He's back...the Reverend Jeremiah Wright

Emerging from a not-completely explained self-exile, Barack Obama's former pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright, spoke to a crowd at Northwestern University Friday night.

Although the event was closed to the media, CBS 2 Chicago is reporting that a large crowd came to Evanston to hear the recently retired pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ speak on "state of the black union."

Earlier this year, the university offered Wright an honorary degree but pulled the offer after controversy erupted over the pastor's provocative remarks in sermons. Some associated with Northwestern said they were appalled at the way the college treated Wright. The university's black student organization invited him for this week's event.

Wright said he would only speak at Northwestern after the election, obviously wary that his words may be used again against Obama. He has said racial problems are not completely solved and he reserves the right to criticize the president-elect if he feels Obama is not serving the underclass.

Expect the reverend to be quite talkative during the next four years.

While Wright was viewed not worthy of an honorary degree, the Northwestern School of Law, which counts Bernardine Dorhn as a member of its faculty, chose Jerry Springer to speak at its 2008 commencement. He spoke about ethics.

Y'know, maybe Wright did get a raw deal.

Technorati tags: Northwestern University college education news Jerry Springer Bernardine Dohrn religion Obama politics Barack Obama Election Democrats Jeremiah Wright