October Non-Surprise #2: Jeremiah Wright, Again

I don't get it either, but an already aired, five-year-old video of President Obama talking about Rev. Jeremiah Wright, has become a Drudge Report/Sean Hannity/FOX "News" sensation.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Karl Rove Thinks it's "Stupid" to Bring Up Reverend Right Again

Turdblossom. Image from source, Raw Story.

Yes, it's true. Karl Rove thinks attacking President Obama using Reverend Right--again--is "stupid." But, I'm really more concerned about Rove himself, and his position at FOX "News." What in the world are they doing, using him as a commentator on the election? He--in his capacity running Crossroads GPS and American Crossroads--is a major player in the election, thanks to the Citizens United Supreme Court decision! Does this not scream "conflict of interest?" It is sure as hell not fair and balanced.

[Excerpt]

Rove: Attacking Obama with Rev. Wright is ‘stupid’

. . .“So, you want to try and do things that are helpful, not hurtful. And look, I thought it was very smart for the Romney campaign to immediately go out an denounce the tactic. It certainly sent a message to everybody in America what they wanted the campaign to be about. And it certainly sent a message to people involved in the super PACs, don’t be doing stupid things like this. . .”

Read more at: The Raw Story

The Young Turks: Obama is a Christian Muslim?

Want to see logic tortured right before your eyes? This is cognitive dissonance in action. . .

Victoria Jackson: There's a Communist Living in the White House

Saturday Night Live has been on the air for 35 years, and has had its ups and downs. Right now--even though it shows glimmers of greatness--it's in a down mode. But it has had several "heydays," each not quite as good as our nostalgia paints them. There was the "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" era, the Eddie Murphy era, and then SNL's third great age. That would be the stretch of years beginning in 1986, when Dana Carvey, Phil Hartman, Nora Dunn, Jan Hooks, Jon Lovitz, Dennis Miller and Victoria Jackson reigned.

The last two on that list were very funny, if a little limited in range on the show. Miller was mostly the snarky news guy, and Jackson the "dumb blonde." And both of them have now taken their personas into the political realm, with a pronounced rightward tilt. Now, political humor can be funny. But in my experience, comedy that starts out with a deliberate right wing intent tends to fall flat. Witness basically anything Miller has done since 2001. Or this dreadful attempt at political humor by the once adorable, now batshit crazy Victoria Jackson.

The Anti-Obama Ad that McCain Didn't Run

This is interesting, I guess. But is it any worse than the ads John McCain and Sarah Palin did run? I think by the time this ad would've aired, the Rev. Wright issue had pretty much played out. People bothered by the issue never forgot it, and people who'd dismissed it were unlikely to take it up again. Watch, and see what you think.

Rev. Jeremiah Write Speaks, William Ayers in Attendance

Posted for no other reason than it has made Sean Hannity furious.

[Excerpt]

Rev. Wright gives the keynote address at FMO’s State of the Black Union

Rev. Jeremiah Wright had offered the audience nothing more than a slight slouch and the occasional grin, but his very presence was enough to garner him two long, roaring standing ovations by the time he walked up to the Cahn Auditorium podium on Friday to deliver his keynote address. . .

Read more at: North by Northwestern

Have You Heard About Sarah Palin's Radical Church?

Photo from MSNBC

Big, giant you go girl! to Rachel Maddow, who on MSNBC may have just given us a preview of what her new show may bring to the world of cable news. There has been a maddening sameness, if not in tone, in the stories that are covered by three major cable news channels. With the noted exception if Countdown with Keith Olbermann, whatever one channel is covering on a given day, so are the other two.

Maddow just unleashed a bombshell on the post-Republican National Convention coverage, regarding Sarah Palin's church. I knew of this story because I listen to Maddow's radio show, but I had yet to hear it anywhere else. Chris Matthews was obviously taken aback, asking Maddow, "what's your source?" "Politico.com," answered Maddow.

Now, assuming the source holds up, and that the story has been drug out kicking and screaming to an apparently unwilling cable news, what will become of it? We had to listen to weeks of denouncements of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's pastor, for Wright's "anti-American" comments. "Why did Obama stay in that church?" was the refrain asked again and again.

Despite the common wisdom that the media is "in the tank" for Obama, this story hounded him well past the point that anyone should have cared. Will the story Maddow brought to light have the same effect on Palin? At least Maddow gave it a shot.

[Excerpt]

Jewish voters may be wary of Palin

Barack Obama has struggled for 18 months to lock down the support of a traditionally Democratic group, Jewish voters.

In the past week, John McCain may have helped Obama with his Jewish problem by choosing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. . .

Read more at: Politico

Scandals in the News: Right vs. Left

Though it is mostly out of the news now (unless you watch FOX "News"), the Rev. Jeremiah Wright/Barack Obama "scandal" was fodder for weeks. It was one of those surreal moments: Hillary Clinton and John McCain supporters were insisting that Obama was getting a "free ride" from the press, while he was being assailed for something somebody else said.

Right around the same time, a story broke about something unsavory that John McCain had said to his wife. It was a multiple-sourced story, and to date, I don't think it has been debunked. The comment was incendiary to say the least, and would logically deter any of Clinton's disgruntled supporters from ever voting for the man. But, funny thing, the story never grew legs. Ask yourself seriously, if Obama was on record saying the same thing to Michelle, how many hours of cable news time would be spent eviscerating him?

This video puts it into perspective. Fair warning: This video uses a word from McCain's remark repeatedly. . .and it is most definitely not suitable for work, nor should it be played around any women who haven't been given the same warning. Or maybe not even then. You've been warned.

Barack Obama Quits His Church

Photo from source, Boston Herald

I almost didn't post this, because I try to have a policy of only posting things that are of interest to me. Barack Obama's religion, church, pastor or guest priest most decidedly do not interest me. Our country's obsession with religion, and with tangling religion with politics is tedious and embarrassing. I honestly wish it were utterly removed from politics as it should be. Does that mean I advocate removing religion from the public square? Damned right!

Religious advocates keep trying to force their way into areas they're not supposed to be: biology class, courthouses, city halls. But they aren't interested--not really--in promoting religion per se. No, they want their religion, often their particular sect to be promoted above others. They may make token, vague nods to other religions (saying "Judeo-Christian" for example), but just try to put an Islamic display near a Nativity scene. Or similar displays for Wiccans, Scientologists and Satanists. Then just see how open they are to religion in the public square. Rant over, on with the story. . .

[Excerpt]

Obama quits Chicago church steeped in controversy

Barack Obama said Saturday he has resigned his 20-year membership in the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago "with some sadness" in the aftermath of inflammatory remarks by his longtime pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and more recent fiery remarks at the church by a visiting priest.

"This is not a decision I come to lightly ... and it is one I make with some sadness," Obama said at a news conference after campaign officials released a letter of resignation he sent to the church on Friday. . .

Read more at: Boston Herald

John McCain's Pastor Problem (Redux)

Fortunately--for now at least--the really, really tedious Rev. Jeremiah Wright story is off the front burner. I haven't checked in on bullyboy Sean Hannity lately, but he's probably still flogging the story. And it is still cropping up here and there. But the story about John McCain's dual pastor problem has gotten only a fraction of the attention.

So why not shine just a little more light on John McCain's two favorite pastors, Rod Parsley and John Hagee? Let's do.

Sean Hannity Needs a Taste of His Own Medicine

Image captured from RawStory.com

There are few television personalities more irritating than Sean Hannity of Hannity & Colmes and Hannity's America on FOX "News." He comes off as a bully, first of all, which raises the hair on my neck immediately. He is very simplistic and binary (black or white, right or wrong) about issues that are nuanced. He front-end-loads his questions with a Caterpillar earth mover, and he is very often rude to the people he disagrees with. To Hannity, you are either a "Great American" or you are an "America Hater." And one "wrong" opinion, or misspoken sentence can move you from the former to the latter.

A typical question from Hannity might be, "Who do you hate more, Jesus or America?" or "Answer the question, yes or no. Have you stopped beating nuns with crowbars? Yes or no? Yes or no?"

But there is sadly no question that Hannity is affecting the Democratic presidential primaries. Both the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and 60s radical Bill Ayers were Hannity's pet issues. He's been beating them to death on his radio and television shows for a very long time, and now that both have burbled to the mainstream, he continues to bleat about it nightly. Hannity even got George Stephanopoulos to ask Barack Obama about Ayers in a debate!

But there's a little problem with Sean Hannity: he's a hypocrite. While it might seem that goes with the territory for a right-wing blowhole, in this case it's more than hyperbole. Check it out.

[Excerpt]

FOX News Silent About Hannity's Neo-Nazi Connection

Earlier in the week, I wrote to several FOX News executives asking for their comments about Sean Hannity's connection to Neo-Nazi/white supremacist Hal Turner. Given Hannity's and FOX News' endless fascination with Barack Obama's associations, it's only fair that they explain the far more substantial and prolonged relationship between their prime time host and Turner. To date, we have received no response. But the attacks on Obama continue unabated. . .

Read more at: Newshounds

John McCain's Ties to Bush Worse than Rev. Wright?

Image from Think Progress

Well, yeah. . . It's about time somebody pointed that out. Cable news has somehow managed to stretch Sean Hannity's passion for the Rev. Jeremiah Wright/Barack Obama story well beyond its 15 minutes. Could they even possibly sustain any interest in that story all the way until November? Meanwhile, John McCain's obvious position as a carryover of George W. Bush's disastrous administration is simply not going to go away.

I keep telling people to simmer down, stop worrying. We have a long way to go. The general election hasn't even started yet. If the Democrats can't win this election, they don't deserve to, and ought to go the way of the Whigs.

[Excerpt]

Bush more unpopular than Wright

According to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, Sen. Barack Obama’s ties to his former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, could end up hurting his chances of winning the White House.
So could his earlier comment that small-town Americans are “bitter” and cling to guns and religion.

Question have also been raised over Sen. Hillary Clinton’s honesty and trustworthiness, as well as her husband’s possible return to the White House.

But a bigger problem appears to be John McCain's ties to President Bush. . .

Read more at: The Daily Kos

Barack Obama Cuts Rev. Jeremiah Wright Loose

Can we stop talking about now, then? Please? Thanks.

Clinton Behind Current Rev. Wright Flap?

Photo from source, Raw Story

I swear, whenever I hear the words, "Rev. Jeremiah Wright. . ." I want to throw up my hands, and shout, "Who cares???" In fact, I often do. I especially can't stomach watching Sean Hannity tick off his 1,000 list on his chubby little fingers, marking every little thing Rev. Wright said (followed by flag pins, Mrs. Obama's pride, and gun clinging). I so don't care. I'd like to think America doesn't much care either.

I've even pondered what drives this story. Hasn't it all been said? Then, Wright himself thrust himself into the limelight, making the tedious story more so. And just maybe, Hillary Clinton had something to do with it. That I get, but it doesn't make me support her more.

[Excerpt]

Paper: Hillary supporter organized Wright event

"Shortly before he rose to deliver his rambling, angry, sarcastic remarks at the National Press Club Monday, [Rev. Jeremiah] Wright sat next to, and chatted with, Barbara Reynolds," The New York Daily News' Errol Lewis begins Tuesday.

"A former editorial board member at USA Today, she runs something called Reynolds News Services and teaches ministry at the Howard University School of Divinity," he adds. "It also turns out that Reynolds - introduced Monday as a member of the National Press Club "who organized" the event - is an enthusiastic Hillary Clinton supporter. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Thanks to Stupid Monkey Planet for the tip.

Did Rev. Jeremiah Wright Say Something?

Photo from source, TIME

Honestly, I really hope the average American doesn't care about this flap as much as Sean Hannity does. I think if anything, the incendiary statements made by Barack Obama's pastor privide an excuse for some people to dislike Obama, more than anything else. Let's be honest, bombastic African American preachers make a lot of white people (and likely some others) uncomfortable. The fact that he said some things that are now said to be "anti-American" allows people to rename their discomfort, from racism (something most Americans don't want to see in themselves) to patriotism. Just my opinion, of course.

For me, all religious leaders give me a bit of a wiggins, from the syrupy-sweet ones, to the fire-and-brimstone ones. And I have to wonder, would the utterances of Mitt Romney's spiritual leader have made Americans more comfortable than Rev. Wright's? Ultimately, it shouldn't matter. A person's religious beliefs are supposed to be private, and should have nothing to do with their political life. Unless, that is, they overtly mix the two like George W. Bush or Mike Huckabee. So far, I haven't seen Obama do that sort of thing. So what's the big deal?

[Excerpt]

Jeremiah Wright Goes to War

Maybe Barack Obama skimped on his contribution when the offering plate came past at Trinity United Church of Christ. Or perhaps he nodded off during one of Rev. Jeremiah Wright's sermons. It's hard to think of another reason why the Illinois Senator's former pastor would put on the kind of performance this morning at the National Press Club that can only be described as a political disaster. . .

Read more at: TIME

John McCain Aide Suspended for Race Baiting

Photo from source, TPM Muckraker

Suspended? Why not fired? The primary process so far has been treated by the press as unusually dirty. I think it will look like pat-a-cake compared to what's coming, especially if this story is an indication.

[Excerpt]

McCain Aide Suspended For Pushing Racially-Charged Obama-Wright Video

A McCain campaign aide actively pushed an incendiary, racially-charged video that uses the controversial words of Barack Obama's pastor to tar Obama as unpatriotic -- despite the fact that McCain himself has suggested that Obama shouldn't be held accountable for Wright's views.

The aide, Soren Dayton, who works in McCain's political department, has been suspended from the campaign, a McCain spokesperson, Jill Hazelbaker, confimed to me. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Barack Obama Speech "A More Perfect Union"

I've been out of the news loop for the last three days, so forgive me if I revisit a topic or two that you already know about. I was surprised to find upon my return that the Barack Obama/Rev. Jeremiah Wright kerfuffle was still kerfuffling. So far in this campaign, most of these types of stories are just momentary blips, soon thrown over for the next talking point. In fact, prior to this one, the only "scandal" with staying power was the "Barack is a closet Muslim" story that wasn't even true.

But the problem got so big that Barack Obama had to issue a "big speech" about it, even bigger than Mitt Romney's "religion speech" from a couple of months back. If you missed it, here it is.

The Young Turks on Obama's Pastor

Yay, somebody agrees with me! Cenk Uygur of The Young Turks discusses the problem of Barack Obama's pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright's incendiary comments. Cenk agrees with me about religion, at least in this case. Check it out.

Barack Obama on Countdown Regarding Pastor

If all you know about the Rev. Jeremiah Wright story is what you've heard on Hannity & Colmes (and why, Mr. Obama, did you go on that horrible show?), here is Barack Obama in his own words on Countdown with Keith Olbermann from tonight (March 14, 2008).

FOX Attacks: Barack Obama, Part 2

Another great video from Robert Greenwald's Brave New Films. Take a look: