O boy Obama

[waskillywabbit]

He's no different than a member of the KKK, neo-nazi, and so on. Simply another idiot that deserves to be thrown in the hole.

I could not agree more.
The problem is that he is an idiot with a platform...and lots of folks listening...including a candidate for President for over 20 years.

[patrickryanb]

Yea, wow that racist dude is intense. It's kinda hard to get through. I agree with what the wabbit says, that dude is an idiot on a platform. His sort of racism is just as bad as the KKK. I think Obama is a great speaker and through that talent has captured many followers. I find it disturbing that Obama often refers to himself as black, or half black....but never does he say he is half white. The most disturbing thing is that whom ever the democrats elect, will more than likely win the office. McCain cannot compete with the two dem. options. Even more i have heard of a possible Clinton/Obama ticket. I wish people would quit playing the minority card, and just be an american, regardless of color or sex. It will be an interesting election for sure. I have no clue who to vote for. As with all politics is America, it seems like we end up voting for the lesser of evils.

[ecchamberlin]

I saw this also. It is disturbing to say the least. There are many who would agrue that he is not his minister but I say that is a tough sell. It would be different if it was a boss or co-worker. Your minister is someone who talks about morality and a system of beliefs though. By CHOOSING to associate yourself with that church and that leader of the church you associate yourself with the ideologies also.

I think this puts him in a very difficult position to talk his way out of. He needs to be asked about this. It would effect the discharge of his office as President and therefore is open game. Not to be asked to justify his choice of religion but his choice of association to an specific extremist pastor. Then it would beg the question that if he does not agree with this pastor's views, why not go to another church of the same faith?

Clinton, by suggesting that Oboma run on her ticket as VP can be hurt by this to, so she probably will not be the person to push him on this.

[Bob98SR5]

I am going to looooove watching you guys squirm when Obama is president.

That minister is a jackass. So is Ferraro. So is Cunningham.

Why would anyone squirm?

Personally, I am not going to squirm. I dont like him because he's alot like other politicians who speak well, promises alot, hypocritical, and never delivers. If the country votes him in, so be it. That's life, that's America.

[20005spd]

As with all politics is America, it seems like we end up voting for the lesser of evils.

you hit the nail on the head....i guess its still better than dictatorship...

[fustercluck]

I only squirm when the constitution is trampled and freedoms are lost. Why would anyone enjoy watching that?.....unless he/she is ideologically opposed to personal freedom.

[bamachem]

and so the lies begin.

he's distancing himself from his minister now, even though he has been a close friend and personal adviser during the campaign and the hate-mongering has been proven to have been occurring for at least two years.

http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/03...and-appalling/


Obama Calls Chicago Pastor's Statements Inflammatory and Appalling
by FOXNews.com
Friday, March 14, 2008
Border



Barack Obama speaks to reporters on a plane from Chicago to Washington Thursday. The next day he condemned, in full, controversial statements by his longtime Chicago pastor.

Barack Obama describes longtime pastor Jeremiah Wright Jr. as an æ–—ike an uncle and a spiritual mentor, but the presidential candidate rejected Wrightç—´ fiery anti-U.S. and politically divisive sermons after days of mounting pressure to do so.

Obama told FOX News Friday that he could no longer lay low as Wrightç—´ past sermons, where he condemned the United States as institutionally racist and blamed the government for HIV and the Sept. 11 attacks, were played in heavy rotation on national television.

"Once I saw them I had to be very clear about the fact that these are not statements that I am comfortable with," Obama said. "I reject them completely they are not ones that reflect my values or my ideals or Michelle's."

Obama called his remarks "inflammatory and appalling" in a written statement Friday.

Though Obama has known Wright for 20 years, he said the pastor has never been active in his campaign and that he is no longer on his African American Religious Leadership Committee.

Obama, in the interview Friday with FOX News Major Garrett, said he has been a member of the church since the early 1990s after working with the congregation as a community organizer on the south side of Chicago.

Obama married his wife Michelle at Wright's Trinity United Church of Christ, had his children baptized by Wright and donated money to the church, but he said he first learned of many of the pastor's controversial statements only when they were aired in the media in recent days.

None of these statements were ones I had heard myself personally in the pews, Obama told FOX News. Once I saw them I had to be very clear about the fact that these are not statements that I am comfortable with. I reject them completely they are not ones that reflect my values or my ideals.

He said the sermons now sparking controversy didn't resemble the sermons he remembers from Wright, which, Obama said, stuck to messages of faith, values and helping people in the community.

Obama's response came as critics called on the Illinois senator and Democratic presidential candidate to do more to distance himself from Wright, who, in a fiery sermon recorded and available on DVD, can be seen and heard saying three times: God damn America.

In his recorded sermons, he also questions America's role in the spread of the AIDS virus and suggests that the United States bore some responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.

Obama issued his more forceful statement against the sermons Friday afternoon.

Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy, he said in the statement. I categorically denounce any statement that disparages our great country or serves to divide us from our allies. I also believe that words that degrade individuals have no place in our public dialogue, whether it's on the campaign stump or in the pulpit. In sum, I reject outright the statements by Rev. Wright that are at issue.

A year ago, Wright defended his beliefs in an often contentious interview on FOX News Hannity & Colmes.

If you're not going to talk about theology in context, if you're not going to talk about liberation theology then you can't talk about the black value system, Wright said on the show's March 1, 2007, broadcast.

Wright said his teachings are based on black liberation theology, which he summed up as AÂ*fricans speaking for themselves.

Wake Forest University professor Terry Matthews, says in a lecture reprinted on the university's Web site that black liberation theology seeks to find a way to make the gospel relevant to black people who must struggle daily under the burden of white oppression.

Wright's supporters say his sermons accurately portray black America, and they contend his sermons are widely studied by theologians.

I've been at some of those sermons, the Rev. Dwight Hopkins, a member of the church, told FOX News. The majority of Wrights sermons speak to healing, he challenges the black community to be more responsible.

Wright delivered his final sermon last month and retired as leader of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

Obama told FOX News he wouldn't have quit Wright's congregation if the pastor's more controversial statements were isolated, but if that became t��he tenor or tone on an ongoing basis of his sermons Obama said he would have quit.

Obviously they are ones that are from my perspective completely unacceptable and inexcusable, Obama said.

With the pastor retiring from the pulpit Obama said he doesn't see an issue in his family remaining part of the congregation.

If I thought that was the repeated tenor of the church then I wouldn't feel comfortable, but frankly that has not been my experience at Trinity United Church of Christ.

After the interview was broadcast Friday night on Hannity & Colmes, Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for President Bush, suggested on the show that the controversy and the timing of Obama's disavowal show him to be little more than a shrewd politician.

I think there's a reason Republicans I talk to are increasingly looking forward to running against Barack Obama, Fleischer said.

[dontdo_that]

Lol that youtube video was so great. I can't believe they aired this bull. "The problem on the planet is white people." "White People want to kill us." It sounds just like an extremely sarcastic joke, thats how ridiculous it is.

On another note, I want to explore the possibility that Obama does truly condemn his minister's points of view on America. What is the purpose of a minister? From my basic understanding, ministers generally provide guidance in finding faith in God. Perhaps it is possible to listen to your religious leader on topics of religion, but understand the fine line between legitimate religious preaching and brainless, opinionated rambling about how America is evil. Is it humanly impossible to accept or consider some information while knowing other information is bogus and just plain wrong, even if it comes from the same source?

In addition, the its not too far-fetched to consider that since Obama has been campaigning, the pastor has seen it as an outlet to spread his point of view by tagging Obama to himself which would in turn bring him media coverage. Unfortunately, there are individuals out there who will read the news articles provided here and agree with the pastor and perhaps take action. In such case, he has already accomplished what he wanted to.

[ecchamberlin]

Ned you make some very valid arguments there. It is possible. I don't think he agreed with him about his hateful and racist views. I do however think that he choose associate himself with this guy and by seeking his counsel in Obomas time of political need (Run for Senate and President) is judgmentally questionable. So the questions need to be asked.

Obama is very intelligent and extremely well spoken. If he can satisfactorily answer why he chose to seek this mans counsel when making his decision to run for Senate and the Presidency then that is the end of it IMO. It is just very hard to separate the "he was just my minister" point from his racist anti diversity views.

If Clinton does not, and I don't think she can, question him about this then you can bet that McCain will do just that.

There are no perfect candidates. Just too much spin by the time they reach this point in their careers. I guess you just have to ask yourself if things like this popping up are deal breaker for you if it is about your candidate. It will get much worse as we get closer. Although I do feel that if Oboma wins the Dem nomination and it is he and McCain in the election it will much more civil than if it were Clinton and McCain....IMHO

[ChickenLover]

If Clinton does not, and I don't think she can, question him about this then you can bet that McCain will do just that.

McCain doesn't have the stomach for it. As a matter of fact, he has already publicly defended Obama on this issue. If anyone is going to pounce, it will be the Clintons... In one way or another.

On a side note: Rasmussen is reporting that Obama's national lead dropped by 7 points overnight.