Quotes for the day

"Even before Tuesday, I think you would have been hard-pressed to find too many people who honestly believed that Barack Obama, running on a platform of unity and hope and optimism, actually shared any, much less many, of the most controversial beliefs of his former pastor, spinner of conspiracy theories about the U.S. government and AIDS, admirer of Louis Farrakhan and spewer of sermons damning America instead of praising it. No, the issue was never whether Obama took his message from Wright or shared the reverend’s rants. It’s always been about judgment. Judgment and character. Why did he join that church, stay in that church, remain loyal to Wright, refuse to condemn him when his sermons became public, compare him to an uncle and even his white grandmother? Why didn’t he follow Oprah’s lead and quit a church that was known among African-Americans in Chicago not only for its charitable work for the needy of the South Side but also for the extremist rhetoric of its charismatic pastor?"

Susan Estrich

"Barack allows this madman to teach his children? Barack asks this man to pray with him before publicly announcing to run for Presi-dent? If this does not prove beyond a doubt that Barack lacks the judgment required to be our nation’s Commander in Chief then what is the standard? Barack said he could not disown Uncle Jeremiah. Well you know what, if I had a batshit, crazy racist relative and I was running for President I would disown said relative. I would repudiate said relative. I would make it crystal clear that I would not attend their church. I would not give them money. I would not let them teach my children. But Barack? He doesn’t see a problem."

Larry Johnson