**What every DUer needs to ask themselves about Rev Wright**

[NJmaverick]

Can what he says now, make him look any worse than what the MSM's sound bit marathon already has?

Can what he says improve or soften people's impressions of him?

Do you really think the Wright story was going away?

Do you think Obama had already lost voters or was prevented from getting voters as a result of the original Wright issue (in other words, the damage is already done)?

Do you think that what Wright is doing now, will cause Obama to have less support (because some voters hadn't heard or heard of Rev Wright)?

Could what Rev Wright is doing cause the debate to shift from "how could Obama have attended his church for 20 years" to a debate about Rev Wright himself? If that happens, wouldn't that help Obama?

In my opinion, while it may seem counter intuitive and cause some short term issues, in the long run what Rev Wright is doing will be very helpful to Obama.

[Armstead]

1. I fear Wright just handed the nomination to Hillary and the election to McCain

On that subconscious level that many people vote on, Wright just associated Obama with a lot of stuff that voters will reject.

[NJmaverick]

2. How so?

[Armstead]

8. Wright Swiftboated Obama

Just as Kerry was wrongly but subconsciously made into a coward in the zeitgeist, Obama will be subconsciously associated with Black radicalism.

It sucks but in an election year that's what will happen.

[NJmaverick]

11. That's already happened, that horse is out of the barn

The damage has been done. Now it's time to undo the damage.

[Armstead]

12. You're right -- So why is Wright inflicting more damage?

[NJmaverick]

16. How is he inflicting more damage? What do you think is happening?

[Armstead]

26. Here's what I think is happening

Obama had successfully stabilized the impact of his association with Wright. He was steering his campaign back to his real messages and issues, and he had elevated himself with his original handling of the whole race issue.

But Wright has revived the negative aspects of that. Wright fanned flames that should not have been flamed, and that is gong to rub off on Obama.

So Wright is further embedding the intangible image of many voters (not just bigoits) that Obama is associated with a form of divisiveness that they don't want to see in the White House.

It sucks, it's unfair, but that's what is gong to happen -- I guaran-damn-tee you.

Maybe Obama can overcome it -- But Wright just made that much less likely.

[NJmaverick]

30. Wright is seperating himself from Obama, he is no longer talked about

through Obama. Obama's campaign and actions will get coverage, seperate from what Rev Wright does. That's a good thing. As for the concept that Obama has some how "stabilized the impact"... Well that's just not happening. I know someone that isn't all that political. He wants to see Al Gore run. When I mentioned Obama to him, he said he didn't support him because of Wright. So there is still damage to be undone, in this issue.

[ClassWarrior]

25. Inflicting damage? By engaging in the dialogue on race that...

...Progressives have wanted for generations?

:shrug:

If that's damage, bring it on.

NGU.

[Armstead]

27. Do you want to win an election?

An election of Obama would be a defacto million-mile jump forward for the whole issue of race.

By making that less liklely, Wright has set back the very goals he claims to believe in.

[ClassWarrior]

40. It won't be a "defacto million-mile jump forward" if...

...we don't have this dialogue first. And I don't make any pretenses that it'll easy or comfortable. But it needs to happen.

Besides, the attacks and smears will never go away, even if every Dem on the planet sits quietly with our hands folded in our laps. But no candidate in recent memory has appeared so well prepared and ready to handle them as Obama.

NGU.

[Armstead]

49. Even a Republican Black President would be a huge leap forward

Obama's very candicacy and success has been a demonstration of the positive possibilities for racial equality.

The whole idea of equal rights, civil rights, etc. is to allow people to rise or fall on their own merits, regardless of race, gender and otehr biological factors.

Obama has been on his way of achieving that by performing the very difficult balancing act necessary to break that barrier.

Wright threatens to add baggage that would undermine the very goal of eliminating race as a barrier.

[ClassWarrior]

53. Not if we're stuck on stupid.

You appear to want to the symbol of a black prez without all that annoying dialogue "baggage." If Rev. Wright is banned from the dialogue, who else should we ban?

NGU.

[Armstead]

59. I believe in evolutionary progress

I believe Obama would be much more than a symbol if he gets elected. He would champion policies that advance racial issues in a posiutive way.

I also believe that race is one of the subjects we should never stop talking about.

But right here, right now, going back and refighting the civil rights movement of the 60's is a distraction from the core issues of MONEY and POWER that is affecting people of all races. The oligarchs can rub their hands with glee, while we suckers once again get distracted and divided by polarizing wedge issues.

[NJmaverick]

60. What about the Wright ads in NC? The right wasn't going to let this issue die

Attacking it, is better than suffering a death of a thousand cuts, trying to defend it.

[Armstead]

69. Obama is certainly able to handle it -- But not if Wright keeps inserting himself

Obama did a masterful job of addressing this when it first broke.

But the longer Wright keeps resurfacing and spouting his alienating stuff it will assume more importance than it should.

[NJmaverick]

73. That ad was just a sign of what was to come

There was no way the right wing attack machine was going to let that issue die.

[Barack_America]

75. Obama would've been associated with Black Radicalism anyway...

Your average racist has only two ways of looking at a black man; lazy or dangerous. Even the most ignorant racist would have difficulty describing Obama as lazy, so viola! He must be dangerous. All this Wright thing did was replace the "dangerous secret Muslim" smear.

And, as for swiftboating Obama, the "god damn America" sermon was made in 2001 so...

[rucky]

3. simply by speaking?

if so, then once again we get the representatives we deserve.

[Armstead]

5. Unfortunately, the reaction will be shallow and people will run tio Hillary and McCain

If that happens we'll probably deserve it -- but that's the way it works unfortunately.

[NJmaverick]

9. What people????? People already heard about Wright

unless they were living in a cave some where

[Armstead]

32. I addressed this in responses above

We're having a littler thread confusion here...:)

[NJmaverick]

36. I don't think you have addressed it

My point is Wright's a given at this point. The damage is done, pretty much all the voting public has heard of this guy and what he is about. 97% have the wrong impression, thanks to the MSM (and hillary and the repukes). There is no where to go, but up in this mole hill affair. As they say knowledge is a good thing and America is LEARNING about the true Rev Wright.

[Armstead]

43. The true Rev. Wright will be a turn off to many Americans

I am not making a personal judgement on Rev. Wright.

But in the way the public perceptions work these days, many voters are going to automatically associate Wright with Obama...And seeing Wright mock JFK, praise Farrahkan and engage in all sort of otehr divisive and -- I hate to say it -- radical leftist antics.

(I am pretty far left, so I am referring to the cartoon version of that.)

What we really need at this point in history is a fundamental and serious focus on ECONOMIC ISSUES and issues of POLITICAL POWER AND THE OLIGARCVHY.

Obama has had the potential to move us in that direction. But by being tied to the image of Wright, he will be just as dfamaged as Kerry was by the phony attacks on his courage in Vietnam.

I HOPE I AM WRONG ABOUT THIS.

[NJmaverick]

46. Their is that important difference in perception

It's one thing not to agree with a person's views. It's another to believe that his is a wild eyed, white hating mad man. If Wright simply becomes someone with unpopular, but reasonable views, than the damage will be undone.

[Armstead]

50. Frankly, Wright's performance has reinforced the wild eyed stereotype

His intelligent analysis is not what is going to get through the filters. His wiseguy attitude will.

It's not what should be...But it is what is.

Once again, I hope I'm wrong. Only time will tell.

[NJmaverick]

52. Do you honestly think that Wright can make himself look worse?

The media deceptively painted him as an American and White hating mad man. There really is no where to go, but up.

[Armstead]

56. I think he is a distraction that was fading....

he should have continued to fade.

I realize his own reasons for coming out. But it isn't doing Obama any good, to say the least.

[NJmaverick]

57. Wright wasn't going to fade, that's where I think you are mistaken

I am sure there were other sound bites that would have been released, when needed. Beyond that, there were people that just were not going to support or vote for him, because of this issue. The only way that is going to change, is if Wright's true nature is revealed.

[Liberal Gramma]

76. Ya know what I'm hearing in GD:P with all the anti-Wright posts?

The implication that people will vote for a black man as long as he acts white. The color is OK, the AA culture isn't. Wright's words make some uncomfortable because they are true. If you are truly color-blind, you not only don't see color, you don't leap to outrage if they hold a different world-view than you do.

[rucky]

42. Then we have no choice but to stand up for him, and hope to add some depth.

The genie is out of the bottle.

[IsItJustMe]

15. The sky is falling, huh? I don't think so.

[Armstead]

29. I sincerely hope I'm wrong....If so I will happily eat my words

In this case, I would welcome the taste of eating crow.

[TheDoorbellRang]

47. I've read some of the messageboards about Wright.

Interspersed amongst the comments by supporters and denouncers are comments by people whose opinion has changed because of seeing him on Bill Moyers and his NAACP speech. Not only that, they're pretty pissed that the media did this to him.

More people are waking up to the media lies. And that's a good thing.

[NJmaverick]

51. EXACTLY! You are not seeing people's opinion of Wright getting worse

Rather you are seeing their opinions getting better. The media had made Wright out to be an American and white people hating mad man. After that, Wright had no where to go but up.

[Armstead]

54. Once again....I hope so....I would prefer to see my inner cynic debunked

[Doityourself]

21. Barack will be the nominee and once we start on McCain..he won't survive. Have you been paying

attention to the record number of democrats registering to vote?


When people get a whiff of McCain bs and are informed of what's at stake, supreme court, roe v wade, IWR, Iran and a host of other issues, they'll come home. At least that's my opinion.

[Armstead]

34. I hope you're right

[cali]

55. So do I.

be prepared to get a raft of shit for daring to voice that opinion.

[chefgirl]

63. Exactly the words that came to my mind...

I think he just took the nomination from Obama. And if not that, the win in the GE.

After reading the replies in this thread, I would only caution to those who think this will help Obama, remember to think like the other side.

Lets not forget that a lot of the vote Obama is seeking is the independent vote. Those people who might/might not vote for a Republican as easily as voting for a Democrat dont tend to vote on deeply held political principles, but on their feelings and perceptions of a given candidate.

As I was watching Rev. Wrights speech this morning, I couldn't help thinking that he was purposely stirring the political pot for his own purposes.

As another poster upthread said, that balancing act that Obama has been SO good at so far; getting independent white voters, who may or may not be familiar with any black people in their personal lives, to even consider him as a legitimate candidate, has been the real achievment of this campaign.

I really fear that Rev. Wrights speech this morning, and his style of delivery, coupled with the inescapable fact that people ARE going to equate him with Obama, are going to exact a high price on Obama's chances.

Lets also not forget that dirty little truth that at the heart of the fear of a black candidate, especially one who is seen as being aligned with a poitically motivated, firebrand preacher, is that, shhhh.....'the blacks are trying to take over'. It would be foolish to overlook the depth of that fear in the hearts of MANY white voters. Sucks, but its true.

Unless Obama comes out guns blazing against Reverend Wright, especially after this mornings speech, I'm afraid I have to agree, he just handed the nomination to Hillary. :puke:

Flame away!

-chef-

[NJmaverick]

64. The NC repukes were keeping the Wright issue alive, with their ad

What is happening now is Wright is ATTACKING the issue. Which is better than suffering a death of a thousand cuts, while weakly trying to defend agains the issue, because you are hoping it goes away.

[RevCheesehead]

4. Boy, the media sure is spinning this as a disaster for Obama.

Just like in church, it's like THEY WEREN'T LISTENING TO HIM!!! :banghead:

[saltpoint]

10. Brit Hume doesn't HAVE to listen to pastors, dammit. He's a FOX news

anchor!

He's important!

He's influential!

And he has a Constitution to trash.

Stop hassling him with all this fair-play chatter at once!

_ _ _

good mornin' RevCheesehead. Happy springtime.

[RevCheesehead]

13. Hey, Crusoe!

Spring? Ha! We're getting SNOW today! :P

:hi:

[saltpoint]

18. O god. Snow in April. I guess you're in the part of the country where that

sort of thing happens.

Bundle up and carry on. We need ya!

[saltpoint]

6. In the long-term, Obama's campaign is strengthened and better-defined

by his association with and defense of Rev. Wright.

Obama is much less brandable as a "Muslim" if his decidedly Christian pastor is on the front page of home town papers, which has been the case now for some time.

Voters can grasp Obama's (and others') notion that one attends a synagoge/church/temple/meadow of one's own choosing, sanctioned by the Founders, and that one is not obliged to concur with every utterance one's pastor/priest/etc offers each week.

The landscape is changed, and despite with some rancor and manipulation by the mainstream morons at FOX and elsewhere, the long-term view favors Obama as his own man and Rev. Wright as a significant voice worth listening to.

McCain's Hagee problem is the true albatross and it will drag McCain down swifter and harder than he thinks.

Voters who missed Moyers and Wright on PBS missed something worth hearing, IMO.

[Avalux]

7. We need to put this in perspective. Wright is a religious leader, not a politician.

What he is doing now is in no way related to Obama. It would be different if they were standing alongside each other onstage and Obama was openly supporting him.

I don't think this hurts Obama.

Another thing - those who agree with the MSMs derogatory comments on Wright are people who wouldn't vote for Obama anyway.

[NJmaverick]

14. On the plus side, it's becoming a battle between Wright and the media

Obama's role in this farce is being diminished.

[proud2BlibKansan]

That's what I am thinking too

This is more about Rev Wright than Obama.

And that is a smart strategy. It's how republicans handle their lunatic preachers. Not that I think Rev Wright is a lunatic, but the right is trying to place that label on him.

[NJmaverick]

20. Very true, he is now Rev Wright, not Obama's pastor

A subtle, yet helpful, distinction

[hokies4ever]

39. Interesting point

I didn't think about it this way before now.

[woo me with science]

17. "Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama"

I'm not sure this is helpful.

[keep_it_real]

28. There are many Hussein who are Christian just like

General Omar Bradly had a Arabic name Omar. Like Rev. Wright said yesterday, we should not confuse the Arabic language with the religion. A name does not make a person of a certain religion.

[woo me with science]

65. It is a good explanation.

The problem is that once you are in a position of having to explain, you are losing the battle.

[NJmaverick]

66. You are in a losing battle if you keep weakly defending the issue

hoping it will go away. The NC repuke's Wright ad, shows it's not going away. This is the best approach, attack the issue and take it head on.

[woo me with science]

68. I hope you are right. nt

[NJmaverick]

70. Me to

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

19. Well, Obama could pull a Sista Souljah moment with Wright...

like a certain opportunistic politician once did to enhance his creds with the right.

[NJmaverick]

22. I would lose respect for Obama if he did something sleezy like that

Obama has carried himself honorably in this whole mole hill affair, by not wrongfully throwning anyone under the bus.

Beyond that, how much cred did he really get from the right? They still hate his guts.

[keep_it_real]

23. Can what he say improve or soften people's impressions of him? Yes

[NJmaverick]

24. Exactly! If he is no longer perceived as this wild eye white hating mad man

His association with Obama is no longer a major handicap.

[MonkeyFunk]

31. I don't think this helps Obama in any way

I think it's a severe case of wishful thinking to believe this helps Obama.

He gave out about 30 more soundbytes that can be used against him today, and MSNBC reported that he has a book coming out. This doesn't help Obama.

[NJmaverick]

33. He is becoming his own man, in the process

He is now becoming Rev Wright, rather than Obama's preacher. In reality it's your desire to see Hillary win the nomination, that's causing you to skew your views.

[MonkeyFunk]

35. I think it's far more likely

that your view is skewed.

[NJmaverick]

38. How is that?

I mean you support Hillary, which means you are already capable of blocking out certain realities (such as your candidate is dishonest and lacking moral values).

[MonkeyFunk]

45. ah well

thought we were having a civil discussion.

I should've known better.

[NJmaverick]

48. Yeah right, you basically stated your views and opinions were

superior with out explanation or reason. Did you honestly think that would be taken at face value????????

[MonkeyFunk]

67. LOL

read the exchange. YOU started the "skewed perception" attack.

MSNBC just showed a poll that showed 41% of voters think less favorably of Obama due to Rev. Wright, and only 6% feel more favorably about him. If you think continued focus on Wright helps Obama, I believe your perception is skewed.

[NJmaverick]

71. Ahhh.... Did someone hijack your account and write this?

"I think it's a severe case of wishful thinking to believe this helps Obama."


Seems to me that pretty much set the tone for our exchange.

[Yossariant]

37. I'm not sure. I'd like to hear more from Rev. Wright to help me decide.

[kentuck]

41. Very optimistic for the long run..

But the In and NC primaries are in 8 short days.

[NJmaverick]

44. That's true, I don't see NC turning but it could hurt IN

however IN is a must win for Hillary, not Obama

[stillcool]

58. It seems that many believe..

that Reverend Wright should lay down and let the media and others continue to kick him like a dog. This country has no soul. No sense of right and wrong. No sense of truth. Everything is about winning, and nothing is about integrity.

[NJmaverick]

62. As the repukes in NC with their Wright ad showed, they are not going to let this issue die

Better to attack the issue, than suffer the death of a thousand cuts trying to half heartedly defend it and hope it goes away.

[stillcool]

72. Yup! It's not going away..

the racist angle is being pimped for all it's worth. Might as well give them some truth to deal with. It should be interesting to see how the media side steps all that reality.

[redqueen]

74. Yup... nothing matters but playing politics.

This is what voters are sick to death of.

[Swamp Rat]

61. Am I still on ignore?

:hi: