Barack Obama‘s a quick learner.
The Senator from Illinois – who many say isn’t experienced enough for the White House – beat political veteran Hillary Clinton at her own game.
As we mentioned last week, the Clintons are absolute experts at using the media for their campaign gain. Rather than tossing Geraldine Ferraro immediately, Senator Clinton allowed the scandal to unfold, thus insuring that all eyes, however angry, would be on her.
But that all changed last Friday…
Obama stole the press spotlight last week when he sat down with Chicago papers to discuss his involvement with Anthony Rezko, the embattled Chicago businessman who’s currently on trial for fraud. Rather than let the scandal grow into an unwieldy monster, Obama nipped it in the bud by disclosing the truth: Rezko contributed about $100,000 more to Obama’s rise than previously reported. When was the last time the Clintons came out to preemptively end a potential scandal? Even if you don’t believe Obama – and there are plenty who don’t – he certainly plays the game well.
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As if the Rezko admissions weren’t enough, Obama also addressed Reverend Jeremiah Wright, the crazed reverend who married the Obamas and has been labeled “Obama’s spiritual adviser.” Wright made headlines last week after footage of him damning the United States and saying Hillary Clinton had never been called a nigger appeared on the internet. Voters, pundits and politicos were appalled by Wright’s statements, particularly when he implied the United States deserved the September 11th terrorist attacks. Obviously Obama needed to distance himself from Wright. In doing so, however, Obama also ensured that the weekend talking heads and op-ed writers would be talking about him, not his rival. Since Obama addressed the matter on Friday, March 14, there have been at least 2,016 stories posted about Jeremiah Wright.
They say all press is good press and that’s even more true when it comes to national politics. Well played, Obama! And, what’s more, not only did the Senator steal the weekend’s ink, he attempted to distance himself from both Rezko and Wright. Two birds, one stone, baby!
Now, this isn’t an endorsement of Obama – we’d be happy with either candidate in the running – but it certainly shows his detractors that the Senator’s learning the ropes right quick. Is Hillary shaking in her boots? Probably, but we’re sure she and her team have something up their sleeves. And if they don’t, they will.
fredo777
I was really hoping he would address both issues + come clean about them. I can’t say that all press is good press, as the Wright thing has really made some waves. However, I don’t buy for a second that Obama is anti-white. Half his own family is white, for starters, not to mention half of himself. As for the claims that Obama has lied…welcome to politics. If I’m not going to vote Obama because he supposedly has lied, then I should probably stay home on voting day.
If he doesn’t get the nom, I’ll vote for Clinton. Either way, my vote isn’t going to Johnny Mac. He was hot in the 70’s, but not in his 70s.
Chris
“Now, this isn’t an endorsement of Obama.” LMAO. Every post is an endorsement of Obama.
Who do you think you’re fooling?
abracadaver
Just because Sen. Obama doesn’t have enough experience to be president doesn’t mean that he’s not a savvy politician. So, we now know that he knows how to “spin” a story. Big deal. Next issue, please?
Kipat
Ahem. Ahem!
“who many say isn’t experienced enough for the White House”…
As long as you mean old old people, or those who have a mistaken view of both the Office of the President of the United States and actual factual history, or simply self-identified conservatives who lean farther right, then yeah. But last I checked, the current race on the Dems side does not support your statement outright, and even some Hilary supporters don’t have that viewpoint.
Leland Frances
Anyone who knows the truth about Louis “Hilter was a very great man” Farrakhan need go no further than watching the video at the link below to get what is wrong with the “Rev. Wright wasn’t on fire when I sat down on him 23 years ago†bullshit Obama is now furiously shoveling to prevent not Rev. Wright but Obama’s own credibility and poor judgment from burying his campaign.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXS_YrYp07Q&feature=related
Wright was a pal of Farrakhan BEFORE Obama met Wright, was already an extremist—and in claiming all of this is news to him Obama is lying as surely as he did when he claimed he passed an Illinois nuclear industry regulation bill that was, in fact never voted on. According to a “Chicago Tribune†article from January a year ago:
“In his 1993 memoir ‘Dreams from My Father’, Obama recounts in vivid detail his first meeting with Wright in 1985. The pastor warned the community activist that getting involved with Trinity might turn off other black clergy because of the church’s radical reputation.” – Chicago Tribune, Jan. 21, 2007.
Was he lying 15 years ago or is he lying now?
Obama seemed to have forgotten that when he told a crowd “earlier this month…’I don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial’. He said Rev. Wright ‘is like an old uncle who says things I don’t always agree with’, telling a Jewish group that everyone has someone like that in their family.” – ABC News
Such AMAZING loyalty Obama now displays! The man HE has repeatedly identified as his inspiration, the one who married him, baptized his children, and gave him the title of his best-selling book, “The Audacity of Hope,†he now reduces to crazy old Uncle Fester.
Obama keeps forgetting Wright’s warning as he’s kept repeating the “I’m shocked; absolutely shocked†spin over the weekend and expects us to believe that OVER TWENTY-THREE YEARS and over a thousand Sundays he never “personally heard him preach [such things] while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation.”
We are to believe that religion-obsessed Obama, who recently proclaimed, “I praise Jesus every Sunday,†and his family never went to church like millions of Amercas the Sunday after 9/11 where he would have heard Wright screech:
“…the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America’s chickens are coming home to roost.”
We’re expected to believe that, at least, SOMEONE he knew didn’t TELL him then about it? And that was SEVEN YEARS ago; seven years before Obama denounced Wright’s blaming America for 9/11.
Obama MUST have heard about the time Wright told his parishioners that “we should sing, “God Damn America.” And HOW is that a part of “the gospel of Jesus” that Obama says he got from Wright?
And, contrary to what Obama claims now about why he didn’t disassociate himself earlier, remove Wright from his campaign—that Wright was on the verge of retirement last January when Obama’s official campaign was just starting—ABC News says Wright only announced his retirement last month.
But if Obama didn’t feel the need to formally distance himself from Wright after 9/11 or “God Damn America” or 15 months ago how about FOUR MONTHS AGO when Louis “The white man is our mortal enemy” Farrakahn received the “Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. Lifetime Achievement Trumpeteer†Award and Wright said of him,
“Minister Farrakhan will be remembered as one of the 20th and 21st century giants of the African American religious experience. His integrity and honesty have secured him a place in history as one of the nation’s most powerful critics.” Again, see video above.
There IS unfairness to guilt by association [such as that constantly used against Sen. Clinton], but for Obama to willingly continue that association for 23 years, to continue to praise Rev. Wright even as Wright grew more and more extreme….even after Wright called 3000 terrorist murders in New York City, DC, and a Pennsylvania corn field where gay hero Mark Bingham helped bring down Flight 93 just the result of “chickens come home to roost”….even after Wright canonized racist, antiSemitic, homohating Louis Farrakhan this past November…. UNTIL the world finally saw and heard some of Wright’s pathological outrages… AND pretend you’re the ONLY close friend of Wright, the ONLY member of his congregation, the ONLY man in Chicago, the ONLY religious black man in America not to have known all of this for decades reveals a chasm in credibility and a depth of poor judgment in Obama that no one asking us to make him President of the United States should possess.
todd
How is Rev. Wright any different than Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell? These cretins are all snake oil salesmen. If we didn’t require our political leaders to fake religious affiliation, we would not give a shit where they kneel before the bearded sky-being.
Jimy
How is Rev. Wright any different than Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell?
___________________________________
The difference is that Hillary Clinton is has never claimed one of these men were her “spiritual advisor” or “mentor”. Nor did she ever dedicate a book to them.
Many gay men who have lost friends to AIDS take great offense that Rev. Wright was claim that the US created AIDS to get rid of black people. Try telling that to a white parent who has lost a child to this disease.
Charley
All press is good press, except when trying to get votes from educated whites, which he depends on. I was for Obama up until I saw the “spiritual advisor” Jerimiah in full blown action. He is just one of many blowhards in the black religious community thinking he is the next MLK. I don’t want to see the White House turn into one big revival meeting with Donnie McClurkin as entertainer of the year. Hilary has faith, but there is no loud mouth “spritual advisor” advising her, even Bill has sense enough not to use crazy “god” language.
Nick
Sorry, Queety, you’re absolutely wrong. If you’re going to cover politics, at least do it well.
Rezko has been bubbling around for a long time, and Obama has avoided being interviewed by the Chicago press. If he was really that savvy, he would have addressed it when it first became an issue.
Additionally, Obama knew Wright would be a problem a year ago, and he did NOTHING to ease the public into the fact that he’s attended a church run by a bigot for 20 years. He actually thought it wouldn’t be that big of an issue. That is not the sign of a savvy. That is the sign of an arrogance.
Rev Wrong
The Obama veneer has cracked. As much as Queerty would like to ignore the multiple tirades that Rev Bigot spewed and focus on the one comment made by Ferraro shows that they are no longer making an attempt to be rational. The Clinton readers are just asking for fairness in your reporting. Hillary Clinton is not the anti-Christ and Obama’s shit does stink.
emb
Let’s be fair to Hillary too then: Why is she being so cagey (one could say arrogant, one could say secretive) about her tax returns? She’s campaigning as The People’s Friend; so what’s to hide?
Jimy
EMB
Can you name me two other people that have been more investigated, vetted, reported on, and disected than the Clintons? Remember the Ken Starr Whitewater cluster fuck?
hisurfer
Well played … Obama? How so? I think the Rev Wright video did some serious damage to his campaign. Obama has been running as the Jesus candidate (which has been my primary issue with him), so he does have to answer for what his “personal spiritual adviser” teaches.
As for Clinton allowing the Ferraro ‘scandal’ to fester … it went on for all of three days. That’s not really festering. Plus, one of my major complaints with Bill Clinton was that he did not stand by his friends, that he’d drop them at the first hint of trouble (Lani Gaunier, anyone?). I was hoping Hillary might show more loyalty.
fredo777
Also, I think Obama’s facial expression in that shot is priceless.
It’s like he’s trying to see through her.
M Shane
Obama’s association with the “jesus people” is pretty necessary for his induction as a member of the “afro american” community.
I believe that it is incidental to his basic beliefs. He could hardly stand to be rejected by the leaders, who are religious people. You mayy call that opportunism, but it is the only way for a Black man to be elected. Remember that he stands a strong chance of rejection by that group as he is from African more than slave origins. He’s playing the best cards that he can, given a number of circumstances.
As far as being associated with those” jesus “people it’s hard to avoid association with crack pots.
The way that some people carry on , you would think that hillary didn’t have equally abominable associates: try Rupert Murdoch her first fund raiser.
aidan
Hillary Clinton has over 20 years worth of her tax returns out there for the public to view. Does anyone really believe that THIS year will be so different? I don’t think she’s hiding anything, but I also realize I’m the minority in this.
Charley
M. Shane
To cater to the Jesus people in the African American community does an injustice to the Presidency. I won’t go on about seperation of church and state, but I think you know what I mean. We can kiss ass to the blacks for being oppressed, but they have to evolve. Christianity is a religion their white masters taught them.
Michael Bedwell
Rupert Murdoch isn’t Sen. Clinton’s personal hero to which she’s repeatedly referred; she never named a book after one of his sermons; hasn’t attended a church for 23 years from which Murdoch preaches. He didn’t perform her and Bill’s marriage nor baptize Chelsea. And, asshole that he is, I don’t believe he blamed the US for 9/11 or has given any awards in his name to a man who blames Hollywood Jews “for homosexuality and lesbianism,” who’s said that “the white man is our mortal enemy,” or said that Jews, Palestinian Arabs, Koreans, and Vietnamese “are bloodsuckers,” or said that “Hitler was a great man.”
But I could be wrong….
Onehungfarmboy
Queerty every time you post a story about Obama you are endorsing him. All you have to do is open your mouth. I agree with Chris I am LMAO. There is no way I am voting for anyone associate with the Church of Christ be it a black man or a white woman. This group is as bad as they come when it comes to Gay rights, you might as well endorse Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell. I do not care what kind of Politics he plays by he will not get my GAY Vote.
fredo777
Charley: “We can kiss ass to the blacks for being oppressed, but they have to evolve…”
You don’t speak for all blacks, certainly none of the ones that I know. How dare you generalize that all black persons want or need you to “kiss their ass” + that they “have to evolve”? Black Christians have just as much right to choose their religion as anyone else chooses theirs or makes a choice not to follow any religion at all.
It irks me that you (particularly if you are a member of the LGBT community) would make such a dismissive statement about anyone’s oppression, whether or not it personally affects you.
Charley
Fredo777
Don’t know what you have been taught about a black Jesus, but he was a Jew (considered white).\
The latest debacle with the loud mouthed “spiritual advisor” Jerimiah Wright turned off white educated voters for Obama. After all, it was the white rich slave masters who introduced Christianity to their black slaves. Before that, they believed in the god JoJo at the bottom of the sea.
fredo777
More generalizations.
Do you now speak for all white, educated voters, too? That’s a neat trick.
Charley
Fredo 777,
Do you speak for all black Jesus loud mouthed fanatics taught Christianity by rich white masters ? That’s a neat trick.
M Shane
Michael: Murdock is the pioneer of debauched right wing journalism, without a doubt the single most dangerous of Bush’s admited compatriots. He gives journalists daily rundowns of what and how to spin things. I have no doubt that he has praised Hitler.
While H.C. is presumably a pubic Healthcare advocate, she took more contributions from the healthcare industry than all but one other Senator, who has gone to work for the industry.
I’m not arguing at all that these “associates”
of Obama’s are anything but cranks. I don’t think that he’s ben able to pick and choose in the Black church community who it is that he associate with to be a “black candidate”. That is really almost a faustain arrangement, but how else could he run, without alienating a lot of people. I just know that a lot of black people
who I’ve spoken with have been anti Obama;
It would suprise me if they voted for him at all.
He has to appease the black people in order to be the white liberals candidate. I think that he’s the closest thing we’ve had to a passable black candidate. I’m not sure who I trust to do the things I would like. There are too many economic issues which everyone just passes on. I’m not sure that I trust anyone to do what I would like. The country has swung so far to the right that i’m not sure that it’s salvagable.
Charley
Theocracy is the issue. Hilary will be the best bet for balance of democracy. Obama is leaning towards black religious leaders, who are leaning towards extremism. Too crazy for words.
M Shane
Theocrasy is a big issue; and I doubt that Obama could have gotten off the ground without it.to be politically viable as a black man
and that unfortunately is a huge variable, just as Clintons’ sex is.
I’m pretty sure that Obama can’t possibly take those people seriously but, as leomoore just said to me the other day:” you can’t lay down with a dog and not get fleas.” and that scares me a bit. because he would have to back way away from that.
M Shane
It would just kill me if he drug that religious crap into the whitehouse. He would have to shed all of those people entirely.
hisurfer
Given that there’s a significant lack of African American elected officials (2 governors, 1 senator), I don’t think anyone can draw any conclusions about what any have to do to get elected.
But I’m dubious that a black man has to get in bed with the holy rollers to get elected.
And I’m seriously troubled by some of the excuses I’ve seen for Rev Wright’s theology on other leftie sites (Huffington Post, Move On). I’m not bothered by the Reverend’s anger so much as by his ignorance on HIV, history, Judaism, etc. We would not tolerate this for a second coming from a white or Asian pastor.
Obama is set to give a big speech on race. Fine. It won’t answer my concerns. I want to hear him speak on the seperation of church and state.
Or better yet: the US almost had a complete financial meltdown this past weekend. Literally. Without the Bearns bailout the system could have failed, totally. You might have missed it, with all the stupid talk on race. I want to hear a candidate – either of them – say fuck all these side issues let’s focus on the real issues: the mortgage crisis, the falling dollar, and the cost of oil. It’s a triple threat, and has the potential to harm us more than Islamo-fascism, al Qaeda, NAFTA, the war, or one angry preacher.
fredo777
Charley: “Fredo 777,
Do you speak for all black Jesus loud mouthed fanatics taught Christianity by rich white masters? That’s a neat trick.”
Sorry, dollface, but that doesn’t work for you like it did for me, because you were actually making generalizations about what all educated, white voters do. I was not making sweeping generalizations of Black Christians. And your biased statements are sickening. I’m ending this discussion now.
Mr C
Fredo…Now do you understand in the other post why I say RACIST WHITE FAGS???? With no apologies.
But that’s cool Charley because your stupid ass should know that Jews come in many colors unfortunately not even their country (Isreal)wants to acknowledge the African Jews but there are many!
But that’s cool Charley since you said this (Do you speak for all black Jesus loud mouthed fanatics taught Christianity by rich white masters ?
THAT’S WHY WE black Jesus loud mouthed fanatics WILL MAKE SURE HILLARY CLINTON ASS DON’T GO NOWHERE AND I MEAN NO FUCKING WHERE BUT BACK TO CHAPPAQUA NY AND JOHN MCCAIN Will fix your ass FOR SURE!
BITCH AIN’T GETTING IN THE WHITE HOUSE!
Bitch Republic
Good luck with that, Mr C.
beautiful
i vote for Obama. i saw his family pics on http://www.intimatemingle.com which is a free dating site for young people who wants to have a romance love or meet someone casually.
fredo777
I’m sorry, Mr. C, but I don’t understand why you would call anyone “white racist fags” if the goal is to end racism, as opposed to fueling + perpetuating those fires.
I’d rather not dwell on the negative, though, because it’s been making the whole discussion of the campaign here (+ elsewhere) very unpleasant.
Yes, there are some whose actions/comments are racially-driven +/or extremely biased, but I’d rather not react w/ similar ugliness. All of these types of “we vs. them” arguments are divisive + counterproductive.
Charley
Just heard Obama’s speech this morning condemning Wright. Inspiring words. I am back supporting Obama again.
Rev Wrong
Yeah..that “white racists fags” is exactly why we need someone with more experience than Obama in office. That is really “bringing people together”.
M Shane
Yes Charley, astonishing how emotionally deep that man is; I’m reading the speech now:
If it’s not “experience” he’s bringing to the office, wisdom & compassion may do the trick. It’s not where you’ve been but what you’ve seen of wher you’ve been.
Rev Wrong
For twenty years, Wright was Obama’s spiritual “mentor.” In what way did Wright mentor Obama spiritually? Does Obama share Wright’s views that America created the AIDS virus for the purpose of killing off certain minority groups? Does he believe America deserved the attacks on 9/11? For twenty years, Senator and Mrs. Obama and their children sat in that church week after week as Wright preached, yet today Obama announced that he was unaware of Wright’s anti-American, conspiracy-filled sermons. No rational, intelligent American will buy that sorry excuse.
fredo777
“Rev.,” you picked the “wright” last name.
You are wrong.
Rev Wrong
Am I wrong because I question Obama?
Charley
No Rev. Wrong
you are not wrong because you questioned Obama. It is really like a roller coaster of who to support. I want a strong Democratic candidate standing on his own principles, not Jesus, to defeat McCain. I don’t want to hear about their faith. To me as an atheist, it is scary.
fredo777
No, Rev. Wrong, feel free to question whomever you wish. In fact, I’d advise people to always question political candidates + not take things at face value.
However, you were wrong to assume that “no rational, intelligent American” would understand where Obama was coming from. Particularly, his latest speech spoke directly to the issues of racism in the country + what he feels about the divisive (and flat-out wrong) statements made by Wright. I, for one, found it to be genuine, honest, + refreshing.
Charley
Scary that this country could be ruled by black “Jesus” people like Donnie McClurkin or Wright. Gays don’t give a shit. Most think they are old in their 40’s. I am 74, and will be dead soon, but not soon enough. Ready to leave the mess to someone else.
hisurfer
“yet today Obama announced that he was unaware of Wright’s anti-American, conspiracy-filled sermons. ” It’s not that you question Obama. It’s that you lie; because, in fact, Obama said the exact opposite of what you are writing.
jababe
It’s sad that Reverend Wright is being ridiculed by just a few statements he has made and not judged by all that he has done in his life. He may have let his anger misguide him, but I believe he is a good man, and nobody is perfect. He helps the poor, and those afflicted by HIV, and he marries gays in his community. You can’t say that about Hagee. He may not be all good–but I do not believe he is all bad.