Reply #18: Not "supposed to", but why for some it "might"...

[Tom Rinaldo]

And I am only trying to answer your question, I am not pushing this viewpoint:

It provides another window into Trnity Church, and the view it gives to many Americans could be unsettling. All most people know about that church is what they see and hear in the media, including video tapes of parts of some controversial sermons that Reverend Wright gave there. Now they see video clips of another sermon that was delivered at Trinity Church. A common theme is a highly charged discussion of race relations in America. Some may agree with the sentiments expressed, others not, but clearly Barack Obama is carrying forth a different type of message about the future of race relations in America than that conveyed by these video clips.

If Pflegger was a white Catholic who had only endorsed Obama, that would mean one thing. The association between them would only be as strong as a political endorsement. The potential negative blow back for Obama here regards the reputation of the Church that he has belonged to for twenty years. It was led by Wright. It still is inviting speakers like Pfleger to their pulpet. Pfleger was given a very warm introduction. He was called a dear friend of Trinity Church. His remarks were very positively received. This reflects on the congregation and the congregation reflects on Obama since he chose to be in that congregation for twenty years where some will assume these types of sentiments are deeply rooted. If some Americans are upset by those sentiments, it therefor makes it a little harder for Obama to now preach racial unity to them, there is a little more basis for doubt.