“With all due respect, Sam,” said Obama, “this is my house, too.”

[babylonsister]

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/16580.html#more-16580

Obama’s last visit to Saddleback was in December 2006 when he and Kansas Senator Sam Brownback spoke at Warren’s annual conference on HIV/AIDS. Brownback went first and joked to the crowd that the last time he and Obama shared a stage, it was at a meeting of the NAACP and he didn’t receive the most rousing of welcomes. Turning to Obama, he said, “Welcome to my house.” The crowd laughed, but when it was Obama’s turn, the Democrat had a message for his Republican colleague. “With all due respect, Sam,” said Obama, “this is my house, too.”

That refusal to cede religion to Republicans has characterized Obama’s presidential campaign as well. He has a larger and more comprehensive religious-outreach operation than any Democrat in history. According to an August poll from the Barna Group, Obama leads McCain in every religious demographic — mainline Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Muslims — except for white Evangelicals.

[hisownpetard]

1. K&R.

[Skratchez]

42. Obama v. McCain on CSPAN

on now, 5pm PST

Should be loads of funs.

[MBS]

2. Good for Obama. n/t

[blondeatlast]

3. Obama is so sharp and so quick-thinking. That was a PERFECT retort;

I bet Brownback was rendered speechless.

Love it.

[Jackpine Radical]

32. Deft.

He has the sharpest instincts for hitting exactly the right note of any politician I have ever seen.

[blondeatlast]

37. Exactly. I was looking for that word and couldn't find it ; that's the one! nt

[Skratchez]

44. Obama @ Saddleback "I would not nominate...

Clarence Thomas" (my first thought) and of course Scalia was his second pick.
GO Obama go!!!

The hypothetical was "Which (sitting?) Supreme Court Judge would you not have nominated?"

He is rocking these funky fundy questions.

[Spazito]

4. "With all due respect, Sam, this is my house too"

Go Obama! I love how he takes no crap, throws it back but does it with elegance, iron hand in velvet glove.

Recommended.

[Cosmocat]

12. You know what is funny ...

The whole "BO is afraid to have town halls with McCain because he can't speak extemperaniously" meme ...

Because they know it is NEVER going to happen, that as the front runner BO is NEVER going to let McCain set the terms and agree to do open townhalls, they REALLY want to believe that in a compeltely unmoderated forum, that somehow McCain will get the best of Obama ...

[Spazito]

13. They want to hand-pick the audience, prepare the questions....

etc, because they know McBush is beyond pathetic when it comes to unprepared responses. I can't wait for him to refer to the Archangel Gabriel as Garfield, it is possible ya know, lol.

[babylonsister]

35. IIRC, the second prez debate will be in the town hall style forum;

that will be interesting, and go a long way towards convincing people that even though that's McCranky's strong suit, it's not strong enough.

[EFerrari]

58. Obama was a lecturer at one of our foremost universities.

People who do that job can talk to anyone anywhere about anything. That's the job.

You're right. It is funny. :)

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

16. Funny, but in Sunday School, they always told me it was God's house.

I don't have a problem with what Obama said in response, but more with what Brownback said in the first place. If a church is supposed to be "God's house" then how can any one man, or one party make a claim on it.

Which was probably Obama's point, as well.

[Spazito]

23. Agree, and Obama's response brought out, in glaring terms, imo, how...

republicans use and abuse at will on this issue and did it with such finesse.

[jwirr]

28. Yes, because he said. "too." nt

[Skratchez]

39. Oh great....

you hit that subject that the people who are already not voting for him (the ones who smoke PCP while reading Revelation) love to harp on. I believe that what Obama said was brilliant, but it seems kinda like a paraphrase of Jesus in the synagogue (?) or something saying this is my father's house. Which gives those neocon nutjobs the whole anti-christ spin.

It's a lame point, I know, but there are people who think that way.

[Hekate]

50. Nope, it was Brownback who said "Welcome to my house" as though HE were Jesus

Our man Obama was spot on the way he tossed it back without missing a beat.

Hekate

[Kool Kitty]

56. Brownback said that because the Repubs

just assume that they own God, so by extension, God's house is really theirs.

[offog]

31. Way to go Obama!

I too "love how he takes no crap, throws it back but does it with elegance". It's great to see a cool Democrat work to break the Republican's (presumed) monopoly on Christian values.

[northofdenali]

47. Same offog as in the SF short story from years back?

LOVE the name - amazing how a typo can sorta torpedo a space-going vessel. (Those who have no idea what I'm talking about, see also "Allamagoosa" by Erik Frank, or in Wiki at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allamagoosa).

I don't really care how "Christian" one professes to be, whether it's my local pols, staties or national - or my next door neighbor. I want to see their Christianity in ACTION. I sure don't see it in bomb-bomb McCain.

GOBAMA! He's even gaining ground in very, very, very, very red Alaska.


Bikers for Obama!

[Spazito]

53. Hey offog! Welcome to DU!

Obama is very impressive, isn't he!

[AzDar]

5. That's right.

Take it to 'em, B!:toast:

[tblue37]

6. So many of our "leaders" are dullards that it comes as a shock

when a politician on the national stage has obvious intelligence and a sharp wit.

I am quite familiar with this sort of shock. I teach college English. Over the past many years I have gotten so used to students with vocabularies more limited than those of 6th-graders from when I was in school that when a college student writes or speaks like--well, like a college student--it hits me like a bucket of cold water to the face.

What a treat it is to watch Obama smack down these idiots with such grace and wit.

[katandmoon]

7. Religion ruins everything.

[jjr5]

17. Well, it's helped me a lot. n/t

[Patchuli]

21. That's a broad brush stroke

and not true. Religion has its place but it does not belong in politics any more than reproductive rights. Our founding fathers intended Church and state to be kept separate. The right wing has misused religion since they have to use trickery to get their unsuitable candidates elected. I was concerned this thread would turn into the usual Christian bashing. I'm a left wing liberal Christian and I support Barack Obama. I am hoping that the Civil Forum tonight will open some eyes and change some minds about Democrats.

[The Wizard]

51. Religion is God's curse on humanity

and a crutch for those who can't handle drugs.

[RoyGBiv]

59. No, it doesn't n/t

[Steerpike_Denver]

71. Quote from Juvenal:

Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as "useful".

[kestrel91316]

73. Wrong. RELIGIOUS FUNDAMENTALISM and extremism ruins everything.

I hate the fundies probably more than most, but I have absolutely no problem with mainstream Protestantism, or Judaism in its more liberal forms, or Catholic liberation theology, or even modern moderate Islam.

Keep your church out of our government, and we'll keep government out of your church. That's the main thing. As long as a church respects that and does not seek to impose itself on anyone against their wishes, I have no trouble with it.

I'm even totally ok with the Mennonites, who are pretty fundie in their outlook, but who are REALLY dedicated to separation of church and state, and are very anti-war.

[LanternWaste]

75. People ruin everything.......

People ruin everything. Religion, like commerce, science, philosophy, populations, new ideas, and cultures, are simply instruments of that ruin. And may just as easily be instruments of individual growth and awareness.

[AtomicKitten]

8. That's sassy talk.

I like.

[asjr]

9. It will be wonderful when we have

a president who speaks our language.

[psychmommy]

34. is that english? hahaha

[Skratchez]

38. That was succint.

I'd like to put up a huge wall of text about that but I'll just say being represented by a stuttering moran, or old mumbling J. McLame is a national disgrace. TY

Also could we not initial-ize Obama to BO? That is gross.

[DeschutesRiver]

10. Good for him

Nice, swift correct retort. It is one of the things I really like about watching him in action.

Yes, too many years of dullards made me think this kind of sharp, intelligent, well reasoned person would never run for the highest office. I am very pleasantly surprised over it.

[butterfly77]

11. That is why I am not worried about..

how Obama will handle himself. They need to worry about McCain.

[tekisui]

14. Mccain might just crash another plane tonight.

[Occam Bandage]

15. That was a beautiful retort.

[Bette Noir]

18. Please, God,

May we have a smart president this time?

Why must the intelligent and educated always lack representation?

Gobama.

[Demeter]

19. From Your Lips to God's Ears

No more Stupids!

[ima_sinnic]

20. notice also how B'back calls attention to Obama's race

repigs are so repulsive with their "differences" bullshit.
the pathetic thing is that he thinks he's being "high minded" by accepting the negro--as long as everybody keeps in mind that it is a negro.

[Arnold Judas Rimmer]

24. If "color" is that much of a problem for Sam

...I'm surprised he hasn't legally changed his name to "WHITEback".

[awoke_in_2003]

22. Good comeback., but,

I cannot wait until the day when god goes back exactly where the fuck he belongs, in the church and in the home. It has NO place in politics.

[jeff30997]

27. Amen to that.

Over here in Canuckistan mixing religion with politic is almost a taboo.

Harper is using "God Bless Canada!" as a tag-line for some of his speeches.I don't recall any other

Canadian politician in recent History ever saying that. Some may think this is

harmless but a lot of Canadians find this frightening because that idiot totally identify himself

with Chimpy and co.

[awoke_in_2003]

30. "mixing religion with politic is almost a taboo"

30 years ago in this fine land, the same could be said. Religion used to be a personal thing. Slowly and insidiously, that has changed. It is all up in you face now. Canadians need to cut this trend off at the pass, because once it has a foothold, it will not stop. And once you start giving weight to one religion (Christianity) the others (Muslim especially) will demand the same treatment.

[fudge stripe cookays]

48. This is a good time to mention...

that the first pro-life billboard I ever saw was outside Taber, Alberta in 2003. Scared the shit out of me that dumbfucks have no boundaries. They breed everywhere. Even north of the 49th parallel.

And it also frightened me how noncommittal our Canadian friends were about politics even when we told them what was going on down here and how cozy Harper was getting with Bush a few years later.

I hope to God they start sitting up and taking notice pretty soon or they'll end up like us. Their socialized healthcare will be a memory too.

[awoke_in_2003]

60. "dumbfucks have no boundaries"

Ain't that the truth. What kills me about these people who want to legislate their morality is one day they are going to have to come to grips with people whose religious beliefs are different than theirs, and they will demand equal treatment. We were founded as a secular nation, and need to get back to that. Religion has a bad habit of tolerating racism and sexism.

[George II]

40. "With all due respect", HE belongs everywhere that he created!

[awoke_in_2003]

46. with all due respect

"he" needs to piss the fuck off. "He" did not create this world, and "He" is not the exemplar of moral rectitude. "He" is all about eradicating those that don't believe the way "He" dictates.

[George II]

49. Huh???

[stlsaxman]

25. i simply CANNOT WAIT to see the Saddleback Civil conference tonight...

Both Obama and Warren are Constitutional scholars...

McCain? well- not so much!

Barry's gonna ROCK!

[Diamonique]

26. Ooooh! I didn't know Warren is a constitutional scholar! n/t

[Spazito]

29. I heard a clip of Warren speaking and he made it clear the Constitution

would be part of tonight's happenings, it was very interesting. I was quite impressed with Warren from the little bit I heard.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[trickyguy]

36. Toss it back at em Barack. They hate that.

:evilgrin:

[Rosa Luxemburg]

45. They aren't used to being contested.

Good one Obama!!!

[saltpoint]

41. It was a wonderful moment for Obama, showing him to be fluid

across many arenas of understanding and accomplishment, and simultaneously raising the stakes for any fundie nutbag who tries to use the gospels against the Democrtic ticket.

I think there is a strong, strong chance that Obama and Warren are the two who've done any good thinking at all on the subject, while McCain is not likely to keep pace.

[JerseygirlCT]

43. Yes. And as president, I think he will be the first to support anyone

of whatever beliefs or background - in saying "this is my country, too".

Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case in far too many years.

[pyro858]

52. I'd like to ask Obama why he believes in "god " ?

There simply is no logical reason to believe in invisible beings or factual proof for such a belief. I think we should have a leader that doesn't believe in fairy tales. The world would be a much better place without religion.

[CAG]

54. mao, lenin, stalin all agree....

:sarcasm:

[demwing]

55. I Disagree

The world would be a better place without hate and greed, wherever those things breed.

Religions have done some very humane things over the centuries, including the establishment of the first hospitals.

[Miss Chybil]

57. That's what's great about this country.

We have freedom of religion and freedom from religion. The government does not make anybody believe in God/s, or go to church/synagogue/mosque/temple. (Social and familial pressures aside and not to say there aren't people trying to take over the government who would try to do those things.) So far, the Constitution has protected those who believe, as well as those who don't. Obama has as much right to believe in God as you have not to. Choice is a good thing.

[saltpoint]

61. Well, they had a war back in the Founders' time, and it was decided

that folks could choose for themselves whether to go to church or not.

I opt out myself but think others have the right the Founders' set forth to make their own call.

If you ask Barack Obama alone, in a private dialogue, the question you posit, my guess is you'd get the erudite response it deserves.

But the U.S. electorate has not distinguished itself in the last 200-plus years as a consistently insightful collective body, electing some of the most disastrous fools to ever get up and walk, sometimes twice. James Buchanan. Warren Harding. Nixon. Reagan. Poppy. Junior.

Obama is not at liberty to ignore the limitations of the electorate, comprised in part as it is of people who are selling a PopTart on eBay because they think the face of Christ appears on its surface.

[ElboRuum]

72. I'm in the market for a JesusTart...

What's the high bid?

[saltpoint]

76. There's a Jesus Strawberry PopTart for I think $3.25, a Virgin Mary

corn muffin for $240.00, and a St. Christopher on a Hostess Twinkie for I think $85.99, last I checked.

But move fast on the St. Christopher -- the bidding is sizzlin' hot.

[ElboRuum]

77. Ah, the finder of lost things...

I bet a lot of people are looking for their sanity or common sense these days. No wonder the St. Christopher's Twinkie is a hot item.

[babylonsister]

62. That's your opinion; differing ones are allowed, I'm hoping? Doesn't

mean what other people believe is better or worse than what you believe.

[rucky]

65. Because there's no logical reason for our existance

so if we need a reason to exist, some folks have to pick something and commit.

[axollot]

68. Personally, there is nothing wrong....

...with a President/canidate to have religion in their life, whether they are Christian, Jewish, Hindi, or Muslim (and any I did not mention).

What *IS* wrong is the fact that an athiest or non-christian has practically zero chance at getting into the WH these days.

Cheers
Sandy
I donated today - and gave someone a star =) (since the grovelbot mentioned it.....)

[Mad_Dem_X]

63. Perfect answer.

He doesn't take any gruff from anyone. Superb!

[liberal N proud]

64. The pompous GOP thinks that only they can have faith

That is part of what is wrong with organized religion.

[Honeycombe8]

66. Schwing! Great response. Great because it's true. nt

[Supersedeas]

67. McCain has to convince Evangelicals that he OWNS Christianity--Obama has put that in doubt

[file83]

69. The beauty of that phrase "All due respect..." is that it doesn't mean you

are saying you respect them, it just means that they only get respect that they may or may not deserve.

In this case, I'm sure Obama meant the latter.

[stubtoe]

70. "Welcome to my house.” WHAT THE -? who died and left him "god"?

What a pompous ass.

[golddigger]

74. This religion grap is getting ridiculous in politics.

[Bucky]

78. Tomorrow's Washington Times headline: "Obama claims he owns the House of God"

My goodness, but he's the ultimate elitist!