Quite a few readers speculate that Jeremiah Wright is angry at Obama for criticizing him in his speech on race relations, and his recent appearances and statements are indeed a deliberate effort to hurt Obama.

(UPDATE: I see Joe Klein has just written, “Wright’s purpose now seems quite clear: to aggrandize himself–the guy is going to be a go-to mainstream media source for racial extremist spew, the next iteration of Al Sharpton–and destroy Barack Obama.” Of course, he also says that McCain’s statement, pointing out that Hamas has effectively endorsed Obama, is “putrid” and “cheesy nonsense.” Yes, must not confuse voters with the facts.)

And now, for a really far-out theory… Wright goes out, makes even more outrageous remarks, and it gives Obama the opportunity to finally sever the ties. A statement like, “I loved this man, but I cannot abide what he is saying now… I am leaving that church and must disavow Jeremiah Wright.”

Issue resolved. Obama is given credit for being a healer, for a courageous move, for standing up against divisiveness at great personal emotional expense, etc. …

It would be an improvement for Obama than current circumstances, where bloggers like Cuffy are finding Wright’s recent rhetoric on race, brain characteristics, and culture have strange echoes of documents from long ago…