A reader writes:

Obama would be better off acting as a politician and allowing Reverend Wright to have his own opinion and ignoring his comments about him entirely. Just because someone says something about you doesn’t mean you have to say something about it or confront them everytime. Obama does not have to do that. Leave it be. This is rediculous. Is he running for President and what issues is he addressing for the Nation here and for the American People. This is personal and he should keep it personal between himself and Reverend Wright and not make a public issue out of it.

God-o-Meter couldn’t disagree more. Wright’s Monday appearance at the National Press Club threatened to derail his campaign at a time when he’s on the verge of clinching the nomination. He had to respond, swiftly and firmly, and he did. In denouncing Wright yesterday, Obama didn’t seem constrained by his Philadelphia speech last month, in which he declared he couldn’t disown Wright anymore than he could disown the black community and described him as “family.” Yesterday, he argued that Wright’s appearance Monday changed all that. The question now is whether the white working class voters believe him on that or whether they question his timing and continue wondering why the denouncement didn’t come years ago.

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