1. Maybe its willful blindness, but connecting Obama to Ayers “the terrorist” says nothing racial. Not even if I stretch it. What is the implication, that since Obama is hanging out with a terrorist, that people of skin are terrorists? Even though Ayers is WHITE? Hogwash. That one or two individuals interpret that speech in that way says nothing about the racial intentions of the speech, given the connection between race and Ayers is so tenuous.

If that is the hermeneutical standard, I suppose we can call Obama’s “lipstick on a pig” remark as “unmasking” Obama’s sexist intentions. No?

2. As for Palin’s church ..if you are going to talk about faith traditions, Jeremiah Wright’s/Obama’s racist church is a thousand times more problematic than Palin. Talking about God’s will as if it be in line with your own is problematic, although certain people, like Lincoln presumed to think he was doing God’s will. Palin’s words on the war being God’s plan were completely distorted by ABC and the AP. Go here and I think you will agree: http://elections.foxnews.com/2008/09/12/abc-edits-out-palin-objection-to-holy-war-question/

Question: Do you think bringing up Ayers is a legitimate issue if Obama has praised some of his views in the past?

2.My point was to show the equivalent ridiculousness between branding someone as in league with terrorists because he sat in the same room with Ayers six times and the equally tenuous association of linking Palin to a witch hunter pastor who she received prayer from once. I think they are both equally ridiculous associations.

That said the one thing about that clip that does bother me and which I find problematic for me personally is that Palin has been part of a faith tradition that strongly holds to the belief that we can in nearly every situation unequivocally discern god’s will. That is evidenced in Thomas Muthee’s prayer and in other clips of Palin speaking to her former church about Iraq as “a holy war” and referring to the Alaskan pipeline as “god’s will.”

And as for racism….I am interested to know if you think she is seriously fanning the flames of racism? You link to it, but I almost find it too incredulous to think you really believe that it is subtly racist. Am I incorrect?

2. As for the Palin associations, I really don’t think you can compare the associations a visiting pastor laying hands on you and someone you have known for 20 years, called a close mentor, etc. with Wright and Ayers (whom he knew for at least a decade). I certainly wouldn’t want to be judged on who has ever prayed for me. Would you?