Obama’s Former Pastor Blames Media for Campaign Controversy
MILFORD, Conn. — Barack Obama’s former pastor, speaking Thursday at a forum about race and religion, criticized the media’s coverage of a controversy that threatened to derail Obama’s campaign and caused the president-elect to sever ties with his longtime spiritual leader.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr. said the media took videotaped clips out of context that showed him making anti-American statements from the pulpit of the Chicago church where Obama had worshipped for 20 years.
The videos, which included Wright thundering “God Damn America” from his pulpit, dominated cable television for weeks.
Wright, speaking to an audience of about 200 people at a Milford church, said he was trying to convey the anger and desire for vengeance that people felt following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He said the media failed to explain that Wright was a proud Christian who was raised in a Christian home.