Rev. Wright on PBS: Obama "Says What He Has to Say as a Politician"

This is not good. The Rev. Jeremiah Wright—Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor and longtime spiritual advisor—launches a media rehabilitation tour that is already giving more fodder to critics and the right wing attack machine. As if they didn't have enough already.

Over the weekend, Wright will give the keynote address at a fundraiser for the Detroit branch of the NAACP. On Monday, the reverend will headline an event at the Press Club in Washington DC, but, it is his television appearance later tonight that is causing some to squirm. The interview with Wright (plus video) that will be broadcast tonight on Bill Moyers' Journal is the first time the reverend has spoken to the press since the controversy erupted over his sermons.

Wright does not apologize for any of his remarks and says they were distorted.

REVEREND WRIGHT:
The persons who have heard the entire sermon understand the communication perfectly.
When something is taken like a sound bite for a political purpose and put constantly over and over again, looped in the face of the public, that's not a failure to communicate. Those who are doing that are communicating exactly what they want to do, which is to paint me as some sort of fanatic or as the learned journalist from the New York Times called me, a "wackadoodle."

It's to paint me as something: "Something's wrong with me. There's nothing wrong with this country...for its policies. We're perfect. Our hands are free. Our hands have no blood on them." That's not a failure to communicate. The message that is being communicated by the sound bites is exactly what those pushing those sound bites want to communicate.

BILL MOYERS:
What do you think they wanted to communicate?

WRIGHT:
I think they wanted to communicate that I am unpatriotic, that I am un-American, that I am filled with hate speech, that I have a cult at Trinity United Church of Christ. And by the way, guess who goes to his church, hint, hint, hint? That's what they wanted to communicate.

Most striking is Wright's description of Obama's "race speech" as "the politician talking."

WRIGHT: It went down very simply. He's a politician, I'm a pastor. We speak to two different audiences. And he says what he has to say as a politician. I say what I have to say as a pastor. But they're two different worlds. I do what I do. He does what politicians do. So that what happened in Philadelphia where he had to respond to the sound bytes, he responded as a politician.

There is nothing wrong with describing that speech as damage control because that's exactly what it was. There is also nothing wrong with saying Obama "says" or "does what politicians do", because that is also true, but, both of these facts are often ignored by the MSM and the e-telligentsia. The video snippets in heavy rotation on CNN, FOX and MSNBC are giving the talking heads a field day.

Meanwhile, the North Carolina and Indiana primaries are in full swing, and, last night, the North Carolina Republican Party launched a controversial and highly publicized attack ad against Democratic gubernatorial candidates. The attack ad featured a clip from Wright's "God Damn America" sermon and called Obama and the two Dem candidates "extremists." This is not the best time for the reverend to speak out. Any day that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is in the news is not a good day for the Obama campaign.

Interview with Rev. Wright [PBS]
Wright Offering Fresh Fodder to Obama Critics [Sun Times]
Wright Says "Devious" Forces [Tribune]
Is The Worm Turning [No Quarter]

More OBAMA
More JEREMIAH WRIGHT
More POLITICS

Some Background ...
NC GOP Targets Dems with Obama/Wright Attack Ad [R20]
Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech [R20]
Obama and the Turban Non-Story [R20]
PA Debate: Meltdown and Morning After [R20]
"Bitter" Billionaire Fundraiser" [R20]
Obama Camp Provides Photo of Wright and Clinton [R20]
Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Black LGBTs [R20]
McCain Aide Suspended, Circulating Wright Video [R20]
McCain Targets Romney with Anti-Gay Robo-calls [R20]
NH Voters Targeted by Anti-Mormon "Push Polls" [R20]
Romney, McCain Offer More Anti-Gay Rhetoric [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]
McCain Promotes Abstinence [R20]
McCain Hires Producer of Racist Ads [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]
Yes But No—But Yes [R20]
McCain: Not "Catering" to Far Right [R20]
McCain Promotes Abstinence [R20]
McCain's MLK Day: "Pandering" to Racists [R20]
McCain Wins Republican Nomination [R20]
McCain Camp Enlists Racist Shock Jock [R20]

Comments

[Derrick from Philly]

Well, Rod, Reverend Wright is a pastor, not a politician. I guess there are things more important to him as a Christian than Barack Obama and Democrats.

[Tio R]

Derrick, I agree with you and believe Rod has made that point.

Unfortunately, at this point, whatever Rev. Wright says will be hyped, analyzed, and looped. That's why his interview is a distraction for the Obama campaign. If you're watching cable news, all the networks have these interview clips and are showing that North Carolina commercial. Instead of talking about Obama's campaign, they are rehashing the sermons, the interview and that attack ad. It's off-message.

[Tio R]

Derrick, I agree with you and believe Rod has made that point.

Unfortunately, at this point, whatever Rev. Wright says will be hyped, analyzed, and looped. That's why his interview is a distraction for the Obama campaign. If you're watching cable news, all the networks have these interview clips and are showing that North Carolina commercial. Instead of talking about Obama's campaign, they are rehashing the sermons, the interview and that attack ad. It's off-message.

[Tio R]

Derrick, I agree with you and believe Rod has made that point.

Unfortunately, at this point, whatever Rev. Wright says will be hyped, analyzed, and looped. That's why his interview is a distraction for the Obama campaign. If you're watching cable news, all the networks have these interview clips and are showing that North Carolina commercial. Instead of talking about Obama's campaign, they are rehashing the sermons, the interview and that attack ad. It's off-message.

[Timothy Kincaid]

Okay, so another week of Rev. Wright in the news. Here we go again ...

[Rod Mc]

Luther, you are absolutely right on this one. Right now on "The Situation Room", they have two packages on Rev. Wright and Jack Cafferty is doing his schtick. The reverend needs to just go on a vacation, he is not helping the campaign, especially with that North Carolina ad on the air ...

[Tyler Gray]

I can understand why Rev. Wright wants to rehabilitate his legacy and clear his name. But just saying "my words were distoted" or the media is "devious" only invited more reporting. It's hard to concentrate on Obama's message if Rev. Wright is making news again.

[Duwayne]

My pastor has supported Rev. Wright wholeheartedly and has said so in many of her sermons. Given this, I had to do more investigation and now feel that Rev. Wright did a lot of good at Trinity UCC and the few controversial comments he made were indeed distorted in the media (and I was very against Rev. Wright in the beginning). That being said I believe Obama did what he had to because he is a politician and not a minister. What he did was try to have the best of both worlds. He should have either 1. supported Rev. Wright 100% and said so in great detail (there is a lot he could have said to back this up) or 2. Disown Rev. Wright and left the church. Either one would have been better than giving his speech that was very critical of Rev. Wright and at the same time winking to him and others at Trinity UCC to him at the same time saying everything was ok.

[Derrick from Philly]

It wouldn't help if Reverend Wright simply said, "Barack and I disagree. Not being a descendant of slaves, it's easier for Barack to forgive. I (Jeremiah Wright)will keep asking Jesus to help me wtih this 'cause there's a whole lot my coutrymen have never had to answer for-- never had to admit to doing some awful things...things that it make it very difficult for this Christian to forgive"?

My point is, Reverend Wright has got to separate himself from Barack. There aint a damn thing Barack can do about the Reverend.

Damn, I shoulda' been a screenwriter.

[Carrie Bradshaw]

That's a good way of looking at it, Duwayne. It certainly doesn't help Obama when people are focused on soundbites of his pastor.

[Bill]

Most people are still going to vote along party lines. Obama wasn't going to win PA from the beginning. That was said almost when the campaign began months ago. So far, just about every place that was said each candidate would win, has indeed occured. This has happened before the Rev, the bitter speech, and so forth. Every person who supports a particular candidate can always find a reason not to support another. There have been very few crossovers, to one side or another (Dems). The intersting thing to note is that everyone is very aware that a political machine is in motion to discredit Obama and Clinton, and says how it won't change their vote, yet always thinks it will change everyone else's vote. Short of murder, there is very little that a candidate can do that would make most people switch their candidates.

[Rod Mc]

Derrick, you're probably right. The reverend and may want to separate himself from the senator to set the record straight. But imho, every day Rev. Wright is making news is another day to replay those soundites and create some new ones.

[Mel Smith]

Well, I support Rev. Wright one hundred percent. You see, he respects me as a black gay man. That's all that matters to me. I also like Barack Obama. But I would not want to run for the president of a nation of people who don't give a damn about injustices that people face in society. Most whites simply don't care about blacks. Now, would you honestly want to be president?

[Duwayne]

Do any of you feel that Rev. Wright was used by Obama to gain credibility in the black community in Chicago in preparation to run for office? If this is the case, then I feel that Rev. Wright has been wronged far more than Obama ever has been or ever will be.

[Mel Smith]

Wow, I love Rev. Jeremiah Wright! Did anyone see the interview on PBS? Duwayne, I think Obama is a good person.

[Moss]

I'm curious, Rod. Did you watch the Bill Moyer's interview before your wrote this blog entry? No offense is meant by my question, I'm just kind of thrown that this is what you came away with. I just saw it and I thought it was a moving and very illuminating discourse. Sure his words are likely to be taken out of context again - DELIBERATELY - by those with an agenda, but the man revealed by this interview is brilliant, warm, eloquent, and almost superhumanly compassionate.

I don't think it is foolish or self-serving in the least for Wright to give this interview. I don't believe he's trying to help Obama so much as reclaim his legacy as pastor and activist. Not to mention the man has been getting death threats and has been the focus of much hatred since this whole controversy had blown up. How could he not give voice to his side of the story.

I was really blown away by his heart and wisdom. His reference to Obama as a politician obviously wasn't pejorative as he was merely stating that they both play very different roles in very different worlds. After seeing this interview I really love this man!

[ATL Kid]

Moss, your comment is dated at 2am. Rod's post is dated at noon. Of course he didn't see the full interview on PBS, he watched the video and gave us a heads up. That's the same thing all the channels and networks reported throughout the day, and, many blogs and newspapers.

Not sure were you aware of this, but Rod wrote about Rev. Wright LAST YEAR at The Advocate and has defended him on radio and television. The reverend remains a distraction to the campaign, because, once again, everyone is talking about race and Rev. Wright. With the North Carolina and Indiana primaries coming up, clearly this is a campaign-sanctioned media tour and everyone is supposed to say, "Look, see how compassionate he is." The bottom line: We're still talking about race and Rev. Wright.

This blog attracts a curious audience of many people who consistently fault Rod for not drinking the KoolAid. His background is journalism and tv news so, he doesn't always say what some people want to hear, but, he is usually proven right. And he was totally on the money about Rev. Wright's longevity, the outcome in Pennsylvania and the new narrative about Obama coming from the media and the Republicans. That's why I keep coming back to this blog.

[Donovan]

Duwayne, I somewhat agree with you. He said twice that Obama "is a politician" and says what he has to say as politician. Of course he is upset, Obama's entire campaign is built around the fact that he is supposed to no be "just another politician", but of course he is. another politician, only more charismatic.

The reverend came across as very compassionate but he does want to get his side of the story out. Obama used him and his church to become part of the South Side black bourgeois. Rev. Wright gave him the title of his book and he devoted his book to Rev. Wright. Now he claims if he never heard anything and if he did he would have left. Rrrrright!

[Rod Mc]

ATL Kid: Thanks for another spirited defense, but, I don't think Moss was making generalizations about the content of this blog.

Moss: What an odd question. Clearly, this was posted hours before the interview was broadcast. Unless you're saying the NY Times, CNN, MSNBC, WaPo, and everyone else should not have previewed the clips and added their opinions?

I saw the full segment last night and will probably post my review today. But, if you think it's a good idea for Rev. Wright to dominate the news cycle for three or four days in a row and into next week, okay ...

[J Matt]

Another day with Wright in the news is another step-back for African Americans. The media is running circles around this man...so why don't Wright apologize for his words...we all make mistakes. We need to learn to humble ourselves sometimes...and preachers are the worst in doing that. I'm still waiting for my apology from Juanita Bynum and Bishop Weeks...lol. Anyway, thanks Rod for informing our people and warning us of the dangers in politics and religion.

[Seven]

So, Rod, you're reporting on the "news," which itself is reporting (I'm using "reporting" loosely) on the news? Look, I like Barack Obama, but I love Dr. Jeremiah Wright. And, I would think that as a journalist, you would be more concerned with the media's track record of slandering this man, as opposed to his presence in the media, irrespective of it's effect on Obama. The NY Times, CNN, MSNBC, WaPo did not preview the clips, they editorialized them out of context, which is why Dr. Wright is on PBS in the first place.

SEVEN: YOUR SNARKY COMMENTS ARE PETTY, AND OBSESSIVE. READ THE COMMENT WARNING BELOW.

[Seven]

J Matt, the reason Dr. Wright hasn't apologized is because there is no need for him to. I'm a religious skeptic (and non-denominational Christian), but I would be in this man's church every service if I lived in Chicago. To even put him in a category with Juanita Bynum or Weeks, Jakes, etc is an insult to Christianity. Wright, Dr. Cone, the UCC in general are true to the Kingian tradition of commitment to the poor and the weakest among us. He preaches against the profiteering that goes on in churches today. Watch an entire sermon with an open mind, and I bet you leave with different opinion of this man.place.

SEVEN: READ THE COMMENT WARNING BELOW

[Duwayne]

Rev. Wright is in a class by himself. He cannot be lumped in with those corrupt black televangelists. I actually feel worse for Rev. Wright now because I feel he is being vilified by the left and the right. When Obama said he would have left Rev. Wright's church if he HADN'T retired I think that hurt Rev. Wright deeply. Rev. Wright helped Obama when he was a nobody and now that he is a somebody he is doing what politicians do and putting politics first, not God first.

[Duwayne]

Also, I wouldn't be surprised if Obama never attends Trinity UCC's services again. Of course he can just cite the busy political season and move to Washington as the reason...

[Jim]

Look, the Democrats, Obama included, are devoid of belief. The only reason Jeremy Wright is a threat to them is because he is not morally vacuous. If the Democrats actually believed in something, then Wright’s truth-telling could be used as something to gain support from Americans, not something to take cover from. But they have no idea how to do that because they are empty.

The Democrats deserve to lose. They deserve to be humiliated. In the long run, the country is better off if they are discredited. So long as people of good will, such as many who post here, rest their hopes on them—“What are the alternatives?”—then there can be no progress.

The Republicans are thieves and psychopaths. If you cannot make a successful case to the American public against thieves and psychopaths, it is because you do not really want to. It is because you don't believe in anything yourself. And the flight from Jeremy Wright is just futher evidence of that.