Clinton supporter invited Wright
Obama's campaign has disavowed Wright's media tour, and a correspondent notes an interesting detail:
Wright was invited to the National Press Club by a journalist and minister who supports Clinton.
The Tribune reports that Wright was invited by Barbara Reynolds, a former USA Today editorial board member who has written on personal blog of her support for Clinton.
I don't mean to suggest some kind of plot. Her agenda here seems to have been the same as Wright's: To protect the minister's reputation from, among others, Obama.
"[I]t is a sad testimony that to protect his credentials as a unifier above the fray the Senator is fueling the media characterization that Rev. Dr. Wright is some retiring old uncle in the church basement instead of respecting Wright for the towering astute father of progressive social and global causes that he is," Reynolds wrote in March.
Reynolds' is well placed to defend Wright. Her bio says she teaches "prophetic ministry and the media" at Howard University's divinity school.
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/
I am not suggesting that there is any impropriety here, however I think it is very interesting that a Clinton supporter invited him.
April 29, 2008 12:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
The strange thing is that, despite the fact that Clinton must have received advice to stop commenting on Wright, she keeps saying "he wouldn't have been my pastor".
I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but it certainly won't help her in NC
April 29, 2008 12:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
Not strange -- just Hillary.
April 29, 2008 12:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
You people are pathetic. Blame Clinton for everything, and you just make yourselves look bad to reasonable people.
April 29, 2008 6:34 AM | Reply | Permalink
To be fair, I still think that the responsibility lays with Reverend Wright and that regardless who invited him, he still chose his own words. I can't help (an this is the conspiracy theorist in me) but wonder why many issues surround Obama seems to be connected either directly or indirectly by Clinton. He had a pretty bad day today, but I am not declaring that the sky is falling because this pastor would have come out either now or later, better now, so he will become old news....I'm already getting impatient with the deluge of coverage about this from the MSM
April 29, 2008 12:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hmmm...
April 29, 2008 12:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
There does seem to be at least a logical inconsistency here. If Reynolds was so disconcerted by Obama's treatment of Wright, why would she countenance Clinton's even less charitable attitude toward him?
April 29, 2008 1:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Hopefully she's now seeing just how treacherous a task is to introduce the Black Church to mainstream America, as long as the media is bent on controlling the negative.
And I agree that, were Sen. Clinton and the rest of the party stand with him, Sen. Obama might have been able to push a bit more on the public vilification of the Reverend.
But remember how Sen. Obama himself was vilified for weeks now for not "throwing him under the bus". He stood by Rev. Wright and his work and his ministry.
The Clinton coalition is more puzzling with every passing day. Such an odd amalgam of interests and loyalties. No wonder they so lack a focus or any higher purpose than getting the Clintons back into the White House....
April 29, 2008 1:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Isn't Maya Angelou supporting Clinton? I thought I read somewhere that Wright's first public appearance after the fiasco was at a birthday celebration for Angelou...
April 29, 2008 1:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
Reynolds was right about Obama then, and she still is. There is nothing to be ashamed of regarding this proud marine who served his country when Clinton and Bush and Cheney all his from service; helped Obama find his way; and has continued to speak the truth about our country. Those who denounce him denounce the truth and call their integrity to question. like it or not, Wright is a hero to millions of African Americans and for good reason; that's why he got repeated ovations from over ten thousand people at the NAACP dinner in Detroit this Sunday; because he does actually mean something to some of us and we're not all stupid. Anyone who tries to throw him under some opportunist bus makes a severe mistake; it doesn't matter who they are.
April 29, 2008 3:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Press Club President responds: Reynolds pitched Rev. Wright two years ago"
April 29, 2008 11:22 AM | Reply | Permalink