dick dworkin: "if obama can't make it very very clear that he utterly rejects the idea that white america owes wright and those who think like him ANYTHING (beyond following the law and the constitution), his candidacy is fatally poisoned."

Your message makes no sense.

Why do you think Obama needs to make it clear that he rejects the idea that... (let me slow down to make sure I understand)

"white ameria owes [black people] [something]"

??????

First of all, has anybody ever claimed that somebody owed something to somebody else? Last I checked, Obama was not heavily in favor of affirmative-action programs.

Sorry, Mr. Dworkin, but your question makes absolutely no sense at all.

And I don't see why you think Obama's campaign is "poisoned" because he didn't answer some ridiculous, nonsensical question that nobody (except you) has even asked.

I'm finding that I agree with you; I had wished it would be otherwise.

I saw parts of the interview; since I fell asleep (during the other parts). I wonder if I fell asleep because what I was hearing was too unlike what I had hoped it would be.

I did see the larger excerpts -- of Wright's speeches -- and was sorry to hear some of it. I heard Wright's saying that 'he is a politician' to explain what Obama had said about him, as if he had to have said it. At that point I realized Wright was angry at Obama (and hurt, of course, as you say). I wonder too if he is jealous of Obama or if he may get some satisfaction of bringing him down, thus affirming his view of the awfulness of things as not having changed.

Obama dealt with this in his speech: Wright hasn't seen that things have changed; but he may not want to. Who knows? [This is reminiscent of Bill Clinton's wrecking his wife's campaign, certainly his connection to blacks; also it is reminiscent of Bob Dole's touting his wife's senatorial race competitor (whomever it was) and giving him money as I remember. Destructive jealousy all around.]

[I may regret saying some of this. It may feed into the right's attacks.]

I had thought Wright was telling the truth about the American government; I had thought his anger was justified and just.

And much of it is.

Your main criticisms seem to be about timing. And going farther than seems necessary or accurate.

Certainly the timing of this week's interview and speech (at NAACP?) was sorry. CNN did a wall-to-wall treatment of this today. Using a young rabid twit to attackattackattack; little of substance or thoughtfulness That was sorry as well.

what a bunch of sore losers.

cynthia45 -- first, is that the year of your birth?

second, what do you suggest i call a politician, who, for political gain, voted to authorize one of the most pointless wars in history, killing untold hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians and sending 4000 and counting americans to their grave? who then failed to apologize for it? who has the gumption to run on a campaign highlighting experience? who voted for the kyle-lieberman amendment enabling this president to invade iran? you call that experience?

what do i call such a person? what's a good four letter send up of someone like that? dick? jerk? give me a suggestion, really, tell me how i'm a sexist for feeling that way about someone who is stealing the election from the presumptive candidate because they can't stand to lose, even though their record shows no sign of conforming to me values, my disgust with this war, my fear of the appaling power grab this government has made, my disappointment with the good will and political capitol that has been squandered since september 12, 2001?

your era is over, 1945. my era is now. deal with it.

Finally, a good post. (At least in my opinion.) Joan, you're a smart lady, and I found this post very well reasoned. I just wish you'd look at Hillary with as much clarity.

I will not be renewing my subscription. At least, not until Salon finds a new editor....

KKK rally is thataway.. say "hi" to Proud Texas Girl..

I'm a white woman who has been a life-long, liberal democrat. I was raised in an Irish, Catholic, Democrat, upper-middle class home. After twelve years of Catholic school, I entered college at the University of California and developed friendships with many African American students. As a fighter for causes, I quickly became involved in various political groups whose purpose was to enlighten people about injustices in the world. I learned about Black liberation theology from a charismatic Black student who I began to date. He gave me a reading list and I was interested. I read Malcolm X, James Cone, Eldridge Cleaver, Farrakhan and many others. For awhile, I was convinced that Black llberation philosophy was an important way for AAs to gain equality in a racist world . Now, years later, re-reading those same texts that so fascinated me as a nineteen-year old, I see the divisiveness in much of Black liberation theology, especially today, after so many inroads have been made in the area of racial relations.

During the Dem primary, I was at first, undecided between Hillary and Obama. But, gradually,

as I learned more about Obama, I became less comfortable with him, especially when I realized that he seemed to embrace the preachings of Rev. Wright who preaches, not

unity between races, but devision. In his own words, Wright claims to have based most of

his beliefs on James Cone, a Black theologian and writer.

Here's an excerpt from James Cone's 1990 book, "A Black Theology of Liberation" Pg 27--

"Black theology refuses to accept a God who is not identified totally with the goals

of the black community. If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer

and we better kill him. The task of black theology is to kill Gods who do not belong to the

black community. Black theology will accept only the love of God which participates

in the destruction of the white enemy. What we need is the divine love as expressed in

Black Power, which is the power of black people to destroy their oppressors here and now by any means at their disposal."

I can't understand how Wright's ideology in anyway seeks to mend relations between whites

and blacks. It seems to use anger toward whites to inspire African Americans and that troubles me. The fact that Obama held up Wright as his mentor and spiritual advisor bothers me even more.

No matter how much MSNBC, CNN and PBS try to reform Wright's image, it won't work.

Wright isn't contrite for his contempt for the U.S. Wright is now merely working to justify his

beliefs and trying to convince his audience through the Obama-media that his views aren't radical and destructive.

The image Obama has created of himself through the media that he is a uniter--a new hope

for a troubled world, doesn't jibe with his past history with Wright. And as a Democrat as well

as a progressive woman I'm sorry about that.