Obama steers $100k to Fr. Pfleger program. Fr. contributes $1,500 to Obama.
Submitted by Nick Kelly on May 30, 2008 - 1:47pm.
Barack Obama | Breaking Political News | Campaign Contributions | Fr. Michael Pfleger | Hillary Clinton | Democratic politics
UPDATE: Obama has resigned from Trinity.
Apparently, mutually beneficial relationships are the "new politics" for Senator Obama, his campaign manager David Axelrod, and Rev. Michael Pfleger, the left-leaning Chicago Catholic priest who ridiculed Hillary and insulted white Americans this week in a racially-charged speech from the pulpit of Barack Obama's church. According to USA Today:
Obama's spokesman, Ben LaBolt, was unable to say when Obama last spoke to Pfleger. LaBolt said Pfleger stepped down from the Catholics for Obama committee a few weeks ago, but he could not say why.
He confirmed that Obama steered a $100,000 state grant in 2000 to a Pfleger-affiliated community program.
Pfleger contributed $1,500 to Obama's state Senate campaigns from 1995-2001, Illinois records show.
In his speech from the pulpit, Fr. Pfleger says, "I really don't want to make this political, because as you know, I'm not very political," which is good for him to say because:
In response to the latest flap, Colleen Dolan, a spokesman for Cardinal Francis George's office told the Chicago Sun-Times: "The cardinal has made it clear to Father Pfleger in the past on more than one occasion that it's inappropriate to speak about political issues from the pulpit and that his own personal opinions are his own personal opinions."
Obama's campaign manager, David Axelrod just happens to be a fund raider for Fr. Pfleger's church. (See Jen's comment below).
In case anyone is curious, there's lots more about Fr. Pfleger at Mitch Dworkin's typically well sourced diary.
that should be clear by now. This is BO's first Christian church and it nurtured him, Michelle, and later on their children. Almost 20 years of being marinated in the bent of this Church. There is no excuse for its members to be rejoicing and celebrating over rants like Wrights', Pfleger's and Moss'. Apparently, this Church is still hiding in a cubby hole in BO's universe of beliefs. This is one of those things that are very difficult to unload without a major overhaul of your being. Wright, himself said "you do not change just because of where you are."
There are people who believe that cults, churches or religions, gangs, parties, families, groups, etc that indoctrinate their members to a high and intense degree, produce followers or soldiers that will listen to a distinct drum beat only. Of course, there are those who will breakaway and liberate themselves. Do people really believe BO could, at the snap of a finger, divorce himself from this church? Do they really believe that BO even wants to remove himself from this church for good? Why wonder then that a segment of Dems will never be persuaded to come home to Barack?
REVEALED: Axelrod’s Links to Pfleger and the Freakshow »
Is David Axelrod the Wizard of Oz operating the theatrics of Obama’s looney Trinity United church?
Axelrod, Obama’s media guru and ventriloquist (”Just words!”), is intimately linked to the controversial renegade Catholic priest and Obama “spiritual adviser” Father Michael Pfleger....
Read it @ No Quarter
Once in a while you get shown the light, In the strangest of places if you look at it right.
Fr. Pfleger's church apparently needs a new roof, and David Axelrod has joined up with other Chicago notables to see that he gets that roof. But, of course, no politics are involved, as anyone can plainly see:
Raising the Roof for
St. Sabina Committee
(in formation)
Chairs:
* The Honorable
Richard M. Daley
* Rev. Michael L. Pfleger
*
David Axelrod
*
Carole Brown
*
Ald. Ed Burke
*
Peter Bynoe
*
Frank Clark
*
Sean & Nora Conroy
*
Elizabeth Coolidge
*
Dennis Gannon
*
Chris Gardner
*
Hon. Alex Giannoulias
*
Elzie Higginbotham
*
Mellody Hobson
*
Larry Huggins
*
Al Johnson
*
Linda Johnson-Rice
*
Jim & Lynn Kiley
*
Fred & Julie Latsko
*
Cathy Leonis
*
Susan Leonis
*
Andy McKenna
*
Langdon Neal
*
Hon. Stephanie Neely
*
Martin Nesbitt
*
Terry Newman
*
Allison Payne
*
Terry Peterson
*
Everett Rand
*
Jim Reynolds
*
Desiree Rogers
*
John Rogers
*
Warner Saunders
*
Michael Scott
*
Terry Teele
*
Jim Tyree
*
Paul Vallas
*
Dan Walsh
*
Terry Young
*
Neal Zucker
Nick Kelly
Wes Clark could still secure America as a national security candidate.
Caught with my signature line down! ;)
Nick Kelly
Wes Clark could still secure America as a national security candidate.
"Apparently, vows of poverty are the "old politics" for Rev. Michael Pfleger...."
The vows of poverty are not "taken" by all priests or other Catholic religious. It depends on which "Order" the candidates choose: Jesuits, Dominicans, Capuchians, Franciscans, Benedictines, and others. Some "Orders" - secular - allow property ownership, money, etc. to be available to their members. Most nuns and monks do take vows of poverty, giving up all worldly posessions.
There's a Chicago priest I happen to admire named Andrew Greeley who has written many best-selling novels, and also taken some strong political positions re: Ireland. Up until now, I figured he must have had to donate all his profits to charity (which never seemed quite fair to me). Anyway, thanks for the clarification. I'll come up with a revised opening for this diary. But first, dinner for the grandkids.
Nick Kelly
Wes Clark could still secure America as a national security candidate.
Statement of Cardinal Francis George concerning remarks of
Fr. Michael Pfleger about Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton during an address at Trinity United Church of Christ on Sunday May 25, 2008
The Catholic Church does not endorse political candidates. Consequently, while a priest must speak to political issues that are also moral, he may not endorse candidates nor engage in partisan campaigning.
Racial issues are both political and moral and are also highly charged. Words can be differently interpreted, but Fr. Pfleger¹s remarks about Senator Clinton are both partisan and amount to a personal attack. I regret that deeply.
To avoid months of turmoil in the church, Fr. Pfleger has promised me that he will not enter into campaigning, will not publicly mention any candidate by name and will abide by the discipline common to all catholic priests.
I had higher expectations from my cardinal. :(