Pastor's hellfire sermons put Obama's campaign in hot water

[Little Star]

Source: Guardian.CO.UK

Barack Obama faced potential damage to his campaign yesterday after television networks aired footage of sermons by the former pastor of Obama's church likening the Democratic frontrunner to Jesus and declaring: "God damn America."

In the sermons the Rev Jeremiah Wright, who presided over Obama's marriage and provided the title of his book Audacity of Hope, condemned what he described as a systemic effort to keep black people in poverty.

The accusations of racism could prove embarrassing to Obama who has based his candidacy around a message of unity. In his sermons Wright reportedly refers to the US as being under the influence of the Ku Klux Klan, and describes black Republicans as sellouts.

"The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing God Bless America. No, no, no, God damn America, that's in the Bible for killing innocent people," he said in a 2003 sermon which was aired by ABC television.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/14/barackobama.hillaryclinton

[Bonobo]

1. America has never come to terms with its own Holocausts.

Don't blame the victims. Blame the perps.

[pnwmom]

20. Telling that to America won't help Obama win the general election.

If that's his message in the general, he is guaranteed to lose.

[bhikkhu]

27. But that is is Wright's message. Obama's is quite different,

and it has served him very well so far.

[pnwmom]

62. I agree, Obama's is entirely different.

But I was responding to the previous poster.

[aquart]

79. LOL!

He'll tell you anything you want to hear, dear.

[barb162]

109. Really? How do you explain his going to that church

and having that hate whitey preacher baptizing his two kids?

[aquart]

78. Aww, co-opting terminology.

How nice.

[JerseygirlCT]

108. I have to agree.

Refusing to talk about it is not helpful. Dialogue on the issue is the only way to mend things. And crying "racism" everytime someone points the racism out is a big impediment toward real dialogue.

I don't like hate talk directed at whole groups of other people much - again, like Obama, I don't find that useful. But I think attempting to silence an angry man b/c some don't like what he's saying isn't going to help matters, either.

[David Dunham]

2. Obama's church should have destroyed these tapes

[KittyWampus]

7. I thought he was a Muslim.

[Norrin Radd]

70. LOL

[aquart]

84. The father who deserted him was a Muslim.

But, you never know.

[aquart]

81. Wouldn't that be ...dishonest?

[barb162]

111. Why? Obama seems to be proud he goes to that church.

Why not let the world see what goes on inside that church.

[tidy_bowl]

114. Yes and those particular nasty 18 minutes.....NT

[John Q. Citizen]

3. What's the big deal? I'm an agnostic, but I know why 1 in 3 black men are in the criminal justice

system.

It don't take a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

edited to add- Haven't you heard of Iran-Contra and Freeway Ricky? It was in all the newspapers.

[Nevernose]

6. But 2 out of 3 white men don't know.

A lot of people I'm acquainted with -- the fence-sitters and swing-voters -- are afraid of what they perceive as "black racists." Even a lot of the liberals.

And I was trying to come up with a pithy Dylan comeback quote, but all I could come up with was, "Everybody must get stoned." Not what I was looking for.

[John Q. Citizen]

15. The only thing to fear is fear itself. Look your aquaintences in the eye and tell them the truth.

My guess is that's what Obama is going to do.

How about this for another Dylan song/poem?


Someone's got it in for me, they're planting stories in the press
Whoever it is I wish they'd cut it out but when they will I can only guess.
They say I shot a man named Gray and took his wife to Italy,
She inherited a million bucks and when she died it came to me.
I can't help it if I'm lucky.

People see me all the time and they just can't remember how to act
Their minds are filled with big ideas, images and distorted facts.
Even you, yesterday you had to ask me where it was at,
I couldn't believe after all these years, you didn't know me better than that
Sweet lady.

Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your mouth,
Blowing down the backroads headin' south.
Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth,
You're an idiot, babe.
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe.

I ran into the fortune-teller, who said beware of lightning that might strike
I haven't known peace and quiet for so long I can't remember what it's like.
There's a lone soldier on the cross, smoke pourin' out of a boxcar door,
You didn't know it, you didn't think it could be done, in the final end he won the wars
After losin' every battle.

I woke up on the roadside, daydreamin' 'bout the way things sometimes are
Visions of your chestnut mare shoot through my head and are makin' me see stars.
You hurt the ones that I love best and cover up the truth with lies.
One day you'll be in the ditch, flies buzzin' around your eyes,
Blood on your saddle.

Idiot wind, blowing through the flowers on your tomb,
Blowing through the curtains in your room.
Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth,
You're an idiot, babe.
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe.

It was gravity which pulled us down and destiny which broke us apart
You tamed the lion in my cage but it just wasn't enough to change my heart.
Now everything's a little upside down, as a matter of fact the wheels have stopped,
What's good is bad, what's bad is good, you'll find out when you reach the top
You're on the bottom.

I noticed at the ceremony, your corrupt ways had finally made you blind
I can't remember your face anymore, your mouth has changed, your eyes
don't look into mine.
The priest wore black on the seventh day and sat stone-faced while the building
burned.
I waited for you on the running boards, near the cypress trees, while the springtime
turned Slowly into autumn.

Idiot wind, blowing like a circle around my skull,
From the Grand Coulee Dam to the Capitol.
Idiot wind, blowing every time you move your teeth,
You're an idiot, babe.
It's a wonder that you still know how to breathe.

I can't feel you anymore, I can't even touch the books you've read
Every time I crawl past your door, I been wishin' I was somebody else instead.
Down the highway, down the tracks, down the road to ecstasy,
I followed you beneath the stars, hounded by your memory
And all your ragin' glory.

I been double-crossed now for the very last time and now I'm finally free,
I kissed goodbye the howling beast on the borderline which separated you from me.
You'll never know the hurt I suffered nor the pain I rise above,
And I'll never know the same about you, your holiness or your kind of love,
And it makes me feel so sorry.

[aquart]

80. Obama tell the truth?

Sometimes. Must be a fun story how he came to choose THIS church. He sure isn't going because this is where his grandparents brought him every Sunday.

[amborin]

133. *you* may understand what he means

but we're not talking about you

we're talking about the thousands of ignornant, biased, and gullible voters in the GE

the influence this can have on them when it's played over and over and pitched along with other things that the right wing gloats about

it's the overall picture ....

not wearing the lapel pin

michelle's comments

etc.....

they will use this

how naive are you?

[tekisui]

4. Whoopty-Doopty.

I have never liked the religions of any of the people I've voted for. I won't let it stop me,now. I don't like Hillary's either.

[texshelters]

71. Amen Brother!

Praise be the Flying Spaghetti Monster and its Noodly Appendage!

Tex Shelters

[GainesT1958]

5. Hmmm...FORMER pastor...

Made this controversial sermon in 2003...

That's all a little different from McCain's CURRENT pastoral supporters, who have RECENTLY said the Catholic Church was "...the Whore of Babylon" and that Islam was "a false religion", and that Allah was Satan:wtf:

Obama doesn't have to answer for this boob anymore than he has to answer for Louis Farrakhan. McCain, on the other hand...:eyes:

B-)

[David Dunham]

8. The minister only resigned last month.

[barb162]

112. This preacher was there for how many decades as Obama's preacher?

[C_U_L8R]

9. It's a non-issue and it sounds like the Clinton team's last gasp

If they're down to pathetic childish crap like this,
you know The Clinton's have got nothing left. Not a single
bright hope or illuminating idea... they are so over.

They just need to make it official.

[brentspeak]

11. If Obama is the nominee, expect to see clips of Pastor Wright's speech on TV every commercial break

"I'm John McCain, and I approve this message."

[C_U_L8R]

19. So what.

Let the bigots have at it.

[davepc]

34. Getting spiritual advice from a man who goes "God Damn America"

isn't a winning position.

[jackson_dem]

76. Obamites think so. Obama is immune to attack according to them

:scared:

[aquart]

82. Because he's the messiah.

[leftynyc]

95. Please take your head out of the sand

This issue is a real problem and Sen Obama needs to get in front of it in a hurry before it becomes cemented in conventional wisdom (that he in any way agrees and supports these ideas). Beause independent voters in swing states are not going to like hearing that America was responsible for 9/11. True, party true or not - it's not a message that will work in the general election.

[lark]

104. Swift Boating killed Kerry's run

Dems can't let anything pass wihtout comment, R's sure don't, and neither will the media. This is just the start, hold on to your hats.

[votenovember2008]

30. Touché!

Touché!

[JerseygirlCT]

110. Parsely? Hagee?

I suspect there will be plenty of unsavory people on McCain's side of things to bring out, too.

[ryanmuegge]

123. And Chris Matthews, O'Riely, Hannity, Russert, and other tabloid reporters to give it lots of

free air time and "analysis."

[pnwmom]

21. This came from ABC news, not the Clintons.

And it will come up again in the general election campaign, so Obama has to figure out how to deal with it.

[C_U_L8R]

23. yeah. whatever.

there certainly are a lot of wheezers on their last gasp around here.
is this the best you've got ??? I think the curtains about to fall.

[pnwmom]

25. I am not in the Hillary camp or the Barack camp. I'm in the "must win in November

camp."

And that means whoever is the nominee must be prepared to address any and all questions that get thrown at him or her.

Because this little primary fight is NOTHING compared to what we will be facing in the general election.

[C_U_L8R]

26. Well we certainly don't beat republicans

by getting all scared and defensive now.
When Rush or O'Reilly or McCain himself starts throwing poo,
do you a) take the hit b) strike back c) get out of the way ?

[pnwmom]

61. Who's saying we should get scared or defensive?

On the other hand, neither candidate's supporters should blame the other candidate when the MSM puts out a negative report. Obama and Clinton need to address negative issues like this when they come up. And we, their supporters, shouldn't be throwing stones at each other.

[pokercat999]

91. I'd like to offer some friendly caution to the "we MUST

win in November" idea. Not because we won't win because we probably will. Hillary and Obama are both, like 95% of American politicians, wholly owned subsidiary's of corporate america. If elected there might be some small changes but for the most part fascist america will continue to grow and thrive. I guess what I'm saying in a nutshell is "don't set your hopes too high, you are most likely going to be disappointed".


I hope I'm wrong.

[pnwmom]

94. Spoken like the Nader backers of 2000.

They insisted there wasn't any significant difference between Gore and Bush, and we've all seen how wrong that idea was.

If you still aren't convinced, then think about what one more Rethug appointment to the Supreme Court will mean.

[pokercat999]

141. Long term the continuation of the ruinious policies of the

neo-cons could lead to the break up of the US into two or more countries. I think this would be a positive result and allow our future generations a better life, at least on the "left" side of the country. However, having Democrats that have just slightly different policies or the SAME policies when it comes to corporatons and trade will never result in anything more than slight differences with the neo-cons, and will eventually lead to the virtual enslavement of our future generations.

[lark]

106. Your thread is a perfect metaphor for what's gone wrong at DU

A person posts this as a concerned Dem, and you attack the messenger, rather than deal with the real truth that this is an issue that needs addressing or it will fester and grow. There's a lot I personally don't like about Obama and he is my absolute last choice for Dem representative, but face it, he's the most likely to be **our** nominee. As such, it is in all of our best interests for him to succeed, and ignoring concerns raised in the press is the best way to lose, ask Kerry.

[Megahurtz]

136. Lol!

:D

[amborin]

134. this is why some obama supporters are seriously ignorant, immature, stupid

there is a potentially damning story out about O

in the Manchester Guradian, all over the right wing blogs for weeks, on the wires, etc.....

and rather than acknowledge that O now has some serious issue to address, you try to blame others and smear them

your reply is beyond deluded

[Megahurtz]

135. You Got It!

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

10. As I stated before, I won't be voting for his former pastor.

His former pastor is not who he is.

[Dr.Phool]

12. Has he fired any Hellfire missives at Clinton?

[defendandprotect]

13. Oh, gee . . . well, maybe change churches . . . ?

Not that I think that the Rev is necessarily wrong ---
just that it probably won't play very well for Obama right now ---

[aquart]

86. So be hypocritical to get votes? Be dishonest to get votes?

Gosh, isn't that what you accuse Hillary of? Among so much else?

[dbonds]

14. Make up your mind, is he Muslim or Christian

Isn't this a dupe?

[cseper]

16. Let's talk double standard....

Imgagine if Rev. Jeremiah Wright was Clinton's pastor. She'd be drummed out of the race. Hey, but no one cared about Obama's "hoodwink" talking points either. It's all Clinton hate all the time.

[truthisfreedom]

Wow, what a straight-shooter. Amazing.

I'm glad he's getting airtime!

[truthisfreedom]

17. Wow, what a straight-shooter. Amazing.

I'm glad he's getting airtime!

[barb162]

115. I am too.

I'm sure this will play well in the rest of America.

:sarcasm:

[swag]

18. Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell didn't blame America for 9/11 and Katrina?

James Hagee doesn't blame America for everything, and call down upon our country the wrath of his imaginary playmate god.

Powerful Republican figures didn't blame Hurricane Skatrina on their imaginary playmate god's problem with the homosexuality he evidently created.

This is such silly bullshit.

[pnwmom]

22. So Obama's a devout Christian whose long-time pastor preached "God damn America."

Maybe we would have been better off if he really was a Muslim?

[votenovember2008]

29. Ditto!

I know that's right!

[pnwmom]

60. Welcome to DU, votenovember2008!

And I can hardly wait till that day in November.

:)

[votenovember2008]

103. :)

Thank you!

[aquart]

83. All kinds of Christians.

All kinds of devotion. How did he come to join this church, again?

[burrowowl]

24. I think that the Reverand

told it like it is, e.g. the Rich not being taxed, etc.
If Obama renounces the Reverand, he ain't no Liberal!

[bhikkhu]

28. McCain won't capitalize - he has his own pastor problems

or a long list of associations with the "necessary people", who have at times advocated wars against Islam, wars against homosexuality, wars against the entertainment industry, etc.

[MissMillie]

93. precisely

:thumbsup:

[pop goes the weasel]

31. so? the context is clear

This is just an old-fashioned jeramiad. Jonathan Edwards would be proud.

[kitty1]

32. What happened to the message of bringing lite to darkness....

and overcoming evil with good, etc....I can't picture Jesus condemning the U.S. or any other people from a pulpit like that.
He came not to judge, but to save and enlighten.
Martin Luther King got his message across in a much more uplifting way.
He was a visionary, not a whiner.

[gtar100]

72. Yea, that is the truth.

These new pastors may have conviction but they've also got a lot of drama too. A lot of people like it, which is pretty sad.

[Plaid Adder]

33. Wait. He said this in *2003*?

Man. Mud-slingers are having to go pretty far afield to find mud these days!

Good luck with that,

The Plaid Adder

[barb162]

118. What makes you think this jerk has changed his tune since then?

[TacticalPeek]

35. Obama's pastor says 'God damn America'

Source: UPI

Obama's pastor says 'God damn America'
Published: March 13, 2008 at 8:12 PM

CHICAGO, March 13 (UPI) -- Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama's pastor has drawn increased scrutiny since the Illinois senator said his church is not controversial.

Obama's pastor, who has been the longtime leader of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, says that blacks should not sing "God Bless America" but instead "God damn America," ABC News reported.

The Rev. Jeremiah Wright has also said the United States brought on the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks with its own "terrorism," ABC reported.

Just days after the Sept. 11 attacks, ABC reported that Wright said the U.S. government brought on the attacks.

"We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki, and we nuked far more than the thousands in New York and the Pentagon, and we never batted an eye," Wright said on Sept. 16, 2001.

more



Read more: http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2008/03/13/obamas_pastor_says_god_damn_america/8771/

[Orwellian_Ghost]

36. So does

much of the rest of the world.

[pocoloco]

41. Much if not most!

[shraby]

43. You took the words right off my keyboard.

[ekwhite]

67. I agree with you totally, but we are trying to get Obama into the White House

Telling people how much blood is on our hands is not going to get them to vote for you. Giving the White House to McCain is certain to add to the bloodshed. Remember 'Bomb, bomb Iran'?

[OwnedByFerrets]

37. Old news...nt

[Skip Intro]

44. How old, a day?

[blayne]

56. The Clinton campaign sent this video out via email yesterday.

I guess they are trying to get their supporters to disseminate this information. Mission accomplished!

[leftofcool]

65. Uh no.........the tapes were ordered by the MSM from the church website

[blayne]

124. Uh yea...

This is the exact text I received from Liz Nottingham:


This is a MUST SEE. This is a news video. Please watch and forward.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4443230

Liz Nottingham,
918-344-0732 cell
972-692-7414 fax
[e-mail]

[Purveyor]

38. I've proclaimed "god damn America" after the first reports of our illegal invasion of Iraq and I

stand by those words...

[truthisfreedom]

39. I'm glad they're getting this stuff out of the way.

[MercutioATC]

40. This pastor sounds saner every time I hear another quote...

If you get past the buzzline (eg. "God damn America") and listen to what he's saying, he's right on target.

[enid602]

42. defense

In the pastor's defense, I think he meant that (given some of the injustices this county has perpetrated) God should damn it rather than bless it. In that sense, I think he was criticising some of our countriy's policies rather than our country itself or its people.

[muntrv]

45. Where does it say in the Bible that USA is God's country?

[Tunkamerica]

88. King George's edition

translated from the original Texan

[Selatius]

46. "God bless America and everybody else can burn in hell" is one I heard from Europe.

The funny thing is many Americans seem not to notice how pretentious it is to ask God to do this or that or anything in exclusivity to others in the world.

[Thothmes]

92. The Europeans are not much better

The Entire Wehrmacht wore belt buckles that said "Gott Mitt Uns" (sic).

[Selatius]

130. Yeah, and the Wehrmacht has been defeated for 60 years. As far as I know, they don't do it today.

[bhikkhu]

47. I appreciate a man who has no fear...

Sometimes I wish I had the courage to say the same words - for a thousand things over the last two hundred years. That is not to say that I don't believe that America has been and can be a "good leader" to the world, but war, economic manipulations and sometimes just plain arrogance have shown their face too often, and led to death and suffering beyond reckoning. Not to say that death and suffering would not occur anyway, but when the blood is on our hands that is no defense.

Patriotism is too often the sacred cow that wicked and weak men hide behind. Loving your country is a very good thing, but sometimes you should be able to tell the truth about it as well.

[Traction311]

48. Forget his opinions for a moment...

What kind of man of the cloth says "God Damn"? Sorry, but no real pastor would use the Lord's name in vain like that. Disgusting.

[Binka]

125. Go Back To Watching The Family Guy

This board is a bit too grown up for you.

[Traction311]

139. Go back to watching Hello Kitty

This board to too mature for you to answer in an intelligent response.

I'll ask again? What man of the cloth says "God damn"? No self proclaimed Rev. would use the Lord's name in vain. Ever.

[polticalpout]

49. "We bombed Hiroshima, we bombed Nagasaki"...what's his fucking point?

I'm glad he can so easily monday quarterback WWII, does he want to goddamn all the fire bombing that took place during the WWII, after all it was done "without batting an eye", you know he must of been there to know that, right?

Comparing the WWII bombing(s) to 9/11 = fucking idiot.

[BadgerLaw2010]

52. Dunno. We shouldn't have hammered genocidal Japanese?

:shrug: :shrug: :shrug:

[CaliforniaDreaming]

55. His point is this:

In America, because bombing is such an incredibly rare occurence, we as American don't think that much about the effects of bombing other countries, yet when we are bombed we are completely shocked and outraged (which we should be).

Maybe you should go rent "The Fog of War."

[polticalpout]

59. And WWII has what to do with this?

?

[Noirceuil]

50. Obama's Pastor is a Disgrace!

Blaming the U.S. for 9/11, saying that Bill Clinton "rode" Black people just like he "rode" (in a sexual way) Monica Lewinsky and then making a sexual gesture, all from the pulpit! What the hell kind of church is this!? Obama's supporters are going to have a rude awakening in the general election. This sort of thing, along with Michelle Obama's comments, completely turns off moderate Democrats and the so-called Obama-cans. I'm disgusted.

[Taxmyth]

68. Hillary Clinton can win the General Election

and Senator Obama cannot especially with the words of his Pastor ringing in middle America's ears. Talk about a sound bite. Isn't this guy part of the Obama team also?

[humbled_opinion]

97. Oh please... Bill Clinton

Calling Barrack Obama a fairy tale in the likes of Jesse Jackson was a disrespectful and ignorant comment. I don't think Obama's pastor was too far off in the reference.

[CaliforniaDreaming]

51. I'm a huge Obama fan, but I've always said...

my one concern about him is the church he attends. I just never really understood why he chose it.

[barb162]

116. Maybe this church goes along with his real beliefs. Why else

would he be attending it?

[liberalsoldier5]

53. His pastor truly sounds like an asshole

and for Senator Obama's sake, he needs to clean up his act. For Obama, if no one else. N/T.

[liberalsoldier5]

54. Self delete.

Accidental double post.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

57. he also said " the government lied about creating HIV to kill black people"...links to video

warning the first one is from Faux

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ38N8OUg3Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzhl-endvco

[madrchsod]

58. i read on the internets that obama

actually wrote that sermon! yes i have read "reliable sources" that know for at fact that obama is a radical black christian and is preaching a "new way".....

when i was a wee lad my minister gave a sermon ridiculing the catholic church in south america...so by this silliness i`m a catholic hater....

[humbled_opinion]

98. Oh yeah and I heard that

Obama was a undercover black muslim, christian, second cousin of Usama Bin Laden, sent to destory the Hare Krishna and then take us all to the planet xenophobia where we will all live happily ever after. Amen.

[ekwhite]

66. Keep in mind that is the moonie press service

That doesn't change the fact that Obama needs to act quickly to distance himself from those comments. America has a lot of blood on her hands, but some of what he was saying was getting into Fred Phelps territory.

[jackson_dem]

63. The hypocrisy will hurt Obama as much as Wright's words

He runs on "unity" and "post-racial" politics yet he attends a racist church...This is the latest in a string of examples of Obama saying one thing in public and doing another in private.

[ChazII]

74. Do I hear an Amen?

Agreed. Things are not looking good for him right now.

[humbled_opinion]

99. Leave Obama ALLLLOOOONNNNNEEEEE...n/t

[barb162]

120. As it should, since he talks out of both sides of his mouth.

Better to find out now before he is the nominee and while there is still another Democratic candidate.

[ekwhite]

64. Senator Obama does need to distance himself from Rev. Wright

I mostly agree with Rev. Wright on that one, but that ain't gonna play in Peoria. People who are saying John McCain is going to run with this are right, assuming the Clinton campaign doesn't go there first. They would love to work the 'Obama is a racist' theme to add on to the 'Obama is an affirmative action candidate' theme.

[Taxmyth]

69. Racism is being preached in his church

Call it guilt by association, call it unfortunate timing and call Senator Obama and tell him that was the end of his run for President. NO WAY he wins the General Election with these words ringing across America. The Clinton campaign doesn't have to use it, the Right Wing hatemongers and radio "entertainers" will.

[humbled_opinion]

100. Exactly so as the Right White

Get their hoods all nice and cloroxed up.... we should cower to that??? Give me a break.

[barb162]

119. I don't notice any

KKK members running for president. But this crap coming out of Obama's church sounds like KKK stuff except it's directed at white people. Very racist stuff coming out of the self proclaimed "Unifier's" church.

[humbled_opinion]

138. Obama was never at a sermon where he spouted that crap.

[texshelters]

73. Where's the racism?

People are saying this pastor is racist. I that because he blames whites for harming blacks? I don't see any racism here? Help me out, I may have missed it.

I think we are fanning the flames of this and it doesn't seem like much to me.

Almost every American has said "God damn America" at one time. Well, every one I know. That's why we live in America, we can say that and go to a church that might not be for everyone. I'd have no friends if I had to agree with everything they said or did.

Tex Shelters

[DUlover2909]

75. ok, ok. I voted for Hillary, but golly darn it, we need to stop this crap.

The people surrounding the candidates are sinking the ship. Who cares what his pastor said? Who cares what Ferraro said? Who cares what Bill Clinton says? Or Oprah? Or even that nut that endorsed McCain. Those aren't the candidates. This primary is going way too long. Now I wish Hillary would just quit. Let Obama be the guy and let's move on. Obama is a great man and let's judge him, not some peripheral people that endorse him or whatever.

[NM Independent]

77. GOP won't use this...No Way

There is NO WAY the GOP would dare use this in an advertisement. Why? Because Rod Parsley and John Hagee have both endorsed McSame. Endorsements fondly accepted as a pander to the far right. In contrast, though these words are Obama's mentors he has repeatedly stated that he doesn't agree with everything he says by any means. If he and his pastor were just alike, then Barack would be a pastor, not a politician.

So, do you think swing voters will be more influenced by a distanced endorsement by a righteously angry black pastor (whose anger is clearly justified), or by two embraced endorsements by righteously angry white pastors (whose anger is clearly not justified).

I'd love to hear anybody argue that one. Repugs are dumb, but they aren't that damn dumb.

[skyounkin]

85. The GOP

ain't that dumb- but the people who support the GOP are- so yeah- they will use it agsinst Obama.

Thankfully- this speech is protected under the first amendment.

Not that that has ever matter to the GOP either or their dumb supporters.

[Taxmyth]

87. Oh yes they will

And when people bring up the rhetoric of Parsley and Hagee they'll be accused of being anti-religion. Being seen as anti-Islam or anti-Catholic in the US is certainly not as abhorable as being seen as anti-American which is how this Pastors sound bites come across. And hate radio will play it non-stop. If you stop and think about what he's saying some might consider it the truth. But you would have to stop and think and that's a tall order for a lot of American voters. It's bad enough Senator Obama's tax plan is being panned as a redistribution of the wealth or communist in nature but middle America watching these clips will run far and fast from Senator Obama.

[greyghost]

90. You bet they will. Anyone who thinks they won't are naive beyond belief.

[EFerrari]

96. There are many preachers who have clips that are much worse.

Middle America doesn't care about Clinton's latest meme.

[Taxmyth]

122. Ok I feel better then

Whew, I thought this might be a problem come General Election time kind of like the swiftboat "veterans" thing. Thanks for setting my mind at ease.

[EFerrari]

128. You're welcome.

[lark]

113. Have you paid any attentation at all

The Repugs go after a person's strengths and turn it into weakness, that's what they do. Obama "preaches" inclusion, so they go after him for racism. It's not dumb, although it is totally dishonest, it works. What was Kerry's greatest strenght - that he was a for real decorated war hero - what was he attacked on - that very same thing. They absolutely will do that to Obama. If you don't think so, I've got quite a bit of FL swamp you might be interested in.

[goodgd_yall]

126. Amen n/t

[JerseygirlCT]

117. Oh they'll try, don't doubt that. We just have to let go of our

unwillingness to throw the grenades back at them this time.

It *could* open up some interesting discussions, actually. About the role of private religious beliefs in public life, and about the way these things are used in our campaigns.

I think Obama is much more aware of what happened to Kerry last time and much more ready to fight back. McCain won't do any of this himself, of course. He'll use all the armies of nasty right wing surrogates on the radio and elsewhere. We've got to be just as ready with surrogates of our own. And we've got to keep turning the conversation back to what people actually do care about: the war, the economy.

The person who reaches people on the issues they truly care about - the ones that really touch their indvidual lives - that's the person who's going to win this.

[goodgd_yall]

127. Surrogates indeed

That's how the game is played. I saw McCain in an interview dismissing that Rev. Wright's sermons were a reflection of Obama's beliefs. He sounded very fair and reasonable. But I don't doubt for a moment that "his people" will be bringing up this issue again to taint Obama.

[JerseygirlCT]

129. Yup. He'll be only fair and balanced.

The rest of them will be attack dogs.

But I do think Obama knows this game well, and is more than ready to play. He can be above the fray, too.

[qanda]

89. Well, at least this will put the "Obama is a Muslim" story to rest

[humbled_opinion]

101. No it won't they are going to hyponotize

people into believing that Obama is a Murtadd to the radical islamists, an apostate who the Islamists believe left the relgion of Islam (because his father was muslim) and who Muhommad has ordered to be killed. It gives fuel to the Obama will make America less safe mantra...

[LeftHander]

102. non-issue....

These kinds of sermons are common in the African American religious experience.

THis is just the first time most of "White America" has bothered to pay attention.

[underpants]

105. I thought religion was a good thing?

:shrug:

[Mountainman]

107. Kool! Obama is a Muslim with a Christian pastor, sounds like unity to me!

So how's the right going to play this one? Pretty good tactics I'd think. You can't claim Obama is a Muslim then condemn his Christian pastor for saying what he did!

Way to go Obama campaign!

[barb162]

121. And the Obama campaign talks about Ferraro's racism???

Hahahaha, they should look at the videos of Obama's church to see examples of REAL racism.

[SayitAintSo]

131. Face it - this cryptonite for Obama

This worries and disgusts me - and I am a Obama supporter. Now I really DO worry about his electibility in the general. And BTW - I heard that Fox News is the one that has been pushing this - surprise, surprise...

[Megahurtz]

132. Yeah Right.

Obama is responsible for what a Pastor says to his Church congregation. Right. :eyes:

This issue is getting about as stupid as it can ever get. :eyes:

[Khaotic]

137. Obama on Religion

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWjR-N0QZ14

[Xenotime]

140. Looks like Obama got mixed up with some fundies...