Wrong. There's a fourth side ...
Walter'08!
Now shut the heck up and vote!
Posted on 05/11/2008 2:46:57 PM PDT by The_Republican
The media have become an interesting institution over the past 10 years. Journalists more often let their feelings or their editorial comments infiltrate news reports, not just op-eds or editorials.
There are exceptions, but the media in general are great at building people up and then tearing them down. Interesting thing is, so many people are intrigued by it. Some actually love it.
It would be wise for all elected officials, pro athletes and Hollywood types to remember what one of my football coaches once said: "When people put you on a pedestal, that's their fault. If you believe it, that's your fault."
The junior senator from Illinois, Barack Obama, has learned over the past few weeks that he's clearly the front-runner for the Democratic nomination. The media have made him a much bigger target and a much bigger fish.
And Sen. John McCain has discovered the media no longer perceive him as "the maverick from Arizona," which they loved because he wreaked havoc on Republicans. Now that he's the GOP nominee, they look at him quite differently.
This brings me back to the issue of recent coverage of Obama. Obama has surely produced some self-inflicted wounds over the past two months -- saying rural Americans cling to their faith and guns, for instance. Nevertheless, some of the inconsistencies or true oversights we've seen in the coverage of Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton have been interesting.
Agree with me or not, but I don't think Obama should be judged by what his pastor says or preaches. I believe Obama is wrong on many policy fronts, but I've never seen anything from him that would give me the impression he is a radical extremist. Liberal? Without doubt. But I can't accept that he sees the world through the Jeremiah Wright prism.
The Clinton campaign and the media took Obama to task over his association with the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Some were asking if he would disavow his relationship with and decline the endorsement of Farrakhan. He did both.
A little known fact that went unnoticed in the Pennsylvania primary was that the highest-ranking elected official in the Keystone State -- and the person most responsible for Clinton's 10-point win -- had at one time heaped praise on Farrakhan.
Ed Rendell, the state's Democrat governor and the very effective spokesman for Clinton's campaign there, generiously praised Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam 11 years ago. This is an issue because for so many people, Farrakhan is poisonous. It is safe to say his tone makes many voters nervous.
Rendell, who was then the mayor of Philadelphia, praised Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam's Philadelphia leadership at a rally in 1997. He expressed his "respect for the nation of Islam" and praised local Islam leader Rodney Mohammed for "the intensity of his beliefs, for the decency of his soul, and for the strength of his courage."
Through her relationship with Rendell, Clinton and her team have as close -- or closer -- a tie to Farrakhan as does Obama.
However, it was Obama who got tied to the Farrakhan wagon, and not Clinton. She got a pass. I found it interesting that Rendell was not asked to distance himself from Farrakhan or the Nation of Islam in order to support Clinton.
Nor should he have been asked to. Clinton was not asked to distance herself from Rendell for his praising of Farrakhan, and the notion was never raised by the media or anyone else.
We often read columns, watch the news and listen to debates with our own biased political filter. Republicans and Democrats alike are guilty of this. We usually don't like the comments made by an analyst unless they lean toward our point of view. As is said in politics, there are three sides to every story. Your side, my side, and the truth.
In the case of the tangled web between Obama, Clinton and Farrakhan, we didn't get Obama's side or the truth. We got Clinton's side.
The bottom line is this: Neither Louis Farrakhan or Jeremiah Wright should determine this election, no more than certain endorsements of John McCain should determine the general election.
I am more concerned about who can keep America safe from terrorists, who can create opportunity for all, who has the best plan for educating our kids (1.2 million kids drop out of school every year), and who best understands that real change doesn't require just talk, but real, genuine change.
JC 4 VP
Sorry, but the fact is, you CHOOSE your pastor.
Largely by what he says and preaches.
You don't choose your crazy uncle, but O'bama chose Wright.
And that says loads about what he values.
For the record, I don't.
B Hussein has said and done plenty to convince me he is a Muslim terrorist sympathizer in the extreme.
Try reading one of his books.
B. Hussein Obama; From Audacity of Hope: “I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.”
I'll agree with that, but say that it's irrelevant.
It's O'bama's relationship with them that is the question.
I'm not that concerned with the bum on the street.
Until my daughter starts dating him.
For the record, J.C. has proven that he is an idiot.
Obama is a crypto-terrorist.
He befriends terrorists, and called a terrorist (Wright) his spiritual mentor, and supported his muslim terrorist cousin’s candidacy. Why does JC have difficulty seeing reality?
How right you are! What in tarnation is going on with conservatives these days? For JC Watts to come out with this tripe crap is beyond stupidity! Look at who Obama associates himself with and listen to his American-bashing wife! The man lies about what he knows and hears from this American-hating prick of pastor, and J.C. wants to excuse who he is? I know J.C. wants us to stop beating this horse and move on, but when you've got a man which is the most liberal senator in the legislator and votes against American values every time, doesn't wear his American flag pin, won't place his hand over his heart during the pledge, you just can not excuse the obvious American-hating bent. When his pastor he has chosen rants and raves about how America deserved 911 and you see the actions Obama takes the association is clear!
Closer? Through Obama's relationship with Wright -- but does Rendell receive Nation of Islam body guard protection like Jeremiah Wright does?
When Ed Rendell is running for president his associations and pals can be scrutinized.
In the meantime- it’s stretching credulity to expect a reasonable person NOT to question the reasons Obama had for remaining a member of a black liberation theology church for 20 years.
J.C. is correct in saying we all listen to news through our own filters. Being fair and objective isn’t an easy task- but I think Watts is trying way too hard here..turn the tables and ask if a candidate who attended a church that thinks like David Dukes would fare..
Conservatives are always condemned for their associations. Obama's association with Pastor Wright is extremely close and his influence should not be dismissed.
Mr. Watts, speaking of pedestals, until this article you’ve been on one of my highest.
Don’t drink the Kool-Aid, Sir.
Naw, it is only skin deep.
Looks like J.C. went to the dark side, so to speak. Unfortunate. That’s an indelible stain that will never wash out J.C.
The difference?
The Rev. Wright has genuine praise for Calypso Louie. Then Mayor Rendell had fear.
NO, I won't agree that he is a Kook, but I think his small town upbringing influences his inability to speak ill of a Black man, even though those same Blacks refused to let him caucus with the Congressional Black Caucus.
It is sort of a bastardized version of Reagan's 11th commandment.
I don't subscribe to his view here, but having been raised in a 100% white small oklahoma town, I can understand it. Eufaula, where J. C. grew up, was a poor integrated community, where cotton picking was a big industry until the lake was filled.
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