Obama's Farrakhan Test

[robcon]

I'm the last one to use guilt-by-association for any candidate. But I expect some reporter to ask Obama about his church's magazine giving an award to Louis Farrakhan. I expect Barack to disavow Farrakhan.

Obama's Farrakhan Test
by Richard Cohen Tuesday, January 15, 2008; Page A13

Barack Obama is a member of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama's spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright's daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said "truly epitomized greatness." That man is Louis Farrakhan.

Maybe for Wright and some others, Farrakhan "epitomized greatness." For most Americans, though, Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism. Over the years, he has compiled an awesome record of offensive statements, even denigrating the Holocaust by falsely attributing it to Jewish cooperation with Hitler -- "They helped him get the Third Reich on the road." His history is a rancid stew of lies.

It's important to state right off that nothing in Obama's record suggests he harbors anti-Semitic views or agrees with Wright when it comes to Farrakhan. Instead, as Obama's top campaign aide, David Axelrod, points out, Obama often has said that he and his minister sometimes disagree. Farrakhan, Axelrod told me, is one of those instances.

Fine. But where I differ with Axelrod and, I assume, Obama is that praise for an anti-Semitic demagogue is not a minor difference or an intrachurch issue. The Obama camp takes the view that its candidate, now that he has been told about the award, is under no obligation to speak out on the Farrakhan matter. It was not Obama's church that made the award but a magazine. This is a distinction without much of a difference. And given who the parishioner is, the obligation to speak out is all the greater. He could be the next American president. Where is his sense of outrage?...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/14/AR2008011402083.html

[MNDemNY]

1. I fear you will soon be labled "racist" for even bringing this up.

:shrug:

[ccpup]

2. unfortunately, issues -- even truly NON-issues -- like this

will be hung around Obama's neck and, if a voter is on-the-fence, could be the thing that tips them into the repug camp or in the "I'll get my nails done instead of voting" camp.

Not fair and I certainly don't believe this should be an issue, but the MSM -- if he's the Nominee -- will make a big, messy pile of hay out of this and then light a match.

[kwassa]

3. Obama is not his church magazine.

and Richard Cohen has his own issues, as I've read him over the years.

I'm sure Obama will give a statement about it, but I expect to be something along the line that he has his own opinions, and is not his church magazine.

[madrchsod]

4. church politics are just as good or bad "secular" politics

since both live and work on the south side it`s best to get along the best they can for the good of the community.

oh ya...who gives a shit what that writer from the wp says about anything..tomorrow he`ll drag up something stupid about hillary..

[NorthernSpy]

5. first, he should disavow AIPAC...

Two AIPAC officials are currently facing trial for espionage against the United States. Disavowing that organization should certainly be a higher priority than disavowing Louis Farrakhan -- assuming that Obama ever "avowed" the man in the first place.