Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Not so fast

On Friday reverend Wright was whispering sweet nothings to Bill Moyers, artfully dodging the floating marshmallows being hurled his way by the starry eyed PBS journalist.

At that point the narrative was still intact--Obama could no more disown him than his white grandmother or Bill Ayers when he was eight.

But my how things can change! On Sunday the reverend wowed the crowd at the NAACP then Monday confirmed everything he's ever been accused of saying on the continuous loops. Now on Tuesday the pastor has suddenly become very disownable:
Obama said he was ``shocked'' by Wright's statements during a speech at the National Press Club yesterday in Washington. ``The person I saw yesterday was not the person I had come to know over 20 years,'' said Obama, an Illinois senator.
Of course, he had no choice. Obama had already paved his own road by claiming he'd never heard the hard stuff in church, only the softcore controversial sermons. Defending the man now would amount to glorified hypocrisy since Wright had the audacity to confirm the bad stuff and add a few more zingers for good measure. Barack took the only road left to save face, but it's a dirt road filled with potholes.

At least things seem to be that way. But is it really possible Wright could have gone full circle between Friday and Monday? Is it possible Obama really didn't know the man who brought him to black Jesus and inspired a book title? No. Obama's not stupid. Too inexperienced for president and caught in a political buzz saw, but not stupid.

Problem is, he's still got a nearly insurmountable lead. How will the Democrats get rid of him without causing an uproar? Well, for starters his bashing of Wright will not sit well with many on the black street, some of whom vocally defended and cheered Wright. Obama has now tossed him under the bus for at least the third time, and this one was a flattener. Will there be outrage? Will Hillary start looking better and better as the days pass? Will Barack's words be enough cover for the super-delegates to finally do what they must do?

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