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excerpts from link in 45.

Whitaker was exchanging e-mails with the president right up until the night before the vote on the health care legislation. He was there for Obama’s address to the joint session of Congress urging them to pass health care reform. That was the night a South Carolina congressman challenged Obama’s contention that the law would not cover illegal immigrants.

“I heard Rep. Joe Wilson shout, ‘You lie’ and, you know, we were going to try to deal with that South Side style,” Whitaker said as the room erupted in laughter. “I was sitting in the first lady’s box, and I decided to comport myself in a little different manner.”

Whitaker introduced mutual friends of his and the presidents in the audience, including the successor to Obama’s controversial former pastor, Jeremiah Wright.

“I also want to recognize my pastor from a church you all have never heard of, Otis Moss from Trinity United Church of Christ,” Whitaker said to laughter and applause.

Is sending government money to pastors to talk about chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension good public policy? Whitaker said “yes.”

“Our work in this particular area was recognized by the [Centers for Disease Control] as being an important innovation for improving the heath of the minority population,” Whitaker said. “That’s kind of under some controversy as of late, but I stand by the fact that churches on the ground are important actors in the community with ministers who are opinion leaders.”