The Polarizing Pastor: Trouble for Obama...Today's LA Times

[CaliforniaPeggy]

Obama's next challenge
May 17, 2008


After weeks of being forced to consider whether Barack Obama's relationship with his ex-pastor might hurt him politically, we've lately moved to the issue of whether their connection is sufficiently poisonous that it might damage not just Obama but anyone who supports him. The North Carolina Republican Party was the agent of this particular shift, with a mischievous ad that tried to damage Obama's supporters along with the candidate himself.

The ad, released just days before that state's primaries, began with the requisite clip of the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. thundering his now-infamous denunciation of America. The narrator stated that "for 20 years, Barack Obama sat in his pew, listening to his pastor," and then got to the point: Two leading Democratic gubernatorial candidates, Richard Moore, the state's treasurer, and Beverly Perdue, its lieutenant governor, have both endorsed Obama. "They should know better," the narrator said. "He's just too extreme for North Carolina."

That's a neat piece of footwork, even by the high-stepping standards of negative political advertising. It managed to skip right by the question of whether Obama should suffer for the rantings of Wright, whom he has denounced. Instead, it insisted that two candidates who presumably have never even met Wright should take responsibility for his words because they support a candidate who once supported him. That's guilt by association by association.

It was a stretch, and John McCain properly repudiated it. Still, as the campaign pivots to the general election, there are signs that this issue may dog Obama for some time to come.

Another thoughtful editorial; more at link:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-obama17-2008may17,0,2252325.story

[anonymous171]

1. If he confronts it aggressively, it won't work. If he half-asses it, then it will.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. Yes, I agree...

He must aggressively repudiate Wright so that the Republicans cannot use this as a wedge issue in the election.

[PassingFair]

27. So far, I've only seen him "full ass" these attacks.

It's the reason he won me over.

[DemGa]

2. There's almost certainly more damaging stuff coming

from that association - repugs are saving it for the fall (if Obama is the nominee).

[Drunken Irishman]

5. Proof? Or are you talking out your ass?

[2rth2pwr]

10. Obama graced Wright's church magazine at least 3 times.

One time he shared the cover with Farrakhan and others.

[anonymous171]

12. Are they not allowed to report on Obama without Obama's approval?

More guilt-by-(thin)association

[Drunken Irishman]

13. Wow, this will sink him!

:rofl:

Oh man, that's pretty weak sauce, my friend. You can do better than that, hell, Hillary can do better than that. Sharing the cover of a magazine with Farrakhan? OH NOES!

[DerekJ]

17. What do you expect from a DUer that supports invading Iran, albeit not unilaterally.

Edit:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=5992354&mesg_id=5992828

[cliffordu]

25. He's toast!!! I'm sure glad we can get Hillary badges and stuff at half

price, though!!!

[cliffordu]

23. So.....Fucking......What....?

[dionysus]

28. you really are the energizer bunny of trolls...

:rofl:

[DemGa]

18. I shall oblige in spite of your scurrilous tone

Associating with people who approve of this message? Yes, this will go over well.

From the Pastor's Page at Obama's church:

I must tell you that Israel was the closest ally
to the White Supremacists of South Africa. In
fact, South Africa allowed Israel to test its nuclear
weapons in the ocean off South Africa. The
Israelis were given a blank check: they could test
whenever they desired and did not even have to
ask permission. Both worked on an ethnic bomb
that kills Blacks and Arabs.

Arabs have always supported the dismantling
of this racist government. In 1962, African-Arab
Sudan granted Mandela a passport to travel with
to gain international support in his struggle to
free his people. Libya, among other Arab states,
provided Mandela and other African liberation
movements, political as well as material support.
As a result, Libya was designated by the White
House as a terrorist rogue state. What a great
honor!


-snip-

Ali Baghdadi, an Arab-American activist, writer,
columnist; worked with several African-American
groups on civil and human rights issues since the
mid sixties; acted as a Middle East advisor to the
Honorable Elijah Muhammad the founder of the
Nation of Islam, as well as Minister Louis Farrakhan;
visited more than 80 countries throughout
the world and met with many of their leaders,
including Mandela, Castro, Saddam Hussein,
Hafez Assad, Qathafi, Abdallah ibn Abdel-Aziz,
Rafsanjani, Ayatollah Khamenei, among many
others.

PDF

http://tucc.org/upload/tuccbulletin_june10.pdf

[Drunken Irishman]

21. Nice!

Thanks for reassuring me the only thing they have is basically the same thing they've had for months now.

:)

I feel better now.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. All the more reason for him to get out in front of this,

And stay out in front of it...

To minimize the potential for damage in the fall.

[cliffordu]

20. Blah de blah de blah blah blah. We got it, on to the next, please.

All the time with the reverend Wright and the "extra special" stuff they got.

Was this covered in the conference call this AM or are you just winging it??

[FrenchieCat]

3. more pastorbating? Genifer Flowers was "troubling" for Bill back in '92.....

but obviously didn't achieve what the opposition wanted.

Just like them calling Bill Clinton unpatriotic for protesting against the war in Europe and visiting the former Soviet Union.

Guess that year after year, no matter what, things stay the same.

Maybe that's why people are glamoring for change.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. This is what the Republicans do...

When they can't talk the issues...

[rug]

15. Peggy? Are you out of your mind? Don't you know what goes on in here?

Quick, if you value your sanity, click here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topics&forum=335

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. Thank you, my dear rug!

I am fully cognizant of what goes on in here!

I'm working on a big poem now, but it's not ready for prime time...

I felt this editorial, and the other one I just posted, needed to be seen...

[rug]

24. OK, then, here's a fragment to keep you going.

Venom to the right of them
Venom to the left of them
Venom in front of them
Spewed out in hundreds
Spit at with shit and bile
Hotly they wrote with wile
Into the jaws of Stench
Into the mouth of Guile
Wrote on and wondered

[Lionel Mandrake]

30. That reminds me of a poem by William Blake

I saw a chapel all of gold
That none did dare to enter in,
And many weeping stood without,
Weeping, mourning, worshipping.

I saw a serpent rise between
The white pillars of the door,
And he forc'd and forc'd and forc'd,
Down the golden hinges tore.

And along the pavement sweet,
Set with pearls and rubies bright,
All his slimy length he drew
Till upon the altar white

Vomiting his poison out
On the bread and on the wine.
So I turn'd into a sty
And laid me down among the swine.

[rug]

31. Wow. It's time to revisit Blake.

[Saturday]

8. "Maybe that's why people are glamoring for change."

ROTFLMAO

[PBS Poll-435]

9. Please turn off KSFO and KNEW

Thanks

[AspenRose]

11. Hagee should not be getting a free pass.

:mad:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. Only to those who aren't going to vote for him anyway.

[zulchzulu]

19. Absolute BS! Try this for a taste of what will happen to the GOP

They tried to tie Wright to Obama and guess what, Karl... it backfired!

In a northern Mississippi district, Democrat Travis Childers won despite an attack ad that said, "When Obama's pastor cursed America, blaming us for 9-11, Childers said nothing. When Obama ridiculed rural folks for clinging to guns and religion, Childers said nothing. He took Obama over conservative values."

In Louisiana, Baton Rouge-area Democrat Don Cazayoux won despite ads saying a vote for him was a vote for the "radical liberal agenda" of Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and asking, "Is Obama right for Louisiana?"

Those results, plus the Republicans' earlier special-election loss in Illinois of the seat of former House speaker Dennis Hastert, have some Democrats salivating and some Republicans in apoplexy. Former Republican House speaker Newt Gingrich wrote last week that "the Republican brand has been so badly damaged that if Republicans try to run an anti-Obama, anti-Rev. Wright or (if Senator Clinton wins), anti-Clinton campaign, they are simply going to fail."

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2008/05/17/the_republican_strategy_backfires/

IT BACKFIRED! People are sick of the Wright Nonsense, Obama has cut ties and any attempt to do it from now on will show abject pathetic desperation.

[indimuse]

22. JACKIE MASON'S TAKE ON BARACK :: video on this subject.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZ5c6hxqXq4 JACKIE MASON'S TAKE ON BARACK


OH, myyyyyy..... very interesting .

[Drunken Irishman]

26. That settles it for me! I can't vote Obama, Jackie Mason doesn't like him.

Thanks for posting this! Obama is dead in my book now. :(

[DAGDA56]

29. You had me at Hava Nagila (electric)...I had not even considered what Jackie Mason

might have to say about things. It does give one pause...:eyes: He proves you don't have to be from West Virginia to be a racist. Sheboygan will do.

[UrbScotty]

32. My dear CaliforniaPeggy!

Not only did Obama do well in North Carolina despite that attack, so did Travis Childers in Mississippi after they tried to link him to Rev. Wright.

We all know the Republican modus operandi - attack Democrats, attack Democrats, attack Democrats. Currently their attacks deal with Rev. Wright. Hasn't worked thus far.

Repub strategists will soon have to shift their focus off Wright and start making up other phony scandals... otherwise their chances ain't gonna improve.

Either way, I hope Obama calls out those who focus on Rev. Wright but won't shed lihght on the McCain-Hagee relationship.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

34. I too hope he will be aggressively outspoken

about the McCain-Hagee relationship!

Turn about is fair play after all...

[UrbScotty]

35. It is, of course, a fine line

How does he do that without looking like he's stooping to the same-old 'politics as usual' that he has denounced?

At any rate, look! ...

GROVELBOT APPEARED IN ONE OF YOUR THREADS!

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Honeycombe8]

36. Oh, this issue won't go away. No doubt about it. I'm sure the Obama camp is ready for it. nt

[rocktivity]

37. HIT PIECE ALERT!

A "thoughtful" editorial? Only if the "thought" was keeping the Wright name in the public eye in hopes of undermining Obama--not that it's worked. The article doesn't mention that Beverly Purdue won the NC Dem governor's primary with 56% of the vote. But it does mention that 22% of WV voters consider race a "factor" in their electoral choices, which led the writer to conclude that "Obama's relationship with Wright may be registering with those voters who already harbor quiet doubts about electing an African American president." Does that mean that they'd think MORE of Wright or Obama if either or both were white?

I could make bigger donations to DU if I didn't have to keep buying new bullshit meters.


rocknation

[mth44sc]

38. YAWN

I'm bored...