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It's one thing for Barack Obama to have a minister, friend, and sounding board who supports and admires Louis Farrakhan and whose church gave him an award.
It’s another thing for Obama to dissemble about it.
Much as most of us would appreciate the symbolism of a black man ascending to the presidency, what we have in Barack Obama is a slippery politician whose closeness to Wright underscores his radical record. Aside from showing poor judgment, it is inconceivable that Obama could be so close to Wright for more than two decades and not share at least some of his views.
Obama’s longtime ties to Wright, his failure to forthrightly condemn him, and his dissembling on his church’s award to Farrakhan only confirm that Obama is not to be trusted in the White House.
Palestinian people suffer-but from not recognizing Israel
Q: You said recently, "No one is suffering more than the Palestinian people." Do you stand by that remark?
A: Well, keep in mind what the remark actually, if you had the whole thing, said. And what I said is nobody has suffered more than the Palestinian people from the failure of the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel, to renounce violence, and to get serious about negotiating peace and security for the region. Israel is the linchpin of much of our efforts in the Middle East.
Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007
Supports Israel's self-defense; but distrusted by Israelis
The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" convened a panel of experts to assess and track 2008 presidential candidates and evaluate "whom they consider best for Israel." In Sept. 2006, Obama came in dead last, 18th in a field of 18. However, Haaretz also notes that during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, Obama was careful to defend Israel's right to defend itself against Hezbollah's attacks.
Pro: Obama will be uniquely positioned to resolve the Israeli-Arab conflict.
A liberal Democrat who is not trusted by Israeli experts is exactly what the US and the world needs. Only by treating Palestinian rights with dignity can the Middle East problem be resolved.
Con: President Obama will be widely detested in the Muslim world.
If Obama comes to power, it will be on the basis of blending authentic Christian religiosity with an inspiring message of tolerance and diversity. Unfortunately, this message runs exactly opposite to the core values of fundamentalist Islam.
Source: Should Barack Obama Be President?, by Fred Zimmerman, p.64-5 Oct 17, 2006