Associated Press – July 1, 2008:
Taking a page from President Bush, Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday he wants to expand White House efforts to steer social service dollars to religious groups, risking protests in his own party with his latest aggressive reach for voters who usually vote Republican.
Obama contended he is merely stating long-held positions — surprising to some, he said, after a primary campaign in which he was “tagged as being on the left.”
Obama recently won the endorsement of the Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, leader of a Methodist megachurch in Houston who is very close to Bush.
McCain is a mostly reliable conservative vote, but he isn’t as passionate or vocal about religious conservatives as some would like. He also famously upbraided some Christian evangelical leaders as “agents of intolerance” in his first presidential campaign. He has sought to make amends since then and is continuing his outreach efforts. He met with world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham last weekend.
Obama’s high-profile embrace of a key theme of Bush’s time in office — the “faith-based initiative” — is just the latest example of him trying to show his centrist side.
#60 – M-Scott –
The scary thought I entertain is that it won’t make any difference who we elect. One will do what they are told as readily as the other and neither will do what appears to me needs to be done, get us back on track to become solvent and distance Government from social issues best left to the individual States to rectify. Mommy…I want my Constitution back…make Daddy give it back..
I’m going back to my bong for this election.
#61 – -Pedro-
Most of us can see at least some version of the road to hell in front of us but, no where have I read where anyone has a useful suggestion as to how to divert us from blasting full speed ahead down that road. Next stop may very well be as that Commie dude said the evolution of a Democracy, (Republic-Democracy, still looks and smells like a rose), ends. Maybe that’s why these guys are trying every trick they can to get elected..?
Dictator McCain…Obama…
#57 – Scottie
Oh, OK! You win! Jesus H. Christ on a crutch! Just because I’m a Bible-thumping Christian doesn’t mean I can spend an infinite amount of time researching the latest position of every candidate on faith-based initiatives!
I think we can agree to agree that Obie is the lesser of the fucking assholes.
He fucked up on this, and he fucked up on the telecom immunity thing. He’s fucked up on far less than McBush though, so I’m still voting for him.
#58 – ‘dro
>>Defending Bush. Is the rapture coming?
Holy fuck! You must have some good ganja there to come to that conclusion.
I want to smoke what you’re smoking, dude!
#64 – Mister Mustard,
He fucked up on this, and he fucked up on the telecom immunity thing. He’s fucked up on far less than McBush though, so I’m still voting for him.
Obviously we’ve been in violent agreement on that all along. There’s no way I’d vote for McIWantToStayInIraqForOneHundredFuckingYearsBush or for that matter for McIWantToHireTheFuckHeadThatKilledOurEconomyToFixItBush. I was just pointing out the subtleties of what the faith based initiatives under W. actually were.
Sorry. I forgot to account for the larger font on my link. As Phil Gramm might say about the economy, oops!
#65 after you give me a little of your kool-aid.
Condoning Bush’s words (as twisted as they would be) to defend O’man’s own.
That their arguments and actions are the same in that subject not only does not bother you, but helps you condone O’ man’s newest twist.
Kudos!
#54–Scott==as soon as Obama reads: “While you absolutely have my vote in the upcoming election” he puts your letter aside and smiles that his move to the center campaign is working.
He has been far left in his life activities and to date political interests and gained his party’s nomination by being to the slight left of Hillary. Now for the general he is moving to the center. Brilliant Politician doing what it takes to win.
Do we “know” who he is and how he will govern? No.
I am struck by how it might be nice to get a politician who actually does pander to the majority of American voters. That means I won’t get what I might particularly like, but the hope would be that VERY SAME PROCESS will avoid the very much worse rightwing pandering policies?
So, I put on my filters and prejudices and I see Obama as bi-racial, world travelling, educated, intelligent, man of ideas who is running for office.
He is “unknown” but the best person for the job that had any chance of getting it–aka–not the standard politician. I am hoping for a change.
You beat me to it bobbo. But of course if there’s people that will vote for him anyways, there’s maybe some who won’t.
Obama’s just saying it to get votes from religious whackos in the USA, which comprise about 50% of the populace.
#71 Hey! Don’t talk like that of MM
#71 – Dick
>>Obama’s just saying it to get votes from religious
>>whackos in the USA, which comprise about 50% of the
>>populace.
If by “religious whackos”, you mean people of faith, the figure is closer to 85% in the USA.
God bless.
#73 – Mister Mustard,
People of faith is probably higher than that in the U.S. I would assume that Rick meant people who do not believe in evolution, which is really close to 50% of “we the idiots”.
#74 – Scottie
>>I would assume that Rick meant people who do not
>>believe in evolution, which is really close to 50%
>>of “we the idiots”.
Awwww, c’mon! You think? Even though I’m a Bible-thumping, Jesus-loving Christian, I don’t think even *I* know anybody who doesn’t believe in evolution. Heck, I certainly do.
Who the fuck doesn’t believe in evolution? Christ, even when I was a kid, and EVERYBODY went to church, Darwinism was pretty much accepted.
Maybe I just haven’t gotten to those parts of the country, or something.
#75 – Mr. Mustard,
Would that you were correct, however …
http://www.religioustolerance.org/ev_publi.htm
http://tinyurl.com/y5b7v9
http://tinyurl.com/yobbwm
As for who the fuck doesn’t believe in evolution, didn’t three of the repugnican presidential candidates raise their hands to that one?
I keep telling you, your benign form of religion is not the majority at present.