Richardson Goes for Obama

In a very surprising and controversial time in the Obama campaign they have found a new friend with the very much needed endorsement of Governor Bill Richardson. Even the close friendship of former President Bill Clinton could not sway the Governor of New Mexico to join the Hillary Clinton band wagon. Over at MSNBC they have this to say about it…

SANTA FE, New Mexico - New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, America's only Hispanic governor, is endorsing Sen. Barack Obama for president, calling him a "once-in-a- lifetime leader" who can unite the nation and restore the country's international leadership.

Richardson, who dropped out of the Democratic race in January, is to appear with Obama on Friday at a campaign event in Portland, Oregon, The Associated Press has learned.

Snip

Richardson has been relentlessly wooed by Obama and Clinton for his endorsement. As a Democratic superdelegate, the governor plays a part in the tight race for nominating votes and could bring other superdelegates to Obama's side. He also has been mentioned as a potential running mate for either candidate. - MSNBC

What is interesting about this endorsement is the quality of the individual. Earlier in this political contest Bill Richardson was a huge favorite for Independents and Moderate voters. Even at one point there was talk back in the Iowa caucus days of Richardson and Biden joining camps to form a super Democrat ticket.

Richardson’s endorsement brings some serious credentials with it when it comes to diplomacy around the world. When he was still running for President he spoke at length about talking to nations of the world with issues against America rather than brow beating them into submission or using military force to show them the true path.

What will be interesting to see is if the endorsement of Obama by Governor Richardson will swing a big enough chunk of Hispanic voters away from the Clinton campaign. That will be the true test of this endorsement.

It begs at the mind to wonder if Barack Obama has promised the Vice Presidency to the Governor if nominated by the Democrats. Having a running mate with five Nobel Peace Prize nominations under his belt certainly would work to Obama’s favor when it comes to foreign policy.

Papamoka

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Catholic’s, McCain & Hagee

Us Catholic’s are a tough lot. Hell we have to deal with the shame of the child molesting priest issue that went underground for decades but we all own that shame together as Catholic’s. It is a shame that should never be forgotten by every single Catholic.

Mind you as church organizations go the Catholic faith is very strict with its teachings but very liberal with its actions. Caring for the poor, feeding the homeless, clothing people, offering assistance in many areas of life without care as to whether you are a Catholic or not. There are no flares fired off to make notice of our churches response to people in need, its just done.

With that being said, there is a religious Christian war going on in American politics that is based in hate. Christian, and hate are two words that should never go together when talking about the American Christian experience of faith. Love thy brother does not have the word “except” in it. Down at the bottom of the page there is no italicized notes with a list of who is not to be loved. If you think this war is happening in both political parties then you would be dead wrong. This issue is totally owned by the “My God is better than your God” Republican Party and Reverend John Hagee is heading up the battle with his endorsement of John McCain. Over at the Washington Post they have this great read on it…

Hagee Endorsement of McCain Has Risks

By LIBBY QUAID
The Associated Press
Monday, March 3, 2008; 6:23 PM

SEDONA, Ariz. -- Endorsed by an influential Texas televangelist, Republican John McCain endeared himself to one group of voters but risked alienating another with the pastor's anti-Catholic views.

The controversy has been mild so far, but still, every vote counts in a presidential election that is expected to be closely contested.

Evangelical or born-again Christian voters were key to George W. Bush's victories, but so were Roman Catholics, who chose Bush over their fellow Catholic John Kerry in 2004 and over Al Gore in 2000.

The televangelist, San Antonio megachurch leader John Hagee, has referred to the Roman Catholic Church as "the great whore" and called it a "false cult system" and "the apostate church"; the word "apostate" means someone who has forsaken his religion.

He also has linked Adolf Hitler to the Catholic church, suggesting it helped shape his anti-Semitism.

McCain said he does not agree with some of Hagee's past comments. "It's simply not accurate to say that because someone endorses me that I therefore embrace their views," McCain told reporters at a news conference Monday in Phoenix. - Washington Post

Just checking facts and we have this video from YouTube…



John McCain needs to look in the rear view mirror of his campaign and think about this endorsement more clearly. No matter how McCain spins this in the desire to hold on to the Bush Evangelical right vote he will loose the Catholic vote in large blocks. That is where the weakness of the McCain campaign will be in the general election. Pitting one Christian based religion against another Christian based religion offers no hope or change from the Bush full speed ahead of separation of the people. Good luck with that one Johnny! Here is your cross, you earned it, wear it well.

My family was from the old school, marry an Irish girl and marry a Catholic girl. I got one out of two right but one thing is true of both my wife and I is that our Catholic faith is one issue we never argue over. Our faith is our rock and we stand on it many times to keep our heads above the tides of life. To have someone call our faith a bastardization of religion or a whore just bothers me.

As for John Hagee, from this die hard Catholic, you sir are a money grabbing hypocrite. You call my church a group of “Whores”? You call my faith a “False Cult”. Then you call us a “Nazi” shaping tool of Adolf Hitler! I’ll turn the other cheek. Hit me again as you drive away from your multi million dollar church and studios in your luxury car to go to your personal mansion paid for by believers only looking for any beacon of hope that is the beginning of their faith.

Two words for the most self righteous Reverend John Hagee, “False Prophet”. Somewhere in the bible is a story about being very aware of men preaching God’s word and directing hate towards our fellow man. Again, God and Hate are two words that should not be used together if you are a minister, priest or a Reverend. In politics this endorsement is tantamount to forsaking an entire people for the favor of one.

In the battle for Christian voters John McCain is selling out his own self respect for votes from just one religious political group. What would he do as President? In acceptance of this endorsement he has basically endorsed the same words of Reverend John Hagee and called all of us in the Catholic faith “Whores”! As a practicing Catholic I resent it. If this is what the Republican Party is all about then I would suggest Catholic Republican’s jump ship in the general election simply for this endorsement.

There is no back peddling on this very central Catholic issue and Senator McCain will not back off or denounce John Hagee’s endorsement. That is the issue to stand and fight for as Catholics come November. Our faith is not a whore!

I have to run, as a Catholic I have to say a couple dozen Hail Mary’s and a ton of Our Father’s for this post…

Papamoka

Cross posted at MichaelLinnJones.com

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Wounded Iraq Vet’s Moving On

Picture courtesy of Reuters

As we all read the latest and greatest news in the world of politics it was interesting to see Pat Robertson endorsing Rudi Giuliani for the Christian Conservatives. Talk about oil and water not mixing. Robertson sited that the people need someone that can deal with world terrorism and radical Islam for his decision to endorse Giuliani for President in 2008.

Republican’s seem to be running on the war against terror for President from a strength perspective and in some respects I agree with them but the world is a far different place than it was on September 11, 2001. Talking tough against terrorism and radical factions in the world is one thing but the cost for that kind of talk is paid in lives by our military. Military funerals are happening all across our nation every single day to the point that people can not comprehend anymore that the person in that hearse was someone’s baby that was being buried. Then you have the forgotten cost, the wounded military members that are sent back home to tend their wounds. That is what lead me to this amazing photo shoot over at Reuters. Please take the time to view the pictures on Reuters. My heart goes out to all of the people that help these soldiers to get back to some sense of normalcy as the world likes to see portrayed. No longer whole, these soldiers prove to the world that they are not done fighting. God bless them all.

IED’s are taking a serious toll on our troops in the field and the road back for many of these soldiers is a long one. The loss of one limb is extreme enough but many of these soldiers are suffering from multiple limb losses. Rehabilitation is brutal and hard on them personally, emotionally, and physically. Learning to walk again is not a simple task when you don’t have the legs you were born with. It’s easy to speak from courage in a political suit when you don’t have to face the results of that speech trying on a pair of prosthetic legs for the hundredth time in an effort to simply walk.

I’m not supporting any candidate that thinks that all of the possible avenues of diplomacy have been exhausted to end this war and that we need to send more American troops to Iraq or Afghanistan. I don’t think anyone in the Republican field of candidates truly understands that our military presence in Iraq now is no longer fighting terrorism as much as it is creating a new generation of terrorists. As far as the Democrat’s in the race for 2008, I believe only Senator Biden and Governor Richardson are advocating an exit plan that makes sense.

War is nothing glorious or moral, it is men killing one another because no other solution existed to stop the conflict. Our next election for President and the Congress should be a loud and clear voice that our American government has the ability to listen and talk to all peoples of the world without calling them a terrorist nation first. Military action comes with a very high price and using it as a first option simply because you can is not what this nation was ever about.

Papamoka

My personal thanks go out to Fisher House that provides local accommodation’s to wounded Military immediate family while our wounded men and woman in our military service fight back from what is a devastating circumstance for most families.

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