Obama plans "40 Days of Faith and Family" in South Carolina

[DeepModem Mom]

September 24, 2007
Obama plans "40 Days of Faith and Family" in South Carolina


Obama is hoping a Biblically-titled grassroots effort will boost his stature among South Carolina primary voters.

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) — Barack Obama's presidential campaign is hoping to increase the candidate's profile among African-American voters in South Carolina by launching a grassroots effort called "40 Days of Faith and Family." The effort, which began on Saturday, will organize Bible study programs and gospel concerts across the state over the next month in order to engage voters and boost Obama's name identification among Palmetto State voters who may be more familiar with the Democratic frontrunner, Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Obama staffers have a significant grassroots effort underway in the state, using phone banks, canvassing and house meetings to reach out to black South Carolinians in urban centers as well far-flung rural areas. The campaign has also run radio ads here targeted at African-American voters emphasizing the Democratic candidate's faith.

African-Americans make up an estimated fifty percent of Democratic primary voters here. Recent polls have shown Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton running neck-and-neck among black voters.

According to a release from the campaign, "40 Days of Faith and Family" is "an opportunity for people of faith to come together, across racial and denominational lines, to talk about how they live their faith outside the four walls of the church, what they want to see from their presidential candidates and how Obama’s faith informs how he thinks about the issues of our time."

The release also says the effort will emphasize Obama's experience as a community organizer and civil rights attorney, two biographical entries that the campaign hopes will help the senator appeal to black voters....

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/09/24/obama-plans-40-days-of-faith-and-family-in-south-carolina/

[varkam]

1. I like Obama a little bit less, now.

I guess it's a sign of the times.

[Colobo]

2. He has to attact all voters, including fundies.

[frazzled]

8. Why would you equate black church goers with fundies?

Are they the same thing? (I ask sincerely). My guess is that some are fundamentalists (take the words of the bible literally), but most are probably not. Is, say, the Reverend Al Sharpton a fundie? Was Martin Luther King a fundie? Or is it that all so-called people of faith are "fundies"?

We need to be more specific when we talk about "fundies." Do you mean those who oppose abortion, stem-cell research, homosexuality, and the teaching of evolution in schools? Because that is what I equate with fundamentalists when we speak of them in the political realm. I doubt any of Obama's tentative voters among black Democrats in S.C. could be so neatly categorized. And so what are you talking about here?

[Colobo]

9. Many black churches are staunch opponents of gay rights.

[frazzled]

13. A well known fact, but that does not make them "fundies" necessarily

And you certainly cannot say Obama is an opponent of gay rights. He specifically chided the black community for its attitudes towards gays during the Tavis Smiley debate.

You'll have to come up with something better than tossing off a remark that makes church people coterminous with "fundies". (For the record, I am neither a church goer nor even a Christian, so I have absolutely no personal stake in this).

I ask you again, when the civil rights movement organized in churches for equal rights for African Americans, was that appealing to fundies? Do you consider anyone who practices a faith to be a fundamentalist?

[Colobo]

19. I personally have problems with churches that condemn

the sexual orientation of people and their right to marry whoever they which. Maybe fundies is not the right term for black churches, but I do have problems with any sort of dogma that supports the oppression of other human beings.

By the way, I'm agnostic, straight andan Obama supporter.

[varkam]

17. Doesn't mean I have to like

candidates that pander.

[Colobo]

20. Tell me one top tier candidate of any party that is not pandering in some way.

[varkam]

24. Did I say

that I liked any top tier candidate?

[mark414]

29. Obama is admittedly a Christian and a church-goer

and he has never hidden that.

How is that pandering?

[varkam]

40. IMHO

It is pandering because he is making a traditionally personal issue a big feature in his campaign to try to attract votes of religious people based not on substance, the persuasiveness of his arguments, nor on his stance, but on pure similarity.

[sandnsea]

27. Please read this interview

He has a completely unique approach to religion and could be key in turning the tide on this freaky fundamentalist interpretation of faith.

http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/204017.aspx

[IndianaGreen]

3. More news like this, and I just might sign up for the Hillary campaign

Many of those Black churches and their pastors have been virulently opposed to marriage rights for gays and lesbians. Considering the history of racial discrimination in this country, it is disturbing to hear these pastors refer to homosexuality as a "choice" and see them fail to see the connection between the bigotry they experienced, and the bigotry they are now spewing on gay rights.

[Colobo]

10. Hillary and Obama are the same on that regard.

Their position on gay rights is quite similar, and they want the votes of black churchgoers and non-churchgoes in South Carolina.

[Cameron27]

12. Maybe he can be a positive influence

towards gay rights in the black churches. That would be worth the focus on faith.

[AtomicKitten]

23. this quote from Obama is promising in that regard:

"I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. It should be repealed and I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor. I will also oppose any proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying."

* Barack Obama

[emilyg]

16. This was not about Hillary. Stay on topic.

[Silence Dogood]

36. Obama dissed the GLBT constituency on their forum

How soon you disregard what he said: "Those people who have AIDS" Didn't you hear the gasp in the audience, when he said that? This sumbitch is turning out to be the best snake oil salesman since Gingrich! Fuck him and the horse he rode in on. Now he's catering to the RW Fundies to get their vote. Give me a fucking break. Take him, he's all yours and I want my donation money back. Fucking hypocrite!

[emilyg]

15. Hillary and I would welcome you.

[illinoisprogressive]

4. It's a bible belt state. Gotta appeal to the church people - they vote

[gateley]

6. As much as this leaves a bad taste in his mouth, I agree with you -- it IS a

political campaign, after all, transparent though it may be.

[IndianaGreen]

7. And we criticized the Clintons for throwing gays under the bus

I don't want Obama standing behind me at the bus stop.

[Colobo]

11. As much as I dislike the approach, they have to do it if they wanna win.

[IndianaGreen]

14. So it is okay for Obama to pander, just as we accuse Hillary of doing?

What's wrong with this picture?

[Colobo]

21. It's necessary for both. I don't criticize Hillary's campaign methods.

If other Obama supporters do so, that's their thing.

[goodgd_yall]

41. Call it politicking

There's nothing wrong with it. It seems "pandering" is what the opposition (on whatever side) likes to call it, but it's just that old time campaigning.

[killbotfactory]

26. Obama actually criticizes their stance on gays and AIDS prevention

when he speaks in front of black churches. If anything, he's trying to appeal to the better, more progressive tendencies of Christianity. It's either that, or write them all off as bigots.

[ronnykmarshall]

34. Yeah it's different when Obama does it.

[killbotfactory]

38. Here's what Obama says in front of Church audiences.

Abstinence & Fidelity as Ideal, but Not Reality

Having said that, I also believe that we cannot ignore that abstinence and fidelity may too often be the ideal and not the reality - that we are dealing with flesh and blood men and women and not abstractions - and that if condoms and potentially microbicides can prevent millions of deaths, they should be made more widely available.

I know that there are those who, out of sincere religious conviction, oppose such measures. And with these folks, I must respectfully but unequivocally disagree. I do not accept the notion that those who make mistakes in their lives should be given an effective death sentence.

Nor am I willing to stand by and allow those who are entirely innocent - wives who, because of the culture they live in, often have no power to refuse sex with their husbands, or children who are born with the infection as a consequence of their parent's behavior -suffer when condoms or other measures would have kept them from harm.

...

Like no other illness, AIDS tests our ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes - to empathize with the plight of our fellow man. While most would agree that the AIDS orphan or the transfusion victim or the wronged wife contracted the disease through no fault of their own, it has too often been easy for some to point to the unfaithful husband or the promiscuous youth or the gay man and say "This is your fault.
You have sinned."

I don't think that's a satisfactory response. My faith reminds me that we all are sinners.

My faith also tells me that - as Pastor Rick has said - it is not a sin to be sick. My Bible tells me that when God sent his only Son to Earth, it was to heal the sick and comfort the weary; to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; to befriend the outcast and redeem those who strayed from righteousness.

Living His example is the hardest kind of faith - but it is surely the most rewarding. It is a way of life that can not only light our way as people of faith, but guide us to a new and better politics as Americans.

For in the end, we must realize that the AIDS orphan in Africa presents us with the same challenge as the gang member in South Central, or the Katrina victim in New Orleans, or the uninsured mother in North Dakota.

http://usliberals.about.com/od/extraordinaryspeeches/a/ObamaAIDS.htm

We need more "pandering" like this.

[goodgd_yall]

42. Can't argue with anything he said

This is the kind of Christian speak I can support.

[FlaxieB]

5. It's campaigning and Obama has the appeal and substance.

[emilyg]

18. Oh dear.

:spank:

[Lucinda]

22. This is an open question to the thread participants

Why do you think hes pandering? Seems to me that it is a legitimate expression of his faith...and good politics at the same time...

[saltpoint]

25. -- --

:thumbsup:

[Ethelk2044]

33. He has been talking about his religion since 2004 speech he gave. It is not pandering

He has been talking about how deeply he believes in religion.

[Grandrose]

28. Pandering....NOT!

African American people in general, the South and Faith are synonymous. Anybody calling this pandering do know or care about the history/struggle of AA's!
The Obama campaign is right on, they must appeal to our core values! :think:

[Apollo11]

30. Forget Faith. Let's bring back Reason!

Obama is excluding me from his campaign. Because I believe that this life is the only one we get.



IN GORE WE TRUST B-)

www.algore.com

www.americaforgore.org

:kick:

[donsu]

31. sounds boring - sounds 1950s - how about a saving the planet 40 days

40 days of economic advise for survival

40 days and 40 ways to get rid of the neo cons

40 days to get the constitution back

[Ethelk2044]

32. This is good news. It will play well to the African American community in SC

[Canuckistanian]

35. Tell him not to make any deals with talking serpents

And beware of wild beasts.

[freestyle]

37. Enough pandering to religion.

I am really turned off by this religious pandering. I am inclined to support Obama, but this makes me wary. It especially makes me doubt his alleged commitment to GLBT equality and makes me wonder how deep his opposition to marriage equality runs. As someone who is Black, religious, and gay, I would be much more impressed by 365 days of fairness and equality, rather than faith-based pandering. I wish Obama the best, but giving too much prominence to religion is not scoring any points with me. Unfortunately, Clinton and Edwards do it too.

[killbotfactory]

39. Read what he says before Church audiences before you judge him!

Like no other illness, AIDS tests our ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes - to empathize with the plight of our fellow man. While most would agree that the AIDS orphan or the transfusion victim or the wronged wife contracted the disease through no fault of their own, it has too often been easy for some to point to the unfaithful husband or the promiscuous youth or the gay man and say "This is your fault. You have sinned."

I don't think that's a satisfactory response. My faith reminds me that we all are sinners.

My faith also tells me that - as Pastor Rick has said - it is not a sin to be sick. My Bible tells me that when God sent his only Son to Earth, it was to heal the sick and comfort the weary; to feed the hungry and clothe the naked; to befriend the outcast and redeem those who strayed from righteousness.

Living His example is the hardest kind of faith - but it is surely the most rewarding. It is a way of life that can not only light our way as people of faith, but guide us to a new and better politics as Americans.

For in the end, we must realize that the AIDS orphan in Africa presents us with the same challenge as the gang member in South Central, or the Katrina victim in New Orleans, or the uninsured mother in North Dakota.

We can turn away from these Americans, and blame their problems on themselves, and embrace a politics that's punitive and petty, divisive and small.

Or we can embrace another tradition of politics - a tradition that has stretched from the days of our founding to the glory of the civil rights movement, a tradition based on the simple idea that we have a stake in one another - and that what binds us together is greater than what drives us apart, and that if enough people believe in the truth of that proposition and act on it, then we might not solve every problem, but we can get something meaningful done for the people with whom we share this Earth.

http://usliberals.about.com/od/extraordinaryspeeches/a/ObamaAIDS_4.htm

He is appealing to the progressive tendencies of religious faith.

[Clintonista2]

43. Hello there, Barack Opander

[4_TN_TITANS]

44. Bring plenty of bamboo shoots....

there's going to be a TON of panda-ring going on... I get so sick of this shit, hasn't the religious right been schmoozed and pampered for damn long enough - like years??? He just dropped more than a few points on my scale :mad: