Hillary's Nasty Pastorate (cbsnews.com)

[Leo 9]

Hillary's Nasty Pastorate

The Nation: When It Comes To Unsavory Religious Affiliations, Clinton Is A Lot More Vulnerable Than Obama

March 21, 2008

The Nation) This column was written by Barbara Ehrenreich.
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There's a reason Hillary Clinton has remained relatively silent during the flap over intemperate remarks by Barack Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright. When it comes to unsavory religious affiliations, she's a lot more vulnerable than Obama.

snip

Sean Hannity has called Obama's church a "cult," but that term applies far more aptly to Clinton's "Family," which is organized into "cells" - their term - and operates sex-segregated group homes for young people in northern Virginia. In 2002, Sharlet joined The Family's home for young men, forswearing sex, drugs and alcohol, and participating in endless discussions of Jesus and power. He wasn't undercover; he used his own name and admitted to being a writer. But he wasn't completely out of danger either. When he went outdoors one night to make a cell phone call, he was followed. He still gets calls from Family associates asking him to meet them in diners - alone.

During the 1960s the Family forged relationships between the U.S. government and some of the most anti-Communist (and dictatorial) elements within Africa's postcolonial leadership. The Brazilian dictator General Costa e Silva, with Family support, was overseeing regular fellowship groups for Latin American leaders, while, in Indonesia, General Suharto (whose tally of several hundred thousand "Communists" killed marks him as one of the century's most murderous dictators) was presiding over a group of fifty Indonesian legislators. During the Reagan Administration the Family helped build friendships between the U.S. government and men such as Salvadoran general Carlos Eugenios Vides Casanova, convicted by a Florida jury of the torture of thousands, and Honduran general Gustavo Alvarez Martinez, himself an evangelical minister, who was linked to both the CIA and death squads before his own demise.

At the heart of The Family's American branch is a collection of powerful right-wing politicos, who include, or have included, Sam Brownback, Ed Meese, John Ashcroft, James Inhofe and Rick Santorum. They get to use The Family's spacious estate on the Potomac, The Cedars, which is maintained by young men in Family group homes and where meals are served by The Family's young women's group. And, at The Family's frequent prayer gatherings, they get powerful jolts of spiritual refreshment, tailored to the already powerful.

snip

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/20/opinion/main3955108.shtml

[anigbrowl]

1. Please stop recycling old articles

It's poor form. Any fool can cut'n'paste stuff, and you're not adding anything new or noteworthy to the discussion.

[anamandujano]

3. The Bombot police have spoken!

:scared:

[Leo 9]

4. Tell CBS News. They just posted it, April 2, 2008 2:45pm

http://www.cbsnews.com/

[MagickMuffin]

5. True it is from an old article, but now it appears the the MSM is taking notice

So, in that sense I guess it is becoming more newsworthy.

[anamandujano]

2. "This column was written by Barbara Ehrenreich."

Hahahahahahahahaha!

[Hugabear]

6. So what's your point? Does it make it any less true?

Can you explain why Hillary chooses to pray and socialize with extremist whackos like The Family?

[Leo 9]

8. When this book comes out in May "The Fellowship" will get more coverage.

[democrattotheend]

7. Finally, a mainstream outlet posts this

Wonder if they will talk about it on the news. Although frankly, I am tired of this kind of crap. I don't think anyone should be responsible for what their religious leader says. But since they spent 2 weeks beating Obama up for his choice of church, it seems only fair that they examine the religious connections of the other candidates. I am still waiting for them to talk about McCain actively courting support from Hagee.