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Priest and Obama Ally Mocks Clinton's Tears from Obama's Church's Pulpit
May 29, 2008 3:34 PM
Father Michael Pfleger, a fiery liberal social activist and a white reverend at an African-American church -- St. Sabina’s Catholic Church on the South Side of Chicago -- is a longtime friend and associate of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, having known him since the presidential hopeful was a community activist. In September, the Obama campaign brought Pfleger to Iowa to host one of several interfaith forums for the campaign.
Their relationship spans decades. Pfleger has given money to Obama's campaigns and Obama as a state legislator directed at least $225,000 towards social programs at St. Sabina's, according to the Chicago Tribune.
A new Youtube video making the rounds shows Pfleger speaking at Obama's church, Trinity United Church of Christ, just last Sunday, mocking Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, for having cried in New Hampshire, suggesting that she wept because she thought as a white person and wife of a former president she was entitled to the presidency.
Watch HERE.
In response to the sermon, Obama issued a statement saying: “As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause.”
This is what Obama was responding to: After being introduced by Obama's church's new pastor -- Rev. Otis Moss -- Rev. Pfleger talks about the importance of taking on "white entitlement and supremacy wherever it raises its head."
"Rev. Moss, when Hillary was crying, and people said that was put on, I really don't believe it was put on," Pfleger says from the pulpit. "I really believe that she just always thought, 'This is mine! I'm Bill's wife, I'm white, and this is mine! I just gotta get up and step into the plate.' And then out of nowhere came, 'Hey, I'm Barack Obama,' and she said, 'Oh, damn! Where did you come from? I'm white! I'm entitled! There's a black man stealing my show!'
Pfleger then mocks her crying, much to delight of the crowd, many of whom stand up and applaud.
"She wasn't the only one crying, there was a whole lot of white people crying!" Pfleger says to laughter.
The tape, which just shows this one controversial part of Pfleger's sermon, then cuts to Moss thanking Pfleger: "We thank God for the message, we thank God for the messenger, we thank God for Father Michael Pfleger," Moss says.
The New York Times recently described Father Pfleger as having "long worked with South Side political leaders to reduce crime and improve the community. But he has drawn fire from some quarters for defending the Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan and inviting him to speak at his church."
- jpt
UPDATE: Pfleger appears to have been scrubbed from the Obama campaign's page that features the testimony of faith leaders, but you can see the cached version HERE.
UPDATE II: Father Pfleger writes to say, "I regret the words I chose on Sunday. These words are inconsistent with Senator Obama's life and message, and I am deeply sorry if they offended Senator Clinton or anyone else who saw them."
May 29, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (1019)
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If a white person said things about black people like that....mocking them...the outcry of racism would be unbelievable; however, since this is mocking a white woman, well that's just okay, isn't it?
Posted by: mnshadow | Jun 4, 2008 2:23:20 PM
What ever happend to freedom of speech? When did it become a trend to blame someone for another's opinion? Obama is not responsible for anyone but himself! If that were not true, we would all be condemned for the sayings and beliefs of our families and friends! I'm tired of people and their "better than thou" tirade! GET OVER IT PEOPLE! Hilary says whatever she wants and no one sees anthing wrong with it (and it has come from the horses mouth)...Yet, a Pastor (not Obama himself) says something and somehow it's placed on the shoulders of the next man? U all are a joke!
Posted by: princess | Jun 3, 2008 1:02:06 PM
Barack Obama does not need to explain what someone else says (it is an opinion and many agree with the pastor today; whether you like it or not, or you listen to the whole sermon or not, or have had to deal with rascism or not, the pastor's statements reflect a group of people in America that still very much exist and Obama denouncing them will not change that)
Meanwhile, Hilary Clinton herself makes "questionable" statements personally that I find offensive and she is making them, not someone else.
So I'm going to stick with Obama.
Posted by: Beloved | Jun 3, 2008 12:39:01 PM
I am embarrassed that someone so corrupt and has as thin a resume as Obama is this far in a presidential primary. Unbelievable. Unelectable.
Posted by: AC-n-NC | Jun 1, 2008 8:48:53 PM
Senator Clinton and President Clinton are the only ones that deserve this title
What is it that you people don't get?
This is not American Idol.
The 90's were the best. The world was different because Bush wasn't there
Clintons had no problem with Republicans, had a wonderful international appeal and the money was flowing into our country
What are you guys thinking
Posted by: Al from NJ | Jun 1, 2008 11:41:11 AM
The primary polls will change drastically in the general election if Obama is the nominee.
Democrats need to wake up. Senator Obama is still being vetted. He is very concerning to many in my community. I would love for the media to cover his connections with his church more thoroughly.
Only a day ago, Reverend Michael Pflager was viewed in Obama’s church, United Church of Christ. My entire community was offended to how this man not only spoke about whites but about President Clinton and Senator Clinton.
For Senator Pelosi not to step up to defend Senator Clinton is appalling.
17 million or more voters are hurt by this mans comments. This was another pastor friend of Senator Obama. He was spewing hatred towards whites and Senator Clinton and President Clinton.
Trintiy United Church of Christ is promoting anti American and racial views that are disgraceful.
How dare Senator Obama expect to have support from Democrats. It’s embarrassing. Obama has spoken about his “new” pastor, Otis Moss, as a lovely man.
Reverend Moss actually introduced this radical racist, Reverend Michael Pflager and then thanked him for his sermon.
Senator Obama has been friends with these people for over twenty years, not days. They were his moral compasses, his mentors and guidance counselors in life. Obama wants us to believe that in over almost 500 sermons that he never knew his churches views.
I would recommend that everyone spend time, just on “you tube” alone, and visit Trinity United Church of Christ, watch Louis Farrakhan, Reverend Wright, Reverend Pflager and in action.
Read about the 57 states of Islam, research the Muslim views of Obama. Investigate how Obama practiced law with Rezko in Chicago.
Lastly view radical domestic terrorist William Ayers, a coworker of Obama. They all do their share of spewing hatred.
According to Fox news: Special Report with Brit Hume, Obama had Rev Pflager on the campaign trail with him until last week. United Church of Christ and its new minister, Reverend Moss introduced this Rev. Pflager as a speaker.
I do know that if Senator Clinton was involved with a church that supported the Ku Klux Klan, I would want her explaining herself.
The media needs to confront Senator Obama. This is a matter of character Why is no one investigating Senator Obama’s background more thoroughly? I am totally embarrassed to be a Democrat if Obama becomes the nominee.
Who is this man: Obama? Why aren’t we as Democrats running from him?
Posted by: Al from NJ | Jun 1, 2008 11:36:26 AM
Kathy, I've made a grievous error and, for that, I apologize. That was meant for "lllllllllllllll."
Posted by: Sierra Gold | May 31, 2008 9:46:39 PM
*in the best slang I can muster*
You're kinda puttin' the cart in front of the horse, aren't you, Kathy?
Posted by: Sierra Gold | May 31, 2008 9:15:38 PM
This has nothing to do with President Obama.
Posted by: lllllllllllllll | May 31, 2008 8:21:24 PM
This has nothing to do with President Obama.
Posted by: lllllllllllllll | May 31, 2008 8:20:00 PM
oh well, here we go again. same man...same ride. what do ya expect? any thing different? consider the source!
Posted by: kathy | May 31, 2008 6:57:20 PM
If you heard Rev. Wright's or Rev. Pfleger's political rants while speaking from a pulpit, you might want to read the Internal Revenue Service's rules against such conduct.
From The IRS:
Under the Internal Revenue Code, all IRC section 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches and religious
organizations, are absolutely prohibited from directly or
indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political
campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made by or on behalf of the organization in favor
of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign
activity. Violation of this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of
certain excise tax.
Posted by: cec | May 31, 2008 3:34:31 AM
As a pastor - and as a gay man - I will NOT support Sen. Obama's nor his choices of spiritual/religious affiliations. Here's the whole list (in case some of you are forgetting the WHOLE list):
Oct. 2007 - Obama invites gospel singer, Donnie McClurkin, to be part of his campaign's attempt to reach black evangelicals. Mr. McClurkin is a former gay man whose ministry includes helping people to NOT be gay. The largest gay rights organization, the Human Rights Campaign, criticizes Obama for his choice of company.
Jan. 2008 - The day after Obama makes a pro-gay speech in a predominantly Black church, Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell (a spiritual advisor to Pres. Bush) endorses Obama. Rev. Caldwell's church (at that time - they've since took it down) includes a ministry whose soul purpose is to convert gay people into "normal" straight people. Also this month Obama says Rev. Wright was a "sounding board" for him and one that helps Obama to "speak the truth."
March 2008 - The country begins to review Rev. Wright's church and discovers the church's magazine's support of Rev. Farrakhan (an anti-Jewish and anti-gay pastor) as well as his sermons saying that 9/11 was brought on by racism, God should "damn America," the first woman candidate has never suffered any kind of oppression or discrimination, and AIDS (the disease that has caused widespread oppression for millions of gay people) was actually developed by the US to hurt the African American community.
April 2008 - Obama calls Rev. Wright's recent remarks at the National Press club "a bunch of rants that aren't grounded in the truth" but does not leave his church.
May 2008 - Father Pfleger visits Obama's church and suggests that he understands the heart and mind of Hillary Clinton who he said is an "entitled white women" who fakes her tears and is afraid of Obama's success because he is an African American. Pfleger's archbishop gives him a public reprimand for "partisan campaigning."
Yeah...I'm sticking with Hillary!!!!
Posted by: gaypastor | May 31, 2008 1:19:21 AM
Reagan Democrats will be Clinton Republicans. Since we have a Democratic Congress, we can afford to vote Republican to send a message to the Democratic Party.
Posted by: Lake | May 31, 2008 12:09:23 AM
What a disgrace to the human race. If Obama isn't a racist, he sure has a lot of close friends who are. Weird!
Posted by: Julie | May 30, 2008 10:43:37 PM
The company someone chooses to keep is a measure of the person. It has been reported by Lynn Sweet of the Chicago SunTimes that Senator Obama has known the priest for years and was considered a friend by Obama. In addition, he was affiliated with Obama's campaign as an advisor until a few weeks ago.
This calls into question at least 3 important issues: Senator Obama's judgment; whether Senator Obama agrees with the views of those he has chosen to include in his campaign; and whether this further calls into question Senator Obama's electability.
Posted by: dreffein | May 30, 2008 10:03:01 PM
Let’s put this into perspective. Obama has been associated with this church for 20+ years and until now he had not been aware of its racially biased church sermons/beliefs? There are only two possible explanations for this: 1.) He is lying, or 2.) He really didn’t know that his church leaders and what appears to be its entire congregation were racially biased.
If I give Obama the benefit of the doubt and believe he’s not lying, then I have to wonder what kind of job he would do as leader of the free world when he didn’t even know what was going on in his own church?!?! I’ve only known about this church for a few months, and I’ve figured it out about 19 ½ years faster than he did.
Posted by: DP | May 30, 2008 10:00:51 PM
Why should Obama apologize. The truth hurts. Hillary brought the racial thing into this. If Hillary were black, she would be claiming racial. Neither candidate is worth a damn, and what can they do. Blame Bush for all the economy problems, but the damn democrats are in charge. LOL
Posted by: John Morris | May 30, 2008 6:20:41 PM
The role of a Christian church is to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, that repentence from our sins and belief in his atoning work on the cross saves us from the enslavement of sin here on earth and hell in the afterlife. How many of the sermons from Obama's home church ever mention that? While Protestants have no general oversight over ministers such as Wright -- denominations have no say in each other's affairs -- why doesn't the pope at least, who was lauded so much last month visiting here, do something about such priests as Pfleger? The church is not a narcissistic club for stroking one's own ethnic or national group at the expense of another. People are missing the good news of eternal life by going to such places.
Posted by: Lostwithiel | May 30, 2008 5:49:45 PM
Reposted due to errors in first message... but read on...
What Father Michael Pfleger said was very true. Last week when Hillary used RFK assassination to call out her low-income, hard-working, no college education white people(her words) supporters to do what... we all know what. Did she apologize publicly to Obama? No, and she really owed him an apology. MSNBC and all the other ridiculous news stations had the nerve to say today that Obama should apologize to Hillary. For what? He does on own the Church or the "Man" who uttered those words. But, she owned the words she said last. So when Father Pfleger refers to her as acting like a "Superior White Woman", that nonsense about Obama apologizing to her fits in to this scenario. Remember, it is Hillary who like playing the race card. Black Americans are not racist, we are tired of racist people.
Thanks.
Posted by: Leo | May 30, 2008 5:13:55 PM
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