Farrakhan hails Obama as 'hope of entire world'

[GaryC 7]

CHICAGO - In his first major public address since a cancer crisis, Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan said Sunday that presidential candidate Barack Obama is the "hope of the entire world" that the U.S. will change for the better.

The 74-year-old Farrakhan, addressing an estimated crowd of 20,000 people at the annual Saviours' Day celebration, never outrightly endorsed Obama but spent most of the nearly two-hour speech praising the Illinois senator.

"This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better," he said. "This young man is capturing audiences of black and brown and red and yellow. If you look at Barack Obama's audiences and look at the effect of his words, those people are being transformed."

Story continues below ↓advertisement

Farrakhan compared Obama to the religion's founder, Fard Muhammad, who also had a white mother and black father.

"A black man with a white mother became a savior to us," he told the crowd of mostly followers. "A black man with a white mother could turn out to be one who can lift America from her fall."

Small jabs at Clinton

Farrakhan also leveled small jabs at Hillary Rodham Clinton, Obama's rival for the Democratic nomination, suggesting that she represents the politics of the past and has been engaging in dirty politics.

Said Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton: "Sen. Obama has been clear in his objections to Minister Farrakhan's past pronouncements and has not solicited the minister's support."

Farrakhan rebuilt the Nation of Islam, which promotes black empowerment and nationalism, in the late 1970s after W.D. Mohammed, the son of longtime leader Elijah Mohammed, moved his followers toward mainstream Islam.

Farrakhan has drawn attention for calling Judaism a "gutter religion" and suggesting crack cocaine might have been a CIA plot to enslave blacks.

In recent years, however, officials with the Nation of Islam have promoted unity and tolerance among religions. Farrakhan now often quotes the texts of other religions, such as the Bible, in his speeches.

Farrakhan's keynote address at McCormick Place, the city's convention center, wrapped up three days of events geared at unifying followers and targeting youth.

It had a different tone from a year ago, when Farrakhan made what was called his final public address at a Saviours' Day event in Detroit. The 74-year-old was recovering from complications from prostate cancer and months earlier had temporarily passed on leadership duties of the organization's day-to-day activities to an executive board.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23333598/

[HAL 9000 96]

So?

[GaryC 7]

So?

Ask Steven.

[SaadBell 0]

Farrakhan's

Look you can't help if freaks attach themselves to you, Obama is the man, even freaky crazy Farrakham knows it, and who cares about Farrakhan, I am not scared of him or any of them, and won't change my mind about Obama either, I am not that stupid to believe all the ####### thrown around. So what if Charlie Manson likes McCain, what then, matter a fact I think I will write Manson and a few others and see if they will endorse McCain. THINK FOR YOUR DAMN SELF, FREE YOUR MIND. What are you really afraid of, free health care, clean energy, or do you think Obama will enslave the white folks. You interested in some beach property in Florida, beautiful and I will cut you a deal.

[GaryC 7]

Farrakhan's

Look you can't help if freaks attach themselves to you, Obama is the man, even freaky crazy Farrakham knows it, and who cares about Farrakhan, I am not scared of him or any of them, and won't change my mind about Obama either, I am not that stupid to believe all the ####### thrown around. So what if Charlie Manson likes McCain, what then, matter a fact I think I will write Manson and a few others and see if they will endorse McCain. THINK FOR YOUR DAMN SELF, FREE YOUR MIND. What are you really afraid of, free health care, clean energy, or do you think Obama will enslave the white folks. You interested in some beach property in Florida, beautiful and I will cut you a deal.

Relax. I am just showing Steven how dumb his posts about fundies are in regard to McCain.

[Heracles 417]

The reality is that a lot of fanatical Islamic leaders will view Obama, the son of a Muslim, as fulfilling the prophecies of Islam ruling the world again. I am not saying I believe that myself but I think many like Ahmadinejad will see it this way.

[Peikko 1,575]

So what?

[SaadBell 0]

Understand, but really what is the worst fear people have about Obama, really how realist is it, and why so scared of just a man, who people think he might be a secret muslim. We elected bush, and he really did a banged up job, how many dead, what is the body count so far? People are afraid of a man who will get us out of a war of death, doesn't add up.

[HAL 9000 96]

So?

Ask Steven.

Better yet, ask why its pitiful to try once again the guilt by association ploy.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

This is as silly as those "don't vote for Obama because terrorists want him to win" stories.

[GaryC 7]

So?

Ask Steven.

Better yet, ask why its pitiful to try once again the guilt by association ploy.

There is a difference between "association" and "alignment". Obama has aligned himself with Wright by virtue of his 20 years of attendance in his church. McCain isn't even associated with the fundies other than one of them endorsing him.

[HAL 9000 96]

So?

Ask Steven.

Better yet, ask why its pitiful to try once again the guilt by association ploy.

There is a difference between "association" and "alignment". Obama has aligned himself with Wright by virtue of his 20 years of attendance in his church. McCain isn't even associated with the fundies other than one of them endorsing him.

Big Yawn, Gary. Big one.

[GaryC 7]

So?

Ask Steven.

Better yet, ask why its pitiful to try once again the guilt by association ploy.

There is a difference between "association" and "alignment". Obama has aligned himself with Wright by virtue of his 20 years of attendance in his church. McCain isn't even associated with the fundies other than one of them endorsing him.

Big Yawn, Gary. Big one.

For you maybe. It will make a difference to the undecided in the general.

[no name 1]

So?

Ask Steven.

Better yet, ask why its pitiful to try once again the guilt by association ploy.

There is a difference between "association" and "alignment". Obama has aligned himself with Wright by virtue of his 20 years of attendance in his church. McCain isn't even associated with the fundies other than one of them endorsing him.

Big Yawn, Gary. Big one.

For you maybe. It will make a difference to the undecided in the general.

Gary, Steven is deluded (as well as other Koolaid drinkers). He is talking out both sides of his mouth.

Edited April 29, 2008 by illumine

[HAL 9000 96]

So?

Ask Steven.

Better yet, ask why its pitiful to try once again the guilt by association ploy.

There is a difference between "association" and "alignment". Obama has aligned himself with Wright by virtue of his 20 years of attendance in his church. McCain isn't even associated with the fundies other than one of them endorsing him.

Big Yawn, Gary. Big one.

For you maybe. It will make a difference to the undecided in the general.

You mean those that can't think for themselves that 1 +1 does not equal 3.

Lop Al Qaeda into Obama's supporters, too.