Obama rally with Oprah in SC...moved from 18,000 seat facility to stadium seating 80,000

[Windy]

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/05/change-of-venue-for-sc-oprah-obama-event/

[mod mom]

1. wow! that'a a huge venue.

[freesqueeze]

2. Nice Article

and funny responses...

"Obama might be picked as Time’s Person of the Year? For being the first non-white person to run for prez. Or maybe Hillary might be picked for being the first non-male to run?"

Sarcasm is not recommended for the memory challenged.

I guess you can hate Oprah but do you hate her for being popular?

[davidinalameda]

3. did he leave the homophobic singer at home

just asking

[Windy]

5. You do realize that Obama is the ONLY candidate that has gone to black churches

and lectured them on how intollerant they are when it comes to homosexuality and how they need to change their collective views don't you...

Guess not...

Get informed!

[Bluebear]

8. You get informed. Obama also hired anti-gay entertainers to emcee his events.

[Windy]

11. I am informed and know all about Donnie McClurkin ...

he also had others at that event to counter him.

McClurkin is HUGELY popular with african american churchs and gospel music fans.

I dont recall that Obama ever stated that he agreed with his positions, quite the opposite.

I have gay friends who didn't have a problem with the event, especially knowing that Obama had no control over what Mcclurkin would spew.

It was a gospel music event. McClurkin is one of the most popular gospel artists today. If Obama would have banned him from the event, it would have cost him. Instead, he had a balance. And as I've said, he's confronted black churches directly, openly and often about their stance against homosexuality. None of the other candidates would touch that with a ten foot pole!

[Bluebear]

13. He had NOBODY at the event to counter him. What "balance" was there?

Quit making things up, who was there to "balance" the anti-gay sermon?

Obama had the power to stop it. Gay people (besides "you friends") begged him not to put McClurkin, Mary, Mary, etc. on.

Obama turned a deaf ear. He is a panderer.

[spag68]

29. Try to get over this McClurkin guy

Remember even if he is as much of a snake as you say, he's just trying to make more money as a performer, So he's a clown, all he wants are the donations,man. The wedge issues will come hot and heavy as we get closer to Jan.5. Take it easy, hate is bad for your heart and stress is the enemy. Help your candidate, rant and rave, but try to keep these things in prospective, and you'll live longer. It will all work out and hopefully a dem. will win, and whoever it is will be better then what we have now. Keep the faith.

[silverweb]

30. Amen.

n/t

[Bluebear]

33. I don't hate & my heart is fine, but if he wanted to make dough, why did Obama help him along?

Why provide him another venue to sermonize against gays?

No, the hate is not on my side.

[Lurking Dem]

42. Where was the outcry

when Clinton had an $800,000 fundraiser with Timbaland?

[silverweb]

16. Don't waste your time and energy.

You're not going to make any headway here, no matter what you say -- and neither will Obama, no matter what else he says or does.

Some people don't want to hear anything except that which addresses their single issue in the only way they'll accept it being addressed.

While I admire your tenacity in defending Barack, you'd probably be better off using your "ignore" button liberally, at least until after the primaries.

On Edit: I'm counting nine "ignored" responses in this thread so far, including the one to this post. You have your asbestos suit on for this crowd, Windy? :D

[Bluebear]

17. What a perfectly horrible suggestion.

I don't deserve to be disrespected and "ignored" for being hurt by your candidate, but if that is the way you deal with issues, so be it.

Your correspondent here also made a false claim, that there was a "pro-gay" balance to the concert. That is not true. Why are so many Obama supporters willing to overlook this?

[sniffa]

21. if it's any consolation

i already have who ever it is on ignore. :loveya:

i <3 the Obama apologists.

[Bluebear]

23. Sounds like a splendid idea.

[FredScuttle]

27. Ignore pandering to bigotry at your own peril

if Saint Obama is this craven in the campaign, what pray tell can we expect when he's elected?

[Malikshah]

24. Then Obama was and remains a calculated coward.

No amount of "others" counter the self-loathing hate of McClurkin and the clear craven political nature of the candidate who brought him in to court people.

Obama's actions show him to be the worst kind of politician--one who puts humanity below political consideration.

[Malikshah]

22. Maybe Obama should get informed on who he works with.

Talk about intolerance. "Hate the gay in you" Wonderful recipe for suicide.

What's the suicide rate among GLBT teens??? Hmm.

Obama can lecture until he's blue in the face, but as long as he as a self-loather promoting self-loathing and intolerance among his campaign tour, he's a coward, hiding behind the cross along with all the other anti-GLBT Christians.

The same coward moniker fits for any other "religious" person who hides behind their scripture.

[davidinalameda]

52. that's great

but he still had a homophobic singer on his tour in South Carolina

seems to me that he may be sending mixed messages

or is this an example of do as I say and not as I do?

[Bluebear]

10. Come on, dwickham, "Embrace the Change"

:silly:

[Fed_Up_Grammy]

4. I get really twitchy when I see the richest woman in the world

pushing a candidate.

He was doing just fine without her----too much money,which gives power, can spoil things for me.

[Windy]

7. Oprah is a draw, but it give obama to speak to a crowd that he otherwise wouldn't have been able to

touch in the campaign trail. He is excellent on the stump and this is a great opportunity for him to get his message out. He is the one that has to convince people to vote for him...

Oprah is doing this country a great service by getting people involved in the political process who otherwise wouldn't bother. We need to wake people up in this country. Whether they vote for Obama or someone else, the democratic party has a great voice in Obama. He may open some eyes that have yet to be opened.

[silverweb]

25. Agreed.

It's all about exposure, really. The more people who get to see and hear him in person, the better.

[zalinda]

6. How many think that these people are going

to see Obama or Oprah? I'm guessing Oprah. Eighty thousand to see a politician, I doubt it, certainly in this day and age.

zalinda

[zanne]

41. Of course they're going to see Oprah.....

But they'll also be listening to Obama. His charisma is legendary. I predict many, many converts with these events. I made phone calls for a week at Obama HQ, but it turns out that the 10,000 seats were filled during the first 24 hours.

[zalinda]

44. I saw it at the dem convention

since then it has been elusive.

zalinda

[earth mom]

51. They're going to see Oprah. Yikes.

:thumbsdown:

[Bluebear]

9. Which homophobic entertainers will be on the programme?

[Windy]

12. You really need to grow up. You have no knowledge of the overall facts and resort to attacks

and spin.

This is why we are in the trouble we are in today.

[Bluebear]

14. You grow up. I know the facts and your candidate is a total panderer.

[FredScuttle]

26. "overall facts"?

Obama purposefully hired, over the objections of countless LGBT organizations, an "ex-gay" clown to headline his fundraiser in S.C. This clown proceeded to spew homophobic filth for over a half-hour to a receptive audience. Obama then proceeded to defend this clown and his decision to feature this bigot as the star of his fundraiser, saying we need to "reach out" to bigotry, homophobia and religious intolerance. Obama's method of "reaching out" is to give bigots a microphone and plenty of stage time to spew homophobic filth at his campaign events.

Fact.

[Bluebear]

15. SC Obama event: “God delivered me from homosexuality! God is the only way!"

http://www.americablog.com/2007/10/obama-supporter-blasts-gays-at-gospel.html

Per the NYT, the anti-gay activist turned the entire final half hour of the concert into an anti-gay harangue:

The whole controversy might have been forgotten in the swell of gospel sound except Mr. McClurkin turned the final half hour of the three-hour concert into a revival meeting about the lightning rod he has become for the Obama campaign.

He approached the subject gingerly at first. Then, just when the concert had seemed to reach its pitch and about to end, Mr. McClurkin returned to it with a full-blown plea: “Don’t call me a bigot or anti-gay when I have suffered the same feelings,” he cried.

“God delivered me from homosexuality,” he added. He then told the audience to believe the Bible over the blogs: “God is the only way.” The crowd sang and clapped along in full support....

Mr. McClurkin’s support for Mr. Obama could signal to some black evangelical voters that race and religion are more important than Mr. Obama’s support for gay rights.

Surprise, surprise, surprise. Obama's anti-gay religious right activist used the opportunity Obama gave him last night to preach his hate to thousands of African-Americans. That's just great. And the white preacher who Obama picked to help explain to the audience that gays aren't minions of Satan? CNN reports that he said nothing at all - just a short little prayer, then he left. As for Obama, he did a taped introduction in which he praised McClurkin, the religious right activist, as one of his favorites. That's nice, because the way to help combat homophobia in the black community is to make sure the gay-basher is first endorsed by someone as high-ranking as Obama, who then chooses to say nothing about the gay-bashing.

So, in the end, Obama let his "best" and "favorite" artist slam gays to thousands of African-Americans, in his name, and neither he nor his hand-chosen white gay preacher said anything in response. Class act, that Obama campaign. For them, creating a "dialogue" means the gay-basher gets to spread his bigotry to thousands while the candidate and the token gay STFU.

[Blackhatjack]

18. Is it TRUE everyone who attends will get a NEW CAR from Oprah???

The Oprah Effect is untested in the political arena.

Should be interesting. (even if she does not give everyone in audience one of everything!) LOL

[Bluebear]

20. Except for Adam and Steve, they are not eligible.

[FredScuttle]

28. Wait! They get a good talking-to from the "ex-gay" clown Donnie McClosetCase

He'll pray teh Gay right outta them!!

[Sultana]

31. Oh please, give it a rest...

:eyes:

[Bluebear]

32. Give "what" a rest, oh rolly eyes?

[Sultana]

34. the whole Donnie Mcurklin(sp?) saga.

[Bluebear]

35. Why, is it ancient history after a month? Is there an expiration date on bigotry?

[Sultana]

36. It's so repetitive...

and so childish. Is that the only attack issue you've got?

[Bluebear]

37. Goodness, you've been here a week! Or are you a sockpuppet?

How could you be so bored of something already?

PS so childish my ass. I don't suppose you are in a minority group, then you'd know how it feels to be sold out.

[Sultana]

38. I followed it from the start

and the attacks got boring. The attacks from both sides were like children arguing and not adults.

What do you mean by minority group?

[Bluebear]

39. Well if it bores you, move on from the subthread. Ciao.

[FredScuttle]

40. Oh, there's plenty to be disgruntled with Obama, Patron Saint of "Ex-Gay" Clowns

Whether it's his pronouncement that women considering abortions need to be "prayerful" or his ridiculous, RW talking points parroting about Social Security being in a "crisis", he's not done a lot in the past 2 months to impress. But the Rev. McClosetCase debacle is the jewel of the crown of why I think Obama is far from the "progressive savior" candidate he's made out to be. He's a politician and an especially craven one at that.

[zanne]

45. Oprah is not THAT popular....

Alot of people are going to see Obama too. Sorry, folks.

[silverweb]

19. Great news!

:woohoo:

The more people who get to experience Obama in person, the better. He's been drawing huge crowds wherever he goes and Oprah is helping even more.

I'm greatly looking forward to seeing video of this event!


GObama!

[babylonsister]

43. Rec'd! Go, Senator Obama! nt

[book_worm]

46. If Obama wins Iowa, NH and SC I think he will be the nominee.

[Yukari Yakumo]

47. Question is... How many are going just to see Oprah, but could care less about Obama? {nt}

uguu

[Hekate]

50. They'll all get to hear Obama's stump speech, and it's a good one. nt

[Trailrider1951]

48. Cool, wish I could go

N/T

[Hekate]

49. That's great news. There's some really snarky responses to the article, & an unbelievably tedious...

...subthread here, but the good news is that when I added a person to my small list of Ignores, it took effect immediately!

Ciao!

Hekate