Letters to the Editor
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Hardball Politics
I have a theory about the Pastor Wright speaking tour presently underway, which all the pundits are saying is Obama's worst nightmare, and which Obama appears to be validating by seemingly distancing himself from Wright. This seems to be the same political "trick" as McCain's "protestations" about the North Carolina Republican Party's ads linking the local Dems to Wright/Obama. McCain can appear to take the high road but actually making the NC ad effectively run nationally.
In Obama's case, I cant believe Wright would be doing this only in the interest of "clearing his name and defending the black church" without some coordination with the Obama campaign. I believe the calculation is that by Wright speaking out now, Democrats will get the issue out on their time table. The Republicans werent going to let the issue die, but probably would have preferred to resurrect it closer to November, which they still can do, but now Obama has the issue out and in a format which they can control.
I suspect part of the calculation is a determination of which voters will be influenced to change their vote on this issue. The hard right white workers will never change so it makes no difference. The African American vote cannot be taken for granted, thus the need to keep them energized which Wright is doing well. The key sector is the middle independent white group who I suspect might be influenced to resolve any guilt they may feel, and Wright, frankly, seems a much milder and intelligent black spokeman, not in the Jackson/Sharpton mold.
Of course, its all a calculation and if I'm right, it's truly hardball.