Of course he has now left that church. It seems to me that Obama never really handled the situation very well. I like McCoy’s cartoon because I think he captures a number of issues with it. Has Obama really left this “radical church” behind him? Or is he still longing for it? Will a glance back, that is, showing sympathy or support for Rev. Wright or his views, “salinate” his campaign or petrify it?
I think it was impossible for Obama to manage that situation smoothly. If he had been too quick to throw Rev. Wright under the bus, he would have alienated black voters — obviously one of his core constituencies. They would have seen it as selling out a respected African American leader for the sake of currying favour with whites.
On the other hand, Obama couldn’t seriously defend Wright. So he was caught in this no-man’s land, denying that he was familiar with specific quotes caught on youtube, repudiating those particular statements, but trying to excuse them as the lapses of a beloved if eccentric uncle.
The upshot is, I think Obama handled it as best he could. He waited until Rev. Wright went beyond the pale and it was obvious, even within the black community, that Obama had to dump him. Then, and only then, could Obama throw Wright “under the bus”.
The mistake, in retrospect, was joining Trinity in the first place. But presumably it served him well at the time.