• 5/5 Sebastian Mallaby

The Wright “controversy” is more a poor reflection on our political discourse than a poor reflection on Obama. It shouldn’t have the impact it does.

• 5/5 Wrap: Word.  

• 5/4 David Broder

Clinton’s imagined path relies on an Indiana victory, keeping Obama’s lead to 100, and then wooing superdelegates.

•  5/4 Wrap: YAWN.

• 5/3 Colbert I. King

Republicans will use Wright the same way they used Willie Horton against Dukakis.

• 5/3 Gary MacDougal

Wright has not just done damage to Obama. He has done damage to the black community.

• 5/3 Wrap: There’s really nothing more amusing than an old, white, conservative explaining how black people think and feel. From MacDougal:

“But I also recall a conversation I had during a visit to the maximum-security prison in Joliet, Ill. As I sat in the library there, talking with three men about why they were incarcerated, one man said: “Look around this room — almost everybody here is black. This is white man’s genocide. You put us in here to keep us down.” Where would this 20-something black man, or other relatively uneducated young people, get such an idea? From the vitriol spewed by the Rev. Wrights of this world.”

I have an alternate thesis: Those men told this to MacDougal because they’re in PRISON. I doubt they were brainwashed into thinking society unfair.

• 5/2 Charles Krauthammer

Obama’s recent disownment of Wright reveals his Philadelphia speech to be an exercise is disingenuous political expediency. Wright’s antics call Obama’s character into question.

• 5/2 E.J. Dionne Jr.

Conservatives get a media free pass for associating with radical white preachers (Obama has not gotten anywhere near the same treatment).

•  5/2 Michael Gerson

In his Philadelphia speech, Obama was condescending towards Wright and he was condescending towards white working class Americans. This is a problem.

•  5/2 Wrap: I simply do not see how Wright is “racist,” as Krauthammer (quote below) asserts. Am I missing something?

“Poor Geraldine Ferraro, thrice lashed by Obama in Philadelphia as the white equivalent of Wright’s raving racism, is off the hook.”

• 5/1 Bob Novak

Obama did not distance himself from Wright soon enough.  Also, Wright can emerge at any time to hurt Obama.

• 5/1 David Broder

Obama is distancing himself from Wright, but not explaining his connection to the pastor.  The association is damaging.

• 5/1 Op-Ed

Obama is taking the sensible approach on the gas tax (in opposing a cut), and thus is the only candidate not to pander on the issue.

 5/1 Wrap: Wright, Wright, Wright, Wright, Wright…

• 4/30 Harold Meyerson

Obama has had problems wooing white, working-class voters. Democrats have lost working class white votes as unions have lost power. Movements that empower unions will help the Democrats in November.

• 4/30 Wrap: I agreed with Meyerson on the solution, but I think that he overstates the problem. Obama has had issues wooing Appalachian white voters, but he does well with this demographic elsewhere (See: Oregon and Wisconsin).  Princeton’s Larry Bartels has done great work disproving the notion of a working class white Democratic defection. I recommend his new book, “Unequal Democracy,” to those married to the “What’s the Matter with Kansas” dogma of white working class defection. 

• 4/29 Eugene Robinson

The prideful Wright is hurting Obama. It is time for Obama to hit back at the Reverend.

• 4/29 George F. Will

Wright wants to matter and he should matter. His relationship with Obama is harmful to the senator and it is also politically relevant.

• 4/29 Richard Cohen

This election battle has been fraught with race-based misunderstandings. Candidates would be well advised to tread carefully when they speak on issues pertaining to race.

• 4/29 E.J. Dionne Jr.

What should be an election about “big” issues is getting shrunken into one focused on “small” distractions. Clinton and Obama should try to de-shrink it.

• Op-Ed

Wright is hurting Obama.

• 4/29 Wrap: Wrightfest all-around. I’m beyond tired of this inflated non-issue. Memo to Dionne Jr.: Put your money where your mouth is. Instead of hand-wringing about the lack of substantive political discussion, you should actually talk policy.