Patterico's Pontifications

6/2/2008

WWBOD

Filed under: 2008 Election — WLS @ 11:56 am



Posted by WLS:

Obama decided last week to “resign” from the congregation of the Trinity United Church — a decision he made only 73 days after going on national television in his much-ballyhooed Philadephia “race” speech to say:

Why associate myself with Reverend Wright in the first place, they may ask? Why not join another church?… 

…The man I met more than twenty years ago is a man who helped introduce me to my Christian faith, a man who spoke to me about our obligations to love one another; to care for the sick and lift up the poor. He is a man who served his country as a U.S. Marine; who has studied and lectured at some of the finest universities and seminaries in the country, and who for over thirty years led a church that serves the community by doing God’s work here on Earth – by housing the homeless, ministering to the needy, providing day care services and scholarships and prison ministries, and reaching out to those suffering from HIV/AIDS.

Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity embodies the black community in its entirety…. Like other black churches, Trinity’s services are full of raucous laughter and sometimes bawdy humor. They are full of dancing, clapping, screaming and shouting that may seem jarring to the untrained ear. The church contains in full the kindness and cruelty, the fierce intelligence and the shocking ignorance, the struggles and successes, the love and yes, the bitterness and bias that make up the black experience in America.

And this helps explain, perhaps, my relationship with Reverend Wright. As imperfect as he may be, he has been like family to me. He strengthened my faith, officiated my wedding, and baptized my children….  I can no more disown him than I can disown the black community…..

Some will see this as an attempt to justify or excuse comments that are simply inexcusable. I can assure you it is not. I suppose the politically safe thing would be to move on from this episode and just hope that it fades into the woodwork.

So, his bravery in defending Trinity and Rev. Wright in Philadelphia ultimately falls in favor of the “politically safe” thing — and Obama’s decision is reduced to a blog entry from a black journalist in Chicago who got wind of the “resignation” letter sent by the Obama’s to Trinity on Friday. 

Well, ain’t that a profile in courage.

Which leads me to wonder — WWBOD?

John McCain’s father was promoted to Commander Pacific Naval Forces in mid-1968.  McCain had been a POW since Oct. 1967.  In a propoganda ploy, North Vietnam offered McCain the opportunity to go home shortly after his father’s promotion.  McCain refused unless all POW’s who had been held longer were released first.  In response, the North Vietnamese embarked on a program of brutal torture of McCain in August 1968 which lasted until late in 1969.

McCain gave a coerced “anti-American” statement at one point after 4 days of continuous torture, but refused thereafter to meet with anti-war groups from the US or to sign any additional statements condemning the US. 

Which leads me to wonder …. if Obama could only take the heat over his association the Trinity Church for 73 days, how long would he have lasted in the Hanoi Hilton before taking the North Vietnamese up on their offer of a hot shower, soft bed, and a nice cup of Black Forest Berry Honest Tea in preparation for a sit down meal with Jane Fonda?

One more thing — If the rumored tape involving intemperate speech by Michele Obama turns out to be true, do you think Barack will file for divorce?  

The “Whitey” “Why’d He” Tape?

Filed under: 2008 Election,General — Patterico @ 7:17 am



The big rumored tape of Michelle Obama talking about “Whitey” may be Michelle Obama talking about “Why’d he?”

Why’d he cut folks off medicaid?
Why’d he let New Orleans drown?
Why’d he do nothing about Jena?
Why’d he put us in Iraq for no reason?

“He” being George Bush, of course.

If that’s all it is, then Scary Larry Johnson will turn out to have been wrong again. That’d be a shocker.

L.A. Times: California Can’t Afford to Vote Against Gay Marriage!

Filed under: Dog Trainer — Patterico @ 6:23 am



What will it take to save California’s economy?

The L.A. Times has the answer: gay marriage:

Forget economic stimulus checks. Same-sex marriages may give California just the financial boost it needs.

Wedding planners, bakers and hotels began booking more business almost immediately after the state Supreme Court’s May 15 decision overturning a ban on gay marriage. Citing pent-up demand, one UCLA study projects that same-sex unions could provide a $370-million shot in the arm to the state economy over the next three years.

A vote against gay marriage is a vote to tank our economy!

News Legend Pete Noyes Serves Up Rebuke to Chuck Philips

Filed under: Dog Trainer,General — Patterico @ 12:02 am



Anita Busch appeared on the “Midday Sunday” program on Fox 11 News with Tony Valdez yesterday. Also appearing was retired journalist Pete Noyes, whom Kevin Roderick has called a “news legend.” According to Roderick, “high standards were [Noyes’s] hallmark.”

Noyes had something to say about what journalists should do when their sources become accused of crimes: don’t cover their criminal case.

His view has relevance to Chuck Philips’s coverage of the Anthony Pellicano case.

From the program:

Busch: I think there’s a real ethical question here as a journalist . . . and that is, when a long-time source is arrested for a terrible crime, what do you do? Do you cover that? Or do you recuse yourself and not cover the story? What is the ethical thing to do?

Noyes: The ethical thing is, you don’t cover the story. . . . You drop it, right then. That’s the only thing you can do as a journalist.

Well, it isn’t what Chuck Philips did.

According to the New York Times, reporter Chuck Philips “had long experience with Mr. Pellicano as a news source” before 2002, when Busch was first threatened.

After Pellicano was indicted, the paper allowed Philips to cover Pellicano’s criminal trial, despite the fact that Pellicano had been Philips’s long-time source. Indeed, Philips authored several stories that were highly favorable to Pellicano, and hostile to the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office.

But then, Philips has always appeared immune to the usual rules about conflicts of interest. His coverage of Anthony Pellicano is just one example.

P.S. There is much more coming on the Anita Busch story. Stay tuned over the next few days.

Prison Ships

Filed under: General — Patterico @ 12:01 am



First George W. Bush submerges terrorists underwater. Now, we find, he makes them float on water — in floating prisons.

I’d rather be on one of those than, say, the U.S.S. Cole. But that’s just me.

UPDATE FOR THE BENEFIT OF LEVI: Uh, I didn’t mean now, Levi. I meant when it was bombed.

I sort of thought that was obvious.


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