Somewhat derivative since most of it comes from an earlier column in the New York Daily News. Other than the late addition from the speakers' committee, it doesn't add much to the News column. What interested me most was the comments. Though some are repeat posts from the same people, it attracted a LOT of comments from many people. Many are passionate, several are lengthy and well-researched. But most seem either to be disgusted with "politics as usual"--which makes me wonder if their disgust shouldn't be redirected to media as usual. Or they're mad at the other side for dirty tricks. What a spectacle we're making of our democracy!

Just one more thing to keep in mind as the election approaches.

“Unrepentant,” “militant,” “histrionic.” These are terms that Andrew Malcolm uses to describe the Reverend Jeremiah Wright’s National Press Club speech and question and answer session that followed. I couldn’t help wondering if he actually heard the entire speech and the full question and answer session. I did. I’m not sure how these terms apply unless you only heard the sound clips and not the context. You may not agree with Wright, his conspiracy theories on some subjects may seem far fetched (but certainly no more so than the idea that Wright’s appearance and speech was an elaborate conspiracy by a Wright friend and Clinton supporter!), but overall he was articulate and very credible. It is true that he hammed it ... More »

I don't know if someone put Wright up to it or not. He does not appear the kind of guy that needs any encouragement to shoot off his mouth though. Wright and his nutty conspiracy theories are the African-American version of all those white folk out there who keep emailing me that 9/11 was an inside job. Neither the left or right can claim a monopoly on nutty notions and victimization-paranoia. The real issue here is not Wright and what he believes, but rather why we are even talking about this kind of nonsense in the first place. Some days I feel like I'm trapped in some kind of nation wide high school complete with clicks, bullies and nerds all calling each other names. Very depressing, considering the very real problems -- ... More »

This should not be an important story because it amplifies attention on mud-slinging guilt by association attacks on Obama, instead of focusing on issues. However, the appearance that the National Press Club event was arranged by a major Clinton supporter may help turn this trivializing attack back onto Hillary. I love Wright, and support 95% of the secular part of his religious message, but political operatives must know that in a sound-bite world fed by right wing media with an agenda, Wright's speeches and defense of his less defendable statements could only have a short term negative impact upon Obama. Religion suspends disbelief, and that paradigm makes one susceptible to believing plausible lies, and my good man Wright is ... More »

Well ! Someone else is finally coming to the realization that maybe there's gigantic fly in the ointment in this election. Are pundits sooo shallow and sooo naive that they cannot see the workings of the overheated and far too deeply involved corporate media and running far too many"debates", the latest one (ABC) a blatant attempt to embarass both Obama and Clinton ? And now the eyes of few pundits are opening and seeing, maybe - or its rumored that, a Hillary supporter is behind this heinous National Press Club plot to take down Obama, And totally missing the larger picture entirely ? It's a manufactured corporate media zoo folks, and their man McCain will look better to voters each day so long as the media keep blowing their ... More »