Legal Commentary

Barack Obama Again Addresses Rev. Wright

By Jeralyn

On Larry King Live: (live-blogging)What Wright said is unacceptable. His statements were hurtful and reckless.

He wasn't aware of them, he wasn't in the church when he said them.

His church is a typical traditional AA Church. It's a bedrock of the South Side of Chicago with people from all walks of life.

Had I known that these comments were made, I would have confronted him directly, and I might have left.

His own career is about bringing people together. His own background is one of diversity. He's rooted in the AA community, there are flaws in the AA community, just as there are with all communities.

More....

He hasn't spoken to Wright since this because he's on sabbatical and on a cruise. Last summer these sermons first came to light. He told him he was uncomfortable with them but said because he played such an important part in his life, he hoped they could get past them (or something like that.)

Fourth time he says Wright's comments were inexcusable. Again defends the church. Says white people come to visit and are welcome. There are white members. They've done great things speaking out on AIDS and gays.

Some of the criticism has been a distortion. And it's about race. It's a difficult issue we haven't overcome. We've made enormous progress during my lifetime. We have more in common than what divides us.

He wants to keep talking about it during the campaign, but doesn't want to lose track of other issues.

Commercial and then will get to his comments in his speech about his wife's grandmother.

They replay his statement about his grandmothers "fear of black men who passed her by on the street." King asks him about his statement today saying his grandmother was a "typical white person."

he says what I meant was those are stereotypical fears to crime that are embedded in our culture that many people have. His point was good people who are not racist are still subject to these images and sterotypes.

Will all of this hurt his campaign? He's not answering, he's talking about change and unity and solving problems. Now he says he's confident people will judge him on his life, record and 20 years of service and if they support him, we'll have a chance of making real changes.

End of Wright and race discussion. End of live blogging.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on March 20, 2008 (boomark / email).