Thank you. I needed the laugh. One thing I'd like to address is the belief of some people who think Barack Obama should have left that church the very moment he heard this kind of talk coming from his former pastor. I think the answer to that is about as complex as the reason that Hillary Clinton and her husband did not split up after the public embarrassment of the Lewinsky matter. Relationships over a long time are not things that are easily abandoned whether it's a marriage, or a friendship or a business relationship or a relationship to a church family. These things usually require a bit of soul searching and it's not an easy process. Anyone who has experienced any sort of break up knows how this feels. Barack had come to feel that this was a spiritual sanctuary for him and his family. Not perfect to be sure, but a safe place. An anchor. There have to be many equally complex relationships that have been formed in this environment that would end up being re-evaluated if the Obamas were to leave. Anyone who thinks this is easily done is either stupid, heartless, or has no experience whatsoever with relationships of any kind. On the other hand, the Clintons were very good at ending whole relationships when political expediency dictated. I would like to think that Barack Obama is above that kind of cynical, calculating sort of ambition. Nothing about the man suggests that to me, and I've had as long as anyone else to give him a good look. Not leaving a church you disagreed with does not rise to the level of a reason not to vote for someone, but I'm quite sure there are people who have left the Obama camp for that very reason, just as there are people who won't vote for Hillary because she didn't leave Bill. Anyone who cites this as a reason was looking for an excuse and this is as convenient a one as you could ask for. Now...can we PLEASE MOVE ON FROM THIS?? How many more STUPID, DUMB-ASS QUESTIONS is the MSM going to ask about this?

I have been making the point here this week that Sen. Obama's association with Rev. Wright should be understood in its broader context: a complex mentor/surrogate-father relationship which ultimately broke down over the inherent disagreement about what kind of America we're living in as black people. Still racist, but not as virulently or violently racist as even 20-25 years ago. I agree that Rev. Wright is still to some degree fighting old battles. I stated that he is a product of his time at 66 years old. I understand completely that Obama would give him the benefit of the doubt owing to their long association and history.

It's what any of us would do with close friends, parents or other close family members. It's perfectly human, which is what Barack was being. Many people understand that, black and white. Thankfully so.

Unfortunately the other side of this is what MacDaffy pointed out so artfully. Having come a long way from lynchings and obvious disenfranchisement, we still deal with the idea that "angry black men" are somehow a lurking threat to white people, and a portion of the white electorate still fears on some level that "Black America" will rise up en masse to smite them for the sin of slavery and its devastating legacy. The MSM and regrettably, even some folks here who should know better have given this more weight than it deserves. It just shows that for some people, the fears and bigotry and misunderstanding are not very far from the surface. As black people we are still at times painted with the same broad brush. If Rev. Wright hangs with separatists like Louis Farrakhan, and espouses some of the ideals of the Nation of Islam, why it must mean that ALL black people are closet Nation of Islam supporters, including cerebral, thoughtful people like Barack Obama who aspires to be President and talks of bridging the divide. So, because the media will not let up in its insistence that Obama prove to them that he is NOT like this "angry black man" who spews things that are at once true and insane (much like the Old Testament prophets he admires), Barack must repudiate him in unequivocal terms, thus severing the tie that stretches back two decades. It's almost as if he has to prove his individuality and ability to think for himself and be his own man. Ha has to do that for the benefit of some white people and the largely white-owned media that still gets ratings and makes money peddling the caricature of black people as ignorant, angry, and ready to strike back. That, friends, is racism. This failure among some to see black people as individuals fully capable of coming to their own conclusions about life and people like Jeremiah Wright, is racism. It's a failure to see black people as fully human and just as capable of imperfect judgement and complexity as anyone else. This is what still plays out in episodes like this and why race is still a problem. This is why we need to talk about it.