Obama's ties with former pastor raise doubts among 35 percent of voters, poll says

Why should we seek to condemn the path God chose to bring Obama to Christ's feet?

Meh.... The collective attention span of voters in this country would suggest to me that this will remain an issue for about another 36 hours.

Then we'll all go back to realizing that there's no one out there more guilty of being a two-faced lying scumbag than the Clinton family.

Ok, this Wright stuff is disturbing, very. But the bigger problem I have for Mr. Obama is his pattern of saying one thing and then distancing himself from those words when the opposite is revealed at a later date. That is called "spin", people. We have a need and right to know Senator Obama from every angle and what he believes when he talks of equality and a "vision" for America. To say that Clinton +/or Obama is at fault for the direction the Democratic campaign has headed, is ludicrous and short-sighted. America is a melting pot of races, genders, culture, etc. and we each have a personal interest in seeing "ourselves" in our President. With that connection comes passion and emotional investment. However, it also must be tempered with information about the candidates (good and bad, without negative "label" attached to said information) so that we can make informed choices, rather than only emotionally-driven ones. To Americans: try to take off the blinders of opinion polls, media spin, mud and excitement and remember what this race is really about: Hiring someone to do the toughest and,arguably, most important job on the planet. Being President of the US isn't about speeches, promises and what-if's - it is about who you believe will get up, everyday, and work their butt off for every hardworking American, because they have a track record of that already. That person is Senator Clinton. She has worked hard and diligently for all Americans, and spent years building strong relationships because she has a passionate vision of what America can be, not just because she's running for President. Vetted, intelligent, tested and hardworking. Senator Clinton is the right choice for me in '08

at least clinyon didn't get 4000 of our boys killed in a stupid war!!!

Sorry, this is NOT about to be forgotten...perhaps if B.O. were running for U.S. Pastor he'd be the right pick, but anyone so naive as to fail to see the genuine dangers of so "innocuous" an "uncle" as Wright in a position where his views get a public hearing, and anyone so lacking in courage as to fail to step up and do for his church what he claims he wants to do for the U.S, i.e., insist that these old conspiracy theories against whites or the U.S. government are based on no valid evidence and are increasing polarization and divisiveness and must be stopped (on pain of his quitting the church, say) fails utterly to have adequate judgment for being president of the U.S. Think of how the president of Iran would equally be passed off as having perfectly warranted anger as he declares Israel should be wiped off the face of the earth!!!! Naive Obama will rationalize his anger, but in fact Ahmadinejad plans to actually act on this, and it will be too late to discover later he really meant it!

In related news, one in three voters is a moron.

Ok, this Wright stuff is disturbing, very. But the bigger problem I have for Mr. Obama is his pattern of saying one thing and then distancing himself from those words when the opposite is revealed at a later date. That is called "spin", people. We have a need and right to know Senator Obama from every angle and what he believes when he talks of equality and a "vision" for America. To say that Clinton +/or Obama is at fault for the direction the Democratic campaign has headed, is ludicrous and short-sighted. America is a melting pot of races, genders, culture, etc. and we each have a personal interest in seeing "ourselves" in our President. With that connection comes passion and emotional investment. However, it also must be tempered with information about the candidates (good and bad, without negative "label" attached to said information) so that we can make informed choices, rather than only emotionally-driven ones. To Americans: try to take off the blinders of opinion polls, media spin, mud and excitement and remember what this race is really about: Hiring someone to do the toughest and,arguably, most important job on the planet. Being President of the US isn't about speeches, promises and what-if's - it is about who you believe will get up, everyday, and work their butt off for every hardworking American, because they have a track record of that already. That person is Senator Clinton. She has worked hard and diligently for all Americans, and spent years building strong relationships because she has a passionate vision of what America can be, not just because she's running for President. Vetted, intelligent, tested and hardworking. Senator Clinton is the right choice for me in '08

Barack Obama has delivered a speech that is both powerful and history-making. As an African-American (who is bi-racial Black/White) I felt especially proud to witness such a defining moment for America. We have only to review the entire PBS series, "Eyes on the Prize" to realize the vast lack of understanding that still plagues and torments the soul of our country. Yes, there have been many strides in bridging the divides between Blacks and Whites. Yet we continue relentlessly forward, failing to address the deeper context that Blacks in America are still haunted by a legacy from their forefathers, who were forced to lay down their freedoms and their very lives to establish the foundation on which commerce could grow and democracy be defined. With a clarion call to unite, we face a new opportunity standing squarely before us, the American people--an opportunity ready to embrace us with arms of acceptance and forgiveness, knowing we will do better, that we will be better, together.

I think Hillary is the Democrats only hope at this point, but it looks like a long shot. The unprincipled and unqualified "media darling", Obama, has done a lot of damage - to the Democrats, to Senator Clinton and, sadly but justly most of all, to himself.

Polls like this are meaningless unless they have a context and an alternative. I wish someone would point that out. The question should have been phrased:What exactly does "have doubts" mean? It's an empty phrase that could mean anything. The poll also has no contrast with Senator Clinton, even though the results are being used in that way - this is deeply flawed methodology.

Even more disturbing (but not surprising) is how this entire thing has been presented. The Rev. Wright is casually dismissed as a "racist" or fanatic, yet few take the time to read about what else the man accomplished (Masters from Howard, 6 years doctoral work at University of Chicago, built a huge church and congregation that refused to move out of poverty-stricken Chicago and is described as the most inclusive black church in the nation, pastor to Oprah Winfrey and gangsters alike). Where were the cries of outrage when a white Reverend with a huge white conservative following (Jerry Falwell) blamed 9/11 on gays and homosexuals?

Fox is an unbalanced and unfair news media organization that is full of opinion based commentators, not true journalists. Why should we even give this poll any consideration?

It will be disgusting if white voters cannot see through this fear-mongering and insincerity. As a person who seeks to understand history and its aftermath, I find Rev. Wright's viewpoint understandable and for the most part on-the-mark. Obama's speech may have been guilty of of one thing only, honesty.

Actually, let's remember who the biggest America-hating scumbags are - you know, the ones who destroyed a sovereign country that didn't attack us, allowed nearly 4,000 Americans and ~1 million Iraqis to die, borrowed (or will) $3 trillion to finance this invasion and occupation, allowed 3,000 (mostly black) Americans to drown in New Orleans, didn't find OBL, tried to destroy our Social Security, refused to fund an expanded children's health insurance program, destroyed our international reputation, destroyed official records, lost millions of jobs, refused to invest in infrastructure, subverted the Constitution, brought back torture from the Middle Ages, destroyed America's wilderness, refuses to work on prevention of global warming, provided tax cuts for the rich and service cuts for the poor, and continues to steal from the American people to bail out mortgage-backed junk bonds. I bet they wear lapel pins too. They would also like you to forget that they did NOT prevent 9/11. I will stack that record against Jeremiah Wright's anyday. JW may have a big mouth, but he's done a lot of good. You can't say that about the current occupants. PorkandBeans, you're right about the 36 hours, but I hope people will remember who the real enemy is at election time.

I wonder how many of those who still "have doubts" about Obama have seen or
read his speech in its entirety -- or know that he wrote every word himself in a
couple of days, not using a ghost writer.

Read, too, what he is saying about the costs of the Iraq war and the ways it is
wrecking our economy. Out of work? Need medicare care? Your dollars have gone to defense contractors. The president of Martin Marietta made about 24 million last year.

If you want to read more about Obama, read his books, which he wrote himself, both ot them. While you are at it, read Hillary's too. John McCain has a book.
but look in the front and see if a co-author or a "with" person actually did it for him.

obama grabbed everyones attention and now that he has it its hurting him. I am not strictly democratic or strictly Republican but in this case i think that McCain should win by all means with Clinton as Vice. This is because we need one of each party to get this country back on track. Bush hasn't done a good job at all and we need a great leaders plural as in two,dos,2. We need that balance between the TWO. Obama is out. I mena come on hes already had three strikes don't u think?

Ranks with Lincoln?

This just in: LIBS AND DEMS LINKED GENETICALLY TO LARGE VACUUM DISCOVERED IN DEEP SPACE.

So Carole the real enemy is the Republican party?? Wow, now I know what it takes to be an Obama supporter. You have to be a mindless Kool-Aide Drinker. Good luck with that in your future life. It worked out pretty well for the folks down in Jonestown..LOL.

If I were Howard Dean and assuming that he really likes to have the Dems at the White House, I would pressure Obama to bow out gracefully. The real question that remains now is whether Clinton or McCain will be president. I am not white, and I can't see how could America let Obama double-talk his way to the presidency.

A fox news poll? Wow, aren't the results just slightly predictable? Let's do a McCain opinion poll on Huffingtonpost.com

Barack Obama FEAR SMEAR?

Barack Obama
STAND WITH
Ralph Nader
Ron Paul
Dennis Kucinich
Mike Gravel
NOT
DNC Hillary Clinton
RNC John McCain

Eyes wide open
Testify

Hey Carole,

guess what, you are a hater! you are the enemy, the spreader of lies and mistruths. what's it like to hate everyone and everybody, and then lie all day? that's ok,'s your life is my revenge.

tried to destroy Social Security? how? by offering a solution that works (have a 401k? did that hurt your retirement or help?)

destroyed official records? I guess Sandy Democrat Berger did destroy the records in his socks.

subverted the Constitution? didn't your beloved Clinton vote for the war? didn't the UN pass a resolution authorizing it? didn't Congress vote yes?

Torture is cutting people's heads off. if a terrorist is holding a gun to your spouse's head, would you be ok with waterboarding? I sure would.

destroying our wilderness? do you mean your home?

tax cuts to the rich? I love that one. did you know that 10% of Americans pay 70% of taxes ( and thus Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, and on and on). you are right, we should take the successful peoples money and give it to the people who refuse to work.

bail out Wall Street? guess what, if we didn't the whole system fails. do you want your 401k, checking account, savings account, IRA, pension (invested in stocks) to go away? but you are right we are bailing out the fat cats.

your would stack that record against a man who thinks 9/11 is OUR fault?

Don't worry! for the next 8 years McCain will keep you safe, and then Jeb Bush will take it for another 8 years. thanks for making that much more likely. your rant shows us moderates what the crazies think!

as far as the rest of your points, sorry I have to go back to work!

Obama says that the typical white person is racist.

Obama is quoted as saying, "The point I was making was not that my
grandmother harbors any racial animosity," he said. "But she is a
typical white person. If she sees somebody on the street that she
doesn't know. . .there's a reaction in her that doesn't go away and it
comes out in the wrong way."

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20080320_Obama_wows_radio_sports_jocks.html

There is a write-up here:

http://wbwo.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/typical-white-person/

I can't believe the Boston Globe just posts a Fox News poll as if it's actually news. It's good to know that the Boston Globe has become another sounding board for the Echo chamber of Fox News and Talk Radio. I for one will wait for a poll that is actually "Fair and Balanced."

I don't believe his grandmother told her grandson she was afraid of black men. A woman who took him in and loved him would not do that. I think he used her.

It's so devious. If you can't attack the person, go after the people around that person. "Omg, did you hear what his pastor said 7 years ago??!!!" Honestly, this controversy makes me ashamed to be American.

(re: chris) In related news, 2 in 3 voters are morons.

Ignorance and racism are synonymous! America's greatest sin is slavery! It is delusional to believe that America has been kind to African Americans. The most silent places during slavery were the churches in the south. Rev. Jeremiah Wright is exercising his Constitutional first amendment right for which African Americans fought, sacrificed and died. Rev. Wright served this country as a Marine and has earned the right to admonish his country for it's many egregious sins. Any insidious ingrate that is too fragile for our cherished Constitutional freedoms for which so many brave people, including Rev. Jeremiah Wright's, excluding Irish Catholics, Jews, Italians, etc., sacrificed so much, should find another country. Bon Voyage!

Chagrined

I agree with D. Mayo - my problem with Obama's speech is not how well written and delivered it was. I am disappointed that he used it to defend Reverend White rather than condemn the speeches Reverend White made. When Ms Ferrara made her "speech", she ended up defending it to no avail and had to quit the Senator Clinton campaign. Senator Clinton did not defend it. What did Reverend White have to do? Sell more tapes of his inflamatory sermons! When I disagreed strongly with my 6-year priest sermonizing about abortion and how I should influence my political representatives, I found another church to go to. What is Senator Obama doing? Making a speech defending his mentor! And when he compares his White grandmother saying things in the privacy of their home to what Reverend White is saying in public.........shame on you Senator for embarrassing your grandmother that way. What is said in the family, stays in the family. Identifying her with Reverend White is like identifying you with President Bush. Now don't you feel embarrassed.

I'm a white, middle class, politically independent baby boomer and I was amazed at the speech Obama gave. We gripe about crooked, lying politicians and here is a presidential candidate laying it all out, saying it like it is to a nation that doesn't like to look to deeply at reality - especially if it has a negative connotation. This man has something that few politicians have, certainly not Bush, McCain or Clinton, and that is far sighted vision coupled with pragmatism. We need this man to be our president.