Obama's Nation of Islam Connections and other Sunday Reading

The Pastorgate Scandal and the Wreckage of Obama's Campaign, from Bill Rojas via email:

How long it will take for the "God Damn America" story to "die down" is anyone's guess. The potential exists for many more "revelations" because the stock of sermons on DVD preached by Rev Wright is extensive and

the news media has only reported on a very limited number.

Yet, while hot news today can easily become "yesterday's news," no longer worth much attention, as we move on to other concerns, this story seems to be very different. Especially since few people who have seen and heard Rev Wright's "God Damn America" sermon will ever forget.

Logically, this scandal -which is what it is- should sink Obama's ship. He has so many connections to Wright over a 20 year period, and Wright is the fanatic reverse racist bigot that he is, that there are no good ways open to resolve the problem. Obama is stuck with the fact that his spiritual mentor -whom he has repeatedly praised in public- is a black "David Duke." Wright may even be worse in his realm than Duke was in his, but this equivalent comparison will suffice

What is astonishing has been the reaction -and non-reaction- of the MSM, . with some exception for ABC, and decent coverage on the part of CNN. But otherwise the story has been buried by the Big Press and ignored as much as possible by the TV networks, so far including PBS.

Even otherwise well respected conservative journalists like David Brooks and David Gergen have shown themselves to be so terribly embarrassed by the fuss that they simply cannot bring themselves to look at the facts of the case remotely objectively. They just wish it would all go away so that the political campaign they have sought to define in terms of "real issues that thoughtful people can discuss at a policy level " can proceed as before.

They are dreaming, or smoking something other than tobacco.

Obama, the candidate of "good judgement," it is now clear, has been guilty of monumentally bad judgement, not once, but over a 20 year period in which he exposed his children to the ravings of a hate monger pastor This is no " incidental." It cuts to the heart of Obama's appeal, certainly concerning his appeal, so far, to upper tier white voters, his first political base and still very much vital to his hopes for success. He cannot win elections without the support of the white yuppie class, his margin of victory in most of the states he has carried in Democratic primaries thus far.

The explanations and excuses that I have heard from Obama supporters have all been lame -when they weren't outright evasions and pathetic attempts to change the subject or deflect criticism onto someone else. And the defenses of three different back women supporters whom I have seen on television have been outrageous in their shrill defensiveness and more-than-willingness to insult anyone who takes the view that this "pastorgate" mess is somehow serious when all it "really is," is still more racism and unfair treatment of victimized African-Americans.

What complete horse poop.

Personally I feel sympathy toward a number of well-meaning black journalists who understandably saw in Obama a hero they could relate to and who gave them all the highest possible hopes for the future. But of all people who should have known that Rev Wright was a gigantic liability for Obama, who could effectively make him unelectable as soon as his hate-filled sermons entered the public domain, it has been these news people all along. Yet they said nothing, at least nothing that I know about, for all this time as Obama went from victory to victory despite a fierce fight from Hillary Clinton.

In other words, black journalists have had a special responsibility that they have abdicated for the sake of "cashing in" on Obama's popularity. One of the few exceptions has been Juan Williams, though he seems to have had no knowledge of Wright's excesses.

In any case, now that Rev Wright's "God Damn America" sermon has become his public " signature," indelibly etched in the minds of millions of Americans, black pundits and reporters are visibly uncomfortable in TV interviews where, as recently as a week ago, they were basking in Barack's reflected glow.

Yet their embarrassment can be considered to be nothing at all compared to what could come next if the Obama campaign implodes. It simply cannot be denied that a certain segment of Obama's supporters are intemperate, there have been at least hearsay accounts of bad behavior by miscellaneous hotheads, and we may anticipate much larger-scale negative reaction if Obama's poll numbers start to fall, especially if they fall precipitously. Things have the potential to get ugly.

Worse from Obama's point of view, the Tony Rezko trial is now under way and as Monica Crowley predicted, skeletons have started to tumble out of his overstuffed closet. Already, as this is being written, Obama has had to admit much larger campaign contributions from Rezko, $ 250,000 , than he gave the impression was true in the past.

An indication of just how bad this could become is provided by Debbie Schlussel. Her blog reports that Rezko , who is Syrian-American, seems to have sought Obama's help in getting a contract to build a nuclear power plant in Iraq. How much of this story is believable is uncertain at this time, but it is plausible enough, and it links to the Nation of Islam . For Rezko was ( maybe still is ) a business partner of Jabir, the son of Elijah Muhammad. Which , of course, adds a new dimension to the story of Obama's Muslim connections. That is, if the deal had gone through, the possibility existed of Black Muslims involved in a nuclear power plant in a country that Barack Obama wants American forces out of, and the sooner the better.

This part of the saga has barely been touched upon by the MSM..ie, it has been de facto censored just as much else about Obama has been censored. And now that the Democratic Party contest is down to two finalists this puts the news media in a dilemma. The rug , at some point, and not in the distant future, needs to be pulled out from under Obama. There simply is too much that is too wrong about him. But this would be to hand the nomination to Hillary on a silver platter. And that could split the Democratic Party.

As for the Black Muslims, while Jabir represents one variety, of more concern is Farrakhan's branch of the movement. And Obama has Farrakhan connections per se in great abundance. That is, as bad as Rev Wright and "God Damn America" is for Obama's cause, we must also take into account Louis Farrakhan's virulent anti-Semitism and theological lunacy. For which, among other things, Obama's church awarded Farrakhan prestigious honors this past November.

Here is what Debbie Schlussel said on the subject [EXCLUSIVE - Obama's Nation of Islam Staffers, Edward Said & "Inflexible Jews" Causing Mid-East Conflict: An Obama Insider Reveals the Real Barack, January 30, 2008]:

"...... a former Obama insider says that Obama's sudden aversion to NOI ( Nation of Islam ) and Farrakhan is belied by the fact that Obama employed and continues to employ several Farrakhan acolytes in high positions on his Illinois and U.S. Senate campaign and office staffs. I have verified that this person--who agreed to talk on the condition of anonymity--held a key position in the Obama campaign. The insider was so close to Senator Obama that they frequently personally discussed and exchanged direct e-mail messages on campaign and policy matters. This person is not connected with the Clintons and is not a disgruntled employee.

The insider says he frequently objected to Mr. Obama's placement of Cynthia K. Miller, a member of the Nation of Islam, as the Treasurer of his U.S. Senate campaign. When I contacted Miller, now a Chicago real estate agent, to verify whether she was a member of the Nation of Islam and whether she shared Louis Farrakhan's bigoted views about Jews, she responded, "None of your business!

The Obama insider says he also objected to Obama's involvement with Jennifer Mason, whom he says is also a member of the Nation of Islam. Mason is Obama's Director of Constituent Services in his U.S. Senate office and is also in charge of selecting Obama's Senate interns. She did not respond to repeated calls for comment.

But it's not just that he employed these individuals in positions of power in his office, it's that when the former associate raised objections, he says Mr. Obama's position was that he saw nothing wrong with the Nation of Islam and didn't think it was a problem. If true--and the fact that Ms. Mason still holds her prominent Obama Senate staff position bears that out--Obama's condemnation of Farrakhan, this month, is phony.

But the insider says there is more to it than that. Obama's Illinois State Senate district consisted of prime Nation of Islam territory, including Hyde Park, home to Farrakhan's mansion. It is not possible, Illinois politicos say, to win that district without the blessing of the NOI leader. NOI members, including consultant Shakir Muhammad, held important roles in the Obama state senate campaign.

[ This raises the question ]

How many Nation of Islam members will work in an Obama White House?

I don't know about you, but it seems to me that Debbie Schlussel's information is explosive in its implications.

All of this was missed by the news media in its fixation on Obama as champion of progressive ideals, as their favorite African-American, as the Tiger Woods of politics, and as Political Messiah. Now the media must deal with the consequences of its irresponsibility.

Had journalists vetted Obama thoroughly, no later than post-Iowa, most of the field of Democratic candidates would have had a legitimate chance to contest the nomination. But with the Obama phenomenon under way, with Edwards barely hanging on, it became a three person contest after New Hampshire.This is the price American citizens now need to pay because of editorial decisions made at the New York Times, at almost all other major daily newspapers, and at the Big Three TV networks plus CNN and MSNBC.

The issue is more than Obama's incredibly poor judgement. It also is the incredibly poor judgement of the news media.

Bill Rojas: Former teacher at Alice Lloyd College, Phoenix College, Lower Columbia College, University of Massachusetts, and the City Colleges of Chicago on contract to the US Navy as part of its PACE Program assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise ( CVN - 65 ). Former research assistant to Alvin Toffler and co-founder, with Newt Gingrich, of the stillborn Futures Party in 1976.

You can leave your comments for Mr. Rojas here and he can respond.

UPDATE: Howard [last name withheld], a reader at Right Truth, emails me with this question:

How about an investigation and report about Oprah Winfrey's involvement and influence in relationship to the Trinity Church, Pastor Wright, and Barak Obama ... or, is Oprah too powerful of a sacred cow to take on?

Excellent point, since Oprah has been a member of Obama's church, reportedly, for a long time. The only difference is that Oprah is not running for President of the United States and leader of the free-world. If anyone wants to investigate Oprah and her feelings toward Rev. Jeremiah Wright, let me know and I will be glad to publish your article.

Stay informed: The 2008 Conservative Voters Field Guide, Infidels Are Cool

Many may pull the trigger for a candidate without really knowing anything about the policies of a candidate, hence they know nothing about who they are voting for since politics are not about how good-looking a candidate is, but more importantly, what they stand for.. I urge those who plan to vote this november to check this out.

Nationally syndicated talk show host and former mayor of San Diego, Roger Hedgecock, brings us the second installment of a six part series entitled “The 2008 Conservative Voters Field Guide #2 - The War“.

Obama is a Man of Faith-Thats how you know HE's LYING, YID With LID

For those of you who are regulars at the Church of your Faith you know how deeply we listen to the sermons and teaching of our spiritual leaders. Jeremiah Wright Jr. has been spewing his hatred for decades, and as Obama's spiritual adviser for twenty years he has had a major influence on shaping his thoughts and morals.

AA for Islam, at Radarsite

It has occurred to me that this latest violent incarnation of Islam, almost the entire Arab World, and the Palestinians in particular, are all locked in an obsessive, self-destructive downward spiral not unlike alcoholism. And, as with alcoholism, seeking an “historical solution” -- i.e., who has the more legitimate claim to the land -- just doesn’t work. Perhaps they must collectively reach that proverbial “rock bottom” and admit defeat (1948) and finally and unconditionally surrender in order to have a chance to recover and move on. Unfortunately, there is no quick fix. As hard as it is, you must just quit.

I told y’all he’s nothing but an Internet Troll, Texas Fred

Some of your undereducated readers will say things like - STAY THERE we dont need you here ! I have no plans of returning to the country that has endangered it’s citizens, endangered the world like the U.S. has done. I live in a place where I CAN say whatever I want to and the U.S. Gov cant do a damn thing about it. The reason for that is, Im married to a E.U. citizen and the States cant do a damn thing to me under E.U. Laws, I have the same rights as someone born here… So while I make a mint on doing translations at your COSTS… Enjoy life in your crummy country…

__________________________________________________________________________ Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, The Virtuous Republic, Rosemary's Thoughts, The World According to Carl, Global American Discourse, Oblogatory Anecdotes, Stuck On Stupid, The Pink Flamingo, Phastidio.net, InvestorBlogger, The Amboy Times, Leaning Straight Up, Dumb Ox Daily News, A Newt One- pictures and video from Eagles Muster, Stageleft, Adeline and Hazel, and The Yankee Sailor, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.

Comments

[Cathy Sheppard]

Maybe someone should try to send this to Lou Dobbs. He isn't always the same as the other CNN news media, and you can tell he doesn't think much of OBama.

[Debbie]

Anthony: I would bet money that Debbie Schlussel's 'inside source' is accurate, or she would not have printed this material. Her concerns as well as those of Bill Rojas, are valid questions that need to be investigated.

To everyone else, thanks for the comments, discussion, links, etc.

[Hank]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/frank-schaeffer/obamas-minister-committe_b_91774.html

News Flash: Reverend Wright's Christianity Isn't the Right Kind of Christianity!!!!!!!!

Anonymity is fertilizer to the cowardice of racism.

[Justinian777]

I hope that you will send all this explosive information over to Fox News, and especially to Bill O'Reilly so he can air it all on the "No Spin Zone." American voters have an absolute right to know all about the real Obama before we pull the trigger and get stuck with a Nation of Islam affecionado in the White House! Heaven knows you will not hear any of this from the NYT, CNN or any of the other networks. People will ask why the MSM did not uncover this mess BEFORE Obama took the lead for the Democratic nomination. At this point, I am walking, no make that running, to Sen. John McCain!

[Antony]

Your so called Obama insider spoke on condition of anonymity yet you seem to present all that information as facts. you then go on to tear into him with all that propaganda, you should atleast have some sort of evidence to back your allegations. So far you have not produced any, which leads me to conclude that you are 1 of them detractors out to destroy obama's presidential bid for whatever reason. Desparate people indeed, you now dont even know which 1 to go with; is it 'obama a muslim' or 'obama part of racist movement'. Yall just clinging onto anything.

[Brian C.]

Let us "pray" that the super delegates remember this when it comes time to nominate the next Democrat President.

[J.M. Gonzalez]

Thanks for an insightful article...I've added you to my list of must reads...This is a story that should have legs, but it seems to me that the MSM is already backing off the burst of attention they gave it on Friday...keep it alive it's important.

[Terri]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=hZ38N8OUg3Q

funny how the MSM won't show the most hateful speeches...

[Rosemary]

Wow. Great article. I love Debbie Schlussel's site, also. She gets some really good news. (I come here more often, though, because you get some pretty awesome news yourself, *blush*). ;)

[MK]

The media have finally been pushed, shoved and cajoled into action eh, shameless.

[Americaneocon]

The first couple paragraphs in this letter are exactly - I mean exactly - what I've been thinking this last few days. The right blogosphere's all over Obama's lies. I got this from Hot Air yesterday:

"Presidential candidate Barack Obama preaches on the campaign trail that America needs a new consensus based on faith and bipartisanship, yet he continues to attend a controversial Chicago church whose pastor routinely refers to "white arrogance" and "the United States of White America."

In fact, Obama was in attendance at the church when these statements were made on July 22.
Obama has spoken and written of his special relationship with that pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr.

The connection between the two goes back to Obama's days as a young community organizer in Chicago's South Side when he first met the charismatic Wright. Obama credited Wright with converting him, then a religious skeptic, to Christianity."

It does take the MSM to dig deeper into these issues, but if they don't follow it up, it really gives credence to the free-pass for Obama meme.

[Roger W. Gardner]

Terrific and very important article. I have long felt that Obama was our 21st Century "Manchurian (Islamist) Candidate" -- even though I know that this puts me in bed with a lot of loony conspiracy theorists. Somehow though, the more these new and shocking revelations keep surfacing, the less outrageous and loony my original fears seem to be.

It is a lot more than just his "inexperience" or his "incompetence" which is involved here -- it is his deftly hidden and frightening agenda -- seemingly pro-Muslim, anti-American, anti-White, and antisemitic.

I have been writing daily about this unprecedented national danger, and will continue to do so until he implodes.

People listen to people like you, Debbie. You represent the calm voice of reason amidst a constant barrage of propaganda and falsehoods.

Keep up the good fight. We must not allow this man to get any closer to Washington than he already is.

NOBAMA! NOWAY!

Also, thank you for mentioning my AA piece. You are generous as usual.