Hypocrisy noted: The Clintons and Billy Graham

[ProSense]

More specifically (to take a not-so-random example), Billy Graham, who made some unambiguously anti-Semitic remarks to Richard Nixon which ended up on tape, appears to have been a major figure in Hillary Clinton’s spiritual life (see also this speech made by Bill Clinton at the inauguration of Graham’s library last year). While nowhere close to Farrakhan’s league (he appears to have been a repentant and occasional anti-Semite rather than an unrepentant and consistent one), he was a direct influence on the Clintons rather than an influence-on-an-influence. I don’t recall Richard Cohen, or anyone else, muttering that there was no evidence that Hillary and Bill Clinton were anti-Semites, but that they needed to voice their outrage or else. And for good reason; any suggestion along these lines would have been treated as crazy. Knowing that Billy Graham was occasionally anti-Semitic doesn’t tell you anything about what Bill and Hillary Clinton believe.

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[Tarc]

1. Um, a little problem with your analysis

The Nixon tapes, where Graham's "Jews have a stranglehold on the media" comments can be heard, were not released until 2002, several years after Clinton was out of office. So how exactly could the former president and first lady condemn something that was, at the time of his administration, unknown?

[jasmine621]

2. Will you please stop dealing with the FACTS!!

It doesn't play well around here. :sarcasm:

[ProSense]

6. Obviously not! n/t

[Hello_Kitty]

3. How do you know they weren't aware of it? They were good friends with the man.

[Tarc]

4. Graham has been an advisor to almost all since Truman

The obvious exception being JFK. You are trying to pass this off like this was an exclusive relationship that Graham has with the Clintons and that is simply not true, as history shows.

Also, you're acting like the man was a raging antisemitic, and while his remarks on the tapes are repugnant, I don't believe any credible historian puts him on-par with a Louis Farrakahn or a David Duke. Given his outspoken support of Israel and refusal to join other evangelicals of the era in their proselytizing to convert Jews to Christianity, I don't think those comments were a deelpy-rooted part of his beliefs. Likely just a dumb recitation of pervasive stereotypes, which Nixon himself was certainly a believer of.

[yellowcanine]

14. Oh please. It is not as if Graham was blabbing it about. And Nixon brought out the worst in

people. It is unlikely that Graham would have said this to any other President.

[ProSense]

15. Wow, what a great excuse! n/t

[yellowcanine]

16. Not excusing Graham - explaining why it is unlikely the Clintons heard Graham say anything anti

semitic. But you knew that and took the cheap shot anyway, didn't you?

[ProSense]

17. You mean they hadn't heard anything about it through May 2007? n/t

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProSense]

20. Dodge? Don't hurl insults, explain how that is a dodge? n/t

[yellowcanine]

24. .

.

[ProSense]

5. "see also this speech made by Bill Clinton at the inauguration of Graham’s library " (May 31, 2007)

Also, it's not my analysis.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. If You Want To Try To Convince The American People Louis Farrakhan=Billy Graham Be My Guest

I suggest you e-mail your candidate to make a speech equating the two...

Please...

[ProSense]

8. Two things:

1) The piece was written by Henry Farrell, not me

2) He states: "While nowhere close to Farrakhan’s league..."

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. I Don't Even Have To Take A Side

If Obama and his supporters ask the Clintons to repudiate Billy Graham because they feel he is like Louis Farrakkhan that would be the biggest gift they they could give them...

[ProSense]

10. Here:

Obama's response.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

11. Here's My Take

Billy Graham is America's ceremonial preacher... Whenever there's a calamity - Columbine, Oklahoma City, 9-11, et cetera he's called upon to soothe the nation...It doesn't matter what DSB thinks about him...A candidate attacks him at his peril...

[ProSense]

13. Here's my take:

If anyone wants to raise the notion that Obama condones anti-Semitic comments because of his association with a church, they're being completely hypocritical in overlooking the Clinton's personal relationship with Graham, who has made anti-Semitic comments.

[rinsd]

22. Then perhaps you should have left that in Farrakan's thread.

Versus acting like a hypocrite in your own thread.

[ProSense]

26. "Versus acting like a hypocrite in your own thread. "

Reiterating a valid point is now hypocrisy?

Are you serious?

[ShortnFiery]

12. Who needs to pull Billy Graham from the crypt when HRC's hubby has Rev. Al. in his pocket.

Yes, Bill and Hill have Rev. Al Sharpton, Jr., in their political pockets. IMO, the smarmy DLC spin machine don't wish to make nice when it's a fact that Reverend Al is on "speed dial" and comes when called to help in those oh so important "spiritual matters" (wink wink - racial undertones *always* with this persona). :crazy:

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/s/al_sharpton/index.html?inline=nyt-per

The Rev. Al Sharpton Jr. is a minister and an activist. But the two words don't begin to describe his role, or suggest the countless times in the last few decades that his name has been associated with discussions about race and racial tensions in New York City and even the nation.

[rinsd]

18. So the guilt by association with Obama & Farrakan was bad.

But the even thinner guilt by association with Graham is ok?

Hypocrisy noted: Prosense

[ProSense]

21. Ah, pointing to hypocrisy is being a hypocrite.

Yikes!

[rinsd]

23. Except you weren't pointing out hypocrisy, you were making a counterattack.

Doing so with the same guilt by association tactic.

[ProSense]

25. "Hypocrisy noted: The Clintons and Billy Graham"

No guilt by association:

Knowing that Billy Graham was occasionally anti-Semitic doesn’t tell you anything about what Bill and Hillary Clinton believe.