It seems that Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright met President Bill Clinton at a prayer breakfast. The New York Times has unearthed a photo of the two chatting. By the look on his face, Rev. Dr. right must have just asked about “ridin’ dirty.” How did the Times find the photo?

The Obama campaign:

During one of the most difficult periods in the presidency of Bill Clinton, he addressed a group of clerics at an annual prayer breakfast in September 1998 just as the Starr report outlining his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky was about to be published.

Among those in attendance, was the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., who is seen shaking hands with Mr. Clinton in a photograph provided today by the Obama campaign. Mr. Wright’s relationship with Senator Barack Obama, as his longtime pastor, has been the subject of considerable controversy in recent days because of incendiary excerpts of sermons Mr. Wright gave at their church, Trinity United Church of Christ, in Chicago.

Is this supposed to somehow show that Bill Clinton supported Jeremiah Wright, or that his hateful, obscenity laced sermons were condoned by Presidnet Clinton? To what end? It certainly doesn’t get Barack off the hook, and it sure doesn’t take the spotlight of either Obama or Wright:

In providing the photograph to The New York Times, the Obama campaign appeared to be trying to divert some attention to the Clintons after a week in which Mr. Obama’s relationship with Mr. Wright has left him facing one of the biggest challenges of his campaign. There is nothing in the picture or the note that addresses whether Mr. Clinton had met Mr. Wright prior to the White House meeting or whether he or Mrs. Clinton knew anything about Mr. Wright’s views.

This is a very weak attempt at tying the Clinton camp with Rev. Dr. Wright. If anything, it tell me that the Clintons didn’t even know the man. If they were close, one would expect a more personal “thank-you” card than this one:

Dear Pastor Wright:

Thank you so much for your kind message.
I am touched by your prayers and by the many expressions of encouragement and support I have received from friends across our country.

You have my best wishes.

Sincerely,
Bill Clinton

Kind message? That alone tells me he never heard Wright speak. Nice try, Obama, but that isn’t gonna help you any.