The Gist

Obama Dumps his Church

In a pretty extradordinary move, Barack Obama has resigned from his church, after the controversy over the latest pastor eruption, the sermon by Catholic priest Father Michael Pfleger, mocking Hillary Clinton.

Those of you who listen to the show will remember three weeks ago I said that we might see something erupt with this guy Pfleger. Obama has known him for many years and they've had a close relationship. As a legislator in Illinois Obama got over $200,000 to Pfleger's church for programs. He was asked to speak as a friend of Trinity United -- part of the United Church of Christ -- even though he is a Catholic priest, because he is part of the local activist community in Chicago, working on behalf of the poor. He is also someone who has supported Louis Farrakhan, which I don't give a damn about but you know the media and the Republicans would stoke it.

And yet, I didn't think this speech by him at Trinity United really had made that much noise to warrant Obama leaving the church. I don't think we've had a situation like this ever, with a candidate leaving his own church. And I don't think Obama needed to do this -- nor do I think it solves the problem, and only creates more. Obama has defended the church in the past, even as he criticized Rev. Wright. What did the church do wrong here? Invited Father Pfleger to speak? But Pfleger is a long-time friend and supporter of Obama's, so the problem isn't the church but Pfleger, if there is a problem at all. And it brings up the question about: How did Obama know this guy all these years but not know his beliefs? Of course, he probably did, and nothing the guy said was so crazy, but it will be spun that way and Obama will have to answer that question, again.