Roland to discuss Wright's sermons tonight on AC360 at 10 pm EST!

We'll discuss my breakdown of both sermons, which you can listen to right here on my blog!

Comments

[Cynthia]

Oh good deal! I can't wait to see it all! Good Luck Roland!

[Kimberly Bowie]

Roland, thank you for always giving us what we need to have an open mind(If that's what one really wants) I know I do. I appreciate your passion for the "TRUTH" as we know it to be as born-again Christians. The word says, "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." Free to have an open-mind and not to fear. God Bless you and your family, keep doing God's will.

[dAnnE]

Finally! But get ready for the fallout. I can hear the critics now..."I don't need to hear the full message..." but they say they care about the truth.

[jeff weisblatt]

ABOUT TIME; WILL YOU DEDICATE YOURSELF TO MAKING THE NATIONAL PRESS MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO ALL INTERESTED AMERICANS?
Do you know how long it took me to find Rev. Wrights speeches?; and, by the way, you are not catalogued on google or it's hard to find you.
These sermons , if heard by the American people in their entirety, or even in a large portion, would not only end the controversy, but many people of any color might find them to be truthful.
God (will) damn America as long as she supports violence around the world."The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three strike law and then wants us to sing God Bless America. Naw, naw, naw. Not God Bless America. God(WILL) Damn America! That’s in the Bible. For killing innocent people. God(WILL) Damn America for treating us citizens as less than human. God( WILL) Damn America as long as she tries to act like she is God and she is Supreme."(parenthesis mine)
They sound a lot like MLK (sic "Why I oppose the Vietnam War"). What I want to know is where are the real journalists who will not take a story at face value(see "The selling of Iraq" on PBS) but who will seek the truth and proclaim it until it is heard.
It seems to be true that the "Forth Estate" is, itself, threatened by extinction.Isn't that why we are in Iraq- the failure of the press to protect and defend the truth? If Rev. Wright is to be condemned, is it just for being, sometimes, an angry black man? Who will present the whole truth to the American people? The same ones who seem now to be just government messengers or actors pretending to be reporters? Although I did not like the way Sen. Obama handled this story; who has stood up to defend him? Oprah?
Here is another example: Are we to just accept the governments' explanation of the passport affair? It may be as they say, but who among you will insist on the truth. We are told that B. Obamas' file was breached, fifty days ago and the culprits were released without testimony; now we are told that the government "just found out" that Sens. McCain and Clintons' were also breached. It may be true; it may be a cover-up; but who will tell us the truth; that takes a real reporter and some backbone.
Without a free press, our republic is doomed.

“

[Summer]

I'm ashamed that I automatically took those clips, shown on news channels, incessantly, as THE WHOLE STORY.

Thank you, so much, for digging deeper and allowing us to listen to these sermons, in their entirey. My initial opinion of Rev. Wright, is, of course, changed dramatically.

I'm suspicious that Fox News created that montage of clips just to derail Obama, but you know what? I'm praying for him and for our country and you know what? GOD ANSWERS PRAYER!!

[Valerie]

Roland,

They still played the wrong soundbites. You have to listen to what Rev. Wright said before and after to understand where he was coming from. And he also was scriptural. Thank you for trying, but they will only see what they want to see. And of all the commentators why Bay (Pat's sister)?????????

[KenniseMH]

Dear Roland
I left a LENGTHY comment on the CNN blog. I am so appreciative of what you are doing. I watched you on TV tonight and as usual, you were great. I go to Trinity and it really is a great church. Reverend Wright has always said some outrageous things but they are so insignificant in comparison to the many helpful, soothing, influential things he says. For our family, he has been a wonderful spiritual leader. I hope that you are enjoying this work. please know that we appreciate it.

[Jody Gaddy]

Meet The (White) Man Who Inspired Wright's Controversial Sermon
By Sam Stein
March 21, 2008 02:00 PM

Meet the man who inspired Reverend Jeremiah Wright's now famous tirade about America's foreign policy inciting the terrorist attacks of September 11.
His name is Ambassador Edward Peck. And he is a retired, white, career U.S. diplomat who served 32-years in the U.S. Foreign Service and was chief of the U.S. mission to Iraq under Jimmy Carter -- hardly the black-rage image with which Wright has been stigmatized.

In fact, when Wright took the pulpit to give his post-9/11 address -- which has since become boiled down to a five second sound bite about "America's chickens coming home to roost" -- he prefaced his remarks as a "faith footnote," an indication that he was deviating from his sermon.

"I heard Ambassador Peck on an interview yesterday," Wright declared. "He was on Fox News. This is a white man and he was upsetting the Fox News commentators to no end. He pointed out, a white man, an ambassador, that what Malcolm X said when he got silenced by Elijah Muhammad was in fact true: America's chickens are coming home to roost."

Wright then went on to list more than a few U.S. foreign policy endeavors that, by the tone of his voice and manner of his expression, he viewed as more or less deplorable. This included, as has been demonstrated in the endless loop of clips from his sermon, bombing Hiroshima and Nagasaki and nuking "far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon and we never batted an eye."

"Violence begets violence," Wright said, "hatred begets hatred, and terrorism begets terrorism."

And then he concluded by putting the comments on Peck's shoulders: "A white ambassador said that yall, not a black militant, not a reverend who preaches about racism, an ambassador whose eyes are wide open and is trying to get us to wake up and move away from this dangerous precipice... the ambassador said that the people we have wounded don't have the military capability we have, but they do have individuals who are willing to die and take thousands with them... let me stop my faith footnote right there."

Watch the video (the relevant material starts around the 3:00 mark):
So it seems that while Wright did believe American held some responsibility for 9/11, his views, which have been described as radically outside the political mainstream, were actually influenced by a career foreign policy official.
Who is Peck? The ambassador, who has offered controversial criticism of Israeli policy in the West Bank but also warned against the Iraq War, was lecturing on a cruise ship and was unavailable for comment. But officials at Peck's former organization, the Council for the National Interest, a non-profit group that advocates reducing Israel's influence on U.S. Middle East policy, offered descriptions of the man.

"Peck is very outspoken," said Eugene Bird, who now heads CNI. "He is also very good at making phrases that have a resonance with the American people. When he came off of that Fox News, a few days later he said they would never invite me back again."

And what, exactly, did Peck say in that Fox News interview that inspired Wright's words?

Here are some quotes from an appearance the Ambassador made on the network on October 11, 2001, which may or may not have been the segment Wright was referring to. On the show, Peck said he thought it was illogical to tie Saddam Hussein to the terrorist attacks on 9/11, and that while the then-Iraqi leader had "some very sound and logical reasons not to like [the United States]," he and Osama bin Laden had no other ties.

From there, Peck went on to ascribe motives for what prompted the 9/11 attacks. "Stopping the economic embargo and bombings of Iraq," he said, "things to which Osama bin Laden has alluded as the kinds of things he doesn't like. He doesn't think it's appropriate for the United States to be doing, from his perspective, all the terrible things that he sees us as having been doing, the same way Saddam Hussein feels. So from that perspective, they have a commonality of interests. But they also have a deeply divergent view of the role of Islam in government, which would be a problem."

Source:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/21/meet-the-white-man-who-_n_92793.html

[Jody Gaddy]

Video: Jeremiah Wright “Chickens Coming Home to Roost” September 11 Full Sermon

Here is the transcript of the Fox News interview with former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, Edward Peck, that Rev. Wright referenced. The first interview occurred on October 10, 2001.

VESTER: Welcome back to “The War on Terror.” I’m Linda Vester.
That was the U.N.’s former chief weapons inspector on bioterror weapons in Iraq.

This week the Bush administration warned Saddam’s representatives here in the U.S. that he will be very sorry if he tries to pull something while the U.S. is preoccupied with Afghanistan.

I’m joined once again by Ambassador Ravan Farhadi. He is the permanent representative of the Islamic state of Afghanistan to the United Nations. Also joining us from Washington is the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Edward Peck.

Gentlemen, first question is the obvious. Ambassador Farhadi, let me first ask you very simply, do you think Iraq has been helping al-Qaeda and bin Laden?

FARHADI: I do not think because, in spite of they may have some goals in common, but I think that the Ba’ath Party and the belief of the — Saddam is quite secular. And I think that they don’t suit each other, and then so therefore bin Laden is making his own way independently.

VESTER: Ambassador Peck, what do you think?

EDWARD PECK, FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO IRAQ: I think the ambassador is right, to a very large degree, except that, as we learn — as we’re learning now, politics makes strange bedfellows, so that we are, you know, siding up with the Russians now kind of against the Chechens, after having for years said that that wasn’t the way to do it. And they do have some goals in common. And it’s worthwhile noting that…

VESTER: Like getting American troops off of Arab soil…
PECK: Yes, ma’am.

VESTER: … for starters.
PECK: And/or — and stopping the economic embargo and bombings of Iraq, things to which Osama bin Laden has alluded as the kinds of things he doesn’t like. He doesn’t think it’s appropriate for the United States to be doing, from his perspective, all the terrible things that he sees us as having been doing, the same way Saddam Hussein feels. So from that perspective, they have a commonality of interests. But they also have a deeply divergent view of the role of Islam in government, which would be a problem.
VESTER: Right. OK, Ambassador Peck, though, a question. Czech officials say that Mohammed Atta, one of the ringleaders of the September 11th attack, met with an Iraqi former consul, who is actually stationed in Prague and met him before he traveled to the U.S. in June of 2000. That doesn’t give you any evidence of a link to — between Iraq and bin Laden?
PECK: No, not that. I’m sure he met with a lot of other people. He may even have had, you know, dinner with a couple of American businessmen who didn’t know who he was. So the fact that he met somebody is certainly not evidence of anything. I’m not even sure it’s grounds for an allegation.
VESTER: OK. Well, what about this. Laurie Mylroie, you know, is a reporter and author and does a lot on Iraq. She says Ramzi Yousef, who was the mastermind behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, traveled here to the United States on an Iraqi passport. She even goes so far as to say that he was an Iraqi agent. Doesn’t that give you more of a link?
PECK: Well, I have a — I have a problem, which may be shared by a few people. And that is that Saddam Hussein is blamed for everything. You know, he — I feel kind of sorry for him because now Osama bin Laden has taken the number one slot on the list of the people we love to hate. But we blame Saddam Hussein for almost anything.
And I guess one of the questions that troubles me, as an individual who was supposed to have been trained to be able to interpret other people’s views, is I think that Saddam Hussein, from his perspective, has some very sound and logical reasons not to like us. And it’s important to remember in this connection that he was at one time our friend, our guy, just as the Mujahadeen in…

VESTER: Right.
PECK: … Afghanistan were.
VESTER: They were ours.
PECK: But these things change.
VESTER: Right. Yeah. Well, these things change, and then they come back to bite us. Ambassador Farhadi, what if the United States finds some evidence to strike Iraq in this war on terror? Will it be destabilizing?
FARHADI: I think that this is — this is not a sound idea because then the Islamic community in the world would fail to understand that there is any link between bin Laden and Saddam. And this is very important. I think that the — my feeling, as far as I am continuing to study what’s happening in all Islamic countries, I think that it wouldn’t be wise to have the kind of engagement for…
VESTER: Right.

FARHADI: … for hurting Iraq…
VESTER: I want to come back around to this. Ambassador Peck, I got to — I just got to come back to this. How can you feel sorry for Saddam Hussein? I’ve been in Iraq. I know what he does to his people.

PECK: Well, you know, I said sorry in a somewhat sarcastic way because I was making a reference to fact that he used to be at the very top of the list of the people that we hated. Now he’s…
VESTER: OK. Just making sure.

PECK: … number two. But you know, the thing about Saddam Hussein - - you’ve been to Iraq. I lived there. It’s been a couple of years. The people of Iraq had very few political freedoms. They probably have fewer now. But the Ba’ath Party, which is socialist and it’s secular, as Ambassador Farhadi said, did everything for the Iraqi people — schools, churches, electrification…
VESTER: Wow. But they…
PECK: … water purification, roads…
VESTER: … are miserable! I mean, you look in their eyes. I’ve seen that look, and it’s — they’re just miserable beyond words!
PECK: Does it have — does it have anything to do with the 11 years of economic embargo that we’ve imposed?
VESTER: Does it have anything to do with the total fear that if they say anything against the government, they’ll be dragged out of their houses and put in prison for a month?
PECK: Well, you know, just…
VESTER: In a room that’s five by five with 50 other men and their family has no idea what happened to them?
PECK: Just in this country not too long ago, a key spokesman at the White House said “You better watch you say.” You remember that? See, people get uptight when the situation is difficult. And the[tilde] White House press spokesman cautioned everybody to be careful what they say at a time of national stress. Now, in Iraq, no opposition to the government is tolerated. But — and I say this, understand me now, what the situation is — if you don’t bother the government, it has no reason to bother you.
VESTER: Oh, boy, I…
PECK: One of the…
VESTER: Ambassador Peck, I got to take issue with that. I’m also getting — you and I may have to have a discussion for another day, but I’m getting a cue from my producer that we’ve got to — we’ve got to cut it there.
Ambassador Ravan Farhadi, Ambassador Ed Peck, thanks to you both. We appreciate it.
PECK: A pleasure.

And Fox News brought Ambassador Peck back on the next day, October 11, 2001.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BUSH: There’s no question that the leader of Iraq is an evil man. After all, he gassed his own people. We know he’s been developing weapons of mass destruction. And I think it’s in his advantage to allow inspectors back in his country to make sure that he’s conforming to the agreement he made after he was soundly trounced in the Gulf war. And so we’re watching him very carefully.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VESTER: Welcome back to “The War on Terror.”

Last night on this show, you saw a discussion between myself and Edward Peck, the former U.S. ambassador to Iraq. Here’s just a little clip.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PECK: I have a problem, which may be shared by a few people. And that is that Saddam Hussein is blamed for everything. You know, he — I feel kind of sorry for him because now Osama bin Laden has taken the number one slot on the list of the people we love to hate. But we blame Saddam Hussein for almost anything.
And I guess one of the questions that troubles me, as an individual who was supposed to have been trained to be able to interpret other people’s views, is I think that Saddam Hussein, from his perspective, has some very sound and logical reasons not to like us.
VESTER: How can you feel sorry for Saddam Hussein? I’ve been in Iraq. I know what he does to his people.
PECK: Well, you know, I said sorry in a somewhat sarcastic way because I was making a reference to the fact that he used to be at the very top of the list of the people that we hated. Now he’s…
VESTER: OK, just making sure.
PECK: … at number two. But you know, the thing about Saddam Hussein — you’ve been to Iraq. I lived there. It’s been a couple of years. The people of Iraq had very few political freedoms. They probably have fewer now. But the Ba’ath Party, which is socialist and it’s secular, as Ambassador Farhadi said, did everything for the Iraqi people — schools, churches…
VESTER: Wow, but they are miserable. Seen that look. They’re just miserable beyond words.
PECK: Does that have anything to do with the 11 years of economic embargo that we’ve imposed?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VESTER: Well, we couldn’t let that go, so Ambassador Ed Peck is here once again.
Welcome back, Mr. Ambassador.
PECK: Well, I hope it’s going to be pleasant.
VESTER: Well, it’ll at least be lively! You heard Dr. Kissinger say earlier that on the sanctions, the Iraqis want to keep them there. Saddam Hussein wants those sanctions there.
PECK: Well, the…
VESTER: He has a thriving black market…
PECK: Stand by! Stand by!
VESTER: … on oil, and he’s — and he makes at least — at least a billion dollars last year in black-market oil.
PECK: A billion dollars to feed 23 million people. Now, what does that work out to…
VESTER: The thing is…
PECK: … per person per year?
VESTER: … Mr. Ambassador, he didn’t use it to feed people.
PECK: Well, stand by. You see…
VESTER: Since the war, he has built…
PECK: Hey, hold it. Whoa! Whoa!
VESTER: … built 48 new palaces…
PECK: Wait a minute! Wait a minute!
VESTER: … and refurbished others to the tune of $1.5 billion![tilde]
PECK: Well, you don’t know that, either. But the thing…
VESTER: I do!
PECK: No, you…
VESTER: And you know who that comes from?
PECK: You’ve invited…
VESTER: Madeleine Albright.
PECK: Hey, look…
VESTER: It comes from the State Department!
PECK: Oh, my goodness gracious. You’ve invited me here to tell you what I think, so give me a chance now.
VESTER: OK.
PECK: OK. Dr. Kissinger sat there, with you in the room. I don’t have a chance to see you. You see me, but I’m in a dark room. He said that Saddam Hussein gets all this money from oil. Now, Henry Kissinger is smart enough to know, and so are you, that none of the money from the “oil for peace” goes to Iraq. They don’t get a dime from the sale of that “oil for food” money. It all goes to the United Nations, which doles it out, what’s left after reparations and so forth, under the aegis…
VESTER: I understand, but we’re talking about the black market. And I think that’s what the doctor’s talking about, as well.
PECK: Well, a lot of people…
VESTER: Richard Butler from the United Nations also confirmed this to me. And he actually said the number — the amount of money that Iraq is getting from its black market sales of oil is much higher. It’s several billion dollars.
PECK: OK, now…
VESTER: I have a — I have a chapter and verse from…
PECK: If we…
VESTER: … from the U.S. commander of the 5th fleet in Bahrain…
PECK: OK, he…
VESTER: … explaining his own patrolling of this. He sees the pattern…
PECK: He’s close by.
VESTER: Yes.
PECK: Now, if you’re going to take the U.N. figures that you just stated, why do you choose to ignore the ones about the deaths of children as a result of the embargo?
VESTER: Well, why do you choose to ignore the fact that Saddam Hussein gassed his own people!
PECK: Now, wait a minute! You have to understand — when did that happen? Do you remember?
VESTER: Yeah, during the Iran-Iraq war.
PECK: Well, what year was that?
VESTER: Many years ago.
PECK: Yeah, OK. What was the United States government’s position on that at the time?
VESTER: You know what? It doesn’t matter!
PECK: Well, see, it…
VESTER: He killed his own people!
PECK: It does matter. It does matter because…
VESTER: Why? I mean, murder is murder!
PECK: We didn’t think it was a problem at the time. It didn’t become a problem until after 1990. Saddam Hussein is not a nice guy. Don’t push me into defending him! My interest, my only interest — and it should be yours — is how do we advance America’s interests in that part of the world? And we do not do it after 11 years of a strangling embargo and bombing Iraq whenever we feel like it.
VESTER: They get plenty of money to feed their people! You know they do.
PECK: They do not, and I do not know it, and I don’t think that you do, either, as a matter of fact. Two United Nations humanitarian directors have resigned in protest, one after the other, one a Brit, one a German.
VESTER: All right…
PECK: They said, “Hey, I cannot be associated with this.” Now, my point…
VESTER: Ambassador…
PECK: I don’t think…
VESTER: Yes. Very quickly.
PECK: Yeah. You know, I don’t support Saddam Hussein. My job is to think about what’s good for the United States.
VESTER: All right, I’m sorry to cut you off…
PECK: And doing what we’re doing — yeah, you did it again.
VESTER: … but perhaps we’ll have another — no, we’ll have another night together. Maybe we’ll go to Baghdad.
PECK: I’ll look forward to it.
VESTER: Ambassador Ed Peck, thanks.

Source:
http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2008/03/20/video-jeremiah-wright-chickens-coming-home-to-roost-september-11-full-sermon/#more-2653

[nic]

i finally managed to catch it on the loop. Man you killed 'em tonight Roland! Seriously.
THANK YOU!!

[Qusan]

Rev. Wright's speech was supposedly on the Sunday after Sept 11 which would have been the 16th. However, I did find a couple of references to an interview he had with David Asman on Fox News sometime just after Sept 11. It sounds like what the pastor was referring to. I wonder if Fox will release those transcripts:

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_10_33/ai_79515173/pg_1

Finally, the whole country needs to dedicate itself to understanding the world of Islam. We should not be like the repellant Fox News anchor David Asman, who treated former ambassador Edward Peck with contempt as Peck tried to help viewers understand the Islamic mind. If we're going to eradicate terrorism, we have to understand its causes in order to eliminate them.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1316/is_12_33/ai_81566168

It is difficult to believe that Mr. Peters and I heard the same Fox News interview with the former ambassador to Mauretania, Edward Peck ("Tilting at Windmills," October 2001). Instead of the mentioned contempt exhibited by David Asman, the interviewer, I felt that Mr. Peck was treated with admirable restraint, considering that his views could be considered highly inimical to the U.S., particularly in the aftermath of the atrocities at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Mr. Peck blamed the U.S. for perceived transgressions against Iraq. His claim that the U.S. constantly violates Iraqi territory by monitoring flights over that nation ignores the conditions of the agreement that ended the Persian Gulf conflict allowing such overflights.

[Melissa T]

My husband and i watched.
We do monitor Fox they have been on a rant or hunt and bashing non stop it is so revoltin by now, even the super fnas have noticed this we talked about at the office.
Every program has gone bashing if you noticed

[Jody Gaddy]

AS far as I am concerned, the Clintons are responsible for this preacher saga. Remember that Ferraro went to FOX to say that Obama's campaign was attacking her because she is white. The Clintons normally stay away from FOX, but to get Obama smeared they had to send Ferraro.

Also, listen to Bill Clinton again, questioning Obama's patriotism using the preacher while elevating his wife and McCain:

Here is the full quote: "I think it would be a great thing if we had an election between two people who loved this country and were devoted to the interests of the country and people could actually ask themselves who is right on the issues, instead of all this other stuff that always seems to intrude itself on our politics."

Tony McPeak, a retired Air Force general and current co-chair of Obama's presidential campaign, compared former President Bill Clinton to Joseph McCarthy Friday in response to comments Clinton made earlier in the day that appeared to question Obama's patriotism.

"It sounds more like McCarthy," McPeak said. "I grew up, I was going to college when Joe McCarthy was accusing good Americans of being traitors, so I've had enough of it."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/21/another-bill-clinton-mome_n_92818.html

[Andrea]

Roland, you tried last night but as usual CNN tried to depict it in a negative way. What I don't understand though is how were the readers above able to find the transcript of Ambassador's Peck speech but Anderson Cooper 360 was not! Could it be possible that they did not want to find it!
Also, isn't it ironic that Bay can call someone a bigot, racist, despicable, and everything else, but when you make comments without the whole truth aren't you just as bigoted, racist despicable. Since everyoone is talking about religion, what about "he who is without sin, cast the first stone".
Also, I am starting to wonder, is this really about Reverand Wright, or is it to discredit Barack Obama. He was getting to close.

Last, we have to take it upon ourselves to get the word out. Send this informaton out to various columnists at your hometown newspaper and ask if there role is to print the truth or inflame the fire!

[Net]

Roland thanks again for trying to help everyone understand the context of Rev. Wright's sermon. I just do not understand why they had Bay Buchanan involved. I personally thought it would was more logical to allow you to discuss the sermons without any disruption. Besides, we already know where she stands on this matter. So, why waste our time listening to her. I did appreciate the fact that you got her to admit she would say Amen to a section of his sermon but when it came to discussing the hatred America inflicted on others she refused to listen. America, especially white America, needs to realize their selfish greed has hurt (physical, emotional, spiritual) many people.

One last thing, it amazes me to hear them talk about they attend church for love, moral, and receive a better understanding of the God. If that’s the case, then why and how did they lynch Blacks, rape their slaves, kill so many native people without a bit of resentment or for no real reason.

[Marlena Martin]

Roland,
I missed you on AC 360 but will stay up to see if it is re-aired tonight. It's 12:39am Saturday morning in ATL but I really want to see your show.

Grand Dragon Hannity's plan is to keep "reporting" more and more negative information related to Obama. His next story since the Rev. Weeks story apparently isn't going to go anywhere, is to report on Obama's ties to some guy who tried to bomb the Pentagon some years ago. We need to get in FRONT of Hannity's mess and shut these lies down. I'm pretty sure he and/or Hillary's campaign are at the root of the passport security breach. Keep on keeping on Roland...I got your back!!

[Ann]

People….Understand one thing. CNN is part of the establishment as is the majority of the mass media and it is not in their interest to help Senator Obama become president. No, I’m not some wild eyed leftist and neither is Senator Obama. I’ve been a proud Democrat all my adult life. But the establishment is afraid of the Senator because of his ability to actually get the American people informed and involved and heal our country. The establishment and special interest groups (and that includes the Clintons) want to keep the people ignorant. I applaud Roland for trying to get the truth out but any establishment media isn’t going to help him. THEY SIMPLY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HIS EFFORTS TO AIR MORE OF REV. WRIGHT’S CONTROVERSIAL SERMON COMMENTS, which only helps to keep the controversy going. Keith Olbermann and Cris Mathews on MSNBC are about the only mass media people who are being fair. CNN is not and in many ways, they are more dangerous to the Obama campaign than Fox. They are more respected, have more viewers and are more subtle. Fox news is of course a joke with their so-called fair and balanced rhetoric. Senator Obama wouldn’t get and doesn’t need the support of these right wing nuts. Their continued hate rhetoric will also backfire and turn off super delegates.

This may sound crazy but I am convinced that Hillary wants to get to the presidency, or as close to it as she can, that if Senator Obama gets the nomination – if McClain will accept her – she will run as his vice president and promote themselves as bi-partisan. I would not put anything past her at this point. But in the mean time if she and Bill continue their vicious tactics; I feel it will also backfire and turn off the super delegates as it did Governor Bill Richardson. As a Politico.com article points out, there is no possible way Clinton can win the nomination without them. Rev. Wright has retired. Obama is trying to move on. Let us help this most qualified human being succeed.

[Tawiah]

I know you tried... but the whole message still didn't come out. I think once people REALLY hear the entire sermon that those polls that suggest Barack Obama is little more than a trend that is quickly fading they are so fond of quoting will quickly shift.

And what about the media being critical of itself. I think the story needs to include the racist language used to describe the video. How can Pat Buchanon decry Rev. Wright when has said not only insulted America, in general, by suggesting that the country has somehow courted the wrath of God by but broke it down to the level of individually insulting each segment of the American population.

I'm willing to have that "honest dialogue" but want the WHOLE TRUTH to be told!

[Karen]

Roland, Thank you for being one of the few voices of reasoning! As I was sitting here reading the post on this site, it occured to me. Posting here is like preaching to the choir!That's not a bad thing, but more needs to be done. It is time someone held the major media organization accountable for the accuracy of the news, or lack of news they report.Most if not all the major news stations failed to investigate the allegations against Reverend Wright. Had they listened for themselves, instead of accepting what Fox News reported as fact, I have to believe they would have reported this whole thing differently. With that being said, I am asking that everyone that visits this site write the major news stations(ABC, NBC, CBS, MSNBC and CNN) and demand an apology to their readers and Reverend Wright. I didn't include Fox News because their news has always been suspect to me. Also that you encourage your friends and family to write and express thier disappointment in the stations failure to investigate the entire situation before they reported it.

[Peggy]

Roland,
This morning (3/24) on the TJ Morning Show there was discussion about an editorial written by Rev. Wright that basically takes to tasks the reporter that broke the story. I don't know if I understood correctly but it was in the NYT??? There has not be a peep on any of the MSM networks about the editorial. Could you please find the editorial, review, and post? Maybe if enough people read it on the blogs that wil help and also put the MSM on notice that they need to report the real story. I listened to both sermons and the only things I found offensive were the comments about Tiger...!

[Roland S. Martin]

That editorial written by Wright was done a year ago.