Obama Pastor rips NY Times a new one, gently

[babylonsister]

http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/49627/

Obama Pastor rips NY Times a new one, gently

Posted by Evan Derkacz at 11:03 AM on March 22, 2007.

"Thank you for engaging in one of the biggest misrepresentations of the truth I have ever seen in sixty-five years."

I do as Skeptical Brotha does and offer this letter without comment...

March 11, 2007
Jodi Kantor
The New York Times
9 West 43rd Street
New York,
New York 10036-3959

Dear Jodi:

Thank you for engaging in one of the biggest misrepresentations of the truth I have ever seen in sixty-five years. You sat and shared with me for two hours. You told me you were doing a "Spiritual Biography" of Senator Barack Obama. For two hours, I shared with you how I thought he was the most principled individual in public service that I have ever met.

For two hours, I talked with you about how idealistic he was. For two hours I shared with you what a genuine human being he was. I told you how incredible he was as a man who was an African American in public service, and as a man who refused to announce his candidacy for President until Carol Moseley Braun indicated one way or the other whether or not she was going to run. I told you what a dreamer he was. I told you how idealistic he was. We talked about how refreshing it would be for someone who knew about Islam to be in the Oval Office. Your own question to me was, Didn't I think it would be incredible to have somebody in the Oval Office who not only knew about Muslims, but had living and breathing Muslims in his own family?

I told you how important it would be to have a man who not only knew the difference between Shiites and Sunnis prior to 9/11/01 in the Oval Office, but also how important it would be to have a man who knew what Sufism was; a man who understood that there were different branches of Judaism; a man who knew the difference between Hasidic Jews, Orthodox Jews, Conservative Jews and Reformed Jews; and a man who was a devout Christian, but who did not prejudge others because they believed something other than what he believed.

I talked about how rare it was to meet a man whose Christianity was not just "in word only."

I talked about Barack being a person who lived his faith and did not argue his faith. I talked about Barack as a person who did not draw doctrinal lines in the sand nor consign other people to hell if they did not believe what he believed.

more...

[MADem]

1. More INDEED...what a solid, and WELL DESERVED, smackdown!!!!!!!!!!

I really do wish MORE people would hand these bastards their head like that. And I wish more of them would RECORD the conversations they have with these 'so-called' journalists. Let's put THEIR asses on the fire, for a change. They've gotten a free ride for far too long:

........As I was just starting to say a moment ago, Jodi, out of two hours of conversation I spent approximately five to seven minutes on...

... Barack's taking advice from one of his trusted campaign people and deeming it unwise to make me the media spotlight on the day of his announcing his candidacy for the Presidency and what do you print?

You and your editor proceeded to present to the general public a snippet, a printed "sound byte" and a titillating and tantalizing article about his disinviting me to the Invocation on the day of his announcing his candidacy.

I have never been exposed to that kind of duplicitous behavior before, and I want to write you publicly to let you know that I do not approve of it and will not be party to any further smearing of the name, the reputation, the integrity or the character of perhaps this nation's first (and maybe even only) honest candidate offering himself for public service as the person to occupy the Oval Office.

Your editor is a sensationalist. For you to even mention that makes me doubt your credibility, and I am looking forward to see how you are going to butcher what else I had to say concerning Senator Obama's "Spiritual Biography." .........

[Bucky]

15. Don't jack w/ a preacher. Christ-like behavior also includes driving out moneychangers from temples.

Apparently this one cand drive out charletans with just the force of his words alone.

[NYCGirl]

2. Very powerful. Now, let's see if the Times will publish it.

The "gray lady", although still better than most alternatives, is a shadow of her former self.

[Sir Jeffrey]

3. Wow...

"I forgot that The New York Times was leading the bandwagon in trumpeting why it is we should have gone into an illegal war. The New York Times became George Bush and the Republican Party's national "blog.""

:applause:

[Tiggeroshii]

4. That was a disgusting article

The NY Times and the LA Times have been leading the smear campaign against Obama, shamelessly and consistently.

[Qutzupalotl]

5. Kick for Obama

.

[loudsue]

6. What a stunningly beautiful letter!

:applause: Go get 'em, pastor Wright!!

This is just one example that needs to go before the Dem committee on the FCC. We need to reinstate the fairness doctrine in this country with a simple majority vote, and we need to do it NOW.

Activists need to hound congress w/ phone calls to get enough republicans to override bush's veto of such a vote, but it's something we NEED to do SOON.

:kick::kick::kick:

[BeyondGeography]

7. Absolutely priceless, the big Fuck You that the NYT has deserved for years

<Forgive me for having a momentary lapse. I forgot that The New York Times was leading the bandwagon in trumpeting why it is we should have gone into an illegal war. The New York Times became George Bush and the Republican Party's national "blog." The New York Times played a role in the outing of Valerie Plame. I do not know why I thought The New York Times had actually repented and was going to exhibit a different kind of behavior. Maybe it was my faith in the Jewish Holy Day of Roshashana. Maybe it was my being caught up in the euphoria of the Season of Lent; but whatever it is or was, I was sadly mistaken. There is no repentance on the part of The New York Times. There is no integrity when it comes to The Times. You should do well with that paper, Jodi. You looked me straight in my face and told me a lie!>

Bless you, Reverend Wright. :applause:

[Ethelk2044]

8. TV Stations

Did any of the TV stations carry this?

[Critters2]

9. Good for him!

I know Jeremiah Wright, have served on a conference committee with him. I know him to be a man of integrity and of passion. I'm not at all surprised that he didn't take that crap lying down. Good for him!

And shame on the NYT!

[MasonJar]

10. Good for you, reverend. I hope that they print it in the paper.

[Grandrose]

11. Righteous indignation....indeed!

Congratulations Reverend Wright for such a wonderful
smack down. NY Times is despicable and unworthy of
anyone giving them the time of day.
:applause:

[bling bling]

12. The NY Times is CRAP. They must be rendered insignificant.

They are a pathetically over-rated piece of rubbish. When I see the NYT used as a source I take whatever it is I'm reading with a grain of salt until I see it confirmed by another source.

Sad what they've become.

[Mad_Dem_X]

13. Now THAT

is a Grade-A smackdown. Bravo, Pastor!!! :applause:

[Ethelk2044]

14. Kick