Whither the Democratic voter

According to Rasmussen Reports: "Fifty-six percent (56%) (of likely voters surveyed) say it’s at least somewhat likely that Obama 'shares some of Pastor Wright’s controversial views about the United States'.” Even worse for the Senator is that 48% of Democrats and 49% of independents agree with that statement. Add to that the 81% who have an unfavorable opinion of the Rev. Wright and Senator Obama has a huge problem to overcome.

The problem becomes one of what can the Democratic Party do and more importantly the voters? Democrats are not likely to turn to Senator McCain, but they are having huge doubts about Obama now. Do they grit their teeth and vote for Obama or stay home? Of course it is a long ways to November and time tends to mellow distaste. We will certainly here more negatives about McCain once the nominating process is complete.

Rev. Wright is a racist, pure and simple

The Reverend Wright and Senator Obama have to deal with being black in American in very different ways. The Rev. Wright can very comfortably remain within his black identity and preach black isolation and hatred for whites. Sen. Obama must find a way to reconcile his identification with American blacks and the other 88% of the country who he needs in order to be elected.

I do not envy the Senator his position. He, no doubt, aligned himself with Trinity Church and the Rev. Wright in order to fit in his community and further his political career in Chicago. This served him well when he was a local politician and state senator, but now that he is running for a national office what benefitted him then is now a detriment. He has had to distance himself strongly from the Rev. Wright, but this has alienated some of the black community who supported him.

There is perhaps a positive in this brouhaha in that the discussion of race in America will now not be one sided. The past few decades have seen a racial discussion that basically devolved to “it is all whiteys fault and we have no responsibility for division.” Now the discussion has fallen down to the black community to sort out. Anyone who argues that the Rev. Wright’s views are not racist is promoting an agenda that does not hold up to argument. Making statements that the U.S. government is responsible for AIDS in order to kill blacks, that we are a terrorist nation, and that Louis Farrakhan is one of the great voices of the 20^th and 21^st century is just crazy. Then top that with the whole commentary about black brain physiology being different from Caucasians and Asians and you have certifiable bigotry.

This man is speaking from a place that is just not acceptable, and that he got cheers from the crowd at the National Press Club is disturbing. I am not saying that there is not racism in this country, clearly there is, but we rarely here it so openly displayed as we do when the Rev. Wright speaks. His speech sounded like the black version of a KKK rally. I know racist individuals, but I cannot think of ever encountering a single racial institution or having ever heard racism expressed in an open forum. I guess that makes the redneck Texan less of a bigot than the good Dr. of Divinity from Chicago.

I only hope that this is an opportunity for a real discussion about race in America.

End of rant.

Rev. Wright speaks out

Reverend Jeremiah Wright in response to this question, “You have said that the media have taken you out of context. Can you explain what you meant in a sermon shortly after 9/11 when you said the United States had brought the terrorist attacks on itself? Quote, "America's chickens are coming home to roost."

Rev. Wright: “You cannot do terrorism on other people and expect it never to come back on you. Those are biblical principles, not Jeremiah Wright bombastic, divisive principles.”

This answer has no context because the Reverend provided no context. He cited the Golden Rule and then said this. Obviously he considers the U.S. to be a terrorist nation. What terrorism is he referring to? The man gets a free ride on questions because he is self-centered, egomaniacal and most importantly, speaking from the black tradition. What a load of bullshit. It is easy to see someone’s true nature by observing their denials. These are exactly bombastic, divisive principles.

This man is working very hard to undermine the candidacy of Senator Obama. What motivates him is hard to discern, but surely he knows poking his finger in the eye of non-black Americans is not helpful to his parishioner. The man is another Sharpton.

The entire transcript of his speech at the National Press Club is available here.

End of rant.