More On Michelle Obama and Her Values

Political Night Train found the following interesting, especially when compared to Michelle Obama’s Princeton thesis.  In her thesis Michelle seemed to struggle with whether to go for the “white” value of a high paying corporate job, or to work to support her black community.  She went on to conclude that the more a black is educated at a white institution such as Princeton, and exposed to white values, the more likely a black person is assume those values and place less value on helping lower class blacks.  Michelle seemed quite disappointed when her thesis supported the notion that blacks graduating from Princeton pick up many white values.Looks like Michelle picked up some of those white values, but now, in Oprah-style, wants everyone else to abandon their hopes for a good education and a high paying job.  Liberals always know better than you what’s best for you.As Political Night Train has said, ones values are largely fixed by the age one typically graduates from college.  Now, how many of Michelle’s core values are reflected in those of Trinity Church and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright?Michelle’s thesis can be found here at Political Night Train.Michelle Obama: “Don’t Go Into Corporate America”   [Byron York]I have a new story today about Michelle Obama’s visit to Zanesville, Ohio, where she met with a group of women at a local day care center.  According to the U.S. Census, Muskingum County, where Zanesville is located, had a median household income of $37,192 in 2004, below both the Ohio and national averages.  Just 12.2 percent of adults in the county have a bachelor’s degree or higher, also well below the state and national averages.  About 20 percent don’t have a high school degree.  Nevertheless, Mrs. Obama urged them to foreswear lucrative professions like corporate law or hedge fund management and go into the helping industry, even if the sacrifice is great:As she has many times in the past, Mrs. Obama complains about the lasting burden of student loans dating from her days at Princeton and Harvard Law School. She talks about people who end up taking years and years, until middle age, to pay off their debts. “The salaries don’t keep up with the cost of paying off the debt, so you’re in your 40s, still paying off your debt at a time when you have to save for your kids,” she says.“Barack and I were in that position,” she continues. “The only reason we’re not in that position is that Barack wrote two best-selling books… It was like Jack and his magic beans. But up until a few years ago, we were struggling to figure out how we would save for our kids.” A former attorney with the white-shoe Chicago firm of Sidley & Austin, Obama explains that she and her husband made the choice to give up lucrative jobs in favor of community service. “We left corporate America, which is a lot of what we’re asking young people to do,” she tells the women. “Don’t go into corporate America. You know, become teachers. Work for the community. Be social workers. Be a nurse. Those are the careers that we need, and we’re encouraging our young people to do that. But if you make that choice, as we did, to move out of the money-making industry into the helping industry, then your salaries respond.” Faced with that reality, she adds, “many of our bright stars are going into corporate law or hedge-fund management.”

What she doesn’t mention is that the helping industry has treated her pretty well. In 2006, the Chicago Tribune reported that Mrs. Obama’s compensation at the University of Chicago Hospital, where she is a vice president for community affairs, jumped from $121,910 in 2004, just before her husband was elected to the Senate, to $316,962 in 2005, just after he took office. And that does not count the money Mrs. Obama receives from serving on corporate boards. She would have been O.K. even without Jack’s magic beans.

Mrs. Obama also bemoaned the amount of money she has to spend — nearly one-third of the median household income in Zanesville — on piano, dance, and other lessons for her two children.  But she was grateful for the concern her husband’s supporters have shown for her. “Everywhere I go, no matter what, the women in the audience, their first question for me is, ‘How on earth are you managing it, how are you keeping it all together?'” she told the women.

 

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=OTViZjhhNGI1Y2QxYjE0ZDc0YmMwMjJiNmUyZjQ3MmU=

 

Michelle Obama’s Princeton Thesis – Four PDFs

Michelle Obama Thesis – Part 4

Michelle Obama Thesis – Part 3

Michelle Obama Thesis – Part 1

Michelle Obama Thesis – Part 2

Michelle Obama’s Princeton Thesis – Her Black Values Revealed?

Michelle Obama’s senior thesis at Princeton was on the attitudes of black Princeton alumni and attempted to examine the following issues:

 

>Extent to which black alumni are comfortable interacting with black and whites

>Extent to which black alumni are motivated to benefit black communities in comparison to other things, such as themselves, their families, etc.

>The ideologies black alumni hold with respect to race relations between blacks and whites

>Feelings black alumni have toward the black lower class, such as feelings of obligation that they should help improve the lives of this particular group of blacks.

 

On Page 2 of her thesis, Michelle Obama states that regardless of her education, integration, assimilation into white culture, she will always be on the periphery of society, never becoming a full participant.

 

Michelle goes on to say she has acquired some white conservative values, namely getting accepted at a prestigious graduate school and getting a high paying corporate job.

 

Further along in her thesis, Michelle Obama argues for the Stokely Carmichael, or Black Power position that black must first close ranks, take pride in their blackness and black value system, before entering society as a whole. 

 Carmichael, Malcolm X and the Black Power Movement espoused a black first doctrine.  They wanted nothing less than a black nation within a nation.  This was seen as the means to gain political and economic power equal to that of whites. 

Michelle Obama then goes on to bemoan the separation of black studies from white studies.

 The way black studies were handled by Princeton in the mid-80’s may well have been a function of how the liberal Princeton professors and administrators buying into, and promoting the values of Carmichael and the Black Power Movement. 

On Page 26, Michelle Obama draws the conclusion that the more blacks interact with whites on an intellectual level, the less likely those blacks will value helping poor blacks.

 

Does this mean white values corrupt black values?

 

Michelle goes on in her thesis to say that the more blacks become integrated or assimilated into society as a whole, the less motivated those blacks are to benefit the black community and the less positive their attitudes toward lower class blacks.  She goes on to state that as blacks have become more integrated into white society, the more blacks have lost touch with black culture, with some blacks becoming so removed from their culture that they feel ashamed of that culture.

 

Michelle Obama had hoped that her findings would conclude that as a result of black’s time at Princeton, and despite a high degree of identification with white society, black Princeton alumni would maintain a level of identification with the black community and values.  Her findings did not support this possibility.

 Michelle Obama’s senior thesis would have come at a time in her life when her attitudes, values and view of the world would mostly be fixed.  Is her thesis a reflection of why she was attracted to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Trinity Church.  Does her thesis reflect deep seated feelings about whites and society as a whole.  And is this the basis for Michelle Obama not being proud of her country, until now?

Michelle Obama – Basis for Her “Not Proud” Statement

In Milwaukee on Monday, Michelle Obama said: “Let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country. ”

Michelle Obama’s views of her country were shaped first by her experiences in college and law school, but most importantly, by her long-term exposure to the teachings of her church.  Don’t believe her church teachings shape members opinions, take a hard look at the web site for Trinity Church and their values.

The following are directly from the site:

We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian… Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain “true to our native land,” the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community.

The Pastor as well as the membership of Trinity United Church of Christ is committed to a 10-point Vision:

1. A congregation committed to ADORATION.
2. A congregation preaching SALVATION.
3. A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
4. A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.
5. A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
6. A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
7. A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
8. A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
9. A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
10. A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.

http://www.tucc.org/about.htm

Hillary Clinton – Bill Is Not A Racist

Political Night Train notes that Hillary’s comments in New Orleans do notdeny that Bill Clinton’s statements in South Carolina are racist.  Hillary says Bill may have meant what he said, or not, and that his words may or may not have been misinterpeted.  The issues in not so much whether the Clinton’s are racists, but that they are more than willing to use racist issues to win over voters.  Race baiting is more often used by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as a means to an end.  Now Bill Clinton has placed himself and his standing with Democrats with those who will use any tactic, including racism.

Clinton Offers Regrets for Spouse’s Remarks

By Julie Bosman

NEW ORLEANS – Appearing before a predominantly black audience here Saturday afternoon, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton defended her husband’s legacy on race relations and offered an apology of sorts for comments he made in South Carolina several weeks ago that many people viewed as racially insensitive.

In a question-and-answer session after her speech at the State of the Black Union event, Mrs. Clinton was asked by Tavis Smiley, the host of the event, how she felt about “what some termed racial comments” by Mr. Clinton.

“I think there are enough of you here today who know him personally and know his heart,” she said, then stopped for a long pause. “If anyone was offended about anything that was said, whether it was meant or not, whether it was misinterpreted or not, then obviously I regret that.”

Last month, Mr. Clinton was criticized widely for comparing Senator Barack Obama’s victory in South Carolina to Jesse Jackson’s primary wins there, which depended heavily on demographics and Mr. Jackson’s African-American support. “Jesse Jackson won South Carolina in ‘84 and ‘88,” Mr. Clinton told an audience in Columbia, S.C. “Jackson ran a good campaign. And Obama ran a good campaign here.”

Mrs. Clinton’s brief appearance in New Orleans was not a traditional campaign stop, considering that Louisiana has already held its contest – on Feb. 9 – and voted decisively for Mr. Obama, who won by 22 points.

According to a campaign spokesman, Mrs. Clinton had agreed to attend the event after bumping into Mr. Smiley several weeks ago in Los Angeles.

That was before she racked up 11 straight losses in primary states. So while Mrs. Clinton may not have anticipated that she would still be furiously campaigning at this point, she kept her promise to appear, squeezing it in to a planned 18-hour day that will take her from Ohio to New Orleans to Houston to Washington, D.C.

Her campaign announced Saturday afternoon that she would hold a last-minute town hall event in Houston with Representative Sheila Jackson-Lee Saturday evening.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/02/23/clinton-offers-regrets-for-spouses-remarks/

How Hillary Wins – Open Advice from Political Night Train

How Hillary Wins Hillary Clinton is down, but not out.  Can she be the next Clinton “Come Back Kid”?  And how does she do it.  Many weeks ago, before the Iowa caucus, Political Night Train set out a strategy whereby Hillary would go negative on John Edwards, rather than Obama.  The strategy was designed to draw off much of Edwards support.  Seems no one in the Clinton campaign took our open advice, and now they long for those delegates that are pledged to Edwards.  Had Clinton gone extremely negative on Edwards, she would now be ahead, may have won a few additional states, could have avoided having Bill Clinton inject the “race” issue in South Carolina.  As a side thought, Bill Clinton’s injection of racism probably did more to damage Hillary personally than any other single event.  Although the Clinton’s are most likely not out-and-out racists, they are perfectly capable of using racism to win an election.  This willingness to use racism went down bad with black leaders, and blacks in general, not to mention whites.  Just when a young generation of whites were willing to go to the polls and say race doesn’t matter, along comes an old fart like Bill Clinton to say race does matter. So how does Hillary win in Texas and Ohio?  Hillary’s last chance, and Political Night Train’s open advice to her campaign is to go negative not on Barack Obama, but on Michelle Obama.  What you say?  Yes, go very negative on Michelle.  Hillary should use herself as an example and say that Michelle would be overly influencing on a Barack Obama administration.  Point out the statements that Michelle has made about whites, especially those ignored by the main stream media during the days in Iowa.  Point out the significant influence the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Trinity Church has had on Michelle.  Point out that Michelle’s agenda is blacks only, blacks first, at the expense of other minority groups. Hammer over and over again how Michelle would overly influence Barack to put a black agenda ahead of all other issues.  Everything in an Obama administration would be tinged with black overtones.  All as the expense of other minorities.  This strategy would work since Bill Clinton has already introduced the racism issue.  Hillary would have to use her shills, people like James Carville to promote these stories while she stays above the fray.  In other words, Hillary needs to Swift Boat Michelle Obama.  Hillary could even use Michelle’s senior thesis at Princeton against her. 

Hillary Clinton Violates Campaign Finance Laws???

Political Night Train believes the following by is one of the most telling articles yet.  Think about it for a moment, a President who cannot effectively manage the money that Congress appropriates to the Government (remember Jimmy Carter).  A President who maintians an illegal slush fund (shades of Nixon).  A President who appoints senior staff that can not manage a 500 person organization (Solis Doyle).  A President who appoints cabinet members who can not, and will not agree on policy (Penn, Ickes, Grunwald).  A President who does not respect the wishes of the voters (Clinton’s plan to steal super delegates). Following by Brent Budowsky I predict that we will ultimately learn, in future disclosures, that the Hillary Clinton campaign today is functionally bankrupt. I predict we will also learn that she has loaned her campaign more money than has yet been disclosed. With the latest revelations of Clinton friends and close supporters creating an independent campaign fund, which will ultimately be found to have violated campaign finance laws, we now see the union of dirty tactics, dirty money and desperation. Let’s call it what it is: a Clinton slush fund run by close for the purpose of attempting to saturate the airwaves with negative attacks that a near bankrupt campaign can no longer afford to fund themselves. Lets be direct: the more Hillary Clinton keeps escalating her desperate demolition attacks, folks like myself will have no choice but to respond bluntly and directly because of the damage she is doing to the Democratic Party, not to mention her own future. Hillary Clinton as CEO has been a disaster who has mismanaged more than $100 million, mismanaged whatever one calls her message, mismanaged political strategy, mismanaged political tactics, and when voters reject her tactics and message, she is reduced to trying overturn the verdict of voters, and because her campaign money has been mismanaged, her friends have to create an independent slush fund using dirty money to finance dirty attacks. It is wrong enough for a candidate who has so failed to excite the voters to be reduced to nothing more than a negative attack machine against the candidate who lifts voters through true leadership. Now the dirty tactics must be financed through dirty money in what I call a slush fund and what I predict the law will call a violation of campaign finance laws. Hillary Clinton has learned nothing from the failures of her campaign. This effort is doomed. This campaign will soon be over. This slush fund of independent money to dump negative sludge on the airwaves will be seen by political historians as one of the last gasps of a sad campaign that began as a coronation and will end as a fiasco. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brent-budowsky/the-hillary-clinton-slush_b_87833.html

Huma Abedin

Huma Abedin is Hillary Clinton’s very attractive female aide, confidant, and with her nearly 24/7.  For those who can phone Hillary directly, they know that no matter the hour, day or night, Huma will answer the phone.  If she judges your call to be sufficiently important, Hillary will be on the phone minutes, if not seconds later, even at 2:00 am.  Huma is the subject of rumours from both the right and LEFT.  Yes, even the left.  There are many Hillary-haters on the left also.  Web site WorldNetDaily had a commentary about how the Clintons might undo John McCain, but went on to speculate that McCain supporters would fight back by outing Hillary’s bisexual, lesbian affair with Huma. 

Will Larry Flynt Dump On Hillary Clinton?

This story just won’t go away, that Larry Flynt has the dirt on a sitting Senator in a lesbian relationship.  Apparently Larry keeps saying he has the story and plans to go to press.  The LA Times is supposed to have the story also.

Does anyone know if this story has leggs, or is it just another net rumor?

Hillary Defeated

Anyone who watched the debate in Austin last night saw a defeated Hillary Clinton.  From body language to her tone, to her dress, to her hand movements, all pointed to one conclusion:  Hillary has defeated herself. She still has the poise to hold her head high, chin up by an average of one inch by my calculation, slightly higher than in past months.  But a chin up attitude gives away her inner feelings of defeat.  This is a woman defeated.  During the debate Hillary’s tone ranged from the slightly shrill to very flat.  She became shrill in her brief attacks on Obama, and flat when trying to recount her experience.  There was little of her “yelling” at an audience, the same tone your 3^rd Grade teacher used when the entire class was talking at once.  Remember how she goes, “YOU……KNOW……, I…….HAVE……..ALWAYS………BEEN……..PASIONATE……..ABOUT……..HEALTH……..CARE!

There were attempts at softening her tone, most likely due to coaching from Mandy.  But it was too much, and unlike her normal tone which has a touch of anger in it.

 

Hillary’s body language was also a give away.  She’s tired, both physically from the campaign as well as mentally.  While Obama sat upright and erect, Hillary seemed to slump, either forward when talking, or to the right when Obama was talking.  When using hand gestures, her elbows often rested on the desk, forearms at 45 degrees, her hands waving from side to side.  Even her hands drooped a bit at the wrist.  In an effort to appear as tall as possible, her chair was probably at it’s maximum height, leaving her feet dangling.  The most telling moment here was at the end of the debate when Obama rose and pulled Hillary’s chair back.  Hillary just went along for the ride since her feet didn’t touch the floor. 

 

Hillary’s dress was somber, a reflection on her inner feelings.  Gone was any hint of bright color that could have reflected her inner mood.

 

These are all the signs of a woman inwardly defeated, but not willing to give up the fight.  This has been a characteristic of the Clinton’s and one that served Bill well over the years.  But where Bill had the benefit of internally pushing himself to go the next round, after a spell of self-loathing and self-pity.  Bill could let his inner rage build, keep it contained, then let it burst forth with a new round of energy that was generally unexpected by his opponents.  Hillary does not have those characteristics.  Controlling and conniving, Hillary wants to do battle, not for the victory, but for the total defeat of her opponent.

 

On the issue of experience:  Neither Obama nor Hillary has sufficient experience to be President.  Yet when faced with this issues, voters are choosing Obama and seem to be saying that he has enough experience for them.  As for Hillary, her outrageous claims of experience are seen by voters as just that, outrageous.  If Hillary had been just a bit more reasonable in her claims of experience, maybe, just maybe, she would win this issue.  But no, in Hillary’s mind she must provide overwhelming evidence to counter what little experience Obama presents.

 

No knockout punch from Obama.  When the opportunity arose for a sharp body shot, namely Hillary ill advised plan to freeze mortgages, Obama did not deliver the expected blow.  In fact, CNN went so far as to prevent Obama from offering a response, and went to an untimely break.  When the debate returned, Obama, probably wisely, did not return to the issue.  However, later in the debate the issue came up briefly and again Obama missed an opportunity.  This lead some credence to the notion that Obama does not have the political killer instinct to take it to his opponent.  This is a serious character flaw that will hurt him in the general election.

 

The expected attack on Obama never came.  Pundits have speculated for weeks now that Hillary’s last line of defense is to attack Obama.  But her senior staff don’t seem to know how to do this.  Obama has acted like a jelly fish and absorbed all of Hillary’s darts, arrows and daggers.  They seem to strike, go in, but don’t cause any fatal damage.  Obama’s strategy is not one of deflecting Hillary’s attacks, or even offering a strong counter attack.  Each attack from Hillary seems to make Obama stronger with the voters.  Harold Ickes would probably like nothing better than a good old fashion down in the mud, toe-to-toe slugfest.  But Obama won’t cooperate.  Last night, Hillary’s one half-baked attempt to go negative drew boo’s when she raised the plagiarism issue.  This was in ill advised attack from the beginning a few days ago, and one ripe for Obama to win.  The shot, “It’s not change you can believe in, it’s change you can Xerox” was a loser from the start and sounded very old fashion.  This was not a product of Harold Ickes as his shot would have been much meaner.  But then, that would have made Hillary look mean and shrill, something she has been trying to avoid.

 

Obama had his real moment when he countered with “Let’s get real”, and implied that Hillary is dissing those who have voted for, or joined his campaign.  Obama’s message was clear, Hillary does not respect the wishes of the voters.  He can effectively use this line later if the Clinton’s continue to suggest the super delegates support Hillary, rather than the voters they represent.  I can hear it now, “Bill Clinton raised the race issue, and does not respect your vote”; Hillary is trying to steal delegates, because she does not respect your vote”; Hillary will split the party, because she does not respect your vote”.

  

Stick a Fork In; Clinton Turkeys Are Done

Democrats across America are secretly sighing relief as they begin to hope for the end of the Clintons.  Hillary has fired her campaign manager Solis Doyle, a long serving and loyal follower.  Now her Assistant Campaign Manager has been sent packing.

Anyone who saw Obama’s victory speech Tuesday night should know that Hillary simply cannot match his style.  In fact, Obama’s victory speech is a preview of his nomination acceptance speech.

Clinton Campaign Shakeup

Clinton Campaign Shakeup

 

Bill Clinton has been muzzled (most likely self-muzzled as no one in Hillary’s campaign, including Hillary can muzzle Bill)

 

Patti Solis Doyle is out (citing family concerns, but where were those concerns in Iowa?)

 

Maggie Williams is in (she was really in charge following Iowa, but it took this long to ease Doyle out)

 

Mark Penn says it’s a “New Day” after Super Tuesday (how will he put a positive spin on Super Saturday??)

 

Hillary’s cash (she claims it was from her portion of a joint account, but not Bill’s) is in

 Political Night Train believes the Potomac Primary on Tuesday will be the point of no return for Hillary.  If Obama takes 60 +% of DC, Maryland and Virginia, the Democratic primary may be all but over, Superdelegates not withstanding. 

Does Obama Employ Nation of Islam Personnel In His Campaign?

At least one blog with some knowledge of those inside Obama’s campaign have had this to say:

Barack Hussain Obama represents Farrakhan’s residential neighborhood.  He does it for the votes. He employs some NOI people, and that’s that,or maybe that is not all of it.

By Debbie Schlussel – Copyright 2008

**** EXCLUSIVE: Must Cite Debbie Schlussel and/or DebbieSchlussel.com ****

Responding to criticism by Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen, Barack Obama declared his strong opposition to Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan:

I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan.
Obama also went on to condemn his Church’s award to Farrakhan and his minister’s tight relationship with him.

But a former Obama insider says that Obama’s sudden aversion to NOI and Farrakhan is belied by the fact that Obama employed and continues to employ several Farrakhan acolytes in high positions on his Illinois and U.S. Senate campaign and office staffs. I have verified that this person–who agreed to talk on the condition of anonymity–held a key position in the Obama campaign. The insider was so close to Senator Obama that they frequently personally discussed and exchanged direct e-mail messages on campaign and policy matters. This person is not connected with the Clintons and is not a disgruntled employee.

Barack Hussein & Michelle Obama with Palestinian Activist, PLO/Arafat Advisor Edward Said @ Arab Fundraiser
(Photos From Electronic Intifada)
The insider says he frequently objected to Mr. Obama’s placement of Cynthia K. Miller, a member of the Nation of Islam, as the Treasurer of his U.S. Senate campaign. When I contacted Miller, now a Chicago real estate agent, to verify whether she was a member of the Nation of Islam and whether she shared Louis Farrakhan’s bigoted views about Jews, she responded, “None of your business! Where are you going with this?” She said her resignation as Obama’s treasurer had nothing to do with her Nation of Islam ties. Then, she hung up.

The Obama insider says he also objected to Obama’s involvement with Jennifer Mason, whom he says is also a member of the Nation of Islam. Mason is Obama’s Director of Constituent Services in his U.S. Senate office and is also in charge of selecting Obama’s Senate interns. She did not respond to repeated calls for comment.

But it’s not just that he employed these individuals in positions of power in his office, it’s that when the former associate raised objections, he says Mr. Obama’s position was that he saw nothing wrong with the Nation of Islam and didn’t think it was a problem. If true–and the fact that Ms. Mason still holds her prominent Obama Senate staff position bears that out–Obama’s condemnation of Farrakhan, this month, is phony.

But the insider says there is more to it than that. Obama’s Illinois State Senate district consisted of prime Nation of Islam territory, including Hyde Park, home to Farrakhan’s mansion. It is not possible, Illinois politicos say, to win that district without the blessing of the NOI leader. NOI members, including consultant Shakir Muhammad, held important roles in the Obama state senate campaign.

How many Nation of Islam members will work in an Obama White House?

Then, there is the issue of Israel. When Obama first ran for the U.S. Senate, he gave militant responses to the Chicago Jewish News about Israel. Obama denounced Israel’s fence–which he called a “wall” and “barrier to peace”–to keep out terrorists and favored working with Yasser Arafat. When members of the Chicago Jewish community circulated his responses, Obama said that the answers were not his positions, but the work of a low-level intern. He submitted new answers. But that was a lie, the insider says. In fact, they were the work of Obama’s Policy Director, Audra Wilson. Moreover, Obama told the insider that he blamed the Mideast conflict on the Jews:

Barack told me that he felt that Jewish community was too inflexible, and that was why the situation in the Mideast could not be resolved.
This is the man who says in a new campaign ad that Hillary Clinton will say anything but change nothing. Barack Obama will say anything, but change his answers.

Palestinian activist and Islamist Ali Abunimah, who was a close friend of Obama’s, attended an Arab fundraiser at which the late Edward Said–plagiarist, fabricator, and prominent PLO/Arafat advisor–was the keynote speaker, and at which the Obamas were notably in attendance. Pictures on Abunimah’s site, posted above, show Obama and wife, Michelle, sitting next to Said and engaging in conversation. Abunimah, in a must-read article, says the Senator has since “changed” his proclaimed views from those he expressed privately, in order to get Jewish donors and votes.

And he has succeeded in spades. Lee Rosenberg a top Illinois official of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the pro-Israel lobby is a big Obama donor. Ditto for former national AIPAC official Bob Asher. And Penny Pritzker of the pro-Israel family that owns Hyatt hotels. And there are so many others who have bought in to Obama’s newly pro-Israel views. The insider says Obama pulled the wool over their eyes.

Then, there’s Bettylu Saltzman, also Jewish and one of Obama’s first major supporters and donors. She is a major Peace Now devotee, officer of the far-left, pro-capitulation New Israel Fund, and wrote a letter to a Chicago newspaper praising Jimmy Carter’s book calling Israel an apartheid state. The Obama insider says she has Obama’s ear on the Mideast and “will be a major policy person for Barack. Very dangerous.”

The insider points to Mr. Obama’s changing views in Iraq as another area of uncertainty. He has highlighted his opposition to the War in Iraq. The insider says there is strong speculation that Obama attempted to get his crony, Federal Indictee Tony Rezko, a contract to build a nuclear power plant in the new Iraq. Rezko, a Syrian Arab who helped Obama in a deal to purchase his home, was in a partnership with NOI founder Elijah Muhammad’s son, Jabir.

Barack Obama can denounce Louis Farrakhan ad infinitum. But with supporters like Ms. Saltzman, high-level staffers who are Nation of Islam members, and constantly morphing views on Israel merely for donor appeal, a Barack Obama White House bodes poorly both for Israel and–far more important–for America.

Is Farrakhan Influencing Obama Through Jeremiah Wright?

Political Night Train believes the following articles are very revealing about Barack Obama’s relationship with Louis Farrakhan, a relationship that needs closer scrunity.  Also of question is influence the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Jr. and other leaders of Trinity United Church will have on Obama’s policies and how he would conduct his administration. Obama Decries Farrakhan StatementsBy Shailagh Murray
Sen. Barack Obama’s campaign moved quickly today to quell another race-related flap, this one involving Nation of Islam leader, Louis Farrakhan. Columnist Richard Cohen stirred the pot this morning in an op-ed column in The Washington Post, writing:Barack Obama is a member of Chicago’s Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama’s spiritual adviser, is the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. In 1982, the church launched Trumpet Newsmagazine; Wright’s daughters serve as publisher and executive editor. Every year, the magazine makes awards in various categories. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said “truly epitomized greatness.” That man is Louis Farrakhan.Cohen chronicled Farrakhan’s long record of inflammatory statements, from denigrating the Holocaust, to accusing Jewish people of victimizing African Americans. He did stipulate, “It’s important to state right off that nothing in Obama’s record suggests he harbors anti-Semitic views or agrees with Wright when it comes to Farrakhan.” But, he suggested, “Farrakhan, in a strictly political sense, may be a tough issue for him.” The column spread like wildfire around the blogosphere — especially on the right — and, this afternoon, the Obama campaign responded with an unequivocal statement on it from the candidate himself.“I decry racism and anti-Semitism in every form and strongly condemn the anti-Semitic statements made by Minister Farrakhan,” Obama said in the statement. “I assume that Trumpet Magazine made its own decision to honor Farrakhan based on his efforts to rehabilitate ex-offenders, but it is not a decision with which I agree.”

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/01/15/obama_decries_farrakhan_statem_1.html?hpid=topnews

 Obama ‘repudiates’ Farrakhan?Ed Lasky
The New York Sun is reporting that Barack Obama repudiated the views of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan that were discussed in Richard Cohen’s Washington Post column. Cohen’s criticism regarding Obama’s ties to the Church and the Pastor that gave an award to Farrakhan were reaching a large audience that included potential Democrat voters who might be swayed to withdraw support from Obama. This statement by Obama is a political maneuver that should be given little credence. Obama is very actively involved in his church; he knew of this award long before Richard Cohen publicized its grant to Farrakhan. Furthermore, Pastor Wright has had a long relationship and alliance with Louis Farrakhan.  Obama did not object to these ties between Pastor Wright and Farrakhan before; nor has Obama rejected the anti-Israel diatribes of Wright. Regardless, Obama adheres to a church and a minister that have long espoused positions inimical to the American-Israel relationship, let alone the trumpeting of black values and racial exclusiveness.  This follows a pattern for Obama: he shows extreme loyalty to a church and pastor whose controversial views eventually become publicized. Then Obama “disappears” the Minister and Obama’s campaign (not Obama himself) issues a statement that Obama does not agree with everything that Wright espouses.  He solicits and gains support from the controversial George Soros, a man whose anti-Israel passions and allegations regarding America’s Jewish community and Congress are well-known. When these ties become publicized, Obama’s campaign (not Obama himself) issues a statement that Obama does not agree with Soros on this topic.  When Obama articulates anti-Israel positions in off-the cuff remarks, his campaign (not Obama himself-stop me if you have heard this before) issues clarifications that attempt to explain away the plain English import of Obama’s (the supreme orator) expressed views. In other words, Obama only disavows when it is politically opportune to do so. He seems to have never objected to these views before they become publicized and create a political firestorm because they belie his image of peace, compassion, unity.  Obama is not a profile in courage and his disavowals are political pabulum. 

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2008/01/obama_repudiates_farrakhan.html

 Barack Obama and IsraelBy Ed Lasky Here are some excerpts from this article …… One seemingly consistent theme running throughout Barack Obama’s career is his comfort with aligning himself with people who are anti-Israel advocates. This ease around Israel animus has taken various forms. As Obama has continued his political ascent, he has moved up the prestige scale in terms of his associates. Early on in his career he chose a church headed by a former Black Muslim who is a harsh anti-Israel advocate and who may be seen as tinged with anti-Semitism. This church is a member of a denomination whose governing body has taken a series of anti-Israel actions.   As his political fortunes and ambition climbed, he found support from George Soros, multibillionaire promoter of groups that have been consistently harsh and biased critics of the American-Israel relationship.  There are literally hundreds of churches on the South Side of Chicago that Obama could have chosen from. He selected one that was headed by Reverend Jeremiah Wright, Junior. The anti-Israel rants of this minister have been well chronicled. Among the gems:  The Israelis have illegally occupied Palestinian territories for almost 40 years now. It took a divestment campaign to wake the business community up concerning the South Africa issue. Divestment has now hit the table again as a strategy to wake the business community up and to wake Americans up concerning the injustice and the racism under which the Palestinians have lived because of Zionism 

Pastor Wright is a supporter of Louis Farrakhan (who called Judaism a “gutter religion” and depicted Jews as “bloodsuckers”) and traveled with him to visit Col. Muammar al-Gaddafi, archenemy of Israel’s and a terror supporter.

Read the rest of this article here:  http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/01/barack_obama_and_israel.html

 Political Night Train also thinks it is time for the media to begin looking into Michelle Obama’s work with Trinity Unitied Church, especially some of the anti-white and anti-Jewish views of groups within the church.