I don't make it a practice to quote conservative commentators, much less even read them, but I must say Tom Roeser caught my attention when explaining Reverend Jeremiah Wright's actions of late.
Two Reasons.
Knowledgeable African Americans, some of whom attend Trinity United Church of Christ, tell me that there are two reasons why the former pastor Jeremiah Wright is punishing Barack Obama and endangering his campaign for the presidency by Wright’s racist vitriol.
Central is the fact that Wright has now gained a national media presence which means (a) a book with lavish proceeds, (b) paid speeches and (c) folklore celebrity as the nation’s angriest black. Up to now Wright was the well-received minister who is not entirely singular in the black community since hating whitey is a sure-fire way to build a congregation. The proceeds from a prospective book and the lavish honoraria he can draw would make Wright a very-very rich angry black man.
Second, I am told that Wright has a definite animus now against Obama. The bad blood started when Obama canceled an appearance by Wright at Obama’s announcement. Wright got the impression that Obama wanted it both ways-to capitalize on black anger at whitey in order to set the African American grassroots afire...and distance from Wright so that Obama can continue as the moderate, the youthful member of the post-civil rights generation typifying a new day dawning in race relations.
It does make sense. I don't like Tom Roeser's style when he states over and over, "black anger at whitey" stuff which is meant to inflame his conservative, racist audience. But two things. I have heard through the book publishing grapevine that Wright is pitching a book, presumably for a sizable advance. The book deal was also mentioned by Sun Times columnist Michael Sneed who said:
Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's "former" pastor whose preaching has attracted mega-media attention, is not only fighting back, but his new "15 minutes of fame" will now net huge speaking fees, a book deal and the possibility of his own cable show. It's called, don't get back -- get even.
Second, and more importantly, this thing is personal now. Wright has turned on Obama (Wright would say that Obama abandoned him). It started when Wright was dis-invited to appear at Obama's Springfield presidential announcement. And the relationship has deteriorated steadily ever since.
Obama will survive this latest setback and come back stronger, as evidenced by his sincere and firm denunciation of Wright's performance at the National Press Club, a performance that received poor reviews. Barack Obama has survived similar assaults from Hillary and Bill Clinton. And now these attacks questioning Obama's sincerity from Reverend Jeremiah Wright. I believe this will fully prepare him to take on Republican nominee John McCain and move on to be one of the great Presidents of our time.
The irony is that this event could not come at a better time because finally, yes finally, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright controversy will no longer be an issue in this campaign. Obama did today what he should have done in March. Put an end to this issue. Reading on Walden Bookstore.