How does Obama explain this ?

by kosnomore, Mon Jun 02, 2008 at 08:05:58 PM EDT

Seriously, folks, as students of politics, please tell me how Senator Obama explains this away.

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archi ves/2008/06/barack-obamas-theolgy-an-int er.html

Full transcript of interview:

http://falsani.blogspot.com/2008/04/bara ck-obama-2004-god-factor-interview.html

"GG:
Do you still attend Trinity?

OBAMA:
Yep. Every week. 11 oclock service.

Ever been there? Good service. I actually wrote a book called Dreams from My Father, it's kind of a meditation on race. There's a whole chapter on the church in that, and my first visits to Trinity.

* * *

GG:
Do you have people in your life that you look to for guidance?

OBAMA:
Well, my pastor [Jeremiah Wright] is certainly someone who I have an enormous amount of respect for. I have a number of friends who are ministers. Reverend Meeks is a close friend and colleague of mine in the state Senate. Father Michael Pfleger is a dear friend, and somebody I interact with closely."

Soooooo, Obama never heard the most objectionable sermons, but he said he was at that church at 11 a.m. every Sunday during the time period when they were made. Hmmm.

Aaaaand, the nutty Pfleger comments, made by some random guy who just happened to be invited to guest preach at Trinity, so you can't hold that against Obama? Now it turns out that Pfleger is one of the three people Obama said he looks to for spiritual guidance.

Look, I'm a loyal Democrat. I'll support our nominee. Any nominee. When needed, I'll develop cognitive dissonance about things I just don't want to know about my candidate. I did it for Ted Kennedy. I did it for Bill Clinton.

So, I was prepared to cut Obama slack if he said he was at church every Sunday but claims to have missed the crazy sermons.

But, when his campaign implies that Obama doesn't know Pfleger, and it turns out Obama named Pfleger as a "dear friend" he seeks out for spiritual guidance? That insults my intelligence. It isn't just toxic, it's biohazard. Why'd he do it?

Tags: 2008, Barack Obama, Jeremiah Wright, Michael Pfleger (all tags)

Comments

40 Comments

Sort by

permalink

Denial is not a strategy and

"troll" is not an answer.

by kosnomore 2008-06-02 08:07PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Denial is not a strategy and

You are a troll, that is my answer.

by spacemanspiff 2008-06-02 08:09PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Denial is not a strategy and

"And the answer, is troll. beepbeep!"

"Uhh, what is the diarist, Alex?"

by ragekage 2008-06-02 08:11PM | 0 recs

permalink

By this time tomorrow night...

this kind of diary will be deleted by the admins immediately. And for good cause.

by johnnyappleseed 2008-06-02 08:14PM | 0 recs

permalink

Yes, once we have a nominee - -

until then, I believe they take away rating ability from people who abuse it, no?

by kosnomore 2008-06-02 08:24PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Yes, once we have a nominee - -

I didn't rate you one way or the other.

I just stated the obvious - that all these hit pieces on Obama will have zero shelf life starting tomorrow night.

by johnnyappleseed 2008-06-02 08:50PM | 0 recs

permalink

let's hold Hillary acountable for bill

by your standard, we should hold Hillary accountable for anything her husband believed (NAFTA)

by Al Rodgers 2008-06-02 09:03PM | 0 recs

permalink

WOW!

Another hit piece.

by spacemanspiff 2008-06-02 08:08PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: How does Obama explain this ?

feeble attempt at Diary?
Fail

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLVCmqSAf Bs

by nogo postal 2008-06-02 08:10PM | 0 recs

permalink

Get yer facts straight dude

Obama never implied he didn't know Pfleger.

As for 11am, that explains a lot actually. You see, TUCC has several services throughout the day. They have a family service at 11am with children. And then they have the "Hour of Power" at 6pm. All of the controversial sermons are from the Hour of Power. If Obama only went to church with his family at 11am, he would never have heard the crazy sermons, which were almost certainly not delivered at the family service.

I actually wasn't sure what service he attended, but you've just provided the proof that he did not attend the controversial services. Thanks for clearing that up.

by elrod 2008-06-02 08:12PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Get yer facts straight dude

Um, I'm not sure, but I think the most appropriate reaction to this response to yet another self-appointed inquisitor would be...let's see...hmmm...yep...it's 'Ba-Bamm!!!'

Well done. My highest compliments. We can all move on now.

by Strummerson 2008-06-02 08:20PM | 0 recs

permalink

Are you invited to

the good bye party in NY tomorrow?

by IowaMike 2008-06-02 08:20PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Are you invited to

No... I'm pretty sure he's a McCain supporter.

by jturn17 2008-06-02 08:27PM | 0 recs

permalink

for 20 years no less

and like all things political he found it convenient to resign now at the eve of nomination when he has the aa votes in his pocket. But wait we cannot ask for accountability because he can never be held accountable.

by tarheel74 2008-06-02 08:48PM | 0 recs

permalink

I guess the strategy for November

is to troll rate any Republican who brings this up.
Somehow, I don't think it'll work.

by kosnomore 2008-06-02 08:54PM | 0 recs

permalink

you guys sure are angry and bitter

why would anyone pay listen to you.

it's not like you guys are gonna vote for Obama.

by Al Rodgers 2008-06-02 09:09PM | 0 recs

permalink

Accountability?

It's a goddamn church! Who cares? Jesus Christ, you people have some weird goddamn priorities.

by grass 2008-06-02 08:57PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: for 20 years no less

after seeing how the Hillary campaign handles math, I don't think they should be allowed to do any accounting. Maybe for that $4mill, Mark Penn can do it for them?

by IowaMike 2008-06-02 09:00PM | 0 recs

permalink

I don't think

you can find a more politically expedient politician than Barack Obama. Bill Clinton called him out on it best today. He'll throw anyone under the bus if he has to, after joining that church just so he gets to meet the voters in a district in which running would be easy, after kicking people off the ballot. None the less, he is not a Republican and is a Democrat so I will vote for him in November.

by DiamondJay 2008-06-02 09:02PM | 0 recs

permalink

Clinton came off foolish

the reporter asked him about the VF article, and instead of just laughing it off, he tried to deflect by attacking Obama. At the very least, he should have limited his attack to media. But going beyond that was a bridge too far.

by Al Rodgers 2008-06-02 09:07PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: I don't think

If he was really just being politically expedient, why didn't he do it months ago? Why did he take all the early political damage?

Your, and the Big Dog's, evidence is lacking.

by IowaMike 2008-06-02 09:09PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: I don't think

because it would look too obvious if he left a while back. he timed it perfectly

by DiamondJay 2008-06-02 09:20PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: I don't think

Well, then he is politically more astute than Clinton and is our best chance to win, especially since sexism would have prevented Hillary anyway....

The Sour grapes effect really puts an end to reason...

by IowaMike 2008-06-03 06:12AM | 0 recs

permalink

Sorry, but Bill is hardly one to talk

I wonder what Ricky Ray Rector thinks about Bill accusing others of putting politics over principle. Oh right, he's dead. Too bad he never got to eat that pie.

If Hillary is the VP, someone is going to have to put a muzzle on Bill and throw away the key.

by JJE 2008-06-02 10:16PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: Sorry, but Bill is hardly one to talk

Rector was a murderer. He killed someone. Bill let him meet his destiny. He was not brain damaged when he did the crime. This is unlike Obama, who stayed in a racist church for a long time, and now conveniently throws it under the bus.

by DiamondJay 2008-06-02 10:21PM | 0 recs

permalink

just so you're on the record

you think it's fine to execute the brain-damaged for political gain.

by JJE 2008-06-03 05:47AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: just so you're on the record

he was a MURDERER. He MURDERER a police officer in cold blood, and then tried to kill himself to get away with the crime, in which he, himself damaged his brain. If you remember, being against the death penalty cost Dukakis the election. Remember this ad:

had we beaten Bush, and he was beatable, we'd have stopped Hitler at Munich.

by DiamondJay 2008-06-03 06:58AM | 0 recs

permalink

a murderer indeed

but one who was mentally disabled to a child's level at the time Bill had him put to death. By pointing out that this was politically advantageous and explicitly referring to Dukakis, you are conceding my point that Bill engaged in this nasty business for political reasons.

by JJE 2008-06-03 07:41AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: a murderer indeed

but there was nothing wrong with punishing a killed. There is a lot wrong with keeping your kids going to a racist church.

by DiamondJay 2008-06-03 08:04AM | 0 recs

permalink

there is everything wrong

with killing someone who is so mentally disabled they don't even understand the situation. What is accomplished by that?

You're just repeating dumb talking points about a "racist church". You know only what you see in YouTube clips.

by JJE 2008-06-03 08:12AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: How does Obama explain this ?

As an HRC supporter, I find this whole issue a non-starter. As far as Obama being politically expedient, my worst fear is he will turn into a redux of Carter as far as effectiveness - but, the more I see of his political skills, the less I worry about it. Enough with the pastors in politics already!

by alamedadem 2008-06-02 09:09PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: How does Obama explain this ?

Good God People!

There is an ongoing unnecessary war, the economy is terrible, people lack health care, our environment is in peril, and Anti-American sentiment is high all around the world.

And THIS is what you obsess about? Churches and pastors that Senator Obama knows and has relationships with? Seriously?

by WellstoneDem 2008-06-02 09:11PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: How does Obama explain this ?

It goes to judgement. A president appoints many people into power and having good judgement about peoples character (and character flaws) is important to whether this becomes a travesty of a president (like Bush) or a competent president.
Brownie- Cheney- Rumsfeld- Bremmer- Gonzales- and on and on and on.
The bonds Obama has had in the past reflect his future judgement.

by Justwords 2008-06-03 02:14AM | 0 recs

permalink

Troll chant time!

Troll troll troll troll troll troll troll troll troll troll troll a troll a troll troll!

by skywaker9 2008-06-02 10:20PM | 0 recs

permalink

gross

Those who reccd this have been duly noted.

by mikeinsf 2008-06-02 10:43PM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: gross

"Those who reccd this have been duly noted."--mikesf

Isn't it rather undemocratic to threaten people for exercising their opinions?

by superetendar 2008-06-03 02:02AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: gross

You mean like Harriet Meyers threatened to vote for McCain because she didn't get her female President?

by comingawakening 2008-06-03 04:33AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: gross

no treat. just noticing

by mikeinsf 2008-06-03 09:12AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: gross

no threat

by mikeinsf 2008-06-03 09:12AM | 0 recs

permalink

Re: How does Obama explain this ?

"OBAMA:
Well, my pastor [Jeremiah Wright] is certainly someone who I have an enormous amount of respect for. I have a number of friends who are ministers. Reverend Meeks is a close friend and colleague of mine in the state Senate. Father Michael Pfleger is a dear friend, and somebody I interact with closely."

LOL. Wright, Meeks and Pfelger. A trifecta of priests!

by superetendar 2008-06-03 01:59AM | 0 recs