Why the “Wright attack” is the dumbest attack ever

[DerekJ]

I was going to write a long post about it, but I am lazy, and the following sentence pretty much sums it up:

“Pastor !!! UCC?!!! But I thought he was a Muslim!!”

He just gained the votes of the bigots.

Edited to add:
To make it clearer, I am saying, by attacking him on this issue, they pretty much cleared him of the “He is a Muslim” smear, and gained him the votes of those whom would not have voted for him just because he is Muslim.
A very dumb move, because the Muslim smear was much more powerful.

[Scurrilous]

1. LOL

:thumbsup:

[Nitrogenica]

2. Wright does not work for the Obama campaign.

[saracat]

3. Not so fast. he is on the Obama campign and they admit it.

Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee
From http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Wrights_com... :

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.

More info on the committee from http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2008/obama/obama120407pr.htm... :

[DerekJ]

4. I am saying, that by attacking him on this issue they pretty much told everybody he is not a Muslim.

The Muslim smear would have cost him a lot more votes (unfortunate reality) then the pastor attack (which many people don’t give a f@#$% about)

[rodeodance]

33. **THREAD: Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee

Forum Name General Discussion: Primaries
Topic subject Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
5061315, Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee
Posted by MetricSystem on Thu Mar-13-08 02:09 PM

From http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Wrights_com... :

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.

More info on the committee from http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2008/obama/obama120407pr.htm... :


PRESS RELEASE from Obama for America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 4, 2007

Renowned Faith Leaders Come Together to Support Obama

Unprecedented group of nation’s top Black religious leaders unveiled

CHARLESTON, S.C. –U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign today unveiled its African American Religious Leadership Committee at both the national and statewide levels. Together, they represent two groups of key national and South Carolina religious leaders who are supporting Obama’s bid for the Democratic nomination.

These groups are truly without equal and reflect the belief among clergy that Obama has dedicated his public life to living the values of his faith outside of his house of worship. The national leadership committee is made up of presidents of two of the largest national Baptist conventions; the most senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, some of the most well-known African American women religious leaders and living legends of the Civil Rights movement, Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery and Dr. C.T. Vivian; and many others.

...

The South Carolina leadership committee includes nearly 130 senior pastors from some of the largest and most important churches across the state. Both groups represent Senator Obama’s support among thousands of Black clergy and religious leaders across America, leaders who have come to recognize that Obama represents change they can believe in.

“This is an unprecedented group for an unprecedented candidate,” said National African American Religious Committee Co-Chair Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., a civil rights legend and former president of the Morehouse University Board of Trustees. “As a lifelong advocate for the less fortunate and the forgotten, Senator Obama lives his faith everyday. He continues to talk about a faith that works to unite and not divide people.”

[noel711]

5. This is a silly attack....

Why can't we find some sermons from
Hillary's pastor?

Oh,, just who is Hillary's pastor?

[DemBones DemBones]

9. Hillary Clinton is a Methodist but also attends

the Baptist church sometimes because Bill is a Baptist. They attended church in D.C., unlike our current president who talks so much about his faith. HRC has been part of a Senate prayer group that meets weekly ever since her election in 2000.

If you really want to know who her pastor is, I suggest you contact her campaign.

If you're trying to suggest she doesn't go to church, you're wrong. She's always been
active as a Methodist.

[noel711]

30. Oh I know her faith background!

What I am questions is:

Has her pastor/church every taken a controversial stand?

[noel711]

31. AND, the real issue is...

WHY is it so important that our candidates
pass some kind of 'religion purity' test
in order to be acceptable?

Why is it any of our business to seep into
the faith/spirituality of our leadership?

Don't we have separation of church and state?

[anamandujano]

6. It's not an attack, it's a situation and a serious one. We'll have to

see how they all deal with it, Kennedy, Kerry, Bradley, Jackson, and all his other worshipers.

[Yurovsky]

7. If they're smart they'll just ignore it ...

It's a bogus controversy. Just because the Pope is anti-gay doesn't make Teddy Kennedy or John Kerry enemies of gay Americans. Attacking Obama's pastor is REALLY going to help repair the damage to HRC/WJC's reputations within the African-American community.

[MonkeyFunk]

14. The Pope didn't marry Kennedy or Kerry

and baptize their children.

[DerekJ]

8. I would call it an attack, but regardless, whether it’s manufactured or not, the fact remains the sa

It does more good to him than bad

[paperbag_ princess]

10. I thought that the dumbest attack was that Kerry killed an innocent kid by shooting him in the back

but hey...that stuck....really the dumber the better where stickiness is concerned.

[democrattotheend]

26. I forgot about that

What was the deal with that again? Was that from his testimony when he returned from Vietnam?

[zulchzulu]

11. OBAMA IS A MUSLIM CHRISTIAN AETHEIST11!!

[NMMNG]

12. Right

Hating white Americans (especially those who have money) is so much better. That's going to play well with the RW--you know, lots of white Americans who like money.

[DerekJ]

15. Don't you see the irony here

Guilt by association rarely sticks. It dies out very quickly, mark my words. However, the Muslim smear had a much more negative effect on Obama. Many people thought he is a Muslim. While anyone sane enough knows that he can’t be charged with is pastor’s, or friends belief or set of ideas. That’s why those stories die quickly. The lasting effect is “Obama is Christian”

[NMMNG]

20. Sure

That's why Geraldine Ferraro had to resign and Hillary is branded with Bill's misdeeds (real and imagined) to this day. RW America is going to take "Wright hates whites" and "God damn America" and run with it, big time.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. HIllary's lame attack on Obama's religious beliefs is going to backfire, bigtime.

[goodgd_yall]

16. Gained the votes of the bigots?

Oh sure, they're going to vote for Obama because his pastor is bigoted against white people.

[DerekJ]

17. You just said it "his pastor".

Think about it for a minute. If the roles were reversed, would you give a damn about Hillary’s pastor political views?

[Bake]

18. You are either a political novice or a total idiot.

This one will hurt Obama. "God Damn America." Yeah, it's gonna hurt him.

Bake

[DerekJ]

21. Do you see me insulting anyone here?

I am not saying it doesn't have the potential of hurting him. I am saying that it is most likely going to die out. And when it does, it would have erased the gains by the Muslim smear.

[Bake]

22. I'm saying your analysis is totally flawed.

Let's say that people don't trust Obama because they've seen the "Muslim" email. And they've seen the pic of him in the African attire. And they've heard the whole spiel about his name. OK. We get them convinced, finally, that Obama isn't a Muslim, he's a Christian.

And then some Puke 527 hits them with the Wright stuff. They already barely trusted him not to be a subversive Manchurian candidate. Now his pastor is on TV saying "God Damn America."

And they just say, "I think I'll vote for the friendly looking old white guy."

That's the way I see it going, for all but the most dedicated Dems.

Bake

[2rth2pwr]

19. Yea, PastorGate must have been dreamed up by the Obama

campaign.

I don't know why they didn't do this earlier, it would

have been a shut out and he would already be the nominee.

Better late than never.

[BlackVelvet04]

23. Wrong.......

you think bigots are going to vote for someone whose pastor and personal mentor says God damn, America and who supports Africa unequivocally? Man, are you really that dense?

[DerekJ]

24. Can we please refrain from calling each other names.

Again, for those who doesn't get the point. Guilt by association, dies out pretty quickly, we have already an example trying to link Obama to terrorism through his professor. What happened to the story? Died out. Can they bring it up again? Sure they can, but it will die out as fast as they bring it up. Obama was not the one who said "God Damn America” and every sane person (including the church goers) know that each and every pastor rumbles something stupid every now and then.

The RW will have a problem brining up Wright, without invoking McCain endowment to Hagge's, further alienating some of their own base (The Catholics).

[BlackVelvet04]

27. Hagee will not hurt McCain...

any more than Robertson and Falwell hurt bush.

[DerekJ]

29. If the story flat lined, and Obama numbers in national polls climbed few points up, then I am right.

If the reverse happened, then I am politically naïve, and an Idiot, like some tried to call me.
We will wait and see…

[FedoraLV]

28. God Damn America

Have you ever looked at the damage we've done in Iraq, say from depleted Uranium, and thought the same thing?

Perhaps, when we do evil, we should speak out against that evil in the strongest terms.

As for the "Africa" thing, here's what he and the UCC really stand for:
<http://www.tucc.org/talking_points.htm>
<http://www.ucc.org/about-us/united-black-christians.html>
<http://www.ucc.org/50/pdfs/sg50-16_18.pdf>

-FedoraLV

[DemVet]

25. What lame attack? I don't recall any lame attack. What lame attack?

Hmmmm?

[Megahurtz]

32. Yeah someone shot themselves in the foot

with this cheap trick.

[rodeodance]

34. BO has him on his AA leadership commitee--see here

Forum Name General Discussion: Primaries
Topic subject Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...
5061315, Wright is a member of Obama's African American Religious Leadership Committee
Posted by MetricSystem on Thu Mar-13-08 02:09 PM

From http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0308/Wrights_com... :

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.

More info on the committee from http://www.gwu.edu/~action/2008/obama/obama120407pr.htm... :


PRESS RELEASE from Obama for America

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Dec. 4, 2007

Renowned Faith Leaders Come Together to Support Obama

Unprecedented group of nation’s top Black religious leaders unveiled

CHARLESTON, S.C. –U.S. Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign today unveiled its African American Religious Leadership Committee at both the national and statewide levels. Together, they represent two groups of key national and South Carolina religious leaders who are supporting Obama’s bid for the Democratic nomination.

These groups are truly without equal and reflect the belief among clergy that Obama has dedicated his public life to living the values of his faith outside of his house of worship. The national leadership committee is made up of presidents of two of the largest national Baptist conventions; the most senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, some of the most well-known African American women religious leaders and living legends of the Civil Rights movement, Rev. Dr. Joseph E. Lowery and Dr. C.T. Vivian; and many others.

...

The South Carolina leadership committee includes nearly 130 senior pastors from some of the largest and most important churches across the state. Both groups represent Senator Obama’s support among thousands of Black clergy and religious leaders across America, leaders who have come to recognize that Obama represents change they can believe in.

“This is an unprecedented group for an unprecedented candidate,” said National African American Religious Committee Co-Chair Rev. Otis Moss, Jr., a civil rights legend and former president of the Morehouse University Board of Trustees. “As a lifelong advocate for the less fortunate and the forgotten, Senator Obama lives his faith everyday. He continues to talk about a faith that works to unite and not divide people.”

[grantcart]

35. I thought the dumbest was, "but he will never be able to raise enough money".

[MorningGlow]

36. That's what I was thinking!

:rofl:

With all the Wright flap, my first thought was, "Wait a minnit...I thought everyone was up in arms because he was a Muslim?!"

LOL I just can't keep up. Smear machine, pick one: He's either a Muslim or an "activist Christian" (whatever that is)--you can't have it both ways!
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Maybe the "he's a Muslim" accusation wasn't working? or maybe they're just flailing, trying to throw everything and anything at the man? I don't know. This is getting Homer Simpson-level stupid...