Sen. Barack Obama's latest fundraising drive - own a "piece of history."
And by history, the campaign means a DVD copy of his speech on race.
It's an interesting tactic, since the speech was given to respond to the political fury that erupted over his pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Here's the note from the Obama fundraising page, which starts with a $30 donation but allows folks to give the maximum $2,300:
The April fundraising deadline is this Wednesday.Many will judge us by the money we raise, but we know our strength comes from a different number.
To celebrate the 1,500,000 grassroots donors who are funding this movement, we've created a special gift.
Make a donation of $30 or more before midnight on Wednesday, April 30th, and receive a DVD and limited edition print of Barack's "A More Perfect Union" speech on race in America.
Wright, who is at the National Press Club today as part of his ongoing publicity tour, also spoke to the NAACP last night. Here is our coverage of that speech and here is a piece Joe Curl and I wrote for Saturday's paper about how presumptive Republican nominee Sen. John McCain is handling the Wright issue.
Obama adviser David Axelrod said on MSNBC's Morning Joe today the campaign obviously "can't control" Wright's tour.
"Reverend Wright speaks for Reverend Wright. He doesn't speak for Barack Obama," Axelrod said. "There's not a thing we can do about it. It's a free country, he's exercising his right to speak."
He also blasted the network, which plans to run the Wright speech live: "You're exercising your right to give him a huge platform."
Axelrod added he was "surprised to see 3 hours of coverage last night" on another network.
"With all that's going on in the world, it's an enormous platform to give Reverend Wright or anybody," he said. "He's taking advantage of it."
Finally, when asked how close Wright and Obama are, he said: "It's pretty clear from the last few days the relationship isn't that close."
— Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (15)
So what's new?
Spouting nonsense is a pastoral prerogative.
Posted by sundayguy | April 28, 2008 9:55 AM
ANOTHER DISTRACTION!!
CONCENTRATE: THE IRAQ WAR
THE ECONOMY
THE 3 TRILLION DOLLAR DEBT WE'RE GIVING OUR GRANDCHILDREN
HEALTH CARE
ETC.
Posted by ROBERT ROTHMAN M.D. | April 28, 2008 10:38 AM
I THINK SENATOR OBAMA IS CORRECT THAT HE CANNOT CONTROL HIS OLD PASTORS SPEECHES. BUT HE SAT THROUGH THE OLD SPEECHES OF HATRED IN HIS CHURCH IN THE PAST WHEN HE WAS YOUNG AND THAT MIGHT HAVE AFFECTED HIS THINKING?IT IS HARD TO DISASSOCIATE OR FORGET FROM WHAT IS LEARNED IN YOUNG AGE BEFORE HE GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE.WE ARE SUPPORTING HIM BLINDLY FOR HIS GOOD AND WELL SPOKEN SPEECHES OF CHANGE. HE HAS BEEN IN THE SENATE FOR THREE YEARS AND WHAT CHNAGES DID HE BRING.
NO ONE HAS WRITTEN ABOUT HIS FAVORITE FOOD-BEEF, PORK, CHIKEN OR VEG. WHAT LANGUAGES HE CAN SPEAK?
Posted by Mehta | April 28, 2008 10:39 AM
Talk about arrogant, egotistical and condemning... Jeramiah Wright thinks America's involvement in World War II was an act of terrorism against Germany and Japan. I am sure the Marine Corps does not agree with his opinion about who is and who isn't the terrorists.
He is so excited that he is in the limelight he can't get enough of it.
Posted by speedycampbell | April 28, 2008 10:40 AM
In a nutshell, the Obama campaign is miffed that a major network may carry Wright's clarifying comments (PBS already has), but at the same time they're looking to benefit from the controversy by turning Obama's reaction speech into a fundraiser. Axlerod's remarks sound like the same old game playing politics of hyperbole.
Posted by TimChicago | April 28, 2008 10:45 AM
Yes, I remember Martin Luther King, Jr. selling his "I have dream" speech on reel-to-reel, and also offering tee shirts, lapel pins, etc. to bring in the dough. Oh, no, my mistake. That's what run of the mill politicians do. So what's Obama doing acting like a run of the mill politician? Isn't he supposed to be the "un-politician"? (You remember the un-cola, no?) Why, it's money, the sight, smell, sound of money, money, money. And it has all the "special effects" of classic direct marketing. The target audience is made up of people who've already bought the product (the 1.5 million grassroots donors). There's a minimum investment ($30) and a cut off date (April 30). Let's hope Wright is taking a cue from this and offers his own DVD (You got me wrong the first time, but here's "the Wright story"???). Naturally, he will rent Obama's list (more money for Obama!) and "sell it" to the disciples. Direct marketing in action ... ya gotta love it.
Posted by Mandelay | April 28, 2008 10:46 AM
Why do you hate Rev. J. Wright so much? To all you "haters"--GET A LIFE--TAKE YOUR HOODS OFF-SO WE CAN SEE YOUR BEAUTIFUL FACE! REV. WRIGHT HAS THE RIGHT TO SPEAK JUST LIKE YOU DO-ESPECIALLY SINCE HE HAS 2 DEGREES AND MILITARY SERVICE--AND FOUGHT FOR YOUR RIGHT TO SPEAK AS YOU WISH-I GUESS THIS IS A DEMOCRACY-EVEN THOUGH SOME OF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THIS COUNTRY GO BACK TO THE "GOOD OLE DAYS" (JIM CROWE)
Posted by Lue Blacknell | April 28, 2008 11:32 AM
Wright simply hates America. He is an unapologetic hate monger. His ego is as big as the whole outdoors. Obama used Wright to gain a political base in Chicago. Now Wright is using Obama to boost the sales of his upcoming book. Obama learned a lot from the Clintons.
Posted by Anonymous | April 28, 2008 11:55 AM
Rev Wright has moved race relations back 40 years with all his hating and blaming.
That Senator Obama spent 20 years with this man is a detriment, not a boon.
Obama needs to drop out of the race now. He is divisive, deceitful and a danger to this country.
Posted by Sarana Winslow | April 28, 2008 12:24 PM
This article is funny. Obviously no one hear has any idea about campaigning.
It's about raising money and getting your message across Duh!
Posted by Debbie UK | April 28, 2008 12:37 PM
How enlighting Rev. Wright was last night when he explained about the left brain and right brain. I can see why Senator Obama is so enthralled with this man, he is a font of new racial information that until now was unknown. He should be the Senators Secretary or State or maybe take over Sandy Berger's old spot as National Security Advisor. What a national treasure this man has become, why haven't we seen more of him on the MSM, the New York Times should give him a column.
Posted by Ron Nord | April 28, 2008 1:04 PM
Every one agrees and I am sure most Americans agree that we are now at a point in history where we can move past the 'race' issue and accept different people from different colour, religion or nationality.
The most ironic thing here is, Obama is refusing to dis-associate himself to people like Wright or Farrakhan. I mean, he is an anti-semite and a bigot.
In an international or national arena, Obama needs to understand that people are looking at him. Young children are looking to him. The whole world is watching him.
Is this how a leader should be? To not take a full responsibility of what is going on. If Obama was a leader, he would have let the world know that bigotry and racism is not accepted.
The Obama campaign seeks the nation to unify, yet the very simple way stepping away from attitudes of prejudice is what he is FAILING to do.
His way of dealing with it is by attempting to brush it under a carpet. His idealism of CHANGE doesn't transcend as he is failing to ACT.
Posted by AC | April 28, 2008 1:12 PM
STOP Obama NOW! This is bizarre. He says he is running to unite people ---- and he takes advantage of a virulent statements his pastor makes....what an oxymoron...especially after he says he could/would NOT disassociate himself from Wright. I can't see how he would have any supporters left in his corner after this. Not sure if those of us who already donated, can get our hard-earned money back, but it's worth a try I suppose. McCain is looking much better compared to this, and he wasn't even a consideration before.
Posted by Sam | April 28, 2008 2:31 PM
Obama has stated that in comparison with Hillary and McCain, he feels most comfortable and has the biggest advantage in the area of his foreign policy experience. He then elaborated and itemized his foreign policy qualifications as: he has lived for 4 years in Indonesia during his elementary school years, he visted Pakistan while in college, he knows about the difference in Sunnis and Shiites sects, he knows people in Kenya and understands their problems.
Based on this, he feels most confident on foreign policy......and, he sounded serious when he said this.
Posted by Sally | April 28, 2008 2:40 PM
I have seen Rev. Wright speech and read the comments on many sites... and all I read is Americans are once again going to miss; NO! Throw away a great opportunity for this country to move forward as a whole people... and have an open and honest dialogue about race in our society...
I am glad Rev. Wright did not fall in line, and either Obama is going to swim or sink... but the truth will always rise to the top.
Posted by TripleBlack | April 30, 2008 11:16 AM