Honesty

In today's politics, its assumed most politicians are liars or at the very least benders of the truth. The many scandals over the past fifty years have seen to that. So why in this latest reemergence of Rev. Wright is Senator Obama still taken at face value by many?

The Senator claims, "...the insensitivity and the outrageousness of his statements and his performance in the question and answer period yesterday. I think shocked me. It surprised me." Really? Shock and Surprise were your emotions? Anyone else surprised?

If you say were surprised you either had no internet, TV, or newspaper access since Rev. Wright became a household name or you're a liar. Senator Obama falls in the later category. Barak Obama not knowing Wright's extremist beliefs is about as likely as Sammy Sosa really forgetting how to speak english or not knowing his bat was corked. Sure there is a small chance, but its so small it should be laughable to suggest so.

So the Senator from Illinois has finally disowned Rev. Jeremiah. When did this occur? After a twenty year relationship with the man? No. After the national media exposed Wright's extreme beliefs? No. Not until Rev. Wright suggested that Senator Obama's speech, statements and actions regarding him were politically motivated did the Senator decide to cut that relationship off.

That is the straw that broke the camels back. For the Senator, "God Damn America" or federal government AIDS spreading theories aren't as objectionable as a politically damaging observation that most unbiased third parties already made.

One thing Rev. Wright can't be accused of is parsing his words or not saying what he believes. He may be out there, but he can't be called a liar. Which is what makes this quote from a April 30 2007 New York Times article so interesting.

“If Barack gets past the primary, he might have to publicly distance himself from me,” Mr. Wright said with a shrug. “I said it to Barack personally, and he said yeah, that might have to happen.”

This is not a new kind of politics. This is not hope. This is the same old thing in an articulate, younger and darker package which seems to fool a lot of people.