*Pastor Wright reveals "central contradiction" of Obama's campaign
*National Review, Politico, Sowell, Farah and more on Obama controversy
*Fed to slash rates today
*New New York Governor admits to adultery

03.18.08 Briefing • Steve Elliott, Grassfire.org • Subscribe here • RSS

Obama Controversy Continues; Damage Control Speech Today

Today, Barack Obama will deliver an address on the issue of race, clearly an effort at damage control as the story of his pastor Jeremiah Wright's outrageously racist, hateful and profane views continues to escalate.

Update 10:52am-- Drudge link to text of speech

Rich Lowry of National Review points out that Obama's denials are quite hollow since, in his book, Obama recounts how in the first sermon he ever heard from Wright the pastor used many of the same themes that are at the center of the controvery.

Lowry says Wright reveals the "central contradiction of the Obama campaign":

"an orthodox liberal politician who rose to prominence in a left-wing milieu in Chicago and has never broken with his party on anything of consequence is campaigning on unifying the country. There is nothing particularly unifying about Obama’s past and his voting record. The senator has risen on his words, and will be hard-pressed to talk his way out of his long, jarring association with the gleefully divisive Rev. Jeremiah Wright."

I was interviewed by OneNewsNow which published this story on my comments.

Here is a sampliing of those weighing in on the Obama/Wright controversy:

National Review Editors: Audacity less hopeful
Wehner: the problem of black liberation theology
Thomas Sowell on Barack's disturbing "double life"
Shelby Steele: The Obama Bargain
Politico: Why Obama can't escape his minister
WND: inside black liberation theology
Joseph Farah: Obama's campaign is toast but did Rush make a mistake?
Ongoing blackout by liberal media

Fed Set To Slash Rates One Point
The economic fallout from Bear Stearns' collapse and the gloomy economic forecast continues as the Fed will announce as much as a full percentage point cut on the Fed Funds rate.