CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - Thirteen hours after his former pastor startled some with a defiant performance that was televised nationwide, Barack Obama urged 18,000 supporters to stay calm and shrug off such "distractions."
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(Photo: AP Images / Jae C. Hong)Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, speaks during a town hall-style meeting in Hickory, N.C., Tuesday, April 29, 2008.
By the next afternoon, however, his tone was dramatically different.
The Illinois senator summoned reporters Tuesday to say he was outraged by the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's "divisive and destructive" remarks, scrambling to contain the flare-up in a controversy that has dogged him since clips of some of Wright's most objectionable remarks began circulating on TV and the Internet.
Obama said he belatedly condemned Wright's remarks because he did not see a transcript or video of Monday's appearance until the next day.
Doubtless, too, campaign aides were inundated with calls and messages Tuesday urging a stronger reaction.
But Obama's struggle to find the right tone — six weeks ago he said he couldn't disown the pastor he's known for 20 years — also reflects a striking difference in how Democratic voters view the controversy and its proper handling, a point made clear in interviews in North Carolina this week, ahead of the May 6 primary.
Black voters, in particular, urge Obama to rise above campaign attacks and dustups, saying he is not responsible for what Wright says. Many white voters say they were deeply troubled and baffled by Obama's association with Wright, even before the preacher reiterated some of his most incendiary comments on Monday.
At the heart of this divide is a fundamental disagreement about Obama's strengths and weaknesses in his battle against Hillary Rodham Clinton for the party's presidential nomination.
"I'm not so concerned" about Wright's comments, said Aliki Martin, of Bahama. A compliance officer at Duke University Medical Center, she was among 18,000 people who awaited Obama's arrival late Monday night at the University of North Carolina's basketball arena in Chapel Hill.
"I hope he keeps things positive," she said.
Obama seemed to follow that advice in his 45-minute speech. "I know we're being goaded into stuff," he said, referring vaguely to disputes with Clinton and her supporters. "Don't get distracted," he told the crowd.
He gently mocked his critics: "They say, 'We don't know enough about him. He doesn't always wear a flag pin. His pastor once said something. He's got a funny name, sounds Muslim.'"
By Tuesday afternoon in Winston-Salem, Obama wasn't laughing it off any more.
Wright's comments — including the suggestion that the U.S. government invented the AIDS virus to destroy "people of color" — "end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate," Obama told reporters, "and I believe that they do not portray accurately the perspective of the black church."
It was the kind of comment Tom Lipsky, a record company owner in Raleigh, expected to hear earlier.
"It bothers me that he would take his two daughters" to a church headed by "a man who says those kinds of things," said Lipsky, who is white, as he waited to see Clinton Tuesday morning at North Carolina State University. Lipsky, 53, said he's a committed Democrat, but is not sure he could vote for Obama if he becomes the nominee.
John Overton, of Chapel Hill, also attending the Clinton event, had similar misgivings. "I'm afraid of his radical connections," which include Wright, the 39-year-old software developer said. Continue >>
Comments
First of all, I am a McCain supporter. That said, the only candidate who has clearly said the words I would expect from a Christian was Hillary Clinton (in the Compassion Forum). Senator Obama basically just talked about his social agenda and why HE THOIUGHT it relected the will of God. Hillary on the other hand described her personal relationship with Jesus and why she thought that relationship would help her govern.
Ron,
The point is that they've all made mistakes over the years, but Obama is the only one whose actions seem to be getting BETTER as time passes. I tried to vote Republican in the primary, but now that John McCain is going to get the nomination I refuse to vote for him. If Hillary gets it, I can't vote for her either. Both of these candidates have made just as bad of mistakes as Obama's, but the difference is that they continue to make bad decisions all the time it seems. I feel that Obama rises above his previous mistakes.
And maybe I'm not as convinced as you are that Wright really sat there every single Sunday and said some of the crazy things that he says. The government AIDS stuff, I don't think I've ever seen any evidence of him saying crazy stuff like that in church. The chickens coming home to roost comment? I actually don't disagree with him with that once I actually saw the entire clip.
McCain's pastor Hagee is at least as bad as Wright. He says that hurricane Katrina was God's punishment against New Orleans for being sinful. And I think he also said something similar about 9/11 and New Yorkers. But nobody is interested in talking about that in public it seems. Another pastor who is a friend and big contributor to McCain (but whose name I can't remember) WANTS us to attack Iran and start WW3 because he thinks it will bring about the apocalypse and bring the return of Christ. So, why is everyone so eager to say Obama is so unable to be president because of Wright, who Obama says he disagrees with, but they're willing to support John McCain, who doesn't disavow any of the things Hagee and the other guy say?
I'm trying to judge candidates based on their economic and foreign policies, not by who their ministers are or were. I think it's kind of sad that everyone is hung up on Wright and stuff. Obama was far from my first pick for president, but now that it's come down to these three I feel like I just have to pick the one that sucks the least of them all.
1 John 4:1 says to "believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world." Why hasn't Sen. Obama been more spiritually decering about Rev. Wright in the past, and would he make similar grave errors in judgement as President of the U.S.A.?
Blue,
"while children are starving in every town corner"
What? Are you talking about America? The only reason why any child in America could starve, is if their parents are completely ignorant. Nearly every town in America has food drives and charities, if my child was starving, and there was nothing I could do about it, then I would call the police or go to a shelter where the child could be taken care of.
You also said that war was never justifiable, perhaps from a Christian perspective (though this is debatable) but from a secular perspective (which is Obama, Hillary, and Mc Cain's perspective) it is absolutely justifiable. I mean, we wouldn't just stand by and let someone abuse and attack another person would we? We would use the necessary force to stop that person from doing so. Ta da, this is the basis of Just War Theory.
Bonobo,
Interesting name...
Ron,
Yeah I completely agreed with your point and I feel that Barack has not demonstrated the kind of judgement that we should desire in a president.
Phoofie,
" It is easy to point out someone else's flaws, when the flaws are not ours. I believe Senator Obama is sincere. But if he is not sincere, then let God be the judge not man."
I disagree, we are most certainly called to judge the sincerity of anothers faith. Paul was explicit on this and even called for a certain person to be thrown out of the Church for his behavior. I believe the not judging is not judging the goodness of another person, specifically for those outside of the Church. Still, there must be a distinguishment between judgement and criticism, to not criticize the actions of another or sincerity is shear stupidity and amounts to intellectual (as well as physical in some cases) suicide. We absolutely must criticize others, but only with the intention of helping them and others.
In other words, we don't have to say, "Barack is evil and he is a bad person" but we can say, "I seriously doubt his faith, and I have serious problems with some of his views"
Bonobo and Blue, I agree with your statements. You must remember that the Republican Party is feverishly trying to keep the president position as Republican. The Republicans have really blunder it this time, thank you Bush. However, the issues are important, but the skeltons are over shadowing them. By the way, why no one asked about Whitewater to Hillary? Yeah....let's move on and pray for guidance. Peace and Joy~
shame shame shame on you people... obviously, reporters are too concerned with this issue to focus on more IMPORTANT issues in the elections.. while our neighbors are losing their homes and gas prices are making the rich get richer at the expense of the poor.. while children are starving in every town corner and pollution is ruining our future generation's health...while a war is killing our soldiers and minorities are still facing challenges daily.. and yet everyone just wants to focus on this issue. i think BY NOW people have made up their mind if they will vote for obama or not. I am sure that Obama feels shame over the whole reverend wright issue. I believe that he is a good soul, graduating harvard with top honors and instead of choosing corporate america he chose to work for the poor.. and yet.. the pure ignorance of people just HAVING to get that little 'Hussein' in there.. while at the same time dodging the fact that McCain divorced his first wife over an affair.. Clinton voted for a WAR - an intentional killing by one country to another which is my opinion is NEVER justifiable- and so many other issues. I mean no offence, but give IT A BREAK - so many more important issues to focus on in this country
I think all three remaining candidates have made bad choices, but Obama seems to be the only one who is capable of admitting any fault and rising above them. John McCain, the supposed conservative, has close relations with a pastor who is even crazier than Wright, and nobody seems interested in talking about that. But John McCain never makes any attempt to distance himself or anything.
I think when we're talking about ability to make decisions in government, we should focus on the types of decisions that these people have made and are making NOW. Things that pertain to the job. This is essentially a job interview, and I don't want to judge Obama's capability at doing the job based on what church he went to. I want to judge their abilities based on what they're saying about issues like energy, health care, national deficit (hint: none of the three of them are interested in that topic).
How about gas prices? McCain and Clinton are both interested in a summer gas tax holiday that will lower gas by $0.18 a gallon. Unfortunately, neither of them knows much about economics or they'd realize exactly why this is a bad idea. The most basic principles of supply and demand indicate why this is a bad idea. When the cost goes down, the supply will go up and as the supply goes back up then people will use less. When we lower the tax $0.18 the demand will just go higher, and we'll be right back where we started except all that money will be in the pockets of oil companies rather than in tax revenue where it needs to be.
The point here is that this is a real world issue that matters, right now. Clinton and McCain have shown incredibly poor judgement in supporting this tax holiday, and Obama has shown that he has a better grasp of the most basic of economics. This outweighs some bad choices he made in a former church, in my opinion, because this is something that affects me.
On health care, I think Clinton and Obama are both showing very poor choice. On foreign policy I think all three are showing very poor choices, although I think Obama is displaying slightly less bad choices. Now that we're basically down to these three candidates, I think it's coming down to picking who sucks the least. :)
Let us not act foolish, dishonest or without discernment here. Mr. Obama's admitted spiritual mentor was Mr. Wright. They had a 20 year relationship. There is no way that Wright could mentor him for 20 years, Obama sitting in the pew for 20 years and go to a church that LOUDLY and BOLDLY proclaims "black values" (not Jesus' values or a Christian's values) and not know Wright was like this. Either Mr. Obama is like Mr. Wright or he has no spine to walk away from him and that church. Either way, it calls his ability to make judgments into question in a serious and almost impossible to explain away his inability to discern wisely as a man, forget a Christian (if he is one).
Grace and Peace,
Jim
My friend ronwilson4u, we [christians] some have been in the church for many years without spiritual growth or slow process of spiritual growth. Everyone does not grow the same pace. Have you forgotten as you developed spiritually and academically? Who are we to judge? We should not judge man for his lack of spiritual growth; when we are lacking ourselves. It is easy to point out someone else's flaws, when the flaws are not ours. I believe Senator Obama is sincere. But if he is not sincere, then let God be the judge not man.
Chris333: I agree, Sen. Obama could not chose his middle name, i realize he can't change it and that he is who he is. Thanks for saying I made a valid point, and it may be more appropriate and effective for me to refer to this gentle man as Sen. Obama, which I will do from now on. Thanks for your insights on this minor point.
A valid point ronwilson, but I think it was a bit underhanded to throw that "Hussein" in there, I mean, do you want Barack to change his name? Maybe to Jack Rogers Smith? It is not like he had a choice in choosing it you know?