Each candidate has questionable ties

Why did Obama have to make a speech explaining his relationship with Reverend Jeremiah Wright? None of the other candidates had to. Each one has a dicey relationship with religion. This is so hypocritical.

George W. Bush never made a speech explaining or denouncing Jerry Falwell’s comments in 2001 blaming “the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and lesbians” for the September 11 terrorist attacks.

And John McCain spoke at Falwell’s Liberty University in 2006.

McCain has not had to answer constant questions about his relationship with Pastor John Hagee. McCain said he was “very honored by Pastor John Hagee’s endorsement.” He also called Hagee “the staunchest leader of our Christian evangelical movement,” citing the minister’s pro-Israel stance.

According to the Catholic League president Bill Donohue “for the past few decades Hagee has waged an unrelenting war against the Catholic Church. For example he likes calling it ‘The Great Whore,’ an ‘apostate church,’ the ‘anti-Christ,’ and a ‘false cult system.’

Why doesn’t Hillary Clinton have to make a speech about her membership in The Fellowship? A group that has close ties to people like former Attorney General John Ashcroft, Senator Sam Brownback and former Senator Rick Santorum.

Here is a couple lines from an article about Clinton and The Fellowship in Mother Jones:

The Fellowship isn't out to turn liberals into conservatives; rather, it convinces politicians they can transcend left and right with an ecumenical faith that rises above politics. Only the faith is always evangelical, and the politics always move rightward.

Jeremiah Wright’s “incendiary comments” and “fiery rhetoric” were neither to me. My freaking 85 year old Irish grandma didn’t think much of them. She didn’t think they were all that shocking or even much to speak of. Much ado about nothing. Two Sundays ago I watched Meet the Press as Bill Bradley danced around the comments denouncing them and yada yada yawn. I sat and watched and thought “geez I wish he would just cut through all the bull shit and say to Tim Russert: you know what, Wright is actually articulating what many Americans believe not just in the black community, but goddamn it, I believe that shit too, have for years.”

Here are my notes from the day of the now famous Obama Race Speech:

My neck hurts and I don’t know what to do. I missed the speech on race by Obama today all because I was soaking wet from fighting a massive dog with a power washer. I blasted the shaggy beast from every angle and after 4 hours and 10,000 gallons of water I was soaked to the bone and I retreated to my dark wooded bungalow up the hill from the shaggy beast. I poured a hot bath and turned the tv on.

All the news channels were talking about Obama’s speech. Fox News basically said it was all over for Obama because his “unfavorability” rating went up in the latest Rasmussen Poll.

Wolf Blitzer at CNN said the speech was a preemptive strike on Clinton, whatever that means. Blitzer is always good for analysis that says almost nothing and won’t get him in real trouble he is real safe and boring as fuck.

Turned to Race for the White House with David Gregory on MSNBC. All I can ever think of when I see Gregory is that he was in the background dancing at the White House correspondence dinner when Karl Rove rapped.

I think Gregory called the Obama speech a “hail mary” or maybe it was someone else, but someone said that. The best thing anyone called it was “gutsy.” Joe Scarborough, David Gregory and Chuck Todd agreed that this was the speech that may be Obama’s downfall because he did not throw his pastor under the bus. Rachel Maddow and Eugene Robinson had to fight just to say it actually was a good speech.

The Old Boy Network is actually a stronger pull than the true thoughts and feelings that instinctively come to the forefront. Or maybe its the same old thing where: white-guy-network-forever people are the true and serious gatekeepers. And this Obama craziness is scaring the fuck out of everybody in charge because they need to somehow take him down without a bullet and it is a little too close for comfort.

Why was Hillary out there that day of the Obama Race Speech? She said she did not see or read it, but still commented on it. What was the point? Did she just want the public to know she can’t waste her time listening to what her opponent says? She took reporters questions with this glazed over look on her face and talked down to everyone.

Bush "Waster" board taken by Reed Wacker with a fish eye. Bush in the vines.