Obama and the cross: A double standard?

Much conversation this Sunday morning on the talk shows about the flyer that Barack Obama is distributing in Kentucky about the role of Christian faith in his life.

Here's a look at the flyer (in which, blogs David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, the Obama campaign "goes for the in-your-face cross") ...

Republican pundit Peggy Noonan, who as President Reagan's speechwriter knows something about the use of symbolism in politics, said on ABC's "This Week" that the flyer was part of Obama's effort to reassure Americans that he shares the same culture they do.

But another Republican, ex-Arkansas governor and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee, had a bit of a gripe. Remember Huckabee's famous Christmas ad, in which the camera slowly pans over his shoulder to reveal something that looks like a white cross in the background?

"I think it's interesting that nobody's jumping on Obama for this very blatant cross in his ad. And I took grief for months," Huckabee said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "I'm still taking it, over something that wasn't even a cross. It was a bookshelf, for heaven's sake."

He said a double standard existed for Republicans and Democrats who invoke their faith in campaigns. "If Republicans even get near a church, we are accused of embracing it," Huckabee said.

He then, however, praised Obama as a "person of faith."

--James Oliphant

Oliphant writes for The Swamp of the Chicago Tribune's Washington bureau.

Comments

[joe]

what a joke this panderer is. what more can you say but, get ready for a write in movement for clinton .... if obama continues to be the dnc's choice for the nom.

[peter]

He must think we are really really stupid. Who would believe now that he is sincere, after spending 20 years listening to Wright's racist drivel and mumbling amen. Oh, I forgot. Wright said all that in one freakish sermon, which Obama must have missed.

[anee]

He even plagarizes Jesus.

[TheRockofAges]

Why now, Oprahma? For some reason I don't believe you. President Lincoln said it best; 'you can fool some of the people some of the time, but you can't fool all the people all the time'. Let's hope he was right. Suddenly you are sporting an American flag pin on your lapel after making such a big deal about it a while ago, refusing to wear one, stating American flag pins were merely a 'political statement'? I can see through you, why can't anyone else?

[Charles from FL]

It's one thing to be embracing the far right and KKK.
Quite another to demonstrate Christian belief and counter opponents' charges of being somehow Muslim.

[Auburn]

Imagine that...the liberal, main-stream media being slanted toward the ultra-liberal Barack Hussein Obama. What a shocker.

[Linda]

He has taken up a new profession! Now he is a minister?!?! Doesn't look like he is 'sititng in Church and praying'. Looks like he is taking on the role of the "Pulpit" in this picture. Well ...really in his entire campaign. His 'fans' all espouse he is supposed to be the 'next coming' . He is a fraud on all counts. Double standard. You bet!

[dePaul Consiglio]

All paternal cultures have by some nature a concept of the connections between father son and the spirit between and amongst the person of me myself and I. A symbol, a system of belief or a religion always succeeds by most meeasures to reasure, guide, and make strong the person. Democrats are no different then anyone else in this.
Since hope is the ultimate prayer then hope that in this election we find America as we want it to be and that our next President takes us into the future and back to the age of the pioneers.

dePaul Consiglio

[joe]

what a panderer, even steals Jesus' words, faith, hope and then has the audacity to add his campaign slogan. dean sure can pick a winner.

[Rich Allen]

This is another reason that Gov. Huckabee is needed as the V P candiadate by John McCain. Obama is already starting to run his general election campaign and will be making a concerted effort to win the evangelical vote.

[Kevin]

We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

--Abraham Lincoln

This is why I'm voting for Barack Obama in the fall. He calls upon our better angels.

[dave]

with candidate for PRESIDENT RON PAUL, to stop forever hoping for - start being change.
rather than hypocritically wearing your patriotism and religion on your sleeve.
for obama to try and rival the neocon-perfected perversion of engaging pathetic and cynical religious kitsch,
and claiming divine favoritism to win the gullible, shows not only lack of discernment, but insincerity and
corruption of character as well.
'when fascism comes to america it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.' - sinclair lewis

[Sarah]

Ha!! I wonder whose face is being covered by Obama's quote in the white box. Could it be Rev. Wright? Heehee

[Leslie]

Obama is not who he says he is.

[Wm Tate]

Will the same Obamaniacs, who accuse President Bush of pandering to the religious right when he expresses his faith, do the same when Barry does it?

-Wm Tate
http://www.atimelikethis.us/

[carolyne]

I think I'm feeling sick looking at this devilish blasphemous brochure, what the heck is Obama doing? Easy, he's showing the flip flop politics that he is practicing, NOT praying about. We all better think about this, and watch our back. It's SAD-U-SEE, Obama is a double standard, double minded man that is unstable in ALL HIS WAYS. quoted from James, which is God's word on people like him. He doesn't know God's will or believe in it, or he would not have sat in that evil hate filled church of Satan for twenty years! Does he play the true believers for a fool? Well we are NOT fooled!
He's an antichrist and the worst choice ever in the history of our great country America to have running for President. NO NO NO OBAMA! Lets say it again!

[Shirley]

Go Obama! Obama '08

[old dem]

Personally, I'd rather have Obama calling upon our better economic advisors (not Goolsbee or Kornbluh) than our angels.

[katiec]

Really not worth commenting on.
You will take issue with whatever Obama does
regardless.

[S. Klein]

Where have you guys and gals been? FYI, Obama used this same flyer during the Texas primary quite some time ago. The religious right has been successful at this kind of campaigning for a long time. I don't care for it from either side.

[Leslie]

In liberal Oregon:
"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said.

Would he say that in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky, Florida, or West Virginia?

"...and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK." " Says a lot about his world view....and view of the US and its people.

Obama is not who he says he is.

[dave]

with candidate for PRESIDENT RON PAUL, to stop forever hoping for - start being change.
rather than hypocritically wearing your patriotism and religion on your sleeve.
for obama to try and rival the neocon-perfected perversion of engaging pathetic and cynical religious kitsch,
and claiming divine favoritism to win the gullible, shows not only lack of discernment, but insincerity and
corruption of character as well.
'when fascism comes to america it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.' - sinclair lewis

[dave]

with candidate for PRESIDENT RON PAUL, to stop forever hoping for - start being change.
rather than hypocritically wearing your patriotism and religion on your sleeve.
for obama to try and rival the neocon-perfected perversion of engaging pathetic and cynical religious kitsch,
and claiming divine favoritism to win the gullible, shows not only lack of discernment, but insincerity and
corruption of character as well.
'when fascism comes to america it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.' - sinclair lewis

[Scott d]

As far as I'm concerned Obama is a cultural Muslim. He was raised in Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world. He has a Muslim middle name and he spent 20 years associating closely with Chicago Muslims especially Louis Farrakhan the Supreme Minister of the Nation of Islam. That he later moved to a Christian, Reverend Wright's racist church belies the fact that Obama is a the minimum a cultural Muslim. The lady Obama doth protest too much.

[dfortruth]

Can any of you explain to me how do you become a Christian? I thought the word of God said He came to seek and save the lost.

Are you saying the Holy Spirit can not convert a muslin into a believer of Christ. The Word of God says we will be judge for every idle word we speak. God did not say he will judge me for what my pastor speak. You need to open your Bible and read it for yourself. Is anything too hard for God?

[halnine000]

Will the new Pastor Obama be coming to all of our towns soon? This flyer and Mr. Obama speak for themselves. He is playing ALL of us for fools and he is spitting right in our faces.