What's Obama waiting for? He needs to make a televised speech aggressively rejecting Wright.

[Unsane]

Albeit, it's hard to do when you've had the Rev. marry you and baptize your children, as well as borrow a line he's used for your book title. Nevertheless, Obama needs to get out in front of this.

If there's one thing for which you can't fault the Clintons--they ALWAYS get out in front of a negative story.

[jaxx]

Talking points

[Oleladylib]

1. I wonder...WHY he hasn't availed himself of the opportunity to quash this stuff.

[madaboutharry]

2. He does need to get out there

and make a speech were he makes clear his beliefs about religion and puts about a thousand miles between himself and these comments made by Pastor Wright. It is too bad that he has to, but that is the way it is and he really has no choice.

[SoFlaJet]

3. then they better brush up on Hugh Rodham

and his playing a ballpark peanut vendor "PARDONS GET YA PARDONS HE-YA" because it's coming...brush up on Marc Rich and Saudi oil money going to Bill's library and the United Arab Emirates also donating MILLIONS-where ARE those tax returns anyway? The wind blows both ways my friend

[Catherina]

4. Whatever for? And who on earth would want to emulate the Clintons?

Especially now?

[progressive_realist]

5. Why?

Not only is he inoculating himself against this story for the GE, but it is also countering the "Obama is a Muslim" rumors. Considering the timing, six weeks before the next primary, the Obama campaign probably pushed the story themselves. Strategy and all that.

[backscatter712]

6. Going out too strong is a mistake.

It's one thing to say nothing or implicitly endorse with a wink or nod, which Obama hasn't done.

Obama has publicly denounced and rejected Wright's comments in those particular sermons.

What you don't want to do is make a huge spectacle out of it - big press conference, angry, indignant speech, throngs of supporters, full-court press. You go too strong, it looks insincere, fake and just like your typical politician.

And you and I know that Obama is much better than that.

Just restate the disavowal of Wright as needed, but don't make a scene - just dismiss Wright's rhetoric as common idiocy. Then move on to discussion of the issues, and of what Obama should really be talking about - the hope that is really drawing people to his campaign. YES, WE CAN!!! Eventually, this media balloon will pop, and Obama will still be standing.

Gotta get the media to start airing Obama's speeches instead of tape loops of Wright's sermon.

[BeyondGeography]

7. He does need to make a speech, he can't aggressively reject Wright

that would be completely false. He has embraced Wright for much of his adult life.

He needs to put Wright in context. Wright is from another generation which literally lived through hell. Obama can say he understands and accepts that the results and the reality of Wright's experiences are different than his, and that they sometimes lead to statements that don't reflect his own beliefs. He needs to put substantial meat on the bare bones of the "crazy uncle" riff, which just doesn't get it done. In addition, while he rejects cetain comments that Wright has made, they don't erase Wright's lifetime of service to his 6,000-member church, the South Side community and the spiritual guidance that he and Michelle have received from him.

He can then talk about faith generally, and pivot to areas where he is very strong: The importance of faith to his progressive values, the genius behind the constitutional notion of church and state, and, finally, the need for the presidential campaign to stay focused on the issues and not use religion as a wedge to divide and distract.

The sooner he does this, the better.

[backscatter712]

11. Not a full speech.

Obama shouldn't dedicate a whole speech to rejecting and denouncing Wright. Like I said, that's too much, and it comes out insincere and fake.

Just an occasional comment or two at press conferences or on talk shows, maybe once during a debate, but that's it.

Enough to go on the records, but not enough to throw gasoline on the fire or otherwise feed the media circus.

[GoldieAZ49]

8. I bet they are working on it right now

he is holed up in Chicago today trying to figure out how he can denounce without offending his mentor of 20 years

[canuk1]

9. WHY?

Anyone who holds him accountable for the words of another adult is an idiot. I say change the law to prevent idiots from voting. That will be easier then convincing people to use their heads rather than listening to the MSM spew this garbage.

[amandabeech]

19. He's going to have to be more specific on what he disagrees with

and why he stayed in that congregation.

He'll also appeal to people's brains and speak about how he can't control what another adult says as you have pointed out.

Then he should announce that the Rev. Wright has resigned from the advisory council.

Canuk1, I've seen a few of your posts here in GD-P. Canada is a great country. I grew up in Michigan and have been paying more attention to your country than most U.S. types. I've dated Canadians, been friends with Canadians and currently have an Ontarian roommate. I've taken two vacations in your great country, and hope to take more.

That said, Canada is not the U.S., as you know, and in the realm of race relations, we're not even in the same galaxy. I've tried to explain some of this to my Canadian friends, but I have never been able to get the nuances across. The issue is very complicated and fraught with societal danger. Please bear with us as we work this thing out. Remember, DUers are extremely liberal and not representative of society, particularly white society, as a whole.

Thanks for your time, and keep up the good work up there! I know that you can get rid of that obnoxious prime minister and go back to normal far easier than we're going to get rid of the Bush legacy.

[DemGa]

10. Obama owns this one -- twenty years worth---NT

[backscatter712]

12. Yawn, another content-free hit-and-run post. nt

[sfam]

13. Why aren't you just asking him to resign?

Isn't this what you really want to question? Then again, we could have asked this with most of the smears on him.

[nxylas]

14. Of course, because the Clintons value nothing but power

Perhaps Obama has other values, like loyalty. Most people would think twice before throwing someone they once admired under the bus. The Clintons aren't most people, but I'm not sure that's a point in their favor.

[Scurrilous]

15. "..they ALWAYS get out in front of a negative story..."

To whit:

"I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky."


:rofl:

[rodeodance]

16. “The Obama camp. couldn't immediately say whether he'd [Wright] remain on the committee.”

I think at the least --BO should as Wright to resign from his committee.


Forum Name General Discussion: Primaries
Topic subject “The Obama camp. couldn't immediately say whether he'd remain on the committee.”
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x5077822#5077822
5077822, “The Obama camp. couldn't immediately say whether he'd remain on the committee.”
Posted by rodeodance on Fri Mar-14-08 01:22 PM



I know Obama had a response early today----but given the large amt of msn coverage-----Wonder what is next to come??

Recap:
Samantha Powers has left the O. camp because of a rude outlandish rant.
Maxim Thorne—a member of O. camp GLBT committee resigned a few days for Rovian-style emails he was sending out to blogs. (see below).


And yes, G. Ferraro resigned from the Clinton camp.

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Wrights_committee.html


March 13, 2008

Wright's committee

Jeremiah Wright, in the news today because video of a sermon (parts of which had been reported, and disavowed, before) adds some heat to the discussion of his relationship with Obama, has generally been described as connected to Obama only informally — a religious figure with whom Obama has said he disagrees at times, a kind of cranky uncle.

But he also has a formal role on the campaign.

Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee — the sort of largely honorary, advisory body that in recent days has recently been used mostly to throw people off who say controversial things.

The Obama campaign couldn't immediately say whether he'd remain on the committee.
……..

http://www.radaronline.com/exclusives/2008/03/maxim-thorne-another-yalie-embarrasses-barack-obama.php

Thorne had to resign today from Obamateam: Another Yalie Embarrasses Obama

2maxim_031108_fresh.jpg

Another Barack Obama adviser had to resign today after making incendiary statements about Hillary Clinton. Maxim Thorne, formerly a chief at the Human Rights Campaign and, until today, a member of Obama's Gay/Lesbian/Bisexual/ Transgender Leadership Council, recently e-mailed a lengthy anti-Clinton screed that began by declaring Clinton "a disaster for the Democratic Party" and went on to question Hillary's whereabouts "when Monica was having sex with Bill" and assert that ……" Thorne resigned almost immediately after the e-mail surfaced…….

[Marie26]

17. Why should he?

Wouldn't that be dishonest? It's hard to "denounce and reject" someone who he'd previously described as his advisor and mentor. It would be totally hypocritical - and untrue.

[BigDDem]

18. What's Obama waiting for?

Maybe he's waiting on Deval Patrick to write the speech.

:rofl:

[JimGinPA]

20. He's Spending The Day With His Family...

I'm sure he'll have presser tomorrow. Besides, how confused are the idiots now not knowing whether to slam him on his "Muslim" backgroumd or his ""radical Christian" pastor?

:rofl:

[Nitrogenica]

21. "they ALWAYS get out in front of a negative story"

That's exactly whats wrong with them, they swift boat their own.

Save it for McSame.

[JimGinPA]

22. That Makes No Sense...

Unless you are saying the HRC camp is somehow responsible for the sudden promotion of this "old" story. The only "Swiftboating" in this campaign has been done by either HRC herself or by her
surrogates.

[scheming daemons]

23. Appearing on Hannity and Colmes TONIGHT.... that's better than a speech...

...