Is Rev. Wright Sacrificing Himself?

FRIENDS is not my top choice for a pop culture analogy, so it bleeds my heart to present this possibly appropriate bit of dialogue -

Monica: (starting to cry) I’m a good person. And I’m a good chef, and
I don’t deserve to have marinara sauce all over me! Y’know
what, if you want me to quit this bad, then all you have to
do is....

Joey: (interrupting) Hey! Chef Geller! Y’know that little speech you
made the other day? Well I got a problem with it!

Monica: You do?

Joey: You bet I do! I just ah, wasn’t listening then, that’s all.

Monica: Well if you want a problem? I’ll give you a problem!

Joey: What are you gonna do? You’re gonna fire me?

Monica: You bet your ass I’m gonna fire you! Get out of my kitchen!
Get out!! (Joey leaves) All right! Anybody else got a problem?
How ‘bout you Chuckles? You think this is funny now?

Ever since Rev. Wright thrust himself back into the national limelight saying even loonier things, I have been wondering about his motivations. Is he publicity hungry? Or vindictive? Or paranoid? Or just plain nuts?

Now as I read see Obama reacting to Wright with a blistering counter-attack, I wonder if Wright is willfully taking the fall and giving Obama an easy way out of this situation. So Wright went so totally out on a limb, saying things that seem beyond outrageous.... and heck, even mocking JFK... and Obama had no choice but to trash him. In fact Obama can now say "well, he used to be a nice guy, but seems to have totally lost it. What can I do folks?"

If so, hats off to Wright.