Rev. Wright: Fox's Hannity 'Stuck on Stupid'
Obama's former minister breaks silence, rips Fox News during funeral service.
CHICAGO, April 13, 2008 — -- The embattled former minister of Democraticpresidential hopeful Barack Obama fired back at the news mediaduring a Chicago funeral service.
The Rev. Jeremiah Wright's remarks were reported Sunday in theChicago Sun-Times.
Wright didn't mention church member Obama, who has denouncedWright's inflammatory comments circulated in video excerpts of hispast sermons.
But in his eulogy at Saturday's funeral for the late R. EugenePincham, a retired judge, Wright did pillory some of his critics,including Fox News commentators Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity.
Wright said Pincham befriended "Jews, Muslims, rabbis, imams,fathers in the Catholic church and (Louis) Farrakhan in the Islamicfaith."
He said: "Fox News can't understand that. O'Reilly will neverget that. Sean Hannity's stupid fantasy will keep him forever stuckon stupid when it comes to comprehending how you can love a brotherwho does not believe what you believe."
The remarks drew a standing ovation. Officials said themegachurch's 2,500-seats were filled with mourners.
Wright also spoke of patriotism and the history of America'streatment of blacks. He said the country's founding fathers"planted slavery and white supremacy in the DNA of thisrepublic," and said that Thomas Jefferson wrote, "God wouldpunish America for the sin of slavery. I guess that makes ThomasJefferson unpatriotic."
Saturday's funeral at Trinity United Church of Christ was closedto reporters. But the Sun-Times had a reporter inside the church.The newspaper's Web site Sunday carried a recording of Wright'sremarks as he eulogized Pincham, who died at age 82 earlier thismonth following a long illness.
While Obama in the past has denounced the most inflammatory ofWright's comments, the candidate has said Wright shouldn't bejudged solely on a handful of remarks. Obama expressed admirationand support for the pastor who officiated at his wedding, baptizedhis two daughters and inspired the title of his best-selling book,"The Audacity of Hope."
Information from: Chicago Sun-Times,http://www.suntimes.com/index