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This is not like the racial-theory sermons of Jeremiah Wright and Michael Pfleger. Those clergymen were tagged as mentors and allies of Obama’s at the time they were seen on tape giving extended diatribes about the sins of powerful white people. When you’re a black candidate trying to convince skeptical heartland types that you really do love America, that sort of thing is a blow.
Especially since the reverend’s original, excellent question–why is Obama talking about faith-based initiatives instead of investment in African-American communities?–was lost when he added a comment that’s arguably insensitive to the history of brutality against black men and at the very least had to sound crude to the ears of older church folk who make up his core following.
Though the congressman has been busy campaigning around the country for Obama, everything I’ve heard suggests he still has designs on running this city someday, either as its king or its kingmaker. That may seem improbable, but unless he can convince people he’s way different from his dad, it’s downright impossible.
