(re: "The vast majority")

You are pulling irrelevancies in to the argument to obfuscate the essential point. This has demonstrably hurt Obama if his poll slips are anything to go by. He knew Wright was a liability and he needed to address it - hence the speech.

Which did address the topic and ended the 'controversy'. This is something McCain has decidedly not done with his pair of Albatroses.

And how "irrelevant" is it to point out your invocation of a "vast majority" without either defining it nor citing figures to support such an inference? Or are you simply stating your own opinion?

"You want to consider a fundamentally decent man like Jeremiah Wright a "scumbag" based on a half-dozen lines, fine."

Kind of like Glenn wants to consider Insta-punk a racist based on a half-dozen lines. I consider a pastor who tells people that AIDS was invented to kill black people a scumbag, just as I would consider anyone holding racist or anti-semitic views a scumbag, regardless of what other 'virtues' they may possess. That Wright uses his bully pulpit to spread this poison qualifies him for bonus points in the scumbaggery league.

Considering Wright, when you actually watch him, is neither a 'bully' nor a frothing lunatic as you wish to percieve him as?

In any case, you're unwillingness to apply your standards equally and upon all sides is telling all by itself. Your focus on Wright betrays animus based upon preconceptions, as does your continued silence against Reynold, Instapunk and company.

Considering all the odium Glenn and his ilk heap upon people for the views they hold I wouldn't think this was too much of stretch for you to figure out.

Well-deserved odium, you mean. Attitudes such as Instapunk's deserve only scorn and mockery, or are you saying you agree with them?

"One could draw all sorts of unflattering inferences from your own comments here."

Take a look back - there's very few negative inferences about me that could be drawn that haven't been already by the assembled loons here.

The point exactly. Neither you nor I nor anyone here is lilly pure in our sentiments.

But Wright's lines do not require inference: they speak for themselves, and that's why you lefties are so frustrated about it.

Our frustration is merely with those who refuse to actually think and prefer to insist the Earth is flat.

Watch out, lad, you're approaching the edge every time you comment here. Word to the wise.

-- Proximity Warning

"Which did address the topic and ended the 'controversy'."

No, it didn't end the controversy, quite obviously.

Have you listened to the speech? Did Obama not answer and refute the issue?

Obama 'addressed' it because he believed the opportunity cost of not addressing it was too high. I'd say that calculation was correct. I'm not sure it would be correct in the case of McCain - that is to say, I'm not sure his albatrosses are costing him votes at the moment. I'm sure you think they should be, but there's no evidence that they are.

We'll see in coming months. And I'm sad to see you think everything is driven by political calculation alone. Makes me wonder what your values are (if you have any).

"Well-deserved odium, you mean. Attitudes such as Instapunk's deserve only scorn and mockery, or are you saying you agree with them?"

I don't agree with Instapunk, but then I haven't written a word in his defense. Wright on the other hands holds views that are equally as pernicious and equally as deserving of scorn and you are defending him.

Am I? Have I actually said "Rev. Wright is correct"?

Or am I simply pointing out that nothing is as simple as you make it to be?

"Our frustration is merely with those who refuse to actually think and prefer to insist the Earth is flat."

Your frustration is with anyone who doesn't think what you think.

No. It really is with those who refuse to actually think and prefer to insist the Earth is flat. I, like Obama, welcome alternate points of view, provided they have some basis in reality and aren't shallower than a drained swimming pool. You have yet to demonstrate either capacity.