The Fight Over Community Organizing

Republicans have called for community organizer for decades. This mockery was extremely stupid and they have angered and fired up millions of people who are either active in community organizations, or are dependent on it.
The campaign has turned a lot of organizers into GotV-volunteers.

And what’s more: Obama did this for a church. This was real Christian work. He put aside immediate personal financial gain in order to help other people. How are we supposed to buy the Republican-Christian talking points when they mock this kind of work. They didn’t merely try to assert that it wasn’t a qualification for office (I think it is), they mocked it with palpable contempt.
I am not a Christian, but this kind of work that Obama did is the good part of Christianity that I can appreciate. Anyone who denigrates it is, quite simply, not a credible Christian.

Heeding the call? Pretty rousing defense for an impartial journalist don’t you think?

I heard Cindy wore a dress worth $300.000,00
When I saw that dress, I thought she looked like a crossing guard and that it was a tribute to community service.
But no, apparently it was a designerdress from Oscar de la Rente.

Obama can always go back to being a community organizer. He may need to, new CBS poll has an eight point drop for Obama and is all tied up.

We need an ad out about Palin and noun verb 9/11. Pound them with it till Nov.

Where is the investigation of what Obama did for ACORN? ACORN has a history of voter fraud and taxfunded grant abuse. ACORN is accountable for hundreds of thousands of NINJA loans to unqualified applicants. WHere is the investigation?

Thanks for asking the obvious question. I wonder if you give McCain too much credit for sincerity, given his miserable voting record on veterans’ issues, among other things.
And I know by now this is old news, but some of the more well-known community organizers include…
Gandhi
Martin Luther King
Jesus
I think it is fair to say that denigrating the work of community organizers is downright un-American. Palin, Giuliani, and McCain have spit in the face of the American spirit and Americans themselves.

The Republicans are a party of greed and lip service. Bush is a coward who was afraid to fly over in ‘Nam. He won’t even let his daughters go to Iraq because they are too good for it.
Palin thinks she speaks for God.
What a bunch of Pharisees and Cains.
They aren’t Christian by any Bible I have ever read.

Jesus Christ was a community organizer. He called on just 12 men to help him get the word out and inspire people to make positive changes in their lives. He was poor, a carpenter, although he could have lived out the richness given to him in the name of his Father.
During His community service, JC didn’t judge or look down on people. After all, when the Sadducees (the high and mighty elite religious group) chastised him for accepting Mary Magdelene (prostitute), he was ridiculed.
SO, for anyone who is a community organizer, rising to the cause of helping others, like JC, like MLK, like Mother Teresa, like Ghandi, like Susan B Anthony, like Barrack Obama…if someone mocks you for your work, remember that you are in good company

He looks more like a community organizer than POTUS.

COUNTRY CLUB FIRST
COUNTRY MUSIC FIRST
COUNTRY FIRST
CITIES SECOND

You said it right Jake, they’re hypocrites. and could guiliani be any more divisive?

ENOUGH OF REPUBLICAN CORRUPTION.
ENOUGH OF REPUBLICAN LIES AND DECEIT.
ENOUGH OF REPUBLICANS IN POWER.
This time,
DEMOCRATS ALL THE WAY!!!

Gosh, community organizer for two whole years. In Chicago yet.
I volunteered for Meals on Wheels for longer than that. It involves a lot more than just delivering food.
Does this mean I can run for the presidency some day too?

“SO, for anyone who is a community organizer, rising to the cause of helping others, like JC, like MLK, like Mother Teresa, like Ghandi, like Susan B Anthony, like Barrack Obama…if someone mocks you for your work, remember that you are in good company”
What a great example of humility! Yes indeed. He ranks right up there.
What did he actually get done again? Didn’t his supervisor say not much was accomplished?
I thought Jesus, when asked if his followers should become involved with the government He said “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s …”. In other words, no.

Wasn’t Obama merely heeding that very call?
Or, at least the call that many other politicians before and after McCain have also put out – it certainly wasn’t an original through from him.

To Concerned in Ohio, and those who share your thinking:
May God Bless you, and your family. If you do not believe in God, may you receive the blessings of your Higher Power.
I cannot hurl insults or attacks at you, because it is not in my heart or spirit to do so.

“Everything in Obama’s carefully managed a career has been about career advancement and appearance. His handlers have done a good job on their project. Bottom line, if it’s good for Obama, then he’s all for it.”
You could say the same thing about ANYONE. Particularly any politician.
Obama deferred a lucrative career to perform real work, helping real people. He did this for, what, three years, right out of college?
Are you willing to dismiss this out of hand as some kind of ego-grooming conceit? If you are, you might just have to accuse any community organizer of the same thing.
Obama is a politician, certainly, but he has done a lot of good things (such as passing ethics reform legislation), and there’s really no evidence that he hasn’t done it our of the goodness of his heart. You can believe what you want, but there’s very little reason to grant you any credibility. If you’re trying to convince anyone, you’ll have to do a better job.

cornell: the Acorn-investigations?
Haven’t you heard?
Thousands and thousands and thousands of accusations were filed against ACORN.
They found nothing.
Ah, no that’s not true. They actually found a couple of false voter registrations.
But what you don’t understand is that it was actually ACORN who was defrauded, not you. Registrators receive compensation for registering voters. These workers were in fact embezzling money from ACORN.
False voters don’t exist, they can’t cast a ballot.

We see what being a constituent of Obama leads to — anarchy. A walkout of Chicago schools — but, but, but I thought Obama and William Ayers used the $50 million in grants to make Chicago schools really, really great. I guess not? W

just remember palin does have a few unpublished skeletons in her closet.

Community service is noble and respectable. I don’t think Palin belittled that role. She only call it what it is and what it is not. Just like you can’t use a bus driver experience to qualify for flying a plane. Senatorial experience is no substistute for executive experience. Senators talk the talk but don’t have to walk the walk. Obama even given up vote in the senate. What do that tell you about how responsible he is? Executives are responsible for making the tough decisions which sometimes can even be unpopular. Palin demonstrated her qualification in that capacity. Obama/Biden 0.

Mack: “And Barry took home the crown of most liberal Senator.”
So?

“Everything in Obama’s carefully managed a career has been about career advancement and appearance. His handlers have done a good job on their project. Bottom line, if it’s good for Obama, then he’s all for it.”
Thinkerton
—————————–
Thinkerton,
I don’t know if you are a thinker or a stinker, but do you really think that at age 20, this guy was already thinking about running for president? And everything he did since then was just self serving?

“Or, at least the call that many other politicians before and after McCain have also put out – it certainly wasn’t an original through from him.”
How could it possibly be an “original thought”? I’ve never heard Obama claim it was.
The point is that it’s a good, Christian thing to do. (And by “Christian”, I mean it’s exactly the kind of thing that Jesus asks — and I bet Jesus wouldn’t suggest it’s an original thought either.)
So if we can agree it’s a good thing to do, can we get back to the question of why Republicans think it’s something quaint and funny and worthless? They’re insulting anyone who’s ever given of themselves this way.

mccain does not say much about his military career—-why are his records sealed—do you possibly think he has something to hide——-i do

“who did they poll?”
700 RV.
Nationwide.
And from what I know, especially this type of poll from CBS has shown wild swings. Pollsters think it’s a bit more reliable than Zogby but not by much.

A community organizer in Chicago means you make damned sure people support their local alderman. Hand in hand with Shady characters like Rezko who destroyed the neighborhood making millions while Obama gladly did his legal work.
Two peas in a pod!

Boy, when they looked down their noses at community organizing work, they really hit a soar spot at the heart of America, didn’t they. And isn’t if funny that on September 8, McCain & Obama are suppose to show up to a Community Service event in New York?
They are too elite to realize that everyday, common, regular folks are making efforts to organize their communities her in America and abroad, especially during these times when so many people are losing their homes, jobs being shipped overseas, unable to receive health care.

does anyone question why mccain cannot use a teleprompter or a computer—think about it your young children can—-maybe they are more qualified than he is—–just common sense

The problem is that Obama attacked Palin for being a mayor. Anyone will tell you that being a community organizer does not qualify you to be president.

The point is Obama is less qualified then Palin. Obama’s team started it with their comment about McCain picking a mayor as his VP when in fact she is now a Governor and is much more qualified than Obama.
Independent for Palin/McCain

Obama makes Richard Nixon look like a Saint!

“Most of the country isn’t made up of leftwing liberals. If you haven’t noticed.”
So far, Obama is doing better in the polls than McCain. So far Obama is doing far more better in fundraising from small donors.
Don’t get your hopes up after a single speech were not one policy issue was proposed or discussed. Sarah is not going to drill you out of this Bush-mess on just oil.
In fact, it is my belief that Sarah is going to drill you even deeper down that hole, all the way to Alaska.

The Republicans, you see, just don’t get it. Really. They don’t understand why someone of great talent and ability would volunteer or work for minimal pay and little notice to improve the quality of life in their community. In their moral universe, such a person is stupid and makes for a good joke. And that more than anything else defines the difference between what it is to be a Republican and what it is to be a Democrat.

try mayor of dogpatch

I wonder how this barracuda will fare when the media piranhas start to really nibble at her skirt.
She’s got so many things she cannot hide from.

Hmm, the quoting didn’t work. Try this again…
—
independent said: “Senatorial experience is no substistute for executive experience. Senators talk the talk but don’t have to walk the walk. Obama even given up vote in the senate. What do that tell you about how responsible he is? Executives are responsible for making the tough decisions which sometimes can even be unpopular. Palin demonstrated her qualification in that capacity.”
—
So I suppose McCain, having no executive experience and the worst attendance record in the entire Senate this year, should not be President either?
Being an “executive” is not a free pass to be President. One has to look at the accomplishments and judge for themselves. Obama has sponsored and passed literally hundreds of laws while serving as a state and U.S. senator. He co-sponsored and passed what was called the most significant ethical reform law since Watergate. He’s supported nuclear and conventional weapons nonproliferation, and government transparency, to give citizens a better view into their representatives activities and (hopefully) reduce corruption. All these things make everyone’s life better. I’m quite happy with Obama’s experience.
Palin came into office and tried to ban books from her library, and then tried to fire the head librarian for refusing. She is already going back on her word to testify on allegations of abuse of power and claiming executive privilege to avoid it. She sounds a lot like George Bush to me: self-righteous, unaccountable. Her executive experience does not impress me.

THERE ARE MANY MORE PEOPLE IN CHICAGO –THAN THE WHOLE STATE OF ALASKA—AND IF IT WERENT FOR OIL YOU COULD CUT THAT BY I/2 OR MORE –SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL OIL OIL OIL–ASK EXXON JOHN

This what you will really hear tonight
I WAS A POW
COUNTRY CLUB FIRST
NO COUNTRY CLUB LEFT BEHIND
NO FILTHY RICH LEFT BEHIND
NO CORRUPT BUSINESS BAILOT LEFT BEHIND
NO IRAQI OCCUPATION LEFT BEHIND
DID I MENTION I WAS A POW

there is sooooo much you don’t know about caribou barbie.
i can’t wait till it all comes out
this is rich

Didn’t Obama also sponsor a bill REQUIRING the US to reduce world wide poverty by 25% within 5 years?
How much will it cost for the US to ELIMINATE 25% of WORLD WIDE poverty within 5 years?
Haven’t the majority of the bills Obama supported fail to become law?

“If B.O. cannot open up the percentages by Oct. he is toast, community organizer or not. This time next year he will be back in his seat in the senate doing crossword puzzles.”
—
Actually, I think if you go by the latest polls and tally up the electoral votes, Obama has it in the bag right now. McCain has his work cut out for him.

Today Obama finally admitted that the surge was successful. He’s no doubt the last person on the planet to figure that out.
He sure is slow on the uptake — regardless of the subject.

“Organizers in Chicago definitely do not represent the values of most churches. And Obama would never do anything that didn’t benefit himself — even associating with the likes of Rezko.”
—
What’s the basis for your assertion?
I can’t argue that he doesn’t have a few dubious associations (I personally think it’s impossible to have a political career without rubbing up against a few), but I have a lot of evidence that he’s a decent guy who cares about people. Look at the legislation that he’s worked on. Really, I’m serious. Look at his political record.
Rezko doesn’t bother me. It’s been explored thoroughly in the news media and hasn’t turned up anything that scares me. I’m more disturbed by the associations of MCain and Palin.

Gov. Palen should be ashamed. Everyone wants community workers but then lets use them to make a cheap joke. These people are overworked and underpaid. All they want to do is give back to the community. There are plenty of community organizers and workers in Alaska. Here is a suggestion. Concentrate on what you want to do for the people of America and leave the cheap jokes to the comedians.

Willem van Oranje
You don’t read much, do you? One of Obama’s main advisers is ex-Senator Tom Dashle who lobbies for three agribusinesses who are heave into ethanol production.

Martin.
Advice.
So?
Do they litterally RUN his campaign? Like with McCain?

Believe me when I say this!! Watch and see those same community organizers turn out the vote come November for Obama. All they have to do is say the republicans are saying what we do is not important. They can say look at what we have done for you and look why we do it. Are we doing it to get rich? No! We do it because we care. By the way notice how Obama got 130,000 donors to contribute $10 million dollars after her speech? I expect Obama to raise more than 70 million this month and be able to work to beat McCain aka McShame aka McSame aka McBush

Given the use of corn to make ethanol has been found to be a mistake who will fix it?
Obama wants it to keep going. Stubborn and doesn’t listen like GW Bush.
JM promises to cut it even though it will lose him votes. Does what is best thing for the country.

Concerned in OH wrote:
“The Bible says charity begins at home.”
No it doesn’t. If your world view is made up of myths like that one, it is no wonder that you support McCain.

As a woman I take offense to the following statement on abortion:
“I am pro-life with the exception of a doctor’s determination that the mother’s life would end if the pregnancy continued. I believe that no matter what mistakes we make as a society, we cannot condone ending and innocent’s life.” – Sarah Palin. Anchorage Daily News.
SINCE WHEN IS RAPE A MISTAKE THAT WOMEN SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR?
RAPE A MISTAKE? HOW ABOUT A CRIME, LADY!
———————–
RIGHT ON NANCY!!!

For Sarah Palin to say that Rape is a woman’s mistake is a slap at the face of women.
But remember, McCain actually made Rape jokes a few years ago.
What a pair, these two.

WHAT BETTER WAY TO KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU REPRESENT THAN TO START AS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER.AND THAT WAS AROUND 20 YEARS AGA—– I CALL THAT EXPERIENCE

I CAN GURANTEE YOU THAT MCCAINS LAME ATTEMPT TO GET THE FEMALE VOTE WOULD BE AN ABSOLUTE INSULT TO ANY WOMAN WITH ANY SENSE

Leslie-
Totally agree with you. Did you hear Obama defend himself today…lot’s of class.
Also-
Can’t believe she calls rape society’s mistake.

George-
what do you make of the following?
“I am pro-life with the exception of a doctor’s determination that the mother’s life would end if the pregnancy continued. I believe that no matter what mistakes we make as a society, we cannot condone ending and innocent’s life.” – Sarah Palin. Anchorage Daily News.
Last, I heard, rape is not a mistake, but a crime against women. Who is she to force women to be held accountable for crimes against them?

I THINK WHEN A WOMAN NEEDS AN OLD GESER TO DICTATE TO HER WHAT SHE CAN DO WITH HER BODY=—-THAT MAKES A VERY WEAK LAME WOMAN

I TALK TALK TO WOMEN ON A DAILY BASIS–AND MOST FEEL THE SAME WAY MONICA

corn-ethanol is not a mistake, it’s less effective.
It should be used as a first step in switching to renewables, as a step toward cellulosic ethanol. I.o.w. not just use the corn, use the entire plant. And use a plant that yields the highest production of ethanol in that environment.
McCain has opposed that, as he has opposed EVERY proposal that would have benefitted renewable energy

“She was also paid to be mayor.”
Not only that. The town had to hire an administrator to do the actually work.

mayor of such a small town is laughable at best—–a couple of my neighbors were mayor here same size town—-but president or vice pres—–now that is a stretch i would not want to see

if there are any big oil payoffs to palin i just hope she gets caught—–there is something that stinks here

My aunt, in the early 80s, taught refusniks from Russia english – and would help them get accustomed to life in America. On her own. No help. No money from the government. The classes were held in our kitchen.
Yeah, that’s right, she was one of those worthless community organizers.
So I donated $25 in her name to the Obama campaign. Not alot, but it’s what I can spare now.
I voted for McCain in the primaries of 2000. We were part of the New England Sweep that shocked the Bush and Gore campaigns. We made him an honorary Yankee.
I guess now John McCain is only interested in people who have power, and has no time for those who seek to empower others.
Thanks, John. Thanks a lot.

Rodney,
True if you are talking about the whole Chicago. But Obama was only doing community service for a small district of Chicago. So…

Obviously, Republican believes serving the community is irrelevant. Well, since they don’t want my vote, i woon’t ven bother to pay attention to their campaign

george
that wright thing is old and of no signifigance—–i would have no problem with him—he is entitled to say what he thinks.maybe you should read the whole sermon

so if I pass up a good job I desreve to
run for president? Cool
Give it a try rodney. Might be beter than spending the next 60 days on the ropes.

“Very little”
Depends on what’s little. In her time it was around $ 65.000 – $ 70.000

she got that much to be mayor of dogpatch—–must be a little oil money involved

rodney:
“palins experience as the mayor of a small comunity has no revelance at all”
I disagree. She got a lot of training while mayor of Wasilla:
she hired lobbyists and learned it from the Masters, Abramoff; Stevens; you get the drift.
She also got a lot of training with spending taxpayer’s money: spending skyrocketed 63% during her two administrations; she expanded government; and left the community with huge debts.
She learned the ropes of wielding her executive powers there too: fired 4 people because she didn’t like their noses; wanted to ban books in the library; you get the drift.

man. On and on and on and on and on and on it goes.
I was in the Netherlands when they buried their Queen. She got a less dramatic and preposterous introduction.

hmmmm
the obamaniacs are out tonight.
that was my first republican convention.
great speech by McCain.
Obama is a better orator,
but McCain has more to talk about!

1) Obama started the back and forth by referring to her as the Mayor of Wasilly (sic) instead of giving her the respect she was due: she is the sitting Governor of the largest state in the union. Talk about extreme sexism: he would never have dared do that a man.
2) When you call into question her experience as a mayor, then that puts his “experience” as a “community organizer” on the table. People want to compare his work to MLK or Jesus: how laughable. The reality is that it’s more like Al Sharpton.
3) He didn’t do this out of altruism. He got paid for the work. Maybe not as much as a Wall Street job, but: a) we have no proof that he was ever offered one in the first place, and b) he was laying the groundwork for running for office in that district. Just because he was employed by a church (my church as it so happens), doesn’t make it charity. He had extremely selfish reasons for doing it as anyone who has ever actually read his book would see.
It’s no more laudable than my sister going into public accounting for five years so that she could get a six-figure job afterwards. Both are equally mercenary, and neither is a qualification for the presidency.
3) Speaking of reading his book, those who have can tell you that *Barack Obama himself* didn’t hold the position in high regard. To him it was a stepping stone and nothing more. These people trying to make him to be Mother Theresa or something similar evidently are either unwilling or unable to read what the candidate himself has had to say on the subject.
4) In response to some of the commenters here who are twisting Gov. Palin’s words: she has never said that rape is not a crime. It’s a deliberate misreading of “society’s mistakes” to make it say what they want you to believe. An objective reader can figure it out for themselves: the only ones believing this sort of ridiculous tripe are the ones who are writing it.

I AM MCAPPAULED BY HER SARAH PALIN I GAVE HER A CHANCE AND HEARD HER RIDICULE BARACK OBAMA WITH ALL DUE RESPECT OBAMA EARNED HIS 18 MILLION VOTE BY THE AMERICAN PPL PALIN DIDN’T GET BUT ONE VOTE TO RUN AS VICE PRESIDENT
I AM A COUNTER FOR INVENTORY AND THAT PUT FOOD ON MY TABLE AND A ROOF OVER MY HEAD FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER IS SOMEONE THAT HELPED ME GET A HOME TROUGHT THE HABITAT PROGRAM AND THAT’S SOMEONE I OWE A LOT TO I WILL NEVER LOOK DOWN ON THEM EVEN IF I’M TO MAKE MILLIONS IN THE FUTURE.
MY GRANDMA WAS A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER HELPING KIDS GET COATS IN THE WINTER AND WORKING WITH HOSPITALS TO HELP LESS FORTUNATE PPL GET TREATMENT FOR LIFE TERMINATING DISEASE WHEN I HEARD GULIANI AND SARAH MOCK THEM I ALMOST CRIED BECAUSE MY GRANDMA WHO’S NOW IN HEAVEN TOLD ME TO ALWAYS LOOK AFTER YOUR COMMUNITY SHE DEVOTED HER LIFE TO. NOW SHE’S BEING MOCKED AS WELL WHAT A SAD DAY IN POLITICS
GOD WILL SHINE ON OBAMA AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
GOD BLESS