Mollie at the Get Religion blog reports that the Obama campaign is circulating a pamphlet in Kentucky with Barack Obama standing in the pulpit with a gleaming cross behind him, and she wonders where all the media fuss is, compared to the hoots and hollers when Mike Huckabee put a slightly subliminal cross image in one ad and said he was a "Christian Leader" in another. On Thursday, the Washington Post ran a brief item:
The pamphlet has circulated in other primary states and is striking for its overt appeal on religion. The words across the top read “Faith. Hope. Change.” Obama is pictured at a church pulpit, with a large illuminated cross in the background. A quote at the bottom reads: “My faith teaches me that I can sit in church and pray all I want, but I won’t be fulfilling God’s will unless I go out and do the Lord’s work.”
Post reporter Shailagh Murray mentioned the campaign is seeking "to counteract the persistent and false belief held by some voters that Obama is Muslim," and to avoid a loss as wide as the one in West Virginia. But she makes no mention of Trinity United Church of Christ or Jeremiah Wright.
That's where the Wright issue really becomes a problem for Obama and the Democrats. The more Obama stresses his self-proclaimed devout Christianity, the more critics can question exactly what kind of creed he was soaking up in Wright's pews at Trinity.
Mollie also quotes from Joseph Gerth of the Louisville Courier-Journal:
Scott Jennings, a Louisville-based political consultant, said Obama’s campaign may be reacting to concerns about so-called faith voters.
Jennings said he suspects that the campaign was forced to focus on religion by the controversy over comments made by Obama’s former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright; e-mail chains that claim erroneously that Obama is a Muslim; and comments made by Obama that “bitter” people in Pennsylvania were clinging “to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them … as a way to explain their frustrations.
“He’s clearly got polling that shows something is running through the Democratic voters in West Virginia and Kentucky that they are losing control of, and unless they can fix it, they can’t compete here,” Jennings said.
To which Mollie replies:
So polling shows “something” is bothering voters that will be remedied by elevating his Christian credentials. Perhaps the next story can explain what that “something” is. What’s more, not a single one of these non-analysis stories has any quotes from people critical of the religiosity of the ads. They describe the ads as “startling” but they don’t back it up with a discussion of why. They mention that pundits and bloggers are critical but they don’t talk to any of them. It seems that conflict might be a good thing to include in a story.
This is a consistent and partisan bias on the part of the media. They overreacted in 2000 when George W. Bush cited Jesus as his favorite philosopher, citing the offense that would be taken by the atheists and Jews and Muslims. So why wouldn't they have the same reaction to an overtly Christian pamphlet by Obama? It's either partisanship, or a confidence in the belief that Obama's just engaging in a cagey tactic, while Bush was a sincere and scary Bible-thumper, a budding theocrat.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
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Comments Policy
"Liberalism"
May 17, 2008 - 08:21 ET by iveseenitallMore proof that you can't take anything a "liberal" says seriously. They tell you what you do is wrong and then turn around and do the same thing, sans conscience. This is what "liberalism" is all about --- the end always justifies the means for the "liberals"/ socialists/communists. Liars and hypocrites all, they are the bane of the world. And like roaches, they never go away. Please believe me when I say...
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
No you can't take them seriously.
May 17, 2008 - 09:14 ET by kgNo you can't take them seriously. Democrats are allowed to flaunt their so-called religion as well as campaign from the pulpit. If a Republican does this the media is all over them. That's not to mention threats from Democrats to take away the Church's tax status.
"Forget change, I want improvement!"
"you can't take anything a
May 17, 2008 - 10:49 ET by Cortillaen"you can't take anything a "liberal" says seriously."
I would extend that claim to all politicians. Watch their actions for the truth, instead.
www.rhjunior.com Great comics with a hefty dose of Christian and anti-nutjob goodness.
"With your mind as high as Mt. Fuji you can see all things clearly. And you can see all the forces that shape events; not just the things near to you." -Miyamoto Musashi
So Huckabee has a bookshelf
May 17, 2008 - 07:55 ET by Troika37So Huckabee has a bookshelf in his commercial and gets lambasted in the media for his Christianity. Obama displays a life-sized electric cross behind his head and nary a word...
Typical.
The New Messiah
May 17, 2008 - 08:06 ET by CobraMan"The words across the top read “Faith. Hope. Change. Obama is pictured
at a church pulpit, with a large illuminated cross in the background."
There you have it folks, proof that Obama thinks of himself as a New Messiah. He gone from being just a parishioner to being the preacher. Nice way to elevate yourself into the position of the New Messiah, Obama! What's next, a picture of you wearing a red bodysuit with a big O on the chest, a black belt and blue boots and cape?
Cobra
May 17, 2008 - 08:44 ET by iveseenitallYou are right. He thinks he's the New Messiah. What a line this circus act of a man has put across in such a short time. Uniter? He just attacked President Bush with all the viciousness of a pitbull, and his name wasn't even mentioned in Israel. The guy's a phony. But he may be elected and then the "fun" will really begin.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Christ Cross't
May 17, 2008 - 08:17 ET by CrashIt has to be a bookcase or a window pane (resembling a cross) to reach the medias high standard of lowbrowing.
In Obama's case the media are playing the dumbed down version of Where's Waldo.
He's the Second Coming!
May 17, 2008 - 08:18 ET by ChasvsWhy would there be a fuss He's the second coming of our saviour don't you know?
All hail the new messiah!!!!
Screw this SOB and the media that adores him!
The cross
May 17, 2008 - 08:36 ET by iveseenitallI'm sure there also is a cross or two in the Trinity Church as Rev. Wrong and the new guy spew their hatred of American white people from the pulpit. Obama is man of hate--- he demonstrated it with his vile comments about our president's speaking the truth about terrorism. Does he want the terrorists to suceed? Maybe. Barry is as vile as the Rev., maybe more. He's a divider, not a uniter.
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
Obama goes to a church
May 17, 2008 - 08:38 ET by motherbeltObama goes to a church where people pray for him to be elected. He tells people that he wants to be an "instrument of God" and "create a Kingdom right here on Earth."
Now he changes (no pun intended) the traditional three things that last: faith, hope, and love (1 Cor 13:13) to "Faith, hope, change" (the Bible according to Obama?), and talks about going out and doing the Lords' work. And the media don't have any worries about a theocracy?
Amazing.
I guess it matters whose theocratic rule we are talking about. If it's the liberal God (who wants us to pay more taxes for more social programs, and doesn't care about partial-birth abortion), it's OK.
Continuing with 1 Cor
May 17, 2008 - 11:16 ET by WingletDriver". . . and the greatest of these is love." Isn't it convenient how the greatest of these is changed by the messiah.
Furthermore 1 John 4:8, "God is love."
So Obama'a ham-handed Bible exegesis manages to replace the God of Israel and those of us adopted children of Abraham with the liberal god who is change.
Media Double-Standard is Astounding
May 17, 2008 - 08:42 ET by Increase MatherIn Huckabee's case it wasn't even a cross, it was a bookcase. The Left went nuts. George Stepawhatshisface (Clinton White House Aid) on ABC claimed Huckie was bringing religion into the campagin...Georgie said whatever happened to separation of church and state?
Timmy Russert (Worked for Mario Cuomo) denounced such a terrible development. Though it was OK for Carter.
Katie Couric (though almost nobody watches) claimed Huckabee was violating the Consitution.
The Dems went nuts.
Has there even been one story on Barry's use of Christianity? Somehow that's different.
The media are filled with liars, hippocrites, and Democrats.
And let's not forget the
May 17, 2008 - 08:46 ET by motherbeltAnd let's not forget the collective meltdown they had when President Bush said he believed he was chosen by God. How DARE he!!!! And yet in his pamphlet, Obama claims that he is "Called to bring change" and nary a peep.
Christian bona fides
May 17, 2008 - 08:59 ET byI think B. Hussein O. doth protest too much. We all know that he is a mooslum and standing in front of a cross ain’t gonna’ change that fact. I do hope McScream selects Huckabee as his running mate, though. It would bolster McScream’s Christian bona fides. After all, Huckabee did say that we should re-write the constitution to mirror the Bible. http://rawstory.com/news/2007/Huckabee_Amend_Constitution_to_meet_Gods_0115.html
His stand-up act at the NRA the other day was righteous, as well! A Christian who can do gun supporter improv ~ tell me that wouldn’t benefit the ticket in the Red States!
Obama, the Puritan
May 17, 2008 - 09:08 ET by CobraManAnd Reverend Wright said to me: “Barack, Barack, you're my instrument. From now on, you'll be called the Puritan.”
I think this story displays
May 17, 2008 - 09:30 ET by BruzillaI think this story displays a different dynamic between Republicans and Democrats. I learned when I was a kid that people who like to bully and harass quickly lose interest in you if they don't get the response that motivates them. In the case of Huckabee, his ad draws fire based on a bookcase that for a second looks like a cross, and what happens? The Republicans get all defensive, they start ranting and raving about unfair attacks, how that wasn't a cross, how the ad had nothing to do with religion, etc., and in the end we have an ordained minister coming off as actually being against religion... the exact opposite message that needed to be sent.
Now look at the Democrats. Their message is "our guy is no Muslim", so they boldly show a pulpit and cross. So why doesn't the MSM go after this? Because they know they won't get the reaction they want. If they say "Isn't Obama's use of the cross in this ad an overtly religious appeal to evangelicals?" the Democrats will say "Why yes it is! And why shouldn't Obama feel comfortable appearing in a religious setting? He's a lifelong Christian and deeply spiritual man yada, yada, yada."
The MSM knows that the Republicans will get all defensive and hostile about being too closely affiliated with religion, while Democrats are trying to embrace it. One side makes for hours of filled broadcast blocks with denials, clarifications, rationalizations, etc., while the other side makes for five minutes of air time of acknowledgement of their "deeply held beliefs". So the MSM isn't going to waste their time on the later.
If the Republicans had been smart they would have said "Heck yes that's a cross, and why shouldn't it be there? The guy in the ad is an ordained minister!"
The reason nobody is making a big deal out of this
May 17, 2008 - 10:15 ET by SGriffisis because they know that liberalism and religion is an oxymoron. Obama's "religion" is just an insincere appeal to those Democrats who need religion to cling to in times of distress - which, for them, is all the time.
Hypocrisy Is As Hypocrisy Does
May 17, 2008 - 15:15 ET by BondPlainBondHuckabee's Christmas Ad, Ron Paul Fires Back | Will Thomas
The Huffington Post | December 18, 2007 12:37 PM
What struck me about this article, besides the fifteen pages of comments about how wrong it is to display something even remotely Christian (only if you're a Conservative) in a campaign ad, was this line:
Obama's making no bones about it, though, is he? It's a cross. No need to squint, tilt your head, or cross your eyes, it's even got bright lights all over it so there's no way you can miss it!
Hmmmm.
Here are the reasons why it's perfectly alright for Obama to use an actual cross in his advertising.
Obama Using Cross Flyer In Kentucky
The Huffington Post | May 14, 2008 05:56 PM
Enjoy the pages and pages of hysterical Leftist hypocrisy!
Thinking how clever it was of Obama's man behind the curtain to distribute a pamphlet bearing a picture of the Christian cross, something that will sit on a table or next to the phone to be scribbled upon, always in sight. Huckabee's ad was, while memorable, a temporary situation in our homes.