Surely no one would view Rev. Jeremiah Wright as closer to the centerpoint of American politics than Pastor Rick Warren, right? Wrong. Here's Chris Matthews on this evening's Hardball.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: It seems like Barack Obama, as much as seems to inspire people, including me, has a problem with pastors. I don't know what it is. You get him hooked up with a pastor, whether it's Jeremiah Wright, or it's this guy Rick Warren. One's on the left, one's on the far right. Both are causing him trouble.So Wright's merely "left," while Warren's "far-right." Do we really need to prove the obvious: that Warren is vastly more mainstream than Wright? It hardly seems worth the effort, but let's consider a few factoids:
- Warren is so respected that the presidential candidates of both major parties agreed to participate in a forum with him during the campaign.
- Obama claims to share Warren's opposition to gay marriage.
- Warren's The Purpose Driven Life, has sold over 20 million copies, becoming one of the best selling non-fiction books of all time.
- Barack Obama had to formally rebuke the Rev. Wright and leave his church to avoid further damage through association with Wright's eccentric views.
- Warren is currently criticized by some for his support of Proposition 8 in California, limiting marriage to one man and one woman. But that proposition passed, even in blue California. A strong majority of Americans continue to support such limitations on marriage.
- Wright calls our country AmeriKKKa. He accuses the US government of "inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color."
- And of course, Wright saw 9-11 as a case of chickens coming home . . . to roost.
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.




















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I'm angry at Matthews
December 19, 2008 - 19:00 ET by sentforth5'cause he's breathin' up all our oxygen.What a perfect waste of a human being.
Left..a Latin derivitive from a word I can't pronounce, but the etymology of it settles to sinister.
Christ Jesus said,"Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find."
Well my answer is Rev.
December 19, 2008 - 19:04 ET by bigtimerWell my answer is Rev. Jesse Jackson or Rev. Sharpton....
...either one will suffice for the likes of Matthews and that empty space between his ears.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Chris Matthews
December 19, 2008 - 19:43 ET by Laffing at libs and leftiesA possible poster child for retro-active abortion in the future? Him and Letterman what a couple of dweebs....
So Wright's merely "left,"
December 19, 2008 - 19:58 ET by motherbeltSo Wright's merely "left," while Warren's "far-right."
I don't think "left" or "far left" describes Wright. It has nothing to do with liberalism.
It has to do with hatred of America and racial hatred. That's not a political ideology.
I quite agree. The dear
December 19, 2008 - 20:24 ET by MidAmericaI quite agree. The dear Reverend Wright is an entertainer. His 'act' is honed to get the greatest response from the audience.
Chrissy should recalibrate
December 19, 2008 - 19:59 ET by fitzfongChrissy should recalibrate his ideology meter...it's way off (no surprise there). Last I checked, Rick Warren was a squishy moderate who embraced some collectivist principles and the Man-made Global Warming Hoax. Matthews probably thinks Mike Huckabee is a conservative.
"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -Ronald Reagan
fitzfong.blogspot.com
matthews
December 19, 2008 - 20:07 ET by well99It proves in this country that even a lying hypocrite can get his own show.I bet Chris cried when Pol Pot died.
Chrissie may be correct.
December 19, 2008 - 20:20 ET by TexndocMaybe he's referring to himself as a focus point. Rev Wright is a little to the left but Rick Warren is way way way over there to the far right.
Texndoc.. I think you nailed it..
December 19, 2008 - 20:23 ET by Gary HallChris Matthews considers himself the middle. Now, that is out of touch. (;~> gary
Oh many times he is
December 19, 2008 - 20:26 ET by MidAmericaOh many times he is precisely in the middle... and there is a cheek on each side of him.
...if on the Matthewsian
December 19, 2008 - 20:29 ET by R D Helm...if on the Matthewsian Spectrum of American Politics, Wright's on the
left and Warren on the far right, whom would the Hardball host place at
the precise centerpoint?
Joseph Vissarionovich Djugashvili
(That's Joseph Stalin for our NB trolls)
-Dave
This nation is about to be brutally raped by the socialists, and the MSM will be a willing participant.
Naturally Matthews thinks
December 19, 2008 - 20:40 ET by HockeyKidNaturally Matthews thinks his hero, Dear Leader, the Perfect One Who Is Perpetually in Balance, the incorruptible O, is the perfect center of all things political.
Real people understand that Hussein is a charlatan. That's why Softball remains in the basement ratings-wise.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
HK...your post is dead
December 19, 2008 - 20:50 ET by bigtimerHK...your post is dead on!
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Lack of Character
December 19, 2008 - 21:15 ET by Lakewood BobMatthews is simply an obsequious myrmidon who probably never had an original thought in his life. I would imagine that he believes Thomas Jefferson was far right and Benedict Arnold was mainstream. In any case, since Wright is BO's mentor, he is perfectly acceptable. A true believer like Warren, of course, is out of touch. Beware of the opprobrium Chrissy.
May God bless America!
"obsequious
December 19, 2008 - 21:59 ET by Mark Finkelstein"obsequious myrmidon"
"Beware of the opprobrium Chrissy."
My vote for vocabulary-expanding post of the day!
Preaching Politics
December 19, 2008 - 21:31 ET by The Smokin FrogIt doesn't matter, both of these guys preach politics instead of Christ crucified for sinners. Neither one has a message with the power of forgiveness from Christ in it. I do think they know it, but for some reason they prefer to preach their own goodness and accomplishments rather than Christ's. Just like the pharisees at the time of Jesus.
Rick Warren is Far Right
December 19, 2008 - 22:55 ET by choselife3xLike McCain is.
In order to be pro-choice, one must first be born. Ah, the irony.
If Wright is left them what
December 19, 2008 - 23:07 ET by brerolIf Wright is left them what would Mathews definition be of far left?