The Note: Obama Faith Mission Caught In Old Politics
EmailABC News’ Rick Klein Reports in Tuesday’s Note: If you have faith that four flags (plus one flag pin) can solve all of Barack Obama’s patriotism problems . . .
You probably also believe that one phone call can solve all of Obama’s Clinton problems.
That the Clinton campaign’s infighting would have ended with the Clinton campaign.
That Obama’s policy migration is set to end any time now.
Surely you’re convinced that one denunciation will be enough to end the storm kicked up by one retired general (who isn’t backing down, and who, at the very least, shrank Obama’s short list by one).
You may even believe that the best way to tag someone a Swift-boater is with a member of the original cast (takes one to know one, perhaps, but why muddle the message?).
Read the rest of The Note — and get all the latest on the 2008 election, Congress, the White House and the wide world of politics every day — from Rick Klein by bookmarking this link.
And that Obama’s latest message — on faith as policy — will break through with Clark-like clarity.
An Obama zag — one that zings: “Reaching out to evangelical voters, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is announcing plans that would expand President Bush’s program steering federal social service dollars to religious groups and — in a move sure to cause controversy — support their ability to hire and fire based on faith,” the AP’s Jennifer Loven reports.
With Obama set to talk about faith in Ohio, more to set that agenda: “Between now and November, the Obama forces are planning as many as 1,000 house parties and dozens of Christian rock concerts, gatherings of religious leaders, campus visits and telephone conference calls to bring together voters of all ages motivated by their faith to engage in politics,” John M. Broder reports in The New York Times. “It is the most intensive effort yet by a Democratic candidate to reach out to self-identified evangelical or born-again Christians and to try to pry them away from their historical attachment to the Republican Party.”
Continue reading today’s Note by clicking HERE.
ABC News’ John Santucci and Alexa Ainsworth contributed to this report.
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
in a move sure to cause controversy — support their ability to hire and fire based on faith,”
Ok, here we go again with yet another Obama flip-flop! He says he believes and upholds the Constitution, but now he completely renounces it. Does this guy have no end? I honestly think he believes he is above reproach and scrutiny. America, wake up! We don’t need Obama in the White House!
Posted by: David | July 1, 2008, 8:53 am 8:53 am
Obama has steered money to faith based groups, but they were to racist and extremist Chicago radicals. Why not point out that Obama takes money and raises money through the left-wing groups that dishonored Gen. Petraeus.
Posted by: Karen | July 1, 2008, 9:36 am 9:36 am
I have always been a Democrat. I will vote for John McCain. I am so tired of hearing how we have deprived the black from so many opportunities, and this race issue seems to be in the mouth of Mr. Obama every time he opens it. It’s like a game! Fence Rider! Whatever is popular at the moment is what we do and talk about. Good looks, speaking well, sway walk, and expensive suits, will get us no where. In about another 8 years he would have made an ideal president. He would have had great experience. Three years in the senate, Sorry, no bueno.
Posted by: Ruth | July 1, 2008, 9:36 am 9:36 am
All men are created equal—well not in OBAMA’s new world coming—he wants to give the rights “to hire and fire based on faith” first to the churches. Then he intends to give certain churches MORE MONEY and they can grow and spread with more power to “hire and fire” at their discretion. Is OBAMA trying to turn American into a country controlled by? Stop with the religious revival OBAMA. If you are here to deliver what you think is “God’s” message then be a preacher.
Posted by: Anne | July 1, 2008, 9:38 am 9:38 am
It seems that Mr. O is showing his true colors. Why am I not surprised. Same old politics. So much for the change.
Posted by: Frank- South Hampton | July 1, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
SOODD: Same old Obama, different day!
Posted by: Soetoro No! | July 1, 2008, 9:42 am 9:42 am
He has talked about and supported Faith based initiatives before, this is really no surprise. I am not sure where he is going with the hiring, but I do not think a Catholic church would hire a Rabbi as a priest, nor would a synagogue hire a priest to teach religion. So in reality there already is discrimination in hiring among religions.
So I am not sure about the flip flop charge here. I know, I know the press and the republican party has been saying he was the far left. I have been saying for months that he was more to the center than they thought.
Will it sell to the far left? No, but that is his decision. McCain will be upset call him flip flopper, but will not disagree with this. He has McCain off balance, and I get the sense that McCains campaign is at a loss for words.
Posted by: Thinking | July 1, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am
Well for one thing agnostic and atheism are different. And as a free thinking person, you can change religions like underwear. Organized religion is for the weak minded.
Posted by: WhyMe | July 1, 2008, 10:04 am 10:04 am
He is pandering to the evangelicals. Obama is running for Bush’s third term
Posted by: Kurt | July 1, 2008, 10:37 am 10:37 am
Hillary was the lemonade. She’s a lemon that has been squashed into liquid so she’s easier to swallow.
Posted by: Hater | July 1, 2008, 10:41 am 10:41 am
You’re right. Hillary has more experience in corruption and scandals than Obama.
Posted by: WhyMe | July 1, 2008, 10:52 am 10:52 am
“The young soldier who first spoke about the prisoner abuse at Abu Ghraib – he is a patriot. Recognizing a wrong being committed in this country’s name; insisting that we deliver on the promise of our Constitution”
HERE IS YOUR PROOF. OBAMA SAID IT YESTERDAY. This is a traitor not a patriot. The US Constitution does not grant rights to Terrorists
Posted by: geevill | July 1, 2008, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm
obama respects religion so much, he joined and abandoned a church for the sole purpose of furthering his political career….
Posted by: chris | July 1, 2008, 12:05 pm 12:05 pm
Obama’s kind of Faith based program
gives 1 MILLION DOLLARS
to Trinity United
Unity you can’t trust
Posted by: carpenter.nyc | July 1, 2008, 12:06 pm 12:06 pm
Organized religion is for the weak minded.
Posted by: WhyMe | July 1, 2008, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
obama did a better job of running a campaign to win the Democratic nomination…..Senator Clinton did a better job of running a campaign to win the White House
Posted by: chris | July 1, 2008, 12:08 pm 12:08 pm
i agree, obama is weak-minded
Posted by: chris | July 1, 2008, 12:09 pm 12:09 pm
We need to seperate politics and religion. More wars have been fought in the name of religion than anything else.
Posted by: WhyMe | July 1, 2008, 12:13 pm 12:13 pm
is it any wonder that obama got so many votes in a country where American Idol is the top-rated show?
Posted by: chris | July 1, 2008, 12:17 pm 12:17 pm
Agnosticism anyone?
Posted by: Mack | July 1, 2008, 12:26 pm 12:26 pm
McCain’s campaign is run by oil lobbyists it’s funded by oil companies his policies are straight out of Big Oil’s playbook and he won’t solve our energy crisis.
Posted by: Big1 | July 1, 2008, 12:28 pm 12:28 pm
Senator Obama flip-flops on a different subject nearly every day. No wonder he does not want to debate Senator McCain under a fair set of circumstances. He really does not know what his policies are. They change so often, he is confused from week to week.
Don’t vote for this far left corrupt man from Chicago.
Posted by: Mary | July 1, 2008, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm
RICH (and wanna be rich)Liberals who think they know everything, who think they know what’s best for everyone, READS and GETS OFF on the Huffington Post—Look at the leader of that Site….!!
Posted by: carpenter.nyc | July 1, 2008, 12:49 pm 12:49 pm
Mary:
Can you imagine Obama in a debate NOW???
arugh uh eh uh uh uh uh come on now—who’s been uh uh messing with my mouth?
Every Issue that comes up to Obama Now —He is dead CENTER…Guess the CHANGE is to NOT HAVE A DEFINATE ANSWER ON ANYTHING…. unless they make you donate or vote for him.
The Troops will not come Home on Obama’s watch and When Obama comes back from Europe—(as europe runs on Nuclear power) Obama will proclaim—
UH I saw it…Nuclear Power isn’t so bad..
Posted by: carpenter.nyc | July 1, 2008, 12:54 pm 12:54 pm
If I take my right index finger and put it in my mouth and then hold it over my head, who do you immediately think of? Be honest now.
Posted by: Robert in Cleveland | July 1, 2008, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
So many people here are “preaching to the choir”. It’s like they are trying to convince themselves of what they beleive in.
Posted by: Wondering | July 1, 2008, 1:00 pm 1:00 pm
Is it true that Obama failed to register for the draft despite the fact that the law required him to do so?
Posted by: Just Curious | July 1, 2008, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm
Hey S–gotcha didn’t I!
Posted by: Robert in Cleveland | July 1, 2008, 1:03 pm 1:03 pm
Just Curious
After the draft was ended in the early 70s, there was no registration for the draft. Period. The registration was revived in 1980, without reviving the draft, to show that we were prepared to revive the draft if we had to. However, the registration did not apply to those who were already past a certain age. Roughly, men who are now aged about 45-55 never were required to register for the draft and would not have had a place to do so if they had wanted to for good measure.
Posted by: zz | July 1, 2008, 1:14 pm 1:14 pm
obama sticks to his principles like he sticks to his church of 20 years…..oh, wait….
Posted by: chris | July 1, 2008, 1:20 pm 1:20 pm
Has anyone heard anything about a debate between these two? I thought it was going to be anytime, anyplace, or at town halls. I’ve not heard one word about one. That is what we need to make our final decisions.
Anything?
Posted by: Iowan | July 1, 2008, 2:12 pm 2:12 pm
It is the most intensive effort yet by a Democratic candidate to reach out to self-identified evangelical or born-again Christians and to try to pry them away from their historical attachment to the Republican Party.”
——————————
Well good luck with that!
Too bad Gumby can’t even get the important issues resolved. I guess he has gone to praying for hope and change.
May as well let the kooks back in the WH, the last bunch got laughed to the basement, Gumby prays well in basements.
Posted by: HP Boston | July 1, 2008, 2:19 pm 2:19 pm
Another master piece from Obama today.His speeches are invigorating and inspiring. How I wish i could say the same for Mccain and he answered everyones questions from NAFTA to Healthcare to FISA. If he continues this way,he is going to win in a landslide.
Posted by: vuzous | July 1, 2008, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
Obama can say that the USA is NOT a Christian Nation, but then he panders to the evangelicals and endorses the faith-based programs! Where is the outrage by the media. If Mike Huckabee would endorse this, they will say that he is not for all American and is just a religious nut job. The media has a double-standard and I am sick of it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: anne | July 1, 2008, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
only Senator Clinton is capable of being the best President that our children, our troops and our country so desperately needs right now
Posted by: chris | July 1, 2008, 5:54 pm 5:54 pm
I didn’t like it under Bush and I don’t like it for Obama. Will he give money to people like Rev. Wright and Pfleiger?
Posted by: FL voter | July 1, 2008, 9:33 pm 9:33 pm
He will expand Bush’s program.
Now, he wants to get Republicans’ votes.
Can he say again McCain is the 3rd Bush??
Posted by: catleya | July 2, 2008, 12:36 am 12:36 am
I guess Obama figures that he has the Left in his back pocket, so why continue to stand up for our most important principle (the seperation of church and state) since progressives have no one else better for whom to vote.
Like a chameleon, he seems to be morphing into what he perceives the crowd wants him to be. He was a constitutional lawyer, and often quotes Jefferson, but then is willing to trash the First Amendment and continue Bush’s constitutional perversion of feeding our taxes to the insatiable piranha of theocrats. And, even as he denounces the use of patriotism quotients as qualifiers for president, he makes a mockery of his previous position (which had my respect) caves-in, and flaunts a sparkling new flag pin for all to see. Even McCain, who considers himself more heroic than Washington himself, didn’t bother to wear one today. This would be laughable if it weren’t so pathetic…
I was an enthusiastic Obama supporter, but am seriously thinking of staying home on election day!
Posted by: Comtek | July 2, 2008, 3:27 am 3:27 am