Originally Posted by Tim

Obama has presented himself as a uniter, and he has done a good job until very recently in presenting himself that way.

But this issue is painful and ugly and optentially explosive. Wright is his mentor and his guide and his spiritual advisor. Obama himself has made his faith a significant part of his campaign. The connection with Wright is there - it is up to Obama himself to end it.

Wright is not just an eccentric who goes too far. He is a true fanatic. Obama MUST denounce him. Or else he is toast.

He is running for president of the entire nation, not a small group. He must at least make an attempt at understanding the viewpoint of others. He failed to do so in his speech. He attempted to make an analogy with Ferraro, and then made references to "angry" whites who voted for Reagan. That was an attempt at making a comparison with Wright - but the result was a startling failure. I watched the speech with a group of people, and when he made those comments, a lot of heads were shaking in bewilderment.

Obama will have to win over at least a few of these voters if he is going to win. He has shown no understanding of moderate conservatives in his recent comments. He makes anti-business references at a time of recession and makes comments about angry Reagan voters. This is not helpful or smart.