AN ADMONISHMENT More on Wright/Hagee:

Roland Martin warns the conservative media elite that they should be careful what they wished for in their incessant coverage of the Obama/Wright contrived controversy. "Now that Wright has set the so-called standard for what isn't acceptable for religious leaders, let's see these same critics take their own kind to task for making absolutely outlandish comments," he writes. "But don't stop there. Demand that candidates don't seek counsel from them. Demand that Republican candidates not go to their churches and sit in their pews and accept their contributions. And if elected, make sure those same candidates don't allow them access to the White House or halls of Congress." That would be sweet justice. But really, who are we kidding? [CNN]

In his column in Sunday's New York Times, Frank Rich brings up the great Pastor Hagee/Rev. Wright paradox. He stops short of directly stating that racism (and, I think, homophobia) is to blame for the fact that Rev. Wright is such a major campaign issue and the mass media has accepted McCain's rejection of the gay-hating Hagee's more hateful, delusional, and insane ravings at face value. However, he does identify the rather obvious double standard that most people in charge of the political news cycle refuse to see.

McCain says he does not endorse any of Mr. Hagee’s calumnies, any more than Barack Obama endorses Mr. Wright’s. But those who try to give Mr. McCain a pass for his embrace of a problematic preacher have a thin case. It boils down to this: Mr. McCain was not a parishioner for 20 years at Mr. Hagee’s church.

That defense implies, incorrectly, that Mr. McCain was a passive recipient of this bigot’s endorsement. In fact, by his own account, Mr. McCain sought out Mr. Hagee, who is perhaps best known for trying to drum up a pre-emptive “holy war” with Iran. (This preacher’s rantings may tell us more about Mr. McCain’s policy views than Mr. Wright’s tell us about Mr. Obama’s.)

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From the New York Times editorial board:

[Barack Obama's repudiation of Rev. Wright yesterday] was the most forthright repudiation of an out-of-control supporter that we can remember. We would like to say that it will finally take the racial charge out of this campaign. We’re not that naïve.

It is an injustice, a legacy of the racist threads of this nation’s history, but prominent African-Americans are regularly called upon to explain or repudiate what other black Americans have to say, while white public figures are rarely, if ever, handed that burden.

Senator John McCain has continued to embrace a prominent white supporter, Pastor John Hagee, whose bigotry matches that of Mr. Wright. Mr. McCain has not tried hard enough to stop a race-baiting commercial — complete with video of Mr. Wright — that is being run against Mr. Obama in North Carolina.