I'm sorry, but is it just me, or does being associated with religion in an American election seem contentious to the point of stupidity?
Case number 1: John McCain and televangelist John Hagee, who has been accused of anti-Catholicism.
Hagee endorsed McCain for the presidency on February 27. McCain's reaction to Hagee's endorsement was tepid, yet McCain at a campaign event Friday morning opined of Washington D.C. that, "it's harder and harder trying to do the Lord's work in the city of Satan." The event was staged at the company headquarters of one S. Truett Cathy, a devout Baptist.
On this same Friday morning, McCain addressed the socially/religiously conservative Council for National Policy. When asked by a council member how important a role religion plays in his life, McCain answered, "Obviously, very important."
McCain is walking a tightrope between disassociating himself from Hagee's Catholic-bashing and the Christian lobby who are holding his feet to the fire. You can't help but feel that, if you are running for office, you are damned if you accept endorsements that reek of religiosity and damned if you don't.
I would like to see McCain reject Hagee's endorsement and tell born-again folks like those in the Council for National Policy that there is a limit to how much of a role religion will play in his policies. But the senator's hands, unfortunately, are tied. It's an uncomfortable fact of life for conservative candidates who essentially end up bound and gagged by the holier-than-thou lobby.
Case number 2: The yokes around the necks of conservative candidates tend to pale in comparison to those around liberals.
Barack Obama has had to distance himself from the pastor of the Trinity United Church of Christ, Jeremiah Wright.
The "good Reverend" railed against the United States in a sermon he delivered seven years ago, in the wake of 9/11. Wright asserted that America brought the September 11 atrocities on itself, stipulating that "[n]ow we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America's chickens are coming home to roost."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Doug Hunter
The difference between McCain and Obama in this case is that Obama has been a faithful churchgoer under this extremist for 20 years, had the minister do his weddings, etc, and hired the minister as an advisor on his compaign. His minister makes divisive, racist comments about 'white america' and the 'US of KKKA'
McCains' situation is simply an endorsement by a radical who never had close ties to McCain or worked on his staff.
You can't control who endorses you, you can control who does your weddings/baptisms, where you spend your time on sundays, and who you hire on your staff.
2 - Dr Dreadful
Excellent piece, Mark. Your grasp of political reality seems to increase with your distance from the scene...
I can't quite believe McCain said what he said about DC, of all places. It seems an extraordinary faux pas for someone who aspires to the biggest job in the city.
Was he referring to the political community there, or the populace at large?
Either way, calling them all (in effect) devils seems a spectacularly daft thing to say.
On balance, I think Obama's reaction to his pastor's statements has been just about perfect. As has been pointed out previously, the two are close, and you don't completely turn your back on a close friend just because he opens his mouth before turning his brain on.
3 - El Bicho
"You can't control who endorses you"
Yes, but you can control who you stand next too.
While I may disagree with the things he says, Wright isn't the first person to claim that 9/11 is a form of blowback due to the US' action. Has he granted an interview yet? Rather than hear it through the media filter, I would like to hear how he came to his conclusions because although they aren't my experiences, they might be right for him.
What the real problem is, is that the campaigns are unnecessarily too long and it gives people time to dig up bullshit and fret about it. Unless the things either Reverend says or believes can have any effect on Iraq or the economy, I am unable to work up the energy to care.
4 - Dave Nalle
Wright isn't the first person to claim that 9/11 is a form of blowback due to the US' action.
The whole blowback theory is simplistic, self-serving and politicized crappery. Of course we were attacked because of our position in the world and our past actions which were dictated by that position. But that makes no difference at all and certainly doesn't justify the attacks. The fact that we have had policies which offend people who think that murdering civilians through terrorism is a good way to make a point is not something we should feel guilty about. If our policies bother these people then we're doing something right.
Dave
5 - handyguy
It's the most politically inflammatory 1% of Wright's statements that have been repeated ad nauseam the last few days. The comments may well go too far, but only a partisan would claim they represent Obama's own thinking. And they are best taken in the context of the whole of Rev. Wright's "oeuvre."
Quoted for truth from today's NY Times:
He attracts audiences because of, not in spite of, his outspoken critiques of racism and inequality, said Dwight Hopkins, a professor at the University of Chicago Divinity School, in an interview last year.
But Mr. Wright’s blistering statements about American racism can shock white audiences.
“If you’re black, it’s hard to say what you truly think and not upset white people,” said James Cone, a professor at Union Theological Seminary and the father of black liberation theology, who has known Mr. Wright since he was a seminary student.
6 - Anon
Try and rationalize and justify it all you want -it wont work. Obama is done for..This is going to be his 'swift boat' moment.
I for one cant wait for the general election with obama as the nominee.
7 - Dr Dreadful
Obama is being swiftboated and if this is the best the bottom-feeders of Fox News (which spent most of yesterday covering pretty much nothing else) and the right-wing noise machine can do then they're in serious trouble.
The 'Barack Hussein Obama' nonsense didn't work, the 'Obama Is/Was a Muslim' smear didn't work, and this isn't going to work either.
Meanwhile, barely a peep about the McCain 'DC=Satan' comment in the so-called liberal media.
8 - Anon
If its such an inconsequential subject then explain why Obama put out a blog, went on every tv station for an interview about it? He even went on Fox news in case you missed it.
I'm guessing he must think its a big deal.
Man! I can't wait till the general campaign starts!
9 - Pablo
I agree wholeheartedly with the Reverend's remarks, the fact that Obama disavowed his statements, assures that I for one will not vote for him. Right on Wright!!
10 - Lee Richards
None of these wayward comments by the candidates or their supporters will be a blip on the screen in November. It's going to be about 1.)the economy 2.)the economy 3.)the economy 4.)Iraq 5.)age, gender or race 6.)getting out the vote.
But Christians who WILL combine religion and politics ignore the basic teaching of Jesus:his kingdom is not of this world.
11 - Dave Nalle
It's the most politically inflammatory 1% of Wright's statements that have been repeated ad nauseam the last few days. The comments may well go too far, but only a partisan would claim they represent Obama's own thinking. And they are best taken in the context of the whole of Rev. Wright's "oeuvre."
Handy, I agree that the remarks are relatively trivial. They're not entirely untrue and they are just opinions, even if offensive. But Obama is liable to being held accountable for them, because he's been attending the church for years when he could have gone somwhere else, and supporting the church financially, knowing what Wright was all about. That is not at all the same as getting an endorsement from some random religious nutcase.
Dave
12 - Dr Dreadful
If its such an inconsequential subject then explain why Obama put out a blog, went on every tv station for an interview about it?
Because the right-wing noise machine keeps banging on and on about it, that's why.
You can't be that dense.
13 - Anon
Dave, you're wasting your breath here. They will not recognize any logical statements like Obama's ridiculous answer that he had never heard these before. It is a laughable proposition that he just happened to not attend church on all these days that the pastor made these comments.
How convenient.
But brainwashed people will never see it that way. You cannot expect cult members to rebel against their leader..its just their nature!
14 - Matthew T. Sussman
That's why I only surround myself with vanilla, lukewarm, stem-cell personality people, so none of them will bite me in the ass when I run for public office.
15 - Anon
#12
So Dr Flip-flopper: is it a big deal or is it not? trying to have it both ways are we?
16 - Clavos
@ #12,
Yeah he can...
17 - Baritone
While this whole deal is unfortunate and will likely cost both McCain and Obama some votes, I agree with Doc. This situation will fade away as new issues arise.
Whoever the Dem nominee may be, I believe the fall campaign will be close all the way into November. This particular trivial bullshit won't be in play. The candidates will be dealing with all new trivial bullshit by then. The ultimate winner will be the one making the last and most effective trivial bullshit salvo and/or making the best rebuttals against whatever bullshit is flung their way.
Considering that in most elections, the respective campaigns' job, when you get down to it, is to sway enough votes their way to wind up with 50% plus 1. A presidential campaign has to consider the electoral vote, of course, but still, a campaign only has to sway a relative, if precious, few votes.
It's maybe sad that voters allow themselves to be swayed by what is often inconsequential crap, but that is usually the reality of it. Truth, unfortunately, has little or nothing to do with it. Lies gain traction as well as, often better than, truth, because most lies are, by their nature inflammatory and sensational. They catch the voters' eyes and ears. Usually, by comparison, the truth is dull and uninteresting. It doesn't "sell" nearly as well as a juicy lie or even a deft bit of taking "artistic license" with a seed of truth twisted and honed into a gargantuan, snarling uncontrollable beast that eats candidates whole.
But, again, this storm will likely pass for both McCain and Obama. There will be other monsters, other dragons to slay between here and November.
B-tone
18 - Clavos
Can't wait!
Love election years!
:>)*
*(You're absolutely right, B-tone; just couldn't resist a little frivolity...)
19 - Dr Dreadful
@ #15:
Somebody help me out here. How am I trying to have it both ways?
[Shrugs and exits stage left. Or right. Ask Anon. Jeez.]
20 - Doug Hunter
This little bit of role reversal is fun. The far left America haters get a chance to defend a religious figure other than Al Gore. Priceless.
This guy calls the US the 'US of KKKA' says that AIDS was set on black people by whites in this country and the the government purposely hooks black kids on drugs so they can imprison them. He says we deserved 9/11 and that god should damn us.
Leftists defend this tripe because they hate America just as much as this joker. They think the same way. Leftists votes however, were never in question. Whats important is moderates and middle of the road people. Those people haven't been propagandized into hate, those people don't dispise this country, those people don't buy these lunatic conspiracy theories. Those people won't vote for Obama over this. Beautiful
21 - Dave Nalle
Hey, at least there's no evidence that he ever blamed 9/11 on the Jews - which I was expecting to see based on his othe remarks.
Dave
22 - Dr Dreadful
Doug,
Other than Pablo (and, well, you know Pablo) I haven't seen anyone else on this site defend Wright. (Although as I said previously, there is at least a kernel of truth in some of what he's said.)
Those of us with a bit of sense are, however, trying to dispel this idiotic notion that Barack Obama is a racist America-hater just because he attends that church and is friends with the pastor.
23 - Baronius
Well, Republicans got heat for for Robertson's claim that the gays caused Hurricane Katrina. They also got flak for appearing at Bob Jones University - just like all Democrats indirectly get blamed for Jesse Jackson's Hymietown comment.
The fact is, we've got essentially a two-party system in this country. If you charted out this country's politics, they'd be a bell curve. The Dems get everyone from the left fringe to the middle, and the GOP gets the middle to the right fringe. That's a lot of crazies, on both sides. Each party is obligated to point out the battiest people within the other party.
(As a side note, the weakness of third-party movements is demonstrated by the fact that even lunatics don't join them. That's why guys like Wright are members of one of the two mainstream parties.)
To the extent that the attention is one-way, like a nutjob endorsing a candidate, the candidate can't be held responsible. There are always going to be extremists who support a candidate. It's the two-way relationship between Obama and Wright that makes this story a little more troubling.
24 - Baritone
Again, I see it as a tempest in a teapot. Wright is an idiot, that is clear. Obama's relationship to him is as Baronius suggests troublesome. I also agree with Baronius that candidates can neither control or even choose his or her supporters. If Charles Manson came out for McCain, there is little he or anyone could do about it except make the best attempt disavow any substantive connection between them.
Clav,
You know, I live for frivolity. Frankly, I'm enjoying this campaign more than any I can remember - even if McCain wins which doesn't look like a bad bet at this juncture.
B-tone
25 - Anon
Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are racial ambulance chasers. They count on racism being in the forefront so they can have a job.
If racism were to vanish, people like these would be out of a job. So it is in their interest to flame racial fires. I bet they secretly dread Obama becoming President because it would fly in the face of their propaganda that blacks are kept down by everyone.
People like that are ticks on our society's fur.
As for Obama, He has avoided falling into that trap - he hasnt used race outright as an issue. Probably because he knows that if racism were as prevelant as Sharpton and Jackson pretend it is, Obama would never be in Harvard, never be the law review president, never be a US senator and never be the Dem front runner.
However his associations suggest that he is at least sympathetic to those views.
No one who is against such hateful rants continues to stay in the church to comes listen to it again and again every sunday unless they, on some level, agree with it.
His pastor is obviously a racist and a radical anti American black nationalist. There is no other way to look at it. There is no context - it is exactly as it sounds.
Like I said earlier, I can't wait for the general campaign to start - Obama has peaked - now we get to see him fall. Its going to be fun to watch him get swift boated!
That is..if Hillary doesn't kill him.