.
June 5th, 2008
11:56 AM ET

Is Obama off the hook?

[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/06/05/art.obamawindow.jpg]
Brian Fitzpatrick
Senior Editor, Culture and Media Institute

By leaving his church, has Barack Obama put the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy behind him?

Not a chance.

The public still has serious questions about the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, even though the media are trying to help him wriggle off the hook.

Sunday’s New York Times sounded almost desperate to see Obama freed from Wright: “Now that Mr. Obama has addressed his ties to the church and pastor in a long speech and fully broken with both, it is not clear what else he can say or do to ameliorate the continued concerns of some voters about those associations.”

The Times may not see it, but in fact it’s clear as day what Obama needs to do. He needs to answer, credibly, the important questions about his values and character that the Wright fiasco has raised.

Read the rest of his blog...

soundoff (107 Responses)
  1. Vern

    In Today's society you would think that people have learned to except people for who they are and not for what you think that they should be. It is very easy for alot of you to sit here and talk bad about any of the ones running for president, but if you take the time to think about the type of life that you have lived over the years and the type of people that you have been associated with, would you want someone to that because you associate with that you should be judged by someone else's actions. One thing that i truly believe is that white america is really upset with Rev. Wright about is that he wasn't afraid to speak the truth about what has been happening to blacks as long as america as been here. The comments that the priest made was so offensive because it was really the truth, because she did and still does feel that she is entitled and although she didn't win she had it about her. People don't like the truth to be told out loud because when the truth has been exposed it should be dealt with and move on to began a healing process. Many people go to church and just because the pastor is speaking things that they don't agree with, it is this the person's responsibility to seek God for themselves and seek guidance on what to do for the lives of them and their familes. It is vey easy to say that he should have left the church, but you really need to think about the things that all of you have done and you never done anything about it unless you were found out. How would any of you like for someone to dig into your lives to see what type of people you have dealt with, or anything in you life that you know that you don't do now. People should always learn to think what if that was me, because what you are so willing to do to someone else it will be done to you. I am sure alot of americans have done things and assiciated with people of different backgrounds but that should define who you are as a person, because you should be judge on your character instead of the character of the people that you have associated with. The main reason that people wwhat to hold on to the Rev Wright thing is it gives the public a reason not to like him instead of being willing to say that we believe in change and that we as a country are ready for change, and that we can change and put racism behind us and be unified as one Nation under God for which we were all created.

    June 6, 2008 at 3:39 am |
  2. lynwood in the Bahamas

    We ask the question if Senator Obama is off the hook but he really should not have been on the hook in the first place. We all have friends and mentors who we associate with and even look up to and these friends from time to time say and or do some embarrassing things and we ourselves may not be apart or condone but that person is still your friend. We saw but a small portion of who Rev Wright is and yet we cast judgement as if we had read his biography, i am certain that Senators Obama's admiration for Rev Wright came over many years of watching and listening to what he stood for and what he believes in. We are too quickly to judge and yet when we are on the recieving end we beg for Mercy. Rev Wright's mis-speaking was but two times in his 6 decades of life or at lease what we know of and we cast him off as anti Ameerican. You know what is Anti American not having an opinion or affraid of voicing that opinion Thousands of American men and women died so people like Rev Wright can say what he said and i am sure that Rev Wright in hind sight feels as if he was mis-interperted. We all make misstakes and we all have sinned and fall short of God's glory so my american neighbours let forgive Rev Wright and not use his words to cast judgemnet on Senator Obama.
    The Bahama is for Obama.

    June 6, 2008 at 3:30 am |
  3. Miguel

    If values and affiliations dictate how good a President someone is why did George W. Bush mess up so badly?

    George W. Bush's values didn't stop him from making the strategic blunder that is the War on Iraq. It didn't stop the foreclosure crisis, or the bad economy.

    So why are we so obsessed with values, when we already know first hand that means nothing.

    June 6, 2008 at 1:10 am |
  4. Loretta from California

    When I go to Church, I am influenced by the word of God, and the blessings that I receive from him. I am not influenced by my Minister, He cannot bless me.

    June 6, 2008 at 12:25 am |
  5. Becky Timmer

    Bill, was a dam good president, people need to look at where this country is going, Who was the president before Bill??? Bush sr.dose any one out there remember DESSERT STORM??????????? I do, But Bill gets blamed for the Irac war,. from the REPUBLICANS. Just look at what they have done to us the last 8yrs. I want to know WHY BUSH AND CHENNY Havent been impeached?????????????????? AMERICANS NEED TO WAKE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Be for we destroy our selfs, I dont here any thing about all the things the Bushes did to us. Obama has no experience, Hillary dose, and remember hes related to Laura Bush and Chenny, Well Ive made up my mind who I will vote for. McCain poor fellow he has no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.

    June 6, 2008 at 12:14 am |
  6. dora_rice

    the GOP will turn him inside out. What the Clintons didn't dare to say or do, the GOP will. We will find out who Obama is, before he is in the White House , whether he will be in the White House , it all depends on how much of Obama will be exposed. There is in my opinion unpatriotic , racist dirt there but will it be exposed and how much?

    June 5, 2008 at 11:59 pm |
  7. sophia

    OMG, What I find so interesting is that there are millions of Black people who agree with Rev. Wright. Millions of black people sit in there respective churches and hear sermons like this every sunday. But does that mean that they all are racist or buy into theories of conspiracy? some do and other just listen to the opinion and decided for themself. When i first saw the video I knew it would have been a big mess for him, I dont this that any of the comments made by rev wright reflect on his on personal thinking but i do believe that it does reflect the opinions of millions of blacks in america and I also think that him having listen to this type of thinking helps him understand the real issues that a large group of people have concern. I see this just as if her were listening to other sets of cultural expressing their diffferences. In conclusion I will that this and the idea of Hillary as VP both go away!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

    June 5, 2008 at 11:25 pm |
1 2 3