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Bring Back Rev. Wright
Why won't the McCain campaign attack Obama for an association more damaging than Bill Ayers—the one with Chicago pastor Jeremiah Wright?
The McCain campaign's attempt to tie Barack Obama to terrorist-turned-professor Bill Ayers appears to have failed. Most people still don't seem to know who Ayers is. And there still isn't evidence that the two were more than acquaintances. By the end of the week, McCain will likely have moved on to another line of attack. The obvious question is: Why not Jeremiah Wright?
Unlike Ayers, the Rev. Wright indisputably was one of Obama's closest friends. Obama himself has said so. Nobody in America needs to be reminded of who Wright is. As long as you've decided to go after Obama's character and associations, Wright seems like the obvious place to start. The 30-second attack ad essentially writes itself.
So Jeremiah Wright probably won't figure directly in this campaign. But at some point, it would be nice to hear Obama explain his relationship with Wright.
The spot opens with the familiar yet still shocking tape of Wright pounding the pulpit and looking crazy:
Wright: “God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God damn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme."
Narrator: This is the man Barack Obama has called his spiritual mentor. In 2006, Obama gave Wright’s church more than $22,000 as a gift. Here's what Obama's mentor had to say about our country in the days after 9/11.
Wright: "We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye…America's chickens are coming home to roost."
Narrator: For 20 years Barack Obama sat in the pews, even brought his family, as Wright preached hate. Obama never said a word, until he was caught. Then he defended Wright. Barack Obama: Divisive. Dishonest. Dangerous.
An alternate version might contain footage of Wright accusing the U.S. government of manufacturing AIDS in order to kill black people, or of spreading drugs in the ghetto, or it might show Wright dismissing murdered Alabama teen Natalie Halloway as a drunken slut. There's a lot of footage to choose from and it's all on YouTube. A seasoned media consultant could have that ad ready in a couple of hours. It'd be the most famous spot of this political year, and probably the most powerful.
So why not? The press would go crazy, but so what? They're rooting for Obama anyway. It's racist to bring up Jeremiah Wright? No, Jeremiah Wright is the racist. He's on tape confirming it. Truth is a defense, and the claims in that ad are true.
The campaign won't do it. This spring, McCain said he wouldn't use Wright as a campaign issue, and so far he's stuck to that pledge. While Sarah Palin did go briefly off message and mentioned Wright in an interview, the campaign hasn't run a single ad featuring Wright, and neither have the RNC or pro-McCain 527s. Late last week, senior McCain advisors broached the topic with their candidate, but McCain wouldn't budge.
So Jeremiah Wright probably won't figure directly in this campaign. But at some point, it would be nice to hear Obama explain his relationship with Wright. Obama already did that, you say? Laid the matter to rest in that lovely March 18th speech on race relations that made you think of Bobby Kennedy and MLK? Go back and read that speech carefully. Once you subtract Obama's eloquence, it doesn't sound so groundbreaking. It sounds like something Jesse Jackson could have delivered.
The thesis of the speech, the entire point of delivering it, comes toward the end, as Obama explains why he will not disavow a man who has just been revealed as a race-baiter. The reason? Because America has a long history of white racism. “This is the reality in which Reverend Wright and other African-Americans of his generation grew up,” Obama said. ‘They came of age in the late fifties and early sixties, a time when segregation was still the law of the land and opportunity was systematically constricted.”
In other words, people of a certain color were once cruel to Wright, therefore we ought to understand why he lashes out against an entire race. It's the Bernard Goetz defense.
And anyway, Obama went on, this is the sort of thing that all black preachers say on Sunday morning. You didn't know that? Then maybe you're a racist, too. Or as Obama put it: “The fact that so many people are surprised to hear that anger in some of Reverend Wright's sermons simply reminds us of the old truism that the most segregated hour in American life occurs on Sunday morning.”
If you remember Marion Barry's pre-sentencing press conference, you'll recognize the argument: Yes, I made some mistakes. But the real problem here is white racism, your racism. You're the one who's actually responsible for this. So shut up and stop asking questions.
Over the weekend, John Lewis, the Georgia congressman and Obama supporter, made a species of that case against McCain. ‘‘As one who was the victim of violence and hate during the height of the Civil Rights Movement,’’ Lewis said, ‘‘I am deeply disturbed by the negative tone of the McCain-Palin campaign.’’ The written statement went on compare McCain to George Wallace, whom, Lewis pointed out, ‘‘never fired a gun’’ but ‘‘created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent Americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights. Because of this atmosphere of hate, four little girls were killed...’’
So for questioning Obama’s relationship with Billy Ayers, McCain is, according to an official Civil Rights Hero, morally comparable to George Wallace and the Alabama church bombers. Frank Rich went even further in the New York Times, accusing McCain not simply of racism, but of endangering Obama's life. ‘‘The McCain campaign has crossed the line between tough negative campaigning and inciting vigilantism,’’ Rich wrote in a column so hysterical it deserves a diagnosis.
If the argument seems depressingly familiar, it should. The Obama campaign used the same cudgel against Hillary Clinton in the primaries, even as Obama himself did his best to downplay the subject of race in public. But on background, and through surrogates, team Obama attacked the Clintons as bigots. They knew what we all know, that the quickest way to silence guilty white Americans is to accuse them of racism. It works.
But not for presidents. If he's elected, Obama will have to find a new dodge. Invoking George Wallace might scare a political opponent. It won't get you far with the Chinese.
Fire Tucker Carlson. If this isn't transparent snide empty backseat campaigning I don't know what is. To say it's OK to attack Obama on Rev. Wright and to say Frank Rich is wrong to say the McCain campaign has crossed over into some angry mob mentality, that's just mindless. Tucker, when should we expect to see you filling the token republican tool chair on Maher's panel? Stephen Moore set the bar so very low this week.
Lord, I hate to have the DB think that you have readers. I am leaving this because it's such a great forum to tell you what I think of you. It's not surprising that you would encourage McCain to dredge up something and someone that is so irrelevant to everything because you are so irrelevant and always have been. It is amazing to me that anyone hired you for anything or anyone listens to your reedy screechy voice more than once. What is even more amazing is that you still have such a pretty face. One would think that even in the preppy little schools that you attended, someone would have messed that face up a little just for drill....At some point in your life, you must think however briefly (because clearly that is all you're capable of) that you might be an idiot....
I agree with Tucker Carlson. Reverend Wright whose church Obama must have attended some 480 times (twice amonth for twenty years) is a reverse-racist and an America hater.
Previous to watching his performances in church and at the National Press Club I had no idea that hatred of whites and of America was preached to black congregations on Sunday morning. That this would be OK to Democrats planning to vote for Obama makes me wonder how much they hate our country.
What? Garbage from Tucker Carlson on TDB? *unsubscribe*
"That this would be OK to Democrats planning to vote for Obama makes me wonder how much they hate our country."
What the hell? They, the Democrats hate our country? No, we just hate this President. I used to love this country, still do, but to use a parlance of our times, I'm not *in* love with this country right now. How we've handled Katrina. Ignoring Kyoto. Guantanamo. Iraq. THE ECONOMY.
"sandrabarracuda" Oh, that is one Hi-larious name. You really are something else. You don't think the black community has reason to be angry with this government? Any community has reason to be angry, but at least Wright had the decency to voice that anger. Christ. If you're not the outlier of the readership of TDB, I don't know how much longer I can keep reading.
AND P.S. there's no such thing as a reverse racist, racism always goes one way, reverse racism is just another phrase coined to make entitled white Americans, and I'm white, for the record, feel that they should be worried even though they control everything.
Tucker...apparently reading is beyond you? or did you also miss the BIG talk on race that Obama gave? or perhaps the over 300 articles where Obama has been ask, and he answered, ALL questions regarding Wright. LOL You really need to start educating yourself! Perhaps that's why your team is floundering?
Your trying to bring up an iddue that was old news and saying he has not answered yet anyone keeping up with this elections knows Obama has answered and this is just another sad attempt of McCains moronic advisors to change the subject.
Tucker...can you address Sarah Palin and her husband staying in the group that wants to seccede from the United States? How about Sarah Palins WITCH DOCTOR Pastor? LOL Oh thats right you only question the Democrats LOL
The facts remain Tucker and your not answering for YOUR own party? has lead YOUR candidate down the road to ruin.
One more comment before I go read articles from adults who aren't whiners in fear of losing their meal ticket.
Bring back Wright? LOL You sound like a 4 year old in bed at night having a nightmare calling for his Momma.
Your message was wrong for the times Tucker and if you had been paying attention you could have perhaps helped your candidate win..instead? You sunk him just like you did your won career..as everyone knows.
I say wonderful bring it on. Than the democrats can bring up Palin's church and putting her buddies in positions in her cabinet and pushing her beliefs in the rest of the country. She is extreme. That would really put the nail in her coffin. Oh by the way this is the only way the republicans win elections. They also get people mad with social issues. Well this time it won't work.
Hey SandraB, you sweat little thing. Have you had a chance to look at the clips of your gal and he witch doctor? Your gal hates minorities and even Jews. Am white, 60 yrs old, women. Your gal is a danger to this country.
First let me say that I am a Democrat and I intend to vote for Obama. However, I absolutely agree with Mr. Carlson that Rev. Wright should be fair game for the McCain campaign. Given the fact that the Obama attended this church for 20 plus years, it's hard to understand why he didn't lead a mass exodus from the congregation when he heard racist speeches by Rev. Wright such as the one we've all seen replayed ad nauseum. That's not racial transcendence! I for one am sick of being considered a racist simply because I'm a WASP. I guess I didn't inherit the white guilt gene that so many of my liberal friends seem to wear as a badge.
Tucker - please keep up your blog! My friends and I miss your MSNBC show. While I disagree with some of your political views, I find you always help me to understand the Libeteraian and/or Conservative viewpoint because of your logical and well-informed positions. I love the fact that you're always willing to take an unpopular position. I believe more civil debate in TV and print journalism would help overcome the divisiveness in our country. Thanks for the work you do.
Have you seen the video of Sarah's exorcist, Tucker?
As conservative as Tucker is, he always had been a source of principled and objective commentary. But that's the past. In this last stretch of the campaign, I'm disappointed to see Tucker join the irrational cacophony. This is Tucker at his worst. I hope we get the old Tucker when the campaign is over. I miss him.
This from the the guy who got royally slapped by Jon Stewart on Crossfire, couldn't muster a comeback besides "yea, yea, well you're stupid" and then got shit-canned. Pfffftt. Hope you don't get paid for this crap, Carlson.
Dear sweet Tucker, simply not known for his originality or intelligence. Bringing up tired worn out faux scandals only reinforces the emptiness of McCain's campaign and the bitterness of his soul. Tucker would work well with the rest of McCain's staff as they also prefer to traffic in lies and misrepresentations.
This is pathetic. Tucker is a whiny uninspiring b-team news"man" This argument is pointless. No, Rev. Wright was so upset with the way America was going , the direction , he and many other people in this country, um...MILLIONS are frustrated and were frustrated about the direction of this country! it is okay to dissent.DISSENT. DISSENT. that is our right and freedom as Americans. You do not have to agree. But to make a bumpersticker argument out of this is ludicrous.
the Palin family's association with the Alaskan Independence Party and John McCain's former seat on the advisory board of an organization that was "a sort of clearing house for former Nazi collaborators, Central American death-squad leaders, and assorted international thugs."
anything else Tucker?
As a Canadian, I have listened to Tucker when he had a show on MSNBC. I was confused because I thought I was on the wrong channel: I was on FOX listening to Shawn and Bill. Holy cow.
I understand Tucker has a doctorate degree. If he has, I do not know from which university. If I happen to share the same Alma mater, I would have returned my Ph.D.
Americans are my neighbours and my friends. I studied at two of their universities and I have made life-long friends. Who ever they chose for their president, it is their business, not mine. But, I must confess there are Americans who still live in the Eighteenth Century. How could their racism manifest itself so loudly on the world stage? It is embarrassing for the world most powerful nation to behave like illiterate rogue nations. Tucker is an embarrassment.
Why are people still paying Carlson for this egregious crap? We could get this level of analysis from O'rielly or Limbaugh. Stop enabling this guy Tina!