Pastor Torpedoes Obama Campaign?
Is it possible that outrageous, politically-charged sermons by Rev. Jeremiah Wright, former pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, will be the weapon that scuttles the Obama campaign? While Obama attempted to further distance himself from Rev. Wright’s inflammatory pronouncements in yet another speech today, a serious issue remains (as stated on various Fox News shows) regarding Obama: Is this not a question of character and judgment? Having attended Wright’s church for 20 years, how could he at first, claim not to have been exposed to Wright’s vitriol - then later, admit that yes, he had but didn’t leave the church? After hearing of his pastor’s statements of “God damn America” and “America is al Qaeda” etc., one wonders how he could still be a part of this church. Even Oprah Winfrey, ostensibly uncomfortable with the tenor of the oratory, left Wright’s church in the early 1990s.
How can Obama be involved in this church for 20 years, be married by the pastor and allow him to baptize his children, yet claim not to have been exposed to Wright’s racist diatribes? As the situation develops and more Wright sermon clips become public, one wonders what it is about this church that attracted Obama in the first place, yet makes him unable to take responsibility for having been a parishioner for so long.
And what of Michelle Obama’s statement earlier in the campaign - “for the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country"? The tone of that remark certainly takes on a strange new dimension when viewed within the context of Wright’s numerous “liberation sermons”.
Related questions: Considering the number of sermons in question and their obviously politicized subject matter, at what point does Wright’s former church jeopardize its tax-free status? Additionally, given Obama’s 20-year church relationship and his voting record in Congress, isn’t it reasonable to ask what exactly he has in mind for the U.S.?
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
McCain in Command, Obama and Hillary Still Slugging It Out!
So, here we are: McCain has taken the GOP nomination by virtue of his delegate count from the primaries. Meanwhile, Hillary and Obama continue to battle it out through ever more primary elections. Hillary’s Ohio and Texas wins have apparently revitalized her campaign. Questions over Obama’s ties to a Chicago property owner and his income tax returns evidently raised enough doubt in voters’ minds to give Hillary much-needed victories. But yet again, another victory for Obama in Vermont, seems to put him slightly ahead. Again.
Question: With the two of them neck and neck, how to decide a winner? Brokered convention? That’s been a topic of speculation on various news programs and something that puts a smile on Republican faces. A continued nomination fight down to the wire will surely deplete Democrat resources to the point that finding even more funding for the national campaign will be more difficult. The GOP seems to have avoided that pitfall with the Romney/Huckabee departures.
There’s been lots of talk of GOP attempts to continue the Democrat brouhaha by suggesting that Republicans and moderates vote for Hillary in unrestricted primaries to keep the ruckus alive. Even Rush Limbaugh has been accused of fomenting the idea. I think that’s a real danger of unrestricted primaries. Voters from one party can infiltrate the other camp and spoil their selection process. The same thing happened to the Republicans. Consider Tancredo, Thompson, Giuliani, Romney and Huckabee: All considered more conservative, yet look at our remaining choice - McCain: How did that happen? I believe the flawed process currently shaping the Democrat race - uncommitted/undisclosed voters voting across party lines is to blame.
Considering McCain’s “Maverick” status, what next? In answer to protests from the conservative party faithful, he’s acknowledged the need to bring them back into the fold. He’ll need to. If he continues to court the center and the left, at the expense of the conservative base, he could be in for a big surprise, come November!
So, here we are: McCain has taken the GOP nomination by virtue of his delegate count from the primaries. Meanwhile, Hillary and Obama continue to battle it out through ever more primary elections. Hillary’s Ohio and Texas wins have apparently revitalized her campaign. Questions over Obama’s ties to a Chicago property owner and his income tax returns evidently raised enough doubt in voters’ minds to give Hillary much-needed victories. But yet again, another victory for Obama in Vermont, seems to put him slightly ahead. Again.
Question: With the two of them neck and neck, how to decide a winner? Brokered convention? That’s been a topic of speculation on various news programs and something that puts a smile on Republican faces. A continued nomination fight down to the wire will surely deplete Democrat resources to the point that finding even more funding for the national campaign will be more difficult. The GOP seems to have avoided that pitfall with the Romney/Huckabee departures.
There’s been lots of talk of GOP attempts to continue the Democrat brouhaha by suggesting that Republicans and moderates vote for Hillary in unrestricted primaries to keep the ruckus alive. Even Rush Limbaugh has been accused of fomenting the idea. I think that’s a real danger of unrestricted primaries. Voters from one party can infiltrate the other camp and spoil their selection process. The same thing happened to the Republicans. Consider Tancredo, Thompson, Giuliani, Romney and Huckabee: All considered more conservative, yet look at our remaining choice - McCain: How did that happen? I believe the flawed process currently shaping the Democrat race - uncommitted/undisclosed voters voting across party lines is to blame.
Considering McCain’s “Maverick” status, what next? In answer to protests from the conservative party faithful, he’s acknowledged the need to bring them back into the fold. He’ll need to. If he continues to court the center and the left, at the expense of the conservative base, he could be in for a big surprise, come November!
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