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Rev. Wright "Resisting" Retirement

Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama’s former pastor and longtime spiritual adviser, was to officially step down from his post at Trinity United Church of Christ on June 1. TIME reports the controversial pastor is "hanging on to power in the church he helped build" and "resisting" plans to retire.

Instead, on church bulletins on June 1, Moss was identified simply as "pastor" rather than "senior pastor," even as Wright assumed the title "pastor emeritus." Indeed, Trinity members familiar with the developments say that on May 27, Moss was summoned to the church's massive brown sanctuary for a meeting that included Wright, several church board members and other senior leaders. According to those sources, Moss, 37, expected the meeting to finalize transition plans. Instead, Wright suggested the board merely declare Moss "senior pastor-elect" because the younger cleric needed "supervision" — effectively ensuring Wright remains Trinity's preacher-in-chief. Wright's essential argument hinges on a technicality: Moss is an ordained Baptist minister who has yet to be fully ordained in the United Church of Christ.

Rev. Wright and his ministry became an issue in the presidential campaign after videotaped sermons on the terrorist attacks of 9/11 and the black experience in America were broke by FOX News and circulated on YouTube. To address the concerns, Obama delivered a then-widely praised March 18 speech on race. In late April, Wright conducted a much-criticized media tour, including a speech and contentious question-and-answer session at the National Press Club. The next day, Obama denounced his "former pastor."

Last weekend, Obama resigned from the church after a longtime friend and a visiting pastor, Father Michael Pfleger, denounced Hillary Clinton from the pulpit in a racially charged rant. Obama is no longer a member of the Trinity community, but, the church and his association with the pastor will undoubtedly remain a target in the general election.

Wright's resistance to retirement, and, the desire to 'supervise' the young pastor, exposes a major issue in black churches and the black community, i.e. succession planning and mentoring young leadership. IMHO, this was probably why Obama was not fully accepted by the old guard black civil rights leadership when he exploded on the scene in 2006.

The Unretirement of Reverend Wright [TIME]

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Some Background ...
Obama Resigns From Trinity [R20]
Obama "Outraged" by Wrights' "Ridiculous" "Rants" [R20]
NC Gov Endorses Clinton, NC/IN Polls Tightening [R20]
Wright at the National Press Club and Detroit NAACP [R20]
Wright on PBS: Obama "Says What He Has to Say as a Politician" [R20]
NC GOP Targets Dems with Obama/Wright Attack Ad [R20]
Teddy Endorsed Obama to Preserve JFK's Civil Rights "Legacy"? What Legacy? [HuffPo]
Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech [R20]
Obama and the Turban Non-Story [R20]
PA Debate: Meltdown and Morning After [R20]
"Bitter" Billionaire Fundraiser" [R20]
Obama Camp Provides Photo of Wright and Clinton [R20]
Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Black LGBTs [R20]
McCain Aide Suspended, Circulating Wright Video [R20]

Obama Resigns from Trinity UCC

Barack Obama resigns from Trinity United Church of Christ.

Lynn Sweet at the Chicago Sun Times: "The Obama campaign in not confirming that Obama quit his church—but not saying the reports are wrong. Obama 'will answer questions this evening,' an Obama top adviser just told me."

The resignation comes just days after a visiting pastor and longtime friend of Obama delivered a blistering sermon that demanded reparations for slavery and attacked the "white establishment." Father Michael Pfleger, who is white, ridiculed Sen. Hillary Clinton, accused her of "white entitlement" and was loudly applauded and cheered by the congregation. Pfleger, mocking Clinton's misty-eyed moment in New Hampshire, pretended to speak in her voice, saying, "I'm white, I'm entitled, there's a black man stealing my show!" Watch Pfleger's rant:

"Thank God for the message and thank God for the messenger," said Trinity's new pastor, Rev. Otis Moss, after Pfleger's race-baiting.

Pfleger's sermon and longtime association with Barack Obama reignites concerns about Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the inflammatory former longtime Trinity pastor and the presidential candidate's longtime spiritual advisor. Obama said in a statement he was "deeply disappointed" with Pfleger, but, did not specifically address Pfleger's personal attack on Clinton. (Pfleger's sermon mirrored Wright's infamous Christmas Day sermon attacking the Clintons, also never addressed by Obama.) On the other hand, Sen. John McCain denounced Pfleger's attack from the pulpit as "unwarranted, uncalled for and disgraceful." This is the third time in recent weeks the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has spoken out.

The Archdiocese of Chicago and Cardinal Francis George have muzzled Pfleger.

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Some Background ...
Obama "Outraged" by Wrights' "Ridiculous" "Rants" [R20]
Wright at the National Press Club and Detroit NAACP [R20]
Wright on PBS: Obama "Says What He Has to Say as a Politician" [R20]
NC GOP Targets Dems with Obama/Wright Attack Ad [R20]
Teddy Endorsed Obama to Preserve JFK's Civil Rights "Legacy"? What Legacy? [HuffPo]
Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech [R20]
Obama and the Turban Non-Story [R20]
PA Debate: Meltdown and Morning After [R20]
"Bitter" Billionaire Fundraiser" [R20]
Obama Camp Provides Photo of Wright and Clinton [R20]
Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Black LGBTs [R20]
McCain Aide Suspended, Circulating Wright Video [R20]

Rev. Wright on PBS: Obama "Says What He Has to Say as a Politician"

This is not good. The Rev. Jeremiah Wright—Sen. Barack Obama's former pastor and longtime spiritual advisor—launches a media rehabilitation tour that is already giving more fodder to critics and the right wing attack machine. As if they didn't have enough already.

Over the weekend, Wright will give the keynote address at a fundraiser for the Detroit branch of the NAACP. On Monday, the reverend will headline an event at the Press Club in Washington DC, but, it is his television appearance later tonight that is causing some to squirm. The interview with Wright (plus video) that will be broadcast tonight on Bill Moyers' Journal is the first time the reverend has spoken to the press since the controversy erupted over his sermons.

Wright does not apologize for any of his remarks and says they were distorted.

REVEREND WRIGHT:
The persons who have heard the entire sermon understand the communication perfectly.
When something is taken like a sound bite for a political purpose and put constantly over and over again, looped in the face of the public, that's not a failure to communicate. Those who are doing that are communicating exactly what they want to do, which is to paint me as some sort of fanatic or as the learned journalist from the New York Times called me, a "wackadoodle."

It's to paint me as something: "Something's wrong with me. There's nothing wrong with this country...for its policies. We're perfect. Our hands are free. Our hands have no blood on them." That's not a failure to communicate. The message that is being communicated by the sound bites is exactly what those pushing those sound bites want to communicate.

BILL MOYERS:
What do you think they wanted to communicate?

WRIGHT:
I think they wanted to communicate that I am unpatriotic, that I am un-American, that I am filled with hate speech, that I have a cult at Trinity United Church of Christ. And by the way, guess who goes to his church, hint, hint, hint? That's what they wanted to communicate.

Most striking is Wright's description of Obama's "race speech" as "the politician talking."

WRIGHT: It went down very simply. He's a politician, I'm a pastor. We speak to two different audiences. And he says what he has to say as a politician. I say what I have to say as a pastor. But they're two different worlds. I do what I do. He does what politicians do. So that what happened in Philadelphia where he had to respond to the sound bytes, he responded as a politician.

There is nothing wrong with describing that speech as damage control because that's exactly what it was. There is also nothing wrong with saying Obama "says" or "does what politicians do", because that is also true, but, both of these facts are often ignored by the MSM and the e-telligentsia. The video snippets in heavy rotation on CNN, FOX and MSNBC are giving the talking heads a field day.

Meanwhile, the North Carolina and Indiana primaries are in full swing, and, last night, the North Carolina Republican Party launched a controversial and highly publicized attack ad against Democratic gubernatorial candidates. The attack ad featured a clip from Wright's "God Damn America" sermon and called Obama and the two Dem candidates "extremists." This is not the best time for the reverend to speak out. Any day that the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is in the news is not a good day for the Obama campaign.

Interview with Rev. Wright [PBS]
Wright Offering Fresh Fodder to Obama Critics [Sun Times]
Wright Says "Devious" Forces [Tribune]
Is The Worm Turning [No Quarter]

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More JEREMIAH WRIGHT
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Some Background ...
NC GOP Targets Dems with Obama/Wright Attack Ad [R20]
Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech [R20]
Obama and the Turban Non-Story [R20]
PA Debate: Meltdown and Morning After [R20]
"Bitter" Billionaire Fundraiser" [R20]
Obama Camp Provides Photo of Wright and Clinton [R20]
Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Black LGBTs [R20]
McCain Aide Suspended, Circulating Wright Video [R20]
McCain Targets Romney with Anti-Gay Robo-calls [R20]
NH Voters Targeted by Anti-Mormon "Push Polls" [R20]
Romney, McCain Offer More Anti-Gay Rhetoric [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]
McCain Promotes Abstinence [R20]
McCain Hires Producer of Racist Ads [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]
Yes But No—But Yes [R20]
McCain: Not "Catering" to Far Right [R20]
McCain Promotes Abstinence [R20]
McCain's MLK Day: "Pandering" to Racists [R20]
McCain Wins Republican Nomination [R20]
McCain Camp Enlists Racist Shock Jock [R20]

Obama Campaign Provides Photo of Rev. Wright and Bill Clinton

Please explain this to me.

On the same day the cable news shows report the McCain campaign is caught pushing photos and video of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Barack Obama's poll numbers are dropping across the board, and, a certain presidential candidate is live on Philadelphia radio and describes his grandmother as "a typical white person", the Obama campaign provides The New York Times ... with a photo of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright shaking hands with President Bill Clinton at a 1998 Prayer Breakfast at the White House?

Kate Phillips calls it for what it is:

In providing the photograph to The New York Times, the Obama campaign appeared to be trying to divert some attention to the Clintons after a week in which Mr. Obama’s relationship with Mr. Wright has left him facing one of the biggest challenges of his campaign. There is nothing in the picture or the note that addresses whether Mr. Clinton had met Mr. Wright prior to the White House meeting or whether he or Mrs. Clinton knew anything about Mr. Wright’s views.

Not sure what his was supposed to mean, but, this mirrors the Obama campaign's decision to circulate photos of the Clintons with Obama's indicted fundraiser Tony Rezko. (That case is not reported on Rod 2.0, there is not much "there there.") Al Gore is also in the photo, so, maybe they're implying the Nobel Prize-winner also has credibility problems.

The juvenile reaction to "blame" the Clintons for any and everything that happens to the Obama campaign has become irrational and epidemic. The Jeremiah Wright controversy was created by Obama, ignored by his campaign, and, has absolutely nothing to do with the Clintons. It's a quantum leap to take one ancient "grip and greet" photo opp and attempt to equate that with a 20-year, close "spiritual" and "mentor" relationship. It is also a quantum leap to take snippets from several sermons and demonize one pastor, which we said on these pages and on the Signorile show when we defended Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

via Talk Left

Photograph of Bill Clinton and Rev. Wright Surfaces [NYT]
General Election Dealbreaker: "Typical White Person" [TM]

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Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech [R20]
Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Black LGBTs [R20]
McCain Aide Suspended, Circulating Wright Video [R20]

Developing: McCain Aide Suspended After Circulating Wright Video

Jonathan Martin at Politico reports a strategist on the John McCain campaign has been "suspended" for email blast that included links to the now-ubiquitous Rev. Jeremiah Wright video.

Soren Dayton, who works in McCain's political department, sent out the YouTube link of "Is Obama Wright?" on twitter at 12:31 today with the tag, "Good video on Obama and Wright." It has since been taken down. ...

Previously an independent blogger, Dayton drew the attention and favor of McCain's campaign with his frequent attacks on Mitt Romney. He was brought onto the campaign earlier this year to help in the political department. An aide said he was doing "low-level political work for [deputy political director] John Yob."

The video Dayton sent, which includes images of Malcolm X, the black Olympians raising their hands in the black power salute and the rap song "Fight the Power," has been rapidly spreading in political circles this week.

McCain spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker says Dayton has been suspended and "reprimanded by campaign leadership." Suspension. Not fired. No word yet how long this slap on the wrist will last, probably the weekend, but we're sure the Obama campaign will "accept" their "apology" ...

McCain has repeatedly promised an "honorable" campaign, but, its been reported on Rod 2.0 for months that his strategists have repeatedly used anti-gay and anti-Mormon "push polls" and "robocalls" in the primaries, and, hired the producer of those race-baiting ads that targeted Harold Ford. Last week, Media Matters reported several top McCain advisors circulated a Wall Street Journal op-ed critical of Wright and Obama. It's ridiculously naive to pretend Jeremiah Wright is not a gift to John McCain and the RNC.

McCain Aide Circulates Wright Video [Politico]
McCain Campaign's Reported Distribution of Kessler Op-Ed [Media Matters]

Some Background ...
NH Voters Targeted by Anti-Mormon "Push Polls" [R20]
Romney, McCain Offer More Anti-Gay Rhetoric [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]
McCain Promotes Abstinence [R20]
McCain Hires Producer of Racist Ads [R20]
McCain Flip-Flops on Gay Rights [R20]
Rove on Obama: "Lazy" and "Basketball Playing" [R20]
McCain Camp Enlists Racist Shock Jock [R20]

Rev. Jeremiah Wright, The United Church of Christ and Black LGBTs

There has been some unfair speculation on several LGBT and political blogs that Rev. Jeremiah Wright— Barack Obama's pastor at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ and the center of the current political firestorm—has made anti-gay comments. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Rev. Wright has an inclusive, gay-friendly ministry and Trinity is one of the few black megachurches to actively encourage LGBT outreach. Several of my gay friends in Chicago attend the church, and, one of the assistant pastors is openly gay. Obama's association with Rev. Wright and Trinty was viewed as a "plus" by several black LGBT leaders quoted in the cover article we wrote for The Advocate (PDF) on Hillary Clinton and Obama's gay supporters.

Rev. Kevin Taylor, the prominent New Jersey-based black LGBT activist and author, also says Rev. Wright was praised last year for including an openly gay father in his congregation during his Fathers Day Celebration last year. The RevKev tells Rod 2.0, "Rev. Dr. Wright's sermon "Good News for Homosexuals" in a book called called Good News is a triumphant source for the LGBT community, especially those who are often conflicted by church and chatter. He's a strong advocate for unconditional love and Dr. Wright has never wandered or wavered on that subject."

Regular readers should already know that we're big fans of the UCC's terrific message of inclusion, and, its willingness to market itself as a congregation that welcomes everyone regardless of race or sexual orientation. The UCC is also the only mainline Protestant denomination to approve same sex marriage, although Trinity does not perform these unions. The UCC was praised by the advertising community and progressives for creating those brilliant gay-friendly "Bouncer" and "Ejector" campaigns were banned by most of the networks—including LOGO. Take a minute to watch them.

Behind the Gay Friendly Faces [The Advocate-PDF]

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Some Background ...
News: UCC Slams Fundies [R20]
Ron Buford Resigns from UCC [R20]
"Ejector" a No-Go on LOGO [R20]
UCC Debuts "Ejector" [R20]
UCC Will Resume Commercials [R20]
UCC Approves Same Sex Marriage[R20]
"Troubled" for the Holidays [R20]
The Candidate[R20]
Far-Right "Christians" Opposed to Obama's [R20]
Obama Tries Distance from "Ex-Gay" McClurkin [R20]
Obama Campaigns with Ex-Gay Donnie McClurkin [R20]
Bishop: "No Faggots or Sissies" [R20]
Behind the Gay-Friendly Faces [Advocate]
Obama Warns of Black "Quiet Riot" [R20]
MSNBC's Tucker: "Is Obama Black Enough?" [R20]
Hillary Clinton Attracts More Black Voters [R20]
HRC/Logo Forum: Obama Conference Call [R20]
HRC/Logo Forum: Morning After [R20]
"Would You Let a White Supremacist..." [R20]
Obama Campaign Names Gay Supporters [R20]
Democratic Debate Addresses Homopohobia, Race [R20]
Obama Campaign Names Gay Supporters [R20]
Obama and Edwards on DOMA [R20]
Hillary vs Obama [R20]
Christians" Opposed to Obama [R20]

Barack Obama's "A More Perfect Union" Speech on Race

To truly appreciate the importance of Barack Obama's "A More Perfect Union" speech on racial unity in Philadelphia—the full text is after the jump—one has to consider the significance of Obama's candidacy. Obama is a biracial product of the post-Civil Rights Era and running for the presidency at the dawn of the new millenium. This was a fantastic and eloquent speech and helps to solidify that elusive, transitive identity.

Obama does not reject the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and now refers to the man as his "former pastor." There is strong condemnation, but, no rejection. How could he disown someone who has been his spiirtual mentor for two decades? Obama has to navigate a delicate racial tightrope balancing act—if he rejected Rev. Wright, even years ago, that calls into question his authenticity, ie, "is Obama black enough?" Of course, for many audiences, Wright is "too black", so, Obama has to illustrate the universality of the black church experience.

Like other predominantly black churches across the country, Trinity embodies the black community in its entirety – the doctor and the welfare mom, the model student and the former gang-banger. 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. Not once in my conversations with him have I heard him talk about any ethnic group in derogatory terms, or treat whites with whom he interacted with anything but courtesy and respect. He contains within him the contradictions – the good and the bad – of the community that he has served diligently for so many years.

It was somewhat inevitable that a campaign that sought to "transcend race" has become, in essence, a referendum on race. "In the white community," Obama says, "The path to a more perfect union means acknowledging that what ails the African-American community does not just exist in the minds of black people; that the legacy of discrimination." The senator also acknowledges white resentment and discusses outsourcing, illegal immigration and "when they are told to bus their children to a school across town; when they hear that an African American is getting an advantage in landing a good job or a spot in a good college because of an injustice that they themselves never committed."

Obama also landed a pre-emptive strike by backpedaling acknowledging that he has heard Wright's "incendiary rhetoric" on many occasions and may be seen nodding his head in agreement—but this will not defuse the reaction to the video when it appears. This is an easy sell to white liberals, and, in effect, some of the speech was "preaching to the choir" of Obama supporters, the black e-telligentsia, white liberal pundits and headline writers. However, it remains to be seen how this will be received by those sitting on the fence and working class, white voters, who, so far, have not turned out in numbers for Obama. So far, they haven't liked the video clips they have seen and heard. Hopefully this will change.

Rev. Wright's "incendiary rhetoric" will probably not be a fatal blow to Obama's path to the nomination. That is not the larger issue: The problem here is that Obama and his campaign not only failed to get in front of this, they have failed to define the candidate and have not pushed back on a long-term goal by the right to "define" Obama as an extremist, a black nationalist, something alien and to be feared. When you don't define yourself, you allow the opposition to define you. That will be the problem in the general election.

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Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race [R20]
MSNBC's Tucker Asks All-White Panel,"Is Obama Black Enough? [R20]

Text of speech after the jump.

Obama to Make "Major" Speech on Race, Rev. Wright and His Church

You Tube via No Quarter

"If Barack gets past the primary, he might have to publicly distance himself from me," Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright told The New York Times. "I said it to Barack personally, and he said yeah, that might have to happen."

That was reported in a front page story in April 2007, and, since then, Rev. Wright's "unashamedly black and unapologetically Christian" sermons have been an ongoing and controversial topic on cable news and the major newspapers. After videos surfaced last week of sermons by the Rev. Wright on topics including the Sept. 11 terror attacks and Hillary Clinton, Obama was finally forced to distance himself from Wright's words, remove his long-time from an advisory role with the campaign, and, conduct a virtual damage control tour Friday night before friendly audiences at CNN, MSNBC, and The Huffington Post. Speaking to two Chicago newspapers, Obama described Wright as a product of the often "violent and racially divisive '60s and ... stuck in a time warp." Once again, the Democratic presidential nomination is about the sixties.

To stem the growing tide, Obama announces he will make a "major" speech tomorrow in Philadelphia. "I am going to talking not just about Rev. Wright, but the larger issue of race in this campaign," he tells reporters, and, the campaign promises this will be a major opportunity to "bring the country together."

Looking at the huge media firestorm that was created and some of the thousands of comments on progressive blogs, its clear the Obama's campaign underestimated the impact of Rev. Wright would have on middle America and rank and file Democrats. (FYI: We reported last year at The Advocate (PDF) that unlike most other black megachurches, Wright and Trinity United Church of Christ are welcoming to gays and lesbians.) The new, overnight Rasmussen poll finds only 8 percent of the country has a positive opinion of Rev. Wright's sermons, more than 73 percent say they are racially divisive, and, most importantly, a whopping 56% say "Wright’s comments made them less likely to vote for Obama." Very very not good. Addressing the 20-year-old relationship with Wright will be difficult territory to navigate and Trinity's claims of race-related "character assassination" and an "attack" on the black church only make it worse.

It may be too late. Obama has to put this behind him and quell the growing unrest about his religion, his background and his patriotism—which is an unfortunate by-product of branding himself as an "empty vessel" and all things to everyone. Certainly Obama does not share many of these beliefs but the incendiary sermons, language and oratory only feed the growing narrative that Obama is something "other" and to be feared and further alienates the blue collar, white vote that he has not been attracting so far and must receive in November. Is this a fatal blow for Obama's campaign? No, not in the primaries. but this will not go away and will become a major issue in the general election. The commercials write themselves.

A Candidate, His Minister, and Search for Faith [NYT]
Obama Plans Speech on Race [Boston Globe]
Obama Blames 60s For Pastors Comments [Tribune]
Just 8% Have Favorable Opinion of Wright [Rasmussen]
An "Attack" on the Church [Marc Ambinder]
Barack Obama: On My Faith and My Church [HuffPo]
Clinton Supporters Hardening Against Obama [Taylor Marsh]

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McCain Enlists Shock Jock for Racist Obama Rant [R20]
Ten Things Obama Can Do to Win Pennsylvania [HuffPo]
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This Barack Obama Should Tell Bob Novak [HuffPo]
Why Obama is Losing Black Voters [HuffPo]
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Teddy Endorsed Obama to Preserve JFK's Civil Rights "Legacy"? What Legacy? [HuffPo]
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Yes, Virginia, There is Such a Thing as Post Racial Politics [Daily Voice]
Mississippi Prediction [R20]

Report: Barack Obama Campaign REJECTS Michael Eric Dyson and TWO Black Gay Pastors

The hits keep coming for the ill-advised campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, which is in complete meltdown mode after booking a gospel revival tour in South Carolina and failing to background the participants. New reports suggest Camp Obama rejected at least TWO openly gay black pastors, and two straight allies, including the popular Rev. Michael Eric Dyson, as choices to open the concert series.

This news comes as the campaign releases an open letter by prominent black clergy and gay supporters which says the White House hopeful rejects the beliefs of alleged "ex-gay" Rev. Donnie McClurkin and "at the same time, a great many African Americans share Pastor McClurkin's beliefs."

The amateurish attempt at damage control was in response to the backclash against the headliners—alleged "ex-gay" Rev. Donnie McClurkin, notorious gay-basher Rev. Hezekiah Walker, and, popular gospel duo Mary Mary, who have compared gays to prostitutes and murderers. The inclusion of the Rev. Andy Sidden, who is white, to address homophobia in the black church has only heightened tensions between blacks and the gay community, and, outraged the black gay community.

Several sources inside and outside the campaign confirm the names of TWO openly gay black pastors suggested by the National Black Justice Coalition and the Human Rights Campaign were rejected in favor of Rev. Sidden. Those names are: Bishop Yvette Flunder, an outstanding pastor and orator from San Francisco and Bishop Tonyia Rawls of Unity Fellowship in North Carolina. In addition, Bishop Carlton Pearson of Oklahoma, whose inclusive ministry welcomes the LGBT community, was also rejected. A campaign source says Rev. Michael Eric Dyson, the so-called hip-hop intellectual, reportedly volunteered and was also rejected. Dyson is a prominent Obama supporter and very popular in hip-hop and with youth.

"We decided to go with someone local," says our source in the Obama campaign, who expressed concerns around finding a "local" gay pastor in Obama's own United Church of Christ. Yvette Flunder is a bishop in the United Church of Christ, so, this should have been a non-brainer. There were no such concerns around Hezekiah Walker and Donnie McClurkin who are in the Pentecostal Church.

The campaign's refusal to put a black face—especially a straight ally—to speak against homophobia reinforces stereotypes about blacks and drives a thicker wedge between blacks and gays. Presidential campaign veteran Keith Boykin: "I don't know if the Obama campaign realizes this, but inviting a white gay pastor to speak at a black gospel concert is not a smart move. Whoever is advising Obama really needs to reach out to people in the black community and re-think this whole approach."

Pam Spaulding is also outraged: "It boggles the mind that the Obama campaign would select a white pastor to deal with a situation that is awash in black homophobia," she says, explaining that the message "coming from a white pastor under these circumstances, can only be seen as paternalistic and patronizing; the shields of defensiveness will go up, the message will be ignored."

South Carolina-based Alvin McEwan blogs on black gays and religion at Holy Bullies and Headless Monsters. Let's give him the last word: "LGBTs of color haven't been just pushed to the back of the bus in this controversy. We have been kicked off of the bus and told to find our own way home."

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Obama Warns of Black "Quiet Riot" [R20]
MSNBC's Tucker: "Is Obama Black Enough?" [R20]
Hillary Clinton Attracts More Black Voters [R20]
HRC/Logo Forum: Obama Conference Call [R20]
HRC/Logo Forum: Morning After [R20]
"Would You Let a White Supremacist..." [R20]
Obama Campaign Names Gay Supporters [R20]
Democratic Debate Addresses Homopohobia, Race [R20]
Obama Campaign Names Gay Supporters [R20]
Obama and Edwards on DOMA [R20]
Hillary vs Obama [R20]
Christians" Opposed to Obama [R20]

Far-Right "Christians" Opposed to Obama's Message on AIDS

At least they're being consistent. Remember earlier this week when fundamentalists opposed efforts to go beyond gays and choice issues to fight poverty and disease? Okay, now they are talking about poverty and disease—specifically, about HIV/AIDS at an evangelical summit—but are outraged that the pro-choice Barack Obama has been invited to speak.

Obama is one of nearly 60 speakers scheduled to address the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church at Pastor Rick Warren's Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The base is not pleased. Phylis Schlafly and other extremists wrote an open letter criticizing Obama's pro-choice stance and his support for condom distribution—as opposed to flawed, abstinence policies—to respond to AIDS.

Conservative evangelical Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council, flooded in-boxes with this press release: "Senator Obama's policies represent the antithesis of biblical ethics and morality, not to mention supreme American values."

To his credit, Rev. Warren has defended his decision and Barack Obama will speak on Friday. But why the opposition? The senator is just speaking at the summit, he's not addressing the congregation. It's amazing to compare the compassionate message of Obama's denomination—the United Church of Christ—with the hatred evangelism of these fundamentalists. Either they want to fight AIDS or they don't. A new survey says conservatives don't care about the epidemic ... and making these silly pre-conditions to discuss the topic is proof.

Famed Pastor Defends Invitation to Obama (AP)

Obama Runs Into Fierce Resistance (TPM)

More Evagelicals:

Far-Right Not Interested in Disease (Rod 2.0) Far-Right Not Interested in Disease Pt 2 (Rod 2.0) "Family Values" Costs Lives in Africa (Rod 2.0) "Abstinence Only" Policy Spreads HIV, Death (Rod 2.0) Homophobia In Black Churches (Rod 2.0) Dobson on GOP Defeat (Rod 2.0) WWJD About Gays? (Rod 2.0) McCain Flip Flops on Roe v Wade (Rod 2.0) Brownback Considers Presidential Bid (Rod 2.0) "Today" on Gays and the Church (Rod 2.0) Hustler: Haggard was a Lousy Lay (Rod 2.0) Daddy, What is Crystal Meth? (Rod 2.0) White House: Haggard Who? (Rod 2.0) Hustler Outs Evangelical Leader (Rod 2.0) Ted Haggard's Greatest Hits (Rod 2.0) Blacks and Ex-Gays (Rod 2.0) "Ex-Gays" Refuse to Apologize (Rod 2.0) Ex Gays: Blacks Better Off Under Slavery (Rod 2.0) What a Difference a Day Makes (Rod 2.0) Repubs Obsessed with Gays and Sex (Rod 2.0)