Barack Obama declares that Reverend Wright does not preside over a “crackpot church” and that had Obama personally heard “the most offensive remarks that had come up . . . we probably would have a more intense conversation.” Bluntly, the issue is not whether the church is “crackpot,” but whether the stated positions of its preacher are. And if so, why at worst would these “probably” would have provoked only an “intense conversation”?

Obama seems to be an intelligent and decent person. Yet when he says this sort of thing, you wonder what in heaven’s name is wrong with him. What would it have taken for Obama to leave Wright’s church? Or speak out publicly against these statements? It is growing painfully obvious that Obama is drawing some distinction, which he doesn’t want to or can’t possibly explain, between “controversial” statements which he was familiar with (and sat through) and these “most offensive” comments. Isn’t it time to come clean about what that distinction is and what he did hear so we can assess what type of comments he thinks don’t even warrant “an intense conversation”?