More Barack Obama

Since the last post, recordings of Barack Obama's pastor have emerged. Both excerpts are shocking, of course, particularly the "G-- D--- America" quote.

The quotes were apparently first reported this year by ABC News, and then spread to FOX and through the blogosphere. There has not been much about it in much of the mainstream media other than ABC, with only some mild references to the subject.

One of the recordings is here. The second one, and the worst, has been pulled down by YouTube for some reason.

What effect will this have on Obama's chances? It's hard to tell. On the one hand, we have religious freedom in this country, and most of us are going to look at the character and track record of a candidate to make decisions about him or her.

In this case, however, we have little track record to ponder. Mr. Obama's record is pretty bare. Even when he had the chance to vote on important matters, he chose to vote present, instead. We are, therefore, left to guess what he really stands for, or rely on what he says.

I have learned over the years that a politician's words must be parsed pretty carefully. Politicians will say many things to get one's vote, then "forget" about it when elected. A voter must really look to actions.

Obama has attended this church for 17 years. One must find that from his actions, he supports the black liberation theology espoused by the church and his pastor, even if he denounces the particular statements in the recordings.

Is that a reason to not vote for him? Can he represent all Americans?

One curious thing I have found is that the New York Times knew about this a year ago. In an article then, they said:

"...On the Sunday after the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Mr. Wright said the attacks were a consequence of violent American policies. Four years later he wrote that the attacks had proved that “people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just ‘disappeared’ as the Great White West went on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns.”..."

"...Such statements involve “a certain deeply embedded anti-Americanism,” said Michael Cromartie, vice president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative group that studies religious issues and public policy. “A lot of people are going to say to Mr. Obama, are these your views?”

Mr. Obama says they are not.

“The violence of 9/11 was inexcusable and without justification,” he said in a recent interview. He was not at Trinity the day Mr. Wright delivered his remarks shortly after the attacks, Mr. Obama said, but “it sounds like he was trying to be provocative.”

“Reverend Wright is a child of the 60s, and he often expresses himself in that language of concern with institutional racism and the struggles the African-American community has gone through,” Mr. Obama said. “He analyzes public events in the context of race. I tend to look at them through the context of social justice and inequality.”.."

And then:

"...Mr. Wright, who has long prided himself on criticizing the establishment, said he knew that he may not play well in Mr. Obama’s audition for the ultimate establishment job.

“If Barack gets past the primary, he might have to publicly distance himself from me,” Mr. Wright said with a shrug. “I said it to Barack personally, and he said yeah, that might have to happen.” ( via Perfunction and Instapundit )

Go to Perfunction and read the post there. Obama used tapes of Wright's sermons to practice his oratory, it seems.

Powerline also has a great piece on this subject. I recommend it.

The political year continues to get more and more interesting as it goes along. What next?

UPDATE:

Another article that everyone interested should read is one by Ben Wallace-Wells in Rolling Stone on February 22, 2007. Originally entitled "The Radical Roots of Barack Obama" it is now titled "Destiny's Child." (Wonder why they changed the title?)


UPDATE 2:

Mark Steyn has a brief statement that is on topic here.

STILL MORE: The gift that keeps on giving. Obama's church now accuses the media of "crucifixion." See here.

This is beginning to get out of hand, folks. It appears to me that any point to be made by all of this has already been made. Time to move on.