Writing in Slate, liberal/conservative/libertarian/leftist Christopher Hitchens takes a stab at explaining the long-time Sen. Obama connection with Rev. Wright.
It is hardly the most critical issue of the campaign, but it is an interesting insight into what makes Sen. Obama tick. Obama seems pretty genuine in his desire to transcend the politics of race, and he has done a rather impressive job of convincing Americans that he means it. So why would a guy like Obama be hanging out for so many years with someone of Rev. Wright's views?
The Hitchens explanation? It's Michelle Obama who has the thing for black liberation theology and who has a soft spot for sympathizers of Minister Farrakhan. Who knows? -- it's more believable than than the theory that Sen. Obama himself holds these views.
And if it's true, then it might just make Sen. Obama just one of countless American men who go to church at the place where their wives prefer to attend. He might just land the working-class white male vote, after all.
As always, Hitchens engages in his provocative speculations in a way that only Hitchens can.
4 comments:
Oh sure, the old "My wife made me do it" excuse. If the guy has to follow his spouse's thinking on something so basic as his religion, maybe we better be putting Michelle front and center because he's nothing more than another pretty face who talks fancy.
I'm not questioning Hitchen's premise - he could be spot on - but if that's the case, just WHO IS BARAK OBAMA AND WHAT DOES HE THINK?????
IMWTK.
As usual, Hitchens makes a lot of sense.
Michelle Obama certainly seems to have a sour outlook on the country--as a number of her comments have indicated. This piece in the National Review underscores that as well.
As the author notes, where her husband ostensibly sees hope, she sees a pretty hopeless world:
http://article.nationalreview.com/
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It is the sort of personal philosophy that would mesh with Wright's black liberation theology.
Makes sense to me. The thing that surprises me about the whole thing is that Rev. Wright has been in the same church for 30 years. Our church used to belong to UCC but our ministers didn't stay over three or four years. Eventually the leaders in our congregation decided that we are too conservative for the UCC and we are now an independent church.
My guess is that Obama stayed in the church because he liked it. Lots of people I like have opinions I don't like.
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