The flap of the month in the presidential campaign was over comments made by Barack Obama's preacher, the Reverend Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., formerly pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Obviously Obama was not responsible for Wright's views, but the question became whether he shared the same values and ideas expressed by the good reverend.

Evidently the Obamas have been members of this church for 20 years, so Obama defenders, Democrats and Republicans seemed intently interested in what he would say and do once the preacher's comments were made public.

I finally got to hear the full transcript of the speech that created the hubbub, and as the old ad once asked, "Where's the beef?"

I heard nothing that I had not heard dozens, perhaps hundreds, of times before. The United States is a racist country. Our military routinely engages in evil acts, especially against the poor brown people of the world.

Our Marines are the equivalent of the Roman soldiers who oppressed the Jews, occupied their land and killed Jesus.

There is no crime too vile that the white male majority won't perpetrate it, especially against minorities. Our domestic and foreign policies are so evil that God will "damn America."

There is nothing new here. I've been around universities most of my adult life. I heard this message 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 ? most liberal students in the '60s could have given this speech.

So, what's the beef?

There is really only one point on which the academics would disagree with Wright. The reverend keeps contending that our country is "confusing God with government." Many of our friends on the left would be more likely to suggest that there is no God, at least in the fashion envisioned by Wright, and if there is a god, why shouldn't that be the government? After all, who or what else can save us?

But even this slip by Jeremiah is excusable because in this liberal schema of the world it is alright for minorities to have quaint religious views. Religious beliefs only become dangerous when held by white males.

This does make terrorism hard to deal with unless it is committed by an American guy with a pickup truck or one who happens to live in a compound, in which case the course of action is crystal clear.

So the question of the month evolved into, "Does Obama agree with his pastor?"

It is impossible for one person to know exactly what another person believes, but it is possible to calculate probabilities.

Whereas almost all modern American liberals agree with most of Wright's comments (minus the religious nonsense? which they understand and forgive, of course), and whereas given that educated liberals of a certain class are even more likely to agree, and whereas Obama is an educated liberal of a certain elite class, then we must entertain the possibility that there is an overwhelming probability that he agrees with almost everything the good reverend said.

His like-minded cohorts in the media assume this opinion of America so completely that they are just confused. They assume these statements are so factual that they can't believe there is any problem. To them, it is like affirming that the sky is generally brighter in the day than at night. Since what Wright said is so obvious, what is the real issue?

Ah ? Barack Obama's opponents are simply grasping for anything to anger the rubes. There they go again, manufacturing political violence against the truly informed. One pundit suggested that Obama was being "swift boated." It is interesting how an historical event can be turned into a verb expressing the exact opposite of history's actual lesson, but that is another article.

Some even brought up the ever tiresome charge of racism. This has been overused to the point that even those making the charge have to cover their mouths to hide their chuckles and sneers.

So what is the issue?

It is simply one of worldview. Do we want the most powerful person on the planet to hold a perception of the world that we believe is incorrect and perhaps dangerous to our long-term interests? The view of the Rev. Wright is held by a minority of Americans; it is one that the majority rejected years ago.

If this were not true, the candidates would be preaching this vision more vigorously than Jeremiah himself.