Obama Drama

I'm like a second-hand smoker.

If political punditry is a fire and those who consume it, like Michael, are first-hand smokers, then I am a happy second. I don't care enough to actually watch the You-Tube clips and the broadcast debates, but I love hearing about the general shape of things filtered down from Michael and the occasional Shields and Brooks.

And just when I thought things couldn't get more exciting in one of the most exciting primary seasons since...before I was born, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright sure proved me wrong! Talk about adding fuel to the fire.

In all the rhetoric and soundbites, the whole thing strikes me as more than a little tragic. Truly sad. How did a pastor who shepharded his congregant for so many years become a true thorn in his side?

We've all heard about how Obama's pastor was by his side during major life events: marriage, baptisms, and blessing the inauguration of his presidential bid--but that does not begin to describe the depth of relationship there must have been between Obama and Rev. Wright. Their interaction was not just formal, but substantive.

Obama became a Christian in 1988 after listening to, what must have been a very moving sermon by Wright, entitled "The Audacity to Hope." And the rest, as they say, is history.

Obama entitled his attention-grabbing 2004 DNC speech, The Audacity of Hope, and his subsequent eponymous book, and continues to brand himself as the pope of hope on the campaign trail.

So what the heck happened?

How did a man whose sermons inspired a movement (Obama toted the Rev. Wrights tapes to law school too) become the proverbial embarassing drunk uncle at the wedding reception?

I guess the easy way out is just to say that the Rev. Wright had some great inspirational messages and some kooky conspiracy theories. Obama loved one and not the other.

Indeed, none of this drama would've happened really if a Hillary supporter didn't goad the Rev. Wright into taking to the media circuit and "vindicating" himself from Obama's first light reproach.

Now see, that's the real lesson in all this. Hillary is scary. You don't wanna mess with her. Oh yeah, you know that when she plays, she plays to win.