The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, whose fiery sermons as Democrat Barack Obama's former pastor set off a political firestorm last month, told reporters today that he has been "crucified" by the media and that attacks on him are really slams on the black church.
"It is not an attack on Jeremiah Wright, it is an attack on the black church," he said at a National Press Club appearance. "Maybe now we can begin to take steps to move the black religious tradition from the state of invisible to the state of invaluable."
Disputing allegations that he was unpatriotic when he used the phrases "god damn America," and "U.S. of KKKA," Wright said, "I served six years in the military. Does that make me patriotic?" Taking a jab at Vice President Dick Cheney, who did not serve in the military, Wright added: "How many years did Cheney serve?"
With eight days to go before the Indiana primary, as Illinois Sen. Obama tries to convince white rural voters in Indiana that he shares their values, campaign officials acknowledged that the appearance by Wright may hurt his candidacy. "It's a sideshow, and an unfortunate one," said foreign policy advisor Susan Rice, on MSNBC. "Rev. Wright is speaking for himself.... It's obviously not what Barack Obama feels or thinks in many respects."
But Wright showed little concern for Obama's political chances, noting that "he says what he has to say as a politician; I say what I have to say as a pastor" and insisting that he answers to a higher power.
"Whether he gets elected or not, I'm still going to have to be answerable to God on Nov. 5 and Jan. 21," he said, referring to the mornings after the presidential election and inauguration. Insisting that "I'm not here for political reasons," Wright added in a jab at the mainstream media, "I know that fact will surprise many of you because many in the corporate-owned media have made it seem as if I had announced that I'm running for the Oval Office." Saying that he is "not running for office," Wright, who is retiring as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, quipped that "I am open to being vice president."
The 66-year-old Wright's principal defense against the controversy his remarks set off was that his words were taken out of context. "I feel that those citizens who say that have never heard my sermons, nor do they know me," he said. "They are unfair accusations taken from sound bites."
