It's been known for quite a long time that Barack Obama has had a political firebrand for a pastor in Reverend Jeremiah Wright. But now that he is approaching victory to become the Democratic Party nominee, the mainstream media has taken hold of Obama's association with Reverend Wright and won't let go. This, to me, is an abdication of journalism.
Since the issue of Wright's critical diatribes has been widely known for a long time, the media has been at fault for not bringing it to light earlier. The timing for doing so now is nothing less than contrived and cynical. Leading the charge against Obama is, as expected, right-wing conservative talk radio. But another element has creeped into this issue that I am at a loss to explain. Karl Rove, who was George W. Bush's chief political strategist and who has been accused of assorted dirty campaign tricks in the past, is no longer officially connected with the Bush Administration. But Rove obviously has a reputation as being extremely partisan and manipulative. So why is it, then, that all of the major news networks are repeatedly welcoming him on the air to interview him about Obama's "pastor problem"? Rove always puts on a concerned, "objective" demeanor, pretending to be fair toward Obama while slamming him mercilessly. Over and over again, interview by interview. I don't get what the folks on these channels are thinking. Unless maybe some of them are hoping against hope that this issue will ruin Obama's campaign and hand the nomination to Hillary Clinton!
It does seem pretty peculiar to me that lately, the right-wing interests in this country seem to have lightened up on Hillary Clinton. First, John McCain's "disappointing" triumph on the Republican side caused some of them to even tacitly endorse Hillary. Now that Obama is approaching winning the Democratic nomination, the Republicans want to prevent the Democrats from reuniting under their candidate. So they attack the leader, Obama. And this plays into the desperate last-gasp efforts on the part of the Clinton campaign to reach out and try anything to derail him. Apparently, they are not anywhere as interested in returning the Democrats to power as they are in just returning themselves to power! Otherwise, why wouldn't Hillary Clinton come out in support of Barack Obama regarding this Reverend Wright issue? Even John McCain stood up for Obama a few weeks ago when he felt a local Ohio talk show host had gone too far with his criticisms of the Illinois Democrat.
Barack Obama has repeatedly disavowed the provocative statements of Reverent Wright, but that's apparently not good enough. But consider this: if you're opposed to Obama becoming President, then you're going to embrace anything that could hinder his campaign. But suppose you are an Obama supporter or haven't yet decided. Then doesn't this Reverend Wright controversy seem just more than a little over the top and contrived? Why would you allow people like Sean Hannity or Karl Rove to make up your mind for you?
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