Obama Takes Ebenezer Church Pulpit

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Obama Takes Ebenezer Church Pulpit

January 20, 2008 3:12 PM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., addressed the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia from a pulpit that he said was not just meaningful to the African American community, but to the entire world.

Obama, who is seeking his party's presidential nomination, addressed the congregation of the famous church where Martin Luther King Sr. and Jr. were once pastors, while Christie King Farris, the King’s sister, listened in the second pew.

One day before Martin Luther King Day, and 40 years since his death, Obama was introduced by Pastor Warnock, with a linkage to their "martyr, "This is Ebenezer, giants have stood here, so we don’t take this pulpit lightly. We invited this brother because he’s committed and brilliant….All of you be proud that this brother can run. Because of Dr. Martin Luther King."

The Pastor had to quiet down female shrills in the back of the church. "Listen you’re in church," he shushed his congregation in a jokingly manner, "I understand, but don’t get it twisted, we’re in church."

Obama took the dais admittedly humbled, and described the environment and struggle that the legacy of Dr. King was born under, pinpointing that his legacy was not all rhetoric.

"He led with words, but he also led with deeds. He also led by example. He led by marching and going to jail and suffering threats and beatings, and being away from his family," said Obama who would be the nation's first black president. "He led by taking a stand against a war, knowing full well that it would diminish his popularity. He led by challenging our economic structures, understanding that it would cause discomfort. Dr. King understood that unity cannot be won on the cheap; that we would have to earn it through great effort and determination."

Speaking to the predominately African American community, Obama, son of a Kenyan man and a Kansas woman, said those struggles still exist in some measure today, "One in the African-American community have been at the receiving end of man’s inhumanity to man…. If we’re honest with ourselves, we’ll acknowledge that our own community has not always been true to King’s vision of a beloved community. We have scorned our gay brothers and sisters instead of embracing them. The scourge of anti-Semitism has, at times, revealed itself in our community. For too long, some of us have seen immigrants only as competitors for jobs instead of companions in the fight for opportunity."

Obama, who seemed to try to stay away from a blatant politics on a Sunday in church, couldn’t help wandering into the political weeds, and addressed the role race has played in the election, in exchanges on the campaign trail between him and Senator Clinton.

"Everyday, our politics fuels and exploits this kind of division across all races and regions; across gender and party….And last week, it even crept into the campaign for President, with charges and counter-charges that served to obscure the issues instead of illuminating the critical choices we face as a nation. None of our hands are clean. We can no longer afford to build ourselves up by tearing someone else down. We can no longer afford to traffic in lies or fear or hate. It is the poison that we must purge from our politics; the wall that we must tear down before the hour grows too late."

Obama was referencing the dust up between him and Sen. Hillary Clinton over the MLK/LBJ comments, a discussion that has lasted from the New Hampshire primary to the Nevada caucus.

And he repeated the comment to the congregation within his remarks, "I don’t believe in false hopes," Obama said, playing off a remark that Clinton criticized him with, "Imagine if JFK looked up at the moon and said that’s too far, false hopes we cant go there, imagine if MLK stood at the Lincoln memorial and said ya’ll go home."

Obama said that hope is what has allowed him to overcome his struggles, "When I got in trouble when I was a teenager I did some things that folks now like to talk about. I needed some hope to get here," an obvious reference to his past drug use of marijuana and cocaine as a teenager, an act that has plagued him in his presidential run.

Obama and members of the church linked arms and sang, "We Shall Overcome," as the service winded down. "Brother Obama is under heavy security but god is around him." Pastor Warnock said.

Along with members of the King family, Obama laid a wreath on the tomb of Martin Luther King Jr. and his wife, Coretta Scott King. Tomorrow, on MLK Jr. day, Obama will speak at the "King Day at the Dome," event at Zion Baptist Church in Columbia, South Carolina.

January 20, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (66)

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As Democrats what an opportunity we have. A leader who can inspire and lead, instead of the Clintons same old, same old.

Posted by: AntiRestorationDemocrat | Jan 20, 2008 3:37:53 PM

Here we go again pushing the race button one more time, can this man deal with the issue at hand and let MLK rest in peace? Exactly what is Obama trying to do cause another Watts riot in America gone are the days of old, it time to reflect on the economy, war in Iraq, housing , education, SS and so on, why does this man feel race has to be a issue all the time geez

Posted by: Mac | Jan 20, 2008 3:45:47 PM

MAC,

It's MLK day!! Why is Hillary in NY talking about him? She can but he can't. Do you think that the only thing we know how to do is riot--What race button?

Posted by: Bajanluv | Jan 20, 2008 3:58:19 PM

Nice try, Obama, but anyone who needs a leader in 2008 either doesn't read much of anything good, or has no spiritual life- sadly, a president who is elected to babysit our unrealized motivation is pathetic. Keep writing the books, Obama, but you're not ready for the White House.

Posted by: GA Man | Jan 20, 2008 4:00:24 PM

How can Obama talk about unity and at the same time hope that blacks in So. Carolina will stick with him ... why should they vote for him just because he is black? Race should not make a difference and does not make a difference in the world that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. envisioned!

Posted by: Jackson | Jan 20, 2008 4:07:42 PM

NO - MLK was not the first to make it possible for this man to rise in American politics such that he is afforded the opportunity to run for its highest elected office. That honor goes to the sacrifices made of his mother and her parents whose memory he has has shown little more than same and loathing for. Why - because they are white yet he wants to tell me that he is committed to the cause of ALL Americans. His words and actions fail him miserably and will be his own undoing. He truly did have an opportunity to be a unique voice of change embodied in the form of a man who could transcend race and possibly gender. I would have been much more impressed to hear that he attended a service this morning that's message spoke of him who did sacrifice all for all (does anyone in this "Christian" church remember JC) while later holding a campaign forum to speak to all people. What an opportunistic sham. Oh and by the way - MONDAY is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Posted by: sjbj2322 | Jan 20, 2008 4:23:57 PM

Will be interesting to see how the gay and Jewish line plays. Atlanta, of course, has the third largest gay population in America and (I think) the tenth largest Jewish population.

Very risky considering past contretemps between these groups and the black community.

Also, I find it rather outrageous that Obama is talking about unity one day, but the next is trying to rip apart the Clintons. Yeah, that's change.

Posted by: KathySammons | Jan 20, 2008 4:29:08 PM

Here we go again. Obama comparing himself to JFK and Lord Almighty to the greatest post war American hero MLK. Are we all stupid enough that JFK and MLK had serious currency by the time the american people acclaimed them? Who is this young upstart who thinks that being the best orator after MLK makes him comparable to the one and only MLK who made seious sacrifices and led form the front to achieve his dream.JFK built his name though war and a legislative process to assume the mantle. Is rhetoric good enough? Is identifying yourself with Joshua mean that you can deliver? Gimme a break.

Posted by: VPNNathan | Jan 20, 2008 4:29:28 PM

LOL. Vote a preacher and one who is no MLK as a presidential nominee. Imagine Obama and Huckabee duking it out for Nov 08? We may well elect someone to be the head of the church.

Posted by: VPNNathan | Jan 20, 2008 4:31:21 PM

LOL Obama cheering the GWB record and the republicans for the past 10-15 years.

Posted by: VPNNathan | Jan 20, 2008 4:33:10 PM

LOL Obama disses the only democratic presidnt for the past 30 years, Bill Clinton and praises Reagan. I must admit that voted Reagan twice in the 80's and the Reagan quote makes me have second thouhs about Obma, but, did vote Bill Clinton twice in the 90's and these were the best years of my life. Whither you democrats and african americans in partcular, did you love Reagan?

Posted by: VPNNathan | Jan 20, 2008 4:37:33 PM

Obama's speech at Ebenezer Baptist Church was brillant, inspiring!

While the Clintons want divisions, Obama is talking about Unity!

Clinton is not elecatable in the general election! Do you get it?!?

Aren't we not tired of Clinton/Bush dynasties?!?!? Do you remember Clinton consolidation of the Media or NAFTA?!?

Open your eyes please!

Obama 2008!

Posted by: eddie | Jan 20, 2008 4:46:19 PM

Is Obama's Unity like how Obama took money from slum lord Renko while BLACK Brothers froze in unheated Tenements that Obama was senator of. While Obama sat in a million dollar house nice and warm

Posted by: Ebon Beati | Jan 20, 2008 4:50:10 PM

Sen Obama’s hands are far from clean and he owes an apology to the nation for not coming forward when the issue first surfaced saying that what Sen Clinton said “was not in any way racial in his point of view” thus proving he is a Uniter!

His waiting was for capitalizing politically as his actions prove combined with his repeated denials of his campaign fuelling it with the media, which his campaign did and waiting till it became out of control before speaking out as he did!

The shame of the tension that arose from this entire outrage is on Sen Obama’s hands and people should open their eyes to the actions and not hang on to the words, which are again proving to be empty of substance and solely for politically motivated personal gains!

Posted by: me | Jan 20, 2008 4:50:25 PM

The Clintons consolidation of the Corporate Media should sound an alarm to anyone who wants to continue the Clinton/Bush Dynasties!

Without the consolidation of the madia, we could not have the Bush dictatoship/Criminal wars! Do you get it!!!

Obama 2008

Posted by: eddie | Jan 20, 2008 4:56:22 PM

As a Republican and Obama supporter, I have one thing to say to you Democrats:

If you don't want Senator Obama, us Republicans will GLADLY take him.

You can play your disgusting little Clinton political games. Shame on you, shame on the Clintons.

Posted by: Ryno | Jan 20, 2008 5:17:20 PM

Second paragraph of the Rezko article:

"The Illinois senator isn’t accused of any wrongdoing. And there’s no evidence Obama knew contributions to his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign came from schemes Rezko is accused of orchestrating."

But hey... if it sells a story, by all means.

Btw, how are sales, Chicago Sun-Times?

Posted by: Ryno | Jan 20, 2008 5:19:37 PM

This is true

Is Obama's Unity like how Obama took money from slum lord Renko while BLACK Brothers froze in unheated Tenements that Obama was senator of. While Obama sat in a million dollar house nice and warm

Posted by: mad rat | Jan 20, 2008 5:29:40 PM

I just have one question for the others here who are supporting the Clintions(Bush) Dynasties!

While do you want to support the clintons, if you know that all the messes/problems going on, in the USA is because of the Corporate Media consolidation laws approved by Clinton?

Please, try to convince me, to support Clinton! I bet you would not be able to do it!

Obama 2008

Posted by: eddie | Jan 20, 2008 5:42:57 PM

And I quote the Chicago Sun-Times Exclusive:

The Illinois senator isn’t accused of any wrongdoing. And there’s no evidence Obama knew contributions to his 2004 U.S. Senate campaign came from schemes Rezko is accused of orchestrating. The allegations against Rezko that involve Obama are contained in one paragraph of a 78-page document filed last month in which prosecutors outline their corruption and fraud case against Rezko, who was also a key money man for Gov. Blagojevich and other politicians.

A Chicago Sun-Times Exclusive

Obama donated more than $44,000 in Rezko-linked contributions to charity last year, including the $10,000 donation mentioned in the court filing.

It is so interesting that people like to dwell on the negative, how many dollars has clinton received from corrupt contributors.

This is a fairy tale, give me a break.

Posted by: Rhonda | Jan 20, 2008 5:47:59 PM

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