I'm sorry to tread on already trodden ground, but I needed to pose a very straightforward question: How much legs does the Jeremiah Wright "problem" have for Obama?
I ask this because, today, two of my family members -- one Democrat who is leaning between Clinton and Obama (though, as a resident of Arizona, she's a little late coming off the fence), and the other a Republican who thinks that Obama has the same transformational potential as the other great presidents in history -- weighed in with their thoughts after learning that I am a long-time volunteer for the Obama campaign.
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The Democrat said that she felt Wright's comment was anti-white and that, as a white woman, she could no longer consider supporting Obama over Clinton (though my sense is that she would never consider McCain over Obama). The Republican did not seem personally concerned with Wright's statements, but nevertheless felt like it has "ended any chance" Obama has for the White House (he did not specify whether it would torpedo his primary or general campaign).
What amazed me most was that both persons, who are completely ignorant of any other details of Obama's church, still felt free to characterize the church as a "militant black church." From what I've seen, this is a totally inapt description. Also amazing is that, when I asked them what they found so offense about Wright's comments, the only response was from the Democrat, who said that she found it anti-white (of note, she then launched into a diatribe about how Hillary has been hurt by her gender during the primary). Although I trust -- ultimatley -- Barack to put this to bed, the American public to come to their senses, and the MSM to cover this objectively, my concern is that these "first impressions" might not be shaken up enough and that it will potentially hurt Obama with certain swing voters (if not Superdelegates).
So, please tell me: How much legs does the Jeremiah Wright issue have; has Obama does enough to get out ahead of the problem; and which voters will it hurt Obama with?