Divorcing Mr. Wright

Barack Obama divorced himself and his campaign from Rev. Wright due to Wright's performance yesterday, an invitation to the National Press Club arranged by a Hillary supporter. If you watch Obama make his statement and answer questions (which you can here) you will see his anger and sadness, and you will know why. He is eloquent and forceful, and this should end the Wright watch for statements Obama has to answer.

The unfairness--and the racism-- of this controversy vs. McCain's free ride with the preacher whose political support he sought and accepts, is the subject of this New York Times editorial. But there it is. However, it presents voters in Indiana and North Carolina with an opportunity. For years it's been clear that at least some voters are more interested in substantive issues and questions than they are in this distracting exploitation. But politicians who have exploited these distractions have often won votes. Voters can bring this campaign back to reality by not voting for Hillary, and by voting for Obama. If Obama wins both contests, then reality wins.

As predicted, Clinton has moved up in the national and state polls, but she is not clearly in the lead anywhere. Because of Wright it may take several more days before we know whether Obama recovers from PA and Wright. By the weekend, those polls should tell us more, although in fact the polls that came out today and yesterday are all over the place in both states.

Following up on yesterday, it seems the North Carolina gov is pretty toothless--a lame duck who is characterized as lazy--and his statement of support was graceless at best, and borderline offensive. Meanwhile, an interview with Elizabeth Edwards confirmed that at the moment her husband has no plans to endorse anyone before the North Carolina primary.

What surprises me is that the Clintons haven't done anything outrageous lately. They always follow perceived victories with some sort of arrogant mistake. But the week is young. (Of course both Clintons continue to be shameless scum. But they aren't attracting so much attention for it.)

Meanwhile, Obama is stronger than ever on the stump. "This campaign isn't about me. It isn't about Hillary Clinton. It isn't about John McCain. This campaign is about you." This is a great appearance.

Here's another, a shorter clip on a specific issue. Obama on the McCain/Clinton gas tax proposal: it will mean at best saving $30 total over the course of the summer, and may cost 7,000 jobs in construction just in North Carolina, which would have been paid for by the tax. "This isn't an idea designed to get you through the summer, it's an idea designed to get them through an election."

Meanwhile, there's been a certain pushback on the latest "elitist" argument, seeing much of it for what it is: what used to be called anti-intellectualism, but which is actually anti-intelligence and pro-stupidity, as well as misplaced romanticism about salt of the earth beer drinking NASCAR loving folks by talking head millionaires in suits, and the political consultants who love them. So for some sort of antidote, try this and this.