Barack Obama and Reverend James Meeks (so far not another Jeremiah Wright)
Sean Hannity is digging up dirt on yet another radical preacher linked to Barack Obama. This time it's Reverend James Meeks of Salem Baptist Church of Chicago, whose day job is as an Illinois state senator. However, this time around the links are a bit more tenuous than in the case of Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
Here's Rev. Meeks:
He's also "the executive vice president of Jesse Jackson Sr.'s National Rainbow-Push Coalition" (link). That page says he's one of his religious advisors, but he's not listed on this document supposedly listing those advisors from December 2007. On the other hand, the 2006 book The God Factor: Inside the Spiritual Lives of Public People by the unvetted author Cathleen Falsani says (link):
Another person Obama seeks out for spiritual counsel is Illinois State Senator James Meeks, who is also the pastor of Chicago's Salem Baptist Church and heir apparent to the helm of the Reverend Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. The day after Obama won the primary in March 2004, he stopped by Salem for Wednesday-night Bible study. "I know that he's a person of prayer," Meeks says. "The night after the election, he was the hottest thing going from Galesburg to Rockford. He did all the TV shows, and all the morning news, but his last stop at night was for church. He came by to say thank you, and he came by for prayer."
Meeks and several others were listed in December 2007's "African American Illinois Legislators Unanimously Endorse Barack Obama" (link). And, this says that while "Meeks was never very close to Obama, last month he was elected as a delegate pledged to Obama". More related to that and Meek quotes here. In 2005 news, apparently Meeks was pulled over by a cop and then tried to pull rank on him (link).
Note also that the video above was posted three days ago by the user 023chitown, who last logged in at that time and who only watched one video. In other words, 023chitown appears to have only signed up (at least under that name) to post that video.
This (from David Ehrenstein) says:
In 2004, during his U.S. Senate run, Obama campaigned at Chicago's Salem Baptist Church, whose leader, Rev. James Meeks, called same-sexuality "an evil sickness."
While there appear to be some links, unless something else surfaces they don't appear to be on the same level as the Wright issue.
Comments
Fred Dawes (not verified)
Thu, 03/20/2008 - 18:48
Permalink
HS 14119 dawes57@cox.net 2008-03-20T20:48:54-05:00
it looks to me that Barack is being kicked out of the race for president not by what he has done but by the power people who still want hillary it was always that way and the power people may not like Obama for political/business reasons.
Thomas Richards (not verified)
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 17:59
Permalink
HS 14120 moroccomoon@yahoo.com 2008-03-30T19:59:42-05:00
Obama’s Bible Study Class James Meeks – an Illinois state senator, pastor of one of the largest churches in the state and a declared Spiritual Adviser for Obama – came under fire for comments rebroadcast last week calling white American mayors "slave masters" and referring to black preachers and politicians who "protect" the "white man" as "house n-ggers." "We don't have slave masters, we got mayors," Meeks said in an August 2006 sermon broadcast on a Chicago community television channel. Aside from his senatorial duties, Meeks is an Illinois Superdelegate pledged to Obama and also presides over Salem Baptist Church, described as the largest church in Illinois. In 2006, Meeks informed his church during a sermon he may run for Illinois governor. He was recorded telling the mostly black congregation any "white Christian" who doesn't vote for him is a "racist." Speaking from his pulpit Meeks said, “if I don't have every white Christian vote in the state of Illinois, I will stand on top of the Sears Tower and call every one of y'all racist." Meeks is also notorious for his strong anti-homosexual platform, although Obama is campaigning for the "gay" vote. Meeks has routinely voted against pro-homosexual legislation and has been quoted during sermons referring to same-sex attraction "an evil sickness." Obama told the Sun-Times that he attends Meeks' Salem Baptist Church for Wednesday night Bible Study. According to Illinois State Board of Elections records, Rezko's businesses, Rezmar Corp. and Rezko Concession, contributed to Meeks' campaign funds.
Thomas Richards (not verified)
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 18:00
Permalink
HS 14121 moroccomoon@yahoo.com 2008-03-30T20:00:41-05:00
For further info please refer to the following site: http://wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=59812