November 3, 2008

Nadler Said Obama Lacked 'Political Courage' to Leave Church

@ 10:21 am by Walter Alarkon

Rep. Jerrold Nadler's (D-N.Y.) remarks about Barack Obama's courage have earned him some unwanted attention just hours before Election Day.

Nadler, at a synagogue in Boca Raton, Fla., on Sunday, criticized Obama's decision to remain at the church of Rev. Jeremiah Wright despite the pastor's controversial sermons.

"My guess, knowing how politics works, what I'm about to say is not particularly complimentary towards Sen. Obama," Nadler says, according to the YouTube video posted by Atlas Shrugs, a conservative blog.

Nadler goes on to suggest that Obama, who came to Chicago as a political newcomer from an Ivy League school, got involved with community organizing and the Trinity United Church of Christ to build a political base.

Nadler acknowledged that it may have taken Obama "a couple years" to recognize that Wright was "a nut" and "a lunatic."

"But you don’t walk out of a church with 8,000 members in your district," Nadler said.

Nadler then said of Obama: "He didn't have the political courage to make the statement of walking out… Now, what does it tell me? It tells me that he wasn't terribly political courageous. Does it tell me that he agreed with the reverend in any way? No. It tells me he didn't want to walk out of a church in his district."

ABC News's Jake Tapper noted that Nadler, a supporter of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) during the Democratic presidential primaries, has been skeptical of Obama as a national candidate. Nadler called him a "novice candidate" in December 2006.

Nadler is also taking heat from conservative blogs for putting protection of Georgia from Russian aggression lower on the list of NATO priorities than events in the Middle East.

"I think Iran and Israel are a hell of a lot more important than expanding NATO to Russia's borders," Nadler said at the same Boca Raton event. "Why should we? What do we need it for?"

When audience member replied, "Because they invaded Georgia," Nadler pushed back.

"So let 'em invade Georgia," Nadler said. "It's right next to them. Would we tolerate a foreign–a Russian army in Mexico? Which is more important to us Georgia or Israel, frankly?"

The exchange was flagged by both The Weekly Standard and National Review, which have called for tougher stances against Russia since its invasion of Georgia last summer.

UPDATE: Nadler stepped back from his remarks about Obama in a statement Monday.

"I strongly support Barack Obama for president because he has the values and political leadership to bring the change our country needs," Nadler said. "I made a thoughtless comment yesterday which does not reflect the way I feel about Barack Obama. I am in Florida to help get out the vote because I feel so strongly about the importance of Barack Obama becoming our next president."

Watch the YouTube video of Nadler in Boca Raton below.

Archived under: Campaigns, News, Presidential Campaigns
Tags: Barack Obama, Georgia, Jeremiah Wright, Jerrold Nadler, Russia

7 Comments »

1. Here's his Hill office #:

   202-225-5635

   Ask them what kind of boneheaded moron Democrat makes incredibly stupid comments like these.

   Comment by POed Lib — November 3, 2008 @ 12:16 pm

2. Jerry Nadler is an effing hypocrite. Conservative jews get to go on and on about how without humanity Palesitnains and Arabas are. And yet here you have an African-American preacher touched by the American experience directly and he has to hide his views because it makes people like Nadler uncomfortable. I don't agree with my AIPAC-loving rabbi 80 percent of the time but he runs one hell of a great synangogue. Nalder should grow up and consider the good of the country for once instead of putting salt in wounds which shouldn't even be there.

   Comment by Jake — November 3, 2008 @ 12:34 pm

3. I honestly think Jerry Nadler has contracted congressitis and needs to spend some recovery time in the private sector.

   Comment by johnbpt — November 3, 2008 @ 12:43 pm

4. I think the man's laying down some political cover for him, while appearing to be unsympathetic. It also likely is true.

   Comment by indyro — November 3, 2008 @ 12:49 pm

5. Nadler should give the United Church of Christ–a predominantly white mainstream Protestant denomination–and ask them about Jeremiah Wright and his very impressive community service/outreach programs at his church. He's been a respected mainstream theologian for a long time.

   I suspect there aren't too many ministers who would like to have 30 seconds taken here and there from sermons over the past few decades and played on a continuous loop to mislead people about what the church is all about.

   Nadler is a pathetic PUMA, and he'd better watch out–there are a lot of us who will donate $$ at the grassroots level to fund a primary opponent the next time he's up for re-election. I suppose he'll have a newfound sympathy for Rev. Wright once this bonehead remark gets circulated among Democrats on YouTube.

   Comment by jenn — November 3, 2008 @ 12:51 pm

6. "half-white, half-black?"

   i'm curious, where nadler think of himself as half-jew, half-white?

   Comment by taochiapet — November 3, 2008 @ 1:39 pm

7. You folks are morons. Jerry Nadler is unbeatable in his district no matter how much you may froth about financing a primary opponent, and he was just pointing out what is obvious: Barack Obama in no way agreed with the hateful remarks of Rev. Wright but felt it politically opportune to stay a member of Trinity Church. Trying to excuse Rev. Wright's disgusting bigotry before an udience of Jewish voters in Florida is a sure way to get McCain more votes in a crucial state. Rep. Nadler did the right thing, and if Obama wins Florida–as I hope he does–Jerry Nadler (and Ed Koch too) will get his sincere thanks. Depend on it.

   Comment by Richard Liskov — November 3, 2008 @ 4:54 pm

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