Friday, May 30, 2008

When Will They Ever Learn?

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Thursday that he was "deeply disappointed" by a supporter's sermon at his church that mocked Hillary Rodham Clinton.

The Rev. Michael Pfleger, a Chicago activist, also apologized for last Sunday's sermon at Obama's church, in which he said Clinton's eyes welled with tears before the New Hampshire primary because she felt "entitled" to the Democratic nomination and because "there's a black man stealing my show."

In video circulating on the Internet, Pfleger said the former first lady expected to win the nomination before Obama's sudden popularity.

With all the trouble that preachers and evangelists are causing the presidential nominees this year, do you think they'll ever learn and stop trying to secure endorsements from religious leaders? They really don't seem to help, do they? Consider all the "help" that Obama has gotten from Jeremiah Wright... and all the "help" that McCain has gotten from Rod Parsley and John Hagee...

2 comments:

BAWDYSCOT said...

You know what will stop this nonsense, csm. Getting the IRS on their collective asses. If this guy was preaching to the masses at the pulpit, and I assume he was, that is a big nono to the IRS. This is one thing Americans United has been doing already.

Barry Lynn rocks!

BAWDYSCOT said...

Here is the latest example:

AU Urges IRS To Investigate Religious Group's Fund-Raising For Washington State Gubernatorial Candidate
Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Church-State Watchdog Files Complaint About Political Event Sponsored By Christian Businessmen's Group

The Internal Revenue Service should investigate a Washington state religious group that engaged in fund-raising for a gubernatorial candidate, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

The Tacoma, Wash., branch of the Christian Businessmen’s Connection hosted Republican candidate Dino Rossi on May 21 in Fircrest. During the event, Dwight Mason, the group’s president, noted that fund-raising envelopes for Rossi had been left on the tables.

The Tacoma News Tribune reported that Mason prayed for Rossi and then said, “OK, at your table, this is not a fundraiser, though Dino did leave with us a couple envelopes there, and I’m sure he’d appreciate that.”

A spokesperson for Rossi, Jill Strait, later confirmed that the envelopes, used to collect donations, were left on tables. Strait said, “We have envelopes that we bring with us wherever we go.”

Federal tax law bars tax-exempt organizations from intervening in political campaigns. Although Mason originally denied that fund-raising had occurred, he stopped talking to the media once a tape of the event surfaced.

Said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, “Non-profit religious organizations are supposed to meet people’s spiritual needs, not shill for candidates.”

Added Lynn, “I urge the IRS to act quickly to show that this type of activity will not be tolerated.”

The IRS has repeatedly stated that it is stepping up enforcement of the laws barring partisan politicking by non-profit groups. In April, Exempt Organizations Director Lois G. Lerner noted that enforcement procedures have been placed in the hands of career IRS employees who are experts in the tax law in this area.

“As in the past, we will continue to use existing procedures, including a committee of career civil servants, to determine which cases to pursue,” Lerner said in a press release. “We will focus on cases involving allegations of egregious violations.”