I Couldn't Have Said It Better

I watched the Rev. Jeremiah Wright meltdown on Monday and I more than horrified, I was shaken and deeply saddened by the words I heard and show I watched. I felt like 40 years of progress in race relations were melting away before my very eyes.

Surely Dr. Martin Luther King was spinning in his grave. He gave so much to get our society past this point. And now Rev. Wright was moving to goal posts backwards.

I worked on a blog post, but I simply could not find the right words. Fortunately, Tuesday afternoon Barack Obama did it for me.

“I’m outraged by the comments that were made and saddened by the spectacle. The person that I saw yesterday was not the person I met 20 years ago. His comments were not only divisive and destructive, but they end up giving comfort to those who prey on hate. I believe they do not accurately portray the perspective of the black church. They certainly don’t portray mine. If he considers this political posturing, then he doesn’t know me very well. And I don’t know him well either.”

"There wasn’t anything constructive out of yesterday. All it was was a bunch of rants that aren’t grounded in truth…It was a show of disrespect to me.”

"I gave him the benefit of the doubt in my speech in Philadelphia explaining that he’s done enormous good. … But when he states and then amplifies such ridiculous propositions as the U.S. government somehow being involved in AIDS. … There are no excuses. They offended me. They rightly offend all Americans and they should be denounced.”

"It’s antithetical to our campaign. It’s antithetical to what I’m about. It’s not what America stands for. Rev. Wright does not speak for me. He doesn’t speak for our campaign. I can’t prevent him from making these outrageous remarks … When I say I find these statements appalling, I mean it."


"It makes me angry and saddens me.”

Obviously I've done some editing and reworking of my transcription and those I located on other blogs. I apologize for any errors I have made. But, Obama's words are powerful. I certainly couldn't have said it better.