Politics played no role in the decision to invite Rev. Jeremiah Wright to appear Monday at the National Press Club, the club said in a statement Tuesday evening.

Club president Sylvia Smith said Wright was invited because he's in the news, not because his remarks might hurt the campaign of Barack Obama.

“Let me re-emphasize that the people who are invited to address a Press Club luncheon receive their invitations because of their news value," Smith said. "We do not in any way try to advance or impair a candidate’s campaign. The Rev. Wright became newsworthy in the context of the Clinton-Obama campaign. The National Press Club wishes to hear from and question newsworthy people. Therefore, Wright was invited to be a speaker.”

Smith was responding to a report that Wright's appearance was organized by a club member who supports Hillary Clinton.

She said Wright was actually first proposed as a speaker two years ago - long before his inflammatory sermons became an embarassment to Obama. She also said that the Clinton supporter who organized the luncheon was playing a routine role, acting as the club's contact person with the guest, rather than the mastermind of the appearance.