# McCain: I don't want to talk about Wright, but Obama made me do it! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 28, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159 "2008-04-28T00:53:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/1 "2008-04-28T00:53:21Z")
Apparently the good vibes McCain has been generating for refusing to discuss Wright, and trying (oh so hard, I’m sure) to get the NC Republican Party to stop running ads about it [have dissipated](http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0408/McCain_blames_Obama_for_Wright_issue.html): > [@](#): > > I’ve stated my position very clearly that I don’t like the ad. I was interested that this morning Senator Obama said that it was a legitimate political issue. If he believes that, then it will probably be a political issue. I saw yesterday some additional comments that have been revealed by Pastor Wright, one of them comparing the United States Marine Corps with Roman legionnaires who were responsible for the death of our Savior. I mean being involved in that —it’s beyond belief. And then of course saying that Al Qaeda and the American flag were the same flags. > > So I can understand — I can understand why the American people are upset about this. I can understand that Americans viewing these kinds of comments are angry and upset, just like they viewed Senator Obama’s statements about why people turn to their faith and their values. He believes that it’s out of economic concerns, when we all know that it’s out of fundamental belief, fundamental faith in this country and its values and its principles. Again, Senator Obama is out of touch. I can’t control and will not in the future control. I will voice my opinion and I will continue to think and to say that I think that ad should not be run. But I won’t continue to try to be the referee here. So, what you’re saying is, you _really wish_ you didn’t have to talk about Wright, but Obama, by saying that people are talking about it, has forced your hand? Not to mince words, Senator McCain, but that is _utter horseshit_. Many people, myself included, were willing to give you a lot of credit for your approach to the Wright situation, but you have proven yourself to be just the sort of politician you claim not to be. Sorry that it’s a bit mild; this is my first time starting a Pit thread. However, this is some high-level jackassery from McCain, and I felt it demanded a Pitting. Perhaps someone more loquacious can contribute a Pit-worthy set of adjectives to describe McCain’s dissembling. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/2 "2008-04-28T01:31:48Z")
> [@](#): > > And then of course saying that Al Qaeda and the American flag were the same flags. Al Qaeda has a flag? But anyways, there was no way in hell McCain was going to leave the Wright thing alone. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/3 "2008-04-28T01:41:54Z")
[QUOTE=Simplicio] But anyways, there was no way in hell McCain was going to leave the Wright thing alone. [/QUOTE] Sure there was. If Hillary got the nod, McCain wouldn’t have had any reason to bring it up. Unless Hillary took Obama for her veep. I don’t think that was a likely scenario, but it was possible he might have left it alone. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/4 "2008-04-28T01:43:40Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki] Sure there was. If Hillary got the nod, McCain wouldn’t have had any reason to bring it up. Unless Hillary took Obama for her veep. I don’t think that was a likely scenario, but it was possible he might have left it alone. [/QUOTE] Heh, fair enough, shoulda qualified with "if Obama is the Dem nominee… ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/5 "2008-04-28T02:08:13Z")
[QUOTE=Simplicio] But anyways, there was no way in hell McCain was going to leave the Wright thing alone. [/QUOTE] You know, I agree. But dressing it up in this “Well, I really _don’t_ want to talk about it, but my hand has been forced” bullshit is, well, bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/6 "2008-04-28T02:10:51Z")
Originally posted by **Grandpa McCain** > [@](#): > > I saw yesterday some additional comments that have been revealed by Pastor Wright, one of them comparing the United States Marine Corps with Roman legionnaires who were responsible for the death of our Savior. Being that the Reverend Wright is a former marine, I’m gonna need a cite for this quote. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/7 "2008-04-28T02:28:17Z")
[QUOTE=MilTan] So, what you’re saying is, you _really wish_ you didn’t have to talk about Wright, but Obama, by saying that people are talking about it, has forced your hand? Not to mince words, Senator McCain, but that is _utter horseshit_. Many people, myself included, were willing to give you a lot of credit for your approach to the Wright situation, but you have proven yourself to be just the sort of politician you claim not to be. [/QUOTE] 1. I read that Obama called Wright “a legitimate campaign issue.” Not quite just “saying that people are talking about it.” 'Course, my sources may be wrong. 2. It’s not just the stuff you mention; I got the impression that many Republicans, especially those in North Carolina, were ticked at McCain for rejecting the ads (and, by proxy, insulting the NC GOP) in the first place. I’m guessing there was a lot of pressure brought to bear, and most of what he says at this point is just to cover up the Big Retreat. > [@Frostillicus](#): > > Being that the Reverend Wright is a former marine, I’m gonna need a cite for this quote. While I understand why you’re asking this, are you implying that being in the military universally means a good experience with them? That serving with them at any point in history must mean you always hold them in the highest respect? Certainly the military, especially under Bush, has done a lot to alienate people who might’ve once thought more highly of them. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/8 "2008-04-28T02:34:30Z")
Meanwhile he accepts, in person and with an “I’m honored” speech, the endorsement of John Hagee, a man who has referred to the Pope as an antichrist, says a _planned_ (i.e. not one that even actually happened) gay festival caused Katrina (God at 6,012 years old apparently can’t tell the difference between gay revelers in the Quarter and impoverished families in the 9th Ward and, oh yeah, half of southern Mississippi), that anti-semitism is what the Jews get for not recognizing Jesus, and that you should give more to the church [specifically his] than to your 401K because Jesus will probably return to Earth before you retire anyway. The difference between Hagee and Wright is that I’ve seen both interviewed by Bill Moyer (Hagee for a series on Genesis and Wright for the segment on Wright the other night) and Wright comes off as the far more intelligent, well informed, and less fanatical and hateful. While I disagree obviously with his more provocative claims, I also have seen some of his speeches in their entirety (the immediately post 9/11 ones especially) and context really does make a major difference, while with Hagee context usually makes it even worse. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/9 "2008-04-28T02:37:15Z")
**Sampiro** : I know. The best thing conservatives I’ve read can seem to muster is a lot of sputtering about how at least Hagee wasn’t McCain’s spiritual advisor for twenty years, and never served on his campaign, etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/10 "2008-04-28T02:42:07Z")
[QUOTE=Leaper] **Sampiro** : I know. The best thing conservatives I’ve read can seem to muster is a lot of sputtering about how at least Hagee wasn’t McCain’s spiritual advisor for twenty years, and never served on his campaign, etc. etc. [/QUOTE] Which also irks me. Obama has repeatedly stated that Wright was never his “spiritual advisor” but his pastor. From what I’ve read they were never particularly close. While it wouldn’t exactly help him politically to say it, I’ve always had the feeling (and having never met him and just knowing him through speeches/books/interviews) that Obama is probably still very skeptical about religion (not saying the “A” word, but skeptical) and the benefits of joining a politically active megachurch with more than 8,000 members were probably not completely lost on a guy who planned to run for office from that district. Of course I could be wrong, and if he said this in an interview it would be about as helpful to his campaign as saying “I wasn’t in church those mornings because I was out shaking down kids for money to buy crack”, but my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/11 "2008-04-28T03:38:33Z")
[QUOTE=Simplicio] Al Qaeda has a flag? [/QUOTE] [Eddie Izzard] Do you have a flag? [/Eddie Izzard] ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/12 "2008-04-28T04:18:00Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Al Qaeda has a flag? Oh yeah. You should have seen the crap Mullah Omar took for not wearing the Al Qaeda flag pin on his robes. Bin Laden was all like, “Omar, all of our suicide bombers, planners, and administrative personnel wear the flag pin. Why do you love America?” [Flag](http://www.allstates-flag.com/fotw/images/q/qt-i-aq.gif) . ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/13 "2008-04-28T19:54:01Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] Which also irks me. Obama has repeatedly stated that Wright was never his “spiritual advisor” but his pastor. From what I’ve read they were never particularly close. [/QUOTE] Obama described Wright as his “friend, mentor, and pastor”. ([Cite.)](http://www.michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=76&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=5811&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1070&hn=michigancitizen&he=.com) Wright converted him to Christianity, married him, and Obama got the title for his book from one of Wright’s sermons. But yeah, apart from that, they were practically strangers. :rolleyes: Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/14 "2008-04-28T20:38:11Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Obama described Wright as his “friend, mentor, and pastor”. ([Cite.)](http://www.michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=76&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=5811&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1070&hn=michigancitizen&he=.com) Wright converted him to Christianity, married him, and Obama got the title for his book from one of Wright’s sermons. But yeah, apart from that, they were practically strangers. :rolleyes: Regards, Shodan [/QUOTE] While I realize you’re being sarcastic, that’s actually pretty much true. I had several professors in college I thought very highly of and would consider a mentor on certain areas, but was also “practically strangers” with (we didn’t hang out or call each other and the like). I also made up my own mind on political matters or anything on which they had opinions not directly related to their area of expertise. I’ve been watching Wright’s speeches on CNN for the last day and I can _totally_ understand what drew Obama to him. Wright is a brilliant man and a brilliant orator- he works in very obscure facts about the Bible (the acronymic stanzas of Psalm 113,[for example](http://www.torah.org/advanced/mikra/5762/hagim/Hallel1.pdf) and other preliterate devices used to remember sacred texts) into sermons for a mass audience and gets cheers. _I’d_ go to his church to hear him if I were in Chicago and I’m neither Christian, black, nor particularly left wing. As for the title of his book, book titles come from widely diverse places. Margaret Mitchell named a book about the South 1861-1873 for a line in an 1890s poem by an alcoholic tubercular [English poet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Dowson)- she liked the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/15 "2008-04-28T20:41:18Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Obama described Wright as his “friend, mentor, and pastor”. ([Cite.)](http://www.michigancitizen.com/default.asp?sourceid=&smenu=76&twindow=Default&mad=No&sdetail=5811&wpage=1&skeyword=&sidate=&ccat=&ccatm=&restate=&restatus=&reoption=&retype=&repmin=&repmax=&rebed=&rebath=&subname=&pform=&sc=1070&hn=michigancitizen&he=.com) Wright converted him to Christianity, married him, and Obama got the title for his book from one of Wright’s sermons. But yeah, apart from that, they were practically strangers. :rolleyes: Regards, Shodan [/QUOTE] What are your thoughts on Hagee? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/16 "2008-04-28T20:44:02Z")
[QUOTE=Richard Parker] Oh yeah. You should have seen the crap Mullah Omar took for not wearing the Al Qaeda flag pin on his robes. Bin Laden was all like, “Omar, all of our suicide bombers, planners, and administrative personnel wear the flag pin. Why do you love America?” [Flag](http://www.allstates-flag.com/fotw/images/q/qt-i-aq.gif) . [/QUOTE] That was brilliant. You win The Really Not All That Bright Post of the Week Award, (which means you get to put RNATBPOTWKAPOW! after your name). ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/17 "2008-04-28T20:52:23Z")
McCain sought out Hagee’s endorsement. He went and kissed his white ass to get it. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/18 "2008-04-28T21:06:47Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] While I realize you’re being sarcastic, that’s actually pretty much true. [/quote] So you would continue to say that the person who converted you to a religion, and who was your friend, pastor and mentor, who you sought out and listened to for twenty years, is not your “spiritual advisor”. I think this is the point at which we simply have to agree to disagree. If words don’t have any specific meaning, there is no point in talking. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/19 "2008-04-28T21:09:28Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] If words don’t have any specific meaning, there is no point in talking. Regards, Shodan [/QUOTE] Bah weep grana’a weep minibong. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2008, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159/20 "2008-04-28T21:12:07Z")
I don;t want to do it but we must discuss the Keating 5. It was a long time ago but what does it tell of values.? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/mccain-i-dont-want-to-talk-about-wright-but-obama-made-me-do-it/447159.md?page=2)