Clinton doubles lead over Obama in Pennsylvania

Uh-oh. Was this expected? Here's hoping the undecideds decide for Obama!

Looks like peopel are not buying his lame speech to explain why he attended a hate mongers church for 20 years. That scandal ruined Obama. He will never win now.

I suppose this doesn't surprise me...I am a Republican, however Obama had my attention...I really felt that he might be the one to bring about changes to the face of politics..I wouldn't of voted for him, but I was chhering for him...But I have to say that I am having a VERY difficult time overcoming the fact that he willingly spent 20 years of his life with a man whose spews hate & racism...And that he listened to him as a spiritual advisor... I feel like it is the same old thing with "African American's" they can put on a neutral front, however behind the facade lies the attitudes like Rev. Wright... Such a SHAME!! I would hate to see HIllary wins this nomination...I suppose the deck will land where it is suppose to!
Perhaps now that the people can see how USELESS Hilary actually was in the White House and that her Foreign Policy experience she touts is FRAUD, we might have a huge influx of voters over to the republican ticket..Albeit, McCain isn't really a TRUE conservative...

Obama is toast. In fact, the Demoncratic party is toast.

ha ha the obama campaign wheels are starting to come off!!! sniff sniff can anyone say "Howard Dean!" Eerily similar ha! Alas people are beginning to see all talk and no action and surrounded by bad people. The Race Speech was good, but ineffective and hardly convincing!!! GO HILLARY!!!!

Why the hell are people voting for this idiot?

As with all the other big important states Hillary will win Pennsylvania. Go Hillary!!

As with all the other big important states Hillary will win Pennsylvania. Go Hillary!!

So, I take it that freedom of speech doesn't really apply to the black church then, does it. I have on numerous occasions heard comments by white pastors saying negative things about America. I've even been in the audience. This is a truly sad time for this country, a truly very sad time.

90% of my family resides in PA. One trip there will make it very obvious why Hillary is winning in the polls. I've never been to a more racially divided area in my life.

Hillary still needs to win all remaining states by at least 20 points to stay in the race. Based on the polls she's done unless Obama gets hit by a bus.

The big questions remain unanswered that cut to the core of Obama's credibility, character and judgment:

Mr. Obama, if you truly believe in a united America and are "post racial," why for the last 25 years have you aligned yourself and your family with the hateful, anti-American, anti-white, anti-semitic rhetoric of Jeremiah Wright and the Black Nationalist movement?

Mr. Obama, why have you donated tens of thousands of dollars, including $22,500 last year alone, to Jeremiah Wright to further his campaign of hate and diviseness?

Mr. Obama, why did it take the media and plummeting poll numbers to jolt you out of what can only be described as a racist stupor to address the issues of hate in your church?

Thank God people are finally starting to see the real Obama. Because he doesn't have much experience to run on, he professes to be "post-racial" and a new kind of politician. That is his primary appeal. The problem is, is that he is neither. Whether it's his 20-year association with a racist and anti-American "mentor"; or his admitted "boneheaded" relationship with Rezko; or his lying about the NAFTA incident; or his lying about his continuous opposition to the Iraq war; or his lying about getting us out in 16 months; or his continual use of the race card (for which he was busted by Tim Russert during one of the debates); or now his attempt to stop the revotes in Michigan and Florida which will result in the disenfranchisement of millions of voters ala Bush/Rove; Obama has shown that he is not honest, he is not the uniter, and he is not a new kind of politician. No, he is merely another relatively inexperienced, typical politician who happens to be able to read a speech on a teleprompter as good as anyone since Ronald Reagan. So, for many of us, it's not that we didn't hear the whole speech; it is that we just don't believe him anymore.

Obama's inability to properly distance himself from his pastor, farrakhan, and his wife's comments is tearing him down. Many people who were so impressed with his ability to glide above the fray are now unimpressed as he appears as problematic as the other candidates. This is definitely a race-driven vote now.

If she ends up winning the nomination but won't release her tax returns, this old leftover left-winger from the 1960s will vote for McCain.

The polls thus far have pretty much been wrong this entire election, so I would take this one with a grain of salt. First, we need to keep in mind that this election has swarms of new voters, whom the pollsters do not contact. Second, most pollsters use landline phones. A lot of young people only have cell phones, so their opinions aren't really being counted and they are voting in overwhelming numbers for Obama.

The polls thus far have pretty much been wrong this entire election, so I would take this one with a grain of salt. First, we need to keep in mind that this election has swarms of new voters, whom the pollsters do not contact. Second, most pollsters use landline phones. A lot of young people only have cell phones, so their opinions aren't really being counted and they are voting in overwhelming numbers for Obama.

Obama's lies, and profound lack of character and judgment are "coming home to roost."

You will continue to fool the fools, but their numbers will dwindle with each passing day as they wake up from their zombie-like comas and pour your vile Kool-Aid down the drain.

Goodbye sweet prince of deceit and hate.

It's amazing to see the change in the media's perception of these two candidates.

All seems positive for Clinton and all seems negative for Obama.

So much for any meaningful chamge in the political scene in this country.

It would seem people in this country choose the comfortable confines of mediocrity over any sort of meaningful change.

Glad this current society wasn't around 200 some-odd year ago or we'd be purchasing our tea and crumpets with pounds and schillings.

Oops...sorry...didn't mean to sound unpatriotic. I want to be blindly patriotic no matter the cost.

We'll see if this lead holds. The poll was taken from the 13th through the 18th so Obama's speech on race in America had no impact on the responses. Now that he has begun to take back control of the debate and will hopefully stop letting Hillary define him, his numbers will increase. Remember, the primary is over a month away and everything could change in that amount of time. The pollsters themselves point out that the race is hardly decided and this poll only proves that Pennsylvania remains a battleground state for both the Democratic primaries and the general election.

Buried in his smoke screen speech on Monday, Obama contradicted more than a year of denials and spin from him and his staff about his knowledge of Jeremiah Wright's controversial sermons and pattern of hate and anti-Americanism.

It looks like Americans are smarter than Obama thinks.

Looks like Reverend Wright is doing more damage than Obama's supporters would like to admit. So much for the great lecture..um, I mean speech, the other day.

Good for Hillary. Obviously voters in Pennsylvania have decided not to drink the Obama Kool-Aid. What these figures do not show is that he is not polling as well among African Americans in Pennsylvania compared with elsewhere in the country.
Obama campaigned vigorously last year against Mayor Michael Nutter. Nutter won -- and apparently has not forgotten the slight from Obama. Nutter has endorsed Clinton. Obama campaigned for a mayoral candidate with a name as unusual as his own: Chaka Fattah, who lost resoundingly. Payback, as they say, is a dog.

Bruce Springsteen-Radio Nowhere

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmLt6kcZ72Q

"I always look at my work as trying to measure the distance between American promise and American reality," Springsteen says. "And I think (Obama's) inspired a lot of people with that idea: How do you make that distance shorter? How do we create a more humane society? We've lived through such ugly times that people want to have a romance with the idea of America again, and I think they need to.

Obama should not get the nomination. We don't need a racist in the White House. If Obama thought Imus should be fired, we feel that Obama should be fired.

Listen up Democrats. If Omama is the Nominee, the Republicans will keep the White House. It's not called the White House for nothing.

Governor Rendel might just wish he had supported Obama after this is all said and done. He IS part the the machine and that is exactly what needs to change. Doing all of the stuff behind closed doors. If Obama get the nomination where will Governor Rendall be than....yeah he will switch his loyality as fast as he ca, I only hope that Obama sees him for what he is. I may even move to PA just to vote against Rendel what ever it is he runs for next. As close as he is to the Billary Clintions one wonders if he has aspirations of being the VP nominee

It is very unfortunate that the race becomes now the deciding factor to elect the President of the US.I believe all of us are looking to the color of skin to elect a President even if the country falls down to recession,unemployment,selling our govt contracts to the foreign countries,Increase in fuel charge and big companies moving out of the US to make huge profit etc, etc.What a shame to call us the most developed countries in the world. our minds are bogged down with the race, race, race. I Know no one in this world is perfect, and I was under the belief that the people of the US have a thick skin to forget and forgive. May be I am wrong.Good Luck to you Barak.

we want Barack Obama not clinton

This is the facts. Persons voting for either candidate is voting because they like the candidate and believe the candidate will do the things they say.

Voter's at this point shouldn't let the "media" sway your vote based on inneundo, gossip, circumventions of the truth, guilty by association and the rest of the nonsense.

When you add Race to the equation, the media has obviously turned this into a Race Election of the Democratic side. The media is responsible for what it chooses to print or broadcast; the ways the American Media works, they decide then disseminate the media universally and all components: radio, televison and print newspapers speak, talk and write on the issues. In other words, the media is a group of highly educated people. They knew, associating Barrack Obama with something his Pastor said would hurt him when it came to all the white support he was getting. And this is exactly why the Media let this story go and are keeping the story in print, talk radio and broadcast news overwhelmingly. They want to defeat Barrack Obama. The reason. Millions of people would say out of bias. And, I'll go even further. The powers that be in this country have warned the media to get this guy because the powers that be do not want a African American to lead what they feel is the Greatest Country on Earth, created for and by European Americans and they do not want a Black man holding that much Power. It would shock the world, and make the powerful people in Washington a laughing stock in World circles. I mean in Brazil the majority population is Black over 90 million, but a small Latino population of Spain and Portugese run the country and keep Blacks in a Caste System of Low Class. They only have one elected official out of 90 million people a female that was elected a few years ago. Look at France. Blacks can't vote their. In fact, no immigrant can.. Same thing in Germany. This is to bad for Obama because a lot of white's like the guy; but, they must stick to the larger plan. Obama may have a hard time winning the Senate seat back in Illinois when his term is up also. We haven't got that far, but I bet the GOP has.

Obama has done nothing but attend a Church;no doubt, his wife was a member of first since she is from Chicago and he probably stayed there because it was a family decision. The church in actuality in nothing like it is being portrayed.

Hey Dummy , You posted an artiscle requesting Campaign Donations without an address.

GO HILLARY !!!

GO HILLARY !!!

Now what is needed is an in-depth analysis of John McCain's embracing of Rod Parsley, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson - Christian preachers who have advocated the eradication of Islam, death to homosexuals, and assasinations of democratically elected foreign leaders. Seems to me that the Reverend Wright pales in comparison to these violent and malevolent
white ministers.

Looks like democrats have once more found a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory

It disappoints me that people are willing to distance themselves from Obama because of Reverend Wright.

As a non-White, non-Latino, and non-African American living in a predominantly African American neighborhood I can't speak for any of those ethnicities I am not, but I can see where Wright is coming from.

Resentment runs deep and it goes back generations.

While I don't agree with him on the AIDS thing at all, I certainly can understand his suspicions. After all, the guy was still an adult when the Tuskegee Study of Untreated Syphilis in the Negro Male was uncovered in the press. And that went on for forty years! So, it doesn't tae much for someone still shocked by that to think gov't conspiracy when it comes to AIDS.

Then the idea that the U.S. brought 9/11 upon themselves isn't such a farfetched idea. In fact Ron Paul has said similar things in the Republican debates. Not that we were responsible for the attacks, but our meddling in Middle East affairs that date back decades had some bearing on these attacks.

Go Hillary! Hillary is the best person for the job of President

I find it interesting that if this was a white candidate attending a church where the pastor said these things about African Americans... his/her political career would be over.

Talk about double standard. I know African Americans are angry about prejudice but does that mean they should also act prejudiced? I think not. Lead by example Obama. In this case you failed.

houston you have a problem--concerning the most honest, fallible, intelligent, capable candidate you have had a chance to support....god hel us all....

someone considered obama's speech a rorschach test of sorts. people will interpret it in a way revealing their inner biases and deeper feelings regarding the topic of race relations and reconciliation.

it's clear to most who have posted thus far that they are not convinced because they have chosen--or for lack of critical reading/ listening ability are unable (my sense the latter)--to fully parse out his speech to find answers about obama, wright, and the state of american citizens concerning each other, their differences, their commonalities, their self-imposed divisions. however, , it's clear to me that obama is not only sincere with what he is saying, but he's also capable of looking at issues from a level-headed perspective and laying it out for all to see, study, discuss, and seek deeper, meaningful solutions. but, you can rant all you want. it's all sport to you--like the ravings of fans about their hometeams. hot air and meaningless ultimately until you sober up, get showered for work, and realize that the silly season wasn't worth the hangover.

to the matter of wright--it's clear that he has some anger about american domestic and foreign policies. no doubt, he has been called N* and has been forced to eat at other counters and use other bathrooms and was perhaps denied access to loans, and neighborhoods. heck, he was probably called "boy" once or twice. so is there hate? why wouldn't there be is the question. why wouldn't he wish the same harm on those institutions that have and continue to harm people like him? it's called sweet revenge. no, it's not a jesus thing to feel, but he's not jesus. he's a black man in america. get with it.

NEWS FLASH TO THE ISOLATED FOOLS OUT THERE: there are THOUSANDS of Americans who feel the same way who are of all backgrounds--asians, latinos, scared racists, survivalists, gays, mysoginists who fear women's new found power, short people, men with small things, etc. The fact that his statements have been made public is a gift to americans because the fact is, those who pound their chests out of patriotism and nationalism have made themselves deaf to the many silent citizens who truly whisper beneath their breath that things should be better, but the powers that be won't allow change to get in the way of profits so (paraphrased of course): screw this country, screw the rich bastards who always get away with crimes while the poor get the shaft, ie, homeowners losing homes, while banks that created the predatory loans and sold the heck out of them up and down the chain are get corporate welfare bail outs!!, screw the president and his arrogant, illiterate myopic view of the world, screw america--the land of small minded complainers and whiners whose children have to wear helmets and have to ALL win on America's soccer fields every friggin' saturday, who are raised by equally ignorant mothers and fathers who would rather talk boats and college sports than gain and offer a sense of the real world around them, screw white male blue collar workers who are too ignorant to see that they're getting screwed by their white white collar brothers EVERY SINGLE DAY like the enron folks and the bear stearn folks, and now the halliburton and the pentagon folks who are sending them to fight unnecessary wars, screw the lazy, drug-addled, gun toting blacks who complain and have had plenty of time to get their acts together and join the progress of this country DESPITE THE OBSTACLES (refer to other immigrants who arrive, don't know anything and the next thing you know--4 gas stations, 2 liquor stores, a bar, a restaurant, the public office!!), screw the wets who come here with all the other immmigrants and impose their lousy driving, garbled english, mean spirited, thirdworld haggling, cash-only to avoid the taxes store-owning cultures on us and get the under the table jobs for HALF THE MINIMUM WAGE the send the money to a foreign economy, screw the white liberals like hillary who only use their stances to win favor from minorities and poor whites to gain power and send their husbands around the world collecting millions of dollars in speaking fees and "consultant" gigs hooking up their buddies with drilling rights and oil rights and sex trafficking rights, screw michelle obama who doesn't konw when to keep her mouth shut and doesn't know how to keep the attention from getting to her thick, nappy head, screw obama who through good old american ambition and insecurity as a lost mixed breed young adult sought comfort and a sense of place in an idiot like wright and his ilk who talk as if they actually believe the crap they say, screw houston for the people who write on here--including me--who are so lonely that they seek to piss their opinions out in the anonymous ethers of the internet without ever truly engaging in anything educational, mind broadening and perspective-challenging, and screw the democrats for not having the balls to put their candidates, and the renegades of michigan and florida in check before it got ugly, screw the governor of florida for sticking his white nose in business that doesn't concern him, screw the republicans who are very smart and capable--nay, MASTERFUL at being such low lifes it's friggin impressive in a good-luck-in-hell sort of way. and screw me for expecting more from the american people who have done such a good job since the reagan years to vote with the lowest levels of their brains--the part that tells you when you're hungry, horny, sleepy, and have to move a bowel.

i'm so glad i don't feel this way.

god...forgive...america.

Wow IF Hillary wins with her 51% it will make her 3 wins out of the past 18 and Obama will win enough delegates to still make it mathematically impossible for her to win. What is the point? She has lost more states, more delegates, more votes, the only thing she is winning is Republican and Drug Addict Rush Limpbaugh support because they want to run against her and not Obama.

This isn't very surprising considering the intelligence level of the average citizen in philly. All Hillary is doing is setting up McCain and a hundred years in Iraq, her and Billy should commended for their service to this country..

Black people can want and hope all they want in America - THEY WILL NEVER GET A BLACK PRESIDENT. Obama is as close to perfect as you will ever get to a candidate, but Nothing and Noone BLACK will EVER be enough for America. Now ask yourself - where would Jeremiah get those crazy notions from??? He must be crazy to call America racist.

you idiots deserve HRC to lead you into the future. First lady that could not even do that Job right. Just ask BILL.

I really didn't realise these Racial effects were so bad in the United States.. WHY DO YOU HOLD A MAN ACCOUNTABLE FOR WORDS HE DID NOT UTTER? HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT SAY THINGS YOU DON'T AGREE WITH AND YET THEY ARE STILL FAMILY/FRIENDS? DO YOU THINK THIS WRIGHT PASTOR SPENT HIS 20 YEARS BARACK HAS BEEN IN THIS CHURCH SAYING THESE THINGS LIKE THAT?
THIS IS ELECTION TIME AND PEOPLE FROM ANY ANGLE OF CAMPAIGN WILL SAY THINGS CANDIDATES ARE NOT SAYING. JUST LIUKE THE WOMAN FROM THE CLINTON CAMPAIGN SAID WHAT SHE SAID, DP YPU HOLD HILLARY ACCOUNTABLE FOR THAT? COME ON PEOPLE YOU ARE BETTER AND MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THAT. LEST ADDRESS THE ISSUES BEING FACED BY THE COUNTRY.

GO OBAMA!!

For those aghast (like myself) at the attacks on Obama based on a church that has been such a force for hope and progress in this city, remember that the people on this board attacking Obama are the ones who are racist. They have been biding their time, slandering him with their silly "Barack is a Muslim" rhetoric, and now they have found their time to pounce.

The white side of Barack's family are the ones who raised him and loved him, and you call him a racist. I suppose you find that easier than calling him the names you are already calling him in your racist heart of hearts.

BTW, I'm a white male and like Barack I cringed over racist comments my own grandmother used to make. I have also seen firsthand the racial division in OH and PA. Obama may lose PA but he'll win the nomination and the election because he's the best candidate, regardless of race, gender, or experience.

Maybe the endorsement of Obama from the New Black Panther party will help, although the Obama campaign removed that information from its Web site yesterday. I wonder why?

I'd like to know why it matters to people what the paster of Obama's church says in sermons to his congregation? What does this have to do with the presidency? Have any of you so-called people of faith ever shuddered at things Rev. Falwell has said, such as, there is no such thing as evolution? Does that mean that anyone who listended to Rev. Falwell is automatically and catigorically married to those comments? Absolutely not, you are allowed to be guided in faith by people who you may not agree with part and parcel on every point. This arguement is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever seen in American politics. To be fair, we need to get transcripts of the sermons that the Clintons and McCains have attended over the course of their lives to make sure that we don't disagree with anything that their pastors said. We are shooting ourselves in the foot in this country. We have been presented with a real chance to change the political landscape that most of agree needs changing and all we are doing is looking for a reason to hate a guy who has the ability to affect the change we all want. So we have picked the most trivial, unrelated thing to stick to this guy so that we can keep our heads burried in the sand. Shame on us, we will get what we deserve. I just hope that the people who still have a chance to cast votes in the primaries have a few weeks to come to their senses. FYI America - the candidate who is perfect to you and who you agree with 100% of the time in thought and action does not exist. I commend Obama for standing up to this ridiculous attack and not disavowing his pastor. He made clear that he does not agree with his sentiments, but he did not condemn the man because there is probably a lot more good in Jeramiah Wright than there is bad - such as - he served his country in the Marine Corps and was a veteran of the Korean War. I agree with the previous poster who described us a spoiled teenagers. We have to wake up.

Have we all noticed also how the media has been obsessively focused on this preacher story? Like a rabid dog that won't let go...the media is obviously biased, but to whom? McCain...Hillary...or just sensationalizing 'non-issues'?

Do we all recall the media doing the same thing with Mr. Bill and Monica? Every hour of every day...it was truley mind numbing. And so we have history repeating itslef as it often does...the medai once again filling the airwaves with meaningless attention to a fairly trivial issue when held up against more formidable issues that face this country.

I wish I could wave a magic wand and open the eyes of the American Lemming...*sigh*...

Jerry, Obama is the on Democratic nominee with any chance at all of beating McCain. I'm a Democrat and I'D vote McCain over Hillary.

Hillary CAN NOT WIN. Nominating her is a waste of everyone's time.

Everybody still spouting off about Wright when we've been being lead by the nose by white, evangelical, creationist, Jesus Camp, gay-hating money-preachers for the past 8 years. Yes, these holier-than-thou white 'Christians' who think gays should die and that you'll go to eternal suffering if you don't follow their beliefs. Take a look at McCain's Hagee endorsement...why no outrage there?

Wow...all the neocons are out in full force with their lies and talking points? Listen to Limbaugh much John D and Ben and Vinny (nice spelling of peopel btw...where did YOU go to school?) and Jack Jons and Fred. Do any of you have an ORIGINAL opinion collectively between the whole lot of you?

As a couple of other people have said, polls don't mean too much this time around, and people generally aren't paying attention to the smear campaigns either. SO all of you should just shut your mouthes because it's not working this time around! Hilary was supposed to clean house in Texas, remember? And who got the majority of the delegates when it was all said and done? Obama. Who's crying and moaning NOW because Michigan and Florida still aren't going to be counted? HILARY.

She needs to absolutely kick butt in EVERY state from now on to have a chance at winning. She might pull off Pennsylvania, but that's only one piece of the puzzle. Obama has an inside track at Indiana since he's been pulling states all around it...so that's why Hilary's there right now. She needs momentum. ANY momentum.

At least I know this much: both Clinton and Obama know that Iran doesn't train al Queda terrorists, even if McCain 'forgot'. There's your Republican nominee - Mr. Forgetful!

I had a rather hard time chooseing between Obama and Hillary, but is now obvious that Obama's change is not what I would support. How can you unify a country with such hate?

It's unfortunate that the Wright thing has given this country's bigots a pretext for keeping the (1/2) black guy out, yet from the hateful comments we see from the (presumably) white posters here, that's exactly what's happening. The faux outrage is absurd.

By the standards of these haters the only conceivable black candidate is one who wants no part of the black community (however you want to define it). These people not interested in diversity. They're interested in conformity. And because Obama does not conform strictly to the standards of "mainstream" white society, he's being shunned. I'm ashamed for our country. You can see from attitudes like those expressed here that we're really not all that far advanced beyond the days of de jure segregation.

When Obama brought in his grandmother's comments as well as Ferraro's comments and tried to equate them with Wright's, it just proved that he is also a political hack. Now that he is fighting Clinton on equal (and not unfair) terms, it's tougher for him to win. He would have been a lot smarter if he had just apologized for supporting Wright, distanced himself from him and spoke about the races working together. He would have come out a champion. But, then he went into the gutter and now he has to be treated equally.

What is Obama's race? he has a White mother & African father. Why is he only referred to as African American? Is "black blood" that much stronger than "white blood" or is it by making him "just black" it make for "a better fight?" White against black, man vs woman? I fear his days as front runner are almost over. How can someone who's intelligent, great communicator and multi-racial be the top representative of the United States. Let's face it, the average American has much more in common with an ignorant, lying,"America's always right, " self serving President like George Bush. Got help us.

I was at an event last week-end and nobody there was going to vote for Obama after seeing the Rev Wright tapes.

All of the dems that voted for Obama in Illinois wish Hillary would of came out with the tapes earlier... they feel hood-winked by Obama.

Paulo

Two old sayings come to mind when I think of Obama and his association with the hateful Jeremiah Wright and Black Nationalist movement:

Actions speak louder than words.

Judge a man by his deeds, not his words.

So long, Obama.

I can understand why many are upset by the words of Rev. Wright. However, they are not Obama's words. I cannot judge his actions regarding his paster not having walked in the man's shoes. So what do you do, you have to make an intelligent informed decision based on information you have available to you and just a gut feeling you have about the man. I do know, however, without a single doubt in my mind, that Hillary is not what this country needs. She is more of the same. We need a drastic change in this country and the Clintons are not that change. Remember the last time they were in the White House -- the Democrats lost both houses of Congress and the Presidency because of their actions. Where would we be now if Al Gore had been elected instead of Bush. Why didn't Al Gore get elected???? Because of the actions of the Clintons. WE NEED CHANGE! How much more can we take of the same old politics. The only person running in this election that represents any kind of change is Obama. He may be imperfect (as we all are), but if you want this country to go in a different direction he is the best choice. Don't listen to the sounds bites, think. Think long and hard about where we have been, who got us there and where you want us to go in the future. We take chances at every election because we know that what the candidates say they may not be able to deliver. They don't have absolute power to make these things happen. So to some degree you have to look at character and right now the people with the best character in this election are Obama and McCain. However, McCain is too old and will be too easily swayed by the powers that want to keep us in war. Bless his heart he can't even keep what's going on in Iraq straight without help. So think long and hard about your decision.

For those aghast (like myself) at the attacks on Obama based on a church that has been such a force for hope and progress in this city, remember that the people on this board attacking Obama are the ones who are racist. They have been biding their time, slandering him with their silly "Barack is a Muslim" rhetoric, and now they have found their time to pounce.

The white side of Barack's family are the ones who raised him and loved him, and you call him a racist. I suppose you find that easier than calling him the names you are already calling him in your racist heart of hearts.

BTW, I'm a white male and like Barack I cringed over racist comments my own grandmother used to make. I have also seen firsthand the racial division in OH and PA. Obama may lose PA but he'll win the nomination and the election because he's the best candidate, regardless of race, gender, or experience.

No, Obama is going to win the nomination. Why? Because he is so far ahead in delegates, popular vote, states -- every category except already-committed superdelegates driven primarily by democratic party hacks -- that Clinton cannot catch up without overturning the party rules and ripping the party in half.

Remember, Clinton needs to win ~63% of ALL the remaining delegates in ALL the remaining states to end up ahead. So far, Clinton has NEVER broken 60%. Not even in her home state of New York. Not in California. Not in Ohio. And according to this poll, not in Pennsylvania.

Even though Clinton is currently ahead in Pennsylvania, this lead will change many times and will all end with Obama winning the nomination.

Sorry to inject logic into the idiocy on this blog.

Peace.

Of course there are NO white politicians who have friends and associates with extreme views on race! Be serious.

how can you condemm someone for a sound bite after 20 years of sermens
Barrack's speech was brillant.If it makes you uneasy then you have some soul seaching to do.

He did nothing with that lecture other than try to deflect the real issues. How could he associate with, and expose his little girls to, such a racist? Plus, what he did to his grandmother was absolutely disgusting. Here is a women who raised a biracial child back when it was considered scandalous. She sacrificed for him and raised him just to have him compare her to that vile hate monger. Shame on him.
Shame on those among you who condone this behavior.
Shame on the media for daring to compare that lecture to any speech by the great MLK.
when you lie down with dogs, you rise up with fleas. Someone hand Obama a flea collar, he is infested.

This is one poll, taken before Obama's speech on race relations, and the primary is a month away. So don't put too much stock in it. The Wright thing is going to blow over.

I grew up in Pennsylvania and worked for six years as a newspaper and magazine journalist there. My prediction is that Hillary will win Pennsylvania by 5-7 percentage points, which won't be enough to gain significant ground in the delegate count. Despite Ed Rendell's efforts, Obama will win Philadelphia and the Philly suburbs by a big margin, and he'll do well in Pittsburgh's East End, where there's a big population of college students and young professionals. That will offset a lot of the labor and senior vote for Hillary.

Shoot, why couldn't Barrack be a Catholic like everybody else. Hillary didn't bring down Obama, his own radical preacher brought Obama down. Damn he would've made a great President.

These polls are showing a few other things: One, in general, whites were somewhat distrustful of Obama chiefly because of his race but, were willing to give him a try. Two, once this racial charged association came out, white's ( not only the one's in the coming primary states) but across the whole country has galvanized into one and are planning to vote McCain in a president. In other words, if you are a minority, you have to shed your past, your race, your church anything that may be an aversion to what White people think is right. The way white people view the Race issue is the way you must view it too. If white's feel there is no more race issues facing American, there are no more issues. To raise any means you are racist. This is all complicated but what I hope come out of it is that Blacks leave the Democratic Party.

This is one poll, taken before Obama's speech on race relations, and the primary is a month away. So don't put too much stock in it. The Wright thing is going to blow over.

I grew up in Pennsylvania and worked for six years as a newspaper and magazine journalist there. My prediction is that Hillary will win Pennsylvania by 5-7 percentage points, which won't be enough to gain significant ground in the delegate count. Despite Ed Rendell's efforts, Obama will win Philadelphia and the Philly suburbs by a big margin, and he'll do well in Pittsburgh's East End, where there's a big population of college students and young professionals. That will offset a lot of the labor and senior vote for Hillary.

Um, you're arguing about results of a poll.

It took enormous political courage for Barack Obama to stand before a nation of skeptics and address what is perhaps the most difficult and painful issue in the history of this nation: racism. He, son of a white mother and a black father can understand the dilemma of race better than most of us because he has the two perspectives, has experienced discrimination and judgment from both sides and has had to live up to the expectations of both peoples. But not only is he the true bridge in the race gap of this country because of his racial background, but foremost because of his sophisticated and intelligent approach to the issue. I know that after eight years of George Bush, sophistication and intelligence are out of the scope of appreciation of many, as are honesty, courage and dignity. All of which Obama showed a plethora of in his speech. He clearly explained why there are still so many resentments on both sides of the racial divide and why it is so important not to ignore these resentments and pretend they don’t exist. We cannot deny 400 years of a history of discrimination. But we can come together as one nation in dialogue mode with openness and sincerity to heal together. Too bad there are only a few of us that understood his message. That understood that it would have been immoral of him to repudiate his former pastor. It would have been more politically savvy, but immoral. He took the risk of doing the right thing. If after that speech people have any doubt about whether he is ready to be president, this country really has not future except to fall deeper into the hatred, the wars, the corporate greed and the social injustice. I f we are not capable of even the minimal depth of analysis then we deserve another eight years of Hailiburton , Exxon-Mobil and Fox News governing our country.
So be it.

I love how all of the sudden Obama is now a racist? Everyone on this message board knows someone is related to someone or is someone who make derogatory comments about a particular ethnicity, sex or sexual preference. So I guess by these standards everyone in the world is racist and we should just all kill ourselves right?? What happened to people using their brains in this country? The facts are out that Obama has condemmed and i repeat condemmed and rejected the comments by Wright for over a year now. Some may say well how can you be with wright for 20 years. Has everyone here forgotten about a little thing called seperation of church and state??? There's a reason we have it in this country. C'mon clinton people are you so caught up in trying to get your candidate to win that you ignore the fact that older white women come out for clinton in droves and you place that like it's a natural outcome? John McCain has a religious figure that wants to use nuclear weapons to wipe out another religion "look it up" All i'm saying is 2 things 1 you can't hold someone accountable for another persons comments or we'd all be in the same boat and let's get back to the issues you know those things that are supposed to be number 1 on the list for all americans.

Look, we were not the ones who proclaimed he will walk out and seek another church if he were sitting in the pews and heard any of the hate filled sermons of Jeremiah Wright. Obama said it himself. It is thorouhly confirmed he is lying to protect his skin, not his intergrity. When caught lying he pretends to feign anger and indignation at the Rev Jeremiah Wright, his mentor of 20 plus long years. He sould have come clean and admitted an error or even a lapse of judgment, but no he vehemently denied hearing any of those hate filled sppeches. He is treating the American people like idiots and I do not happen to find his antics and waffling amusing. And I'm pretty sure many will NOT find his revolving answers very honest nor sincere.

I thought Obama's speech was great. I understand the rhetoric of fired up pastors. This issue of racism is real and it must be addressed if our nation is to survive another 200 years. Hillary or McCain will not address it.

OBAMA HAS ALREADY BEEN HIT BY A BUS AND HE IS DONE NOW THAT WE REALLY KNOW THE REAL OBAMA AND HIS WIFE SO GOODBYE MR. AND MRS. OBAMA.

reading the above comments and shaking my head. obama is the only candidate with any integrity in the race. if he makes a mistake he immediately explains and apologizes. i find that refreshing, after "i did not have sex with that woman" or "iraq has weapons of mass destruction" or "i did not know what i was voting for" or pick a subject that mccain has done a 180 on. obama gave a great speech if you listened to it. it came as close as i've heard to summing up racism both white and black as i've heard. maybe more importantly he talked about the political strategy of personal attack. we have huge problems in this country. if polls are correct this national enquirer mentality works. the fall of this country has started from 2001. we need to change direction. are we going to elect someone that is different from the typical politician weve seen in the last 20yrs. mc cain used to be that politician but he sold out after 2000. hillary is part of the status quo political world. obama has new ideas much like kennedy in the 60's. we have to drive change by voting for the only non conventional candidate in the race. haven't all of us had associations with people that may be detrimental to getting elected to office if it were put under a microscope. all the candidates have. there is no perfect person out there. we all have warts. look at their views on the issues. this is an important election. a vote for mccain means four more years of bush.

Don't you limit the number of words in these posts?

Go Hill!!!

Obamas campaign is over the only peopel that can not see the writing on teh wall are his sheep. Sorry but much less has ruined the career of many politicians. Obama will lose the chance to be president but I am sure he will still get to be a Senator unlike many others that have ahd similar scandals and mishaps before him.

It's obvious that many of the negative posters didn't actually hear or read his speech. If they had, they would know that they are channeling the simmering white anger that he specifically mentions in his speech. If all of Hillary's supporters think she's the candidate of character and honesty, then this campaign is far from over.

Obama is the right person to lead the USA. the Billaries and Bushes have enough damage.

Go Obama GO!

I understand the public's reaction to Wright's comments. I was appalled by them as well. But, I don't understand why individuals use Wright to crucify Obama and don't have the same reaction when McCain indicates his support for someone like Rev. Falwell or Pat Robertson, who have made equally appalling and divise comments.

I recall that after 9/11, Falwell a statement to the effect that 9/11 was brought back to home in part because of our nation's efforts to promote/tolerate homosexuality, abortion, and other "liberal" agenda items (though his explicit quote and his list of items admittedly escapes me now, that was the sentiment of his statements). Though Falwell's comments are as disgusting as Wright's comments regarding the reason for the 9/11 attacks, I've noticed that the media has not been running tapes of Falwell's comments for days on end like they have with respect to Wright's comments.

Why is it when white Christians agree with the underlying sentiment of these divise statements cloaked in religious sermons by Rev. Falwell (i.e., that homosexuality and abortions are sins), it is acceptable and it is permissible for a candidate like McCain not to denounce Falwell or his beliefs. But, when white Christians hear equally appalling comments from a black preacher, they expect Obama to do more than simply denounce Wright's statements and to erase his past history with Wright or they will refuse to vote for him?

Everyone is entitled to use whatever criteria they wish to decide who they want to vote for in November. But, it concerns me when people have a double standard for deplorable comments from white Christian ministers who are supported by conservative candidates than they do for a black minister supported by Obama. I personally believe that this Wright "scandal" is a scapegoat for certain Americans whose political opinions are aligned with Obama but who have misgivings about having an African American President so that they can explain their decision not to vote for Obama without explicitly saying that they are afraid to support a black man (since that would be deemed racist).

The racism and hate are well rooted here in America. It will take a devine intervention to overcome it all. But all things are possible through God. Good luck Obama

No way. This Wright scandal has doomed Obama's chances in Pennsylvania. The offense caused will be far longer lived than the Obama campaign hopes, and it will continue through the other states.

His 'mentor' of 20 years has cast enough doubt on Obama and his wife's background and patriotism. That plus a skimpy resume will mean most undecideds will drift to Clinton or McCain.

I am not surprised about the double lead HRC has over BO reason;

After the potomac primary in Februrary, PA Gov, said: PA white will not vote for a black man.
the current pastor issue has now given them more reason not to vote for him.

This is a double standard. People should read the following articles on these links:

Http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/19/huckabee-defends-rev-jer_n_92346.html

http:www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-ehrenreich/hillarys-nasty-pastorate_b_92361.html

http:www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obamas-minister-committe_b_91774.html

http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/sally_quinn/2008/03/our_friends_and_thier_views.html

and also google: information on pastor hagee
& reverend parsley

as we are aware, they've bothe endorse the other candidate.

Cast it!

Boy, are there ever a lot of name callers and racists (yeah, you, white boy) on this discussion thread. If you little white 'boys' had had ancestors who were routinely raped and tortured and lynched then you might have more than an ounce of empathy for your fellow Americans who HAVE lived through and with this legacy. Your white-boy ignorance is insulting to all Americans. Your arguments are nothing more than name calling. Obama is right, there comes a time to turn the corner to a new America, one that owns up to both its goodness and its faults as an 'empire.' So all you white boy empire lovers can go jump on the McCain bandwagon and bang the war drum for conflict with Iran and to keep a "White" (washed) House. That's all you are probably good for anyway.

Well,Jerry I'm glad one of you had the nerve to say what your true feelings are. That since the creation of this great country the white race is feeling intimidated by the chance it might be governed by someone other then themselves. That a true measure of civility, and change will finally penetrate the White House. Its funny that all you critics of Mr. Obama stand to call him a racist because of his affilition with Pastor Wright, but would not dare to look yourselves into the mirror and acknowledge your opposition to Mr. Obama because he is black and for no other reason. What if he did shun Pastor Wright? I have no dought there would be something else for you to hate him for. Change comes from you changing your self attitude, to be able to look at a nation that can progress from what your accustomed too and see everyday. The main focus of his speech has been lost on so many of you its unbelievable. We have been waiting hundreds of years for Whites to understand our plight. Threw violence, peaceful protests,and civil diobedience,we have tried to get your attention, to show the nation and world how frustrated and angry we are about or status and treatment. And slowly more than surely progress has inched forward. Barack Obama is the only source we have to sustain this progress and bring the people of this nation together, as it must be.

I cannot believe people are still captivated by Rev. Wright....this just goes to show how much out of touch white america is with the black communty....sorry....you have be in touch with black america before you can be in touch....WHITE AMERICA HAS NEVER BEEN IN TOUCH WITH BLACK AMERICA....OH...I forgot abut that.....It is interesting that MOST BLACK PEOPLE ARE WELL AWARE THAT HATE IS PREACHED AT SOME WHITE CHURCHES ON SUNDAY, WHICH IS WHY WE DO NOT ATTEND.......Look people....this is customary in most black churches....if you don't believe me go visit one....I dare you.. as a matter of fact I will organize a bus tour for white america to visit black churces....anyone interested...plus I could make a truck load full of money off this deal........Guess who's coming to dinner????

Poster Mark says: "Now what is needed is an in-depth analysis of John McCain's embracing of Rod Parsley, Jerry Falwell, and Pat Robertson""
______________

Why? Have one of these guys served as McCain's pastor, mentor and spiritual advisors for the last 25 years? If so, it's an issue.

Has McCain donated tens of thousands of dollars over the last 25 years to one of these guys to ensure they further their message of diviseness? If so, it's an issue.

But the fact is, it's not an issue for McCain because he has no long-standing personal relationship of supporting these guys.

Obama aligned himself and his family with hate and diviseness for more than two decades. That demonstrates extremely poor judgment and collapses everything Obama postured himself to be.

Obama is a con man. Nothing more.

If what reverend Wright has uttered (most of which is taken out of context anyway) sways or validates anyone's dislike of Obama, then you are among what Bill Maher calls the morons of society. Forget his color, forget what pew he sat in at church and listen to what he says and the conviction he proposes to bring to Washington. Don't listen to him and listen instead to those who want to make this about a pastor and then go vote for more of the same...vote for Billary or Grandpa Munster and then...like Obama said the other day, we'll be having these same distractions four years from now!

Boy, are there ever a lot of name callers and racists (yeah, you, white boy) on this discussion thread. If you little white 'boys' had had ancestors who were routinely raped and tortured and lynched then you might have more than an ounce of empathy for your fellow Americans who HAVE lived through and with this legacy. Your white-boy ignorance is insulting to all Americans. Your arguments are nothing more than name calling. Obama is right, there comes a time to turn the corner to a new America, one that owns up to both its goodness and its faults as an 'empire.' So all you white boy empire lovers can go jump on the McCain bandwagon and bang the war drum for conflict with Iran and to keep a "White" (washed) House. That's all you are probably good for anyway.

Paulo:

Which event was that??

I find it hard to believe that you would go ANYWHERE that Democrats go.

Plus, all you people calling Obama a racist - please quote ANY time he has said words to that effect. If you base it on what Wright has said, then McCain is anti-Catholic because of Hagee, anti-Mulim because of Parsley, anti-gay and anti-semitic because of Pat Robertson.

Paulo: Please do NOT speak for the Dems of Illinois. I am still 100% behind Obama.

Keith says: "Obama is as close to perfect as you will ever get to a candidate"
________________

Yes, except for that hateful, Black Nationalist thing Obama has wrapped himself in for the last quarter century. LOL

Except for the fact that Obama has a whopping two years of federal experience, most of which he has spent simply posturing for presidency.

Except for the fact that Obama's foreigns relations experience consists solely of calling long distance to talk with his relatives in Kenya (that's foreign relations, right?).

And the list goes on and on.

Sure, Obama is qualified to become the most powerful leader in the world during these especially challenging times. How tough can it be? LOL

I guess the smear tactic worked like a charm. America's going to hell if Obama isn't elected in Nov

Didn't Hillary say she was going to disclose her tax records? Where did that 5 million loan come from?

Didn't she say she fully supported the war and gave GW a big thumbs up?

Didn't she fail already in Health Reform?

Doesn't she fully support the know racist Geradine Ferraro, which has been quickly covered up with this Reverend fabrication.

Should she be respected more for staying with Billy for her own political aspirations, or should she have done the right thing?

Do you Clinton supporters really enjoy scum bag politics as demonstrated by Hillary's campaign??

All my white friends I can see you are still as white as right and you fell into the race card. I can see your hatred and stupid remarks show you know nothing about the black race and will vote for my wife based on the hate we started and the race bias the whites always fall for... Thanks for being so stupid and again letting your fears work in our favor... Now go back