Mickey Kaus Gets Results! [And More Results!]

Was it only yesterday that Mickey Kaus predicted that Obama's controversial minister would be dragged into the news?  Today Richard Cohen of the WaPo links Obama's minister to Louis Farrakhan.  And here is the Farrakhan interview with the church magazine.

From Minister Wright:

“When Minister Farrakhan speaks, Black America listens,” says the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, likening the Minister’s influence to the E. F. Hutton commercials of old. “Everybody may not agree with him, but they listen…His depth on analysis when it comes to the racial ills of this nation is astounding and eye opening. He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest.

“Minister Farrakhan will be remembered as one of the 20th and 21st century giants of the African American religious experience,” continues Wright. “His integrity and honesty have secured him a place in history as one of the nation’s most powerful critics. His love for Africa and African American people has made him an unforgettable force, a catalyst for change and a religious leader who is sincere
about his faith and his purpose.”

Hmm, should Obama denounce his minister?  [The Captain deplores this guilt by second-hand association as "thin gruel".]  Or perhaps he can enlist Joe Lieberman to go meet with Farrakhan.  Richard Cohen was in the mix then as well (denouncing Joe Lieberman), so we will rely on him to cover it.  FWIW, Farrakhan was agreeable but the meet-up didn't go down before the election.

MORE RESULTS:  The Obama campaign releases a statement:

I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan. I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree.

As noted by David Bernstein, the mini-apology for the magazine - "I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders" - is not an assumption supported by the facts.

I expect that will nip this.

Comments

[Other Tom]

I think a great new idea is slowly dawning on me. I'm pondering founding a brand-new church out of whole cloth. This would be a church without a single controversial dogma and would be absolutely all-inclusive. Our clergy would be precisely representative of the population at large with respect to race, gender, age (voting age and over), ethnicity and prior religious beliefs. We'd have an atheist archbishop or two. You could pray or not pray, attend church services or not attend, and best of all you could sin if you wanted, and there would be no consequences. Afterlife stuff would be entirely optional.

I think the church could amply sustain itself financially on the strength of contributions from people who contemplated running for office now or at any time in the future.

I'm trying to come up with a name. Unfortunately, the "Church of What's Happening Now" is already taken.

[Jane]

Doesn't that sort of describe the UU church?

[sbw]

I think this fills the bill. Firesign Theater created:

"The Firesign Church of the Presumptious Assumption."

[kaz]

My thoughts exactly Jane. I had a professor way back when who was a Unitarian. In fact, he hosted the local university centered congregation at his house every four to six weeks.

He was a lot of fun to hang out with. [He also owned a bar. Free beer for his graduate students!] In one less than sober moment, he confessed that a large part of his interest in the group stemmed from the female membership being fairly smart and not having any religious 'hang-ups' about sex. Kindly keep in mind this was the Mid-West in the '70s, not Key West in the '90s and the pickings were slim for a divorced, middle aged, science nerd looking for bright, temporary companionship. Hell, they were probably slim in Key West for divorced, middle aged nerds too, but that was Sin City compared to where we were.

[JM Hanes]

Jane:

LOL! First thought that sprang to my mind too. What UU lacks in religious dogma, however, they make up for in social dogma, so they're really closer to the Chicago Trinity model than not.

Just for grins, I checked out the Arlington St. Church home page to see what kind of oppo research a UU candidate would face. Today's offering includes:

"Experiential" workshops on your Spiritual Passions
Dancing With Your Own Inner Goddess
The Art of Prayer, and Zen retreats
Tuning into music: the Inside-Out Concert Experience
A software engineer (once SDS'er!), with a free "Gift of Natural Health"
Sacred Eros: Embodying the Divine in our Sexual Lives

Does it sound like these folks are stuck in the 60's or what? Back to the future! That SDS connection looks promising though.....

If King's Chapel hadn't gone independent the last vestiges of Unitarianism would have vanished from the face of the earth. The UU congregation down my way is more anti-Christian than not. My ex used to take our kids there for "religious" education, but the "sermons" were so multi-culti political, I just couldn't sit through 'em. I blame the Universalists.... and the Democrats, of course. :)

[MayBee]

"Experiential" workshops on your Spiritual Passions Dancing With Your Own Inner Goddess The Art of Prayer, and Zen retreats Tuning into music: the Inside-Out Concert Experience A software engineer (once SDS'er!), with a free "Gift of Natural Health" Sacred Eros: Embodying the Divine in our Sexual Lives

JMH- I guarantee you those are Hillary voters.

[RichatUF]

And when in doubt, turn to Pat Buchanan for the end is neigh

graf-

Last week, Moody's warned that if the United States fails to rein in the soaring cost of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, the nation's credit rating will be down-graded within a decade.

Seems like the talking points from whomever at Modody's put the report out are finally getting distribution. Didn't Moody's rate a bunch of the sub-prime way to high then pull the plug on them in Sept07 and Oct07 as defaults surged.

[stan]

I think that Cohen directs his fire in the wrong direction. Obama has already said that his church and his minister play a huge role in his thinking. There is a lot more about this church than this award that would make the average voter hold his nose.

[Larry]

How about the First Self-righteous Church (where the squirrel went berserk)?

[Dennis D]

His love for Africa and Africans? Everytime I see an American religious missionary in Africa its been a Christian. Even Rwanda where Rev Rick Warren has been actively partnering with the Rwandan President.

[MayBee]

Wow. Joe Biden's wife was in an auto accident. That's how his first wife and two of their childrend died. How frightening for him.

[JeanneB]

Cohen never gets to what it is he wants Obama to do. Does he want him to publicly denounce Farakahn? Denounce his church? Both?

We'll hear more about this. It'll be interesting to see how liberals' reactions compare to "Bob Jones University" brouhaha in the 2000 campaign.

[JeanneB]

Cohen never gets to what it is he wants Obama to do. Does he want him to publicly denounce Farakahn? Denounce his church? Both?

We'll hear more about this. It'll be interesting to see how liberals' reactions compare to "Bob Jones University" brouhaha in the 2000 campaign.

[Evoved]

Church of Exclusionary Africanism.

[isident]

In the Jack Bauer episode the wife was attacked with nerve gas from COMICON INC. after he blew up Jack.

If I'd only been like Jack, I could'a stopped it...............

[JM Hanes]

OT:

You'll have to ditch the Archbishop concept if you want the feministas. Alas, it may already be too late! Somebody is guaranteed to discover that you thought of it, before you unthunk it, and out you as part of the vast patriarchal conspiracy to take America back.

Otherwise, it looks like you're off to a grand start, although if you want to save yourself a lot of organizing headaches, you could just join hands with these folks.

[kim]

We used to collect names for convenience stores. Our favorite was 'Shout and Sack'.
=======================

[anduril]

You could call it, The Church of the Whole Cloth, since that's what it was made up out of. [Groaaan.]

Captain Ed can be soooooo tiresome.

[anduril]

Yeah! The Church of the Whole Cloth, and instead of being a bishop you could be The Man of the Cloth. I can see all kinds of possibilities here. Investiture and defrocking, for example, could take on new meanings.

[PeterUK]

Well you better hurry up and get the church underway OT Britney is going to convert

[PeterUK]

and you wouldn't want her to get stoned,surely?

[Other Tom]

Just saw a headline saying Obama knocks Farrakhan.

Why no Archbishops? In my church, everybody gets to be an Archbishop--anyone who wants to be one is automatically given the title. Whattaya, whattaya--you think we're discriminators?

[JM Hanes]

Not to worry PUK, we got her covered over at Last Baptist, or uncovered, or any which way is up.

OT: I wouldn't dream of questioning anyone's intentions, but to avoid inadvertant offense, I'd go with ArchBi-shops.

[JM Hanes]

Church of the Whole Cloth, I like it already anduril!

[anduril]

Geraghty:

And The First Exit Polls in Michigan Say...

I'm surprised no one else has put this up yet. I'm hearing the first round of exit polls have Romney 35, McCain 29, Huckabee 15, Ron Paul 10, Giuliani 4. This doesn't count absentee ballots.

If this holds, the networks will be able to announce shortly after 9 p.m. eastern time...

Of course, all the standard disclaimers apply, and the later voters may differ from the early rounds, and the polls are still open, so if you're a Michigander, go out and vote for your favorite.

01/15 06:18 PM

[centralcal]

Anduril - Drudge has the exit polls up too!

[ven]

Bring on the music, bring on the pain?

[PeterUK]

US Embassy in Beirut bombed

[Jane]

Exit polls on fox show Paul edging out Huckabee. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

[kim]

Omigod, Pete, kids pick their noses in Suffolk? Who would have guessed?
=========================

[Soylent Red]

Can we have church meet on Wednesdays, so as not to interfere with football?

Besides, Sunday morning follows Saturday night so very closely...

[Other Tom]

Some fascinating exit poll stuff on Fox concerning the Dem ballot. Despite the fact that Hillary was the only name on the ballot, 52% of those who turned out to vote said they would have voted for Obama (34%) or Edwards (18%) if all three had been on the ballot. Among black voters, 69% voted "uncommitted." I think that is a very significant datum: people turning out to vote uncommitted instead of just staying home. Hmmmm...

[hit and run]

I'm nominally partial to the Church of the SubGenius

[Soylent Red]

Church of the SubGenius

In Bob we trust.

[anduril]

Among black voters, 69% voted "uncommitted."

Whoaaa!

[JM Hanes]

Soylent:

You're in luck! Folks seem to be answering OT's call all over the place. Wish I could do better than a fly-by night shot, but it looks like this place Rocks.