GioBlog

The political significance of Obama’s Rev. Wright problem

Here's what I think is the political significance of Obama's "Rev. Wright problem."

As far as most voters are concerned:

-If Obama was aware of Rev. Wright's views and implicitly endorse them through church membership, attendance and giving, Obama is too radical to be president.

-If Obama was aware of Rev. Wright's views and didn't think they were problem enough to change churches over, Obama doesn't have good enough judgment to be president.

-If Obama was aware of Rev. Wright's views and is trying to finesse the issue to preserve his political viability, Obama is too dishonest to be president.

-If Obama attended Rev. Wright's church for 20 years and wasn't aware of Wright's positions, Obama is too stupid not observant enough to be president.

Clearly, Obama choose to attend a large black church pastored by a radical pastor because it enhanced his local political viability.

But in the presidential campaign, Obama has been trying to sell himself as a "different kind of" black leader. He's succeeded wildly at this positioning move, but the Rev. Wright problem has revealed that, if Obama isn't just another radical black liberal, he certainly spends his time with them.

And the mainstream voters who have been attracted to Obama as a symbol aren't down with the radical agenda Obama is now, for the first time, associated with.