The Washington Post’s editorial is labeled “Moment of Truth.” Obama “used his address as a teachable moment.” The speech was an “extraordinary moment of truth-telling.”
Both papers presented Obama’s speech as one dealing with the issue of race and religion in America. That misses the larger point.
The speech was penciled in following outrage trigged by racist remarks made by Obama’s spiritual mentor and pastor for 20 years. Voters want to know how Obama put up with such garbage for so long.
Obama likened Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright’s remarks to something that you could have heard from pastors, priests or rabbis. Excuse me, but when was the last time you heard your spiritual mentor urge the destruction of America, or reference this country as “U.S. of KKK-A?”
Wright also has charged the government that Obama wants to head with inventing the HIV virus to foster the genocide of blacks. That’s more toxic tripe.
Obama says he cannot “disown” Wright. Why not? He also cannot disown his “white grandmother who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.” That comparison insults the intelligence of the American people. Granny wasn’t urging the death of America.
Obama’s tolerance of Wright’s extremist views befuddles this blogger. It takes much of the air out of Obama mania, and seriously threatens his historic run for the presidency.
Reuters today reports that Obama and Hillary Clinton are now trailing John McCain. The gap is bound to widen as Republicans gear up for the campaign season by promoting videos of Wright's hateful sermons far and wide.