Jeremiah Wright did Barack Obama no favors. Pastor Wright’s appearance at the National Press Club today started out as a great opportunity to explain the importance of the black Church experience. Instead it turned into a circus atmosphere and ensured that the Wright controversy is not going away and has the potential to single-handily take down Obama’s campaign.
Here’s the tragedy of what transpired at the National Press Club. Jeremiah Wright’s speech actually had a very important theme about how blacks and whites need to be seen as equals and how the media fails to understand the black Church experience. His speech began as a thoughtful and frank discussion of something that needs to be discussed in America. He had the World as his stage. Think about it. 24/7 cable networks were taking his one hour speech and Q&A live. The media was his congregation. What an opportunity. But when the media questions began, Pastor Wright turned defensive, combative and it turned into a Broadway show. His important message got lost because he seemed to relish taking on the media who he clearly has “issues” with. The whole thing turned into a carnival atmosphere. He received standing ovations from his supporters in the crowd. It was like a Church service and Reverend Wright was in the pulpit. If you missed the speech, click here to read more. You can also watch the whole thing in its entirity here.
A lot has been made about why Jeremiah Wright would come forward now at such a sensitive time for the Obama campaign. I think we got our answer today. As much as he cares for Obama, he cares much more about defending his Church. He came to the National Press Club to get a few things off his chest and take some digs at the media must have felt good.
Look, I’m not walking in Jeremiah Wright’s shoes. I’m sure he’s been hurt because the media has made him out to be this unpatriotic villain. (His critics will say he did that to himself) The question must be asked: couldn’t he have elevated the discussion to a higher level and kept the media jabs out of it? You see what happens now is that Wright’s comments and the “defiant show” that ensued becomes the story for the media. His thoughtful explanation of the black Church experience will most likely be lost in all of the other stuff. That’s the first part of the tragedy. The second part of the tragedy for the Obama campaign could be the fact that all the hard work the Obama campaign has put into their effort may get torpedoed because Jeremiah Wright decided not to stay out of the headlines.