Priest Who Mocked Clinton Again Draws Spotlight (

newsmax.com ^ | May 30, 2008 | staff

[kellynla]

CHICAGO -- He's a white priest at a largely black church. He's held hands with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. He's been arrested dozens of times and battled anyone he thinks has wronged his parish _ from gun dealers to a local Catholic sports league. Now the Rev. Michael Pfleger is something else: the latest thorn in the side of presidential candidate Barack Obama.

Racially charged comments Pfleger made last week mocking Obama rival Hillary Rodham Clinton _ as a guest at Obama's church, no less _ triggered a quick response from Obama, who wants nothing to do with a racial firestorm like the one generated by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

While Pfleger is not nearly as close to Obama as Wright had been, he has donated to the candidate's state Senate and presidential campaigns and sat on a Catholics for Obama committee until a few weeks ago. When Obama was in the Illinois Legislature, he helped land more than $200,000 in state grants for outreach programs run by Pfleger's church.

Obama made it clear he wasn't happy with the comments _ in which Pfleger pretended he was Clinton crying over "a black man stealing my show" _ and said he was "deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause."

Pfleger, too, issued an apology, saying he was sorry if his comments offended Clinton or anyone else. He did not return several calls for comment on Friday.

[ozzymandus]

That’s the wierd part. I can’t understand why the crowd in that church didn’t get upset with Pfleger’s Amos n’ Andy act. All that was missing was the blackface.

[GWMcClintock]

“The day after Obama won the primary in March, he stopped by Salem for Wednesday-night Bible study.”

Whose “Bible” were they studying?!

[Jim Scott]

Father Michael Pfleger and Reverend Jeremiah Wright are obviously despicable, racist America-haters but they seem to be doing Obama a lot more harm than good. He spends a lot of time distancing himself from these folks he has been close to for two decades and I doubt many Americans are buying his explanations and after-the-fact rejections of their rhetoric.

The liberal mantra that Obama isn't 'responsible' for what other people say is a half-truth and fools no one. Of course one cannot hold anyone culpable for what another person says, no matter how inflammatory. However, the fact that the people saying the divisive, inflammatory things that repel most sane people in America, are also longtime friends of Obama...and that is undeniable.

To expect the American voter to believe that Barack Obama was close to racist America-haters for years and knew nothing about their radical political/social views, as evidenced in the pulpit on Sunday by Wright, especially, is absurd on its face and downright insulting to the intelligence of the American people...who are a lot smarter that Obama and Democrats want to believe. They'll find out in November..

[kitkat]

Good for you.

I am so tired of this bash all Catholic priests garbage.

[Dr. Ursus]

Now, I sing a rousing Negro spiritual!

[ArchAngel1983]

It is very sad to me that there are churches where the name of Jesus Christ is only mentioned on rare occasions and when it is mentioned, it is for the purpose of politicizing it. Church is supposed to be a place where God is worshipped and where the Word of God is spoken and revered. I can’t imagine attending a church where people are the focus and where hatred and bitterness are continually stirred.

Welcome to the Brave New World and another reason for me to be ashamed of my Catholic heritage.

[kellynla]

Obama can make all the excuses he likes but the undeniable fact is that Obama along with his wife attended Wright's church for TWENTY YEARS and to add insult to injury; they exposed their children to this anti-American racist in the process!

So Obama may win the Primary but he will lose the General election. I don't see ANY levelheaded American going into the voting booth on 11/4 and voting for an anti-American racist! Now bear in mind, I said “levelheaded” American which automatically eliminates Lefties & anyone who depends on government welfare.

[navymom1]

Go here to see the reply:

STATEMENT OF FRANCIS CARDINAL GEORGE, O.M.I.,
ARCHBISHOP OF CHICAGO
Friday, May 30, 2008

____________________

That statement could not be more limp wristed. This priest needs to be defrocked.

[A.A. Cunningham]

The term you're looking for is dismissed, as in dismissal from the clerical state. Defrock, defrocked and defrocking are secular terms not found in Canon Law.

[Cyman]

Pope John Paul II would have gotten in his face like he did when visting Managua and meeting Fr. Ernesto Cardenal before his death.I will be surprised if the Papacy does not get involved(if it has not already)

[Ann Archy]

That wimpy statement is NOT good enough from Archbishop George!!! Pfegler needs HARSH discipline!

[Ann Archy]

His Church, St. Sabina’s congregation are being fed this ANTI-CHRISTIAN CRAP every day by this communist priest!!! They are leading souls to HELL.

[fr_freak]

I am so tired of this bash all Catholic priests garbage.

So am I. And the worst part of it is that it was mostly an MSM ploy to hype a small number of cases to make the Church look bad, and a lot of so-called Christians and conservatives ate it up like the gullible suckers they are.