The Wright Stuff

I have watched this thing rise up again with a sense of acute distaste. At first, Rev. Wright's comments were not too provocative, but, as if someone was goading him to break through into pure audacity, he then has to say the bit questioning Obama's sincerity, suggesting that Obama really believes AIDS was a racist plant to attempt genocide, but that he can't admit it because he's running for President.

That was the final straw for Obama, who had tried to slough off Wright's more incendiary comments without repudiating his former pastor, the one who brought out Obama's original conversion to his church, married him, baptized his children, etc.

Obama's response has been sharp enough to make it clear that he will no longer associate himself with Wright in any way. Unfortunately for him, that does not mean Wrightian mischief can no longer harm him. Although Wright should now be considered no more relevant to consideration of Obama himself than, say, Billy Carter to Jimmy Carter (plenty of other examples around), an unavoidable embarrassment, his unique and acknowledged role in Obama's life story probably means Wright can always call a press conference or publish some screed.

I'm sure those who don't wish Obama well will say, "What was he thinking?" about Obama's past worship in Wright's house. I doubt "thinking" had much to do with it, as it rarely does in relation to religious conversion.

There's little doubt that Wright has the potential to hurt Obama both with blacks (some perceive Wright as the victim--it's "a black thing", we can't understand) and with whites (again, undermining his ability to be a non-threatening Afro-American). McCain will no doubt stir it up in the general election, which will cause the spotlight to shift to his right-wing evangelist backers. This might undermine McCain's appeal to independents and any unreconciled Clintonista Democratic moderates. Overall, the issue will end up suppressing turnout, which won't help Obama.