ABC News Criticizes Barack Obama Over Rev. Wright and Race Speech

March 20th, 2008 By: Michael van der Galien | Tags:

In what’s a clear sign that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy isn’t going to go away for Senator Barack Obama, not even after giving a speech on race, ABC News charges that “[b]uried in his eloquent, highly praised speech on America’s racial divide, Sen. Barack Obama contradicted more than a year of denials and spin from him and his staff about his knowledge of Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s controversial sermons.”

ABC’s Brian Ross and Avni Patel explain:

Until yesterday, Obama said the only thing controversial he knew about Rev. Wright was his stand on issues relating to Africa, abortion and gay marriage.

“I don’t think my church is actually particularly controversial,” Obama said at a community meeting in Nelsonville, Ohio, earlier this month.

“He has said some things that are considered controversial because he’s considered that part of his social gospel; so he was one of the leaders in calling for divestment from South Africa and some other issues like that,” Obama said on March 2.

His initial reaction to the initial ABC News broadcast of Rev. Wright’s sermons denouncing the U.S. was that he had never heard his pastor of 20 years make any comments that were anti-U.S. until the tape was played on air.

But yesterday, he told a different story.

ABC also recalls that Obama basically took the same approach to his Rezko-problem; first deny, then diminish the influence and significance, then admit. To a degree.

This issue isn’t going away for Obama, I fear for him and his supporters. He’s doing increasingly worse in the polls and it seems that some media aren’t willing to let him get away with going to a Church that’s founded on black liberation ideology for 20 years, while pretending that he didn’t know that Rev. Wright frequently insults America, whites and Jews.

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  1. anon
    March 20th, 2008 at 17:54
    Reply | Quote | #1

    "I fear for him and his supporters."

    No, you don’t.

  2. kritter
    March 20th, 2008 at 18:00
    Reply | Quote | #2

    Obama spoke the truth, but many are chosing not to hear it. Many churches in black America have pastors just like Rev Wright, who blame the white man for all of the planet’s ills, and refuse to acknowledge either progress made in this country towards racial equality or the black man’s own responsibility for his plight.  He may not get elected, but it won’t be because he was dishonest with us about this very real problem.

  3. C Stanley
    March 20th, 2008 at 18:04
    Reply | Quote | #3

    So, what’s the explanation of why he chose to sit on his hands for 20 years in response to this very real problem, Kim?

  4. phin
    March 20th, 2008 at 19:14
    Reply | Quote | #4

    Some "agent of change" he turned out to be.  He couldn’t (or wouldn’t) even change the mind of his own church (that’s assuming he really did disagree with his pastor).  And yet we’re supposed to believe that he’s gonna somehow, magically change America.  Absolutely hysterical…

  5. Paul V
    March 20th, 2008 at 19:33
    Reply | Quote | #5

    Al sharpton Jesse Jackson, There are done ,,, they have a double standard,,, when it come to whites and black,, there is racism in the United State, most of it is coming from the Black Americans,,,, How can Al Sharpton say, its ok for black to get imus fired,,, for the comments imus made, but Jeremiah Wright is ok thousands of excuses a double standard,, its time for Jesse and Al to get out of the lime light,,, Had respect for all sharpton,, until I seen him on Oreilly ,, Just like Obama,, I voted for Obama in California,, but now when it comes time for the presidency He does not have my vote,, On CNN And Msnbc, I seen alot of barack Obama supporter out there saying I Hilary is given the primary,,, with the super delegates,,, Obama supporter are going to Vote for McCain,,, there for OBama lost my Vote, in fact I will Vote for McCain,, If OBama wins the primary,,, because Barack Obama is a liar,,, To all Obama speech ,,,, Not sure if you caught Not only did Obama,,, Refuses to denounce him,, but even More,, He say in his own words,,, Barack Obama was in church when Jeremiah Wright,, was spewing Anti-American, Racist ism ,,,, Those were his own words,,, barack was there After going on keith Oberman ,Show obama said he would denounce that if he heard that language he would leave and not tolerate it , and denounce it After he went on MSNBC,, he went on FOX CNN ABC< all the news station saying he was never there,,, in his church when he said these things,, But Now today during his speech,,He states flat out Say?s HE was there,,, Last week Barack Obama Lied,, went on all the news stations, and Lied,, But your not reporting that,,,, You can rest assure,,, cnn ,,, Fox , ABC,,, Msnbc,, are getting more on this ,,, they will be reporting on this, and we will see If you chose to report, Obama Lying on tv,,, If this was Hilary clinton lying and caught lying on all the new station,,, you can be sure,, you would talk about it every hour people will be on your station debating this,,,, people analysing , if it is hilary clinton but it was not her it was Barack Obama, ,, it bad enought He lied, about being in church With Jeremiah Write, when he said these anti american ,,,,,and still refuse to denounce him?all the news agency want to do is speak on how good his speech was, Not that he lied,,, Last week on all the news agency ,, He was never there today in how own speech He say I was there,,,,should play all Obama videos from last week stating he was not there,,, or heard any of the anti-american Jeremiah Write, said in his churc then play his speech today saying he was there and he did hear him in church and refuse to denounce Jeremiah Wright..

  6. kritter
    March 20th, 2008 at 21:07
    Reply | Quote | #6

    Just the fact that he spoke the truth in his speech is so much more than other black leaders have done. He can’t change other people- they have to do that on their own. Obama is not responsible for long-held beliefs in the African-American community. But he does lead by example, which is admirable.

    He can only speak the truth- which took courage and integrity. We can choose to try to address race relations with his refreshing candor or leave everything alone. Whites are often dishonest about race as well, as we see with the "Bradley Effect".

  7. Grace
    March 23rd, 2008 at 02:53
    Reply | Quote | #7

    kritter: he had no choice because he knew he got caught on the spot.

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