Obama shows no reverence to the reverend

Barack Obama has quite rightly distanced himself from the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., who has some flaky ideas indeed. Whatever else one may think the American government has done or not done, only a moron could think that it might have brought AIDS to black neighbourhoods and that it has conducted terrorism. Obama said of Wright, "I may not know him as well as I thought". That is true of many friendships and relationships.

Some are saying that this may be a pivotal moment in Obama's campaign. I can't think why. Just because an ageing pastor comes up with some odd-ball comments, it does not mean anyone remotely associated with him thinks the same. If that was the case, we could all catch this thought disease and end up thinking all kinds of stuff.