[e_blazer1]

Count on his politcal opponents to make some hay with this little story:

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=4443788&page=1

[barfo]

If voters can't distinguish between Obama and his pastor, then I agree it is trouble for Obama. Wright has much more radical views than Obama, and if the opposition succeeds in painting Obama as Wright's clone, then Obama will surely not be elected.

My own view is that Obama certainly has considered Wright's viewpoint but has chosen a different path. But what I think doesn't matter much - we'll see what the majority decides.

barfo

[Dan]

There is a potential firestorm here, if he doesn't make it clear that this isn't something he supports, accepts or will put up with (as in, remove him from his "supporters"). But it's the same as McCain's two recent religious backers, one of which hates muslims, the other hates catholics.

[Yega1979]

It's the evil people in control of our government that should be "damned", the idiots who elect them should just be smiten.

I don't see anything wrong with his viewpoint though. America has engaged in a lot of terrorism, and we've killed our own troops trying to start wars etc..

But 19 hijackers with box cutters didn't bring down 3 massive buildings with two planes. If you believe that, just do the public a favor and don't vote at all.

[e_blazer1]

The problem for Obama, as I see it, is that he has been attending this church for twenty years. If this is the norm for the pastor, and I admit that I don't know that it is, how can Obama distance himself enough from it to satisfy the majority of voters in this country? If you keep going to a church where the pastor spews this kind of stuff, if you have him conduct your marriage ceremony, and if you support that church by tithing, how can you legitimately say that you've viewed the pastor's viewpoint, but have chosen a different path? I just don't think that flies. And as for the argument that it's the same thing as McCain having a couple of backers who are bigots, that's not even in the same realm of concern as deliberately choosing to attend a church for twenty years where this kind of garbage is being preached from the pulpit.

And Yega, you're finally going to get me to do something I've never done on a message board before and never thought I would: deleted

[It's_GO_Time]

That story troubles me.

What has always concerned me with Obama is I don't feel like I know what we are getting with him. He is charming, well spoken and intelligent. But what is his agenda besides change? And, god forbid, has TH's constant chirping slowly entered my brain . . . is there an aspect to Obama that is anti-US?

It's not just some random pastor where Obama attended his sermon for a while. As pointed out, Obama has been listening to him preach for decades, the pastor married Obama and baptised his kids and the pastor's name was mentioned in one of Obama's books. Obama basically refers to him as basically a family member. It sounds like he has been a big part of Obama's life.

My vote is still for Obama, because I find it hard to believe he would actaully be anti-US or think US desreved 911. But I hope Obama does not have some hidden feeling that mirror some of those ideas mentioned in the article by his pastor.

"God Damn America?" . . . that's a little extreme in my book.

[barfo]

Originally Posted by e_blazer1

The problem for Obama, as I see it, is that he has been attending this church for twenty years. If this is the norm for the pastor, and I admit that I don't know that it is, how can Obama distance himself enough from it to satisfy the majority of voters in this country? If you keep going to a church where the pastor spews this kind of stuff, if you have him conduct your marriage ceremony, and if you support that church by tithing, how can you legitimately say that you've viewed the pastor's viewpoint, but have chosen a different path?

Aren't politics and religion two different things? Obama belongs to the church. Does that mean he should get his politics from the church? He belongs to the democratic party. Should he get his religion from the Democrats?

I just don't think that flies. And as for the argument that it's the same thing as McCain having a couple of backers who are bigots, that's not even in the same realm of concern as deliberately choosing to attend a church for twenty years where this kind of garbage is being preached from the pulpit.

I'm going to make a guess that most Sundays, the pastor talks about things other than politics. I could be wrong.

barfo

[e_blazer1]

Originally Posted by barfo

Aren't politics and religion two different things?
barfo

Oh, yeah, two totally different things. Just ask Mitt Romney.

[MARIS61]

Originally Posted by e_blazer1

Oh, yeah, two totally different things. Just ask Mitt Romney.

Mitt who?

[MARIS61]

Pretty tame stuff, and mostly accurate.

[HB]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barack...h_b_91623.html

The pastor of my church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who recently preached his last sermon and is in the process of retiring, has touched off a firestorm over the last few days. He's drawn attention as the result of some inflammatory and appalling remarks he made about our country, our politics, and my political opponents.

Let me say at the outset that I vehemently disagree and strongly condemn the statements that have been the subject of this controversy. 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.

As I have written about in my books, I first joined Trinity United Church of Christ nearly twenty years ago. I knew Rev. Wright as someone who served this nation with honor as a United States Marine, as a respected biblical scholar, and as someone who taught or lectured at seminaries across the country, from Union Theological Seminary to the University of Chicago. He also led a diverse congregation that was and still is a pillar of the South Side and the entire city of Chicago. It's a congregation that does not merely preach social justice but acts it out each day, through ministries ranging from housing the homeless to reaching out to those with HIV/AIDS.

Most importantly, Rev. Wright preached the gospel of Jesus, a gospel on which I base my life. In other words, he has never been my political advisor; he's been my pastor. And the sermons I heard him preach always related to our obligation to love God and one another, to work on behalf of the poor, and to seek justice at every turn.

The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation. When these statements first came to my attention, it was at the beginning of my presidential campaign. I made it clear at the time that I strongly condemned his comments. But because Rev. Wright was on the verge of retirement, and because of my strong links to the Trinity faith community, where I married my wife and where my daughters were baptized, I did not think it appropriate to leave the church.

[e_blazer1]

It's a nice statement, but this particular sentence had better be true or Obama's done:

The statements that Rev. Wright made that are the cause of this controversy were not statements I personally heard him preach while I sat in the pews of Trinity or heard him utter in private conversation.

Frankly, I'm not sure what he says here will be enough given that many Democrats are on the fence between Hillary and Obama. This could tip the race to the Clinton camp...which makes one wonder about the timing of it hitting the networks right now. Who do you suppose tipped off ABC?

[barfo]

Originally Posted by e_blazer1

Frankly, I'm not sure what he says here will be enough given that many Democrats are on the fence between Hillary and Obama.

I don't think that's actually true. Either part. I think denouncing the statements probably will be enough to defuse the issue in the primary, and I don't think many democrats are on the fence between Hillary and Obama, any more than the general electorate is on the fence between R's and D's. Most people have made up their minds at this point.

barfo