U.S. Common Sense

Barack Obama finally did yesterday what he should have done a month ago, though the damage has already been done. For those of you who haven’t guess what I am talking about, I’m referring to Rev. Jeremiah Wright. After being out of the media spotlight for a few weeks since Obama’s first speech on race, Wright has come out with force. With the podium and television cameras at his command, Obama’s retired minister continued with his black church focus while spouting conspiracy theories against the U.S. Government … and a slight against Obama himself.

“The person that I saw yesterday was not the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive but I believe that they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate.” This is what Obama should have said weeks ago. In the speech a month ago, Obama basically was giving Wright a pass to continue with the bizarre comments and in a way empowered him to continue to do so. The raw emotion and lack of composure in yesterday’s speech showed a more true side of Obama as well, especially compared to the scripted (and poorly delivered) speech from a month ago.

But this is a month too late. Since Obama defended Wright at first and then gave him a pass in a national speech, the prior comments as well as the loony ones as of late have forever tied the two men together. A month ago, Obama could have distanced himself from Wright and avoided much of the speculation many now have regarding his views on the black church movement and racial issues in general. This by no means makes Obama a racist, but it does make people uncomfortable and question if there is a hidden racial motive behind the campaign.

Fortunately for Obama, he still holds the lead in delegates in the democratic race for the nomination, but Hillary Clinton is not mathematically eliminated yet, and the current chaos surrounding Obama gives her argument about being the better candidate against John McCain added weight. If Obama cannot shake Wright, and if Wright remains in the media, Obama will have a tough time among independents who might support McCain in the general election.

For some additional reading, check out these sites:
Kansas City Star - “Could poll numbers be a factor in Obama’s Wright divorce?”
Yahoo! News - “Obama’s Wright Turn”
The Christian Science Monitor - “Blacks wrestle with Obama-Wright rift”
The Boston Herald - “Obama: Wright sure is wrong”
Associated Press - “Voters say Wright has hurt Obama, but question how much”

For some additional reading across the web, check out these blogs:
First Door on the Left - “Obama severs ties with Wright”
My View of “IT” - “Obama strongly denounces former pastor”
The ramblings of an inquisitive idiot - “Bitter? Lots of Voters Are Just Exactly That”
The BoBo Files - “Does Obamessiah really think we’re all that stupid?”
The Volokh Conspiracy - “Obama, Wright, and the problem of nutty friends”