Video: Nadler says Obama “not politically courageous”
posted at 9:10 am on November 3, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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My friend Pam at Atlas Shrugged got this video over the weekend of Rep. Jerrold Nadler telling Floridians what has been blindingly obvious all along. It shows both why the Jeremiah Wright string would not resonate and why it actually does have some real value in assessing Barack Obama. Nadler tries to explain why Obama couldn’t simply leave Trinity United, and Obama comes off looking like a cold, calculating, manipulative pol:
Obama didn’t have the political courage to make a statement and walk out.
That’s been the reason that most people have shrugged off the Wright Stuff, which John McCain left on the cutting-room floor in this election. Most people have reached the same conclusion that Nadler gives his New York constituents. Obama joined Trinity for political connections and got them, as well as the power base of 8,000 members in the South Side. When Obama’s aspirations moved from Chicago to Washington, he had no trouble dumping Wright and TUCC.
Except that doesn’t quite square with reality. Obama remained close to Wright until this year. He gave $26,000 to TUCC in 2006, well after Obama won his seat in the US Senate. Until Wright accused him of exactly the kind of political opportinism that Nadler suggests, Obama planned to stick with his demagoguic minister while attempting to explain him away as the product of a bygone generation. He gave a nationally-watched speech on race and refused to repudiate Wright until Wright made his lunacy too explicit just weeks later.
Either way, it doesn’t reflect well on Obama. Either he’s a political opportunist who uses faith as a tool to win votes, or he’s a true believer in Wright’s message who got offended at Wright’s attack on him and dumped him only for that reason. I’d call it a combination of the two.
Update: This apparently took place in Florida, and I misspelled Nadler’s first name.
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i’ve heard some PUMAs who can’t imagine voting for a rep are voting Nader, either way it’s a negative for barry
YRM on November 3, 2008 at 9:11 AM
Nadler = Deluxe Pizza, with all the toppings.
mylegsareswollen on November 3, 2008 at 9:14 AM
There was a very hard hitting ad last night on NBC in west Georgia, and maybe statewide, on the Obambi/Wright connection. It was done by one of the Rep. groups.
AubieJon on November 3, 2008 at 9:14 AM
Nadler is D-NY. He was taped in Boca Raton, FL.
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/
slp on November 3, 2008 at 9:15 AM
Nadler is shilling for Obama trying to deceive other Jews into thinking Obama isn’t anti-Jewish. He is, and Nadler will join those other quislings in hell.
JiangxiDad on November 3, 2008 at 9:15 AM
Concidentally, Jay Nordlinger at NRO had this post last night on McCain:
“He Stood Up.”
Wethal on November 3, 2008 at 9:16 AM
Obama is one scary individual.
MarkABinVA on November 3, 2008 at 9:16 AM
The One is an opportunist of the most crass sort – something obvious to his minions that have the tire tracks to prove it, and something that will become more obvious to the rest very soon.
blish on November 3, 2008 at 9:19 AM
holy crap i feel stupid i thought this wholetime this was nader lmao
i then read the article and saw the vid and now i deserve a bump on the head like the v8 commercials
anyhow, oops
YRM on November 3, 2008 at 9:20 AM
Nader, Nadler, an easy 500lb. mistake :)
JiangxiDad on November 3, 2008 at 9:22 AM
Two, two, two taste treats in one – if you enjoy the taste of perfidy.
Shivas Irons on November 3, 2008 at 9:22 AM
Pamela Geller is a conspiracy-theorist nutbar.
But… she did good work here. Here’s another Rep. Wexler video from Pamela where Nadler gets ripped to shreds by a group of Florida voters. It’s better quality too so it’s easy to watch.
I hope Geller got burned enough this election with her conspiracy nonsense that she returns to the land of the sane, permanently.
Christoph on November 3, 2008 at 9:22 AM
FIFY….;)
surrounded on November 3, 2008 at 9:23 AM
My in laws aare going to a Sarah Palin Rally today. My Father in law said he would take some pictures if allowed.
http://sarah-palin-2008.blogspot.com/2008/11/who-will-stand-up-to-bullies.html
Dr Evil on November 3, 2008 at 9:24 AM
Hey Ed, what about Obama does square with reality? /snark
Fozzy Bear on November 3, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Obama is clearly a political opportunist. He will throw anyone under the bus that stands in his way. Next under the bus…the Constitution! Hopefully the country wakes up (literally) tomorrow.
MAD2008 on November 3, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Is there any Democrat in Congress who is not a complete jackass?
One? Maybe one who is just a semi-jackass?
It’s not enough that Democrats are hideously corrupt and demonstrably incompetent, do they also have to be people who 50 years ago would have been employed by Ringling Brothers to crawl out of clown car?
I can’t decide who is worse, idiot Democrat politicians, their lickspittle media or the complete idiots who vote Democrats into office.
NoDonkey on November 3, 2008 at 9:25 AM
Should be Jerrold.
jgapinoy on November 3, 2008 at 9:26 AM
When you see the kind of things B.O. has been pulling since the very beginning of this election, you are seeing Chicago Democrat Machine Politics in full-swing action. Keep that in mind if this guy does manage to become the next President. You will then see political shenanigans the likes of which you never dreamed possible.
pilamaye on November 3, 2008 at 9:27 AM
CHANGE WE CAN BELIEVE IN!!!!
Ugh, I’m going to sick tomorrow.
Lance Murdock on November 3, 2008 at 9:29 AM
Please check out my 17 (now 22) things you should know before voting for Barack Obama.
tan123 on November 3, 2008 at 9:32 AM
I agree too, Obama is too full of himself to be a good leader. It seems always “what’s in it for Obama” rather than the folks out here. He was a senator from my state, Illinois, and I cannot remember one particular thing he did for downstaters (that’s everyone NOT in Chicago and collar counties), or anyone in Illinois for that matter. But even here there are many people who are practically slobbering over how great he is! Scary to say the least.
There are many reasons why not to vote for Senator Obama, but the most fundamental reason is the life issue – without life it does not matter what kind of economy we have, if we are at war, or anything else! LIFE is at this time still a fundamental right (or so I thought) in this country! I became an American by choosing America – I was not born here, came from Germany with my soldier husband many years ago, and have not missed any election since I was allowed to vote. Issues have always been most important to me, and this is a moral issue – it sets the path for our whole country!
mkosin on November 3, 2008 at 9:35 AM
Well make sure you vote at least.
LeBron on November 3, 2008 at 9:36 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEFugVbzsSo
MarkJudge on November 3, 2008 at 9:39 AM
I guess tomorrow is the big day. I am so sick of MSN. Now they have a big headline: If BO takes a fall, he won’t be alone. WTF is that? I don’t feel the bit sorry for him either. Guess I am racists then. YAY!! That man Nadler is a idiot. And of course a Democrat. Don’t you just love how Hillary ripped and ripped BO apart. And now she is keeping her mouth shut? All for hoping for money. Her and Bill both hate BO’S guts. What a bunch of &^*(%%%&***#@ My ballot will have McCain on it. I am still sick today. I think this election has got me sick. But have to go to work.
sheebe on November 3, 2008 at 9:40 AM
Nadler would have been a nazi collaborator telling other Jews that “Hitler won’t be so bad.”
Let’s roll.
ex-Democrat on November 3, 2008 at 9:44 AM
Hey, ex-Democrat… where’s your proof Nadler is an anti-Semite? That’s a serious charge.
Christoph on November 3, 2008 at 9:46 AM
He didn’t do a thing- to Chicago politicians like Obama and Blagojevich, people in Peoria or Carbondale or anywhere south of I-80 might as well not exist.
VanPalin on November 3, 2008 at 9:49 AM
He can’t be an anti-semite, he’s a schmuck.
JiangxiDad on November 3, 2008 at 9:55 AM
Obama pointed out how campaign financing is broken – by demonstrating how to use every loophole to fraudulently finance a campaign.
Change you can believe in!
Seixon on November 3, 2008 at 9:55 AM
and a putz.
JiangxiDad on November 3, 2008 at 9:56 AM
and probably a gonif.
JiangxiDad on November 3, 2008 at 9:56 AM
I’d agree that it’s both Ed, but I think using the word faith is a bit of a stretch.
Texas Gal on November 3, 2008 at 9:58 AM
and don’t forget nebbish and meshugana.
JiangxiDad on November 3, 2008 at 9:58 AM
Where did the rest of this guy go?
Red Bennet on November 3, 2008 at 10:02 AM
I’m in agreement… it’s a combination of both. I’ve thought all along that Jeremiah Wright tells us everything we need to know about Obama. There’s nothing so telling as an examination of that relationship and it’s alleged demise.
But I don’t think it’s not an even split between Obama’s opportunism and his ego. There’s a lopsided slant here, IMO. Frankly, there were LOTS of other churches Obama might have joined for the purpose of “networking”. In fact, if memory serves, in his autobiography Obama tells us he was initially warned off from Wright, who already had a reputation for controversy.
Obama is certainly an opportunistic politician, but when push comes to shove, he’s all about his ego. In an article in August, Sam Vaknin suggests that Obama might be a Pathological Narcissist.
I’m not a psychiatrist, but when you’ve spent some time looking closely at Obama, Vaknin makes a pretty good case. A scary one too.
Murf76 on November 3, 2008 at 10:07 AM
The question is, if Obama gets elected will the current White House staff remove all of the 1’s from their computer keyboards?
fogw on November 3, 2008 at 10:14 AM
– Yeah he should have left 20 years ago, after the first sermon.
It’s all about character, the one feature Obama does not have.
tarpon on November 3, 2008 at 10:21 AM
I think I am dense. Was Nadler sending a message to Jewish voters not to vote for Obama? Tell voters that one candidate, the candidate of your party, lacks political courage is hardly an endorsement. It is more of “the I come to praise Caesar not to bury him” (reverse reference intended).
Whenever a controversial vote came up Obama passed the buck, a sure sign that he lacks political courage. We are on the verge of electing a man who passes the buck to an office where the buck stops moving.
jerryofva on November 3, 2008 at 10:28 AM
Remember, the answers to the really tough questions are above Obama’s pay grade.
slp on November 3, 2008 at 10:47 AM
Who is actually surprised that a dem pol would label Obama a coward? He is what he is. God help America!
Tmac52 on November 3, 2008 at 11:36 AM
Barry needed the street cred of belonging to that church, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t agree with the ideology spewed forth by Wright, Flay-grrr and even Farakan.
For once, i don’t hate Nadler. Amazing.
Christine on November 3, 2008 at 12:18 PM
Obama’s affiliation with Wright and the TUCC reveals serious problems with Obama’s world view. This story has also revealed the truly frightening aspect of black liberation theology. It’s shown us that racism is still alive and very well in our society. But it’s thriving a place where we least expected to find it–churches.
Dee2008 on November 3, 2008 at 12:23 PM
A man with no accomplishments , has to be judged by his associations.
the_nile on November 3, 2008 at 1:36 PM
I don’t know why the McCain campaign ever dropped the Wright issue.
chiefeditor on November 3, 2008 at 1:38 PM
well mr nadler demonstrated that he
had some NADS………….. but hold
the show…….. he’s now retracting
it……… nadless nadler
tamtam20 on November 3, 2008 at 5:24 PM
I have always tought that with his jowls……Nadler only needs to stuff an apple in his mouth to look like a banquet-pig
jordy2009 on November 3, 2008 at 5:28 PM
Amen!
Kevin in Southern Illinois on November 3, 2008 at 10:40 PM
test
DasObamaReich on November 4, 2008 at 1:57 AM
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