The Clinton campaign message on Wright has proceeded on two tracks: High-mindedly saying that he shouldn't be an issue in the campaign while simultaneously saying that he is something that voters care about. The latter, of course helps ensure that he remain an issue.

"Hillary subsequently hit Wright in harsh terms on Fox News."
A little over the top there, don't you think? She re-iterated what she'd said weeks ago that Wright wouldn't have been her pastor, but saying his comments were 'outrageous' was no more forceful language than Obama had used about Wright the previous day.

Maybe one difference is that she was outraged about Wright's claims on HIV, whereas Obama was outraged by Wright saying he was a politician, but the language otherwise was pretty much identical.

The Clinton campaign message on Wright has proceeded on two tracks: High-mindedly saying that he shouldn't be an issue in the campaign while simultaneously saying that he is something that voters care about.

I love you today, Greg !!!

"We Should Move On"

Yes, Hillary, you should. Why can't you?

Oh yeah, anything to win.

"We should move on from discussion of REV. WRIGHT, whom everybody is talking about, and that's the only reason I even allow a mention of REV. WRIGHT in my campaign: because it, unlike that of my opponent (who unlike what I would have done did not walk out of REV. WRIGHT's church) though we needn't discuss that anymore since thanks partly to me every news outlet is saturated with talk of REV. WRIGHT, though of course my own campaign is preoccupied with solutions for real Americans, not the elitist concerns of people like my opponent -- so that's why I don't think REV. WRIGHT is very relevant; and besides it was you, George, who brought up REV. WRIGHT not me, because I only want to discuss the non-elitist concerns of ordinary Americans -- by which I of course mean white Americans, not REV WRIGHT on the elitists who want Americans to spend all their food money on gasoline taxes."

Well, Hillary is making the right noises. Now, will Blumenthal get the message?

DirkVA: LOLOLOLOLOLO!!!!!!!!

Thanks, I needed that!

OK, Greg. I expect to see at least 2 or 3 posts on Obama's statements this morning on MTP - in the interest of fairness. ;)

Yes, Hillary, we all need to move on - including you, right out of this race. It's a futile endeavor and you're making a fool out of yourself! Step aside and let Obama and us all focus on beating McWar in November!

Hillary -- trying to have her cake and eat it too. Saying we should move on from Wright while keeping it alive. Proposing a gas tax holiday that will benefit the oil companies yet claiming it will help ordinary folks. Helping McCain through her attacks on Obama and then claiming she's doing a public service since Republicans will send the same attacks.

What an ungodly nightmare it must be to have that campaign's mindset!

Yes and no. She's acknowledging that Wright is an issue whether he should be or not. Of course she wants him to be an issue because it hurts her opponent, as it should. And of course Wright is a legitimate political issue as Obama himself said. But Obama supporters would love to pin the whole thing on her, as evidenced by that flimsy attempt earlier to link her to scheduling a Wright appearance. They can't, of course, because this whole thing belongs to Obama, starting 20 years ago. Obviously she has to stay out of this mess and let it take its toll. And that's what she's doing. Clearly the issue hasn't died, but she didn't bring it up. In this case it was Stephanopoulos.

From the current issue of Newsweek:

Tim Roemer is a gifted salesman working a tough territory. For weeks, the former Indiana congressman has been crisscrossing primary states trying to convince Roman Catholic voters that Barack Obama is their man. Just a few months ago, there were plenty of takers. Obama beat Hillary Clinton among Catholics in Louisiana and Virginia and tied her in Wisconsin. But in more recent primaries, Catholics have decisively turned away from him. In Ohio, exit polls showed that 65 percent backed Clinton. In Pennsylvania, Clinton won 70 percent of the Catholic vote.

What's going on here? "The short answer is, I don't know," says Roemer, who has spent hours quizzing Catholics at rallies and town-hall meetings.

________

I have a possible answer. Aside from all the revelations about Wright that have made the headlines, all the media attention has given us a look at the church Obama attends. Maybe Catholics simply don't relate. While Obama was attracted to Write, Catholics come from a tradition where the priest does not attempt to draw attention to himself through fiery rhetoric and stylized, choreographed dancing and shouting. To Catholics its more about the Mass. Catholics are far more likely to find Wright's style rather disgusting. It certainly doesn't help them relate to Obama.