I’ver just read a partial text of Obama’s remarks denouncing Jeremiah Wright at Winston-Salem, on Ben Smth’s Blog — inadequate, as far as I’m concerned. Nor only does this speech leave open the question why Obama didn’t say these things before he had to say them, as Smith points out in a later post, but it also leaves open George Will’s weasely question: why Obama associated with Wright for twenty years without any serious criticism. And a related question too — if Obama would have left the church had Wright not stepped down as pastor, why? Because he intended to run for president and he knew the association with Wright could hurt him?

Today’s series of denunciations seems petty and almost personal to me. And it’s too scripted, too calculated and lawyerly, with a response aimed at each famous soundbite; though, in fairness, Obama does try to speak as I hoped he would.

I have spent my entire adult life trying to bridge the gap between different kinds of people. That’s in my DNA, trying to promote mutual understanding to insist that we all share common hopes and common dreams as Americans and as human beings. That’s who I am, that’s what I believe, and that’s what this campaign has been about.

Maybe I’m wrong, but this doesn’t ring true to me. There’s too much of the stump speech in it. The DNA reference is too cute. It’s not worthy of the man I stood in line for two hours in the cold to hear last winter. I’m not buying it.