From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
Jeremiah Wright controversy
The Jeremiah Wright controversy is an American polit- tions with Trinity have been strained by the divisive
ical issue that gained national attention in March 2008 statements of Reverend Wright, which sharply conflict
when ABC News, after reviewing dozens of U.S. Presiden- with our own views".[6][14]
tial candidate Barack Obama’s pastor Jeremiah Wright’s
sermons,[1] excerpted parts which were subject to in-
tense media scrutiny.[2][3] Wright is a retired senior pas-
Controversial sermon excerpts
tor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago and Most of the controversial excerpts that gained national
former pastor of President Obama.[4] Obama denounced attention in March 2008 were taken from two sermons:
the statements in question, but after critics continued to one titled "The Day of Jerusalem’s Fall" delivered on
press the issue of his relationship with Wright he gave a September 16, 2001 and another, titled "Confusing God
speech titled "A More Perfect Union", in which he sought and Government", delivered on April 13, 2003.
to place Dr. Wright’s comments in a historical and soci-
ological context. In the speech, Obama again denounced "The Day of Jerusalem’s Fall"
Wright’s remarks, but did not disown him as a person. In a sermon delivered shortly after the September 11 at-
The controversy began to fade, but was renewed in late tacks in 2001, Wright made comments about an interview
April when Wright made a series of media appearances, of former U.S. Ambassador Edward Peck he saw on Fox
including an interview on Bill Moyers Journal, a speech News. Wright said:
at the NAACP and a speech at the National Press Club.[5]
After the last of these, Obama spoke more forcefully "I heard Ambassador Peck on an interview yester-
against his former pastor, saying that he was "outraged" day. Did anybody else see him or hear him? He was
and "saddened" by his behavior, and in May he resigned on Fox News. This is a white man, and he was up-
his membership in the church.[6] setting the Fox News commentators to no end. He
pointed out — did you see him, John? — a white
Background man, he pointed out, ambassador, that what Mal-
colm X said when he got silenced by Elijah Muham-
Barack Obama first met Wright in the late 1980s, while mad was in fact true — America’s chickens are
he was working as a community organizer in Chicago be- coming home to roost."[15]
fore attending Harvard Law School.[7] Wright officiated
at the wedding ceremony of Barack and Michelle Obama, Wright spoke of the United States taking land from the
as well as their children’s baptisms.[8] Indian tribes by what he labeled as terror, bombing Gre-
The title of Obama’s 2006 memoir, The Audacity of nada, Panama, Libya, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, and ar-
Hope, was inspired by one of Wright’s sermons, which was gued that the United States supported state terrorism
also a theme of Obama’s 2004 keynote address to the De- against the Palestinians and South Africa. He said that his
mocratic National Convention.[7][8][9] Wright was sched- parishioners’ response should be to examine their rela-
uled to give the public invocation before Obama’s presi- tionship with God, not go "from the hatred of armed ene-
dential announcement, but Obama withdrew the invita- mies to the hatred of unarmed innocents." His comment
tion the night before the event.[10] Wright wrote a re- (quoting Malcolm X) that "America’s chickens are com-
buttal letter to the editor disputing the characterization ing home to roost" was widely interpreted as meaning
of the account as reported in an article in The New York that America had brought the September 11, 2001 attacks
Times.[11] upon itself.[16][17][18] ABC News broadcast clips[19] from
In 2007, Wright was appointed to Barack Obama’s the sermon[1][20] in which Wright said:
African American Religious Leadership Committee, a
group of over 170 national black religious leaders who "We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and
supported Obama’s bid for the Democratic nomina- we nuked far more than the thousands in New York
tion.[12] However, it was announced in March 2008 that and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye...
Wright was no longer serving as a member of this and now we are indignant, because the stuff we
group.[13] have done overseas is now brought back into our
On May 31, 2008, Barack and Michelle Obama an- own front yards. America’s chickens are coming
nounced that they had withdrawn their membership in home to roost."
Trinity United Church of Christ stating that "Our rela-
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
Later, Wright continued : years. The South African government lied on Nel-
son Mandela. Governments lie."
"Violence begets violence. Hatred begets hatred.
And terrorism begets terrorism. A white ambas- Wright then stated:
sador said that y’all, not a black militant. Not a rev-
erend who preaches about racism. An ambassador "The government lied about the Tuskegee exper-
whose eyes are wide open and who is trying to get iment. They purposely infected African American
us to wake up and move away from this danger- men with syphilis. Governments lie. The govern-
ous precipice upon which we are now poised. The ment lied about bombing Cambodia and Richard
ambassador said the people that we have wound- Nixon stood in front of the camera, ’Let me make
ed don’t have the military capability we have. But myself perfectly clear...’ Governments lie. The gov-
they do have individuals who are willing to die and ernment lied about the drugs for arms Contra
take thousands with them. And we need to come to scheme orchestrated by Oliver North, and then the
grips with that."[19] government pardoned all the perpetrators so they
could get better jobs in the government. Govern-
"Confusing God and Government" ments lie.... The government lied about inventing
the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people
Clips from a sermon that Wright gave, entitled "Confus-
of color. Governments lie. The government lied
ing God and Government", were also shown on ABC’s
about a connection between Al Qaeda and Saddam
Good Morning America[1] and Fox News. In the sermon,
Hussein and a connection between 9.11.01 and
Wright first makes the distinction between God and gov-
Operation Iraqi Freedom. Governments lie."
ernments, and points out that many governments in the
past have failed: "Where governments lie, God does not He spoke about the government’s rationale for the Iraq
lie. Where governments change, God does not War:
change."[21] Wright then states:
"The government lied about weapons of mass de-
"[The United States] government lied about their struction in Iraq being a threat to the United States
belief that all men were created equal. The truth peace. And guess what else? If they don’t find them
is they believed that all white men were created some weapons of mass destruction, they gonna do
equal. The truth is they did not even believe that just like the LAPD, and plant the some weapons of
white women were created equal, in creation nor mass destruction. Governments lie."
civilization. The government had to pass an
amendment to the Constitution to get white women Wright then commented on God and government:
the vote. Then the government had to pass an equal
rights amendment to get equal protection under "And the United States of America government,
the law for women. The government still thinks a when it came to treating her citizens of Indian de-
woman has no rights over her own body, and be- scent fairly, she failed. She put them on reserva-
tween Uncle Clarence who sexually harassed Anita tions. When it came to treating her citizens of Ja-
Hill, and a closeted Klan court, that is a throwback panese descent fairly, she failed. She put them in
to the 19th century, handpicked by Daddy Bush, internment prison camps. When it came to treating
Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford, between Clarence and her citizens of African descent fairly, America
that stacked court, they are about to undo Roe vs. failed. She put them in chains, the government put
Wade, just like they are about to un-do affirmative them on slave quarters, put them on auction blocks,
action. The government lied in its founding doc- put them in cotton field, put them in inferior
uments and the government is still lying today. schools, put them in substandard housing, put
Governments lie." them in scientific experiments, put them in the low-
est paying jobs, put them outside the equal protec-
He continued: tion of the law, kept them out of their racist bas-
tions of higher education and locked them into po-
"The government lied about Pearl Harbor too. They sitions of hopelessness and helplessness. The gov-
knew the Japanese were going to attack. Govern- ernment gives them the drugs, builds bigger pris-
ments lie. The government lied about the Gulf of ons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to
Tonkin Incident. They wanted that resolution to get sing ’God Bless America.’ No, no, no, not God Bless
us in the Vietnam War. Governments lie. The gov- America. God damn America — that’s in the Bible
ernment lied about Nelson Mandela and our CIA — for killing innocent people. God damn America,
helped put him in prison and keep him there for 27 for treating our citizens as less than human. God
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
damn America, as long as she tries to act like she is Religious Leadership Committee of his campaign.[35][36]
God, and she is supreme. The United States govern- The Obama campaign released Wright after the contro-
ment has failed the vast majority of her citizens of versy.[37][38][39][40]
African descent.."[21][22][23][24] Obama’s critics found this response inadequate; Mark
Steyn, writing in the conservative publication National
These sermon excerpts were widely viewed in early 2008 Review, stated: "Reverend Wright[’s] appeals to racial bit-
on network television and the internet.[25] terness are supposed to be everything President Obama
will transcend. Right now, it sounds more like the same-
Reaction old same-old."[41]
On March 18, in the wake of the controversy, Obama
delivered a speech entitled "A More Perfect Union" at the
Barack Obama National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
When Wright’s comments were aired in the national me- vania. During the course of the 37-minute speech, Oba-
dia, Obama distanced himself from them, saying to ma spoke of the divisions formed through generations
Charles Gibson of ABC News, "It’s as if we took the five through slavery, segregation, and Jim Crow laws, and the
dumbest things that I’ve ever said or you’ve ever said in reasons for the kinds of discussions and rhetoric used
our lives and compressed them and put them out there among blacks and whites in their own communities.
— I think that people’s reaction would, understandably, While condemning the remarks by the pastor, he sought
be upset."[26] At the same time, Obama stated that "words to place them in historical context by describing some
that degrade individuals have no place in our public di- of the key events that have formed Wright’s views on
alogue, whether it’s on the campaign stump or in the race-related matters in America. Obama did not disown
pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright, whom he has labeled as "an old uncle", as akin to
Wright that are at issue."[27] Obama later added, "Had the disowning the black community or disowning his white
reverend not retired, and had he not acknowledged that grandmother, Madelyn Dunham.[42] The speech was gen-
what he had said had deeply offended people and were erally well received.[43] Obama said that some of the com-
inappropriate and mischaracterized what I believe is the ments by his pastor reminded him of what he called
greatness of this country, for all its flaws, then I wouldn’t America’s "tragic history when it comes to race."[44]
have felt as comfortable staying at the church."[28]
Obama stated that he was aware of Pastor Wright’s Other Presidential candidates
controversial comments, and had personally heard "re-
In an interview with the editorial board of the Pittsburgh
marks that could be considered controversial" in
Tribune-Review on March 25, 2008, Hillary Clinton com-
Wright’s church, but denied having heard the particular
mented on Obama’s attendance at Trinity United Church
inflammatory statements that were widely televised dur-
of Christ, stating, "You don’t choose your family, but you
ing the campaign. Obama was specifically asked by Bill
choose what church you want to attend." Later the same
O’Reilly if Reverend Wright had said white people were
day, during a press conference, Clinton spoke on her per-
bad, to which Obama replied "no." [29][30][31] In his book
sonal preference in a pastor: "I think given all we have
Dreams from my Father, Obama had quoted Reverend
heard and seen, [Wright] would not have been my pas-
Wright as saying in a sermon "It’s this world, where
tor." A spokesperson for the Obama campaign asserted
cruise ships throw away more food in a day than most
that Clinton’s comments were part of a "transparent ef-
residents of Port-au-Prince see in a year, where White
fort to distract attention away from the story she made
folks’ greed runs a world in need." [32] Obama said the
up about dodging sniper fire in Bosnia" the prior
remarks had come to his attention at the beginning of
week.[45] Weeks later during the Pennsylvania debate in
his presidential campaign but contended that because
Philadelphia, Clinton said, "For Pastor Wright to have
Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of
given his first sermon after 9/11 and to have blamed
Obama’s strong links to Trinity, he had not thought it
the United States for the attack, which happened in my
appropriate to leave the church.[33] He began distancing
city of New York, would have been just intolerable for
himself from Wright when he called his pastor the night
me."[46]
before the February 2007 announcement of Obama’s
Future Republican nominee John McCain defended
presidential candidacy to withdraw his request that
Obama when it came to allegations of guilt by associa-
Wright deliver an invocation at the event. A spokesper-
tion, saying, "I think that when people support you, it
son later said, "Senator Obama is proud of his pastor
doesn’t mean that you support everything they say. Obvi-
and his church, but... decided to avoid having statements
ously, those words and those statements are statements
and beliefs being used out of context and forcing the en-
that none of us would associate ourselves with, and I
tire church to defend itself."[34] Wright attended the an-
don’t believe that Senator Obama would support any of
nouncement, prayed with Obama beforehand, and in De-
those, as well."[47]
cember 2007 Obama named him to the African American
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
Government officials statements beyond the ones they played, they would
have played them as well.[53]
Vice President Dick Cheney weighed in on the Wright
Cultural critic Kelefa Sanneh traced Wright’s theolo-
matter on April 10, 2008. He appeared on Sean Hannity’s
gy and rhetoric back to Frederick Douglass, analyzing his
radio show and said, "I thought some of the things he
1854 reference to antebellum US Christians as "bad, cor-
said were absolutely appalling... I haven’t gotten into the
rupt, and wicked."[54]
business of trying to judge how Sen. Obama dealt with it,
Noting that "many observers argue that Wright’s ser-
or didn’t deal with it, but I think, like most Americans, I
mons convey a more complex message than simple
was stunned at what the reverend was preaching in his
sound bites can express," the Chicago Tribune published
church and then putting up on his Web site."[48]
lengthy excerpts in an article, "Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s
Lawrence Korb, Director of National Security Studies
words: Sound bite vs. sermon excerpt".[55]
at the Council on Foreign Relations and former assistant
Economist and social commentator Thomas Sowell
Secretary of Defense in the administration of Ronald Rea-
wrote that there was "no way that [Obama] didn’t know
gan defended Wright’s military service, stating, "We’ve
about Jeremiah Wright’s anti-American and racist dia-
seen on television, in a seemingly endless loop, sound
tribes from the pulpit." He wrote that Obama was "no
bites of a select few of Rev. Wright’s many sermons. Some
ordinary member" of the church, having once donated
of the Wright’s comments are inexcusable and inappro-
$20,000 to it, and that Obama’s speech was "like the Sovi-
priate and should be condemned, but in calling him ’un-
et show trials during their 1930s purges", intended only
patriotic,’ let us not forget that this is a man who gave
to convince supporters.[56]
up six of the most productive years of his life to serve his
country... he has demonstrated his patriotism."[49] Commentary on media coverage
The controversy sparked continuous media coverage, on
Media both national media outlets and local sources. More than
3,000 news stories had been written on the issue by early
Commentators and pundits April.[57]
Conservative radio talk show and television host Sean Wright’s church, Trinity United Church of Christ,
Hannity expressed shock and anger when hearing the criticized the media coverage of his past sermons, saying
comments, saying, "First of all, I will not let up on this in a statement that Wright’s "character is being assassi-
issue. If his pastor went to Libya, Tripoli with Louis Far- nated in the public sphere.... It is an indictment on Dr.
rakhan, a virulent, anti-Semitic racist, his church gave Wright’s ministerial legacy to present his global ministry
a lifetime achievement award to Louis Farrakhan. That’s within a 15- or 30-second sound bite."[58]
been Barack Obama’s pastor for 20 years. And we will Lara Cohen, news director at the Us Weekly, noted that
continue to expose this until somebody in the main- her publication "has been accused of distracting people
stream media has the courage to take this on."[50] from the ’Important Issues’" because of its focus on Su-
Salon.com editor-in-chief Joan Walsh wrote, "the permarket tabloid concerns, and said that mainstream
whole idea that Wright has been attacked over ’sound media "talking heads love to tut-tut about how attention
bites,’ and if Americans saw his entire sermons, in con- to celebrity gossip is causing the great dumbing-down of
text, they’d feel differently, now seems ludicrous. The American society." She charged that, in light of the sen-
long clips Moyers played only confirm what was broad- sationalized coverage about Wright, mainstream media
cast in the snippets..." and notes, "My conclusion Friday outlets no longer had grounds to make these criticisms
night was bolstered by new tapes of Wright that came of Us Weekly, and turned the charge back upon the main-
out this weekend, including one that captures him saying stream media. Cohen stated, "The true hallmark of sensa-
the Iraq war is ’the same thing al-Qaida is doing under tionalized journalism is ginning up controversy to drive
a different color flag,’ and a much longer excerpt from sales, and for the mainstream news media Wright was a
the ’God damn America’ sermon that denounces ’Condos- tailor-made tabloid icon. With newspaper sales at record
keezer Rice...’".[51] lows, network news ratings tanking and 24-hour news
Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly said of Wright, "In my opinion, channels desperate to fill up all 24 hours, Wright’s out-
Rev. Jeremiah Wright is not an honest man. He preaches bursts were the mainstream media’s equivalent of Tom
anti-white and anti-American rhetoric, all the while Cruise jumping on Oprah’s couch—a train wreck no one
making money off it."[52] could turn away from. And so they milked it, regardless
Democratic strategist Flavia Colgan asserted that of the impact on the very race they were supposedly cov-
Obama was not always in church and that the several ering objectively."[59]
minutes of soundbites continually played by the media Republican commentator and former National Secu-
do not equate to twenty years. Colgan also argued that rity Council staff member Lt. Col. Oliver North (whom
had the media been able to find additional controversial Wright mentioned in his controversial comments) said of
the controversy’s media coverage, "Rather than serving
4
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
up more blather about Jeremiah Wright, editors, produc- "Patriotism is the affirmation of one’s country in light of
ers and program directors would better serve us all by its best values, including the attempt to correct it when
sending their commentators and correspondents out to it’s in error. Wright’s words are the tough love of a war-
cover those who have volunteered to serve in our mili- tested patriot speaking his mind."[68] J. Kameron Carter,
tary."[60] associate professor of theology and black church studies
Stephen Colbert satirized what he portrayed as the at Duke Divinity School, stated that Wright "voiced in his
media’s obsession with the Wright story.[61] Jon Stewart sermons a pain that must be interpreted inside of the tra-
similarly made fun of the media’s obsession with Wright, dition of black prophetic Christianity."[69]
calling it their "Festival of Wrights" and the "Reverend- Martin E. Marty, an emeritus professor of religious
ing Story."[62][63] history,[70] criticized reporters’ "naiveté" about the civil
Investigative journalist Robert Parry contrasted the rights movement[71] He placed Wright’s comments in
mainstream media’s attention to Wright with its almost context of his church: "For Trinity, being ’unashamedly
total silence on the topic of South Korean religious leader black’ does not mean being ’anti-white’, and noted that
Sun Myung Moon and his relationship with the Republi- black shame was a debilitating legacy of slavery and seg-
can Party and especially the Bush family.[64] regation in society and church. Marty also argued that
On July 20, 2010, the political commentary website Trinity’s Africentrism "should not be more offensive
The Daily Caller reported that a group of reporters and than that synagogues should be ’Judeo-centric’ or that
columnists for major periodicals who were a part of the Chicago’s Irish parishes be ’Celtic-centric’."[72]
JournoList listserv had secretly worked together to de- Bill J. Leonard, Dean of the divinity school and profes-
vise a strategy to minimize the damage to the Barack sor of church history at Wake Forest University, argued
Obama campaign by depicting as racists those political or that Wright "was standing and speaking out of the jere-
media figures who attempted to make Wright an issue in miad tradition of preaching in the U.S.," which he said
the campaign. This was explicitly discussed as a strategy "dates back to the Puritans" and that both "black and
to keep the right from maintaining control of the coun- white ministers have used since the 1600s in this coun-
try.[65] try." Leonard explains that the jeremiad tradition dealt
with woe and promise and moral failure not only in the
Trinity United Church of Christ mem- church but in the nation."[5] James B. Bennett of San-
bers ta Clara University, says Martin Luther King, Jr. shared
similar feelings with Wright concerning some U.S. activi-
Lisa Miller in Newsweek reported that, before the political
ties, quoting King as saying, "the greatest purveyor of vi-
controversy erupted, "Trinity was already in the throes
olence in the world today — my own government," and
of a difficult generational transition." After the period
that "America was founded on genocide, and a nation
of Wright’s speaking engagements before national audi-
that is founded on genocide is destructive."[73][74]
ences, Miller describes how "the reaction was anguish
Stephan Thernstrom,[75] Winthrop professor of histo-
and anger" among church members and that three basic
ry at Harvard, and Abigail Thernstrom, political scientist
factions developed among them: those who wished
and the vice chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
Wright would not speak anymore, those who believed in
wrote that "[Wright] contended that blacks and whites
what he said, and those who just wished the whole con-
had completely different brain structures, one left-dom-
troversy would go away.[66]
inant, the other right-dominant. This is nothing more
than an updated version of the pseudo-science once used
Academia to defend segregation in the Jim Crow South," and "clear-
Many academics commented on Wright, black theology, ly, Rev. Wright does not speak for mainstream black
and the concomitant political controversy within a churches — and he has done them a gross disservice by
broader context of American history and culture. claiming to do so."[76] Former Harvard lecturer Martin
In 2004, prior to the Wright controversy, Anthony E. Peretz concurred, endorsing the article and saying that
Cook, a professor of law at Georgetown University, pro- it "puts Trinity into its proper place in relation to other
vided a detailed comparative analysis of sermons deliv- black churches and shows how different it is from
ered after 9-11 by Jerry Falwell, T.D. Jakes and Jeremi- them."[77]
ah Wright. Cook noted that the overall intent of Falwell’s
and Jakes’s sermons was to use the Christian religion as a
justification for the War on Terror, while Wright’s overall Subsequent Jeremiah Wright
intent was to side against war and to get listeners to en-
gage in introspection about their daily behavior and rela-
appearances
tionship with God.[67] The Rev. Jeremiah Wright publicly discussed the contro-
After the political controversy erupted, Georgetown versy in depth in an hour-long interview with Bill Moy-
University sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson stated, ers on April 25, 2008.[78] This included longer clips of
5
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
his sermons, along with his explanations of what he was Obama’s response
saying. There were also clips of his ministry and parish-
Obama attempted to further distance himself from
ioners at various points in time since he became pas-
Wright, as he expressed outrage and shock at a press con-
tor in 1972, in an attempt to show what Trinity stands
ference on April 29:
for and has accomplished. Wright stated that his com-
ments were "taken out of context"[79] and that "the per- "I am outraged by the comments that were made
sons who have heard the entire sermon understand the and saddened by the spectacle that we saw yes-
communication perfectly."[79] He went on to say: "When terday... The person that I saw yesterday was not
something is taken like a sound bite for a political pur- the person that I met 20 years ago. His comments
pose and put constantly over and over again, looped in were not only divisive and destructive, but I believe
the face of the public, that’s not a failure to communi- that they end up giving comfort to those who prey
cate. Those who are doing that are communicating exact- on hate, and I believe that they do not portray ac-
ly what they want to do, which is to paint me as some curately the perspective of the black church. They
sort of fanatic or as the learned journalist from the New certainly don’t portray accurately my values and
York Times called me, a ’wackadoodle’...[80] The message beliefs. And if Reverend Wright thinks that that’s
that is being communicated by the soundbites is exactly political posturing, as he put it, then he doesn’t
what those pushing those sound bites want to commu- know me very well. And based on his remarks yes-
nicate."[79] Conservative pundits and PBS’s ombudsman terday, well, I may not know him as well as I
criticized Moyers for being too gentle on Wright.[81] thought either.... What became clear to me is that
On April 27, Wright gave a keynote address at a he was presenting a world view that contradicts
fundraising dinner for the Detroit-chapter of the NAACP. who I am and what I stand for, and what I think
In front of nearly 10,000, he discussed the controversy, particularly angered me was his suggestion some-
saying, "I am not running for the Oval Office," referring how that my previous denunciation of his remarks
to what he perceived as Republican attempts to make the were somehow political posturing. Anybody who
controversy part of the campaign. Earlier that day, he de- knows me and anybody who knows what I’m about
livered a sermon to 4000 at the Friendship-West Baptist knows that I am about trying to bridge gaps and I
Church in Dallas.[82] On April 28, he spoke to the National see the commonality in all people. ...[A]fter seeing
Press Club, where he discussed the Black church.[83] Reverend Wright’s performance, I felt as if there
In his speech to the NAACP, Wright speculated that, was a complete disregard for what the American
"Africans have a different meter, and Africans have a people are going through and the need for them to
different tonality. Europeans have seven tones, Africans rally together to solve these problems. ...[W]hatever
have five. White people clap differently than black peo- relationship I had with Reverend Wright has
ple. Africans and African-Americans are right-brained, changed, as a consequence of this."[91][92]
subject-oriented in their learning style. They have a dif-
ferent way of learning."[84] The comments were labeled Reaction
as racist,[85] and likened to eugenics.[86] This initiated a
Obama’s second statement on the controversy elicited a
revival of the controversy, which had been slowly wan-
range of responses. Noam Scheiber of the New Republic,
ing.
wrote, "I thought Obama put the distance he needed to
Former aide to President Ronald Reagan David Ger-
between himself and Wright just now...The other linger-
gen called Wright’s speaking tour "the dumbest, most
ing question is whether people will wonder all over again
selfish, most narcissistic thing I’ve seen in 40 years of
how Obama could have been friends with this guy for 20
covering politics."[87] Libertarian commentator Andrew
years. It’s a legitimate concern, but if it didn’t weigh him
Sullivan said Wright’s comments on the tour were a "cal-
down too much after the Philadelphia speech in March, I
culated, ugly, repulsive, vile display of arrogance, ego-
wouldn’t expect it to do him in this time. Wright’s ’per-
tism, and self-regard."[88] Former Speaker of the House
formance’ yesterday struck me as new and brazen
Newt Gingrich characterized Wright’s speaking tour as
enough to warrant a different reaction than Obama
an attempt to deliberately hurt Obama, and stated that
would have had in the past."[93] Victor Davis Hanson
Wright’s sense of self-importance appeared to be his mo-
wrote, "Obama, by what he wrote in his memoirs, by
tivation.[89] Columnist Bob Herbert of The New York Times
what he said when he spoke in his early campaign
also suggested that Wright was being a "narcissist" and
speeches, by his frequent praise of Wright, and by his
trying to "wreck" Obama’s campaign.[90]
20-year presence in front of, and subsidies to, Obama
knew exactly the racist and anti-American nature of his
odious pastor."[94] American linguist and social commen-
tator John McWhorter wrote, "now that the Reverend
Wright has gone on tour and given us full doses of these
6
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
professionally alienated postures from another time, it is Hanson compared Wright’s ongoing criticisms of Obama
good to see that Mr. Obama has had the courage to deci- to that of the Furies of Greek Mythology.[102]
sively break with him. Sad, too — the man was his pas- Wright wrote on his Facebook page apologizing for
tor, after all. But here is one more way that Mr. Obama is his remarks on June 12. He wrote, "I mis-spoke and I sin-
learning what hardball really is."[95] cerely meant no harm or ill-will to the American Jewish
community or the Obama administration... I have great
Obama leaves Trinity United Church of respect for the Jewish faith and the foundational (and
Christ central) part of our Judeo-Christian tradition." He also
stated, "I love President Obama as my son, and support
On May 31, 2008, Barack and Michelle Obama announced
and honor him as the President of the United States of
that they had withdrawn their membership in Trinity
America and leader of the free world."[103] Reverend
United Church of Christ, where Wright had previously
Amos Brown, a former San Francisco supervisor and pas-
served as senior pastor, stating that "Our relations with
tor of the Third Baptist Church, has defended Wright
Trinity have been strained by the divisive statements of
and disputed charges of anti-Semitism. He said, "[p]eople
Reverend Wright, which sharply conflict with our own
hear snippets of things and they go running with it
views".[6][14]
rather than sitting down and having a dialogue, the way
Jesus engaged people".[104]
Later impact and continuing controver-
sy
Wright stated in a June 10, 2009 interview that he had
Opinion polling
still voted for Obama for President, despite the contro- In mid-March, a Rasmussen Reports national telephone
versy. He said that he had no regrets about any of his poll of voters found that just 8% had a favorable opinion
comments. He also alleged that "them [sic] Jews" within of Jeremiah Wright and 58% had an unfavorable view.
the Obama administration are preventing the two from 73% of voters believed that Wright’s comments were di-
speaking to each other. He also suggested that Obama visive, while 29% of African-Americans said Wright’s
did not send a delegation to the Durban Review Con- comments made them more likely to support Obama.
ference in Geneva, because of Jewish pressure, saying: 66% of those polled had read, seen, or heard news stories
"[T]he Jewish vote, the A-I-P-A-C vote, that’s controlling about Wright’s comments.[105]
him, that would not let him send representation to the During these events, Clinton briefly took the lead in
Darfur Review Conference, that’s talking this craziness the Gallup national tracking poll, ahead of Obama by 7
on this trip, cause they’re Zionists, they would not let points on March 18. By March 20, Clinton’s lead de-
him talk to someone who calls a spade what it is."[96] creased to 2 points, a statistically insignificant amount.
The Anti Defamation League released a statement The same day, John McCain took a 3 point lead over both
condemning Wright’s remarks as "inflammatory and Democratic candidates in hypothetical General Election
false. The notions of Jewish control of the White House match ups, with a 2 point margin of error.[106] By March
in Reverend Wright’s statement express classic anti- 22, Obama had regained his lead over Clinton and was up
Semitism in its most vile form."[97] Writing for The Atlan- by 3 points.[107] The editor-in-chief of the Gallup Poll said
tic, Ta-Nehisi Coates characterized Wright’s remarks as that the effect of the controversy "died after a couple of
"crude conspiratorial antisemitism."[98] Rabbi Scott Gur- days".[108]
din at Temple Sinai said Wright "is missing an oppor- A CBS poll taken from March 15 to March 17 found
tunity to build alliances and bridges."[96] The National that sixty-five percent of registered voters said it made
Jewish Democratic Council distributed a statement read- no difference in their view of Obama, while thirty per-
ing, "Obama showed good judgment in strongly separat- cent said it made them have a less favorable view.[109]
ing himself from Reverend Jeremiah Wright".[99] At the end of March 2008, as over 40 states had al-
Wright modified his statements the next day, saying ready held their Democratic primary processes, Barack
that "I’m not talking about all Jews, all people of the Obama built on his national Gallup daily tracking poll
Jewish faith, I’m talking about Zionists." He also endorsed results to become the first candidate to open a double-
the anti-Zionist books Judaism Does Not Equal Israel by digit lead since Super Tuesday, when his competitor Hil-
Marc Ellis and The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine by Ilan lary Clinton had a similar margin. On March 30 the poll
Pappe. He commented, "[e]thnic cleansing the Zionist is showed Obama at 52% and Clinton at 42%. The Rass-
a sin and a crime against humanity, and they don’t want mussen Reports poll, taken during the same time frame,
Barack talking like that".[100] Atlantic writer Jeffrey Gold- showed an Obama advantage of five points.[110] These
berg remarked that "In other words... [h]e regrets speak- polls followed weeks of heavy campaigning and heated
ing plainly instead of deploying a euphemism."[101] On rhetoric from both camps, and another late-March poll
June 11, classical historian and columnist Victor Davis found Obama maintaining his positive rating and limiting
his negative rating, better than his chief rival Clinton,
7
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
even considering Obama’s involvement in controversy liani and performed his second wedding; Giuliani hired
during the period. The NBC News and Wall Street Journal him to work in his consulting firm after Placa was barred
poll showed Obama losing two points of positive rating from his priestly duties due to sexual abuse allega-
and gaining four points of negative rating, while Clinton tions.[118][121]) Conservative commentator John Pod-
lost eight points of positive rating and gained five points horetz said that the comparison of Wright with Hagee
of negative rating.[111] was "entirely specious", because Obama had a longstand-
Following the revival of the controversy surrounding ing relationship with Wright and McCain has no personal
Wright in late April 2008, several polls showed that Oba- relationship with Hagee.[122] Dionne and Rich acknowl-
ma’s image among voters had suffered. According to a edged this point, but also suggested that a double stan-
poll taken by the Gallup Organization, Obama’s nation- dard exists for white religious leaders and black religious
wide favorable rating dropped from 50% to 45% while leaders.[117][118]
his challenger for the nomination, Hillary Clinton’s, rat-
ing rose to 49%. In this poll, McCain edged Obama by
four percentage points in general election match ups,
Footnotes
while Clinton was tied with McCain.[112] As of May 5, a [1] ^ Obama’s Pastor: God Damn America, U.S. to
Gallup poll of Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters Blame for 9/11 Brian Ross and Rehab el-Buri, ABC
showed Obama with a 5% lead over Clinton for the Demo- News, March 13, 2008
cratic nomination.[113] [2] Dilanian, Ken (2008-03-18). "Defenders say Wright
In poll data released 3 May 2008 from The New York has love, righteous anger for USA". USA Today.
Times and CBS News, Obama’s favorable/unfavorable rat- http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/
ing among white Democrats remained the same from last election2008/2008-03-18-obamawright_N.htm.
summer. During the same period, Hillary Clinton’s unfa- Retrieved 2008-04-02.
vorable rating among black Democrats increased by 36 [3] Adubato, Steve (March 21, 2008). "Obama’s reaction
percentage points. The Times theorized that the opinion to Wright too little, too late". MSNBC.
shift among blacks was due to tactics of the Clinton cam- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23745283/.
paign labelled ’racially tinged’ by many vocal elements [4] Johnson, Alex (2008-03-14). "Obama Strongly
within the media, including the alleged ’amplifying’ by Denounces his ex-Pastor". MSNBC.
Hillary Clinton of the Wright affair at numerous http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24371827/.
times.[114] Retrieved 2008-04-28.
[5] ^ "Listening to Rev. Wright" OnPoint, 29 April 2008.
[6] ^ Michael Powell (2008-06-01). "Following Months
Comparisons with other candi- of Criticism, Obama Quits His Church". The New
dates York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/
01/us/politics/
Several commentators have drawn comparisons between 01obama.html?bl&ex=1212552000&en=4f275b18627314ec&ei=5087
the media’s treatment of Barack Obama and Jeremiah Retrieved 2008-06-02.
Wright with the treatment of political candidates who [7] ^ Brachear, Manya (January 21, 2007). "Rev.
ally themselves with white religious leaders who have Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr.: Pastor inspires Obama’s
made controversial statements.[115][116][117][118] These ’audacity’". Chicago Tribune.
critics said that John McCain actively sought the recom- http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/
mendation of John Hagee, who has been criticized for chi-070121-obama-pastor,0,1574186.story.
anti-Catholic and anti-Muslim statements and has de- Retrieved 2008-03-23.
scribed Hurricane Katrina as "the judgment of God on the [8] ^ Barack Obama (2008-03-18). "Text of Obama’s
city of New Orleans" for the city’s "level of sin" (specif- speech: A More Perfect Union". Wall Street Journal.
ically a planned gay pride http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/03/18/text-
march).[115][116][117][118][119][120] E. J. Dionne of the Wash- of-obamas-speech-a-more-perfect-union/
ington Post contended that white religious leaders who ?mod=googlenews_wsj. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
make controversial statements often maintain their po- [9] "Barack Obama’s Remarks to the Democratic
litical influence. He specifically mentioned the remarks National Convention", New York Times (2004-07-27):
of Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, who agreed that gays, "The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God’s
feminists and liberals shared the blame for the 9/11 at- greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation."
tacks, but faced no calls for denunciation by politicians [10] Kantor, Jodi (2007-03-06). "Disinvitation by Obama
with whom they had relationships.[115][117][120] Frank Is Criticized". The New York Times.
Rich of the New York Times wrote that Rudy Giuliani’s re- http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/us/politics/
lationship with Monsignor Alan Placa had gained little 06obama.html. Retrieved 2008-03-23.
media attention.[118] (Placa is a longtime friend of Giu-
8
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
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York Times (pdf)". Trinity United Church of Christ - Church : NPR
Bulletin. Archived from the original on 2008-06-25. [24] Martin, Roland (March 21, 2008). "The Full Story
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[15] Hannity & Colmes say that "Peck never used the Archived.
phrase ’chickens coming home to roost’ and that [28] "Obama Would Have Left if Wright Stayed".
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Peck did" in Peck’s September 15, 2001 interview Archived.
on Fox News Channel. [29] "Controversial minister off Obama’s campaign".
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04/mike_huckabee_on_hannity_colme_1.html Also POLITICS/03/14/obama.minister/. Retrieved
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Lies!! Irresponsible Media! Barack Obama Pastor [33] Barack Obama (March 14, 2008). "On My Faith and
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http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/21/the-full- Is Criticized". The New York Times.
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[20] Extended video of Wright’s sermon from which [35] Kantor, Jodi (March 6, 2007). "Disinvitation by
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http://youtube.com/watch?v=RvMbeVQj6Lw. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeremiah Wright controversy
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