Obama Quits Trinity

Townhall.com ^ | May 31, 2008 | Amanda Carpenter

[Kaslin]

Likely Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has resigned from his controversial church, Trinity United Church of Christ.

“We don’t want to have to answer for everything that’s stated in that church,” Obama told reporters in Aberdeen, South Dakota during a rare Saturday night press conference.

Obama’s church came under intense scrutiny after videotapes were discovered of Obama’s longtime friend and former pastor Rev. Jeremiah Wright making anti-American and racist statements in sermons earlier this spring. Obama’s initial reaction was to defend Wright, until Wright engaged on a media tour and reiterated many of his most offensive remarks.

Questions about the church were renewed last Sunday when another one of Obama’s Chicago friends, Father Michael Pfleger, made racist statements pointed at Obama’s Democratic rival Hillary Clinton.

"Rev. Moss, when Hillary was crying, and people said that was put on, I really don't believe it was put on," Pfleger said, recalling Clinton’s tearful press conference during the New Hampshire primary. "I really believe that she just always thought, 'This is mine! I'm Bill's wife, I'm white, and this is mine! I just gotta get up and step into the plate.' And then out of nowhere came, 'Hey, I'm Barack Obama,' and she said, 'Oh, damn! Where did you come from? I'm white! I'm entitled! There's a black man stealing my show!”

Obama expressed regret at having to leave his church of over 20 years. “I did not anticipate my fairly conventional Christian faith being subject to such challenge and such scrutiny,” he said in South Dakota.

Obama noted his resignation should not be interpreted as a denouncement of the church. “It’s not a church worthy of denouncing,” he said. Obama said his critics “they’ve seen caricatures of the church and accept those caricatures despite my insistence that’s not what the church is about and there’s not much I can do about it” with a defeatist tone.

TUCC issued a statement that said: “Though we are saddened by the news we understand this is a personal decision.”

Obama’s decision came shortly after a contentious meeting ended in Washington D.C. by the Democratic National Committee to determine how delegates from Michigan and Florida should be seated. Both states were punished by the DNC for moving up their primary dates and were thus stripped of their delegates.

The DNC decided Saturday to seat half of the delegates from Florida and Michigan and to specially allocate 69 of Michigan’s delegates to Clinton and 59 to Obama.

The compromise was fought intensely by Clinton’s surrogates who are unhappy with the outcome of the meeting. Clinton campaign strategist Harold Ickes said at the conclusion of the meeting that Clinton had asked him to reserve the right to challenge the compromise with the Democratic Credentials Committee. This tactic has been deemed the “nuclear option” by political analysts since it would likely extend the Democratic contest until the Democratic convention in Denver.

[sageb1]

Thank you.

[bcsco]

I see a man who doesn’t have the integrity to stand up for what he’s been a part of for 20 years; and for no other reason than for personal gain.

I don’t believe for a minute he is tired. I do believe he sees no other way of putting this issue on the back burner; even though it opens him up for further criticism.

[sageb1]

The petition is being sent to the Holy See and Fr. Jonathan Morris just commented from Rome on Ffleger saying he needs to get out. He also commented on Wright and Moss, saying that they do not represent Christianity.

[BelegStrongbow]

That is the exact reason I retracted it. I will speak up for them when in the presence of PTB, but I will not take up arms, literally or rhetorically, for them. They should take care of themselves (If they will not work, let them not eat).

[maggief]

Actually, this is a more accurate quote.

“We, ah, ah, don’t um, um, ... want ... to have to answer, ah,... um, for everything, er, ah, ah, that’s stated .... um, ah, ... in that church.”

[Zechariah11]

There is nothing conventional about your Faith, even remotely, it is a Hate filled Racist Mismash of retoric and your own Muslim ideaology germinated over your lifetime

Exactly!

[tips up]

I’m waiting for the video of Michelle ranting in church about whites.

[True Republican Patriot]

Thank you for the clarification and the urgency that the Holy See is focusing as well. I am going to sign the petition immediately and hoping other Freepers will as well.

[sageb1]

Thank you!

[Jabba the Nutt]

You're hitting a sore spot. Obama has also said that he didn't think his church was all that controversial. Obama has sought out the fringe, the radical, the unconventional his entire life, he wrote about that when he went to Occidential College. He immediately sought out the Marxist professors, the Punks, the alienated. Obama is clueless as to what conventional America is like, (clinging to guns and religion). He's clueless as to traditional American beliefs, ie takes off the flag lapel pin to focus on "real" patriotism (of dissent). Obama gave up a job as a business consultant in New York City to take up a life as a "community organizer".

I've yet to read anything that he's done as a "community organizer". Let's see, we've had Presidents, who led armies, Washington, Jackson, Eisenhower. We've had Presidents, who've led States, Roosevelt, Carter, Reagan. But we've never had a President, who led "communities".

Obama is a huge opportunity for Republicans to define themselves as conservative reformers, but knowing the Stupid Party as I do, they'll drop the ball or spike it in the wrong endzone.

It doesn't matter, who wins this presidential election, there's going to be a voter revolt starting in two years, whether either party survives is up in the air.

[N. Theknow]

Notice that he quit after a WHITE, CATHOLIC priest took to the pulpit. Very Clever!!

And just in case no one has mentioned it as yet, both this White Catholic priest and Rev. Wright were serving as members of Obama's campaign staff.

[onedoug]

Well met.

[Miss Didi]

Fr. Jonathan Morris told the Friends that he's not buying Barry's sudden resignation. Father said--Michelle and Senator Obama, you have a lot of explaining to do! Ellen RATner reported that it must have been so hard for Barry to leave his church but she went to an evangelical church recently where she heard the more horrifying things--so it's everywhere claims Ellen. From Rush this week:



RUSH: Go back to May 3rd, Meet the Press, Tim Russert's show, here is Senator Obama talking about Reverend Wright and Reverend Moss.

OBAMA: He was my pastor, and he built a terrific church. I'm proud of that church. We've got a wonderful young pastor who's there, who's doing, uh -- continuing the terrific work that the church does, and that's my commitment. My commitment are to the values of -- of that church.

RUSH: Thank you, Barack Obama. Democrats have gotta be quaking in their boots. They'll never admit it, but this is just too good.

[Miss Didi]

How curious that CNN did NOT cover Barry’s live presser last night...they were doing a special report on gas prices.

[Miss Didi]

Check out the parish website where you will find this on the home page:

http://a.saintsabina.org/

WRIGHT AND OBAMA: TWO DIFFERENT INGREDIENTS TO A NEW AMERICA

"...Senator Barack Obama and Reverend Jeremiah Wright, love America, are passionate about its future, and desire at their very core the best for this country and for each and every one...The truth is we need both!..." (cont.)

[equaviator]

Yesterday’s appearance would make for a great Body Language segment on The O’Reilly Factor. However, the resident expert’s “interpretation” would probably not even hint at the fact that Obama is just plain green up there. She’d probably tailor her explanation toward the compassionate and because it is a faith-based and family matter you might feel the same way...at first.

[BabsC]

bcsco, he didn't throw Black separatist racism under the bus. He said that was the culture of the black church.

Unfortunately Royal Marshall, the black man that works with Neal Boortz said that the priest was right on the money.

So do all black people in America think that all white people in America are privileged? It seems so. He, Royal Marshall, admitted that black people talk and act different when there aren't whites around.

I'm wondering what happened to MLK Jr's I have a dream speech which was all about content of character and not color?

Honestly I don't have two personalities, I act them same around all people, dummy me assumed all adults did.

[LRS]

Ellen RATner reported that it must have been so hard for Barry to leave his church but she went to an evangelical church recently where she heard the more horrifying things--so it's everywhere claims Ellen.

I heard that statement, and had a "gaugh" (1/2 gag; 1/2 laugh). That's one of the things about the left that has amazed me over the years: the convolutions they will go through in order to convince themselves (and others) that something is ok...

[AndyJackson]

“We don’t want to have to answer for everything that’s stated in that church,” Obama told reporters in Aberdeen, South Dakota

This "we" includes "he" who wants to become a sitting President of the US. The glimpse we are getting of this church is not pretty, but that is not the point. He has to answer for what he believes and how he views the world, but that will reflect how he will act as President.

[BabsC]

Sorry, that should have been ‘the’ not ‘them’ same around all people.