Posted on 03/28/2008 3:18:59 PM PDT by kiriath_jearim
Barack Obama has a problem. Nearly a quarter of Democrats who hold a negative view of him believe he is a Muslim, according to a poll published by Pew Research on Thursday. Yet most Democrats who think negatively of Mr Obama also disapprove of his link to Jeremiah Wright, the pastor who introduced him to Christianity two decades ago.
Ten days after he delivered what many described as a historic speech on race, Mr Obama’s relationship with the black community still remains an issue. Although Hillary Clinton has largely avoided the topic – other than to say that she would not have chosen Mr Wright as her pastor – critics on the right have signalled it will be given a fuller airing in the general election if Mr Obama is the nominee.
This week Pat Buchanan, a former Republican contender, wrote: “America has been the best country on earth for black folks. It was here that 600,000 black people, brought from Africa in slave ships, grew into a community of 40m, were introduced to Christian salvation, and reached the greatest levels of freedom and prosperity blacks have ever known.”
Mr Buchanan added: “Wright ought to get down on his knees and thank God he is an American . . . We hear the grievances, where is the gratitude?”
In a comment condemned by Mr Obama, Mr Wright, now retired as pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, had said “God damn America”. He also referred to the US of KKKA, after the Ku Klux Klan.
Meanwhile Rush Limbaugh, the popular radio host, took offence at Mr Obama’s reference to his white grandmother, whom Mr Obama cited as having racist views typical of white people but whom he could no more disown than he would Jeremiah Wright.
“Obama has thrown his grandmother under the bus, and then drove the bus backwards and ran over her by calling her a typical white woman,” said Mr Limbaugh.
“It is clear that Senator Obama has disowned his white half . . . He’s decided he has got to go all in on the black side,” he added.
Conversely, commentators on Fox News, the conservative television channel, took offence on behalf of white people in general rather than Mr Obama’s grandmother in particular, to such an extent that Chris Wallace, a Fox anchor, came on air and berated his colleagues for lacking in balance.
“It seems to me that two hours of Obama-bashing on this ‘typical white person’ remark is somewhat excessive,” said Mr Wallace, who pointed out that the show neglected to mention Mr Obama’s speeches on Iraq and the economy – both delivered in the previous two days.
Supporters of Mrs Clinton, whom many now give only a very slim chance of surpassing Mr Obama’s lead among elected delegates, admit privately that her best chance of winning the nomination is to persuade the party’s unelected “super-delegates” to overturn the popular vote, by convincing them that Mr Obama would be defeated by the Republican candidate John McCain in November’s general election.
Some polls suggest that Mr Wright’s more factious remarks, which are likely to continue dribbling out for months, have not done Mr Obama lasting damage. According to Pew, Mr Obama’s lead over Mrs Clinton is as wide as it was in late February. Both continue to lead Mr McCain narrowly in general election polls.
But according to a Gallup poll on Thursday, the proportion of Mrs Clinton’s supporters who say they will not vote for Mr Obama if he is the nominee is much higher than the other way round – 28 per cent against 19 per cent. This presents Mrs Clinton with her own dilemma. “There is no way she can say to fellow Democrats that Obama is unelectable because of the race issue,” says one Clinton supporter. “But in the absence of any other weapon it may become irresistible.”
Donna Brazile, a senior Democratic official who was the first black woman to manage a Democratic campaign, for Al Gore in 2000, argues that the Obama-Wright issue is more likely to surface in an election year that is considered unfavourable for Republicans. “Wright fits with their narrative of division, diversion and distraction,” she says.
Bill Galston, a veteran of Walter Mondale’s losing 1984 Democratic campaign, says it is too early to tell what impact Mr Obama’s speech will have on voters.
Mr Galston likened the speech to the Rorschach test, named after the psychologist who observed people’s diverse reactions to spreading ink blots. “Everybody sees something different – you read what you want into it,” says Mr Galston. “How America reacts to the speech will tell us more about America than about Barack Obama.”
Righteous Black Anger?
Prejudice ...not the same as dis-like after one knows the facts.
Obama facing prejudice?
No, clearly he needs to point the finger in the opposite direction.
Maybe being named "Hussein" has something to do with it?
White people should not be pronouncint “Obama” in the wrong manner.
Obama represents prejudice....
If he didn't surround himself with racists and bigots this would not happen.
LLS
Hey, hey Donna:
“Wright fits with their narrative of division, diversion and distraction,” she says.
because your race-baiter is the epitome of divisiveness, diversion, and distraction? It does fit, so I aint’ gonna acquit!
I have a problem with him because he’s a liar.
Edward Luce is the Washington bureau chief of the Financial Times, London. Earlier he was their South Asia Bureau Chief based at New Delhi[1].
He is the son of the Tory politician Richard Luce. Luce studied at various boarding schools around Sussex. He graduated in politics, philosophy and economics from the University of Oxford and did his post graduation degree in newspaper journalism from City University, London [2].
His first job was as a correspondent for The Guardian at Geneva. In 1995 he joined the Financial Times, London. He first reported for the Financial Times from the Philippines after which he took one year sabbatical working in Washington DC as the speech writer to Larry Summers, then US treasury secretary (1999-2001) during the Clinton administration [3].
He is the author of the book In Spite of the Gods: The Rise of Modern India (2006).
I think this explains this moronic twit....
- Muslim father, Muslim stepfather.
Atheist mother not in play.
(Most Muslims would tell you, that makes Obama a Muslim)
- Muslims will also tell you that the Koran allows Muslims to lie or deny their religion if it is for self protection or to advance Islam.. Gaining the White House would certainly advance Islam.... So how can one believe ANY Muslim on ANY matter.
- An admitted illegal drug user.
- Raised by a white grandmother, he calls a “typical white person” for fearing a specific black gentleman.
- Seeks out a church to join — based on “Black Liberation Theology”, which is the black equivalent to the KKK.
- Selects as a mentor - a preacher who has been KNOWN to make outrageous and criminally racist claims...
- Selects this same “mentor” to preside of his marriage and the baptism of his children.
- Married to a woman whose college thesis is a racist screed.
- Married to a woman who has benefited greatly in a nation she has never been proud of as an adult - until her husband became a prominent politician.
- Obama already being linked to shady middle eastern types, who provide him with massive political donations and “help” him to buy a home at less than market value..
- Obama, a man with no remarkable achievements beyond mesmerizing women and getting them to faint and vote for him.
- Has an admitted record of association with American and Foreign terrorists......and still counts them among his friends and contributors.
- Refuses to wear a flag on his lapel.
- Filmed while not placing his right hand over his heart in a public rendition of the National Anthem.. EVERYONE else on the stage KNEW the protocol — OBAMA didn't.
- Great at criticizing the status quo — but NO SPECIFICS on the changes he will bring to give us “hope”...
- Has promised an IMMEDIATE retreat from Iraq - thus handing victory to an enemy we have spent much blood and treasure fighting..
These are ALL unsavory aspects of Obama's history and character - revealed during the DEMOCRAT primaries..
Just imagine what we may learn if the Republicans ever grow pair and reveal all that the American voter SHOULD know about Obama!
Gee.... What's not to like about this freaking bozo? Obama's popularity with the sheeple is proof positive of the certifiable ignorance of the American electorate...
John Adams was right...
Wait. They're unhappy with his pastor Jeremiah Wright, and they think he's a muslim? I wonder what the actual polling questions were.
You forgot to mention: His girls were baptized by Rev Wright, but not Obama. Baptism in the congregational (UCC) tradition is supposed to be the the public statement of faith/confirmation of a Christian.....but Barak is boycotting that baptism. Doesn’t want to be officially associated with Jesus.
Right. I’m prejudiced against Marxists!
Hmmmm...... You may have something there...
Is there any evidence of Obama ever being baptized?
Let’s see what Wikipedia says about the name Hussein: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Husayn&oldid=198479108
Wikipedia lists 37 Husseins, of which 36 do not deny they are Muslims, leaving only... yes, you guessed it, Barack Hussein Obama.
Wikipedia further informs us that the popularity of the name is due to it being the name of the Prophet’s grandson.
Correction: There are 33 names on the list, so it makes Obama the only one among the 33 who claims to never have been a Muslim.
Prejudice? Isn’t that PRE-judging? Deciding what to think of someone based on preconceived notions about them? Isn’t what’s going on right now POST-judging? Deciding what to think of him based on his actual past actions, past positions, or past associations? Yes, I am postjudiced against Barack Obama. And I’m fine with that.
Hmm... This campaign has been inspiring all sorts of new words. The Obamessiah, Obamites, the Obamedia, Obamaniacs, Obamicans, Obaminations, Obamatons... He really is having a big impact on our culture. Ooo the Power of Change!
At Hugh Hewitts blog, you can go to his page, where is radio show is archived. Last week Hugh's been playing many clips from Obama's audio recording of his books. I've dismissed this 'Obama is a Muslim' stuff, the only factor I considered, was that if Obama's father was a Muslim, Muslim's would consider Obama an apostate Muslim, if he changed after puberty. In one of Obama's audio readings, he's in a Chicago barbershop, introduces himself as Barack (possibly the moment, he changed from Barry to Barack) and is asked by the barber, if he's a Muslim. He says his Grandfather was.
He doesn't say 'No, my grandfather was.' He say 'My grandfather was.' Soooo, what's what?
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