Dear Mr. Obama,
As the candidate who was running on the premise of change, and hope, and restoring trust back in Washington with a new kind of leader, you presented yourself as a uniter. A person who would "Rise Up" and "Change" Washington.
At first, I kept an open ear to your statements, much like I listened to John Edwards. And then, the initial Rezko scandal hit. And I didn't honestly think it hurt you too bad. And then, you released your economic plan, and I didn't like it. I didn't like how you wanted to raise taxes by 1.3 trillion dollars. I didn't like how you didn't support immediate foreclosure relief. I didn't like how you wanted to keep borrowing $300 billion dollars from foreign governments to support your new spending proposals. But I still listened.
I listened mostly because I heard the rest of the country praising your name, and it's not always fun going against what your friends are doing. I listened because I wanted to feel that "gotcha" moment that had fallen over the rest of my co-workers and the online communities that I read. I was still listening.
And then you started flip flopping on the issues. On Gun Control. On Universal Heath Care. On taking money from people to water down Senate bills (hint: If it walks like a lobbyist, talks like a lobbyist, and acts like a lobbyist... it's not a mongoose.) And Mr. Obama, I started tuning out a little. But I was still listening.
I listened to you talk about "Change" and say that our nation needed to "Rise Up". It sort of sounded like a broken record from earlier, but I listened.
And then I heard about Jeremiah Wright. I heard about him in March of 2007. And you were not strong on him then, but you did disavow his statement, the one you were "told" about. I thought "Maybe" back then, if he's able to disavow someone like his own Pastor, he may be the real deal. But then we learned you kept him on your campaign committee. That's not action Mr. Obama, that isn't change - that's an old political stunt of "I say one thing, but I do another."
But I kept listening, I wanted to hear how you would handle this crisis. This was your moment to shine. And then I heard you, your own words, say that you weren't aware that your own Pastor had said ANY of these words in his sermons besides the one you were alerted to back in March 2007.
I've been to church many times Mr. Obama, but not a regular. And even being a casual lay person to the church, I KNEW what was going on, I heard about what the pastor's last sermon was all about. Mr. Obama, I went maybe once a month on a good month, and I knew what happened over the past month. And that's without my church having a website that sold the sermons or offered web replays of them on demand.
But what has happened now, with the countless speeches, given on many different days, that have been brought to light, and with your acknowledged church attendance since 1992 on today's interviews, you expect us - not as political hacks, but as Americans - to believe you when you say that you didn't know of ANY of the hate filled speech that was going on?
Mr. Obama, most of America doesn't believe you. We believe you have lied to our faces to cover your butt. You probably would have gotten out of this with less damage if you would have admitted that you knew about some of the hate filled crap that your pastor was spewing, but then tried defending him on his positive points that I've heard about him, like being a U.S. Marine, or the work that he and your church tries to do in the Chicago community.
It is clear now Mr. Obama, that you could only keep this charade up for so long. Nearly all the comments on the news message boards are things along these lines:
- "My feelings for Obama have definitely changed. I really think the people of United States have an obligation to research Senator Obama and what he believes before they give him an office to lead all the people in the country."
- "Obama must be the only church goer who does not know what his preacher preaches. With this sort of attention to main themes I dont think he should run for office any longer."
- "I found Mr. Obama’s responses to be questionable. My support for Obama is in jeopardy. It is very hard to belive that after 20 years Barack could be suprised by the Pastor’s comments."
I could go on, but you can go on to ABC News, CNN, and MSNBC and read them for yourself. They are overwhelmingly distrustful of you and your statement. And this is from the internet community who traditionally is your best demographic; who has defended you to the end on past issues.
It is now clear Mr. Obama, that the jig is up, and you have let your candidacy be permanently damaged. You have provided overwhelming fodder for Republicans in the general election. This lie, Mr. Obama, has ended any chance of myself or most Americans being able to support you. It is not the racist statements of your supporter, Mr. Obama, it is this lie that you have told with self-conviction that you did not know your pastor said any of these statements.
Continuing to stay in the democratic contest will do nothing but hurt you and hurt our chances in the general election. It is now, Mr. Obama, time to exit with grace and support the only candidate who still has a chance of defeating John McCain: Hillary Clinton.
Do the right thing Mr. Obama, and drop out now.
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disappointed