Barack Obama's pastor quits campaign after explosive 9/11 remarks

[Guest guest]

Like I'm sure this was the first time in the history of his ministry

that the pastor has made such remarks. O'Bama has been listening to

this sort of thing ever since he was a member there. He believes it.

If he didn't, he would have left the church a long time ago.

And this is the man most likely to become our President.

Administrator

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/15/wobama215.xml

Barack Obama's pastor quits campaign after explosive 9/11 remarks

By Philip Sherwell in New York and Spillius in Washington

Last Updated: 11:40am GMT 15/03/2008

Barack Obama & #8217;s former pastor and religious adviser was forced to

quit the candidate & #8217;s presidential campaign team as the Illinois

senator desperately tried to distance himself from explosive remarks

by his long-time mentor.

Rev is & #8220;no longer serving on the African American

Religious Leadership Committee & #8221;, a spokesman said in a brief

statement as Mr Obama attempted to deal with the most serious crisis

in his bid for the Democratic nomination.

He also hastily arranged a series of late-night television

interviews to denounce the & #8220;inflammatory and appalling & #8221; remarks of

the man who inspired his Audacity of Hope memoir and the speech to

the 2004 party convention that brought him to national attention.

Footage of Mr 's fiery sermons dominated television network

coverage after tapes were acquired from the Trinity United Church of

Christ in Chicago, where Mr Obama has worshipped for 20 years.

The clips show Mr Obama's spiritual mentor railing against Hillary

Clinton because of her race, comparing Mr Obama to Jesus and blaming

America for the Sept 11, 2001, terror attacks.

In one sermon he takes aim at former US president Bill Clinton's

supposedly good relationship with the black community.

" Hillary is married to Bill, and Bill has been good to us. No he

ain't! Bill did us, just like he did Lewinsky. He was riding

dirty, " the clergyman boomed.

As video of Mr was widely aired on television and the

internet, Mr Obama responded by posting a blog condemning Mr

's statements on The Huffington Post.

It was a rapid reversal of political fortune for the man trying to

become America & #8217;s first black president as race dominated the week

for Democratic candidates.

Geraldine Ferraro, a prominent Clinton supporter and 1984

vice-presidential candidate, had earlier asserted that Mr Obama

was & #8220;only in this position & #8221; because of his skin colour.

Mrs Ferraro stepped down from Mrs Clinton & #8217;s fund-raising committee,

while arguing that the Obama camp was playing the & #8220;race card & #8221;

against her for criticising her comments.

Democratic strategists are increasingly alarmed that the unpleasant

exchanges over race and gender will tear apart the party and open

the door to Republican candidate McCain.

And Sen McCain & #8217;s strategists also sought to capitalise politically,

circulating a newspaper column in which Rev was quoted

telling audiences that they should sing & #8220;God Damn America & #8221; instead

of & #8220;God Bless America & #8221;.