Correction appended
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(Photo: AP Images / Alex Brandon)Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama D-Ill. waves after his address before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Policy Conference 2008, Wednesday, June 4, 2008, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington.
Barack Obama’s rocket fire leap from a virtual no-namer to the Democratic Party’s celebrity-status presidential nominee has the nation buzzing with excitement, but a values voter leader is cautioning Americans to be careful and to take a closer look at what the candidate really offers.
“We don’t know a lot about Sen. Obama’s plans for America,” said Vision America President the Rev. Dr. Rick Scarborough in a statement on Wednesday. “On the campaign trail, he has mostly spoken in generalities.”
“What we do know is that, if elected, he would be the least experienced man to occupy the White House in at least the last 100 years. We also know that by every conceivable measure, the charismatic Senator is a dyed-in-the-wool liberal,” Scarborough added.
Obama has held national office in the U.S. Senate for a little more than three years, and before that, he served in the Illinois senate from 1997 to 2004.
Scarborough read off a list of recent presidents who had “far more experience” than Obama, including Ronald Reagan who was governor of California for eight years before running for president; Bill Clinton who was a three-term governor of Arkansas; and Jimmy Carter who was an ex-Georgia governor.
“[C]ompared to any of these men when they sought the presidency, Obama is a political neophyte,” according to Scarborough.
Even defeated rival Hillary Clinton has twice the Senate experience as Obama, he added.
Besides inexperience, the Christian leader also found troubling what he called Obama’s “inveterate liberalism.”
"The National Journal rated Sen. Obama the most liberal member of the United States Senate in 2007 – more liberal than Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton or Ted Kennedy,” said the pastor whose ministry seeks to encourage and mobilize pastors and congregations to restore Judeo-Christian values in their communities and the nation.
“I can't think of a single issue – foreign or domestic – where Obama deviates one iota from the left wing of his party.”
But not all Christian leaders feel as adverse towards the Democratic presidential nominee as Scarborough.
Popular and influential Christian leader Bishop T.D. Jakes of The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas, expressed enthusiasm and support for Obama as his party’s nominee.
“I congratulate Sen. Obama on this historic accomplishment,” wrote Jakes, who highlighted that Obama is the first African-American to be the presidential nominee for a major U.S. political party, in a column on CNN.
But the megachurch pastor quickly added that what he really hopes people will see is that Obama’s victory is not just for African Americans, but a victory for democracy and change.
“Today we saw that Americans respect experience, but are interested in change,” Jakes writes. “I hope that we can somehow merge the best ideas of our differences and emerge with a president who epitomizes our highest and best ideals.”
Obama has strong support from the African American Christian community, and many of its leaders have actively worked to mobilize black congregants to support him.
In December, the campaign launched a committee with top African American religious leaders who volunteered to educate voters about Obama as a candidate of faith and values. And he threw Gospel concerts to court black Christian voters in South Carolina ahead of its primary.
Besides black Christians, Obama has also reached out specifically to Hispanic evangelicals in addition to courting American Christian voters in general with his “God talk” and participation in faith forums.
Obama, as the Democratic Party’s nominee, now faces Republican nominee John McCain, who although having his own troubles with values voters, has been able to smooth out rough patches by touting his unbroken pro-life record and his opposition to gay “marriage.”
Correction: Thursday, June 5, 2008:
An article on Thursday, June 5, 2008, about Christian leaders’ responses to Barack Obama securing the Democratic presidential nomination incorrectly reported that Obama held Gospel concerts in North Carolina. The Obama campaign had held the concerts in South Carolina.
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I just want to say one thing, Bush can't be blamed for all the mess we are in....it has to do with many many others.
Just look at the experience that Bush had and this country is BIG MESS! Scarborough is a joke!!!!!!!!!!!
We need to pray pray pray, Our nation is in for a very big surprise. God in control of all things. Dear God have mercy on us!!
Obama wants to weaken our defense. He is very naive if he thinks the world will go along with his desire to disarm. Obama is bad for America.
Oabma Pledges Cuts in Missle Defense, Space, and Nuclear Weapons Program
www.missilethreat.com/archives/id.7086/detail.asp
I find it interesting that nine of the Top 10 Most Dangerous Cities in America were all run by democratic mayors. . (http://www.propeller.com/viewstory/2006/12/03/top-10-most-dangerous-cities-in-america/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.humanevents.com%2Fsarticle.php%3Fid%3D17865&frame=true)
Obama will raise taxes. The thing is, how much is too much....
The rich already pay most of the taxes in this country.
"The data show that the top 1 percent of taxpayers, ranked by adjusted gross income, paid 34.3 percent of all federal income taxes that year. The top 5 percent paid 54.4 percent, the top 10 percent paid 65.8 percent, and the top 25 percent paid 83.9 percent."
(http://www.nationalreview.com/nrof_bartlett/bartlett200512070900.asp)
Obama is pro-abortion.
http://www.ontheissues.org/Archive/Blueprint_Obama_Abortion.htm
Obama is liberal and not bible believing. I couldn't vote for him even if I COULD undertand his specific stance on issues (he just speaks in generalities, from what I can see).
Last year, presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., made a promise to the Planned Parenthood Action Fund:
"The first thing I'd do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act," he said.
The so-called Freedom of Choice Act could wipe away every state law limiting abortion, undoing decades of legal work, research and educational successes.
Obama has co-sponsored the legislation with 18 other senators. The bill has the support of 109 members of Congress.
Excerpt from:
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000007601.cfm
I wonder where these people are getting the idea that Obama cares about religion. He's not even remotely close to being Christian and has never claimed to be anything else. The only reason he even tries to be Christian is to deceive Evangelicals into voting for him, which is just plain disgusting. As much as I dread the coming days knowing he can be President, I know God has a plan in store.
God have mercy on America! In actuality, God have mercy on the handful of pure in heart. The days ahead for America are beyond words. Oh how many will cry out in anguish of heart, and say, " I wish I had,.........
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/02/14/america/LA-POL-Nicaragua-Ortega-Obama.php
We can easily celebrate the nomination of the first African-American for the Presidency. But it is equally true that the first Catholic nominated to run for the presidency was not John F. Kennedy. That distinction belongs to Al Smith, defeated by Herbert Hoover in 1928. Fears of having a Catholic in office prevented Smith's election. Religious bigotry, no more, no less. In the case of Barack Obama, his lack of experience should have some say in the matter. Being the first nominated need not be the first elected. But let it be on the issues, not on the skin color. I have major misgivings about Obama (McCain gives me some moment to pause as well, so 2008 will be interesting. I've heard the lesser of two evils line, and I'm not into hysterics yet. We have a little under seven months to examine and decide. Bth candidates will have enough to do in their campaigns. For me, it's the issues, then to allow informed conscience to push the lever in my individual voting booth. And pray, pray, pray.
kc "Liberalism is a mental illness, a free people voting for the oppression of socialism & communism is proof!."
your post makes zero sense.
Sen. Obama will become President Obama, I look forward to that.
Hawkwind, which Bible are you reading? I don't remember Jesus coming out in support of any party. As a matter of fact it seems he condemned those who followed the "party line" (Pharasee, Saduces, ect). Obama is nothing but talk. He promises everything, but offers no explainations for anything.
Which presidential candidate will allow the Gospel in Spiriit and in Truth to go out to our nation and to the of the world ? Never the less the world's ship is sinking .Which ever candidate gets in, "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel. to all nations baptizing them in the name of the
Father ,and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:and lo I am with you always,even unto to end of the world. Amen"
It is highly probable that Sen. Obama will be the next president of the US. It will be good for America and the world. He will be able to correct the multitude of errors committed by the fool that now ocupies the WH. Sen. Obama is an intelligent and very capable person whole will bring honor and respectibilty back to the office of president. McCain is unlikely to become president, he is an old man that would continue many of the failed policies of the current band of fools. McCain is a war monger and will continue the failed US foreign policies of the fools bush & cheney.