Clinton supporter calls Obama an 'inadequate black male' at DNC rules meeting

Obama resignation letter from Trinity

May 30, 2008

Dear. Rev. Moss:

We are writing to make official our decision to end our memebership at trinity.

We make this decision with sadness. Trinity was where I found Christ, where we were married and where our children were baptized. We have many friends among the 8,000 congregants who attend there and we are proud of the extraordinary good works the church continues to perform throughout the community to help the hungry, the homeless and people in need of medical care. We also have come to appreciate your ministry and both think you have been, and will be, a wonderful pastor for years to come.

But as you know, our relations with trinity have been strained by the divisive statements of rev. wright, which sharply conflict with our own views. Our larger concern is that because of my candidacy and membership at trinity, these controversies have served as an unfortunate distraction for other trinity members who seek to worship in peace, and have placed you in an untenable position as you establish your own ministry under very difficult circumstances.

Our faith remains strong and we will find another church home for our family. But we also know that faith and prayer are not merely exercises to be discharged for two hours on Sunday. They are and always will be a bulwark for us in our daily lives.

We are grateful for our years as part of the Trinity community, and wish you all the best as you lead the congregation into the future. You, your family and the entire Trinity family will be in thoughts and prayers.

Sincerely

Michelle Obama
Barack Obama

Statement from Trinity on Obama leaving church

"Trnity United Church of Christ was infomed that Sen. Barack Obama and his family will no longer be members of our church. Though we are saddened by the news, we understnad that it is a personal decision.

"We will continue to lift them in prayer and wish them the best as former members of our trinity community.

"As in the prayer for the Ephesians, our entire Trinity family asks that the nation entrust Barack, Michelle, Malia, and Sasha, to God's care and guidance, so that Christ may continue to dwell in their lives, in their hearts, and in their work.

"We ask now for God's peace to be with them.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more and all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Ephesians 3:20

Rev. Otis Moss III, senior pastor, Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Obama resigns as member of Trinity United Church of Christ

He has sent a letter to the church's pastor, the Rev. Otis Moss III, notifying him that he is resigning as a member of the church, according to a well-placed source in Chicago.

I am awaiting the official statement from Moss.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

Sent from Blackberry

DNC rules co-chair: Florida Democratic Party refused to hold alternate primary

I have been telling you guys for months that it is wrong for the Florida Democratic Party to continue to assert that the issues with voters in their state was due to Republican intervention.

James Roosevelt, co-chair of the DNC Rules Committee, said that officials in Florida knew very well that them voting in the presidential race on January 29 would result in a violation of the rules.

He said that the DNC told the Florida Democratic Party last year that they could hold their own, state-sponsored primary, on February 5 or after, and the DNC was willing to pay for it.

But the Florida Democratic Party did NOTHING.

In March 2008, the same offer was made, but THEN the Florida Democratic Party said it was too late to do such a thing.

Now, the Clinton camps crows and crows about paying for such a primary NOW, and that the Obama camp has blocked their efforts.

But if these same folks actually cared about this issue LAST YEAR, then they should have spoken up. They should have put their money on the table last year. Like I said, Clinton didn't know that she would need these delegates to catch up to Obama. Now that she needs them, she wants them.

Let me reiterate: the Florida Democratic Party could have easily decided almost A YEAR AGO to hold their own primary. But THEY chose not to.

So enough with the blaming of the Democrats. Had they spent March 2007 to February 5, 2008 planning for their own event, the voters in the state would not have been disenfranchised.

And let me reiterate that a number of other states held a GOP primary on one day, and a Democratic on another.

This is why I have refused to bend on the issue of the need for Democrats to stop putting all the blame on Florida Republicans. It also should be on them.

Texas ready to turn blue? Uh, no

DNC Chairman Howard Dean rattled off a list of successes this year in the Democratic primary. But when he got to Texas, he lost his mind.

Dean said more Dems voted in the Texas primary this year than the general election in 2004.

"Texas is ready to turn blue," he said.

Fat chance, Howard.

NO Democrat holds a statewide seat in Texas, and that won't change this year.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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DNC Rules Committee co-chair ignores Fox News Channel

In his opening remarks, James Roosevelt, co-chair of the DNC Rules Committee, thanked all those watching the proceedings on CNN, C-SPAN and MSNBC.

Who was missing? Fox News.

They are carrying the event live, but with Fox ripping the Democrats at every turn, it's not a shock that they wouldn't get a shout out.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

Sent from Blackberry

DNC Rules Committee about to begin meeting

Early reports indicate that Sen. Hillary Clinton's supporters are completely in favor of seating the full delegations of Michigan and Florida without any penalty.

The campaign of Sen. Barack Obama disagree.

I was told this morning that the committee voted 13-11 last night NOT to reward the two states for moving their primaries in violation of DNC rules.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Another pastor problem for Obama

First there was Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Then there was an endorsement by Minister Louis Farrakhan.

Now Chicago priest, Father Michael Pfleger, is on the hot seat for comments he made at Sen. Barack Obama's church, Trinity United Church of Christ.

You can see the clips below, courtesy of someone in the audience recording the sermon.

Pfleger is a white priest who is very close to Rev. Wright, and is a close friend of Farrakhan. He also has been a big supporter of Obama.

What makes this truly a hot media story has nothing to do with Father Pfleger's comments. It is the fact that Sen. Barack Obama is running for president, the comments were made in the pulpit at his church, Trinity United Church of Christ, and were made by a white Catholic priest who is an ardent supporter of him.

Had Pfleger made his comments in his church, and wasn't an Obama supporter, folks would summarily ignore what he said. Look at that fool Pastor David Manning out of Harlem. He has said some of the most vile comments imaginable about Obama, even alleging a gay relationship with Rev. Wright, and although he has often appeared on conservative radio shows - and even Hannity & Colmes TV show - he has largely been ignored.

Pfleger made his comments during a more detailed sermon at Trinity on the day the United Church of Christ on the same day the UCC wanted to have a dialogue on race. Will there be a broader discussion on what folks think is white entitlement? Nope. This will be caught up in a major political discussion.

What I'm shocked at is how Pfleger didn't realize that even mentioning Obama, Clinton or McCain would somehow be ignored. This is nuts. Absolutely nuts. I don't get why pastors who have chosen to get involved in the political process - knowing full well the toxic mixing of race, religion and politics - would even go there.

The comments were dumb to even make, even if he thought them! Have I heard them said before by whites and blacks about Clinton? Yes! Have I heard whites say blacks feel entitled to the president? Yes! But do you say it publicly? Of course not! The emails I've gotten from whites, blacks, males and females that are far worse than what Pfleger has uttered would never be said by a public person who has endorsed either candidate.

If he had referenced Clinton feeling entitled to the nomination, no one would have gotten upset. Why? Because that has been discussed for months on television and radio. But the mere mention of her being entitled to the nomination because she's white? Oh, yea, this was easy to see it would blow up.

Pfleger's statement on the matter: ''I regret the words I chose on Sunday. These words are inconsistent with Senator Obama's life and message, and I am deeply sorry if they offended Senator Clinton or anyone else who saw them.''

Obama's statement: ''As I have traveled this country, I've been impressed not by what divides us, but by all that unites us. That is why I am deeply disappointed in Father Pfleger's divisive, backward-looking rhetoric, which doesn't reflect the country I see or the desire of people across America to come together in common cause.''

Pfleger speaking on entitlement at Trinity United Church of Christ:

Here is Pfleger ripping Fox News and defending Rev. Wright:

Clinton camp doing everything to weaken Obama

Listening to Sen. Hillary Clinton and her supporters, it's increasingly clear that they are desperate as Obama moves closer to winning the Democratic nomination.

Clinton continues to assert that she has the chops to beat Sen. John McCain, and now you see former President Bill Clinton making hair-brained arguments.

In Puerto Rico, he is slamming the caucuses. But what's funny is that folks in Puerto Rico can't even vote in November!

In advance of Saturday's meeting of the Democratic National Committee rules group, Clinton sent a detailed memo arguing that only she can beat McCain.

Now Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell is making it clear that Obama is a weaker candidate than Clinton against McCain in an interview with Bloomberg TV.

Former Bush spokesman torches White House

Scott McClellan is about to learn what it feels like to be an enemy combatant.

He won't have to go to Guantanamo, Cuba, but after writing What Happened: Inside the Bush White House and Washington's Culture of Deception, he is going to be tortured by the mercenaries in the Bush White House.

In his 341-page book, McClellan rips the war in Iraq and the decisions made by President Bush and his team, and slams them for a culture that remained as if they were in campaign mode.

One target for McClellan, according to various media outlets, is Karl Rove.

It was no secret that McClellan, whose job it was to represent the administration's position as press secretary, was not happy with telling the world that Rove had nothing to do with the Valerie Plame debacle, but it was later determined that he did.

Folks, Scott may have worn a flag lapel pin at the podium each day, but that won't protect him from the vicious attack he's about to endure.

Politico.com: Exclusive: McClellan whacks Bush, White House

Washington Post: Ex-Spokesman: Bush misled U.S. on Iraq

New York Times: In Ex-Spokesman’s Book, Harsh Words for Bush

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For the last month, I've been hosting a live broadcast for CNN Radio and CNN.com. The show airs at noon eastern on Wednesdays; is shot out to CNN's 2,200 radio affiliates; and is aired on CNN.COM/live.

If you want to call-in, the number is 877-266-4189.

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Black ex-hedge fund manager hangs himself; convicted of fraud days earlier

This is a sad story. What's even worse is that so many people, including a number of NFL players, entrusted Kirk Wright with their hard-earned money.

But the Harvard-educated Wright couldn't resist the high life himself, laundering over $150 million.

Now after being convicted, he hangs himself in an Atlanta jail.

Read story of his death in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Colorado Rocky Mountain News (story includes photo of Wright): Hedge fund boss guilty of bilking former Broncos

Atlanta Business Chronicle: IMA founder Kirk Wright guilty of fraud, money laundering

First grandchild of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. born

Congrats to MLK III, and his wife, Arndrea!

Associated Press

ATLANTA - The first grandchild of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. is a girl.

A family spokeswoman says Arndrea Waters King, wife of Martin Luther King III, gave birth to Yolanda Renee King on Sunday at Northside Hospital in Atlanta. Spokeswoman Sandra Tarver says the mother and baby are healthy.

The baby was named after her aunt, Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest daughter Yolanda, who died in May 2007, Tarver says.

Martin Luther King III married shortly after his mother's death in January 2006, but the wedding was not made public until this year.

He was the first of Martin Luther King Jr.'s four children to marry and the first to have a child.

Liz Trotta on Fox News jokes about killing Obama

This is pathetic. Let's see if Fox has the guts to ban this woman from the airwaves forever. They should also fire the host who didn't check this fool.

Read the comments on DailyKos.com.

THIS IS THE SHORT CLIP

THIS IS THE ENTIRE CLIP

Olbermann: Clinton's mention of Bobby Kennedy assassination 'unforgivable'

MSNBC's Keith Olbermann puts Sen. Hillary Clinton on BLAST in his special comment. The fury of Olbermann was front and center. He didn't hold back at all.

OPENING OF SHOW

SPECIAL COMMENT

Clinton invokes Kennedy assassination as reason she's still in the race

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Sorry I'm posting now. I'm at the NAACP's Leadership 500 event at The Phoenician here and recently got off the plane.

Here is the link to the story. I will weigh in a bit later. But this is truly horrible and pathetic.

From Peter Hamby
CNN Political Producer

BRANDON, South Dakota (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton said Friday that she regretted comments that evoked the June 1968 assassination of Robert Kennedy as part of her explanation for why she was staying in the presidential race late into the primary season.

Sen. Hillary Clinton apologized for comments made to a newspaper on Friday.

Earlier Friday afternoon, she told the editorial board of the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Argus Leader that "My husband did not wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary somewhere in the middle of June, right? We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. I don't understand it," she said.

Clinton complained that "people have been trying to push me out of this ever since Iowa" and said that position "historically ... makes no sense."

Later at an event in Brandon, South Dakota, she said, "Earlier today, I was discussing the Democratic primary history and in the course of that discussion mentioned the campaigns that both my husband and Sen. Kennedy waged in California in June in 1992 and 1968, and I was referencing those to make the point that we have had nominating primary contests that go into June. That's an historic fact."

"The Kennedys have been much on my mind in the last days because of Sen. [Edward] Kennedy, and I regret that if my referencing that moment of trauma for our entire nation and particularly for the Kennedy family was in any way offensive. I certainly had no intention of that whatsoever," Clinton added.

The campaign of her rival for the Democratic nomination for president, Sen. Barack Obama, reacted quickly.

"Sen. Clinton's statement before the Argus Leader editorial board was unfortunate and has no place in this campaign," it said in a statement.

Her campaign first defended the remarks, saying the New York senator had been making a historical parallel.

"She was simply referencing her husband in 1992 and Bobby Kennedy in 1968 of historical examples of the nominating process going well into the summer. Any reading into it beyond that is inaccurate and outrageous," Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said.

Kennedy, the brother of slain President John F. Kennedy, was shot and killed just moments after claiming victory in the California primary in 1968.

Later Friday, the Clinton campaign released a statement from Randell Beck, the newspaper's executive editor, saying Clinton was answering a question about whether her continued campaigning threatens party unity so close to the Democratic convention.

"Her reference to Mr. Kennedy's assassination appeared to focus on the timeline of his primary candidacy and not the assassination itself," Beck said in the statement.

Clinton's campaign manager, Maggie Williams, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that people may have "misinterpreted what she meant."

"It was clear to anybody watching her this afternoon that she was ... deeply regretful, and people did not understand the context in which she made this reference, and so I think that she immediately, as soon as she could, spoke out to express her regret for ... perhaps the way that she had spoken or the people had misinterpreted what she meant," Williams said.

Clinton made a similar reference to Robert Kennedy in a March interview with Time magazine Managing Editor Richard Stengel, saying she could not envision a scenario in which party leaders would step in and call for the race to end.

"I think people have short memories," she said then. "Primary contests used to last a lot longer. We all remember the great tragedy of Bobby Kennedy being assassinated in June in L.A. My husband didn't wrap up the nomination in 1992 until June. Having a primary contest go through June is nothing particularly unusual."

All three candidates have Secret Service protection.

Clinton, the former first lady, has had agents guarding her since her husband's administration; Obama was assigned a protective detail in May 2007; and presumed Republican nominee Sen. John McCain agreed to accept Secret Service protection in April.

Black journalists blasts Ferraro's 'unapologetic bigotry'

Her comments deserved a strong rebuke. The group I've been a member of since 1989 gave it to her.

NABJ: Ferraro Comments Shows Unapologetic Bigotry

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) voices a strong rebuke to the remarks made by former vice presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro.

In an on-air interview with Fox News Channel's Shepard Smith, Ferraro, the 1984 Democratic vice presidential candidate, implied Saturday that all black journalists were surrogates for the Barack Obama campaign.

"If you have conference calls with these people every week and you give them your message and they put your message in the paper, that to me is a campaign," said the country's first female vice presidential nominee.

Ferraro cited The New York Times columnist Bob Herbert as an example of black journalists as the arbiters of misogynist attacks against Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton.

"Have you read Bob Herbert recently in the past six months? There wasn't one column that had anything decent to say about Hillary," Ferraro said.

"NABJ is outraged that a former vice presidential candidate would suggest that all black reporters are mouthpieces for the Obama campaign. To suggest this shows not only a stunning lack of judgment but also her unapologetic bigotry," said Barbara Ciara, president of the nation's largest minority journalism organization. "Ms. Ferraro used her appearance on Fox News to reinforce stereotypes that suggest that black reporters can't be trusted to cover another person of color without bias and favoritism."

"To suggest that black journalists have done anything less than cover this campaign fair and objectively is a direct attack on not only their integrity, but the integrity of all journalists who work every day to provide good, honest journalism," said Ernie Suggs, vice president of print.

"African Americans make up a tiny fraction of journalists covering this historic campaign. We are more than qualified to handle the job objectively," said Kathy Times, vice president of broadcast.

The Democratic and Republican nominees for president will have an audience with journalists of color this summer at the UNITY: Journalists of Color Convention and Career Expo, July 23-27 in Chicago, Ill. Senators Clinton and Obama both spoke at NABJ's convention last fall. Sen. John McCain turned down the invitation due to a scheduling conflict.

An advocacy group established in 1975 in Washington, D.C., NABJ is the largest organization of journalists of color in the nation, with nearly 4,000 members, and provides educational, career development and support to black journalists worldwide.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Fox News scared to touch Rev. Hagee

I wanted to watch Fox and Friends this morning to see how they handled the Rev. John Hagee story and talk about an utter joke.

"Anchor" Steve Doocy wimped out on the issue, clearly not wanting to be as adamant against Hagee's statements as he was against the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

Instead of playing Hagee's actual audio of him saying God sent Hitler to hunt the Jews, Doocy chose to soften the blow by saying a Hagee sermon in the 1990s that "Adolf Hitler was sent to persecute the Jews on God's behalf."

Listen to what he said and it's much more egregious than that. Doocy knows it, but he didn't want to actually play the audio for fear of angering his conservative, Bible thumping audience.

When political analyst John Avalon talked about Hagee turning into McCain's "Rev. Wright," Doocy launched into his perspective that the two are vastly different, laying out why they aren't the same by saying Hagee didn't marry McCain, baptize his kids, etc. He threw in that other mainstream media outlets advance the notion that they are the same.

Doocy's explanation of why they are different is straight from the talking points memo of the McCain camp. Way to think for yourself, Steve.

And then when Avalon said both Hagee and Wright say things that are offensive to many Americans, Doocy is quick to run away from Hagee again by bringing up William Ayers, a Chicago man who was a part of a radical group years ago that blew up federal buildings years ago.

So the discussion was supposed to be about Hagee, and Doocy couldn't resist the right wing talking points of focusing on Ayers.

"Why hasn't more been made of that?" Doocy said.

At least Avalon was willing to talk about politicians on both sides not playing footsy with "agents of intolerance."

Overall in the second block of their newscast, they spent 2 minutes and 15 seconds on Hagee, and the total segment was 2 minutes and 35 seconds. Yea, that's it.

I told you before that conservative media outlets would be completly unwilling to take one of their own to task. Remember when Chris Wallace snapped on Fox and Friends for going on and on and on about Wright? No need to slap them down on Hagee; they've pretty much ignored it.

It's clear that they didn't want to touch this issue at all.

By the way, have you visited the FoxNews.com website? They aren't playing the Hagee story in a big way. Earlier this morning it wasn't even at the top of the homepage. Then I read their story, and nothing expansive. Where is the theological breakdown of what Hagee said? Where are the Hagee supporters backing up his position? Where is the Jewish response to what Hagee said? Where is Karl Rove, your top dog political analyst, dishing on Hagee?

Way to go, guys. Fair and balanced on Wright, and virtually non-existent on Hagee?

Oh yea, Fox hasn't said a word about Pastor Rod Parsley and his explosive comments against Islam.

ABC's Brian Ross, along with others, reported on this yesterday. McCain also rejected his endorsement yesterday, but there was no mention in the FoxNews.com story.

Fox and Friends failed to mention that. Maybe they got to it after I watched the first 45 minutes before coming to do my radio show. But if Wright was such a huge story, don't you think Hagee is worth more than what they've done thus far?

Fox's slogan is supposed to be "We Report. You Decide." How about, "We Ignore. You Remain Clueless"?

McCain now rejects Pastor Rod Parsley

It sure has been a busy day in the rejection department for Sen. John McCain.

With revelations that Pastors John Hagee and Rod Parsley made some incendiary comments about Jews, Catholics and Muslims, McCain is now rejecting the very endorsements he sought out.

And of course, conservative talkers like Sean "Little Ball of Hate" Hannity said NOTHING about the comments. And Hannity's Catholic!

See how they wimp out?

By LIBBY QUAID, Associated Press Writer 1 minute ago

Republican John McCain on Thursday rejected endorsements from two influential but controversial televangelists, saying there is no place for their incendiary criticisms of other faiths.

McCain rejected the months-old endorsement of Texas preacher John Hagee after an audio recording surfaced in which the preacher said God sent Adolf Hitler to help Jews reach the promised land. McCain called the comment "crazy and unacceptable."

He later repudiated the support of Rod Parsley, an Ohio preacher who has sharply criticized Islam and called the religion inherently violent.

McCain issued a statement Thursday afternoon announcing his decision about Hagee.

"Obviously, I find these remarks and others deeply offensive and indefensible, and I repudiate them. I did not know of them before Reverend Hagee's endorsement, and I feel I must reject his endorsement as well," he said.

Later, in Stockton, he told reporters: "I just think that the statement is crazy and unacceptable."

Then in an interview with The Associated Press, McCain said he rejected Parsley's support, too.

"I believe there is no place for that kind of dialogue in America, and I believe that even though he endorsed me, and I didn't endorse him, the fact is that I repudiate such talk, and I reject his endorsement," McCain told the AP.

Hagee had sparked controversy since the San Antonio pastor endorsed McCain on Feb. 27 shortly before the Texas presidential primary. Parsley's views were aired Thursday in an ABC News report.

McCain actively courted Hagee, who leads a megachurch with a congregation in the tens of thousands and has an even wider television audience. Former GOP presidential rivals also sought Hagee's backing.

Hagee has referred to the Roman Catholic Church as "the great whore" and called it a "false cult system." He also has linked Hitler to the Catholic church, suggesting it helped shape his anti-Semitism. And Hagee said Hurricane Katrina was God's retribution for homosexual sin.

McCain has faced a barrage of criticism over Hagee, with some comparing the situation to the controversy Democrat Barack Obama faced over the views of his longtime and now former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

McCain tried Thursday to draw a distinction between the Obama-Wright connection and his own relationships with Parsley and Hagee, saying Hagee was not his pastor.

"My church I attend is North Phoenix Baptist Church; my pastor and spiritual guide is Pastor Dan Yeary," McCain said. "I've never been to Pastor Hagee's church or Pastor Parsley's church. I didn't attend their church for 20 years. I'm not a member of their church."

Obama, who was campaigning in Florida, said that in national politics it's easy to find people who have said or done offensive things.

"John McCain has to deal with Hagee, who said something that is mind-boggling. I don't attribute those statements to John McCain. Nobody thinks McCain believes that stuff," Obama said. "And for McCain to then suggest that every single statement that was made by somebody is somehow attributable to me is just wrong. It is just not accurate."

Until now, McCain had tried to distance himself from Hagee's views but had not rejected the endorsement.

"I'm glad to have his endorsement," he said on ABC's "This Week" in April. "I condemn remarks that are, in any way, viewed as anti-anything."

The Arizona senator has said he sought Hagee's support because the pastor, like himself, is a strong supporter of Israel.

The formation of Israel was at the heart of the remarks that prompted McCain to reject Hagee's support. The comments came in a sermon Hagee gave in the late 1990s, an audio recording of which was posted last week on the liberal blog Talk to Action and reported by The Huffington Post, another liberal blog.

In the sermon, Hagee said, "Then God sent a hunter. A hunter is someone with a gun, and he forces you. Hitler was a hunter. ... How did it happen? Because God allowed it to happen. Why did it happen? Because God said, 'My top priority for the Jewish people is to get them to come back to the land of Israel.'"

Hagee tried to repair the damage by apologizing to Catholics in a letter released just last week. Saying he had emphasized the darkest chapters in the history of Catholic and Protestant relationships with Jews, Hagee wrote, "I want to express my deep regret for any comments that Catholics have found hurtful."

On Thursday, Hagee issued a new statement saying he was weary of the controversy and was withdrawing his endorsement.

Hagee said critics are "grossly misrepresenting my position on issues most near and dear to my heart."

"I am tired of these baseless attacks and fear that they have become a distraction in what should be a national debate about important issues," Hagee said. "I have therefore decided to withdraw my endorsement of Senator McCain for president effective today, and to remove myself from any active role in the 2008 campaign."

The other pastor, Parsley, has described Islam as an "anti-Christ religion" and the Muslim prophet Muhammad as "the mouthpiece of a conspiracy of spiritual evil," according to ABC News.

___

AP Religion Writer Eric Gorski in Denver contributed to this report.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

Sent from Blackberry

Hagee pulls McCain endorsement

I guess he didn't want to face the same scrutiny as Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"Ever since I endorsed John McCain for president, people seeking to attack Senator McCain have combed my records for statements they can use for political gain. They have had no qualms about grossly misrepresenting my position on issues most near and dear to my heart if it serves their political ambitions.

"I am tired of these baseless attacks and fear that they have become a distraction in what should be a national debate about important issues. I have therefore decided to withdraw my endorsement of Senator McCain for President effective today, and to remove myself from any active role in the 2008 campaign.

"I hope that the Senator McCain will accept this withdrawal so that he may focus on the issues that are most important to America and the world."

John Hagee, Senior Pastor, Cornerstone Church, San Antonio, Texas

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

Sent from Blackberry

Clinton camp: Don't give Obama Michigan's uncommitted delegates

Harold Ickes, the top dog in Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign charged with locking down superdelegates, said today that they don't want any of the "uncommitted" delegates in Michigan to be awarded to Sen. Barack Obama.

Obama pulled his name off the ballot went it was determined that the state wouldn't count in the delegate total, but Clinton left her name on.

On a conference call today with reporters, Ickes said that the Clinton camp wants all of the delegates awarded to them, but none of the uncommitted to go to Obama and to remain uncommitted, according to Politico.com.

So what they are essentially arguing is that not only do they want Michigan to be included, even though they broke the rules AND Ickes was one of the folks who voted to strip Michigan of their delegates, they don't want Obama to get anything out of Michigan.

Did you see my post from earlier? I told you they are not looking to bow out nicely. The Clinton camp is about to unleash anything and everything to include Florida.

Trust me. This is FAR from over.

The rules committee of the Democratic National Committee will meet on May 31. Expect a bloodbath. Trust me, there will be nothing nice about that meeting.

IRS: Obama's church denomination didn't violate the law

The story regarding the IRS investigating the United Church of Christ for inviting Sen. Barack Obama to address their national convention last year got huge play.

Now it appears that the IRS has vindicated the denomination, saying they did not violate any laws by having him speak.

You can read the letter the IRS sent to UCC head John Thomas right here.

Clinton to bow out gracefully? Forget about it

Remember all those wrestling "death matches" where they talked about the opposing guys tearing their opponents heads off in the ring?

We all knew wrestling was fake, but the the promotion was awesome.

Lest anyone think the race for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination is going to peacefully end in June, forget about it.

Sen. Hillary Clinton will do anything and everything to win, and the idea that Sen. Barack Obama should give in to her demands to seat Michigan and Florida are ludicrous. When you're ahead, you don't concede any ground. If the roles were reversed, she would do the same.

This race, regardless of what anyone says, is a tight race. Obama has the lead among superdelegates, but they can always change their allegiance, and don't think for a second that the Clinton camp doesn't understand that.

Her comments to the Associated Press that she may take this to the convention in August shouldn't be dismissed. I don't think Clinton cares about the party. Last week on election night, CNN's Suzanne Malveaux said a Clinton source told her that their focus was Clinton first and the party second.

The only way Obama can truly focus on the next step is if he does everything to get to 2,026 delegates. If he gets their first, he wins. But Clinton will go to the mat to prevent that from happening.

Everyone talks about her running in 2012 if he loses, or 2016, if he wins two terms. But nothing is guaranteed. She's 60 years old. This is her best shot at winning, and she'll leave it all on the table to try to get the nomination.

In the last few days her surrogates, and even Clinton herself, have ramped up the talk about sexism. There is little doubt that she is trying to stir the ire of her female base, and push them to demand that she either be the nominee or be given the VP slot. But it's really about the former rather than the latter.

Yesterday in Florida, she shamelessly invoked slavery and the epic civil rights battle against Jim Crow in her quest to count the vote in Florida, as is.

Forget the fact that SHE once said the voters wouldn't matter. Forget the fact that many of HER supporters supported the stripping of delegates in Michigan and Florida. And forget the fact that HER chief supporter in Michigan, Gov. Jennifer Granholm, was the idiot that signed the bill into law allowing the state to move its primary up.

She and her supporters now discounts all of that, and acts as if they were always a champion of "disenfranchised" Florida and Michigan. But she wasn't. And the record is clear. Only when it became apparent that she needed the state's delegates to close the gap with Obama did she change her tune. She said one thing in Iowa and New Hampshire, and now is saying something else.

The Clintonites don't want any compromises in Michigan and Florida. For them, they want the results to stay the same, even though his name wasn't on the ballot in Michigan and all candidates SIGNED an agreement not to campaign in those two states.

But the Wall Street Journal and other media outlets say the Clinton camp doesn't care. Her biggest backer, former President Bill Clinton, is telling her to stay in it until the end, hoping to persuade superdelegates to switch and give her the nomination (Obama has won a majority of the pledged delegates).

The Obama camp bet not let their guard down. The Clinton camp is gearing up for a protracted battle. This is for all the marbles, and feelings - and party - be damned.

Only one thing is certain, if this battle goes to Denver, the Democrats might as well dump those inauguration tickets on eBay because supporters of Sen. John McCain will need them.

Guess who's back? Ferraro!

Geraldine Ferraro is back, tossing out bombs, suggesting that Bob Herbert, an African American columnist for the New York Times, and other black journalists, were sexist against Sen. Hillary Clinton.

She's even trying to say Sen. Barack Obama's brush off moment was sexist.

Ferraro is delusional. And what she's doing is sullying this historic race and looking like a whiner. If I'm Ferraro, critique Clinton's poor execution. Look at her failure to account for caucus states. Examine her decision to talk about experience when that wasn't resonating.

But please, stop moaning and groaning.

American Airlines screw passengers again

American Airlines has always been my preferred airline of choice, but now that may change.

The company announced today that they will charge customers to carry luggage. That's right, $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second bag. So, if you pay $300 for a roundtrip ticket, you will pay an extra $80 if you have two bags because you must pay both legs.

They cite rising fuel costs, but i think it's BS. So we now have to pay for food, blankets and pillows, and now our own luggage. I just got over airlines charging $50 for bags over 50 pounds, but this is pathetic.

So instead of encouraging people to check luggage, now they will force us to carry-on, meaning more bags on planes, longer wait lines at airport screening and more drama.

This will now drive up the costs for passengers, especially business class. These folks are the ones that airlines covet. Imagine someone traveling three times a week having to pay an extra $240. Businesses will not be happy.

This is a HORRIBLE idea, and expect me to rip them to high heaven at every chance i can get.

If I'm a competing airline, I don't follow American's lead and I try to take as much of their business as possible. In fact, I would begin to advertise, "We don't charge you to bring clothes on your vacation." I would then show an American passenger in Jamaica with the same clothes every day because they couldn't afford to bring luggage.

Let's see if Delta is smart to do that!

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Would a married woman prefer her husband say she's good looking or smart?

NEW YORK - Just a few moments ago Sen. Barack Obama told the audience in Iowa that he's got a good looking wife and kids.

Paul Begala, Jamal Simmons and myself laughed.

Hilary Rosen, the new political director for The Huffington Post, frowned.

She said that women prefer to be called smart or great rather than good looking.

My reply? BS!

I said a married man will always elicit a smile out of his wife when he says that's she's a good looking woman. ESPECIALLY a black woman!

My wife is a dean at a college; ordained minister; and working on two Ph.Ds. But she sure likes it when I say that at 43, she's one fine ass woman! And I don't need to fantasize about another woman when I've got her.

So, Hillary - who is unmarried - said she would take a poll and ask her folks about this. So, I'm asking you. Who is right: Hillary or Roland? Would you prefer your man say you're great looking or smart?

Obama raises $31 million in April

The financial juggernaut of Sen. Barack Obama continues.

According to sources in the campaign, the campaign raised $31.3 million, including 200,000 new donors.

Campaign sources break it down as follows:

- 94% of contributions were under $200

- 93% of contributions were $100 or less

- 77% of contributions were $50 or less

- 52% of contributions were $25 or less

The total number of donors to date is almost 1.5 million.

This fundraising edge will make a huge difference in November against Sen. John McCain if Obama wins the nomination. McCain will likely agree to accept a publicly funded campaign, and he won't be able to match the money raised by Obama.

The Obama camp says they have $37.3 million in cash on hand.

Spouses are fair game in presidential race

Sen. Barack Obama didn't hold back in an interview with Robin Roberts of Good Morning America yesterday, telling his critics to back off in their criticism of his wife, Michelle.

Sen. Obama called it a "low down" move by the Republican Party in Tennessee using comments by Michelle in a campaign ad.

Obama said it's fair to come after him, but not his wife.

I understand his position, and he was right to aggressively defend his wife, but it is within the bounds to criticize her.

I've always believed that when a spouse, child or friend decides to step into the public square and campaign, they are fair game.

Vice President Dick Cheney was wrong to assert that his lesbian daughter should not be discussed in 2000 when she was on the campaign trail. Who is giving money to Bill Clinton's presidential library IS a campaign issue. The Clinton camp would allow no interviews with Chelsea Clinton. That's BS. If she's going to tell voters who to vote for, she shouldn't be declared off limits. And Cindy McCain should release her tax records. Again, she's in the game.

And when you're in the game, all bets are off. Be respectful, but don't think criticism won't come your way.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Jealous wasn't top choice of search firm

As more details emerge regarding the selection of Ben Jealous as president and CEO of the NAACP, we are seeing how fractious the decision making was among the group's always politically intriguing board.

According to multiple board members, the search firm employed by the NAACP to find a new leader, the San Francisco-based Hodge / Niederer / Cariani / Lindsay,
ranked Jealous second, and Dallas megachurch preacher, the Rev. Frederick Douglass Haynes III, first.

When the recommendations went to the executive committee, Haynes made it clear that he intended to be in his Dallas pulpit every Sunday, a church that he has led for the past 25 years.

That raised a red flag among members, according to a board member, because they wanted someone exclusively devoted to the organization and who was accessible at all times.

Known for his fiery rhetoric, Haynes is considered a top preacher among his peers, and has long preached a social gospel that has greatly increased the stature of his church, Friendship-West Baptist, in Dallas (I'm very familiar with him because I was a member of his church from 1995 to 1999).

Haynes is also very close to his "father in the ministry," the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retired pastor of Chicago' Trinity United Church of Christ. Wright used to often tell his congregation that Haynes would take over Trinity upon his retirement, but his protege - also the son of a Bay Area minister - built a church body larger than Wright's in Dallas.

But Jealous brought his own problems to the table. He was considered "uninspiring" by some board members, and lacked the stature within the civil rights movement to command the respect of civil rights, business and political leaders.

Yet he was seen as the top choice of NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, who recenty fended off a tough challenge to remain head of the organization.

Now the direction of the group rests in the hands of the 35-year-old Jealous, who is tasked with keeping the organization relevant today, and dealing with its financial challenges.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Ben Jealous, 35, named new NAACP president

My buddy, Errin Haines of the Associated Press, has the story:

"The NAACP board of directors has chosen Ben Jealous, a former news executive and lifelong activist, as the organization's next president and the youngest in its 99-year history.

"The 64-member board met and voted in Baltimore on Friday and plans to formally announce its decision on Saturday at a noon press conference.
NAACP national spokesman Richard J. McIntire confirmed the vote with The Associated Press early Saturday after the 8-hour closed door meeting.

"Though he is not a politician, minister or civil rights icon, in Jealous the organization gets a young but connected leader familiar with black leadership and social justice issues. The 35-year-old takes the helm as the NAACP's 17th president just months before the organization's centennial anniversary, as the group grapples with dwindling membership and looks to boost its coffers.

"There are a small number of groups to whom all black people in this country owe a debt of gratitude, and the NAACP is one of them," Jealous told The Associated Press in a telephone interview before the vote. "There is work that is undone ... the need continues and our children continue to be at great risk in this country."

But, as usual with the NAACP, there was drama.

Multiple NAACP board sources tell me it was a contentious debate to select Jealous as president of the NAACP. It was an eight-hour process that began at 7 p.m. and ended at 3 a.m.

The vote was 34-21. One board member said that "when the tally was announced and it was conveyed that Ben would be the next CEO, no one clapped or celebrated."

Another said "when we left the room, many were in disbelief."

Those who didn't support Jealous say he was marked as the primary choice of board chairman Julian Bond, who began calling board members two weeks ago to line up support.

There was vigorous discussion to postpone the vote to allow the board to hear from the other two finalists, but that effort was beaten back by those who backed Jealous on the board.

Be on the lookout for other board members revealing details of the boardroom battle.

He may be president, but already Jealous already faces his first hurdle: bringing healing to a fractious NAACP board at a time when the organization is about to celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.

Ben Jealous lone finalist for NAACP presidency

NAACP interviewing lone finalist for presidency

After more than a year, the NAACP could finally be ready to get a permanent president.

The NAACP board of directors is meeting at this very moment, interviewing Ben Jealous, who is the lone finalist the search committee presented to the full board for consideration to become the president and CEO of the storied organization, according to NAACP sources.

The board is expected to make a decision this weekend, but other NAACP sources say they may want to continue the process and consider two others who the search committee identified as finalists for the job.

Various media reports have stated that Alvin Brown, a former Clinton administration official, and the Rev. Frederick D. Haynes III, pastor of Dallas' Friendship-West Baptist Church, were finalists for the job.

Haynes told the CBS affiliate in Dallas that he wasn't selected because he wanted to continue to lead his Dallas megachurch, and the organization said no.

The Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville reported today that Brown was also a finalist.

The next president will replace Bruce Gordon, the retired Verizon executive who quit in March 2007, citing considerable friction with the group's 64-member board, especially chairman Julian Bond, and the direction of the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization.

Jealous is president of the California-based Rosenberg Foundation. Prior to joining the group, he was directed of the U.S. Human Rights program for Amnesty International.

According to his bio, "he is the lead author of the 2004 report Threat and Humiliation: Racial Profiling, Domestic Security, and Human Rights in the United States, the release of which received coverage by major media outlets in most states and on six continents."

Jealous, former managing editor of the Jackson Advocate, the oldest black newspaper in Mississippi, also worked as executive director of the National Newspaper Publishers Association, which is the trade group for more than 200 black newspapers.

He also "began his career as an organizer with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund working on issues of healthcare access," according to his bio.

Huckabee jokes about gun pointed at Obama

Add former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee to the list of the "What the hell was he thinking?" Club.

In a speech to the National Rifle Association today in Kentucky, the former Republican presidential nominee said (courtesy of a CNN producer):

"We believe that government ought to get its hands off of us as much as possible. we don't need that much of it; we'd like less of it... and we darn sure would like it to be less expensive.

But the reality is and I'm worried because frankly," then he hears some noises off stage responds:

"That was Barack Obama. He just tripped off a chair. He's getting ready to speak. Somebody aimed a gun at him and he dove for the floor."

And the room erupted with laughter.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Edwards says no to being Obama's VP nominee

Former Sen. John Edwards, who ran in 2004 as Sen. John Kerry's vice presidential nominee, has said "hell to the naw!" To running with Obama.

OK, he didn't go Whitney Houston on this, but he told the "Today" show that he was not interested.

I've long maintained that it didn't make sense to name Edwards because he really doesn't help the ticket.

1. Three-time loser. He ran for the nomination in 2004 and lost. He ran as VP nominee and lost. And he ran this year and lost.

2. Need better chemistry. I loved his passion, but Edwards came across as a one-note kind of guy. Obama does need a rabblerouser to counter his ultra cool demeanor, but that person must be able to connect differently with the voters.

3. Nominee MUST deliver. In 2004, he lost his birth state (South Carolina) and the state where was senator (North Carolina). He also lost the congressional district and home precinct where he lived. So the logic that he helps the ticket is nonsense. Obama needs someone who will deliver. The swing states for this election will be Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, New Mexico, Nevada, Missouri, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida. Go to www.270towin.com. They have a map you can play with. If McCain wins traditional red states and Obama wins the traditional blue states, the other ones I mentioned loom large.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Chris Matthews pimp slaps conservative talker Kevin James

The one thing about about stupid people is they will show how dumb they are time and time again.

Last night on "Hardball," Chris Matthews was interviewing conservative talker Kevin James and liberal Mark Green regarding President George W. Bush's slamming of Sen. Barack Obama before the Knesset in Israel.

As usual, James began to run his mouth, repeating the Bush talking points, not even understanding the historical references.

It's painful, especially with all the yelling, but watch Matthews just destroy this fool. There are some conservative talkers who I really, really like and who know their stuff, but this fool? He's not one of them!

Bush quotes Republican who adored Hitler

President George W. Bush is getting mileage out of saying there were people who wanted to sit down with Hitler.

Well, according to Alex Koppelman of Salon.com, the person in question praised Hitler...and he was a Republican!

Let's see Bush explain this one!

"By the way, the quote Bush used about talking to Hitler was from Sen. William Borah, a Republican from Idaho. It has come into vogue recently, at least in part because of its use by conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer, who has employed it often over the past 20 years in writing about several other countries he saw as the next Nazi Germany; he used it, for example, to describe China in 1989 and North Korea in 1994. It's also stripped from some relevant context -- Borah wasn't saying that solely out of naiveté, as Bush, Krauthammer and others have implied. He was a prominent isolationist and an admirer of Hitler. In 1938, speaking of the German dictator, Borah said, "There are so many great sides to him." After Hitler occupied the Sudetenland, Borah said, "Gad, what a chance Hitler has! If he only moderates his religious and racial intolerance, he would take his place beside Charlemagne. He has taken Europe without firing a shot."

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Biden calls Bush's remarks about appeasement 'bulls--t'

You can never say that Sen. Joe Biden isn't willing to call it like he sees it!

From CNN Congressional Producer Ted Barrett

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations

Committee, Joe Biden, called President Bush's comments Thursday suggesting Sen.

Barack Obama and other Democrats want to appease terrorists "bulls--t."

He added that if the president disagrees so strongly with the idea of talking to Iran, then he needs to fire his secretaries of state and defense, both of whom, Biden said, have pushed to sit down with the Iranians.

"This is bulls--t. This is malarkey. This is outrageous. Outrageous for the president of the United States to go to a foreign country, sit in the Knesset ... and make this kind of ridiculous statement." Biden, D-Delaware, said angrily in a brief interview just off the Senate floor.

"He's the guy who's weakened us. He's the guy that's increased the number of terrorists in the world. His policies have produced this vulnerability the United States has. His intelligence community pointed that out, not me. The NIE has pointed that out.

"And what are you talking about, is he going to fire (Secretary of State) Condi Rice? Condi Rice has talked about the need to sit down. So his first two appeasers are Rice and (Secretary of Defense Robert) Gates. I hope he comes. home and does something."

He quoted Gates as saying Wednesday that U.S. officials "need to figure out a way to develop some leverage and then sit down and talk with them."

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Two more superdelegates back Obama

Just got this statement from the Obama camp:

Chairmen Henry Waxman and Howard Berman Endorse Barack Obama

Senior congressmen are California superdelegates

CHICAGO, IL—Congressman Henry Waxman and Congressman Howard Berman, major committee chairmen and California superdelegates, endorsed Barack Obama today, citing his ability to unite the country and put and end to eight years of failed Bush policies. Congressman Waxman chairs the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform; Congressman Berman chairs the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Both are respected leaders in the American Jewish community and major voices in Democratic policymaking.

“Senator Obama’s vision for change has inspired tens of millions of Americans,” Chairman Waxman said. “And he’s also proved that he has the experience, judgment, integrity, and toughness to bring real reform to Washington. Our nation faces big challenges. We need to bring our troops safely home from Iraq. We need to solve global warming and finally enact universal health care legislation. And we need to create new jobs and strengthen our middle class. Senator Obama is the leader we need both here and around the world. He will be an extraordinary President, and I look forward to working with him to make his vision for change the new reality in Washington.”

To view Chairman Waxman’s full statement, click HERE .

“Barack Obama has laid out a foreign policy vision driven by principle and conviction, and he understands that our moral authority and our safety as a nation go hand in hand,” Chairman Berman said. “I spoke with him about a number of foreign policy issues that most concern me. He assured me that he shares my views. The moment President Obama takes office, we’ll send a powerful message to the world that America is back and ready to lead again—that we haven’t abandoned the values that made us the light of the world, and neither should anyone else.”

The endorsements bring Senator Obama’s superdelegate total to 292.5. Obama is now 130.5 total delegates away from the nomination.

“Chairmen Waxman and Berman set the standard for leadership and judgment in Congress,” Senator Obama said. “I’m humbled to have their support and grateful to have their counsel in this campaign. They know that this will be a defining election, and they know better than anyone the grit and hard work it’s going to take to turn things around and deliver for the American people again. We couldn’t ask for two more gifted or dedicated lawmakers to lead this coalition for change.”

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Bush goes after Obama in Israel speech

President George W. Bush has said he wasn't interested in getting in the middle of the presidential campaign, but during a speech today before the Israeli parliament - the Knesset - he took dead aim at Sen. Barack Obama's comments about meeting with the leaders of Iran, Venezuela and other countries if he's president.

Bush didn't mention him by name, but it was clear who he was referring to.

During his speech, Bush called such talk "appeasement" and said that it's wrong to even dialogue with nations that he says are sponsors of terrorism.

It didn't take long for the Obama camp to push back.

"“It is sad that President Bush would use a speech to the Knesset on the 60th anniversary of Israel's independence to launch a false political attack. It is time to turn the page on eight years of policies that have strengthened Iran and failed to secure America or our ally Israel. Instead of tough talk and no action, we need to do what Kennedy, Nixon and Reagan did and use all elements of American power - including tough, principled, and direct diplomacy - to pressure countries like Iran and Syria.

"George Bush knows that I have never supported engagement with terrorists, and the President's extraordinary politicization of foreign policy and the politics of fear do nothing to secure the American people or our stalwart ally Israel.”

Sen. John McCain was more than happy to weigh in.

During an interview on his campaign plane, McCain said: "It does bring up an issue that we are will be discussing with the American people and that is why does Barack Obama , Sen. Obama, want to sit down with a state sponsor of terrorism? What does he want to talk about with Ahmadinejad, who said that Israel is a stinking corpse. Who said that he wants to wipe Israel off the map, who is sending the most explosive devices into iraq killing Americans. What does he want to talk about?"

Why is this a big issue? Because of the Jewish vote.

Democrats have a lock on the Jewish vote, and their number one issue is Israel. And with reports suggesting that Jews are uneasy about Obama, even though he has significant Jewish support in Illinois and has said nothing that should give them pause, the Republicans want to exploit the issue.

They also want to make as much hay out of the issue to show that Obama is naive about dealing with the world on foreign policy matters.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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John Edwards throws his support behind Obama

Sen. Barack Obama is about to pick up a coveted endorsement from former candidate and VP nominee, John Edwards.

Edwards, who brought a populist perspective to the campaign and am emphasis on poverty - he opened his campaign in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans - was an endorsement long coveted by both Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton.

The endorsement will be made at an Obama rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan at 6:20 pm today.

Obama has met periodically with Edwards since he dropped out of the race January 30, hoping to land his support. Many of Edwards' supporters, including his national campaign chairman, former Rep. David Bonior, have backed Obama.

There is no doubt that Edwards can be the latest voice to assist Obama, especially with working class whites.

That was reaffirmed by an Obama campaign official who called the endorsement "huge."

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Some people don't deserve their 15 minutes of fame

You guys remember that fool, Pastor James David Manning? He's the idiot pastor from Harlem who has chosen to blast Sen. Barack Obama, calling him a variety of names, such as a "long-legged pimp," because he's running against Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Conservative TV and radio hosts have put this fool on TV on many occasions. Now this nut is calling the Rev. Jeremiah Wright and Obama closeted homosexuals, and says Oprah Winfrey is a suspected lesbian.

He ends his idiotic comments, "Thus says the Lord."

If you want to see someone who deserves to go straight to hell, you can go to YouTube and watch this despicable man.

Trust me, if I ever see this fool on the street, I won't be saying hello.

As Obama gets closer, the bigots come out

Don't act like you didn't think this day would come.

For all the talk about racial unification of an Obama presidency, the actions of a number of folks clearly show that they don't mind showing they are true racists to the bone.

And what gets me is when they try to suggest they are not being a bigot!

Take for example Mike Norman.

He's the owner of a tavern in the Atlanta area - Cobb County to be exact - who is selling t-shirts with a photo of a monkey peeling a banana and "Obama '08'" underneath.

Yes, a monkey.

But Norman tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution he meant no harm using the image of the monkey, "Curious George."

"Look at him . . . the hairline, the ears, he looks just like Curious George," Norman said, even giving the proceeds to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

That has led a number of groups to protest his bar, saying they will do everything they can to shut his business down for being such a, well, you know what.

But the situation is even more egregious when you read a story by Kevin Merida in today's Washington Post.

Merida talked to a number of field workers for Sen. Barack Obama who said they have had to confront all kinds of bigotry on the campaign trail.

He writes: "Victoria Switzer, a retired social studies teacher, was on phone-bank duty one night during the Pennsylvania primary campaign. One night was all she could take: 'It wasn't pretty.' She made 60 calls to prospective voters in Susquehanna County, her home county, which is 98 percent white. The responses were dispiriting. One caller, Switzer remembers, said he couldn't possibly vote for Obama and concluded: 'Hang that darky from a tree!'

"Documentary filmmaker Rory Kennedy, the daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy, said she, too, came across 'a lot of racism' when campaigning for Obama in Pennsylvania. One Pittsburgh union organizer told her he would not vote for Obama because he is black, and a white voter, she said, offered this frank reason for not backing Obama: 'White people look out for white people, and black people look out for black people.'"

Merida also writes about an Obama campaign office in Indiana being vandalized.

For their part, the Obama campaign doesn't want to focus too much on the racism they are encountering, choosing to be positive about the inroads they are making. And they should. His candidacy is forcing people to confront the reality of race, just like Sen. Hillary Clinton has forced folks to confront the reality of gender.

But there is no doubt there are people in this country who don't want to see a black man in the White House. The exit polls in Pennsylvania showed a sizable number of people who said race was the most important factor in their decision.

And as he gets closer to the nomination, they are showing who they are.

And more than likely, these are the folks who want to hold themselves up to be the greatest patriots. Of course, they don't mind African Americans shedding blood in Iraq; entertaining them on stage; or coming to their rescue in a time of need.

This is why we all - no matter our ethnic background or skin tone - must challenge our family, friends, co-workers and church members to remove the racial veil that covers their eyes and seeing their fellow American as one of them.

Obama picks up another superdelegate with Ray Nagin endorsement

Just got this email from the Obama camp:

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin Endorses Barack Obama

CHICAGO, IL – Today, New Orleans Mayor and Superdelegate Ray Nagin endorsed Barack Obama for President, citing Obama’s advocacy for the people of Louisiana and working men and women across the country:

“In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Senator Obama worked to help address the needs of our Gulf Coast communities. As the Gulf Coast continues to rebuild, other cities have faced tragic disasters across this country. Therefore, it is critical that this country's infrastructure and emergency response systems are evaluated and rebuilt to sustain our cities and protect our families. What happened in Louisiana should never happen again.

I have learned firsthand that a unified constituency can make what seems impossible, possible. Senator Obama represents a new generation of leadership, one that can help heal the divisions of the past and unify this country so that together we can build a stronger future.

Since the immediate days following the storm, I have been travelling to our nation’s capitol to advocate for policies that aid our rebuilding effort. I know firsthand, we desperately need the leadership of someone committed to changing the system in Washington that can hold us back from moving forward. For these reasons, I endorse Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nominee. “

Said Obama: “I want to thank Mayor Nagin for his support. I share his commitment to renewing the great city of New Orleans, which is one of the great national challenges of our time. I look forward to working with him and all New Orleanians to prepare for the storms that may come while advancing opportunity and prosperity for the people of this great American city."

Mayor Nagin is the 283rd superdelegate to endorse Obama, who is 148 delegates away from securing the Democratic nomination.

Obama lengthens superdelegate lead

With today's endorsement of Sen. Daniel Akaka of Hawaii and Idaho Democratic Party chairman Keith Roark, Sen. Barack Obama now leads her by four in the superdelegate category.

He leads her by 168 in pledged delegates. He now needs 156 delegates to capture the Democratic nomination.

According to CNN, "there are 217 pledged delegates up for grabs in the remaining contests. There are 246 superdelegates remaining."

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Skimpy prom dress lands Houston teen in jail

So, is Marcha Taylor wrong, and who deserves to have their ass beat: her or her parents?

Had any of my nieces decided to wear such a dress to the prom, trust me, I would have slapped them AFTER cracking their parents upside their heads!

Read the story here.

Watch video story here.

King Memorial sculpture stirs up more controversy

The U.S. Commission on Fine Arts is none too happy with the sculpture of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that is a part of the memorial being built on the National Mall in Washington.

Apparently, the commission believes that the look is too strident. One columnist even called him standing in arrogant pose. So what do you make of it? Do you think the image of Dr. King is sufficient to display on the monument?

Look at the image in this virtual tour.

Read the Washington Post story here.

Read a critical column by a Washington Post columnist here.

Watch/listen to Harry Johnson, head of the King Memorial Project, discuss the controversy via my show on WVON-AM/Chicago, via uStream.Tv.

Obama vaults ahead of Clinton among superdelegates

With today's endorsement of Oregon U.S. Senate candidate, Congressman Tom Allen, Sen. Barack Obama has jumped ahead of Sen. Hillary Clinton among superdelegates.

Obama now leads Clinton among pledged delegates, superdelegates, popular vote and states won.

The battle over superdelegates has had a seesaw effect. At one time, Clinton led Obama by more than 100 superdelegates.

According to CNN, The totals now are:

Obama: 1,866 (Pledged: 1592, Superdelegates: 274)

Clinton: 1,697 (Pledged: 1424, Superdelegates: 273)

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Smiley reaches deal with TSU over donation

I just landed in Houston and saw this in the Houston Defender newspaper. Sorry there is no link. They don't have a website.

Broadcaster Tavis Smiley has pledged to make good on his promise of $1 million to Texas Southern University.

Smiled recently talked with President John Rudley and agreed to resume his financial support of TSU, which he ceased after problems surfaced regarding TSU's financial state.

Rudley, who took over as TSU's leader three months ago, said Smiley "confirmed his pledge and commitment to work with Texas Southern in any way he could."

In 2004, Smiley agreed to give the school $1 million - $200,000 a year for five years - and to help raise another $1 million for its School of Communications. The school agreed to create the Tavis Smiley Center for Media Studies. Smiley stopped payments in July 2005, a decision a spokesman for Smiley attributed to his concerns about financial management of the school under former President Priscilla Slade, who was later charged with using about $500,000 in school money for personal expenditures.

Rudley said they agreed to meet soon to work out the details.

To date, Smiley has given only $50,000 toward the promised $1 million donation.

Roland S. Martin www.rolandsmartin.com CNN Contributor

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Grey's Anatony pimps Isaiah Washington one mo' time

Grey's Anatomy used to be my favorite prime time show.

It was quirky, hip, emotional, fast-paced, and definitely had a diversified cast.

You had a sister in Shonda Rhimes from Chicago that was the creator, and it starred two native Houstonians, Washington and Chandra Wilson.

Then came the drama last season with Isaiah Washington as his reported use of a gay slur on the set during an argument, and later at an awards show, which resulted in his termination from the show.

Grey's figured they could get back to be ABC's highest-rated show, but the show has been like a boat at sea with no compass. What used to flow naturally has turned into utterly dumb story lines, and some of its characters have turned into wretched human beings who now whine and complain all day.

I used to run to