Victory at Any Cost? God Help Us

Amen.

So be it. Enough said. Amen. And Amen.

Dr. Rev. Smith,

Thank you for "Victory at What Cost? Address the real issues please!

Character assassination in the present senario is a defenes mechanism. Hence, the republican party not only underestimated the presidential potential of Mr. Obama, they also failed to prepare resolutions for the real problems. As a result, attacking Mr. Obama covers for their lack of intervention strategies to address the problems of ALL people.

Besides, who are we to decide who is good and who is evil? Who are we to say who one can interact with? Are the individuals responsible for the longtime financial distruction, that appears to be recent, good or evil? Should everyone who know members of FIG separate themselves? Should you move because your neighbor is a gang memeber? Is Mr. McCain a good man for addressing his professional collegue as "That One?"

Do we dare to learn and grow by associating with people who are different from us?

There is no point in further addressing Mr. Obama's relationships because GOD, PAID THE PRICE, AND LOVES EVERYONE, including Mr. Obama, his friends, coworkers, pastor, neighbor, fellow board members,family, etc.

There are real issues that need to be addressed, our country is in turmoil.

Thank you for the article!

PC

It just surprises me that this country continues to chase it's tail into destruction. I was on fire for "That One" when this all began but it appears they are all riding in the same boat up the river to no where.

Pagan,

Give me a break about the Keating Five. There was an investigation and McCain was found to have committed bad judgment. Period. That was the last meeting he took with that group. (As opposed to your Democrat buddy). To think that crap like that doesn't go on on both sides of the aisle is naive.

Also, where is all the talk about Iraq? We heard it nonstop from the liberal faithful for months and now we don't hear a peep. Maybe because things have turned the corner before the Dems could cut, run and hide? Or maybe the Dems have just found something different to blame. That's it. Let's blame all our financial woes on someone else. It's John McCain's fault. He's responsible for your lot in life. Don't you get it? He was chummy with Mr. Gramm who passed the deregulation bill and got us in this mess. The fact that the bill was supported by then President Bill Clinton and current VP candidate Joe Biden is irrelevent!

Very good point, Rev. Smith. Trying to keep this campaign on the high road has proven very difficult. I think Senator Obama has done an excellent job at keeping our focus on the major issues of the times, especially the economy. He is demonstrating the kind of leadership we need to get through this challenging time and still retain the values that have made this country great.

I repeat, what McCain did for the Keating Five is a bit more involved than 'association.'

These are Roveian tactics of 'attack where you're weak,' ...and when that doesn't pan out, start saying, 'The problem is government, everyone's just as bad.'

Swiftboating and pointing out that candidates aren't who and how they present themselves as being are two very different things.

Smears based on 'associations' are meant to cast unsubstantiated doubt. Questioning someone's previous actions in politics is not the same as this.

Don't be fooled on that score. If Palin wants to get up and elucidate exactly how she plans to bring what she learned in her *current* churches to her policies, then, let's hear it. Instead, she hides the radicalism she's displayed in office, and has pledged not to take interviews where hard questions about her knowledge and fitness for the highest office in the land might be asked.

Biiig difference.

Dr Smith,
I feel that this is by design, because the average person has a tendency to remember the negative ad campaigns as oppose to positive ones. By Barack Obama being an African American Male, there are already some misinformed people with preconceive thoughts that will make a rumor more believable in their perception. Perception is reality for people and if in your mind you are already misinformed; a rumor which confirms your thoughts is very believable to a person without having any true verifiable evidence. The opposing political party can take advantage of this by leaking to the press unverified information. Therefore,the rumor diverts the attention of the true issues at hand. This creates uncertainty in a time when things are increasingly becoming more desperate. Should it be problem that a candidate is around an individual known to be a rogue? I don’t think so; but in politics you have to be aware of the company you keep because of these foul tactics. African American Male who have historically been labeled and stereotyped as “Criminals”. This is a pretty dirty tactic and once the rumor is out there; then candidates have to go into “damage control mode” to debunk the rumors. A true waste of time when the focus should be on the state of our economic crises. It’s sad

This is a powerful (and true) piece. Unfortunately, however, in this "climate" of the 2008 Presidential Election Season, reasonable thinking is not what is driving the electorate.

Hey Rev Sue:

I say amen to that too! How is it that somebody from one's past can be cut and pasted to you and lower your ratings? Lately there is buzz at CNN that McCain should revive Rev. Wright again to get at Obama--please!!!!! Enough is enough! the original sound-byte was the lowest of lows. However, I understand that this is politics and Wright was the weapon of choice. If our associations can bring us down, that may be something to think about. It is no wonder Jesus was hassled about the company he kept. How many times have we hung out with somebody to find out later or too late that they were not of the same ilk as we? I keep hearing Dr. King's words, "content of character" ring in my spirit--that's an internal not up for scrutiny of fickle polls.

I once heard a campaign strategist say that this is what they do: find a flaw/associate and make it/them stick such that the opponent spends the majority of the campaign trying to unstick or manage distance from it or them. The goal is that if it sticks, the opponent is toast! It is unfortunate that politics made Obama have to distance himself from Rev. Wright. It proves again that hegemony hates prophets. I still remember Dukakis losing the presidential race just because Willie Horton's photo stuck to him like glue--that's politics they say. It has always amazed me how one candidate seeks to elevate themselves by deflating the other. I pray that all will reamin sane and do the right thing, but I also realize that it is the nature of politics to win by any means necessary--even if it's amoral. Thanks for raising the issue!

Ozzie Smith