Obama learns to whitewash...

[Chris_]

What's new: Obama says broader perspective shows 'this is not a crackpot church'

• Ben Smith's blog at The Politico -- Obama says Rev. Wright has built "one of the finest churches in Chicago:" In an interview due to air this morning on radio host Michael Smerconish's show in Philadelphia, Democratic presidential contender Sen. Barack Obama talks about Rev. Jeremiah Wright and the things Wright has said in the past about race and the nation that have sparked controversy. According to Ben, Obama says in part that:

"I had had conversations with (Wright) in the past -– in fact from the day I first met him -- about some of his views. Understand this, something else that has not been reported on enough is despite these very offensive views, this guy has built one of the finest churches in Chicago. This is not a crackpot church. Witness the fact that Bill Clinton invited him to the White House when he was having his personal crises. This is a pillar of the community and if you go there on Easter on this Easter Sunday and you sat down there in the pew you would think this is just like any other church. ... So I don't want to suggest that somehow, the loops you have been seeing typifies the services all the time. That is the danger of the YouTube era. It doesn't excuse what he said. But it gives it some perspective."

...so the Pastor (leader of the church) is bad, but the church he built is good...and it's "just like any other church"???  Not likely.

MORE OBAMA WORSHIP AT USATODAY

[Rebel Yell]

I think Obama's best bet is to just shut up and hope this dies down.  But, we know it won't.

[NHSparky]

I wouldn't go so far as to say it's "just like any other church".  Seems the national is being investigated by the IRS...

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/26/irs_investigating_obamas_churc_2.html

<excerpt>

IRS Investigating Obama's Church
By Jacqueline L. Salmon
The United Church of Christ, Sen. Barack Obama's spiritual home, is in hot water with the Internal Revenue Service over a speech Obama gave to its national convention last June.

The IRS has notified the UCC that it has opened an investigation into Obama's address at the UCC's 2007 General Synod in Hartford, Conn., the UCC said yesterday.

According to a copy of an IRS letter that the church received Monday, the IRS is launching the inquiry "because reasonable belief exists that the United Church of Christ has engaged in political activities that could jeopardize its tax-exempt status."

Under federal law, churches are barred from becoming directly or indirectly involved in campaigns of political candidates.

According to a text of the speech posted on the church's Web site, Obama promised to sign a universal health care bill in his first term as president, and he denounced the Iraq war.

"I have a plan that would have already begun redeploying our troops with the goal of bringing all our combat brigades home by March 31st of next year" according to the text. He also said "our conscience cannot rest" until genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan is stopped and 12 million illegal immigrants get a chance to earn their citizenship.

[Chris_]

I think Obama's best bet is to just shut up and hope this dies down.  But, we know it won't.

Exactly.  As long as that minister keeps talking, Obama has no choice BUT to speak out to try to soften the blows, unless he wants his campaign done in very quickly.

[Rebel Yell]

I think Obama's best bet is to just shut up and hope this dies down.  But, we know it won't.

Exactly.  As long as that minister keeps talking, Obama has no choice BUT to speak out to try to soften the blows, unless he wants his campaign done in very quickly.

Reckon how long the Rev. will be in Africa?