‘Ridin’ Dirty’ on the campaign trail

It became increasingly hard to view Barack Obama as the “unifier” that he professes to be when he did not quickly disassociate himself from the maniacal Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
In an ego trip to the National Press Club, a friendly venue for a Democrat since it is the fraternity house of the Left, Rev. Wright continued to insert himself in places that he should not be, while condemning Bill Clinton for the same.
In what appeared to be a half press conference, half sermon, which totaled one bad idea, Rev. Wright used his dubious fame to lecture America on race. In so doing, he put up a major roadblock in the way of what could be a historic breakthrough in race relations: the election of an African-American president. The good reverend does not seem to care; it is all about him.
The latest brouhaha over religion and race plays poorly into Obama’s campaign of “hope.” However, it does play into Hillary’s campaign of so-called “hope.” The difference is that Hillary hopes that Rev. Wright keeps talking, thus solidifying her following of white Democrat males with mullet haircuts.
I love black churches.
Somehow this surprises people because if someone in America today (like me) wants equal rights, and not affirmative action, they somehow are racist. Oh well.
Each year I take my kids to a dear friend’s black church where we donated the money to build their pulpit. All of my experience with black churches has been positive. For many in the black community, the church is their country club, Kiwanis Club, school, moral authority and for many without a father, their family. The church serves an important role.
I am not going to win the Nobel Peace Prize for this, but my point is that I am no stranger to what is said in black churches which, since revealed by Rev. Wright, shocked and amazed most whites. It is the same feeling of disbelief that blacks and whites grappled with when O.J. Simpson was found not guilty in his trial in L.A.
As a humorist and libertarian, it is my dream that one day we will become so equal that I can make fun of all politicians without being called racist. Once we get to the Humor Promised Land, then we are truly healed as a nation.
Rev. Wright is simply ripping the scab off of race relations and exposing a wound that has yet to be reckoned with by political leaders. Politicians pander to race for their own benefit, but they have no intention on getting past it as it is an effective tool. Without race and class envy, the Democrats really have no campaign tools.
The media continues its fascination with Obama, but this new religious stumble toward the charismatic Illinois senator’s coronation is clearly troubling. Politicians bring religion into politics at their own peril. Yet, somehow the members of the media will spin it for Obama, and probably tie it to their belief that the young senator was born in a manger.
It is funny to watch the press excuse the racist comments of blacks while vilifying the likes of David Duke.
If Duke was a Democrat saying those things, they would just excuse him as a sheet-wearing victim, a cute man with a pointy hat and just a product of his upbringing. They have done that for Sen. Robert Byrd for decades: Byrd was a Klan organizer so he was way up in the hierarchy; he was so far up in the Klan, in fact, that he was issued a fitted sheet.
Obama decided late Tuesday that Wright’s egregious act had to be addressed. Unlike the Clinton marriage, Obama decided that politically he could no longer look the other way.
It is certainly fair game for the media to explore this, since his decisions as president will be influenced by his advisors. If Obama differs from the nation so starkly that he cannot lead this country, it is best that we know now.
We have religious freedom in America, and Obama could have gone to any hundreds of thousands of churches. He knowingly chose Rev. Wright’s church. He must then be judged by his associations as our potential leader.
I wish we had known more about President Bush’s understanding of Iraqi culture and temperament or who he would rely on for intelligence.
All of the concerns about Obama are more than fair, and thank goodness for the non-mainstream media for bringing this to our attention.
Ron Hart is a Southern libertarian columnist who writes a weekly column about politics and life. He worked for Goldman Sachs and was appointed to The Tennessee Board of Regents by Lamar Alexander. His E-mail is RevRon10@aol.com.