Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook

Uproar After NC State Agent 'Fixes' Girl's Lunch Preschooler has to eat chicken nuggets instead of mom's meal »

Obama Campaign Drops Rev. Wright

Minister prone to provocative statements will no longer advise the Illinois senator

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Mar 15, 2008 5:25 AM CDT

(Newser) – Jeremiah Wright, the militant Chicago minister and spiritual adviser to Barack Obama, is off the senator’s campaign, CNN reports. Wright will no longer sit on the senator’s African-American Religious Leadership Committee, the campaign announced. Obama has often said he rejects the reverend’s more incendiary opinions, especially his comment that the US deserved the 9/11 attacks. But yesterday the candidate went further, calling some old sermons that have come to light this week "inflammatory and appalling."

"These are a series of incendiary statements that I can't object to strongly enough," the candidate said of Wright's preaching "God damn America for treating our citizens as less than human." Obama said he hadn't previously heard this kind of talk from Wright's pulpit—what he had been hearing in church, he said, "was talk about Jesus and talk about faith and values and serving the poor." And he rejected Wright's comments that Hillary Clinton’s road to the White House was easier because she's not black. "I just don't think it's necessary to talk about Senator Clinton or anybody in those terms."

[Images (4)]

[Videos (1)]

Obama and Wright in happier times. (excel357 (YouTube))

Obama's Pastor: "Hillary ain't never been called a nigger" (cakesecret (YouTube))

Barack Obama's former advisor, Jeremiah Wright. (jameswest94 (YouTube))

Jeremiah Wright, Obama's former minister and advisor. (KRT Photos)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Jeremiah Wright - God Damn America (jca325 (YouTube))

View larger videos >>

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next »

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Chinese VP Arrives in Washington

Xi Jinping, China's next president, to meet with Obama

(NEWSER) - The man slated to be China's next president began his US tour today, meeting with President Obama in the Oval Office before having lunch with Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton. Biden will serve as Xi Jinping's host in Washington, the New York Times reports. Other stops on the agenda: a meeting with the Chamber of Commerce, and a high-level trip to the Pentagon, where he'll get an honor guard salute and meet with Leon Panetta and the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin Dempsey. More»

Bradley Manning Wants Obama, Clinton as Witnesses

Preliminary hearing begins Dec. 16

(NEWSER) - Bradley Manning's preliminary hearing is set to begin Dec. 16, and if the US Army private has his way, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton will be among the witnesses. The president and the secretary of state were included on a 20-page list of defense witnesses in a request made Friday, Politico reports. Manning's preliminary hearing will determine whether the case against him—accusing him of passing classified information to WikiLeaks—should be referred for a full-scale court martial. More»

Most Popular National Politician Today Is ...

Hillary Clinton, as 'buyer's remorse' plagues a third of the country

(NEWSER) - The most popular politician nationwide is the one that got away: Hillary Clinton. Nearly two-thirds of the country sees the secretary of state favorably, and a third are battling what Bloomberg terms “buyer’s remorse” over not electing her president. Just over a year ago, only a quarter of Americans felt that way. “Looking back, I wonder if she would have been a stronger leader, knowing the games and the politics and all that goes on,” says a Florida woman. “I don’t think she would have bent as much.” More»

Obama: Here's How to Honor 9/11 Victims

Mark the 10th anniversary by doing community service

(NEWSER) - In his weekly radio address, Barack Obama tackled the topic of Sept. 11 by urging Americans to mark the 10th anniversary of the attacks by volunteering. The attacks "brought out the best in the American people," he explained, noting that regardless of where you live, "every American can be part of this anniversary" by performing acts of service and charity, as he plans to do alongside Michelle, reports USA Today . "Even the smallest act of service, the simplest act of kindness, is a way to honor those we lost; a way to reclaim that spirit of unity that followed 9/11." To find local opportunities, visit serve.gov . More»

Obama to Attend 9/11 Events in NYC, DC, Pennsylvania

10th anniversary of attack is next month

(AP) - President Obama and the first lady will attend events in New York City, Pennsylvania, and Washington in September to mark the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, says the White House. The attacks killed nearly 3,000 people at the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, at the Pentagon, and near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and Obama will pay tribute to those who were lost. He also will honor those who responded on Sept. 11, 2001, and who have served in harm's way in the decade since then, White House spokesman Jay Carney said today. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Obama Campaign Drops Rev. Wright