Live Blog from the Anchor Desk 4/29/08
Tonight, Wright is wrong. That’s what Sen. Barack Obama said at a press conference today. The candidate distanced himself from his former pastor and criticized his appearances over the past few days calling them “objectionable and offensive.” You’ll hear Sen. Obama in his own words and we will dig deeper with the best political team on television. David Mattingly also looks at the relationship between Obama and Wright and how difficult it must have been for the Senator say what he did.
Gary Tuchman has the latest on the polygamous sect down in Texas. One of the teenaged girls removed from the ranch gave birth to a baby boy today. We don’t know how old she is exactly but she is considered a minor.
Anderson is anchoring from New Orleans tonight and won’t be able to comment but Erica Hill will be blogging away. Check her out on our web camera. LINK TO THE BLOG CAMERA
We’ll start posting comments at 10p ET and stop at 11p ET.
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I'm pround of Obama for throwing Rev. Wright under the bus. What Rev. Wright did Monday was the upmost performance of disrespect. How could a "Pastor" so call man of God do something like this. What a loser and piece of trash. I hope the bus runs over him.
Lolzy, I agree 100%. People are expecting too much out of this "separation" between Rev. Wright and Barack Obama. They want Obama to say this, they want him to say that, they want Rev. Wright to do this and that. Just let it be!!
He responded too slowly to this whole thing. It seems like he is very arrogant himself about this whole thing. He has shielded this guy from the beginning. Wright has been offending people for a while now and only when it was hurting Obama did he react and finally say something. He obviously is not as sensitive to others as he would have us believe. He is talking out of two sides of his mouth.
I can't help but wonder if Mr. Obama, with his political ambitions, didn't join Rev. Wright's church to connect with the African-American community. Now that the church has served its purpose, it's time to distance himself, because the liberation theology might be offensive to white, blue collar workers. Mr. Obama is feeling like politics as usual.
Regardless of support in this current primary, my question is this: how can it take Senator Obama so long to divorce himself from Rev. Wright? Is it logical that after being part of his ministry for twenty years he had absolutely no idea of his views? That I find simply illogical.
Thanks Angel!
I agree with you too 🙂
I support Reverend Wright's right to defend himself and thought he did just that with the Moyer's interview and the NAACP speech. That said, the PC Q&A session was not defending but fighting and he did himself, people who supported him and Senator Obama a great disservice.
Reverend Wright through his actions rejected Obama – Obama had no choice. I would feel betrayed the relationship would be over for me as well.
I have to agree with David Gergen. Rev. Wright cares more about himself than anyone else. Not a good attitude to have when you're a Pastor.
Hey Bob L, what do you think he should do that he hasn't already done? He has to save his campaign. Especially if he's going to be the deomcratic nominee
Kelly, Until recently, the media drew most of what they new about Obama from books he wrote about himself.
While I am glad that Barack has taken an extra step in terms of responding back to Rev Wright's latest comments, I am still disturbed by the double standard of the major media outlets. While the focus has been on Barack's FORMER pastor, Hillary's FORMER pastor was just convicted for sexual child abuse. While the media was quick to jump on Barack about Rezko, there has been no mention of the Clinton's trial in California re: Paul vs Clinton, in which the court has allowed Hillary to give her deposition after the November election!!!
Casey, I'm not sure if Anderson looks back at the evening's blog, but I know many folks on the show do.
We talk about what you are saying, your thoughts on the show...
You would be surpried what happens with pastors. I belong to a church who had one pastor embezzle 200,000 and another fired for online pornography and going to prositutues. I thought I was close to both. AND I did not leave the church because of them. Pastors as well as politicians ARE human after all. I choose to believe that Obama is sincere.
I have to agree with David Gergan. The way Barack handled the Rev. Wright situation today was great! I like that fact that Barack is still able to keep a cool head... just what we need in a president.
First Obama attempts to hide Wright on the day he announced his presidential bid. He then spins what we all saw on videos, as snippets being misinterpreted. All along Obama was close with Wright and the church for 20 years. Only fools would believe he didn't know Wright's positions and views. Even after the videos, he couldn't break ties with him in his special speech on race. Now it looks like good cop, bad cop, but way too late. This is a political no brainer now, and to think he is totally a non-believer of Wright and the church' beliefs is juvenile.
I strongly believe that we need to focus on the issue at hand in this country which is that we need someone who will be able to help us out our present condition.
i think Obama did a good job defending him self its time to move on ..
Wish Obama was more emotional in his speech.
I know he is a cool guy but he needed to have 'cursed' him a little.
Wright is just an attention seeker. He has hurt this one brother of his. too sad.
Roland stated earlier that his radio audience had split 50/50 over this new developement. Some blacks were for Wright's comments and some were not.
I think the choice for Obama is clear: He must choose between leadership and loyalty. He must decide is he going to be a leader or is going to be loyal. It is time for him to step up, fully cut his ties with Wright, and go after winning the nomination.
Yesterday Wright said the same things that he has been saying for years. Where was Obama's outrage before today? I don't believe for one minute that Obama had not heard this things before.
Last night David Gergen said Obama needed to disown and get angry about Reverend Wright. Obama did exactly that. I do not see how any one can find it sincere after al this time... He is only doing what he had to. In my heart and mind I know that Obama shares the feelings that Reverend Wright is talking about. He is not fooling the majority of us. Obama is ruined.
Today was staged...
"If Barack gets past the primary, he might have to publicly distance himself from me," Wright told The New York Times with a shrug. "I said it to Barack personally, and he said 'yeah, that might have to happen.'"
I am sickened by Wright's views, and equally sickened by the media playing this out. Senator Obama has been unequivocal in his condemnation, rightly expressing outrage at the imbecile views of this narcissistic 'man of God' – for heaven's sake, quit dissecting this debacle and let us move forward.
I am a little confused, didn't Obama say his first book was based on or spirtually written due to Wright? Hasn't he said through out this campaign that Wright has been his spirtual adviser for 20 years? If I'm not mistaken I find this VERY hard to believe that he is JUST now figuring out what Rev. Wright is all about. I think Obama is too little to late.
i think Obama did exactly what he had to do.
He needs to try and move on .......if the media permits!!
I feel Obama spoke the truth, but it didn't come off too well. People like his wonderful speeches, not what we see in these stuttering sound bites, which sound more like his debate answers where he doesn't seem to do as well.
David G. said he smacked him between the eyes, but his tone sounded like a tap, not a punch.
David Gergen is always the voice of reason....I love David Gergen!!!!!
Obama had plenty of time to say this a long time ago. This wasn't some sudden change in Wright's character. He was the same person at the NAACP dinner that he was in those sermons. Does Obama really expect anyone to believe that he did not know Wright harbored this type of racist attitude and hate for the government when he not only sat in that church for twenty years, but he was a close friend of his Now Obama claims that Wright was not his mentor or spiritual advisor. It is just incredible.
Senator Obama is attempting to move folks to a new space a new paradigm. He wants a nation for all the people. I think Rev Wright is probably stuck in the past to some degree.
Does anyone find it ironic that he says he didnt "vett" his pastor very well? I think that has been one of the most curious things about his press for all of this time...he hasnt been vetted either and that is a concern to many.
Barack doesn't come off as being one who stomps on others to get ahead. That is leadership. Why on earth would you guys want to start a conspiracy theory on something that is not true.
So true Tammy! Excellent point! 1 to 25 years of Catholicism to me and I was out of there.
Erica>Do you or Anderson (or any of the producers, etc.) go back and review the blog after the broadcast, for consistent comments, ideas, etc? When Anderson is out of the studio, does he review this at all (after the fact)?
If Obama denounced Wright's words earlier, then it might not have gone this far- in this case, hindsight is 20/20.
I agree Genevieve...too little, too late.
I can not for the life of me, understand why it took this long (20 years) to make a better judgement about Rev. Wright.
Obama proved he knew this man was poisonous when he mad sure Wright was not a part of his presidential run announcement last year!!!!
Barack, DO NOT insult my intelligence!
As Glen Beck said, did Obama ever even go to church?? To say you had no idea of the feelings of someone you felt close enough to call an uncle for 20 years is just preposterous.
Rev. Wright has crowed one too many times, and Obama's chickens have come home to roost.
I think now that Obama denounced Wright he will be forgiven immediately by everyone. He seems to get away with everything.. deserved or not..
today he said wright was never his mentor of spirtual advisor but i also remember him saying that and that he was his sounding board.
Man, People! No matter what Barack Obama does, he will never make some of you happy... How about some compassion and empathy?
Obama only distanced himself from Rev Wright because he
hurt his feelings by saying that Obama is a politician and
he'll say what he has to get elected. In other words he believes
in everything I preach about.
He didn't feel upset by his comments for twenty years, not
until it started to hurt his campaign. Obama proved Rev.
Wright to be correct in what he said about saying anything.
He set a trap for him publicly and Obama walked right into
it head first.
You know Obama is damned if he does and he is damend if he doesn't. Nothing that Jeremiah Wright has said has change my opinion of Barack Obama.....I still support him and I hope the American people get it right and vote Senator Obama as the next president of the USA
Crowley mentioned how emotional Obama was today...I honestly don't see it. It seems just like every other one of his speeches both in tone and mannerisms. I have to give Obama credit for being so stoic though.
I find it puzzling why Senator Obama says that the Jeremiah Wright he knew 20 years ago is not the one he heard in the last few days. He didn't leave the church 20 years ago – in fact he didn't leave the church at all. The outrage should have come weeks ago.
BTW, welcome to my corner of the world AC360.
Maybe you can't attribute Wright's thoughts to you, Obama, but they influenced you just like sitting in Roman Catholicism for almost 40 years influenced me (and not for the best, either).
Chuck>I fear you are absolutely right about not being able to get away from this so succinctly (especially when we finally learn Rev Wright is on the Clinton campaign payroll!). 🙂
Sorry Obama...hope is not a plan for America!
This man has been abandoned by his father mother now Rev Wright.
Please America give him a fair go. If he wins or loses be it by his own
ability.
You can't simply sit under a minister's teaching for that long and try in one speech to dissassociate yourself from the man's beliefs and teachings...... I'm certain OB is correct in that his relationship has changed......the question is – has it changed only becuase OB is a polititician – or has it changed because the Rev is clearly in error in his beliefs?
Obama's run for the Presidency has always been a high wire act – – a balancing game upon a very high and very long wire. He can recover from one or two mistakes, yet when there continuously comes one after another, after another . . . then sooner or later the great artist must fall.