By GEOFF EARLE
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March 14, 2008 -- WASHINGTON - Barack Hussein Obama's pastor has blamed the United States for bringing the 9/11 attacks upon itself and has said Hillary Rodham Clinton "ain't never been called a n-----," a review of his sermons reveals.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who for decades ministered at Obama's Trinity United Church of Christ on the South Side of Chicago, has also preached about the vast influence of "rich white people" and slammed Clinton from the pulpit for never having experienced the suffering of African-Americans.
"Jesus was a poor black man who lived in a country and who lived in a culture that was controlled by rich white people," Wright preached in one Christmas sermon.
"The Romans were rich. The Romans were Italian, which means they were European, which means they were white. And the Romans ran everything in Jesus' country."
But Obama was different, Wright said.
"He ain't white, he ain't rich, and he ain't privileged. Hillary fits the mold," he said.
"Hillary never had a cab whiz past her and not pick her up because her skin was the wrong color. Hillary never had to worry about being pulled over in her car . . . Hillary ain't never been called a n-----."
Wright, 66, who stepped down from his post after 36 years, preaches a form of black liberation theology, stressing ties to Africa and ways to empower Chicago's struggling black community.
He built his church flock from a few dozen to more than 8,000. The motto displayed on the church Web site reads, "Unashamedly black. Unapologetically Christian."
Wright has also referred to the "US of KKK A" and, after 9/11, brought up the US nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as well as US policy toward the Palestinians and South Africa, saying "America's chickens are coming home to roost."
"Obama has said repeatedly that personal attacks such as this have no place in this campaign or our politics, whether they're offered from a platform at a rally or the pulpit of a church," said Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki.
Meanwhile, Obama and Clinton were seen chatting together on the Senate floor yesterday.
Clinton spoke animatedly, gesturing with her hands, while Obama listened and occasionally nodded his head. After several minutes, he gave her a pat on the back as they each smiled and rose to leave.
Concerning his pastor, Obama said last week that Wright "has said some things that are considered controversial because he's considered that part of his social gospel."
Obama scrapped plans to have Wright speak at his campaign kickoff last year.
A person answering the phone at Trinity said there was no one available to take questions about Wright's sermons.
"This is a sophisticated man who does a lot of good work, and if you just take a little slice of a sentence, it can be very skewed. Those things could be a challenge for the Obama campaign to work out," said the Rev. Kent Matthies, of Philadelphia's Unitarian Society of Germantown, who is acquainted with Wright.
"It comes across as radical to people. Jeremiah Wright, when he preaches the gospel, is not a spin master. He's a truth teller."
Wright has been Obama's spiritual mentor, and Obama even fashioned the title of his memoir, "Audacity of Hope," from a Wright sermon.
The new focus on Wright comes after Clinton apologized for controversial statements by former Rep. Geraldine Ferraro, who quit Clinton's campaign finance committee after saying, "If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position."
Of Ferraro's remarks, Clinton said Wednesday night, "I certainly do repudiate it, and I regret deeply that it was said."
Ferraro fumed about being tagged a racist and wrote Clinton, saying, "The Obama team is attacking me to get at you."
A "testimonial" from Wright on Obama's Web site reads, "I support Barack because of his incarnated faith - his faith made alive in the flesh."
Even as the Obama camp prepares for new scrutiny of sermons the candidate may have heard at church, a new poll reveals that an Internet smear campaign may have impacted views of his religion.
Copyright 2008 NYP Holdings, Inc.
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