Axelrod Was Making Pfleger Documentary

Guess who has been doing a documentary about Father Michael "persona non grata" Pfleger?  None other than Obama's very own strategist, David Axelrod.  From Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times:

http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2008/05/ pfleger_a_headache_for_obama_a.html

Pfleger is the subject of a documentary being made by Chicago-based David Axelrod, Obama's top strategist. On Friday, Axelrod told me in an e-mail that the film project has "been dormant for much of the last two years due to other commitments."

One wonders what is in Axelrod's video and audio file about Pfleger.  For example, does it have the scenes from 2006 when Pfleger criticized a mass resignation of Jewish members on a state of Illinois hate crimes commission:  http://www.nbc5.com/news/7782149/detail. html?rss=chi&psp=news

"Callers to Tuesday's radio show included the Rev. Michael Pfleger, the white pastor of a mostly black Chicago church and a friend of Muhammad's.
Pfleger said "good riddance" to the people who had left the commission. "Leave, go ahead and go on out, we don't need that kind of a spirit or mentality and a narrowness on that kind of commission. I'm glad they're gone," Pfleger said.

The controversy involved a member of the commission, Sister Claudette Marie Muhammad, who is the Nation of Islam's minister of protocol.

[She] "was under the radar until she invited other commissioners to attend a Farrakhan speech last month.  Criticism of Muhammad mounted after the speech, which included references to "Hollywood Jews" promoting homosexuality and "other filth."
The three Jewish commission members who resigned said Muhammad should not be on the commission unless she repudiates Farrakhan's criticism of Jews, gays and other groups. On Tuesday, the Jewish Community Relations Council, which represents 46 Chicago-area groups, passed a resolution supporting the three commission members.
"We're not willing to give credibility to this commission in the face of this appointment," said Alan Solow, the chairman of the council."

Here's the quote from Farrakhan that sparked the brouhaha, from the Israeli newspaper Haaretz:  http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pag es/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=698094

Farrakhan said, "These false Jews promote the filth of Hollywood. It's the wicked Jews, the false Jews that are promoting lesbianism, homosexuality," and "Zionists have manipulated Bush and the American government" over the war in Iraq.

What else might be in those files?  Could there be speeches Obama made while in the company of Pfleger?  Appearances by Pfleger or Obama with Minister Farrakhan?  Care to share those files, Mr. Axelrod?  

Obama has said he was not present for the controversial sermons by Wright or Pfleger and condemned both. This week, he said he was "deeply disappointed" by Pfleger's "divisive, backward-looking rhetoric."

 http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/31/o bama.church/index.html

Sermons Obama might have heard from Pfleger?  



Display:


Who needs 527's? (2.00 / 2)

The McCain campaign can get all their talking points from MyDD.

Time for a new name, I think. MyMcBlog?


Users who are excessively bashing the Democratic Party, or being Republican trolls, will be banned.
by Massadonious on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:29:03 PM EST

Don't feed the outrage tonight (none / 0)

let it die in the storm.

I'll be in my blog and striking out to pull people away from the outrage.

You can feed it later if you must but stay away tonight.


Student Guy=JoeMentum. No really Student Guy=JoeMentum, after all JoeMentum was an embarrassment so is Student Guy. This sig is FAIL!!
by Student Guy on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:41:10 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Enough (2.00 / 2)

I wholeheartedly denounce what Father Pfleger said.  It was stupid, disrespectful, and way out of line.

Attack what he said all you want - I won't argue with that in the least.

But every goddamn Chicagoan knows this guy has been on the forefront of a whole host of issues in the community.  Whether immigration rights, affordable housing, or violence in the community -- he's always been at the front (and sometimes - his mouth has gotten him trouble in those endeavors, too).

It's disgusting the way so many folks utterly refuse to accept that this man has done plenty of good in his time at St. Sabina.

His words should be denounced.

He should not.


by zonk on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:31:08 PM EST

Re: Axelrod Was Making Pfleger Documentary (none / 0)

Who cares?

Obama is not Phleger, he is not Wright, he is his own man.

Guilt by association is ridiculous.

We're electing someone to the highest office in the land and one of the most powerful positions in the world. How about we concentrate on policies and governing philosophies instead of personal associations.


by WellstoneDem on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:32:33 PM EST

Hey Man cool name (2.00 / 1)

I still own my Wellstone T and wear it frequently, but don't feed the outrage tonight, let it shrivel up, don't feed it.


Student Guy=JoeMentum. No really Student Guy=JoeMentum, after all JoeMentum was an embarrassment so is Student Guy. This sig is FAIL!!
by Student Guy on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:42:26 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hey Man cool name (none / 0)

Good Call


by WellstoneDem on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:52:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

John McCain and the far right thank you for this. (none / 0)


by 0td on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:32:45 PM EST

Re: Axelrod Was Making Pfleger Documentary (none / 0)

You're not half the human being Father Pfleger is.  He's a great humanitarian who has worked on a whole host of issues in his community.


by Deadalus on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:34:41 PM EST

I wouldn't want to share anything (none / 0)

with Father Pfleger, a man who sows racial division and uses the pulpit to mock a great leader for his own political purposes.  He is small minded and divisive when he should be spreading healing and unity.

I have nothing but scorn for him.


by Radiowalla on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:09:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I wouldn't want to share anything (none / 0)

So his entire life of sacrifice and progressive activism is down the drain because he lost his cool in a heated primary?

Grow up, sore loser.


by Deadalus on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:14:27 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Down the drain? (none / 0)

Certainly not.
I'm sure that his good works will live on.  As will his disgraceful moment in the guest pulpit where he behaved like a court jester.

Your nasty personal comment to me speaks volumes about you.

Good-bye.


by Radiowalla on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:26:54 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Down the drain? (none / 0)

I'm sick of seeing progressive activists smeared because they made some ill-advised remarks.

It smacks of being a sore loser.


by Deadalus on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:29:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]

but you don't hesitate to (none / 0)

smear activists here.

As I said before, good-bye.


by Radiowalla on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:47:07 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: but you don't hesitate to (none / 0)

Like I said, I seriously doubt you have done anything remotely as positive for your community as he has for his.

Last I checked, being a sore loser wasn't much value to progressive politics.


by Deadalus on Sat May 31, 2008 at 09:04:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

You know jack crap (none / 0)

about me.

I've worked my entire adult life in hospice care, and, once again, find your personal attacks very offensive.

As for your "sore loser" meme, last time I checked, progressives didn't borrow right-wing talking points, especially ones as infamous as that.


by Radiowalla on Sat May 31, 2008 at 09:23:35 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: You know jack crap (none / 0)

It's not a right-wing talking point.  It's the truth.

Sore Losers = John McCain


by Deadalus on Sat May 31, 2008 at 10:50:56 PM EST
[ Parent ]

I'm still waiting for you (none / 0)

to apologize and retract your personal slams to me.
Never mind.
by Radiowalla on Sat May 31, 2008 at 10:54:51 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: I'm still waiting for you (none / 0)

I'm not apologizing to you.  You're the one slandering a progressive activist because of one mistake, he has already apologized for.

Get over yourself.

Being a sore loser is very unattractive.


by Deadalus on Sat May 31, 2008 at 11:28:19 PM EST
[ Parent ]

And you are the one slandering me (none / 0)

I said "goodbye" and should have stuck by it.
My mistake.
by Radiowalla on Sat May 31, 2008 at 11:39:46 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: And you are the one slandering me (none / 0)

At least we can bond over our need to have the last word.  ;)


by Deadalus on Sun Jun 01, 2008 at 04:06:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz (2.00 / 1)

Haaaaah?  You woke me for this?  


"McSame: He's Constipated and Ready to GO!
by Al Rodgers on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:42:04 PM EST

hey Al (none / 0)

You are awesome with the pics, can you drop a few in my diary.  I would greatly appreciate it.


Student Guy=JoeMentum. No really Student Guy=JoeMentum, after all JoeMentum was an embarrassment so is Student Guy. This sig is FAIL!!
by Student Guy on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:43:12 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Axelrod Was Making Pfleger Documentary (none / 0)

As a Jew, I am astonished.  I had no idea that people of other faiths and ethnicities ever said terrible things about us at any time in history.  Anyone who hears such bile has a moral responsibility to immediately perform ritual self-immolation, or they are clearly complicit in these unprecedented utterances.  Having read this diary, we all now have a responsibility to set ourselves on fire in protest.  Otherwise, it's almost like we agree.  No?


The future is unwritten
by Strummerson on Sat May 31, 2008 at 07:43:48 PM EST

Hey man (none / 0)

don't feed the outrage, I am diary maxxed out due to my call for sanity but write a piece on John McCain and his bad policies.  It is cool to do that, but arguing won't get us anywhere tonight.


Student Guy=JoeMentum. No really Student Guy=JoeMentum, after all JoeMentum was an embarrassment so is Student Guy. This sig is FAIL!!
by Student Guy on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:08:40 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Hey man (none / 0)

Sometimes a little irony defuses outrage.  I actually am Jewish and feel compelled to offer a bit of perspective when someone is being unfairly implicated in anti-Semitism by association.  But I am, as you know, largely in agreement with you and applaud what you are trying to do at the moment.  You have my support and solidarity.  I'll practice restraint from here on out.


The future is unwritten
by Strummerson on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:13:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

NOW Obama resigns from TUCC? (none / 0)

I'm having a hard time seeing how this is good politics.  To undecided voters it might look like chickenshit hackery.  

What can Axelrod resign from?


by Upstate Dem on Sat May 31, 2008 at 08:26:24 PM EST

Maybe he really is done with TUCC? (none / 0)

So many seem to assume that this move is a political move to "distance" himself from his church. But what if he really is fed up with them?

This has got to be hard for him, either way.


by professor on Sat May 31, 2008 at 10:16:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]


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