An Internet hub for moderates, centrists, and independents, with domestic and international news, analysis, original reporting, and popular features from the left, center, and right

« Courting Moderates

Howard Dean conference call re: Neighborhood Volunteer organizing »

(UPDATED) Can You Spare Six-and-a-Half Minutes?

Posted by PETE ABEL, Managing Editor in Uncategorized.
Apr 21st, 2008 | Comments

If you can spare those 6.5 minutes, watch this video. It features former Philadelphia Mayor Ed Rendell — now Governor of Pennsylvania and a prominent supporter of Sen. Clinton’s — speaking in April 1997 to a packed audience at Tindley Temple United Methodist Church, where he shared the stage with Louis Farrakhan and had glowing words of praise for the Nation of Islam. Given this footage, Andrew Sullivan wonders, “Will Clinton reject and denounce?”

Ads by Project Wonderful! Your ad here, right now: $0

ChrisWWW

Hahaha! Oh Hillary... do you have any attacks on Obama that won't come back and bite you in the butt?

PaulSilver

Too bad this didn't make the rounds of the MSM weeks ago.

Since this is the first youtube election I hope we can use it to purge most hypocrisy from future races.

pacatrue

My hope from such a connection would be that we'll stop jumping on people (and I mean Obama, Clinton, and McCain) for who they once knew, who's supported them, etc., unless there is actual evidence that it is affecting who they are and how they operate politically.

Brainster

If you listen closely, you will see that Rendell does not praise Farrakhan; he praises instead the local Nation of Islam leader, named Rodney Muhammad. You might also want to look into the circumstances behind this 1997 speech. Or, you know, you could go on misleading your readers.

EEllis

come on you know they prefer to mislead

elrod

Brainster,
That's true, but do you honestly think the media would give Obama such a break if he merely praised a local NOI leader? Of course not. There's a double standard here. Because Rendell is Jewish, he can get away with saying nice things about a group whose leader has said anti-Semitic things. But if Obama says it, then he actually believes the anti-Semitic rantings of Louis Farrakhan.

As a Jew, I find all the Farrakhan-baiting patently offensive. It's almost as bad as Israel-baiting - accusing politicians of being insufficiently vigilant in defense of Israel. Farrakhan is a scumbag, but he's no Hitler. The forces of anti-Semitism in this country are among the same place they've always been: right wing Christians. They are the ones who want to tear down the wall of separation between church and state so evangelicals can proselytize to Jews in captive situations. They are the ones who view us as "incomplete Christians" who are going to Hell for not accepting their Savior. And if you think I'm wrong, why do you think so many Jews still vote Democratic? We know what the GOP is trying to do with religion in this country.

Pete Abel

Brainster -- Thanks for catching my error. I corrected the copy.

blog comments powered by Disqus