Obama Pastor’s Controversial Comments Still Clogging News Cycle
A busy news day as we dealt with so many issues in the 2pm hour that I was hosting today … the fallout from Barack Obama’s association with his former pastor Wright continues to dominate the news cycle.
Despite Obama’s efforts to move the dialogue to the big themes on race in America, he is taking a hit in the polls. Our new Fox News Opinion Dynamics Polls – which was conducted March 18th to 19th and sampled 900 registered voters – asked this question:
“Has Obama’s relationship with Rev. Wright made you have doubts about him?”
The percentage of those saying yes is as follows:
• All -35%, Democrats-26%, Independents -27%, Whites – 40%, Blacks - 2%
I interviewed Democratic Strategist Mark Konblau, who’s a former senior adviser for John Edwards — he noted that it’s the independents that could end up being problematic for Obama in the long run if you’re looking at the general election against Republican John McCain. The independent voters have worked to Obama’s advantage so far and if this controversy continues to dog the candidate then there will be some real challenges ahead.
Here’s another interesting aspect of that poll. When asked, “how much do the friends you choose reflect on you and your values?”
• 39% percent said “ A lot”, 30% percent said “some” and 15% said “not much”
This would back up why we’re seeing an erosion in the polls right now, which shows for the first time in many months that Hillary Clinton is now leading Obama. Kornblau also told me that this is something where the Obama camp must claim the high ground and show that the nation is ready to transcend racism and not be on the defensive. Our political analyst Dick Morris says regardless of this controversy, Obama has already won the Democratic nomination when it comes to the elected delegates.
He contends that Wright’s “rantings are not reflective of Obama’s views on anything. Why did he stay in the church? Because he’s a black Chicago Politician who comes from a mixed marriage and went to Columbia and Harvard.” He goes on to say “Suspected of not being black enough or Sufficiently tied to the minority community, he needed the networking opportunities Wright afforded him in his church to get elected. Obama stuck by Wright as part of a need to get ahead.”
If that’s the case, then Kornblau adds, Obama needs to come out and just say that the relationship helped his political career in Chicago and cement his ties to the African American community and move forward. This is a story that is sure to continue to generate heat even though the Obama camp wants it to go away.
Just this afternoon we received word in my show from our Washington Bureau that Obama himself made some controversial comments in an interview where he was talking again about his white grandmother.
The interviewer from a Philadelphia sports radio network was talking to him about the Obama’s speech this week when he referenced his grandmother and that there was a time when even she feared black men and occasionally use a racial or ethnic stereotype. Obama responded by saying, “ the point I was making was not that my grandmother harbors any racial animosity she doesn’t – but she is a typical white person who you know if she sees somebody on the street that she doesn’t know there is a reaction that has been bred into our experiences that don’t go away and that sometimes come out in the wrong way.”
It’s Obama’s statement “that she is a typical white person…..” that is raising even more controversy. Just what does he mean by typical white person? Does he mean all white people?
Those questions are being asked now it’s a story that keeps him in the headlines about race in America. Judging by the cable news ratings over the past week viewership is very high. Our Fox News viewers are keenly interested in this political firestorm – and it cuts across party lines…Judging from all the e-mails I’ve been receiving it’s Democrats, Republicans and Independents who’ve been raising concerns.
Could a crisis management team be called in now to help Obama? Some pundits are saying that the only good news at this moment for Obama is that the election is in November –months away and perhaps this crisis will take a backseat in the voters’ minds. We still don’t know of course how all of this will play out in the days and weeks ahead – but it’s certainly high drama!
Let me know what you think about the controversy. Let me know here on the blog — I look forward to hearing from you !
Uma Pemmaraju is an anchor from FNC's New York bureau. She has
exclusively interviewed the Dalai Lama and has also hosted numerous
specials for FNC. 
Where’s your news about the breach in Obama’s private papers, particular his passport? You are the most deplorable tabloid news reporter since the Enquirer. How many times do you have to show the Wright video? Don’t play the american voters for fools. We’re alot smarter than the FOX neocons.
Where’s your story about Sean Hannity and his “soul-mate” Hal Turner?? Not saying much about that now are you?
Your biased ‘reporting’ only gives the Obama grassroots members the will to stay focused, fired up and READY GO!!
Fair and Balanced my @$$!!
My question is if Mr. Jeremiah Wright is so controvesial
why did Bill Clinton invite him to the White House on September 11,1998 for a religous leadership gathering where the two of them took pictures. I guess the Clinton’s are no more better than Obama. Look on youto under Bill Clinton and Jeremiah Wright and see for yourself.
I said you could fine Bill Clinton and Jeremiah Wright @ youto I meant youtube.
NEWSFLASH: Rev. Wright is not running for President. Does McCain agree with all the views of his supporters? Guess what…Rev. Wright was Obama’s spiritual advisor, he was NOT Obama’s political advisor. Obama’s record shows that he focuses on bringing people together, not on making the kind of divisive, offensive statements that this reverend has made. But I guess it is more interesting to talk about Rev. Wright than to talk about McCain’s non-existent exit strategy for the Iraq war or McCain’s non-existent plans for entitlement reform.
lola: You’re not very observant! Are you really comparing Clinton’s White House prayer in which there were more than 200 invited guests including Rev. Wright to Obama who spent 20 years listening to the hate speech by his pastor and did nothing to stop it?
I thought you Obamanians are smarter than that! I guess I am wrong.
Read and educate yourself.
TC
Yes, absolutely: I lost confidence , trust and I start to believe, that Mr.Obama is just a speach maker.He is taking Hillary Clinton, and others ideas, and then He critisize them , and claiming , that those Ideas are His, like Health , witch are Hillary Clinton, since 1992….
20 years , never bother Him , what His mentor was teaching Him and His kids. His mentor is using His position to spread hate, and racism toward white people, and people of color…….
I watch CNN last night, and main haed of this Church said, that Jesus said i 10 Amendments, that We also must visit people in jail, sended there for crime. I am catolik, and I never hear something like that, I know 10 Amendments, so this is something , what is not in 10 Amendments. Also, Christianity are not teaching: hate, anger, racism. True Christianity teach US: love, forgivness, honesty, sharing, tolerance, understanding!!!
Poople using are religion for their own reason, like Rev.Wright. I was Mr.Obama supporter, but I will join Mrs. Hillary Clinton!!!
Like a broken washing machine stuck on spin cycle, this incompetent (yet “highly intelligent”) snoot is always trying to recast his blunders. “What I meant to say was …. ” staring loftily of into space, nose held high. His abhorrence of regular (meaning non radical far left) whites is palpable. There are deep clouds of doubt in his eyes when he speaks, as being false is a heavy burden. Every word passes through layers of editing … he stammers and pauses — and moves on to his mantra of CHANGE. Just a word. He charges Republicans of using the politics of fear because he himself is so afraid. Hell, he is simply afraid of his own democratic ‘constituency’ revolting against him before Hillary drops out.
There will be Bitterness