Confessional Friday for Obama

Posted: Friday, March 14, 2008 7:47 PM by Chuck Todd

From NBC's Chuck Todd
The Obama campaign has clearly decided that this Friday afternoon and evening is a bad news dump day. Not only will Obama be making the rounds explaining his denunciation of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright on MSNBC and other outlets tonight, the campaign also announced Wright would no longer be a member of the campaign's African American Religious Leadership Committee.

In addition to trying to put an end to the Wright controvery, Obama also spent time with the ed boards of the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times where he detailed his relationship with Tony Rezko.

In an interview with the Tribune, Obama admitted that "Rezko was a more significant fundraiser" in Obama's earlier campaigns than previously known. "Rezko raised as much as $250,000 for the first three offices Obama sought," the senator admitted. More from the Tribune piece: "In an extensive interview that he hoped would quell the lingering controversy over his relationship with Rezko, Obama said that voters concerned about his judgment should view it as 'a mistake in not seeing the potential conflicts of interest.' But he added that voters should also 'see somebody who is not engaged in any wrongdoing . . . and who they can trust.'"

A classic Friday evening bad news dump by the Obama campaign; frankly, as far as timing is concerned, it was probably smart, tactically, to attempt to bury this Rezko admission under the Wright controversy. We'll see if it works. Clearly the campaign realizes they need to be as transparent as possible if they hope the transparency argument against Clinton regarding her tax returns, earmarks and presidential library records stays valid.

EMAIL THIS

Comments

Everybody makes mistakes. It's what you do with them that separates those with character from those without. (Clinton STILL doesn't acknowledge a single mistake she has made in her entire political life. That is just not believable.) The fact that Obama is dedicated to transparency is admirable. I wish he had done it sooner, but I'm still going to vote for him. Among the three remaining candidates, his judgment, character and brilliance shine through.

J Richy (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:19 PM)

Well! Who has not sinned, cast the first stone! We are not electing a saint gang! We just try to do the best we can out there. With all the baggage Hillary and McCain has let's not get too carried away. Speaking about transparency, I should be taking bets on if Hillary files for an extension on her and B's tax return until Aug 15. It only requires a one page form and payment thus keeping all secret still. shouldn't Bill be investigated for influence peddling in regard to his uraninum/foundation dealing? Show us the money Hill & Bill!

I am still in Obama's corner.

BTW I am a 60 year old Catholic white, Vietnam era vet opposed to the Irag war from the get go. Enuf of the Bushs and Clintons including Jeb here in FL.
Take care gang and God Bless!

Vote the Big "O", Tampa, FL (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:19 PM)

Obama better worry about his owm problems and quit worring about Clinton's tax return. Who the flip cares about tax rturns when we have all this anti white, anti American S.. I was going to vote for Obama, not now. I feel like such and idoit to even think I was going to vote for this guy, THANK GOD FOR THIS LONG PRIMARY CANPAIGHN. I WILL ALWAYS RESEARCH MY CANIDATE BEFORE I EVER THINK ABOUT VOTE FOR A CANIDATE I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT.

JOHN. TAMPA. FL (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:20 PM)

We'll see how the voters of IOWA think about that tomorrow.

s.b. (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:26 PM)

America is not ready for a black president.

mar coleridge,Suriname (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:29 PM)

Good job Barack!

Get it out of the way. The Rezko issue is easier to deal with: "(S)he without sin cast the first stone". If they decide to go there, we have countless examples to give on their side. Besides, since the beginning of the case, the prosecutors have always maintained that Obama has nothing to do with it.

Jeremiah Wright on the other hand had diarrhea of the mouth (frequently it seems). While all his statements are FACTUALLY correct, his deductions are irresponsible and highly insensitive. That this man had fought for this country as a marine makes his comments pretty sad indeed. I sympathise with Senator Obama but he can take solace in the fact that his base is comprised of mainly people who are not indoctrinated but rather possess the ability to think for themselves. I believe that this will boil over and good reasoning will prevail.

Obama '08
Yes We Can!

Mutiu (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:29 PM)

no comment I am black to but this is the reality

mmar coleridge (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:31 PM)

Traditional Republican tactic: divide the masses along racial, ethnic and gender based lines.

Result: war,poverty and oppression.

Democrats, can't you see what's happening?

DEMOCRATS UNITE (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:31 PM)

Mr Obama, I have been watching your speeches and trying to find out more about you so that I can make an informed decision when it comes to my vote. I have to admit that I was impressed by your retoric and ideals but I am very disappointed in your inability to repudiate your friend and mentor Rev Wright. I was insulted by his poisonous speeches and racist rantings and the fact that you chose to listen to them shows me that you don't have the judgement required to be president. Your actions don't live up to your speeches. I am a white guy and if I chose to go to KKK meetings and just sit there and listen to their racist diatribes week after week with my wife and kids, how would that make me look? I dare say unpresidential. And rightly so. You are guilty by association when you chose to accept the inapproprite actions of othersr

Tom, The Voice of Reason, Plattsburgh NY (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:32 PM)

Isn't it funny and quite convenient that Senator Obama never heard any of these racially charged sermons. Please give me a break. The American public isn't that stupid, atleast not those of us who are swept away by his charming speaches. Wake up people. Like it or not, race is definitely playing an issue here (90% of AA in Mississippi voted for him) and as long as it is coming from the Obama camp, then it is seen as ok. However if a Clinton supporter says something, its racist. When 75% of Whites in Ohio vote for Clinton, its racist. Its sad that it has come to this because I believe most every single American wants the best person in the White House but there are too many mindless people who will listen and do exactly what other people (like Oprah) tell them to do. You have a mind, Use it and vote for the person who is going to be able to fix the problems that America needs solving. Not someone who ran for the Senate (if you can call running against a token Republican Canidate) just to "Punch" his resume so he can run for president and have his wife "Proud of America for the 1st time in her adult life". During his 3 yrs in the Senate as a Senator for my state IL, he hasn't done anything to help improve our lives, why would he as president...

Vote for real change
Hillary 08

Joe Doe, Chicago IL (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:35 PM)

No matter what he says, Obama wants us to judge him on his judgement; his judgement clearly is fuzzy. And it has been fuzzy for a long time. He should try to salvage himself by agreeing to be the VP so he can learn and earn the trust of this country. With so many inconsistencies so far, he comes off as a typical politician and an inexperienced one at that. And isn't that what Clinton has said all along? I distrusted Obama from the start and pledged to vote
for McCain if O got the Dem nod. That still works for me.

Gretchen Godfrey, San Jose, California (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:35 PM)

"We better worry about the conditions that caused 19 kids to kill us in the first place."
This was said by George Bush, today....he was right and the Pastor was speaking to a similar concept in one part of his sermons.

barry scott (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:37 PM)

On my dinning room table is an article about Trinity Church of Christ. Had it since Jan. 2008. The ideals of this church are anti American. Allegience is to the Black African Nation, not to USA or its Flag.

Priscilla Bowers,Westlake, Louisiana 70669 (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:39 PM)

This is smart on the part of Obama. He needed to clear the air, and this was a good time. With the weekend, the length of time before the Pennsylvania Primary and all that lays ahead, the laundry cleaning had to come sooner than later.

The question is, will Clinton EVER air her laundry? Her tax returns, her work on Health Care, and their donations for the Clinton Library? I doubt it.

Jeff, Highland CA (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:39 PM)

How many citizens of usa will believe obama? Show me your company and i will tell who you are. (the great william shakespeare)he was not stupid.

nana (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:40 PM)

Politically, it is great to let out everything in the closet. People can judge for themselves. I for one have more respect for him than before. I heard the full interview and saw all the shows. It was consistent. Judge the man not by what his pastor said but what he said or did. In addition, he was strong enough to let all of us, Citizens of this great country, to let us know that Rezko had raised more money in his past campaigns.

Now let us have John McCain and Hillary Clinton divulge every little secret that they have in their closets. He has strong character to let us know that he has flaws and is coming and telling us publically at time when he is down.. and I can bet you, neither McCain nor Hillary would have done what he has done. That is what we need in our political leaders... not career politicians.

Rob, Chicago (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:46 PM)

We are learning more and more about Barach Obama with each passing day. One thing for certain....sure does make you understand why Clinton's hanging in there.

God only knows what time will reveal. Having listened to some 6 or 7 clips of Rev. Wright's sermons I find it very difficult to understand how Obama could not be aware of this sort of rhetoric. For 20 years Obama has been an active member and contributor to this church and his membership alone gave support to Wright's position.

I am a Clinton supporter and hope she wins the nomination but I like Obama and appreciate his worth to the party and country but his explaination of his relationship with Wright is weak.

I don't blame his supporters for standing by him but it is very difficult to argue that this is not going to kill him in the general election.

campdog (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:46 PM)

Obama is a freight train going downhill. If the media had done its job with these old stories last year he would not be a serious candidate.

david salt lake city (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:48 PM)

Very smart.

Very open.

A role model for other candidates.

Matt, Idaho (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:52 PM)

Obama is not forth coming with the American people. He has changed his statements on many things too many times already including this one about his relationship with Rezko. I still don't understand how Obama could have done only 5 hours of work for Rezko, yet he has paid back over $80,000.

Obama cannot honestly tell the American people that he has never known about the vitriolic hatred his pastor had for this nation. This should have been suspected by Obama who claims he is a man of "good judgement". I believe that he must have subscribed to that mentality all this while.

Even the Church's philosophy about supporting only everything "Black", should have made Obama quit that church a long time ago if he really believed in the message of unity he has been prophesying in his campaign.

All in all, I believe that Obama is more of a dark horse than the American people have been led to know or believe about Obama.

WE CANNOT AFFORD TO ELECT AS PRESIDENT, A MAN WHOSE EVERY CHARACTER (BESIDE THE SPEECHES) DOES NOT CONFORM TO SOMEONE WHO SHOULD LEAD THIS COUNTRY.

Mendemoi (Sent Friday, March 14, 2008 10:56 PM)

<< Previous

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=771502