i don't get it. when i hear a racist joke, i get up and walk out. same thing with racist words- i don't use them, and i don't associate with people who do. it's an absolute standard.

am i being too picky?

When someone trashes America and fans the flames of racism.

His speech did not address the questions people had.

you violently disagree with, you can stand up and walk out.  Short of that, you can request a private meeting with the pastor.  When one is a prominent member of the congregation, the meeting might have some sway.  

But then, this is the first time at least one member of their family has felt proud of her country, so there is at least a chance that Rev. Wright's words were well received by at least one member of their household.

How can you repudiate his words after the fact as Obama did, and still attend his sermons every week. Didn't Obama just say the other day that he wasn't aware that his paster was making controversial remarks, or that he wasn't in attendance when he made the remarks, or am I mistaken in that assumption? Does anyone here have a transcript of him saying that a few days ago? Whenever Obama gets caught up in some issue that doesn't do him well, he tries to quell the issue through damage control, but he's not nearly good enough at it. Too many lingering questions about his credibility, his honesty and his dealings with controversial figures, Wright, Farrakhan and Rezko. This is enough to put up some red flags over his claim to the presidency.

I believe that sometimes you do have to take a stand when you're just passively listening, believe there's a problem - you act.  I was in a college literature course, freshman year, very popular professor who, in the days' class, really was crossing the line with piggish behavior - pushing female students to read aloud poetry to the class that clearly made them uncomfortable to be reading.  I got up and walked out.  Here in DC friends of mine have gone to antiwar protest marches sponsored and led in part by A.N.S.W.E.R., and I don't believe in what they stand for, I won't go.  I've spoken out at work meetings when staff are unfairly thrown under the bus even though I'm just production level and I can't imagine it was great for my career prospects to open my mouth and talk back to the VPs.  I know they're just words on the Internet but I've argued forcefully right back at some of the loudest and most prominent voices at Kos when I was there, if I thought they were saying statements that were flat wrong and out of bounds.  

Sometimes you have to.  I don't know when I've seen Obama doing this, on principle..

Huh?  Obama didn't "sell out" his grandmother.  He was making the point that people close to him of both races have made ignorant comments.  He can no longer "walk away" from Wright any more than he could walk away from his grandmother.  They are important and beloved people in his life.

You're all a bunch of hypocrites.  Unless you're living in a bubble, you all have family members and/or close friends who have made ignorant racially-charged comments before.  I wonder how many of you have disowned those family members or broken ties over such remarks.

I think Obama's confession today that he heard his pastor using controversial remarks during his sermons, directly contradicts what he told reporters the other day. Can someone find a transcript of his statement to reporters the other day, as this would surely show of his dishonesty with Americans.

He lied, pure an simple. First he didn't know about these remarks, now he was in the pew for some remarks. Not gonna fly.
Too bad he could not have picked Bill Cosby as his mentor. Cosby at least makes sense- read "Come on, People." Quit feeling sorry for yourself and blaming everbody and the government for your problems. DO SOMETHING about the problems!

Oops, soory, that would require that you ACT on your words.

People have a right to their beliefs, even if the beliefs are objectionable to others.

But if Obama failed to walk out on the inflammatory and anti-American statements, then he should have accepted the fact that he can't run for president and expect to win.

The problem is the hypocrisy.

This is why I believe Obama is now unelectable.  He will never survive the GE.

Hillary can still win this, no matter what Obama supporters and the MSM want us to believe.  She can win the pledged delegates still, but she needs to win by large, but possible margins.  The Wright disaster is exactly what can push her over the top and retake the delegate lead.  This and MONEY.  She is already up by 12 points in PA, let's now give her the funds to increase the lead to 20 and beyond.  With this story and a few more 3am phone call ads in PA, we will win back the White House!  I just donated $25.

DONATE TO HILLARY NOW

Click the link above and donate today!

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/03/17/kris tol-issues-a-correction-i-regret-the-err or/

Please take a step back and realize that you're smearing Obama with lies that even Kristol had to backtrack on.

Susanhu, universal, alegre, susanhu.  That's a heck of a stable of obama-hate on the recc list.  Get used to him; he's your next president.

I'm sorry but the idea that you can call rev. Wright a racist based on these videos is absolutely absurd. There are white people who go to the church! Wright's comments about AIDS being created by the U.S. gov't. are plain wrong and crazy.  When he says god damn america, it's pretty offensive, but it's not racist.

Sometimes, you sit and listen.  Does it mean you agree with everything?

So what is it? Do you think Obama is here to usher in an age of black separatism? Do you think he believes that the government created AIDS? Has he made any comment that would suggest he believes that  God should damn America?

It's hilarious to watch Hillary supporters descend into madness. You were once somewhat reasonable on this blog. Now you're spewing crap like this, and perpetuating the "Muslim" meme. At least you'll have to stop that now.

On the pastor. While I don't condone what he said. But he was a Vietnam veteran, you have to know, a lot who came out of, affected them.

He has served his time in duty and he has a right to say what he did. Don't mean it's right but I understand why he was ranting.

Obama gave a national speech to defend himself.  To talk about himself in relation to wright's beliefs.  For the most part I felt as though I was being 'lectured', 'educated'.  I was the one who was ignorant, who stated racists remarks.  Very odd.  Instead of speaking about himself, it was as if he was a professor at a university lecturing students on racism.

Thanks, but no thanks.  I won't have someone is in camp with Wright, with a racist, lecture me on racism.  

Obama seems to like everyone, bigots and anti-bigots, but I think the simple explanation is that he needed the church to make the right connections to further his career. I kind of like it that he likes everybody, except he makes an exception, one so far, and it's Hillary. He blames everything on Hillary and for that reason alone I doubt his judgement.  He has pissed off a lot of women and that's simply stupid. HIe might have run a more inclusive campaign, except many in his base, like Markos, like it too much when he blames her for everything and treats her dismissively .  the unfortunate thing he's shown though is about him, he can lie convincingly and say something else the next day equally convincingly. Maybe this is a good skill for a president, but it's supposed to be a secret.  One would have thought he couldn't tell when he was lying, but no, he can tell, he's just good at it.  

He is not the first to have blamed America for 9-11. Even Ron Paul has said this was a case of chickens coming home to roost for all the interference we do outside the US. What I want to know is if he praised AlQuaeda.

just curious? Are some of your best friends black?

Obama put Rev. Wright on a committee. That makes no sense to me.

My understand is that the ranting pastor was a vietnam veteran. Firstly he served so he has a right to critzice the country. I doubt if anyone of you did. Secondly he is angry cause he served- put his life on the line, came home and faced racism. He is bitter. It is understandble. Obama said that is a generational thing. He was right.

John McCain's advisor Hagee. His friend and supporter called the Catholics, ''son of whores''.
Unless he denounces, I will work every day till the general to spoil McCain's chances.

You're comparing the decision by some pro-Clinton bloggers to walk out of Daily Kos - which incidentally hasn't been anywhere near complete - with a decision to leave someone's church? The church someone got married and had his kids baptized in? You demand someone get up in their pew and shout at the pastor?

Persecution complexes wear very well, obviously, even if we in the real world tend to find them somewhat tattered.