WashPo op-ed columnist Richard Cohen says Obama has to do something to distance himself from Louis Farrakhan.
Explanation: A news magazine produced by Obama’s church, Trinity UCC in Chicago, last year gave an award to Louis Farrakhan, a man with a history of anti-Semitic statements. Obama’s pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, called the Nation of Islam leader “an unforgettable force, a catalyst for change and a religious leader who is sincere about his faith and his purpose” and praised his “depth of analysis when it comes to the racial ills of this nation.”
Says Cohen: Farrakhan has “has vilified whites and singled out Jews to blame for crimes large and small, either committed by others as well or not at all. (A dominant role in the slave trade, for instance.) He has talked of Jewish conspiracies to set a media line for the whole nation. He has reviled Jews in a manner that brings Hitler to mind. “
Cohen concludes: “I don’t for a moment think that Obama shares Wright’s views on Farrakhan. But the rap on Obama is that he is a fog of a man. We know little about him, and, for all my admiration of him, I wonder about his mettle. The New York Times recently reported on Obama’s penchant while serving in the Illinois legislature for merely voting “present” when faced with some tough issues. Farrakhan, in a strictly political sense, may be a tough issue for him. This time, though, “present” will not do. “
Read the whole column here.
