Barack Obama Elected President!

[EricaKane70]

Rev. Wright put his own self in this recent drama. I don't understand why he was trying to throw obama under the bus? Obama defended this man and didn't throw him under the bus weeks ago when he should have.imo Rev. Wright has the right to his opinions, but when he starts saying that he speaks for the entire black church that angers me personally. He doesn't speak for me and I wish he would stop going on national television saying that he does. It is unfair that obama has to pay for Wright's past comments and I'm sure he will probably pay for his most recent comments. All his interviews do is reinforce that he is that man in the soundbites on youtube, if not worst. He blames the media for making him look like a fool, well it didn't take long for him to look like a fool on both of those interviews. I feel he didn't need to say anything obama did that for him weeks ago, he should of just left well enough alone.

[Jess]

Actually you touched on the comment that pissed me off this week. When he said he wasn't being attacked for his comments, that the black church was being attacked it really made me throw up my arms in disgust. The rest of his comments, IMO, are just nuts. I also don't know why he decided to throw Obama under the bus, but he left Obama no choice but to do exactly what he did today.

I still don't think what a minister said in 2003 -- prior to the last presidential election and long before Barack Obama was considering running for president -- should be brought to the forefront in this campaign. I don't think any of us for that matter should have to explain our faith.

[Roman]

And that is what is occuring.

JW refuses to take any personal responsibility for any of his words or actions. Now, I do agree with Wales that it should have never made it as a major political piece in the first place. With that being said, Wright himself was made to look like a fool, and whether I agree with his statements or not, his selfishness and lust for the limelight is why Barack now had no choice, if he wanted to be president, to rebuke this man once and for all. Many AAs that I have talked to today wholeheartedly agree with thetone and words Obama used today. And now, hopefully, the MSM can get their heads out of their collective backsides and we can get back on point.

[EricaKane70]

ITA. But on the otherhand he is running for president, a leader we are suppose to look up to and he is going to a church where a minister is preaching hate america. Like I said before their are people that won't vote for him because of scandals aka rev. Wright and right now obama needs those peoples votes. I'm also pissed that McCain isn't getting any heat for his minister saying, " Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment for a gay-rights parade in New Orleans,"

[Jess]

Let me say that I agree totally with Ridge and with ErikaKane on their most recent posts.

The thing I like so much about Obama is he is different. He talks of hope and change and inclusion. I don't want to hear about every nick-picking thing. (To do that I talk about RC and OLTL. :lol: ) I want to hear that it is going to be OK because together we can make it OK. I'm ready for Barack to start talking again about what he wants to talk about. I admit, I want to hear someone say that we can all be in this together and bigotry is wrong. All of us are guilty of it in some form, but we should not feel good about our prejudices.

The thing that bothers me the most about the bigotry shown in the katrina statement is the same type statements are issued from pulpits across this country every Sunday of every month of every year. Yet, we condemn the bigoted statements of Rev. Wright (and they should be condemned) but we choose to ignore or even worse give credibility to the hateful words aimed at gay Americans. Ok enough of my sermon.

I so hope that Barack Obama is able to return to the messages of hope and change and goodness that characterized his earlier campaigns. You know, Hillary also once talked about what could be better instead of her oppenent. And Bill Clinton gave beautiful speeches on what unites us rather than divides us. At one time, this was a very encouraging campaign.

[Roman]

Is this true?

Silent Saboteur?

It turns out the woman who organized Reverend Jeremiah Wright's event at the National Press Club, Monday, is a Hillary Clinton supporter. Barbara Reynolds is a member of the Press Club's Speakers Committee and coordinated the event which some critics suggest did irreparable harm to Barack Obama's campaign.

On a blog linked to her Web site, Reynolds wrote in a February post "my vote for Hillary Clinton in the Maryland primary was my way of saying thank you." She also wrote Obama’s theme of hope is "not based on facts." And, in a later entry she hit out at his handling of the Reverend Wright controversy saying, "the senator is fuelling the media characterization that Reverend Doctor Wright is some retiring old uncle in the church basement."

[Roman]

From The L.A. Times:

as Jeremiah Wright's speech set up by a Clinton supporter?

Well, here's a most interesting connection we just came across.

Everybody is talking today about how much the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's latest unrepentant militant remarks hurt his most prominent parishoner, Sen. Barack Obama, and his chances to win the Democratic presidential nomination and the general election. So much so that the Obama camp realized the latent danger overnight and the candidate was forced to speak out publicly a second time today, as The Ticket noted here earlier today.

There was little doubt left in today's remarks by Obama, who recently said he could no more disown Wright than he could the black community. He pretty much disowned Wright today. Obama described himself as "outraged" and "saddened" by "the spectacle of what we saw yesterday."

But now, it turns out, we should have been paying a little less attention to Wright's speech and the histrionics of his ensuing news conference and taken a peek at....

who was sitting next to him at the head table for the National Press Club event.

It was the Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds, a former editorial board member of USA Today who teaches at the Howard University School of Divinity. An ordained minister, as New York DailThe Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright at the head table of the National Press Club event Monday which Reynolds helped arrangey News writer Errol Louis points out in today's column, she was introduced at the press club event as the person "who organized" it.

But guess what? She's also an ardent longtime booster of Obama's sole remaining competitor for the Democratic nomination, none other than Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. It won't take very much at all for Obama supporters to see in Wright's carefully arranged Washington event that was so damaging to Obama the strategic, nefarious manipulation of the Clintons.

Their supporter, Reynolds, helps arrange a speech by the outspoken and egocentric Wright which receives blanket national coverage to the disadvantage of Clinton's opponent. As Louis writes: "The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried. And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted."

Reynolds has not returned e-mails or phone calls seeking comment, but Louis notes the obvious conflict between her political allegiance and her press club arrangements. He quotes a February blog entry of Reynolds saying, "My vote for Hillary in the Maryland primary was my way of saying thank you" to Clinton and her husband for his administration's successes.

In another entry, Reynolds notes critically of Obama, "It 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."

Louis notes himself about the Wright appearance: "It's hard to exaggerate how bad the actual news conference was. Wright, steeped in an honorable, fiery tradition of Bible-based social criticism, cheapened his arguments and his movement by mugging for the cameras, rolling his eyes, heaping scorn on his critics and acting as if nobody in the room was learned enough to ask him a question."

(UPDATE: Sylvia Smith, the press club president, confirmed today that Reynolds is on the club's speakers committee. She told Michael Calderone on Politico.com that she still doesn't know whom Reynolds supports for president, adding, "Rev. Wright is newsworthy, period.")

--Andrew Malcolm

[DevotedToAMC]

Hillary has gotten a boost from Independents as of late and Obama attracts them well so they seem pretty even on attracting independents. Put them both on the ticket and Independents will probably come out in mass numbers for Obama/Hillary or Hillary/Obama

[DevotedToAMC]

Because vice president is the best preparation one can get for the job of the presidency. I do not think SnC was suggesting he is not good enough for the presidency but that he is not ready. Sure he is good for the job and will get my vote if he is the nominee. But I don't think he really knows what he is up against with the Republican machine. Hillary has had years of dealing with their smears and knows how to handle them.

Actually, the last time a VP was elected to the presidency was not too long ago-20 years ago with George H.W. Bush

[JackPeyton]

Okay, so i have not posted my thoughts on this because i do not want to hurt or offend anyone in ANY way, but i think i will post something re the rev white stuff.

it does matter. it is an issue. it is important. this is a person that obama has picked to be a part of his family - yes family. because i do think that a rev is someone you think of as family. his comments were offensive. im not taking anything away from him and he has the right to say and feel whatever he wants. however what he says does reflect on oabma because obama chose him. but on the flip side of that that doesn't mean obama agrees with him, because i have friends who are like my family i pick to be in my life and they do and say things i couldnt disagree with more, however again what theys ay and do does reflect me because i pick them to be in my life and keep them there.

i dont really know how else to explain it. i dont think it should eb the deciding factor - but for a lot of people it has been. it reflects his character and this is america - we care about the character more than the issues. not all of us, but most of us. just like hil staying with bil after he cheated on her goes both for her and against her - it speaks to her character. i also think his comments about middle american made a lot of people think or assume that he agreed with what the rev said.

so thats it, i hope i didnt upset anyone. as i have said in almost every post in this thread - im new to all this. so im not the best educated person, i dont know all the facts, and im unsure of everything. just thought id post my thoughts on it and see what yall have to say about it. feel free tor eply and disagree with me and all that, thats the beauty of this thread.

i also wish we lived in a world where nither the race nor gender nor anythign else matterd in this kind of race. not voting for someone just because of the color of there skin or the gender they are is wrong. just as wrong as it is to vote for them because of that reason.

[JackPeyton]

ya know... i was thinking yesterday how it would be so very lifetime movie esq of a hil supporter to pay him to go ou there and do this...

[DevotedToAMC]

That is something candidates will do...hire someone to organize events that paint the other one in a bad light. Nothing surprising there

I just wish they would leave the Wright issue alone and focus on finding strategy to beat McCain....obviously Hillary's is working if she is currently ahead of him by 9 points whereas Obama needs to fine tune his with just being a slight 2 points ahead

[Roman]

Hillary, as of this morning, is statistically tied with McCain. And so is Obama.

She up by 2 points, Obama is down by 2 points.

That is as of this morning, from NBC News, broadcasted on Morning Joe, who is shockingly praising Obama forwhat he did yesterday.

[Roman]

George H.W. Bush......

Who was kicked out of office 4 years later because the economy was in the toilet and he had lost touch with the american people.

Like another poster said........Obama should not settle for VP just to make folks happy. He is always theone who has to do whatever is best for the party, but she doesn't have to. She can do or say anything she wants and we are supposed to just blow it off and have people say "Are you going to believe Hillary or your lying ears and eyes?"

As far as JW........I don't feel it should have been made into a political issue, on top of the fact that Obama himself never called him his spiritual advisor. The press did that. Whatever the case, I still do not hear JM having to explain his relationship and his flip-flopping with the two pastors he sought endorsements from, and I don't care how long he has known them.

The Wright affair is now a dead issue. If people use that to not vote for Obama......they never were going to vote for him in the first place.

[Roman]

New Jersey voters are proving as fickle as the April weather.

Only two months after handing U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton a healthy 10-point presidential primary win over Sen. Barack Obama, the state's Democratic voters now say they prefer Obama for president by the same margin, a new Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey poll found.

And in a head-to-head contest, John McCain — the presumptive Republican presidential nominee — would lose to either Democrat if the election were held today. The poll found that Obama would defeat McCain by 24 percentage points, while Clinton's vic-tory margin would be 14 points.

So what's happened since the Feb. 5 Democratic primary, when Clinton beat Obama 55 to 45 percent?

"New Jersey Democrats see that Obama has the (nationwide) lead, and they feel he should win the nomination," said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. "Democrats want to see the party united. They feel that if this (contest) goes on, it will hurt the party."

The poll results showed that nearly 40 percent of Democrats said the continuing battle between Obama and Clinton will damage the party's chances in the November general election.

Regardless, the poll found that no matter who wins the Democratic nomination, he or she will defeat McCain in the state.

"McCain is in the wrong party at the wrong time," said Salvatore Marra, 86, of Long Branch, a registered Democrat who favors Clinton. "Because of Bush, McCain doesn't stand a chance."

Angelo LaValle, 75, of Tinton Falls said he believes McCain is a "good guy. But I'm afraid of his economic policies and his views on the war."

LaValle, who describes himself as an independent, said he will "probably" vote for Clinton if she becomes the Democratic nominee.

"She's been around the block a few times, and I think it's time we had a woman (president)."

Mary Lou Grimasuckas, 68, of Manchester is prepared to vote for Obama.

"We need new blood, . . . a complete change," she said. "Obama is young and he has new ideas."

In the race for U.S. Senate, the Monmouth/Gannett poll found that incumbent Frank R. Lautenberg holds a solid lead over his Democratic primary opponent, Rep. Robert E. Andrews.

But there are chinks in Lautenberg's armor: 61 percent of those polled say it's time for someone new in the Senate seat, and 41 percent say that 84-year-old Lautenberg is too old to be effective.

"He's not only too old, but Lautenberg hasn't done much for the state," said Suzanne Corbliss, 61, of Middletown, who plans to vote for Andrews.

In the GOP Senate primary, former Rep. Richard A. Zimmer holds a sizable lead over his opponents — state Sen. Joseph Pennacchio and professor Murray Sabrin — with only a month left before the June 3 primary.

Among GOP voters, 25 percent say they are likely to vote for Zimmer, 5 percent favor Pennacchio and 4 percent like Sabin.

But Zimmer's biggest opponent appears to be indecision: 40 percent of Republicans polled say they are undecided on their Senate choice.

Catherine Isaacson, 62, of Red Bank, an independent voter, said she has yet to make up her mind on a Senate candidate, because "I don't have faith in any of them."

One topic on which New Jersey voters remain consistent is their disapproval of Gov. Corzine's job performance.

The poll found that 52 percent disapprove of Corzine's job performance. That's the same disapproval rating as March.

Thirty-four percent approve of the work Corzine is doing. In March, that number was 37 percent.

The Monmouth University/Gannett New Jersey Poll was conducted by telephone with 803 New Jersey adults from April 24 to 28. The margins of error were plus or minus 3.7 percentage points, except for the U.S. Senate primaries, which had margins of error of 6.5 and 4.9 percentage points for the Republicans and Democrats, respectively.

Gannett New Jersey newspapers are the Asbury Park Press, Courier-Post, Home News Tribune, Courier News, Daily Record and Daily Journal.