Rev Wright's speech set up by Clinton Supporter?

In the LA Times Top of the Ticket Blog:

It was the Rev. Dr. Barbara Reynolds, a former editorial board member of USA Today who teaches at the Howard University School of Divinity. An ordained minister, as New York Daily News writer Errol Louis points out in today's column, she was introduced at the press club event as the person "who organized" it.

But guess what? She's also an ardent longtime booster of Obama's sole remaining competitor for the Democratic nomination, none other than Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York. It won't take very much at all for Obama supporters to see in Wright's carefully arranged Washington event that was so damaging to Obama the strategic, nefarious manipulation of the Clintons.

Their supporter, Reynolds, helps arrange a speech by the outspoken and egocentric Wright which receives blanket national coverage to the disadvantage of Clinton's opponent. As Louis writes: "The Rev. Jeremiah Wright couldn't have done more damage to Barack Obama's campaign if he had tried. And you have to wonder if that's just what one friend of Wright wanted."

I don't have anything to add.  

Just didn't see this on DKos yet, so I thought I would post it.

•  According to the Politico...

  Reynolds tried to set up a speaking engagement for Wright at the National Press Club 2 years ago.

  link

  by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:40:57 PM PDT

  •  I should say, first tried to set it up :) n/t

    by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:41:33 PM PDT

    •  to nip Obama's candidacy at the bud

      :)

      by soms on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:43:30 PM PDT

      •  Exactly

        The Clintons have been planning to take Obama out via Wright for a long time.

        ;-)

        by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:44:08 PM PDT

        •  Obama's Sistah Souljah Moment

          Today Obama put an end to the Wright story.

          by FishOutofWater on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:46:44 PM PDT

          •  Unfortunately...

            I seriously doubt that this marks the end of the Wright story.

            Despite the fact that I'm a Clinton supporter, this doesn't make me happy... I'd really hate to see Obama lose the nomination over something like this that's beyond his control.

            by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:50:02 PM PDT

            •  Trix, what is your breaking point?

              I'm impressed at your dedication and loyalty to Hillary, but at what point do will you say she's gone too far?

              by HillarysWar on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:53:58 PM PDT

              •  There have been things she's done...

                that I've found to be offensive or "over the line", and I've never defended them.

                The extent of my "support" for her really just amounts to arguing against some of the more ridiculous attacks on her.

                And having already voted (in NY), it's not like I can switch to be an Obama voter... but as I've said every time I've been asked, I plan to fully support Obama if he's the nominee (which I expect he will be).

                by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:59:31 PM PDT

                •  Just to be clear on something...

                  by putting my support of Hillary in quotes, I didn't mean to imply that it's anything less than genuine.

                  :-)

                  by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:27:58 PM PDT

              •  Too far?

                If it were true (still some question) it is neither nefarious or underhanded. The guy was running his mouth and the HRC campaign offers him a stage and microphone. What is wrong with that?

                by 1918 on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:04:01 PM PDT

                •  The notion that the Hillary campaign offered him

                  a microphone is ludicrous.

                  The diarist selectively quotes from the article...and the article provides no evidence that she is an 'ardent supporter'

                  here are direct quotes from her (Reynold's) blog.

                  "My vote for Hillary in the Maryland primary was my way of saying thank you" to Clinton and her husband for his administration's successes.

                  In another entry, Reynolds notes critically of Obama, "It is a sad testimony that to protect his credentials as a unifier above the fray, the senator is fueling the media characterization that Rev. Dr. Wright is some retiring old uncle in the church basement."

                  Seems she is more a friend of Wright...who having been reviled in the press she invited to the National Press Club...

                  In fact it is easy to read the piece that the diarist placed in bold as a jibe at Obama's supporters who see only evil in the Clintons rather   In fact it won't take anything other than the allegation itself to get people bent out of shape.

                  by elial on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:22:23 PM PDT

                  •  'more a friend to Wright' ?

                    So an outspoken Hillary supporter bashes Obama about not being a unifier while claiming Obama was throwing Wright under the bus.  Wouldn't that be the tactic of forcing the opponent to own the controversy instead of honestly sticking up for Wright?  That's a huge stretch.  Deep dedication to a candidate can make one easily blind to reality.  I've got to fight myself to face reality sometimes in my dedication to Obama.  I hope you can will do the same.

                    by HillarysWar on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:43:52 PM PDT

                    •  'the tactic of...

                      ..forcing the opponent to own the controversy...'

                      Am it to take that to mean that you don't like how she expressed her friendship...you would prefer she say something specifically about Wright but because she phrases it in the context of Obama's earlier 'cautious distancing' then she is speaking as a Clinton supporter?

                      I have been looking through the web for more but only see the same source article claiming she is an enthusiastic supporter for Clinton and opposed to Obama and cite the two quotes that I put up as evidence....

                      So the support for Hillary...really a fond recollection of Bill...and the opposition to Obama...a dislike of what he said about her friend...that's all the evidence I have seen and it leads me to a different conclusion than those who will instantly ascribe the worst to the Clinton campaign.

                      Further the head of the Press Club said she served more as a conduit due to her friendship. The press club was interested in having him and he was interested in speaking.

                      As Freud may have said...sometimes a cigar is just a cigar...

                      by elial on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 06:03:57 PM PDT

                      •  Sometimes a cigar is...well you know.

                        Let's put it this way.
                        She herself teaches prophetic ministry and knows Wright well. She has also written editorials about Wright and how Obama essentially betrayed him in his speech for political reasons. I find that an odd interpretation of what Obama did but that's fine too. I have been so angry at how Wright was demonized by the press as though the clips represented the whole of who and what he was I am grateful for everyone who speaks up for him. She probably wanted him to have a chance to show more of who he was. So did I.

                        Hillary has another black minister who supports her, who went to Trinity and wrote a wonderful article defending Wright and his theology, asking where her white students are about defending him.
                        Defending Obama, Wright, and the Black Church(By Renita Weems)

                        I’m a supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton, but you wouldn't know it from all the times I’ve had to come to the defense of Barack Obama over these past few weeks.

                        (I thought that part was funny)
                        She knows him well and also knows this about him.

                        Admittedly, Dr. Wright has a way of saying things that are uniquely his. We’ve all sat there cringing sometimes at the things he’s said or the way he’s said them. But we’ve also admired and respected his courage and honesty.

                        His unique way that makes even those who love him cringe at times...to a press with stupid questions and a press/public who largely would not admire or respect his courage and honesty?

                        Rev. Reynolds surely knew how it could go. My question would be if by some fluke this had been Hillary's pastor would she had offered his name to speak before and take questions from the press at this sensitive time? I doubt it.
                        (I looked to see if she has made any comments about how Clinton has reacted to Wright-gate and used him as a weapon against Obama and made Wright/Obama look worse by bringing up Hamas and Farrakhan but I haven't found any)

                        I think she thought Obama had dissed Wright and was angry at him, she knows Wright and she supports Hillary.
                        I think she had too many potential motives for anyone to want to light that cigar and smoke it.

                        by joynow on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 07:34:32 PM PDT

                        •  Ok...

                          ...I agree there may be many motives...but as I noted the only evidence I have seen of Reynold's 'ardent' support for HRC was her primary vote...which she blogged about well before all this...and said it represented her thanks to Bill for his years in office.

                          I think Reynold's criticism of Obama centered around the comparison of Wright to an uncle that everyone knows will say crazy things (I may be that uncle, though in my family we probably have more than one)...so while betrayal may be a strong word...I think there is some reason for her to think what I thought of as 'mild distancing' with appropriate context...was something worse...

                          What troubles me most is the reflexive assumption among many posters that this was directed in some way by Hillary...Just as posters here emphasized the importance of the context of the remarks by Wright that were clipped from his sermons..I think the important context here is the nature of the relationship between Wright and Reynolds...and also perhaps some evidence before assertions or conclusions are reached on Clinton's role....

                          by elial on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 03:17:12 PM PDT

                          •  I agree, no reason to think she knew Hillary

                            To be honest I wouldn't put it beyond Hillary to want it but I don't see any evidence she had a thing to do with it.

                            I did see other things she wrote about her support of Hillary when I was searching but nothing that made her sound connected. I read more about her anger at Obama,

                            What would have been nice was as Obama spoke up for the type of sermon he gives not being like those clips if the media had ever looked into that, had other people on who went to the church or knew that pastor. The press acted like Obama was just lying and Wright remained this false image of a screaming bigot. That was horribly unfair to Wright and to the church. I had never seen such one sided coverage.
                            There were even reporters who had gone through years of old sermons and said on shows "nothing that controversial, no story". That was a story though. So many journalists would bring up they went to the church or had family or friends that did and they'd be ignored.

                            If people who knew and loved Wright got a chance to talk about the church and Wright a truer image of him could have been shown Wright might have felt less under attack.

                            by joynow on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:05:00 PM PDT

                            •  True enough...

                              ..the interests of the press are not consistent with wanting a fair resolution of an issue..but prefer maintaining a 'frenzy' particularly if it doesn't get in the way of cozy relationships and contacts with those in power...the old question...'who will watch the watchers'...in some sense it is us.  Which is why I would hope we would be less quick to jump to conclusions and feed a frenzy ourselves.

                              by elial on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:21:01 PM PDT

                              •  Watching the watchers!

                                Obama uses that term a lot in town halls when he is talking about unitary executive issues or warrantless wiretaps, need for balance of power. Says you don't have to prove they are abusing the power or even suspect them of doing something wrong. Even if you trust them completely you can't have all the power in one branch, you always need somebody watching the watchers.

                                I have to say that is part of why I leaned so Obama early on was hearing his passion the constitution. He says one of the first things AG will do is go through every signing statement and executive order and pull out for his review some that might conflict with the constitution and he will revoke them.
                                I could not find evidence that Clinton is as adverse to an imbalance of power and many hints that say otherwise.

                                by joynow on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 11:27:05 PM PDT

                                •  Interesting point...

                                  ...though if you will recall Bill's admin...he was very responsive to Congressional subpoena's. Of course Hillary is a different person...

                                  by elial on Thu May 01, 2008 at 12:45:34 AM PDT

                •  It's OK to give a microphone to someone preaching

                  hate?  How can you possibly defend this?

                  by HillarysWar on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:35:27 PM PDT

                  •  Hate speech?

                    I have heard it characterized as lots of different things, but hate speech is a first. You must have an awfully low threshold for it.

                    And again, the words were his own, only he is to blame for them.

                    by 1918 on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 06:13:24 PM PDT

        •  It Goes Back Much Further

          I have it on good authority that Hillary tutored Wright on Black Theology in the late 60's to prep him for his shining moment.

          How often do Obama "supporters" scream that a Candidate shouldn't be responsible for stuff a "supporter" who is not part of the campaign says or does??

          Or does that only apply to Obama??

          by The Baculum King on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:10:21 PM PDT

  •  The article also states [in an update] that...

    Wright spoke at the Press Club last year, and Reynolds was the contact person.

    by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:43:36 PM PDT

    •  D'oh! Sorry

      I didn't see that you posted the update and must have been checking and typing out my response.  Yup, they brought him back fast, quick, and in a hurry... National Press Club?  My eye!  Shameful, SHAMEFUL!

      by Denni on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:53:11 PM PDT

  •  There's an update...

    He just spoke there in 2007.  Not a surprise that she was able to arrange for him to come back so SOON, and just in time for two critical primaries.

    by Denni on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:48:41 PM PDT

    •  Ummm...

      The article makes extremely clear the fact that he was invited back because he's newsworthy.

      by Trix on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:51:00 PM PDT

  •  ready on day one

    Day One minus 1,095
    That's pretty good.

    by sunshineonthebay on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:48:48 PM PDT

•  I jsut heard from a Clinton supporter who is sick

  of the media running the story. I believe the media has overkilled this.

  by AHiddenSaint on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:42:51 PM PDT

  •  No. Really?!?!

    Just being snarky.  Doesn't the media kill... just about everything?  

    by ruscle on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:44:39 PM PDT

•  Diaried, old news and it really doesn't

  matter does it?  It happened.

  by NewDealer on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:44:20 PM PDT

  •  Does it matter?

    I don't know.  Not an expert on "Matters" but I would think that if an Obama supporter had arranged a press event for Monica Lewinsky at this point in time, there would be a huge cry from the Clinton camp as to how unfair and rotten that is.  

    by ruscle on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:47:23 PM PDT

    •  a press event for Monica Lewinsky

      if an Obama supporter had arranged a press event for Monica Lewinsky

      And the Clintons would be demanding, demanding I tell you, that Obama, "Denounce and reject" that supporter too.

      by William Domingo on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:56:59 PM PDT

    •  Its entirely possible that

      the Obama campaign saw this coming and wasn't especially bothered by it.  It has created the opportunity and justification for Obama to separate himself from Wright in a way that was hard to do in Philadelphia.  There he would have been seen to be throwing an old friend under the bus on the basis of comments made in a sermon years ago and taken out of context.  

      Now he can do it on the basis of comments made a few days ago and in the full spotlight of the political campaign.  Few are going to quarrel with his decision to to that now.

      It is said sometimes there are no accidents in political campaigns.  I don't buy that completely but this could well be an example of chess moves by both sides, one which may in the end be beneficial to Obama.

      We'll know next Tuesday how it played.  But in the longer run, it could well result in the Wright issue being defused for the fall campaign.

      Too many people here look just at the surface.

      by NewDealer on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 07:44:51 AM PDT

•  Isn't the person responsible for Wright's speech

  Wright?

  Just sayin'. Pretty clear where the buck stops on this one.

  by scardanelli on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:45:11 PM PDT

  •  I get your point

    But is the person responsible for O'Reilly's speech just Bill O'Reilly?  Does Murdoch play any part in that or take any responsibility for it?  

    Seems to me your argument is very simple in a complex media market during an election year.  

    by ruscle on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:57:16 PM PDT

    •  Oh please.

      Seems to me like you're switching contexts. Media is one thing. My comment comes in the context of a diary suggesting that perhaps Wright's speech can be blamed on the Clinton campaign; even if there's some small bit of truth to that, it's not one worth emphasizing or getting excited about in my view. Doing so would look desperate.

      So it seems to me that your analogy is very simple, in a complex campaign where the technical truth of a statement is beside the point of its polemical force, or lack thereof.

      by scardanelli on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:09:37 PM PDT

      •  Jumping Sharks and All

        I'm not following your comment.  

        Media is one thing.

        I thought that's what we were talking about here.  

        by ruscle on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:21:31 PM PDT

        •  If you can't read, I can't help. nt

          by scardanelli on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:24:04 PM PDT

•  Hillary: winning is everything.

  Twitty just said the Clintons think they have Divine Right to the presidency. LOL. Sometimes he does have a way with words.

  by driftwood on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:45:59 PM PDT

  •  He's backing off his "Iraq" moment drivel

    and actually seemed to be defending Obama and dissing the Clintons today.  What a difference a day makes.

    by livjack on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:52:37 PM PDT

    •  sorry should have been "Iraq moment" drivel

      by livjack on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:53:26 PM PDT

•  This is the 4th diary about Barabara Reynolds

  and her connections to both the Rev. Wrights's Nat'l Press Club speaking engagement and Hillary Clinton.

  I haven't looked closely enough at the story to make a well-informed observation, but I think it's worth further scrutiny.

  Just follow the Barbara Reynolds tag to find related diaries.
  
  
  ````
  peace
  
  

  by peace voter on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:50:13 PM PDT

  •  Thanks. I missed those

    So you have my permission to just ignore all this.  

    by ruscle on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:58:46 PM PDT

    •  I don't intend to ignore it

      I'm quite curious now & I'd like to know more about the Reynolds/Clinton connection.

      Have you researched the connection?
      
      
      ````
      peace
      
      

      by peace voter on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:04:34 PM PDT

      •  Got an e-mail out to a friend of mine in DC

        Who works with a lot of black ministers and religious organizations to see what her take on this is.   And I'll be talking to a black friend of mine at the gym this evening who used to work in DC and has a lot of contacts... I'm always surprised by the people he knows who are in the news.   I'll see what he has to say too.   That's about the extent of my contacts in the black religious community.  

        by ruscle on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:15:52 PM PDT

•  Somehow...

  This does not surprise me at all.  I think when Hillary loses (or shall i say, when she realizes she has lost) she should run for office somewhere as a republican.  She seems to fit in quite well with them.

  But what do you expect from a former Goldwater girl...

  by Pappalardo on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:54:43 PM PDT

  •  Note what is in bold in the diary...

    ...this is not an indictment of Clinton...but of Obama's supporters who...shouting about context regarding Wright's sermons that were spliced up for public consumption...know nothing about the context of the relationship between Wright and Reynolds.

    If you read the story carefully and not just what is posted here...it seems clear that her allegiance to Wright is stronger than to the Clintons.

    by elial on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:27:25 PM PDT

    •  bold in diary.

      I never said this diary was an indictment of clinton.  I was just saying it would not surprise me that a clinton supporter was helping with that wright press club appearance.

      I could care less about who has a stronger allegiance to who.  I can't wait till people stop talking about this period.  Obviously you just wanted to argue or felt the need to explain this article to me.  Thanks anyway.

      I think my comment is pretty straight forward.. no need for you to try and interpret what i am thinking.

      by Pappalardo on Thu May 01, 2008 at 04:50:22 PM PDT

•  More Generational War: Wright As Clinton Backer

  Hartmann was describing this as a generational thing and that Wright has to know this advances Clinton.

  by Gooserock on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 04:55:35 PM PDT

  •  Another diarist

    thought that this was coordinated between Obama and Wright so he could have his 'Sister Soldier' moment.

    I guess we can speculate all we want...but it seems that Wright and Reynolds are longterm friends. She has been interested in having him speak at the Press Club where she is on the booking committee.

    by elial on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:29:34 PM PDT

  •  I think there is a generational part

    Rev Reynolds was so clearly disdainful of Obama about how poorly he treated Wright in his "race speech" and the disrespect he showed. Some others who know Wright said he felt the same way.

    Now most people felt he hadn't gone far enough to distance himself in that speech. I thought he clearly showed his affection and respect for Wright in that speech.

    But Reynolds thought he was uppity and out of place. (In a generational way, she's black too, I'm not making that accusation. More "Don't you talk to your daddy that way, boy")

    Wright certainly knows it hurts Obama and thus helps Hillary but I don't think that was his concern.

    by joynow on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 08:01:42 PM PDT

•  Let us for a minute speculate that the conference

  was indeed organized by the supporters of Senator Clinton, well that does not mean that they put words into his mouth. He was very happy saying what he said (from the Youtube clips i watched, Rev Wright was having the time of life) and it is his words that were problematic. He could have stood up there and said i can't say anything today folks or thank you i won't be able to attend the conference, but i think Rev. Wright has a huge ego and he was too eager to state what he thinks is his side of the story. The rest is pure speculation

  by Mutual Assured Destruction on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:02:10 PM PDT

•  Uh...did you look?

  There are 2 diaries as I post this comment still on the recent list about this.

  HERE and HERE.

  I didn't look past beyond the recent list.

  by The BBQ Chicken Madness on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:02:54 PM PDT

•  Karma, Barb. Karma.

  by BA BarackUS on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:26:48 PM PDT

•  Sorry, I think it's a real stretch.

  I'm not a huge Hillary fan (putting it mildly), but to say she (or her surrogates) is responsible for this nut Wright is in the tin-foil arena.

  The only person responsible for Wright making an ass of himself on national television is Wright.  

  by browneyes on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:28:31 PM PDT

  •  Seems dead obvious to me

    Reynolds was introduced as the organizer of the event.  Of course Clinton wants to keep the Wright thing going.  I don't see where the tin foil comes in here.

    by SunWolf78 on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:39:37 PM PDT

    •  So what's the excuse for all Wright's other

      outlandish performances?  Even if someone in the Clinton camp organized the event, she simply gave Wright the platform to be a jackass.  Nobody made him say what he said.  That was all him.  

      And you're right, of course, that the Clintons want to keep the Wright issue going.  And they will continue to keep it in the news any way they can.  And the damage may be already done.  I hope not, but who knows??  I just think the Clintons were "lucky" that Wright is a publicity whore whose only concern is himself, has a ginormous ego, and can't keep his big mouth shut.

      by browneyes on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:48:16 PM PDT

    •  Reynolds isn't a die hard Clinton supporter:

      Clinton vs. Obama: Where My Loyalty Lies
      By Dr. Barbara A. Reynolds

      As a woman, I want to vote my feelings, but as an African American I want to vote my mind. Call me bi-polar or schizophrenic, if you like, but I am delightfully undecided over my choice between U.S. Senators Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton for president.

      The entire article is here:

      http://www.washingtoninformer.com/...

      by AnnieM on Tue Apr 29, 2008 at 05:57:06 PM PDT

•  I know I've gone Mel Gibson but....

  Wright was on vacation in the Caribbean and rushed back to do the press tour shortly after Bill Clinton paid a visit to the Caribbean himself.  

  by stillonline on Wed Apr 30, 2008 at 12:39:36 AM PDT