Obama and the "preacher"

We are fully aware that there have been repeated calls for exclusively issue-oriented attacks in this campaign from the McCain people and we would ordinarily respect that. However, this business about Obama's pastor has us in a special kind of uproar and we feel it warrants the special attention:

A year ago, before Barack Obama had reached super-star status, questions were raised about his spiritual leader, mentor, confidant, and pastor Jeremiah Wright, Jr. and his often racially charged sermons and statements. Then, Obama was not overly challenged by this relationship, but now as new video of the prejudiced preacher have surfaced showing the outrageous rhetoric from Jeremiah Wright, Jr. and we are once again required to demand Obama to either align with or denounce his "spiritual leader". Some argue that a pastor does not represent the views or beliefs of the members of their church. While that may be true to a degree, it is preposterous to suggest however that some one, like Obama, who has attended a church for over 15 years under the same pastor (whom he has been friends with for around 2 decades) shares none of the views or beliefs as said pastor. Obama has likened his relationship with this man to that of a relative with a crazy uncle who says outrageous things but has to be tolerated. Unfortunately for Mr. Obama, this is a stupid analogy. We cannot pick our family, we certainly can and do pick our pastors. And if our uncle was seriously outrageous, as this pastor is, would any normal person still visit with him? We think not.

It is also ridiculous to suggest that the company a candidate keeps should not come into question during an election. If a candidate called a Klu Klux Klan member as their personal spiritual leader, and mentor, there would be outrage from the electorate. This is no different. The hate speech that "Rev." Wright preaches is not only racist, but anti-American. Any one who so closely associates themselves with the source of such rhetoric is not fit to be President of the United States of America.

Statements by Rev. Wright:
America and Al Qaeda commit the same crimes .
America invented AIDS to kill people of color.
God Bless America? No No No, God **** America

Should some one who says these kind of comments be supported by a candidate for President? What does this tell us about Obama's judgement in character?

Our liberal friends are quick to point out that Senator McCain and President Bush have met with and enjoyed the support of some people who have said some rather unseemly things. This is most assuredly true. Anyone running for the Presidency of the United States is bound to pick up some supporters who say nasty things and don't share the values of the candidate. So long as they make it clear that they disagree, and strongly denounce the people's inappropriate words, there is no great problem here. In Obama's case, this rule does not apply because he has remained a member of this church after repeated controversial comments made my Wright. For example, right after the horror that was September 11, 2001, "Rev." Wright said that America's "chickens had come home to roost."

Senator Obama has categorically denied hearing or knowing of the vast majority of these comments and has stated, for the record with Fox News reporter Major Garrett, that he would have left the church had he known about these comments. Now, all that needs to happen is for proof to emerge that Obama was made aware or in attendance when one of these comments were made and America will see what a disingenuous and dangerous illusion he is.

We want to provide some clips of the preacher that is Obama's "spiritual leader" and "mentor" and let you decide for yourself if you want a product of this "thought" to be our next President. We pray to God (and we didn't ask Rev. Wright for help figuring our how to do that) that you answer that question with an emphatic and absolute NO! We have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUbUBTlmAiA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zs38vqJFfU

Thanks for reading,
Andrew Jones and Michael Hilburn

Man In the Arena

John McCain blowup?

Today Senator McCain had what some weak stomached yellow journalists are calling a “blow up” when he was asked about the conversation he had with Senator Kerry when he asked McCain to be his running mate.

I don’t want to even get into the stupidity of the question or the details of the conversation. Rather, I just think it is very bold of this reporter (considering she writes for the New York Times) to take offence to McCain’s reaction to the question. She is, in my opinion, lucky that he didn’t kick her off his plane as soon as it landed.

I propose that, in order to prove a point and to gain creditability with the conservative movement, Senator McCain revoke the New York Times’ press passes, bar them from his events and demand that they retract their endorsement of his candidacy. They have slandered him so greatly and so dramatically that I find today’s “blow up” to be far too polite for these snotty liberal jerks.

Rethinking MV08

The arrogance surrounding my ongoing opposition to the attitudes of the MV08 administration has boiled over. It was emanating from both myself and them and it simply could not be sustained any longer. If they continue to devalue the little blogs, if they continue to belittle the young people, they will not be a very effective organization. This can only hurt Senator McCain, which is not acceptable. In the past few weeks I have tried to point this out, but to no avail. While there was negative things said on my part, they were rooted in a deep commitment to John McCain and strong emotions as a result of perceived negligence and abuse.

I am sad to say that if the McCain campaign is run by people with the same attitudes and ineptitudes as the same people that run MV08, this campaign needs a serious shakeup if it plans to win in November.

I do apologize for my words and tones in dealing with this situation, but they were a perfect mirror of the way I feel I was treated.

Tonight Senator McCain secured the Republican nomination for President and I am ecstatic about that. When the dust settles, I will remain here, doing what little I can to help the cause. This election is too important to allow arrogance and pride to get in the way of what is right. Because I cannot control the actions and attitudes of anyone but myself, I choose to go forward from this moment with nothing but respect the support that anyone who supports McCain shows him.

Thanks for reading and I hope some of you will continue to value my opinion,

Andrew Jones

It Began as a Question...(Our Debate trip to music)

New York Times Shame

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/21/us/politics/21mccain.html?hp

Huckabee drops out?

For months, both Michael and I have been enjoying thoughts of a McCain/Huckabee ticket in 2008. As the race thinned down to these two, the idea we had cooked up during the long, drawn out flight between Seattle and Tampa seemed to grow some serious teeth. Until this evening, I was convinced that Huckabee was the most logical and most helpful choice McCain could make. While he may still prove to be a helpful choice, Huckabee is no longer the logical or likely choice.

By staying in the race beyond the point when he is mathematically able to win the nomination is selfish, egotistical, divisive and cowardly. It takes a real man to know the difference between a hard fight and an impossible one. Now that it is impossible for anyone other than McCain (or Romney, if this “suspended” business turns out to be a dirty trick), the fight has gone from hard to feudal. He is now running to hear himself talk; to divide the party and to, in his mind, secure running mate status. In doing this, however, he has angered McCain supporters and thusly seriously damaged his reputation and chances to accomplish his goal of becoming Vice President.

There is no good that can come out of this. There is no goal Mike Huckabee can have that is accomplished by him staying in this race. If his goal is to be McCain’s running mate, this action fights against it by angering McCain. If his goal is to promote conservative social values, this is fighting against it by keeping the party divided and thus making it harder for a lifelong social conservative to win the White House when fighting the general election against liberal abortion peddlers. So, unless Huckabee’s goal is to sit on his couch at home and watch Clinton or Obama take the oath of office, he is not helping himself.

Having said all of that, it is very important for McCain supporters to understand how dangerous it is to the party and its causes to be overly critical or disrespectful towards Huckabee and his supporters. He is a good and (generally) honorable man and his supporters are die-hards easily offended. We need to build the McCain Coalition, not alienate a key piece of the puzzle.

Governor, its time to follow the example of (I can’t believe I’m saying this) Mitt Romney and step aside for the betterment of the party, the nation and yourself.