On being called a “wackadoole”:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytn2p8FHos0]
On personifying black anger:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bipO7tQl-Js]
On hearing what Obama has said about him:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrIS59m1d9Y]
On whether he’s heard Obama repeat his controversial statements:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAdsIcKn9CA]
Jaredsage: actually, out of your list, the ONLY person i believe is a ‘true” or ‘deep-seated’ as you put it, Christian is Barack Obama.as far as I can tell, he is the only one who seems at all interested in following Jesus’ teachings. Brotherly love anyone? or maybe turning the other cheek? Or what about caring for the poor and downtrodden?
Thank you PBS for showing the truth about Rev. Wright. Last night, I’ve watched the entire interview and I am very glad that I did. The mainstream media has totally distorted the truth about this man with sound bites and snippets. Rev. Wright has been more patriotic than anyone since he cares enough to speak the truth about the ugly side of Americans and for that he has been outcast and treated as a pariah. I have also learned that Rev. Wright had served as a cardiopulmonary technician in the U.S. Navy where he had assisted doctors operating on President Lyndon B. Johnson. Rev. Wright is truly a good decent man. FoxNews with their “Fair and Balanced Report” should be ASHAMED
Lorna~ A black man in the US military during the 60s? Yeah, doesn’t surprise me at all that he may be bitter about racial encounters he’s had in his life.
I’m still pissed that he’s being judged on these one or two CLIPS from hundreds of sermons he’s given over three decades. If the other sermons were so “bad”, they’d be playing those clips, too… wonder why they’re not?
Thanks for posting this, Lorna.
Wheelies~ I use quotes to illustrate comments all the time. That’s part of good oration and writing.
Subject: FYI
In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but
what you can do for your country,” gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines. In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)
The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy’s premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief’s medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery.
For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation. What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and
Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated. While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice
President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/ sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate
student and one for being a prospective father
Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in
college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.
Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat
the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?
After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained
as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America’s biggest cities.
This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ
——————————————————————————–
Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos.
McCain’s reasons being political comes off as worse to me, because I think it’s legitimate to point out that Obama has cause to be loyal, and could know Wright as a person better than most of us. But to seek endorsements from people you’ve poorly vetted, as it were, and be wishy washy on the distance you’re willing to take from them, says something about judgement, just as an associate with Wright says something about Obama’s judgement, good or bad. Frankly, McCain’s situation bothers me more.
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Keen insight. Wright did say some factually inaccurate things like the whole “AIDS genocide” rant, but when you actually watch the whole sermon, its puts everything into proper context. It’s certainly no worse than any of Rob Parsley’s anti-gay rats or Hagee saying that we brought 9/11 upon ourselves for tolerating gays and people of other faiths, but I don’t see a media frenzy about that. And the funny thing is, that McCain actually SAUGHT OUT the political endorsements of these men. Obama has a completely different sort of relationship with Reverend Wright. The man is his pastor and friend. I certainly don’t always agree with my friends all the time either, but I don’t completely disassociate myself from them.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Obama has stated that Wright is his spiritual advisor and mentor. The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree.
To try and compare a connection that McCain has with Hagee with the former is a very weak argument and devoid of logic.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Craig, I don’t believe in guilt by association period. The point I was trying to make is that if you are going to play that card with Obama, then the McCain-Hagee situation is even worse by comparison. It makes McCain look like a politcal hack whose willing to compromise his principles to score political points.
I do think that scoring political points WAS McCain’s goal with the Hagee endorsement, but I respect McCain and great deal and do not believe for one second that he believed that America “had it coming” on 9/11. The idea of guilt by association is absurd unless there’s some action involved or evidence that both parties agree. As I said, I have many friends that disagree with me politically, but I have other reasons for hanging out with them. Actually, I like debating politics with them in many cases.
April 24th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
I’m getting dizzy bouncing between posts. LOL
April 24th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
My point is that Obama’s relationship with Wright had nothing to do with politics, and McCain’s has everything to do with politics. BTW, it’s up to you which post you want to continue this discussion under (if at all). I posted this to both.
April 24th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Alan, I understand that what you cover and comment on has to be guided to an extent by what your audience wants, that’s a prime consideration in ratings, but it seems to me that if Obama is not getting the recognition for legislation he’s co-sponsored, introduced, etc., and the Democrats have in advantage in issues more relevant to our daily lives, that you could spend more time talking about those issues. I don’t see why you couldn’t choose to comment on those things when not responding to callers.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:12 pm
Is having streaming difficulties.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Typical…gas prices are the highest ever, there are no jobs, Irag is about to get ugly again because Al-Sadr is calling the shots, Bu$h is still a scumbag of the highest proportions and on and on. All the US media’s so called political pundits want to do is twist the lastest words by some dude who believes in the imaginary man in the clouds! I think Olbermann had it right the other night when he said that “Most of us in news are not smart enough to figure out what’s going on. We may pretend that we’re good enough to do that. But in fact, when we look you in the eye, in the camera, we’re really just making it up.” No shit! It’s all a hunt for sound bites.
What a sadsack state of affairs. I think McCain will get elected and everyone will wonder how it happened. If people are dumb enough to vote W in twice…I can’t see any reason why they won’t do it for McBush.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
“Guilt by tenuous connection” is how I would refer to what the last caller spoke of.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Alan wants it to go away but he’ll keep posting things about Wright and he’ll keep talking about him .. but remember .. he wants it to go away ..
April 25th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Alan, are you actually saying that everyone has the right to express the simple logical premise that an abuser is at high risk to his safety by those he’s abused? Surely you know only Ph.D.s and government officials, current and former, can comprehend such concepts?
April 25th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Check a few posts up, Nomad, I said something similar. It does seem that he’s doing that.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Nomad and Wheelies~ so what do you propose Alan do? Ignore the biggest issue that his callers want to talk about? That wouldn’t be fair. I think that having Dr. Kaku on demonstrates that he knows there’s more to life than Rev. Wright. I thought he was going to move on from the Rev and talk about physics the whole show, but then he blessed us with that Reagan bit and tied it into some of Kaku’s interview and the Rev. Wright concerns. I loved it.
Look, the Rev. Wright thing has created too much racial tension between us. People want to talk about it. Most of us aren’t pleased with how the conservative talk shows are handling it, and we appreciate that Alan is handling it from an open-minded perspective. We have to keep talking about it until we figure it out, but in the meantime I’m damned glad that Alan’s not spending the ENTIRE show talking about it.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:54 am
And Wheelies I think you know, I disagree with Alan’s position that where Obama goes to church really isn’t our business. I believe it IS our business. This whole thing has been so incredibly misconstrued it’s scary.
When I first heard the sound bites, I was like “where’s the rest of it?”. Come on, guys! We can’t be dumb enough to base our decisions on inflammatory SOUND BITES.
Some of us have to admit that what we saw and heard was a seemingly angry, large, black man dissin’ patriotism and whites. Very few of us asked “where’s the rest of the sermon?” or “is he saying God damn America as in the swear word, or is he a pastor saying that God is damning America’s foreign policy decisions?” or “is he an angry racist, or in the midst of an emotional explanation during a sermon?”.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Wow, you’re getting good at this Cheryl! Of course you’re right. `
It’s just utterly amazing how Republicans can solve all of life’s problems in 10 words or less.
“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!”
“Get em over there so we won’t get hit here!”
“No child left behind!”
“Trickle down economics!”
It’s too bad they’re better at negative campaigning than actually running our country.
Post script: Doesn’t Reverend Wright look like a big ‘ol cute grandpa? I just want to give him a hug.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:25 am
The main thing I think about when I think of Wright is that it’s nothing new, except for the claim about aids, and that I’ve heard a lot “worse.” I mean, I use to sit in Pal Talk.
April 25th, 2008 at 1:43 am
Not ignore, just do more of what he says needs to be done.
April 25th, 2008 at 2:11 am
You realize W F G that the claim about Aids, though supported by fuzzy unclear evidence really gets its hard anchor in certain black populations (especially older ones) because of the Tuskegee experiments.
If the government lied to 400 black Americans telling them they were getting treatment and actually witheld treatment and cure in order to watch them die…you start to wonder.
April 25th, 2008 at 2:51 am
“I want Rev. Wright for a grandpa! I could give him a big hug and we could talk about how the government is screwing us all.”
Seriously,
the entire so-called scandal surrounding Obama’s associations past and present is proof positive that the media (right wing media) has no real dirt on Senator Obama. No nice little ‘blank’-Gate to stink their teeth into. So they nip at the ankles and kick up dirt. What is truly sad is to listen to Hannity and the other nimrods try to convince the American public that these issues are “deal-breaker”s and that it “goes to character.”
Spin, spin away little spider. Oh, the webs you weave.
April 25th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Yes, Noel.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:25 am
Democrats have been in charge of Congress for two years and look how much this country has gone backwards. Gas prices which Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid said would fall under their leadership have doubled. The economy is sputtering because of their threats to raise taxes and spend enormous amounts of money on social programs which is not the roll of the federal government. Can we afford another year under Pelosi and Reid which Alan Colmes wants. I say no!!!!
April 25th, 2008 at 5:20 am
Alan S~ what are you talking about? The Democrats have been leading the charge into investigations of Big Oil and their windfall profits. The repubs have just been patting them on the back.
Noel, right on dude.
Eric, interestingly stated. :-)
April 25th, 2008 at 11:45 am
When are we going to reach a point in this country when our leaders don’t have to pretend they are deeply religious anymore? Does anyone REALLY believe Bush, McCain, Hillary or Obama are really deep seeded Christians? If you do you are in la la land.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
I find it so unbelievable that after Barack Obama refused to throw Mr. Wright “under the bus” even though it would have been politically expediant of him to do so, that now Mr. Wright is more than willing to throw Barack Obama under the bus instead.
This interview wasn’t necessary. But obviously Mr. Wright values his reputation more than he values the presidential campaign of the man whose children he baptized. To go on national television and say that Obama is just another politican who isn’t genuine, who isn’t telling the truth, that Barack has made statements about this situation as such because that is what a politican does, is really reprehensible. That is pretty much what Mr. Wright is saying.
He is hurting Barack’s campaign. This issue IS affecting his campaign and will continue to. Mr. Wright is contributing to that process.
Even I am beginning to wonder how Barack could sit in the church of a man like this who would betray him this way. But I feel great sympathy for Barack at the same time.
April 25th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
isn’t attending church a voluntary thing? if people have a problem with wrights preaching don’t listen to him and certainly don’t go to his church. and if they don’t like obama’s association with wright (like me) then don’t vote for him. simple. why do people not get this? they get all worked up… blah, blah, blah
April 25th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
The same political pundits who scream about how bad, evil, or threatening being PC is are the same people who cry foul when they hear any harsh criticism against their ideas or concept of how the world is or could be. The same people who complain that Political Correctness is destroying America are the first to say, “How dare you say that.” Both political parties are guilty of claiming that some statement should not be spoken and this is a violation of the essence we call, American values or free speech. Conservatives have the right to claim that political correctness is evil. But if they wish to remain the great Americans they preach to be they should refrain from denouncing other opinions as anti or un-American. For every criticism, thought, complaint, idea, and speech is part of being a good or even a great American. It does not matter if you agree with it or not, all speech, even offensive, repulsive, blasphemous, shocking, critical, or damning speech is free to be expressed and not deemed anti-American. For it is odd that the people who hate political correctness cannot take it when they are challenged, criticized, or told that they might be wrong, nuts, and potentially unconstitutional. The proper word should not be anti-American or un-American; instead the proper word is unconstitutional. Are you unconstitutional? Do you uphold the constitution? Are your actions constitutional? Claiming that any speech from any American citizen is some how unacceptable is unconstitutional. Political correctness is a form of speech so is non-political correct speech; hello, that is true free speech. Now if I say that putting a cross on a state license plate is a blatant promotion of religion by the state, thus unconstitutional would the conservatives call or dub me anti-American?
April 25th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Set it and forget it, our automaton nation.
Many people (pundits) have considered multiculturalism as some kind of evil. They frame the issue as if it is a threat to American culture. What they forget is that our American culture is multiculturalism. Our nation is a collection of people that have immigrated from all over the world. Our very roots are as diverse as the restaurant selection in New York City. We are a wok of flavor stirred every day by influences as different as sushi is to steak. American culture is American because it is a combination of race, religion, ideas, and traditions that originate from no single source. Our culture is diversity. Who so ever argues for homogenize or universal compliance to a set code of what a culture should be is really arguing for the zombification of the population. Automatons are the result of following in lock step. Automatons or robots have no mind of their own or thoughts that express individual conception. They have no room for diversity, change, or freedom; rather they crave only programming. Blind nationalism is the art of homogeneity. We have a political landscape that is arguing for homologous culture with a pre-agreed upon standard of acceptance. This is the goal of those whom have a great disdain or hate for diversity, multiculturalism, and a liberal representation of cultures that are the driving force behind our ethnically rich population called America. I want you to guess which political party despises any representation of America’s diversity in cultural heritage. If you cannot decide which one it might be you are already an automaton.
April 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
For God’s sake, why are people judging Rev. Wright’s entire career on this ONE sermon?
What the hell? All they have is clips from this particular sermon. That’s IT. Everyone wants to hate Obama and Wright b/c of SOUNDBITES FROM ONE SERMON, AND THEN TAKE MOST OF WHAT WRIGHT SAID OUT OF CONTEXT.
I give up
April 25th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Judge? No, I’m really just bored. About the only person who I’m more tired of hearing about is al Sadr. Every other day that little twerp is making threats. The US should get praise for not sending commandos in to wrangle his neck.
April 25th, 2008 at 5:07 pm
As should the Iraqi government.
Anyway, as for judging people, well, I believe in it, as I don’t see myself bound to notions that only god can judge; balderdash!! But when is it “fair” to make a judgement? That’s hard to say, probably in most cases, and judging Wright comes down to the weight of his comments, and the fairest interpretation thereof. I think the caller who brought up adoption, saying Wright adopted the statement of the person (I forgot his name) he was quoting, thereby making it his own, had a good point, that Alan seemed to have acknowledged. But even if Wright believes this, it is fair to point out that many others do, including, to an extent, myself. Whether we deserved 9/11, we must have helped to bring it about. You’d have to be a total moron on human nature not to see that.
April 25th, 2008 at 5:14 pm
Michael, I agree that McCain’s connection with Hagee is purelly political,a practice that is typical in politics. My concern is that the influence that Wright has had on Obama.
McCain’s relationship,if you’d call it that,with Hagee is superficial. Obama’s relationship is quite different. Whereas Hagee has had no personal influence on McCain the same is quite the opposite with Wright and Obama. Obama has himself stated that Wright has been his “mentor” and “spiritual advisor.”
Yes,we all have friends with whom we have differing views. The difference being that we don’t refer to them as mentors.
April 25th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
McCain’s reasons being political comes off as worse to me, because I think it’s legitimate to point out that Obama has cause to be loyal, and could know Wright as a person better than most of us. But to seek endorsements from people you’ve poorly vetted, as it were, and be wishy washy on the distance you’re willing to take from them, says something about judgement, just as an associate with Wright says something about Obama’s judgement, good or bad. Frankly, McCain’s situation bothers me more.
April 25th, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Subject: FYI
In 1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy’s challenge to, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but
what you can do for your country,” gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines. In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)
The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy’s premier medical facility, Bethesda Naval Hospital, as a member of the commander in chief’s medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery.
For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation. What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and
Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated. While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice
President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/ sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate
student and one for being a prospective father
Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in
college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.
Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat
the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?
After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained
as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one of America’s biggest cities.
This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ
——————————————————————————–
Need a new ride? Check out the largest site for U.S. used car listings at AOL Autos.
April 25th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Lorna~ A black man in the US military during the 60s? Yeah, doesn’t surprise me at all that he may be bitter about racial encounters he’s had in his life.
I’m still pissed that he’s being judged on these one or two CLIPS from hundreds of sermons he’s given over three decades. If the other sermons were so “bad”, they’d be playing those clips, too… wonder why they’re not?
Thanks for posting this, Lorna.
Wheelies~ I use quotes to illustrate comments all the time. That’s part of good oration and writing.
April 26th, 2008 at 4:28 am
Thank you PBS for showing the truth about Rev. Wright. Last night, I’ve watched the entire interview and I am very glad that I did. The mainstream media has totally distorted the truth about this man with sound bites and snippets. Rev. Wright has been more patriotic than anyone since he cares enough to speak the truth about the ugly side of Americans and for that he has been outcast and treated as a pariah. I have also learned that Rev. Wright had served as a cardiopulmonary technician in the U.S. Navy where he had assisted doctors operating on President Lyndon B. Johnson. Rev. Wright is truly a good decent man. FoxNews with their “Fair and Balanced Report” should be ASHAMED
April 26th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
Jaredsage: actually, out of your list, the ONLY person i believe is a ‘true” or ‘deep-seated’ as you put it, Christian is Barack Obama.as far as I can tell, he is the only one who seems at all interested in following Jesus’ teachings. Brotherly love anyone? or maybe turning the other cheek? Or what about caring for the poor and downtrodden?
April 27th, 2008 at 11:43 am