42 Comments

1. Jamie Irons:

Roger,

I’m sure that’s so. But I doubt the rabbi of Rodef Shalom is a racist. Jeremiah Wright is. And Idoubt Yglesias would ever attend the synagogue of a racist rabbi. Matthew is not even being slightly honest here…

I completely concur. Anyone who is even remotely objective will be appalled on actually viewing those Jeremiah Wright videos. And as many have pointed out, the man is not just a pastor to Obama, but a (yikes!) mentor.

As I wrote to you, the phrase “audacity of hope,” coined first by Wright himself as we have all learned, now has a rather painfully ironic ring to it.

Jamie Irons

Mar 16, 2008 - 1:18 pm 2. Jamie Irons:

Roger,

I’m sure that’s so. But I doubt the rabbi of Rodef Shalom is a racist. Jeremiah Wright is. And Idoubt Yglesias would ever attend the synagogue of a racist rabbi. Matthew is not even being slightly honest here…

I completely concur. Anyone who is even remotely objective will be appalled on actually viewing those Jeremiah Wright videos. And as many have pointed out, the man is not just a pastor to Obama, but a (yikes!) mentor.

As I wrote to you, the phrase “audacity of hope,” coined first by Wright himself as we have all learned, now has a rather painfully ironic ring to it.

Jamie Irons

Mar 16, 2008 - 1:19 pm 3. Jamie Irons:

Please forgive the double post. I got a “bad response from server” message, assumed it meant the post hadn’t gone through, but was mistaken.

Jamie Irons

Mar 16, 2008 - 1:26 pm 4. Lem:

Matthew is not running for president. Obama is.

I think is at least newsworthy to find out that the potential president has a spiritual advisor who believes in the damnation of America.

The voters can pick their president but not his advisors.

Indeed we presume that when President Obama takes the oath to protect and defend America he will have meant it.

Mar 16, 2008 - 1:39 pm 5. Lem:

Believing something is one thing, preaching it is another. Preaching is an exhortation an encouragement to act.

Would a martian be able to distinguish the reverend’s comments and a jihadist for example?

I don’t know the asnwer to that.

Mar 16, 2008 - 1:53 pm 6. srlucado:

All this hoo-hah about Obama is going to prove a basic point–he really *isn’t* experienced enough to be president.

He hadn’t imagined for a moment what it would be like when the heretofore adoring media smelled a story starring him as the Bad Guy. Up to now, it’s been “Wow, isn’t he cute?” But lately, it’s been “Wow, this puppy dog might actually win? Who is he really?” And it’s been steadily downhill ever since.

Ah, the dark side of the bright lights.

Mar 16, 2008 - 2:29 pm 7. Michael J. Totten:

Several I talked to are seriously thinking about voting for McCain.

Half my friends, my wife included, are voting for John McCain. None of these people except one have ever voted for a Republican in their lives. And they’re switching over without any of the embarrassment or angst I felt when I pulled the lever for Bush in 2004.

These friends of mine aren’t typical or representative of Democrats generally. Half the party isn’t going to bolt. But I’ve seen and heard lots of other people say they too know many Democrats who will switch over. It won’t take a very large percentage to flip some blue states to red.

My state of Oregon almost went red last time, and very well might this time. McCain is beating Hillary Clinton in the polls here, and I won’t be a bit surprised if he starts polling better than Obama now that the Wright flap has exploded.

Mar 16, 2008 - 3:30 pm 8. Roger:

“And they’re switching over without any of the embarrassment or angst I felt when I pulled the lever for Bush in 2004.”

I noticed the same thing, Michael.

Mar 16, 2008 - 3:34 pm 9. Lem:

The accidental candidate.

You mean to tell me Obama has not hired anybody to look him up?

Obamas response to his Jeremiah jamborees has been to say that he was not listening, perhaps not there.

“When you speak all these words to them, they will not listen to you either”
Jeremiah 7:27

Obama seems to be saying that just as with the original Jeremiah he was not listening to this one either.

Unimpressive

Mar 16, 2008 - 3:39 pm 10. Godzilla:

Talk about chickens coming home to roost

Here’s some chickens:

I don’t think that my church is actually particularly controversial. It is a member of the United Church of Christ. It’s got a choir. We sing hymnals. We talk about scripture. You would feel at home if you were there.

Jeremiah Wright, who was my pastor, in the past, has said some things that were considered controversial because he has considered that part of his social gospel. So, he was one of the leaders in calling for divestment from South Africa and some other issues like that. And he thinks it’s important for us to focus on what’s happening in Africa. And I agree with him on that.[ahem, Obama, is that the best you can do in citing controversial comments made by your spiritual advisor?]

Now, I think what you may be referring to, though, when you say controversies, probably has more to do with two issues, which is abortion and gay marriage, which has become, I think, how people measure faith in the evangelical community. And, you know, I think that there are genuine differences of opinion in this area.

I will tell you that I don’t believe in gay marriage, but I do think that people who are gay and lesbian should be treated with dignity and respect and that the state should not discriminate against them. So, I believe in civil unions that allow a same-sex couple to visit each other in a hospital or transfer property to each other. I don’t think it should be called marriage, but I think that it is a legal right that they should have that is recognized by the state. If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount(????), which I think is, in my mind, for my faith, more central than an obscure passage in Romans(????). That’s my view. But we can have a respectful disagreement on that.

And on the issue of abortion that is always a tragic and painful issue. And I think that in the past we have made some mistakes, I think, people who are pro-choice, in not focusing on the fact that there is a real moral element to this. And I think that is how it is experienced by women. It is never an easy decision and I don’t think women make those decisions casually.

I think it is always tragic, and we should prevent it as much as possible by making sure that young people are engaging in responsible behavior and that we are encouraging the kinds of good decisions that prevent unwanted pregnancies and that we are encouraging adoption as an alternative. But I think that at the bottom line is that in the end I think women, in consultation with their pastors, and their doctors, and their family, are in a better position to make these decisions than some bureaucrat in Washington [this implies much less autonomy for the woman than a cursory reading admits to, and notice the Freudian slip of putting the pastors at the head of the line in the list of consultees...not much doubt that pastors would recommend against the abortion is there, thereby offsetting some of the "mistakes" made by the pro-choicers?].

Mar 16, 2008 - 3:52 pm 11. David Thomson:

Alan Dershowitz probably feels powerless. He is something of a marginalized figure within the Harvard University community. Things have apparently only gotten worse since Larry Summers was demoted back to the economics department. The politically correct crazies have taken over the institution. Can Harvard be saved? My guess is that the leftist whack jobs are legally protected and have nothing to worry about until retirement. Furthermore, their damage will continue after they leave. The odds are that they have already selected their replacements—and these folks will be just as nutty.

But why are we discussing such boring topics? Something really important happened earlier this afternoon: The Houston Rockets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 104-92. We simply must get our priorities straight. Good has defeated evil. The world rejoices.

Mar 16, 2008 - 4:27 pm 12. TerryeL:

This is what happens when people fall out of love. They look at the person, and say to themselves:

What was I thinking?

Obama should have seen this coming. We keep hearing about how flat footed Bush is with the press, but he is suave and debonair compared to this freak show.

What made Obama think that God Damn America…was not going to get him in serious trouble, unless he found a way to get out in front of it? Really? What made him think this kind of talk is acceptable?

As for Africa, Bush has done more to help Africa than that wind bag Wright ever did.

Mar 16, 2008 - 4:47 pm 13. Patsfan:

So Bill Clinton didn’t run as a force for “unity?”

Wasn’t it Clinton who promised to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” then made a couple of phoney-baloney gestures, like playing the saxophone on the Arsenio Hall Show and blasting Fleetwood Mac ad infinitum on his campaign bus?

C’mon, Insty. Straighten up.

Mar 16, 2008 - 5:33 pm 14. Barry Dauphin:

McCain might indeed provide cover for some Democrats to switch, since he has been the MSM’s favorite Republican. And even though he’ll face negative press, many years of hero worship by the MSM can’t be completely ignored by the masses.

Nonetheless, if Billary manage to get the nomination, they will play nasty. I expect a lot on age and a lot on McCain’s temper. When that doesn’t work, they will say he’s nuts because he was tortured and isn’t sable enough to be president. Well the surrogates will say that. The presidential election could become closer than it “should”.

Mar 16, 2008 - 5:59 pm 15. Pat Patterson:

My theory on the apparent absolute cluelessness of Sen. Obama’s staff in preparing for these charges is more technical than intellectual. The Obama’s probably have all of Rev. Wright’s sermons on VHS that were probably by now overwritten with softball games, music and dance recitals and maybe even that rumored favorite film of the Sen. Obama, The Sweet Smell of Success. Mrs. Obama being more partial to Pontecorvo’s Burn.

Some poor staffer was given twenty years of tapes to study and wouldn’t admit that he couldn’t get the tapes to run correctly, even after he borrowed his dad’s old eight track player. The Betamax was even worse as the tape would go in but it wouldn’t play. So he just gave up and hoped audaciously that nothing was amiss.

Mar 16, 2008 - 6:19 pm 16. Webutante:

Jeremiah and Michele have between them finished off any chances Obama ever had to be the next president. He is going down and before long will be out. Meanwhile McCain’s trip to Iraq, at a time our citizens are having a surge of support there, is a great move that will only enhance his chances for being our next POTUS.

Mar 16, 2008 - 6:36 pm 17. Roger:

“Burn”… now there’s a blast from the past. Wonder if Michelle has seen it. Probably not, but it’s an amusing thought.

Mar 16, 2008 - 6:37 pm 18. Jamie Irons:

Roger,

“Burn”… now there’s a blast from the past. Wonder if Michelle has seen it. Probably not, but it’s an amusing thought…

Indeed. I thought Pat Patterson’s comment, in its entirety, was very funny.

And Webutante, you wrote in your blog (about a memorable breakfast):

Had this while staying at a lovely hotel outside Inverness, Scotland in January…

I hope you enjoyed a range of single malts (though not at breakfast!) while there in the land of my ancestors!

Jamie Irons

Mar 16, 2008 - 7:17 pm 19. Yehudit:

Funny, I was at a meeting this afternoon for a grassroots Israel advocacy group here in NYC. About 12 people, mostly liberal Jewish upper middle class. Going around the room introducing ourselves, several people said variations on “I’m the only one of my liberal friends with these crazy ideas.” (Sort of like some of us in 2004.)

The meeting wasn’t about the election, but in any casual asides about the candidates, if there were any Hillary supporters they didn’t identify themselves, and Obama was out and McCain was in. At least one person who hates Bush is voting for McCain.

I went to a Shabbat dinner at the Upper West Side JCC a few weeks ago. Same kind of conversation. Most people at the table didn’t comment, and a few for McCain. In 2004 I would have been the only one, they would have made snotty comments to me, and tension at the table would have ratcheted up 5 notches.

Mar 16, 2008 - 7:36 pm 20. Yehudit:

I’ve been saying for everal months it’s going to be 1972 all over again, and Obama is George McGovern. Hillary would do better, but I still think McCain would win. When Hillary starts the attacks on McCain, everyone will remember her attacks on Obama and think: oh yeah, that’s Hillary.

Also McCain is being smart by taking the high road early. If he becomes known as the candidate who won’t play dirty, he can slip now and then. I also don’t think his temper is going to be a liability. People know he’s a cranky old guy, and they know with McCain WYSIWYG. They also know Hillary way too well. I don’t think McCain’s temper is going to put Hillary in the WH.

Mar 16, 2008 - 7:43 pm 21. Fat Man:

I think that He Who Must Not Be Middle Named, treated his religion as a bedrock belief, at least before the last few days. I offer the following from the NYTimes as proof. I point out that the article is almost a year old, i.e. it well pre-dates the current fuss.

A Candidate, His Minister and the Search for Faith
by Jodi Kantor in the NYTimes on April 30, 2007:

In an interview in March in his office, … Mr. Wright recalled his first encounters with Mr. Obama in the late 1980s, when the future senator was organizing Chicago neighborhoods. …

… Mr. Obama was entranced by Mr. Wright, whose sermons fused analysis of the Bible with outrage at what he saw as the racism of everything from daily life in Chicago to American foreign policy. …

It was a 1988 sermon called ìThe Audacity to Hopeî that turned Mr. Obama, in his late 20s, from spiritual outsider to enthusiastic churchgoer. …

In ìDreams From My Father,î Mr. Obama described his teary-eyed reaction to the ministerís words. …

Mr. Obama was baptized that year, and joining Trinity helped him ìembrace the African-American community in a way that was whole and profound,î said Ms. Soetoro, his half sister.

… Services at Trinity were a weekly master class in how to move an audience. When Mr. Obama arrived at Harvard Law School later that year, where he fortified himself with recordings of Mr. Wrightís sermons …

While Mr. Obama stated his opposition to the Iraq war in conventional terms, Mr. Wright issued a ìWar on Iraq I.Q. Test,î with questions like, ìWhich country do you think poses the greatest threat to global peace: Iraq or the U.S.?î

In the 16 years since Mr. Obama returned to Chicago from Harvard, Mr. Wright has presided over his wedding ceremony, baptized his two daughters and dedicated his house, while Mr. Obama has often spoken at Trinityís panels and debates. Though the Obamas drop in on other congregations, they treat Trinity as their spiritual home, attending services frequently. The churchís Afrocentric focus makes Mr. Obama a figure of particular authenticity there, because he has the African connections so many members have searched for.

Mar 16, 2008 - 8:45 pm 22. Godzilla:

NewsMax article on Obama’s attendance at one of Wright’s hate speeches

Right on the heels of his denial on national TV. I’d like to say that Obama is just plain stupid, but he does have a degree from Harvard. Well, intelligence is ill-defined. Who knows?

Mar 16, 2008 - 9:31 pm 23. Kevin:

The NewsMax article by Kessler is not good news for Obama
“In his sermon that day, Wright tore into America, referring to the ìUnited States of White Americaî and lacing his sermon with expletives as Obama listened. Hearing Wrightís attacks on his own country, Obama had the opportunity to walk out, but Davis said the senator sat in his pew and nodded in agreement.”
Kevin

Mar 16, 2008 - 10:07 pm 24. Lem:

Political Science ‘How to become president of the United States’ Rule 501.

Make sure you pick a church that believes and practices term limits

Mar 16, 2008 - 10:21 pm 25. Gary Rosen:

“I’ve been saying for everal months it’s going to be 1972 all over again”

I hope you’re right, Yehudit, but the state of the economy is a huge wild card. If it really tanks over the next few months, it will be tough to keep a Republican in office.

Conversely though, if Islamists think they can replay the 2004 election in Spain by launching a major terrorist attack, it will redound only to McCain’s benefit. Anything that reminds people we are still in a War on Terror is a huge plus for him. So far his best campaign ad was made by Hillary - the 3AM phone call.

Mar 16, 2008 - 10:31 pm 26. Pat Patterson:

Sorry to belabor film connections but after reading Godzilla’s link my suggestion now is to forget Sweet Smell of Success and start thinking about the Sen. Obama’s new likely fave being White Heat. So sometime after August 28th I’m avoiding the 405 and PCH through Torrance just in case there is a deranged person quoting Jimmy Cagney.

Mar 16, 2008 - 11:49 pm 27. Pat Patterson:

Sorry to belabor film connections but after reading Godzilla’s link my suggestion now is to forget Sweet Smell of Success and start thinking about the Sen. Obama’s new likely fave being White Heat. So sometime after August 28th I’m avoiding the 405 and PCH through Torrance just in case there is a deranged person quoting Jimmy Cagney on top of a storage tank.

Mar 16, 2008 - 11:50 pm 28. Pat Patterson:

Uh, sorry must have hit post twice instead of just preview.

Mar 16, 2008 - 11:54 pm 29. Irish Cicero:

Going to be an interesting week!

Mar 17, 2008 - 12:15 am 30. TerryeL:

The thing about the economy, is who gets the blame? I do not remember the Democrats doing anything to help bring down oil prices, take up the dollar or who keep banks from making bad loans. No, they have spent all their time and energy fretting about Iraq and NSA eavesdropping and stuff like that. Paranoid and disjointed.

They can try to blame any economic problems on spending for the war in Iraq, but when Schumer goes on TV and whines because Bush won’t let him spend 400 billion to buy up foreclosed homes or whatever, it kind of makes the whole spending issue moot.

But we shall see what we see. These last months have taught me to predict nothing.

Mar 17, 2008 - 4:11 am 31. Lem:

OT

Enjoyed HBO’s The Adams last night.

Mar 17, 2008 - 7:00 am 32. Richard Nieporent:

I haven’t seen anybody else mentioning this, so let me be the first. Who has the most to gain from raising the issue of Obama’s membership in Wright’s Church as this time? (Hint, it isn’t the Republican candidate.) The facts have been known for some time, but it seems that the MSM ignored it until now when Hillary has her back to the wall. Could the Clintons be behind this? (Is water wet?) Would the MSM really be willing to carry water for the Clintons? Perish the thought! Does anyone with an IQ over 60 not thing that if this issue were first brought up by the Republicans after the convention that there would not have been a deafening cry of racism by the MSM?

Mar 17, 2008 - 7:14 am 33. Patsfan:

I doubt many of you will pay much attention to either of these posts, but I think they are worth mulling over:

[Long URL removed here. As I have mentioned many times, long URLs break the comments section of this blog as presently constituted. Thank you for your cooperation.-ed.]

http://www.beth-elsa.org/be_s0419a.htm

Hitch should write an essay; then all will be clear.

Mar 17, 2008 - 9:36 am 34. Lem:

Patsfan use TinyURL.com, it works.

Mar 17, 2008 - 10:58 am 35. Lem:

Is this ironic or what?

Seeking to become relevant a bunch of states rushed to have their primaries early, now it turns out that it may be the last of the Mohicans who gets to enjoy the most relevance.

El que rie de ultimo rie mejor.

Mar 17, 2008 - 11:07 am 36. Patsfan:

In all honesty, I was not aware of the policy on “long” addresses, but thanks for catching me up.

Here is the “short” version:

http://tinyurl.com/29y3am

Mar 17, 2008 - 11:31 am 37. Michael Smith:

TerryeL made the point that the Democrats cannot claim to have done much about the economy. Actually, it is much worse than merely not doing anything to help — for instance, just consider a few recent things:

In the face of rapidly rising crude oil prices, the Democrats have insured that we cannot drill in ANWR or virtually anywhere else on US territory.

In the face of rapidly rising gasoline prices, they’ve passed legislation increasing taxes on U.S. oil companies.

In the face of rapidly rising food prices that are the result of government subsidies motivating farmers to divert crops to ethanol production, they’ve increased those subsidies substantially.

These kinds of price increases squeeze businesses by driving up their costs and squeeze consumers by reducing the purchasing power of their money; the economy can only take so many of these blows before businesses begin to contract and consumers begin to cut back and — voila! — we have a recession.

And what are the Democrats threatening to do next? Impose a massive tax increase by allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire.

It’s simply a continuation of the Democrat’s 70+ year war against America’s businesses and American capitalism. Who the hell are they to complain if the economy goes in the tank?

Mar 17, 2008 - 12:30 pm 38. TerryeL:

Michael:

I was a farmer and that is not how subsidies work. A subsidy for grain is also known as a deficiency payment. That would be the difference between cost of production and market price. The higher the market price the lower the subsidy. In fact for many commodities there will not be a payment at all.

Now for Dairy, which mandates a surplus of production so as to guarantee an ample supply of a perishable product there are support prices, but farmers are docked out of their milk checks to help offset the cost of the program. Years ago I milked and I did not know what I would get for my milk until I got the check. I had no control over the price at all.

Mar 17, 2008 - 1:18 pm 39. TerryeL:

You see the problem is that people feel entitled to cheap abundant food.

Mar 17, 2008 - 1:19 pm 40. Lightnin' Hopkins:

I would like to share the confidence of some of the previous commenters that this election will be McCain’s to lose and it will be 1972 all over again, but lingering doubt and the sheer length of time left still give me pause. The economy isn’t helping either. I hope you’re all correct.

Hillary Clinton on Iraq: “We cannot win.”

Me on her or Obama: “You MUST NOT WIN!”

I can’t imagine FDR, Harry Truman, Ronald Reagan, or any president other than Bubba or Jimmah saying something so incredibly irresponsible and weak. In a sane world the press and the public would rake her over the coals for such a deplorable remark. Instead it’s “Okay, tread on us if you like - we deserve it.” Absolutely pathetic.

Mar 17, 2008 - 2:21 pm 41. Gary Rosen:

Maybe things are going better for McCain than I thought. I was driving to work today and they were playing one of Wright’s rants on the radio - “Hillary doesn’t know what it’s like to be a poor black boy! Hillary’s never been called nigga!” Then the host says “… and that’s why I’m voting for McCain.”

Well, what would you expect from a right-wing talk radio show? Except it wasn’t a right-wing talk radio show, it was the local “alternative music” FM station …

IN SAN FRANCISCO!!!!!!!!!!!

(Actually a right-wing talk radio host never would admit to voting for McCain)

Mar 17, 2008 - 11:29 pm 42. Michael Smith:

TerryeL, the diversion of corn to ethanol production is being done for a reason. If it’s not because of subsidies, why is it happening?

Mar 18, 2008 - 9:24 am

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