One, McCain is trying the good cop/bad cop thing where the 527s will be the bad cop. Two, he actually is annoyed that this is an issue - he himself has a problem with it as well.

Three: He's trying to soften the ground to woo Obama supporters should Hillary get the nomination.

Basically a smart strategy.

Ironically, Hillary Clinton currently looks like the most belligerent candidate of the three.

Hillary has just shown that she didn't even pass the threshold test, of protecting and defending, our civil liberties.

My point is this; What preacher Wright stated, should have been a test for all the candidates.

When and if it should occur, that someone or group say's something, and some opposing group demands a "crucifixion".
Yet some claiming a right to be called leaders, hide themselves for fear of alienating the perceived Politically correct class.

Like the "Love it or leave it crowd" of the 60's, or those who found that God Da... is worst than God bless, when in reality, God is not caught up in the petty squabbles of Earthly politics. Probably offended, of association, with any group. Damners or blessers.

How long before we end up like Rwanda, Kenya, and our leaders being afraid, to speak up and protect everyone’s right of opinion, and that's exactly what the preacher was expounding. His opinion.

Those bent on finding fault, with Obama, guilty by association. "You're one of them."

Would our current candidates be so afraid to defend against reprisal? Or did they sit back and say, "I'm glad it's him, not me? Or thank God this may work in my favor"

Then you begin to understand, what it means to protect and defend. Not only your positions and opinions, but also the rights of others, who you may oppose, and disagree with.

This was a perfect example: when the rubber met the road, some of our candidates were more worried about perception, rather than defending everyone’s rights.

When our nation starts the blame game, and pressure mounts, I can assure you, many will suffer, because some of our leaders were cowards and we saw first hand how they responded.

It may be that McCain, after days of political persecution of Obama, showed he finally understands, but if the situation had turnd deadly as some nations have found, Mccains failure to make a statement earlier rather than days later, would be little comfort for the sufferers.

Where is Hillary?

Put yourself in McCain's shoes--
He comes back from iraq, having just seen firsthand more dead American soldiers, having just been escorted through a more violent combat zone in a vehicle surrounded by soldiers, Blackwater guards, Humvees and helicopters.

He barely has time to take off his bullet proof vest, he sits down and Sean Hannity asks him what he thinks about Obama being a member of a church where a preacher says bad things.

I think that sigh was McCain thinking about just walking out of the interview right then and there, but decided to stay.

He's a soldier. He was tortured. His instinct is to go head to head with an opponent on issues--not by talking trash about his friends.

It could be that McCain is practicing to out-Obama Obama. One of the things I've admired about McCain over the years (at least when compared to other Republicans) is his at least apparent honesty and civility. Not that he can't get pissed, but I haven't heard as many lies as one might expect.

McCain and Obama could be the most civil opponents we've ever seen. The 527's and sleazy internet-based attacks would be there, but the tone would be unrecognizable in American politics. Perhaps McCain recognizes that and is already starting to court independents and disaffected Republicans (like my Mormon officemates) who are leaning towards Obama because of his civility.

I hate Republicans, they all suck, but I gotta say, for as much as McCain is wrong about so many things, I think he is really a better person than Hillary. He has much more integrity, he isn't shameless and power hungry like her. I don't trust Republicans for shit, but I would trust him before I'd trust her.

That's sad.

Wow, that was big, coming from a Republican Presidentil nominee.

Last Friday, in Morning Joe, Joe and Tucker C. were talking about the same issue and their conclusion is that Sen Obama is a good man and somebody you are comfortable having conversation with. Tucker was saying that he touched on this in one of his shows but not thoroughly. But they look bothered. Bothered that this thing about Sen Obama was exposed? I wonder. Maybe they have changed their political view. Maybe they decided that they are followers of Sen Obama. But wait. Two die hard Republican Goebels changing their political view? I smell a rat. I see a trojan horse.

The suspicious me concluded that they are disappointed that this was exposed too early. Maybe they want Sen Obama first to be the Democratic nominee then they expose this. Then they harp the question of patriotism and racism and bad judgement. Then they are all happy again for another 8 years. Stupid us.

I think I am right in my suspicion.

I think McCain is a genuinely decent human being. It's just a shame that he holds dangerously insane views on foreign policy and is mixed up with a criminal racket like the Republican party.

Rich, you influenced me in putting up a post (http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/talk/2008/03/fox-news-unites-democrats.php).

One note that I'd like to make that I read in the Daily Kos about the whole Wright thing is asking the question why more of the sermons from Rev. Mike Huckabee were never scrutinized. It brings up lots of questions.

"...We have now seen more sermons from Barack Obama's minister in 48 hours than we ever did of Mike Huckabee ---- and Mike Huckabee was a presidential candidate for 14 long months. Why is it acceptable to scour every last sermon given by Wright, but only weeks ago we weren't allowed to see or read Mike Huckabee's sermons? In fact, not only was it totally ignored by the traditional media, but the few times the question of Huckabee's sermons was raised, it was brushed aside as inappropriate.

Why the hypocrisy? After all, Mike Huckabee was an evangelical Southern Baptist minister who's entire campaign was based on the fact that he was the Christian candidate. Are we to believe that he didn't rail against the US government over abortion in previous sermons? Or homosexuality? We know what he had to say about AIDS victims. I don't imagine one gets to be the be president of the Arkansas Baptist Convention without passionate fire and brimstone sermons as part of his repertoire.

So, I find it curious that the traditional media now has its white hot focus on Barack Obama's religion and a few select words by Reverend Jeremiah Wright. After all, Huckabee made his career as an actual preacher. Why the change of heart in the last few weeks? Why does Obama have to be held responsible for every word spoken during Wright's passionate sermons - while Huckabee is allowed a free ride and never questioned about his own words? From his own mouth?"

http://scout-finch.dailykos.com/

I rec'd this article. Why this isn't on the TPM Election Central front page ?

And one that will work. If Obama does not get the nomination, and I feel compelled to vote based upon the character and integrity of the candidate, then McCain wins, hands down.

I think you are on the right track with your second explination as to why McCain handled it this way.

Since there is no Wright or Hagee attached to Hillary Clinton, McCain sees his association with Hagee (and a few others, too) as a disadvantage if he runs against Hillary. So McCain doesn't want to criticize Obama on this. If McCain criticizes too harshly on Wright, it will only play up his own Hagee disadvantage or set a precedent that Clinton will use against him if she wins the nomination.

Just imagine a Clinton ad that depicts McCain criticizing Obama for his association with Wright, then a clip of Hagee war rants and endorsement of McCain. If Obama wins the nomination, the Hagee and Wright rants sort of cancel each other out. So McCain is just implementing a rational strategy here?

Surely the media has been aware of Wright's statements for some time. It's a legit story to cover, but now that's it's down to the wire and Obama is still going strong, there's an all-out, 24/7 media brainwash campaign. Anybody recall hearing the Hagee rants on the news over and over and over for days on end like we have with Farrakhan and Wright?

Gee, should we conclude the status quo media would prefer McCain or Clinton to Obama's change?

I'm really surprised Obama didn't see this coming and renounce Wright long before anybody else had a chance to do it for him.

So McCain is a better Democrat than Hillary!

It's hard to be outclassed by the GOP, but Hillary has.