The nation's most controversial cleric says he is misunderstood and a victim of bad people like me. Speaking to far-left PBS guy Bill Moyers, Wright put forth his case, and Moyers apparently was in awe. Basically, Rev. Wright says we have it all wrong.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REV. JEREMIAH WRIGHT: I think they wanted to communicate that I am unpatriotic, that I am un-American, that I am filled with hate speech, that I have a cult at Trinity United Church of Christ. And by the way, guess who goes to his church, hint, hint, hint. That's what they wanted to communicate. I felt it was unfair, I felt it was unjust, I felt it was untrue. I felt for those who were doing that, they were doing it for some very devious reasons.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
But what was unfair? "The Factor" has analyzed the speeches Rev. Wright sells in the lobby of his Chicago church, and here's what he says plain and simple:
The U.S. government is racist and murders people all over the world. The U.S. government introduced the AIDS virus into the inner cities in order to kill black people. The U.S. government actively imports hard drugs into the inner cities in order to imprison black men. The U.S. government is the moral equivalent of Al Qaeda.
That's what the man says. Of course, Wright puts forth no evidence to back up his irresponsible claims and his rantings go back decades. So it's not just President Bush he despises.
In 1984, Wright traveled to Libya with Louis Farrakhan to meet the enemy of America back then, Qaddafi. Then last year Wright's daughter, who publishes a magazine, gave Farrakhan an award that said he "truly epitomizes greatness, that's Farrakhan."
Despite all that hard evidence, Wright is running around saying he's being treated unfairly and people like Moyers are buying it. Pathetic.
Now why is Wright doing this? Well, first of all, he has a sympathetic media ear. Secondly, Wright understands victimology. He's good at painting himself and others as victims. But there is no question that Wright continues to hurt Barack Obama with all this. Most Americans love their country and despise Wright's point of view.
Bill Moyers and his far-left crew are the extreme. The regular folks are not buying Wright's excuses or his alleged victimhood. And Senator Obama needs some of those folks to vote him into the Oval Office.
Put yourself in Obama's shoes. What can he do now? He tried to distance himself from Wright's remarks, but he wouldn't throw the guy under the bus. And even though I believe Wright is a loon and Obama made a huge mistake associating with him, I kind of admire Obama's loyalty. And now he's being repaid by Wright's rehab tour.
"Talking Points" is advising Rev. Wright to take a long vacation, perhaps in Iran. He'd like it there. And he should take Farrakhan and Moyers with him.
Wright has had far too much presence in this presidential race. It's time for him to finish building his multimillion-dollar house and zip it. Hey, pastor, do it for Obama.
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
Actor Harrison Ford is about to make a big comeback in a new "Indiana Jones" movie out in a few weeks. So Mr. Ford is using his high profile to promote a global environmental group called Conservation International. And as part of bringing attention to declining forests, the actor decided to wax his chest.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HARRISON FORD, ACTOR: We're creating an analogy between the hair on my chest and the rain forest. We're making it a public service announcement addressing the issue of deforestation.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're going to get waxed?
FORD: You know, I'm gonna have an acre of chest hair removed. It hurts. Every little bit of rain forest that gets ripped out over there…
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here it is, the moment of truth.
FORD: …really hurts us over here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
As to whether he's a pinhead or patriot, you can make that call. I just keep remembering the movie "Karate Kid": wax on, wax off; wax on, wax off.
— You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads and Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com