Obama's Farrakhan Dilemma

Here's what a spokesperson for Democratic Presidential contender Barack Obama said when he got wind of former Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan's virtual endorsement of Obama's White House bid: "Senator Obama has been clear in his objections to Minister Farrakhan's past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister's support." Farrakhan made the glowing tout of Obama at the NOI's annual Savior's Day confab in Chicago. Obama's denunciation of Farrakhan was blunt and pointed. But he did not reject Farrakhan's implied endorsement.

Even after Hillary Clinton publicly demanded that he forcefully reject Farrakhan's endorsement, Obama waffled. He weakly said after more Clinton cajoling that he rejected the endorsement. He still did not mention Farrakhan by name. A candidate shouldn't need to be prodded by his opponent to emphatically reject the endorsement of a controversial, and in the case of Farrakhan, much vilified figure. Obama, of course, does not endorse Farrakhan's views, politics, or his organization, and he has made that clear on more than one occasion.

Yet his failure to flatly say he does not want his endorsement is no surprise. Farrakhan may be a controversial and much vilified figure but he is not a fringe figure within black communities. He is still cheered and admired by thousands of blacks. They are also voters too and most have embraced Obama with almost messianic zeal. This zeal has been a driving force in powering Obama's surge past Clinton. Many blacks are exhilarated by the prospect that a black man will sit in the Oval office. In other words, Obama is a racial fantasy come true for many blacks.

Few blacks publicly demand that he assume the role of a black leader. They have made no demand that he tell what he'll do to boost civil rights protections, fight the HIV/AIDS plague, or take strong positions on the other pressing social issues. It's just as well they haven't since his image is that of the new generation African-American elected official who thinks and speaks as a unifier and consensus builder, not a racial crusader.

However, many blacks quietly expect or at least hope that if he's elected it will be more than a historic first for blacks. They hope that he will be a vigorous proponent of civil rights and social programs. As long as that hope is there their impassioned zeal be for him will be there too. If Obama denounces Farrakhan too strongly that would raise the eyebrows of the thousands of blacks who admire Farrakhan and his organization.

But, if Obama doesn't blast Farrakhan as an anti-white hate monger that could raise questioning eyebrows with many white voters. He can't afford that. He's far exceeded the predictions of many who questioned whether whites would vote for an African-American for president. They have and he has even done what was thought to be even more implausible and that's net considerable backing from white males. They have been rock solid backers of GOP presidents going back to Ronald Reagan. Obama got their support with his open-ended message of change and unity. Farrakhan, then, is the absolute last thing that Obama needs now that he's on a roll with so many diverse voters.

Obama isn't the first politician to face the Farrakhan dilemma. It got Jesse Jackson into momentary hot water during his presidential bid in 1984. Jackson rashly agreed to let the NOI briefly handle some of his security. That drew howls that Jackson was in bed with Farrakhan. Jackson backpedaled fast and dropped the NOI as part of his security. That didn't stop the loud grumbles that Jackson as a presidential candidate was too cozy with Farrakhan. But Jackson did not denounce Farrakhan. He stayed mute in part out of his stubborn insistence that no one should tell him who could support him, and in bigger part with an eye on the black vote.

Obama is closing in on a place in history. If he wins the March 4 Texas and Ohio primaries, his fierce nomination battle with Clinton will be virtually over. The movement will be irresistible among Democrats to nominate him and that will evaporate the Democrat's worst fear, namely a fractured convention, split between the two warring Obama and Clinton factions. A divided party would be a lethal blow to the Democrat's chances to take back the White House.

But Obama also knows that he doesn't just need black votes. Any Democratic presidential contender will get the majority of black votes. That was the case with Democratic presidential contenders Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004. Both still lost. He needs blacks to turn his drive to the White House into a crusade. They must make a spirited and massive rush to the polls. Farrakhan can help insure that some of that spirit and some of those numbers are there. Obama can't publicly applaud him for doing that. But he can't totally reject him either. That's Obama's Farrakhan dilemma.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is The Ethnic Presidency: How Race Decides the Race to the White House (Middle Passage Press, February 2008). ethnicpresidency.com

Comments

[marilynj]

Obama's comments, his speeches, are made of illelevant conclusions--based upon emotion, not logic. Why are voters deceived by Obama's fallacies? Do you think that there is a difference between being endorsed by, and belonging to a church and being actively involved in its ministries? How about if the prior religious belief was something other than Christian?

[elford]

Hi Earl, I agree that it's a dilemma that murdoch’s nuts could have a field day with. First, I’ve got “white skin” and I’ve always admired Louis for having the stones to speak the way he has. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe he’s ever described Israel as “holy” and your not likely to hear me either. There are more than a few leaders of all colors that need to be corrected on that point. Israel and it’s orthodoxy poison all attempts to evolve into a just society. Where there is no justice there is no peace. ( I’m not muslim but I can agree with all who stand against zionism’s fraudulent claim to know “God.” Christianity’s bastard jews don’t have a clue either.

The doctrine of equality is what’s needed. Everything else is bunk.

[MinuteMan]

This whole notion about rejecting an endorsement is rather silly but so is much of what goes on in American campaigns. If a candidate uses an endorsement then he assumes some responsibility for it; otherwise an endorsement is just someone expressing their opinion.

Without the public acceptance of an endorsement it is entirely an asymmetrical thing and it remains so if the candidate ignores the endorsement.

[hinnis]

Anyone who wants to know just how honest Obama is, look at this news report from Canadian television. By the way, it's pathetic that we Americans have to rely on foreign news sources for the truth about our own campaigns.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LtbLEKHsi0

[MinuteMan]

Rest assured that if the story has any credible negative impact against a Democratic candidate it will be all over the OM soon. The real question is whether it is credible.

[hinnis]

I agree this it will be shown to the American public, but probably not until Obama has won the nomination.

[GwenElle]

I find the report in this youtube video to be totally lacking in credibility. Who is this so called 'Obama operative' shown in the video but not identified by name? Can't say that whoever this 'operative' is was seeking anonymity, why show his face if he were.

If this kind of thing is what we are going to be basing our judgments and decisions on throughtout this election process, then this country is worse off that I thought.

Can anybody say swift boaters.

[hinnis]

GwenElle: You could be right. Obama, of course, has denied the allegations, but so has the Canadian Embassy. The Canadian network, however, says they still stand by the story and that the information is accurate. It looks like this is going to be one of those 60 Minutes "did Bush go AWOL" story, where we never really know the truth.

[hinnis]

Several posters have noted that Obama is a Christian and he belongs to a Christian Church. The pastor of Trinity United Church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who believes in Black Liberation Theology, likes to throw around the name of James Cone a lot when it comes to his theology. Here are just a couple of James Cone's quotes: (1) "To be Christian is to be one of those whom God has chosen. God has chosen black people." [Black Theology and Black Power, pp. 139-140]. (2) "It is my thesis that Black Power, even in its most radical expression, is not the antithesis of Christianity, nor is it a heretical idea to be tolerated with painful forbearance. It is, rather, Christ's central message to the twentieth-century America." [Black Theology and Black Power, p. 1]. (3) "The most corrupting influence among the black churches was their adoption of the 'white lie' that Christianity is primarily concerned with an other world reality." [Black Theology and Black Power, p. 121] ***** The focal concern or center of black theology is the white oppression of blacks. Therefore, the usual theological discussions about God, Christ, and salvation are much less relevant. Although I respect anyones right to belong to any religion they wish, this does not sound like a positive form of "Christianity" for any of those who are not members of the "chosen people." And, maybe Obama needs to be a little more candid about his true religious beliefs.

[MinuteMan]

So we should be afraid of Obama because the pastor of his church has occasionally referred to someone who has made some outrageous quotes. The above post follows the smear-by-innuendo template to a tee.

[hinnis]

No, we should be concerned about Obama because his mentor and spiritual advisor, Rev. Wright, preaches black liberation theology, and Obama has not been up front to the American public about it. When Romney ran, he was honest about the fact that he belonged to a particular branch of Christianity called Mormonism. When John Kennedy ran, he was honest about the fact that he was a Catholic. Why doesn't Obama say that he belongs to a church that believes in black liberation theology. I think the public has a right to know about these beliefs, because as you say, some of them are "crazy."

[LeoMarvin]

The dilemma Earl describes applies to pretty much every politician whose base is outside the center of establishment power. The more you have to pull in support from fringe constituencies, the more likely some politically radioactive characters have already camped out there, exerting influence in the vacuum that develops where mainstream politicians ignore.

I'm Jewish and I won't pretend I'm at all OK with Farrakhan's views on Jews and Judaism. But his comments over the last few years do suggest his antagonism is diminishing. To be clear, his statements are still anti-Semitic, but they may be no worse than the anti-gay, anti-Muslim, anti-illegal immigrant attitudes expressed by the right wing Christian leaders George Bush routinely entertains at the White House. And though those Christian leaders haven't yet warmed up to John McCain, it's not for his lack of sucking up to them.

Barack is right to denounce Farrakhan's offensive views and dissociate himself from Farrakhan's support. But having done that, he has less to apologize for than Bush or McCain do, both of whom actively court the endorsement of the now deceased Falwell, of Robertson, of Dobson, etc.

[uheardme]

Pat Buchanan is a white supremacist and neo-confederate. Will GE, Tim Russert, and MSNBC denounce him?

[trailrunner9]

Pat Buchanan is not running for the presidency. He does not have to answer to the voters. Barck Obama does and my guess is many of the white electorate if not the black electorate will find the association to Obama's church disturbing with its link to Farakan.

According to your philosophy, Pat Buchanan has hateful and devisive philosophy, so why not Obama's church? Again, it's not the church, it's Obama's choice to be a member and someone who espouses the influence of his very controversial minister.

[kentay305]

pat might not be close to the center as we all think he should be but on mclaughlin these past few months hes given some good advice about obamas campaign and i do see pat in a different light... i enjoy him on that show and he said before the primaries got on the way that he just needs to campaign and stay center and do exactly what obama is doing now with farrakhan put some distance between them and keep on going...

the black leaders arent fools to make conflict when they see a true possibility of progress for civil rights in obama... they know if obama is too chummy with his own folk that the image that will be spread by the news media will be obamas a black candidate instead of just a "candidate for the people". like clarence page said about this same issue with obama and the other black leaders... there are the treeshakers and the jellymakers... some raise hell... just to allow the others to sink into the system... thats not obamas job to fight every fight and notice every piece of racism sexism etc in the US... when he gets in office he can do the most...those ideas that the black leaders and officials and poor people want him to do.. and it will be done...

[iswearington]

why don't they ask arnold swartzenegger to renounce his best friend kurt waldheim...who was the secretary general of the united nations before they found out he was a waffen ss knozentrazionslager kommandant responsible for the deaths of 10 s of thousands of jews and others? when aahrnoold was asked why he did not repudiate waldheim...he mumbled something about redemption...on his way to signing tookie williams death warrant. what a crock. what is this...just a white mans game and no one else is allowed to play?better yet why don't we ask politicians from the south to renounce the confederate flag? why should obama renounce a man who fought against racism and for civil rights...when no one is asked to denounce the racists farrakan fought against.if you want to know what real racism is...go to israel and talk to the bedouins...falashas and tauregs. they will tell something to you.

[factanonverba]

Pat Buchanan is neither a white supremacist nor a neo-confederate. He does not even hail from the South. You may dislike his anti-immigrant stance as I do but don't go making stuff up.

[LeoMarvin]

His obnoxious views go a lot further than just his hostility to illegals, but you're right that he's not a white supremacist or a neo-confederate. He's a xenophobic populist paleocon.

[WillBFair]

I wouldn't vote for race or gender, and it's startling to see how many people would. I know the difference between logic and rhetoric. And I'm surprised at people who are so easily manipulated by pretty words. I also know the difference between empty smears and factual reasoning. And it's been weird seeing Obama's supporters actually copying the media's shallow insults.
I vote for knowledge and skill, and Obama's ideas reveal an amatuer. His interests in healthcare and reaching across the aisle were devised by the Clintons in the early 90s. Neither has been possible until now, and it creeps me right out that he can steal ideas so casually. His plan to reform camapigns is hopelessly naive. His wish to entertain the dictators may not be so great; or maybe he should have a party, with balloons and beer and a torture chamber, for every tin horn dictator from here to North Korea. His Change mantra is laughable. He has not been an agent of change in government simply because he doesn't yet have the cunning. He has been in cautious mode so far, and after the election, he will be wasting time trying to keep the ridiculous promises he's made pandering to the young. Times beign what they are, he should be able to get something done.
The Clintons have already made a ton of change, not to mention progress for minorities. And they did it in a hostile environment. What they could accomplish in the present environment is off the scale.
We'll probably never know. And the younger generation will never have the pleasure of watching them dodge and weave, and formulate the most brilliant policies imaginable.
It was really all over 3 months ago, when the media smear campaign started. And it's still going at full throttle. But I would never have guessed that so many people actually listen to that junk. I know better now.

[uheardme]

Hillary Clinton's healthcare plan belonged to and was implemented by Mitt Romney. Now go away.

[BrooklynLager]

Yay!!!!


I wanna hear the part about how the Clintons invented happiness again.

[coloneblog]

The great sin being perpetrated by the media on the American people is not in taking sides in the presidential campaign [while it does take sides], the great sin is in the media giving hope to the notion that either a woman or a man of color can now become President. On the 4th of November, the hopes and dreams of millions of Americans will be dashed when another white man somehow becomes president. Let's not fool ourselves, we're just a few months shy of 8 years from the time the US Supreme Court blindly appointed the most intellectually challenged and ill prepared president in US history.

[LeoMarvin]

Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophesy? Just keep saying nothing good can happen. If you manage to discourage enough people before November, maybe you'll be right! But you've got your work cut out for you, because a lot of us are very determined to create a different, better result this time. Think you're up to dampening that much enthusiasm? I guess we'll see.

[RichLiberal]

I think Hillary's best chance now is to step aside and allow Obama to drive his train into the ditch he talked about last night.

Assuming his general support has been to get Hillary out of the race, I fully expect that support to now start taking a fresh look at McCain.

America will be faced with McCain, a former POW, who has shown that he can support the American military in Iraq under extremely difficult conditions, he is an apparent steady soldier who at least on the surface can be trusted not to do anything particularly stupid, and he has a long history in American politics, is every newcaster, like Tim Russert's best friend, he's a Republican who can soften the damage done by GW Bush, etc. etc.

It's easy to see, that if the objective of the press was to dump Hillary, and use Obama as the vehicle, that they can just as easily dump Obama in the blink of an eye. It won't take long for this Farrakhan thing to get some legs if the media chooses to latch on and scare the bj out of everyone.

Dumping Obama for the MSM will be a slam dunk, not nearly as difficult as dumping Hillary who actually had some credentials and a track record on which she has been running. Obama is going to last about 20 seconds max, once the MSM decides to turn on him.

Between his waffling remarks on whether the US has some "special" place in the world, to his wife's remarks about never having been proud of this country until she thought she could be first lady, and to now this Farrakhan thing, his campaign and reputation is poised to be scrambled eggs in a blink of the MSM's eye.

Whether that is their choice or not is TBD, but if it is, goodbye Obama. And there will be many thanks that us Hillary supporters will owe to you Obama supporters for doing the dirty work of the Republicans and delivering John McCain to the White House.

[EngineerBill]

RichLiberal, over here on planet earth, McCain will have more than enough reason to worry. He will be facing a man who consistently opposed this senseless war in Iraq. McCain will be facing a man who will get us out of Iraq 99 years sooner than he would. McCain will be facing a man who offers hope instead of fear. And all the Michelle Obama gaffes and Farrakan endorsements won't mean squat.

[kennedy]

EngineerBill

So very,very naive. If Obama snakes into the the nomination he loses in a landslide. Almost all of Hillary supporters wouldn't trust your cult GOD with a mile long pole.

Obama has lost so move on with your life. Because Obama won't remember you from Adam when he is sitting in his mansion in ILL. that Rezko helped him pay for.

[kennedy]

Giving a speech when your not even in the senate to vote for the war in the first place means less than nothing.

Using it years later to gain political points and try to get elected president is pitiful and shows how little of a person you are.

Once elected to the senate then asked by reporters how you would have voted for the Iraq war then you say I don't know, is how
you really felt.

Once votes started coming around about funding the Iraq war, Obama votes yes for the Iraq funding. Obama was showing his true colors. And Obama voted yes for the Iraq funding over and over and over again. That is when he didn't vote "NO VOTE" that is.

Obama has been proven over and over and over again to be a two faced L I A R! And he wants to be President of the United States. Cousin Bush has already filled that role the last eight years. Jack a-- has been filled by his other cousin Cheney. And who in the world wants a third Bush in the WH????

[factanonverba]

I've never voted anything but Democratic and I ain't voting for Obama.

[hrayovac]

RichLiberal:

Delusional.

I know no one likes to be told they're out of their mind so sorry, but some of us are so separated from the concept of democracy that when it actually starts happening they don't recognize it..even when it's biting them on the butt.

First Los Angeles Obama rally, 10 days after his announcemnt exactly one year ago:

10,000 people take off work and show up to hear him speak in a park on a weekday afternoon. I was there.

It may be that it's been so long since we had representational government that many are too young to know what it's like or what it means in terms of your daily life and the well being of the nation.

I certainly hope, RichLiberal you are one of the "before your time" young ones who just don't know any better.

[kennedy]

Your voting for a cult god and you think others are out of their minds? You are the insane cult member down on his knees kissing Obamas butt every single day.

And I have been at rallys from the start of Hillarys campaign until now that had a he!! of allot more than 10,000 people.

And I have been to a Obama rally and he is boring as he!!. I thought I got lost and went to church. He says the same thing over and over and over again. So boring. I have never heard anyone that runs his mouth so much yet in the end, I leave knowing less than when I went in. And using that southern accent to pretend he is MLK is uncalled for. I grew up in the south and we find that sort of thing insulting.

Obama needs to stop trying to be everyone else. Everyone in the world knows the only reason anyone tries to be someone else to the point he does, is because he has nothing to offer. He is an empty site. Just because you people can't see it doesn't make it any less true. He has no merits to stand on or he would do it.

JFK, RFK, MLK, Lincoln are all great men that did great things for their country. Obama is not a great man and he has never done anything great for America. So give me break. He is no ones hero. These men are thought of as heros. And it wasn't until after they died that their great status grew. And it ticks a he!! of allot of us off that your cult people continue to lie about Obama in this way. It is stomach turning. And that is one among hundreds of reasons we would never, never, never vote for your cult god. There goes another delusional.

[kennedy]

My family, friends and I work off butts off to help get Hillary elected President. We donate, GOTV by going door to door and calling the great people of Ohio, Texas, RI and Vermont. If you have time go to www.hillaryclinton.com and help out if you can. Hillary appreciates everyones time and effort for her.

We show Obama everyday that America is not a dictatorship. Everyone has a chance in America to vote for whomever they choose. And millions upon millions have voted for Hillary and will vote for Hillary in the upcoming states.

The only way we would stop is when someone has the delegates to win. And from what we have seen that is a long way away. We don't see a nominee being picked until the convention. No one will have the delegates before then.

My family, friends and I can see the writing on the wall with Obama and we know the mess as president he would leave America in. From everything we have seen and heard from him we believe he could very well be worse than his cousin Bush. And there is no chance in the world we would not work our butts off to keep that from happening again to America. Hillary and Obama are close in delegates. And she still has more super delegates than him.


And if by a miracle Obama slides into the nomination he will never be president like you said. Him and his people have spit on Hillary and her supporters so many times I have lost count. And they think they can call Hillary and us (KKK) and we will still back Obama. For millions upon millions of us no way in he!!.
No matter what Obama will never be president.
I hope Obama and his people enjoy their own vemon. No group of people deserve it more.

[factanonverba]

Read this by Matt Gonzalez, the former Mayoral Candidate in San Francisco. You will love it.

http://www.beyondchron.org/articles/The_Obama_Craze_Count_Me_Out_5413.html

I will donate to Hillary.

[MajMike]

Did you actually listen to the debate? He did everything but call Farrakhan right then and tell him to piss off, 'reject' and 'denounce' are very strong terms if they still mean the same thing.

[kennedy]

Obama didn't do that. Russert asked him if he would. He said no.

[tlthies]

MajMike - O'Bama clearly said he rejected/denounced Farrakhan's support, but if he is so opposed to Farrakhan, how can he continue to go to a church ministered by one of Farrakhan's leading supporters? If you truly rejected the ideas of Farrakhan would you be married by this minister and support his ministry. O'Bama has cleverly disguised his true beliefs though his wife wears hers on her sleeve. Why have we been duped until now? The Republican Swift Boat Machine will blow this very serious problem totally out of the water and we'll be left with another rotten Republican administration. Why don't Democrats WAKE UP before it is too late?

[HypocrisyAlarm]

tlthies, I utterly revile the 'publican party. Yet, my parents are both 'publicans. Should my parents and I disown one another because we have deep political disagreements? Despite their (to my mind) misguided political affiliations and some rather blatant racism, they are two very fine people who I know would never mistreat anyone for any reason including his/her race.

I find your expectation that Obama should abandon his church family (a church consists of more than one pastor and one member) because said minister supports a controversial figure looks like you find him guilty by his secondhand association with that figure THROUGH another individual.

I just can't buy your reasoning.

[skinsqb17]

Should McCain denounce the confederate flag? Just a thought......

[trailrunner9]

Absolutely, he should. It's a symbol of vile hate and oppression to many people that have suffered under its symbol. Anything less is disgraceful.

[MAGLATINA]

HE SHOULD. PERIOD.

[hinnis]

Several posters have noted that Obama is a Christian and he belongs to a Christian Church. The pastor of Trinity United Church, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, who believes in Black Liberation Theology, likes to throw around the name of James Cone a lot when it comes to his theology. Just a couple of James Cone's quotes: "To be Christian is to be one of those whom God has chosen. God has chosen black people." [Black Theology and Black Power, pp. 139-140]. "It is my thesis that Black Power, even in its most radical expression, is not the antithesis of Christianity, nor is it a heretical idea to be tolerated with painful forbearance. It is, rather, Christ's central message to the twentieth-century America." [Black Theology and Black Power, p. 1]. "The most corrupting influence among the black churches was their adoption of the 'white lie' that Christianity is primarily concerned with an other world reality." [Black Theology and Black Power, p. 121] The focal concern or center of black theology is the white oppression of blacks. Therefore, the usual theological discussions about God, Christ, and salvation are much less relevant. Although I respect anyones right to belong to any religion they wish, this does not sound like a positive form of "Christianity" for any of who are not members of the "chosen people."

[Brainspore]

What's he supposed to say? "I think Farrakhan should support a different candidate and anyone who agrees with him should support someone else?"

I don't see Hillary rejecting her newfound support from Ann Coulter, or McCain turning away votes from rabid radio talk show hosts.

[JohnFromCensornati]

I don't see how it's actually possible to reject an endorsement.
Seems to me that his campaign said what they needed to say.