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The Note: Obama Faith Mission Caught In Old Politics

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July 01, 2008 8:43 AM

ABC News' Rick Klein Reports in Tuesday's Note: If you have faith that four flags (plus one flag pin) can solve all of Barack Obama’s patriotism problems . . .

You probably also believe that one phone call can solve all of Obama’s Clinton problems.

That the Clinton campaign’s infighting would have ended with the Clinton campaign.

That Obama’s policy migration is set to end any time now.

Surely you’re convinced that one denunciation will be enough to end the storm kicked up by one retired general (who isn’t backing down, and who, at the very least, shrank Obama’s short list by one).

You may even believe that the best way to tag someone a Swift-boater is with a member of the original cast (takes one to know one, perhaps, but why muddle the message?).

Read the rest of The Note -- and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and the wide world of politics every day -- from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.

And that Obama’s latest message -- on faith as policy -- will break through with Clark-like clarity.

An Obama zag -- one that zings: “Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans that would expand President Bush's program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and -- in a move sure to cause controversy -- support their ability to hire and fire based on faith,” the AP’s Jennifer Loven reports.

With Obama set to talk about faith in Ohio, more to set that agenda: “Between now and November, the Obama forces are planning as many as 1,000 house parties and dozens of Christian rock concerts, gatherings of religious leaders, campus visits and telephone conference calls to bring together voters of all ages motivated by their faith to engage in politics,” John M. Broder reports in The New York Times. “It is the most intensive effort yet by a Democratic candidate to reach out to self-identified evangelical or born-again Christians and to try to pry them away from their historical attachment to the Republican Party.”

Continue reading today's Note by clicking HERE.

ABC News' John Santucci and Alexa Ainsworth contributed to this report.

July 1, 2008 in Hunter, Duncan, Kucinich, Dennis, Tancredo, Tom, Thompson, Fred | Permalink | User Comments (38)

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in a move sure to cause controversy -- support their ability to hire and fire based on faith,”


Ok, here we go again with yet another Obama flip-flop! He says he believes and upholds the Constitution, but now he completely renounces it. Does this guy have no end? I honestly think he believes he is above reproach and scrutiny. America, wake up! We don't need Obama in the White House!

Posted by: David | Jul 1, 2008 8:53:37 AM

Obama has steered money to faith based groups, but they were to racist and extremist Chicago radicals. Why not point out that Obama takes money and raises money through the left-wing groups that dishonored Gen. Petraeus.

Posted by: Karen | Jul 1, 2008 9:36:20 AM

I have always been a Democrat. I will vote for John McCain. I am so tired of hearing how we have deprived the black from so many opportunities, and this race issue seems to be in the mouth of Mr. Obama every time he opens it. It's like a game! Fence Rider! Whatever is popular at the moment is what we do and talk about. Good looks, speaking well, sway walk, and expensive suits, will get us no where. In about another 8 years he would have made an ideal president. He would have had great experience. Three years in the senate, Sorry, no bueno.

Posted by: Ruth | Jul 1, 2008 9:36:41 AM

All men are created equal---well not in OBAMA's new world coming---he wants to give the rights "to hire and fire based on faith" first to the churches. Then he intends to give certain churches MORE MONEY and they can grow and spread with more power to "hire and fire" at their discretion. Is OBAMA trying to turn American into a country controlled by? Stop with the religious revival OBAMA. If you are here to deliver what you think is "God's" message then be a preacher.

Posted by: Anne | Jul 1, 2008 9:38:00 AM

It seems that Mr. O is showing his true colors. Why am I not surprised. Same old politics. So much for the change.

Posted by: Frank- South Hampton | Jul 1, 2008 9:40:24 AM

SOODD: Same old Obama, different day!


Posted by: Soetoro No! | Jul 1, 2008 9:42:11 AM

He has talked about and supported Faith based initiatives before, this is really no surprise. I am not sure where he is going with the hiring, but I do not think a Catholic church would hire a Rabbi as a priest, nor would a synagogue hire a priest to teach religion. So in reality there already is discrimination in hiring among religions.

So I am not sure about the flip flop charge here. I know, I know the press and the republican party has been saying he was the far left. I have been saying for months that he was more to the center than they thought.

Will it sell to the far left? No, but that is his decision. McCain will be upset call him flip flopper, but will not disagree with this. He has McCain off balance, and I get the sense that McCains campaign is at a loss for words.

Posted by: Thinking | Jul 1, 2008 10:00:45 AM

Well for one thing agnostic and atheism are different. And as a free thinking person, you can change religions like underwear. Organized religion is for the weak minded.

Posted by: WhyMe | Jul 1, 2008 10:04:42 AM

He is pandering to the evangelicals. Obama is running for Bush's third term

Posted by: Kurt | Jul 1, 2008 10:37:07 AM

Hillary was the lemonade. She's a lemon that has been squashed into liquid so she's easier to swallow.

Posted by: Hater | Jul 1, 2008 10:41:18 AM

You're right. Hillary has more experience in corruption and scandals than Obama.

Posted by: WhyMe | Jul 1, 2008 10:52:30 AM

"The young soldier who first spoke about the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib - he is a patriot. Recognizing a wrong being committed in this country's name; insisting that we deliver on the promise of our Constitution"

HERE IS YOUR PROOF. OBAMA SAID IT YESTERDAY. This is a traitor not a patriot. The US Constitution does not grant rights to Terrorists

Posted by: geevill | Jul 1, 2008 12:05:09 PM

obama respects religion so much, he joined and abandoned a church for the sole purpose of furthering his political career....

Posted by: chris | Jul 1, 2008 12:05:46 PM

Obama's kind of Faith based program

gives 1 MILLION DOLLARS
to Trinity United

Unity you can't trust

Posted by: carpenter.nyc | Jul 1, 2008 12:06:43 PM

Organized religion is for the weak minded.

Posted by: WhyMe | Jul 1, 2008 12:08:02 PM

obama did a better job of running a campaign to win the Democratic nomination.....Senator Clinton did a better job of running a campaign to win the White House

Posted by: chris | Jul 1, 2008 12:08:30 PM

i agree, obama is weak-minded

Posted by: chris | Jul 1, 2008 12:09:00 PM

We need to seperate politics and religion. More wars have been fought in the name of religion than anything else.

Posted by: WhyMe | Jul 1, 2008 12:13:36 PM

is it any wonder that obama got so many votes in a country where American Idol is the top-rated show?

Posted by: chris | Jul 1, 2008 12:17:47 PM

Agnosticism anyone?

Posted by: Mack | Jul 1, 2008 12:26:33 PM

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