africa, our country's failure to help bring people out of poverty and instead give money to the rich who don't need it that affect more people in one year than have affected abortion in its entire existence here in America.) I happen to disagree with things my pastor has said, but he is a good friend and an excellent spiritual leader. I have invested alot of time and personal energy into helping build my church up, despite what I consider to be some differences with my own views and those of my pastor. Why? because my membership is to the church, not to my pastor, and my commitment is to Christ and the community of believers.

I also never get into political discussions with my pastor, I wouldn't ask him for advice on politics if I were to run, and I never tell him what to preach on Sunday morning. What I do at my church is serve Christ with my time and talents, because I believe in the mission of the body and have been rooted in that family since I was in fifth grade. It'll take a lot more than a couple of offensive, out of context comments for me to leave my congregation.

The best person to tell me what Barack Obama believes is Barack Obama, and it's quite clear to me at least that what he believes is different than from that of his pastor on these issues. That's perfectly acceptable from where I come from, and it appears to be perfectly acceptable for every other presidential candidate I have seen in the past, why should it be any different for this one? Oh, because this one has video clips.... Votes: +2

Exactly, Ab2kgj. thank you for a very thoughtful post. I am Catholic, and definitely don't agree with everything the Bishop has said or done. But I am still a Catholic. Votes: +0

I found a church where the diverse political leanings of the membership was accepted as a fact of life, and largely unrelated to our functioning as a church community. So, I understand how you can be comfortable in your church community, even though you may disagree with your pastor or other members on certain issues. Votes: +0

Moyers said it right with the line that the insatiable beast that is the 24-7 media is the problem and that we all suckle at that teat - filling up on junk food that is the Rev Wright bullshit. ('Scuze the French)

Why anyone would care about and possibly not vote for someone based on his or her listening to what their preacher/pastor/priest says or thinks is unbelieveably troubling to me. There are so many more pressing matters for the country - and there always will be - than what is said in churchs, temples and synagogues.

If only our country would get out of them and start working for the people and not for some imaginary friend and a whole book of stories about him.

Until then, I feel it's all a disservice to the memory and the work of Thomas Jefferson. But I'm not holding my breath for that day. I'm sure Jefferson didn't hold any allusions to the matter either. Votes: +0

To truth:

Have we been listening to 2 different commentaries???? I listened to Wright's sermon and his interview with Moyers twice. While I do not agree with everything---I heard nothing that is not worth a dialogue about the subject matter. Haven't you heard Hagee??? He is certifiable and dangerous---clearly anti-Christ. I checked my bible and it said nothing about nuking Iran or anyone else for that matter. Parsley, Robertson, Hagee, Dobson, Falwell all said that the Katrina disaster was punishment for their evil and sinfull ways. Robertson stated that 9/11 was God's punishment for homosexuals. All claim that Muslims are evil and deserve punishment by our military. All claim that while claiming to be christian. They spew out hate and evil. I heard nothing of that nature from Wright. What I did hear was a call for America to face up to its past, acknowledge it, ask for forgiveness, and proceed with atonement. Just how does that contradict Christian principles? Those so-called right wing nut jobs spew hate and I have heard no condemnation of them by the media or McCain, who has secured support from most of them. It is not a double standard---it is worse. Votes: +2

Thanks for the link to Frank Rich. I feel somewhat vindicated as I have been saying much of what Rich printed for several years. We have nothing to fear from Wright but Hagee, et. al. is a different story, although fear might be overstated. With good leadership, the influence of the right wing nut jobs including the "Christian right", will be shrunk to a size where it can be drowned in a bathtub. The emergence of christian values as well as many non-christian voices among us have the potential to move America once again towards our destiny---a light for freedom and liberty around the world. It is just hard for an army or a police force or an expoiting class to do that. Votes: +1

You're right, Big Jake. The radical right has claimed a monopoly on Christian values, and mobilized (Karl Rove's strategy) around the divisive issues of homosexuality and abortion. Well, there are more items on the Christian values menu, and the democrats have no less a claim to Christian values than the republicans do. Of course, the republicans in power have these little issues with torture, helping the poor and downtrodden, being good stewards of the environment, and sweeping up the inevitable economic fallout from capitalism. Can you imagine being a farmer in Zimbabwe and watching the wealthy Americans argue about sex? Votes: +0