The Lorax

Mike Huckabee made some surprising comments on the Reverend Wright flap on Morning Joe. Here's a written transcript. PM me for the Youtube video. HUCKABEE: [Obama] made the point, and I think it's a valid one, that you can't hold the candidate responsible for everything that people around him may say or do. You just can't. Whether it's me, whether it's Obama...anybody else. But he did distance himself from the very vitriolic statements. Now, the second story. It's interesting to me that there are some people on the left who are having to be very uncomfortable with what Louis Wright said, when they all were all over a Jerry Falwell, or anyone on the right who said things that they found very awkward and uncomfortable years ago. Many times those were statements lifted out of the context of a larger sermon. Sermons, after all, are rarely written word for word by pastors like Reverend Wright, who are delivering them extemporaneously, and caught up in the emotion of the moment. There are things that sometimes get said, that if you put them on paper and looked at them in print, you'd say "Well, I didn't mean to say it quite like that." JOE SCARBOROUGH: But, but, you never came close to saying five days after September 11th, that America deserved what it got. Or that the American government invented AIDS... HUCKABEE: Not defending his statements. JOE SCARBOROUGH: Oh, I know you're not. I know you're not. I'm just wondering though, for a lot of people...Would you not guess that there are a lot of Independent voters in Arkansas that vote for Democrats sometimes, and vote for Republicans sometimes, that are sitting here wondering how Barack Obama's spiritual mentor would call the United States the USKKK? HUCKABEE: I mean, those were outrageous statements, and nobody can defend the content of them. JOE SCARBOROUGH: But what's the impact on voters in Arkansas? Swing voters. HUCKABEE: I don't think we know. If this were October, I think it would have a dramatic impact. But it's not October. It's March. And I don't believe that by the time we get to October, this is gonna be the defining issue of the campaign, and the reason that people vote. And one other thing I think we've gotta remember. As easy as it is for those of us who are white, to look back and say "That's a terrible statement!"...I grew up in a very segregated south. And I think that you have to cut some slack -- and I'm gonna be probably the only Conservative in America who's gonna say something like this, but I'm just tellin' you -- we've gotta cut some slack to people who grew up being called names, being told "you have to sit in the balcony when you go to the movie. You have to go to the back door to go into the restaurant. And you can't sit out there with everyone else. There's a separate waiting room in the doctor's office. Here's where you sit on the bus..." And you know what? Sometimes people do have a chip on their shoulder and resentment. And you have to just say, I probably would too. I probably would too. In fact, I may have had more of a chip on my shoulder had it been me. MIKA: I agree with that. I really do. JOE SCARBOROUGH: It's the Atticus Finch line about walking a mile in somebody else's shoes. I remember when Ronald Reagan got shot in 1981. There were some black students in my school that started applauding and said they hoped that he died. And you just sat there and of course you were angry at first, and then you walked out and started scratching your head going "boy, there is some deep resentment there."

I did a little research and no, it appears there aren't any minorities that are, on average, smaller AND more poor than blacks. On average, blacks are economically worse off than asians and latinos. Also, There are more latinos (15%) than blacks (13%) and more blacks than asians (4%). Why is that even relevant, though? Like Ovedya and Hamburgers said, Obama focused on black and white because that's what HE is: black and white. Obviously there are other minorities with problems of their own; the fact he didn't mention them doesn't mean he's denying their existence.

I know. It's a joke.

This droopy pants thing is a non-issue. If their butt is showing, then that's indecent exposure and it is ALREADY illegal. If not, then there's nothing wrong. If seeing underwear offends you, that's your problem. Adapt.

http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/-/...desecration.jpg

Just saw this thread. What an idiotic woman, and it doesn't help that she makes these claims while representing a state that suffered one of the worst terrorist attacks ever on US soil. Wow.

This kind of thread makes me miss the heated debates that used to happen here. At least they concerned substance.

Exrockstar, this just occurred to me. Obama IS a governing authority. A senator. So how is it that you've been speaking against him?

Ahh, now I get it! You guys are so quick to condemn / criticize / smear / slander Barack Obama because, when he's President, you won't be able to speak against him! He'll be a "governing authority" then. In that case, exrockstar, get it all out of your system! I'll be holding you to your word, come November!

"THAT church." Clearly you've decided that THAT church is un-Godly, and that Barack Obama's presence there must be evidence of his racism and hatred for America. Sigh. The reason you see/hear the same 6 remarks by Reverend Wright repeated over and over again by the media is that those are the only controversial remarks the media's got. In 20 years of sermons, these comments were few and far between. Now, if you are a small person who is quick to judge, you see these rare slip-ups as a reason to dismiss the ministry entirely. I'm not, and I don't make that dismissal. Clearly you, on the other hand, do. If Wright's slip-ups are enough for you to dismiss an entire ministry and, by extension, ever person who attended it, then I won't even try to argue with you. I will just be thankful that most Christians are more rational, understanding, and not so eager to condemn their brothers for spurious, artificial reasons.

Is that supposed to be a snappy comeback? Or is that a serious question? I can't tell.

You really could not be more cynical about this man. You criticize him for not saying black people should step forward, but you admit that even if he did say it (which, of course, he did), you wouldn't believe him. It's remarkable. He simply can't do right, in your book. From the start of his campaign, Obama has been saying that black people, white people--all people--need to come together to solve to issues that confront everybody. In no way has this message changed. So as far as I can tell, exrockstar, your anecdote is as pointless and irrelevant as your last post.

I completely agree with you here. They need to step forward. This is what Obama is saying!!!

There are there are 46% whites to 50% blacks in Baton Rouge according to the census bureau. This means you fall under what is just barely a minority in your city--and you're still in the majority in the state and the country. I lived in Hartford, where whites are 28%, for five years and I don't pretend to know what it's like to be in a racial minority that has been historically oppressed. I don't pretend I can tell minorities that their racial "fixation" is unhealthy because frankly I have no idea what it is like to inherit their legacy.

Don't play dumb. If you are black, your ancestors are from Africa. BLACK, then, undeniably entails a heritage. (African) This is your opinion as a white person. (Am I correct in assuming that you are white?) White is and always has been the majority in this country and, as such, it is often viewed as the "default" or "normal" race. Being the majority, it is easy for white people to forget that race exists at all. But if you aren't white--if you are black or asian or latino, you automatically and naturally have a heightened awareness of race, being in the minority. And if you have a common ancestral plight, like blacks do, then race is especially hard to overlook. It is absolutely not racist to reflect on your race, be it black or white. The only reason you think their "fixation" is unhealthy is because you are not black, O'Dannyboy, and you don't know what it's like to be in a racial minority with that kind of historical legacy. You think you are being high-minded by overlooking race, but actually you are just doing what comes most easily to you as a white person. Try to step outside your little box and see things from another perspective: theirs.

If you think it is an unhealthy, racist "fixation" for black people to reflect on and value their black heritage, then it is you who are racist, Dannyboy. I cannot fathom why you think it is inappropriate for black people to attend a congregation that focuses on their heritage.

But they are--it's documented. You can go through Wright's sermons and it is clear that his controversial remarks are few and far between. The problem is, you haven't gone through them, and the only words you hear from Wright are the controversial ones...because they are played non-stop by the media. Are you one of those people who believes he is a Muslim in disguise?

If tattoos are sinful then I am damned.

The last time I saw Obama on Fox was the time Bill O'Reilly cussed at and assaulted a staffer for "blocking his shot." Glad to see this interview didn't come to blows.

Good question, especially seeing as Bush used his status as a born-again Christian to "forgive" his past transgressions, like drunk driving and alcoholism. ("I'm a changed man.")

OK, I get it now. No, there is a big difference between thinking people should be able to choose a clean, safe abortion and supporting mass murder. Glad you refrained; saying that would be slander. Like I said, sometimes the law effectively discourages a crime and sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the nature of the crime, the nature of the punishment and the enforceability of the law. We can all agree that making murder perfectly legal would be a bad idea. But other laws aren't a good idea because they don't work. For instance, drug laws actually benefit dealers and cartels, they don't hurt them. The only effective way to deal with drugs is to make them legal and regulate them. That's what the Prohibition taught us about alcohol. Where did you get those numbers? I'd like to know how much time it took that increase to occur. It is important to adjust for population growth.

Butero, I appreciate that you clarified your message. I don't expect to reach an agreement with you, but at least we can take this thread in a new (constructive) direction. Why would loving the Democratic Party make someone defend Hitler? Hitler was incredibly anti-Democratic. Yeah, he loved social programs, but he'd clash with Dems pretty much everywhere else: he hated gays and minorities, he was not a secularist, etc. etc. Even if I weren't effected by Hitler at all, I wouldn't defend him. I won't defend any mass murderer, any racist, any anti-Semite. They are wrong. I hear you. ABORTION IS EVIL. It should never happen. The main problem is that laws made by the government won't stop abortion. Government is not God; it cannot prevent any crime, all it can do is punish the crime after it happens, as a way to discourage people from doing it. Now, sometimes this works and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it even makes things worse. This is the case for abortion. People resort to abortion. They do it because they believe it is their only choice and they must take it. Today, in America, if you feel this way then you can go to a clinic and get an abortion. Now, when we stop and think about this state of affairs, a Christian's first reaction is to think that abortions should be banned. This would not stop them though, just like drug laws don't stop drugs. Banning abortions just stops clean, safe abortions. Instead, young mothers go to underground clinics, to quacks. They even try to self-abort. They starve the baby in the womb. They carry the baby for nine months, then give birth to it, then abandon or kill it. People did all of these things before safe, clean abortions were legal. That's because the law cannot stop somebody for wanting to kill their baby. It can only stop prevent certain ways of doing it. If you ban abortion, you are only preventing clean, safe abortion. You are increasing dirty ones, and putting not only the baby but the mother at risk. Abortion is an abomination. And it is deplorable that people ever feel they need to have one. But in order to understand my position on abortion, you must understand the limitations of law in society. Banning abortion won't stop the murder of the unborn. The best way to prevent the murder of the unborn is through the heart, not the law. Mothers should have to view their babies in ultrasound before they decide to get an abortion. Every alternative should be taken. I think counseling should be given--anything to change the heart of the mother. It is unfortunate that there are no easy solutions to this problem.

You evade the point, Butero. You claimed that every person who defends Barack Obama would defend Adolph Hitler if he were alive today. Your rationale: If you're evil enough to tolerate abortion, then you must also be a racist, facist, anti-Semite. That clearly isn't logical. Actually it's insane. Maybe you are so emotional about this issue that you are unable to think straight. Or maybe you are making senseless inflammatory remarks to intentionally provoke. Who knows. All I know is that I'm having an increasingly hard time taking you seriously despite the serious allegations you've made about me and countless other people.

"As evil as." That's rich. So someone that you deem to be evil must then support everything else evil, like Hitler, right? Your logic is so flawed it's laughable, and I'm sure I would be laughing if you hadn't just called me (and most Americans, who are pro-choice) Nazis. And I notice you haven't taken allegation back. That's because you don't care about what I think--or feel, apparently. Yet "all life is sacred." Right.

Oh, and Butero, you should know that half of my father's family was killed by Hitler. Wouldn't want to offend me, would you?