A “Trumped Up” Issue?

Yeah sure…”trumped up”. And the minister was played by a cheap actor trying to do Adolph Hitler in front of a fake audience of extras. I hope Obama uses this “trumped up” theme in his speech today. LOL!

As an American living abroad now for over 10 years I find myself surprised by the blind expressions of patriotism I have heard on this and other websites over the last few weeks. Who is patriotic and who is anti-American? We have a government that has run our economy into the ground, launched a war based on faulty intelligence, and tarnished our image abroad and people are arguing about who is and who is not wearing a flag pin and what the preacher of a presidential candidate has said in the pulpit of a largely African American church on the South Side of Chicago? Come on people, let’s get real. True patriotism should require us to look at our country in a more self critical manner.

I am Catholic yet I am pro-choice and believes that divorce is necessary in certain circumstances. Catholicism is pro-life and condemns divorce.
I don’t abide by everything that the Church says or the Pope says yet I continue to go to mass for I love the overall message and sense of community of that church.
Also, I did NOT leave the church after the HUGE pedophile scandal which I personally think is WORSE than anything that Wright has said because it involves the abuse of children.
Why did I stay in Catholic church after that scandal is because I still love the overall church’s message.

The press people are lingering on this issue because they can’t blame Mr. Obama for anything. So they just associate him to people like Rezko and Rev. Wright. This is getting old news, and boring. ABC is trying to pull this off as long as possible. I hope you’re having great time at least.

IMO any Catholic who condemns Obama because he stayed in his church for 20 years should ask themselves why did they stay in Catholic religion after the HUGE pedophile scandal that occurred in the church for decades and harmed thousands of children?
That is being hypocritical in my book. The pedophile scandal in the Catholic church is FAR WORSE than anything that Wright has said.
Who ever is without sin should cast the first stone.

Obama’s speech is happening because of one thing only – the truth about his pastor and his church, the truth that Obama has been trying to suppress since before the campaign started, has been exposed. Thankfully, some real reporting has started and his free pass days are over. His speech, just as his panicked rush of interviews last Friday, is a reaction to his attempt to keep the ugly racist and anti-American underbelly of people who he has been extremely close to for over 20 years (8,000 church members go a long way in a state senatorial district election) under wraps has failed.
It’s the result of
Obama’s own very poor judgment.
If the speech was so important, why did it take days of playing his pastor’s hateful rants on TV to get him to give it? It’s political desperation as he sees his image begin to crumble as he finds himself running against two strong candidates who never give up and are unwavering in their love for country and disdain for racism. His candidacy is based on transcending these race issues and on being different and transparent. Yet he has attempted to hide this from us and has (badly) attempted to brush it away as and then to talk his way out of it. He’s failed us and himself at every turn.
He’s just another highly ambitious politician who’s quite good at reading a scripted speech. No doubt, some adoring admirers will be bamboozled by yet another speech from the speech candidate.
Let’s see him answer questions.

Totally trumped up. Crazy media fed frenzy. Why aren’t we talking about the real issues? What about the 5 year war in Iraq? The American people who can’t make ends meet and are losing their homes? Vets with no place to call home? This has to stop being the center of attention. Honestly ABC if you didn’t show Grey’s Anatomy I would ban you completely. Shame on you for breaking a story like this to bring down a wonderful inspiring man. I want to see you bringing up all the skeletons from the Clintons closet-oh wait, you would never do that.

“If so, what did you do?”
It is easy for me to change church, since I am not running for President of the USA on the rhetorics of “Bringing People Together” and “Restoring US image around the Globe”
Listening extremist views for 20 years: “Don’t talk the talk if you can’t walk the walk”.

Look its not just this churches words.
They have associations with Farakhan, Lybia Ghadafi and who know how many other people and organizations that Mr obama has been supporting with his finaincial donations over 20 years.
This church is more than just words.

Over 20 years of attending the church with this minister; married by him; treats him as an “uncle”; contributed over $20,000 to the church and he is unaware of this minister’s stance on these issues. He denounces the hate filled remarks of his minister, his confidant, his personal friend of over 20 years; says in 20 years he was never at the church when these topics were preached; I guess he never talked to anyone in the church who said “Great sermon …”; and now, throws this old man under the bus and wants to “unite” the country and “move ahead”.
This is either an oversight of “little details” that boggles the mind, or a denial of reality that requires massive psychotherapy; or he agrees with the statements and the sentiments and doesn’t want to stand up for those beliefs. He claims to stand up against the war – once.
None of these traits are great attributes of a President. We’ve had 8 years of that. Want more?

One of the issues that has come back to bite Obama is the fact that he has made such an issue over the importance of words. Words do matter according to Obama. If one of the other candidates had a close relationship with a preacher/mentor that said these types of things it wouldn’t be this bad it would be worse!! Look at the big deal that was made over the tame comments of Ferrero.

I totally agree that a candidate for office should not have to defend or repudiate what is said by his or her pastor or former pastor. I do not agree 100 per cent with everything my pastor says and I occasionally tell him so. I feel no need, however to publicly denounce what he said.
I don’t believe that any candidate should have to bear a higher burden than any other member of a church as to defense or disagreement with his or her pastor’s words. The pastor is the one speaking and should be responsible for his or her own choices.

His judgement is the issue.

If anyone says that some religious leader didn’t say anything about 9/11 and what may have caused it they are liars. Heck the sunday after 9/11 all the churches were filled with people because they thought the world was coming to an end. So trust me, if everyone recorded those sermons/speeches that sunday after 9/11, you would be surprised now about what was said then.

Katherine, you and so many others are missing the real point of this discussion. You are correct that a member of a church shouldn’t have to defend or repudiate what his or her pastor says. We do have freedom of speech. But that is NOT the issue.
Sen. Obama has said that HE is the messenger of change. That HE is the messenger of hope. That HE is the candidate who can unite the people. His supporters say that HE will spread love and peace to everyone. Yet at the same time HIS mentor, spiritual advisor and pastor for twenty years preaches hate and segregation. The people that are around HIM are angry and filled with hate and dwell on past injustices. How can we trust that HE has the power to change, to spread hope and love to everyone, when he doesn’t even have the power change, spread hope and love to those with whom HE surrounds HIMSELF?

I don’t care who ends up in the White House as long as he or she DOES NOT have ties to oil — the way Mr. George “big-oil” Bush does and his sidekick, Cheney. The Bush Administration makes sure we pay top dollar for gas/oil and ruins our country/environment by useless drilling only to fatten their own portfolios.

Trumped up — yes!
Wright’s views might be controversial, but they are not anti-America nor racist.
The 15 second smear job video is NOT a fair judge of what views Wrigth really has.
And some of the comments here seem to be pure racism againt Wright just because he is black. From that point of view, ti seems like a hightech lynching and a swiftboat attack by the GOP smear machine desperate to hold onto power.

OBAMA’s PASTOR, Yada, yada, yada, GOD DAMN AMERICA
No Obama, I have never heard those kinds of commentrs in a chruch before.

wake up people, this is the interview for the president of the united states.i ask a couple of simple questions and you think about them.first what if despite all obama says he agrees with wright and ayers and this whole campaign is a scam,its happened before just look to germany when hitler was elected.second the country is on the brink of financial ruin ,so if he does have a hidden agenda how much damage could he do to the country and are you willing to take the chance.if he does not have a hidden agenda and has just ignored wrights remarks how does this portend for him handling the very difficult issues that a president has to deal with,speeches dont cut it here,sometimes you have to take a stand.we cannot take a chance on him there is too much at stake.

Let’s examine Obama’s words.
“I think part of what has always been the essence of my politics, not just this campaign, but my life, is the idea that we’ve got to bring people together.”
Let’s examine Obama’s actions.
For the past 20 years, this man goes to a Black Separatist Church which subscribes to the “theology” that black people are God’s chosen race and that only blacks can be christians. This church also believes in the Black Value System which is incredibly racist.
Analysis? You have to admit, it’s pretty contradictory. If his “life, is the idea that we’ve got to bring people together”, why attend a racist church?
Why not attend one of the many churches that embrace unity? A church that has a diverse congregation.
ACTION SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS.

As I sit and listen to Obama, I become more and more OFFENDED! SLAVERY disappeared centuries ago, but blacks WILL NOT LET IT GO! In order to lead our country, we need a leader who will go forward, not one who will step so far backward that we have to redeal over and over again with the slavery issue. I’ve HAD IT with crying “slavery” and “I’m the grandchild of a slave..etc”. RACE issues exist when our leaders continue to pound them into our lives. Obama is NOT the leader we need. Any man who follows the teachings of Rev. Wright is not who we need. More turmoil, more finger-pointing, and an increased tear-down of our country will ensue.
Obama at first says he DENOUNCED his pastor’s statements, today, he says he cannot DENOUNCE him. I DENOUNCE Obama and all who continue to insist that we live in the past by bringing up the slavery issue. SLAVERY IS LONG GONE!! WAKE UP!

BKMC:
So words matter more than action eh?

Its Hillary fault he has not played the race card yea right bs is what he is good at fifty percent of boys drop out of high school all races white men work two jobs I am fourth genn working class Iam stupid no latte hers now the stomp speech he even got in there about GF playin race.

Obama also accepted that he knew Wright’s views and statements from before but dint condemn it. BAD JUDGEMENT.

If Clinton were even remotely associated with any organization (church or otherwise) that supports or honors leaders of white hate groups (white supremacists or separatists), the world would be in an uproar. The media would be having a field day. No way would anyone stand for her to try to justify it by saying white people know how to cut through the hate speech and be lifted up and transcend beyond racism. Leaders would be calling for her resignation. I cant even begin to list the details of the witch hunt that would result.

Do you hear hate in what this pastor says? I don’t. I hear anger, and it seems to me that in many cases that anger is justified. Is it racism to decry the racism of a white power structure? I don’t think so. Do I agree with this pastor on everything? Of course not. Do I agree with him that racism is still a problem in this country? Absolutely. And God love him for having the courage to say so. If he hated America so much he’d leave. No, he wants America to realize its full potential and, like Teddy Roosevelt, for America to be a reasonably good place for EVERYONE to live. I share that dream, and I suspect Sen. Obama does too. I just hope that the Democratic nominee, Sen. Clinton or Sen. Obama, defeats Sen. McCain, whose cynical embrace of “Christians” such as Rod Parsley is, indeed, racist and scary.

I am sure that if I am not swayed by Obama’s speech into believing he is our new Messiah, I will be called a racist. But I am not gullible enough to be moved bya a presidential candidate who says he has never heard Rev. Wright utter a racist statement. Every sentence in Wright’s screaming diatribes says “WHITE”! Are white people not entitled to be an offended racial group? He now admits that Wrights opinions were out of justified anger from a racist past in which he was brought up. So, why did Obama make him an official on his campaign staff? He never touched that issue.
Obama then goes on to represent Wright as a patriotic Marine, virtually an American hero! No, Barack, I will remember your hero’s words, “God damn America” and, as a veteran myself, think what a pitifully lowlife Marine he must have been.
New political Messiah? We may need one but it surely is not Barack Obama. Nice try but no cigar! It is no surprise that you didn’t close your speech with “God bless America”. That might have meant something.
I pray that voters will not be taken in by this attempt to gloss over your lies and deceptions. I pray that Reverend Wright will denounce his American citizenship and move to his place of choice in Africa.

doofus – Wright is already in Africa per news sources. I have read there are some Americans who believe Wright is guilty of sedition and should be prosecuted. Perhaps that is why he left the country?

Obama has one again admitted he lied. At first he was not at church when Wright made those speeches, today he said he has heard them.
I guess under pressure Obama changes his story over and over, leaves me to wonder exactly what is the truth or not, would we always have to keep his back to the wall to get a honest answer from him?
As for his speech, I don’t think he helped me personally all it did was confirm my first thinking, Obama has a black agenda even though under the rule of the oppressive white system that he knocks he and his wife have done relatively well, better than some people that he spoke about in his speech.
American I guess will decided as for me, there are some AA that live a lot better than I do, so this speech does not really convince me that we have this big racial problem that needs to be fixed and we need Obama as president to fix it.

I think it was a good speech, but more political in nature rather than social. I think the efficacy of it would have been better had he delivered it at the onset of the race. Whereas it appeared to be very sincere, I think for many, his message is still clouded by a concern for his lack of judgment on the matter.
If he knew that Rev. Wright was going to be a liability in his campaign, he would have fared WAY better had he nipped this in the bud early on. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

LOM:
Anyone can sound sincere! Snakeoil salesmen can attest to that!

The speech was very good. Senator Obama told America who he was, what he believed, and why.
It is up to each American to decide whether they agree with him or not.
But there can be no doubt that Senator Obama is who he says he is – a man who will admit his mistakes, listen to the American people, and address the REAL problems we face, not just the manufactured ones.
Obama ’08

So the speech was great. Fine! Give him a job as Hillary’s speechwriter.
But speeches don’t define a man, actions do. And his actions paint him to be a conniving, lying, ungrateful, disloyal, racist, scheming rat.
I still can’t believe he dragged his grandma through the dirt.

The pulpit is no place for politics, isn’t that why the IRS is investigating Trinity? Also, if you want to be President, you need to have better judgement on your selection of churches. I don’t blame the pastor, I blame Obama who gave contradicting speeches and pointed his fingers at everyone he could, in every chance he had to cry racism. I believe Obama chose the church for political reasons, and he deserves the political consequences of that choice.

Here’s what I got out of his speech; My grandma said racist things, I couldn’t disown her. Yeah, whatever Obama! You CHOSE pastor Wright. You chose him before you developed your twenty year relationship. You chose to make him like family. So was this your choice against your grandma? I suggest you not look to being President to solve your internal emotional struggles.

His speech audience was by invitation ONLY. So of course they are going to cheer and act like it’s the March on Washington caliber. Which WE know it’s NOT. MLK stood in the defense of people who were hardworking, keeping to themselves and victimized. Obama is defending his choice of message to listen to and his desire to be President.

“we can speculate on whether white men will all flock to John McCain in the general election regardless of his policies.”
A true uniter would of said “we can speculate on whether black men are all flocking to me in the primaries regardless of my policies.”

Good speech. This whole ordeal might cause him to lose some voters, but I do not think he is responsible for everything coming out of the reverends mouth. I don’t agree with everything my church says or does, but I still attend. This pastor seems to rail against the many injustices that our country carries out against certain people using language that could be more respectable. Obama had to give this speech, and I think he did a reasonable job.

He brought up Ferraro again, as if her statements are equivalent to those of Wright. Right, “race is benefitting in this election” to “Natalie Holloway basically deserved what she got in return for all the sins of the white man.” (paraphrasing)

There’s anger in the white and black community. So let’s pick a man who likes to use race to his benefit. Brings it up to his benefit and uses it to attack others with charges of racism. Chooses a angry church and preaches of unity. Poor judgement in choice of church while wanting to be President or deliberate choice for political reasons. So sure, lets get a President who uses race as a WEDGE to unite the country; that’ll work.

This is the main point is it acceptable for Obama to flat out lie then change his story.
Obama was asked repeatably over and over by the FOX newsman if he was in church when these sermons were given he said NO!!! He was then asked if he was there and heard them would he leave, he again said he was not present.
Now today he comes out and say he was there, he heard them, just like that after lying about it.
After his camp said he was in FL and the Newsmax reporter lied, they said Obama as no where around, another member of his camp also said he was never there when these statements where being made.
Now its another story, why do people accept these outright lies, how many times is he going to change his story? That is a serious problem he is a liar and has been shown to be so, I just dont see how anyone can just ignore this.

DL said:
“That speech was one of the great moments in American history.”
It might be in African American history….he condemns his white grandmother for being racist but embraces/appreciates/honors Wright for being a Liberal racist….STRANGE

I would have respected a more noble speech from him if he had said,
“With regards to Pastor Wright, I was there, I heard what he said, and I believe some of it to be truth. I lied to the American people and for that I truly apologize. I never intended to divide this country along racial lines and I see that my own struggles to accept myself and forgive others for their prejudice born of the ignorant acts of our ancestors played a role. I have failed in my quest to unite America because I am still torn within. For the good of the party, the country, and the world, I am withdrawing from the race and fully endorse Senator Clinton for President of the United States.”
Only then would I believe that he could then begin to heal from all the brainwashing he has obviously endured over the past 20 years as a member of TUCC guided by a man with a distorted view of the world. Only then would I believe he could being to show that he does not agree with Farrakhan and genocide of non-black peoples.

Obama’s speech is moving. But, the bottom line, what has he done? If he clearly knows those things are wrong, why didn’t he take any action????????
People say we shouldn’t use Wright to judge him, but I judge him on his LACK of actions, even this speech was forced to come after everyone was shocked to see those clips. Where is his leadership? where is his unifiying? oh. yes, all in his words, but no actions.

Ok Kiddies,
Today’s lesson is about lies. Sweet little lies. It’s O.K. to lie. And its O.K. to lie and not admit it. And it’s O.K. to lie to everyone about pretty much everything. On national television. No….really, it’s O.K. And it’s O.K. to throw grandma under the train and then stomp on her for good measure. No problem.
You see, if we all lie enough, we can be just like all those other 3rd World countries. Really, just Trump something up……and then lie about it. Lie about it until the cows come home. It works every time.

the speech was great. But it was just what any other politician would do-when they go into damage control. This is what happens when-we the American Voters get all caught up in emotion-we did and do not know obama-but evryone has cheered and gone out there and voted for him anyway. and now he is on his way to being the dem. nominee-so what do we do now-as an african american female-I am going to as all the voters left to vote-Pa, NC, Indiana-and please go and right this-we cannot go into the general election-with obama against mccain. This blunder in his campaign is just a preview of what his presidency maybe like-we do not need a president in training-going through trial and error. His campaign people should have seen this coming and done something a long time ago. Now for me his candiacy is all about his credibility-and his backers not really knowing what to do-the nafta statement to the canadians, the rezko story-first he said 150k-now he has had to come clean and tell it was 250k-the advisor in ireland saying what she said about the war-telling the american people one thing and telling the irish another thing.-rev. wright-1st he said had not heard this man speak such vile-now in his speech he said he had heard it. credibility-and lack of experience by his advisors spell disaster-(I say again his advisors should have know this was coming) sad for obama-good for the american voter to now know this.
he said he wanted his transcend race-but having gone to a church for 20yrs and having rev. wright in his back pocket has now made his part all about race. But guess what, we are not having a race war-all americans are hurting because of the economy-and his ideas about how to solve the economy have all been copied from Hillary.
We need a president who has a good command of the issues, can thing on their feet and address the problems eg the economy, healthcare ,etc.go and listen to hillary’ speech about the economy that she gave yesterday. She runs circles around obama and mccain on the issues. Mccain wants to keep us in Iraq for 50-100 years-I do know mccain said he did not know much about the economy.-and now we do not really know what obama is going to do for us-he has not handled this well-so the skit on SNL about the 3am call-where he is call Hillary (and she has the cold cream on her face) may not be far from the truth.
of course he will not be calling hillary, but I think he will be call someone. I just do not think he is ready
and as a 53 black female-I too would love to have seen a black man or woman in the white house before I died. but I would not vote for them just because the person is black. The president must be crediable and have a good command of the issues.
Pa, Nc, Indiana dems-please look past all the crazy things people are saying about Hillary-(which will not put a dime in our pockets) but look at her command of the issues-I know some of you must need healthcare-you have got some fine colleges and universities-I know some of you need help with your student loans-I have a girl 2nd yr. in college- and she is going to be strapped with loans when she gets out in 2010
and I have a junior in high school- I want to hear more about hillarys plan for help with paying for college.
and hillary tell us how she will pay for it. and do not worry about hillary completely losing the black vote-black people will not vote against their economic interest-poor and working class people will be the first mccain will try to send to iraq to fight is 50-100yr war-telling them if they get back the will help them pay for college.
Pa, Nc, Indiana,West Va-it is up to you now-go and vote your interest-vote for hillary.
also: I have been in the black church all my life and none of my pastors have preached such vile-if they had I would not have gone there anymore.
for me obamas candiacy is all about credibility now. the same goes for mccain and his courting hagee and co.

Face it, the only reason why he did a 180 on Wright is because the other black leaders blasted him for throwing Wright under the bus.
If everyone had blasted Wright, you can bet Obama would be right in line condemning him and saying how boneheaded he was to not recognise what a heretic he was.
As for being led into the Christian faith…one would question what sort of Christian he is. After all, his pastor has been rather creative with the contents in the Bible. Might explain Wright’s vocabulary too.

If he was a uniter who cares deeply about his friend, mentor or adviser, then he could’ve changed Wright’s views or at least convinced him to tone down his divisive speeches – as he himself admits that it is not helping the situation. Instead, he allowed this man to keep giving inflammatory speeches, cultivating more anger and animosity among African Americans. The only explanation I can think of is, he believes and feels the same way about America.

“Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it.”
“All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.”
“He alone, who owns the youth, gains the future.”
“It is always more difficult to fight against faith than against knowledge.”
“The victor will never be asked if he told the truth.”
- Adolf Hitler

DCVoter…
this is what you all do …you say ”
Obama played the race card again with this speech”
Your comments almost don’t need me to say anything…so he played the race card in the middle of a national firestorm about race…and he may be partly reponsible.
A leader gets up quickly and (predominantly writes their own speech(like Lincoln) using great ideas from many voices (like JFK))… and quells the public fervor and fear.
That is what he did today.
That’s when you speak up about the issue. Not an issue to incite…because if he had addressed this earlier…this same speech how would have Americans taken it… and that would have been playing the race card.
He helped quell the fervor and fear instead of inciting it. Can you say that about any other candidate in this race. No you can’t.
That is what a leader does…not a queen who has her followers loyal to the country of Clinton…yet not America.
In the country of Clinton you play whatever card will win…and respond to any statement that might keep your queen from leading the hive.

Obama’s problem with this isn’t about race. It’s about ‘God D America’. This will cost him the general election. All the rest he can overcome. Democrats need to think deeply about this.

“This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag”
PROUD FLAG? DOES OBAMA MEAN THE ONE HE REFUSES TO WEAR OR HONOR DURING THE NATIONAL ANTHEM?????
THAT FLAG?

jgaw: hillary did not get health care for anyone – children or otherwise. for months the press has ignored her claims of “35 Years of Experience” and her cherrypicking positive aspects of the Clinton years. Now they are finally asking questions – and finding enromous gaps between what hillary says and what hillary actually did. schips (the children’s health care plan) was not conceived, written, or ushered through congress by hillary clinton. the boston globe covered the issue this week. so every week, in every state, when hillary talks about the number of children she has brought health care to – it is a flat-out lie.

Vanessa,
Perhaps she is crying because McCain now leads Obama by 6%.

Look at the tracking polls. Clinton is leading or tied with McCain. Obama is losing to McCain and CLINTON IS LEADING OBAMA (through 3/15)
GOD BLESS AMERICA

Vanessa, I also found Sen. Obama’s speech very moving and emotional. But all that tells me is that he is an excellent speaker who is very charismatic and has the gift to inspire when he speaks. Those who are listening do feel that hope could be on the horizon. NOW, don’t get me wrong, I am not in anyway making a specific comparison, other than to say, remember that there was another attractive young man who was an excellent speaker, very charismatic, and also had the gift to inspire when he spoke. And those who listened to him felt that hope was on the horizon…in Germany, back in 1933.
Don’t let charisma and the gift to inspire overshadow the message. Sen. Obama is no less a Socialist or Marxist than Sen. Clinton. He wants to rob the rich in order to pay for his programs (i.e., womb-to-tomb universal health care). He will decimate small businesses with his planned tax hikes. And he wants to hand al Qaeda a miliary victory in Iraq. That is his message, regardless of how he presents his message. If that is what you want, then you should vote for Sen. Obama.
But I believe in personal responsibility, in self-determination, in capitalism and the free market, and that the federal government’s responsibilities are to insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and promote (not provide) the general welfare.” I also believe our government is of the people, by the people and for the people, NOT of the government, by the government for the people.
How can anyone have Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness if the federal government tells us what we must or cannot eat and drink or products we must or cannot purchase in the name of preventative health care? THAT is where we will be headed should either Sen. Obama or Sen. Clinton become president.

The question posited by Jake Tapper in this thread is have you heard objectionable statements expressed from the pulpit in your church/temple/synogogue and if so, what have you done in response?
I preface my answer by stating that I am Roman Catholic. I attend a Franciscan church. St Francis was the patron saint of animals, a man of Italian nobility who gave up his riches and took a vow of poverty. I expalin this because Franciscans are quite apolitical. I attended parochial school for 15 years. During my tenure in school and in church, I never heard a word from a priest or nun classifying any race or ethnic group as evil, corrupt, inferior, or anything that could be perceived as negative.
The usual procedure at Mass is that there are readings from the bible, followed by a sermon which may or may not relate to the readings. The topics of sermons are usually faith, hope, charity, peace.
I have never heard a political pitch for any candidate from the pulpit. I was quite young when JFK was running so simply cannot recall.
Of course, as an RC, I know my church’s position on abortion. That is a given. To be honest with you, I cannot recall a sermon addressing it.

this is to “SOMEONE” one of the first commenters:
axelrod didnt write that speech. obama wrote it, like he does most of his speeches. just clarifying.