Obama backpeddles on “above my pay grade” comment
On ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos yesterday, Barack Obama tried to backpeddle on his now infamous “above my pay grade” response to Rick Warren’s question, “At what point does a baby get human rights, in your view?”…
Actually, Obama tried to redirect the conversation to “When does a baby get a soul?” which clearly was NOT what Warren asked. For American voters, Warren was framing a constitutional question.
Nevertheless, Obama still feigned ignorance, which begged the next question Stephanopoulos didn’t ask: Why so avidly support abortion if you’re not sure it may kill innocent human souls?
Obama admitted, “abortion is a moral issue,” which begged more questions from Stephanopoulos, first simply, “Why?” Then: “If it is a moral issue, do you think it is right or wrong?”
We know Obama thinks abortion is a right, but does he think that right is right? He must think it’s wrong because he touts the need to reduce them (although every action he has ever taken or says he plans to takes increases them).
I’ve uploaded this video twice and don’t know why the video won’t line up with the audio, sorry…
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
Here the facts. Obama was himself a crisis pregnancy but to him political ambition is more important than taking the right position on the issues. He knows better but he is too beholden to the money folks at Naral and PP and the whole abortion industry. How sad that he would be so ambitious but that is the truth. Just like Clinton and Gore who were pro life and became pro abortion once they had national political ambitions. We saw that Obama would sacrafice his own grandmother to score political points. He is shameless.
maybe that’s not such a glitch Jill. I mean that the video and his voice don’t line up are sorta like his inconsistent thinking…..
Yeah, you’d think Maria that Obama would realise that he could have been a late term abortion and that there would be some sort of empathy for women and babies… I guess not.
Warren said: “At what point does a BABY get HUMAN RIGHTS, in your view?”
This question had ZIP, ZERO to do with when an unborn child gets a soul. Warren also said nothing about abortion, nor about the soul. Even with a simple question like this, Obama couldn’t say, “Well, at birth, babies have human rights.” That’s because he doesn’t believe it.
And by the way, Mr. Obama, if you have so much “humility” as the “Christian” that you claim to be, then you would humbly err on the side of life. God is not mocked.
BTW, I laughed at Biden’s answer to when life begins, “FOR ME, it begins at conception.” LOL. For YOU? Mr. Biden, you say that as if it’s not already scientifically estabished (y’know, 46 chromosomes and sex determined at fertilization and all that jazz).
Biden has also said: “”My position is that I am personally opposed to abortion, but I don’t think I have a right to impose my view on the rest of society. I’ve thought a lot about it, and my position probably doesn’t please anyone. I think the government should stay out completely. I will not vote to overturn the Court’s decision. I will not vote to curtail a woman’s right to choose abortion.”
So, you think the government should stay out COMPLETELY?? Well, don’t you find it odd, then, that judges created this right, legislating it from the bench? Are the courts separate from the government? Last time I checked, they were still part of it. So, it’s ok for the courts to CREATE this law without regard to the voice of the American people, but it’s not ok for this law to be overturned when it NEVER should have seen the light of day in the FIRST PLACE?? Mr. Biden, you should make every Catholic sick.
I’m not Catholic, and you still make me sick.
I wonder if Biden would also say “I was an Altar Boy” cause John Kerry (who was running for President, but still claimed to be a practicing Catholic) said he was “personally pro life” or something like that.
Liz,
From what I remember, Kerry believed the catholic church’s teaching was an “article of faith” BUT, who was he to impose his beliefs on others?
My word, we are causing more damage than we ever thought possible!
I posted on another thread that one thing we can count on Obama is stuttering through verbal missteps and then trying to correct what he “meant ot say”. Poor guy.
I just read that Iran would prefer Obama to be the next president and that Russia will do joint military exercises with Venezuela shortly.
Now how can someone who can’t state the obvious about human rights stand up to Putin and tell him to get the guano out of our hemisphere? What’s he gonna say? “Well, uh, er, Putin, you know, what I meant to tell you, but what I’m trying to say, is that, well, this whole military exercise is above my pay grade.”
I can just imagine Palin responding, “Putin? Someone go get my lipstick!”
There’s a desperate contributor at Huff post who has shifted into meltdown mode. It’s fun to see his reasons why.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/adam-mckay/were-gonna-frickin-lose-t_b_124772.html
Don’t stop, jIll, don’t stop!
Warren said: “At what point does a BABY get HUMAN RIGHTS, in your view?”
This question had ZIP, ZERO to do with when an unborn child gets a soul. Warren also said nothing about abortion, nor about the soul. Even with a simple question like this, Obama couldn’t say, “Well, at birth, babies have human rights.” That’s because he doesn’t believe it.
Kel, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t think rights should be there at birth, but yes – he should have at least said “at birth” or “at viability to some extent,” etc.
Now how can someone who can’t state the obvious about human rights stand up to Putin and tell him to get the guano out of our hemisphere? What’s he gonna say? “Well, uh, er, Putin, you know, what I meant to tell you, but what I’m trying to say, is that, well, this whole military exercise is above my pay grade.”
Carder, you may have your opinion, but in no way is your stance the “obvious” deal about rights.
As far as military exercises, Putin didn’t get much from Bush, and there’s no guarantee that McCain would be any different.
BTW, I laughed at Biden’s answer to when life begins, “FOR ME, it begins at conception.” LOL. For YOU? Mr. Biden, you say that as if it’s not already scientifically estabished (y’know, 46 chromosomes and sex determined at fertilization and all that jazz)…..
So, it’s ok for the courts to CREATE this law without regard to the voice of the American people, but it’s not ok for this law to be overturned when it NEVER should have seen the light of day in the FIRST PLACE?? Mr. Biden, you should make every Catholic sick.
I’m not Catholic, and you still make me sick.
Posted by: Kel at September 8, 2008 10:03 AM
Jill, I honestly think this should be QOTD!!! It’s good, really good!
“Biden:I don’t think I have a right to impose my view on the rest of society”
—————————————-
When does standing up for what you believe in considered imposing your views on the rest of society?
“Biden:I don’t think I have a right to impose my view on the rest of society”
Does he also think he doesn’t have the “right” to impose his view on rape as a crime or theft as a crime?
GOVERNMENT IS ALL ABOUT IMPOSING VIEWS ON PEOPLE!!
Isn’t nice how the msm gives o’bama a ‘do over’? In golf it is called a mulligan.
Let the spirit of confusion and competition continue to run rampant in their midst.
When Obama says: “I can’t explain with specificity….”, he sounds so smart! I don’t know what people see in him. His humility? Lol.
As Jill said, Obama admitted, “abortion is a moral issue,” which begged more questions from Stephanopoulos, first simply, “Why?” Then: “If it is a moral issue, do you think it is right or wrong?”
Mr. Barak: “Would you consider yourself a moral relativistic Christian? And, is abortion right OR wrong???” Pray, tell.
kbhvac @ 4:20,
Isn’t nice how the msm gives o’bama a ‘do over’? In golf it is called a mulligan.
Lol. He missed the shot again! :o(
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
RSD @ 1:33,
Good point!
We need to give the opposition to the Religious Right a name. How about the Religious Left, or the Religious Wrong.
I don’t we as species really deserve what we have that much look at the way we treat the other species on this planet. In my opinion Palin is a hypocrite she says she believes in creationism, so she believes in god and all that. But yet she has no problem killing wolves and wolf pups which according to religious belief are also gods creatures. She says they had to to save a herd of some animal that the wolves were feeding off of. But if we had not completely dominated this planet and overpopulated ourselves species like th wolf would not have so little land to live on that they can only feed on one herd. She is also spending Alaska’s money on lawyers to protect herself from the actual good people who are pointing out it’s illegal to kill wolves who have pups and the pups themselves. She in my opinion is one of the worst people who could ever possibly become vice president, that and she has no real experience. She was running the least populated and developed states in America.
BS”D
Also on the same show, Obama made a big-time Freudian slip and said the words, “my Muslim faith” calling attention to his Muslim childhood, which he is in denial over. The slip was picked up by Israel Insider and the Chicago Sun-Times. Obama is simply a chronic liar and a narcissist.
To add to what Fred Thompson said at the GOP convention, we need a President whose ideas on reverence for life do not come from an Ivy League university with a Marxist gender studies department on one floor, an equally Marxist disability studies department on another floor, and a bioethics department in the basement.
BS”D
The most glaring fact about Obama’s answers is that he cannot at least agree that babies get human rights at birth, which is the minimum position of every other “pro-choice” politician I can imagine. Taking the stand that babies get human rights at birth only calls more attention to his votes as an Illinois state senator to block Born Alive legislation. He’s dodging any attempt to equate his stand with that of Princeton “bioethicist” Peter Singer, even though the two are spiritual soulmates. Obama’s contempt for the lives of people with disabilities in particular is breathtakingly radical, as also noted by his response to a question by the late Tim Russert on Meet the Press about Terri Schiavo earlier this year. This is a man for whom being dog catcher, let alone Senator or President, is above his pay grade.
Jon 10:32 was not I. I don’t know who he is. I guess more than one Internet address can have the same screen name on this website.
The other Jon:
In my opinion Palin is a hypocrite she says she believes in creationism, so she believes in god and all that. But yet she has no problem killing wolves and wolf pups which according to religious belief are also gods creatures.
God kills a bear to clothe Adam and Eve after creation in Genesis. God approves of Abel’s sacrifice of animals, and rejects Cain’s offering of vegetables in Genesis. I believe in the creation account and also believe that we have dominion over the animals. They do not have immortal souls. There is no contradiction in Palin’s belief in Creationism and her views on animals.
But if we had not completely dominated this planet and overpopulated ourselves species like th wolf would not have so little land to live on that they can only feed on one herd.
I guess the solution for these wolves would be for all of us people who care about the them to all kill ourselves.
You first.
Jon,
“But if we had not completely dominated this planet and overpopulated ourselves species like th wolf would not have so little land to live on that they can only feed on one herd.”
Some questions to think about. Why isn’t it morally binding on wolves to not overpopulate themselves but it is morally binding on human beings? When a wolf kills and eats another animal for food, is that murder? God love you.
Bethany,
You go girl!
Good morning, Janet and Bobby! :)
Hello my good friends.
I’m off to pray at the abortion mill in Lincoln in a little while. Another woman was injured by the abortion procedure; little is known except that the ambulance was called and the abortionist followed it to the hospital.
If anyone has heard of C.J. Labenz, he is now the abortionist in Lincoln. In 1979, he told a nurse to let a baby that had survived a saline abortion, to let die in a soiled utility room. The baby weighed just over 2 pounds.
God bless you, Liz.
Some questions to think about. Why isn’t it morally binding on wolves to not overpopulate themselves but it is morally binding on human beings? When a wolf kills and eats another animal for food, is that murder? God love you.
The answer to this is simple we have the ability to overcome instinct a wolf and almost all other species have not and may never gain this ability. I say “have not” because evolution is obviously real, and they could someday achieve a higher level of intelligence as we really need to, anyone who says otherwise is ignorant. But back to my point we have the ability to not kill needlessly but yet we still do. I see none of you have an argument against the fact that what she did in Alaska to some of those wolves was illegal and I’d rather not have someone who doesn’t care about the law helping to run our country.
Bethany,
God kills a bear to clothe Adam and Eve after creation in Genesis. God approves of Abel’s sacrifice of animals, and rejects Cain’s offering of vegetables in Genesis. I believe in the creation account and also believe that we have dominion over the animals. They do not have immortal souls. There is no contradiction in Palin’s belief in Creationism and her views on animalsI guess the solution for these wolves would be for all of us people who care about the them to all kill ourselves.
Wow, you say you care about animals yet you say they have no soul. When I look into another person I see a soul I see something that just makes them more than what they are. When I look into most animals I see the same exact thing. So while you may feel they don’t have a soul(they do). Please do not say you care about them because from your statement you obviously don’t.
Also don’t tell random people to kill themselves that’s just rude the guy was simply voicing his opinion same as you.
Bethany,
God kills a bear to clothe Adam and Eve after creation in Genesis. God approves of Abel’s sacrifice of animals, and rejects Cain’s offering of vegetables in Genesis. I believe in the creation account and also believe that we have dominion over the animals. They do not have immortal souls. There is no contradiction in Palin’s belief in Creationism and her views on animalsI guess the solution for these wolves would be for all of us people who care about the them to all kill ourselves.
Wow, you say you care about animals yet you say they have no soul. When I look into another person’s eyes I see a soul I see something that just makes them more than what they are. When I look into most animals eyes I see the same exact thing. So while you may feel they don’t have a soul(they do). Please do not say you care about them because from your statement you obviously don’t.
Also don’t tell random people to kill themselves that’s just rude the guy was simply voicing his opinion same as you.
So Jon, are you saying there is something special about humans since we have this ” ability to overcome instinct”? Why are we the only creatures who have evolved this ability? So many other animals share extremely similar physical features as us, yet only humans have this “moral duty” you claim exists because of this instinct given us by evolution. Also, what was the evolutionary mechanism that caused us to develop the “ability to overcome instinct”?
Actually Jon, how do you know that humans overcame instinct and not the other way around? It could be the case that we humans are following our instincts by following what we deem to be moral duties, and all other animals have evolutionarily overcome their instincts to act morally and now have no moral obligations. Wouldn’t that make more sense in terms of natural selection? Only when we drop this silly idea of having a moral obligation are we truly free to do as we please. God love you.
Only when we drop this silly idea of having a moral obligation are we truly free to do as we please. God love you.
Posted by: Bobby Bambino at September 9, 2008 3:57 PM
Should it say “this silly idea of NOT having a moral obligation?
If not, can you explain? I follow most of what you are saying until this last sentence. Thanks.
Hey Janet. No what I wrote was correct. It was supposed to be written from the POV of a “truly evolved” person. The statement you quoted me as saying I do NOT personally believe. I’m saying that not having moral obligations should give us [the false notion of] freedom. God love you.
The question is above the Dalai Lama’s pay grade because he’s never had kids… so he doesn’t comment on it. Neither does Obama because its not a presidential issue. At least Obama has had kids, which is more than I can say for the Pope who won’t shut his yap despite his supposed lack of experience in such matters.
Being candid about one’s areas of expertise is a good thing. I only wish Sarah Palin and John McCain would learn that humility. McCain can go back to plagiarizing his war experience and Palin can go back to forging her experience about her leadership of small town Alaska.
Speaking as a disabled person myself, I sure hope the American electorate wakes up before it elects another retarded cowboy.
Jon (aka George) I’ll try to respond to your points:
Wow, you say you care about animals yet you say they have no soul.
I didn’t mention how I felt about animals personally.
When I look into another person’s eyes I see a soul I see something that just makes them more than what they are.
“more than what they are”? What do you mean by that? Can you expound to me where your idea of the soul came from? Was it from the Bible, or is it just a feeling you have, etc…?
When I look into most animals eyes I see the same exact thing. So while you may feel they don’t have a soul(they do).
Again, where does your concept of “soul” come from? I agree that they have a spirit (not immortal) and are living , but maybe you could define what you mean by soul so I can understand better how to respond to your argument.
Please do not say you care about them because from your statement you obviously don’t.
Jon, do you truly care about animals? Do you own any pets?
Also don’t tell random people to kill themselves that’s just rude the guy was simply voicing his opinion same as you.
Jon, if you had thought about it a bit more, you might have noticed the point I was trying to make, which was not that I want you to kill yourself. Did you really think I do? I will try to make it clearer:
If you truly, truly believe, that we people have done such a heinous thing by populating the earth; and that the wolves, and other creatures of the earth are having to suffer because of us (and that their suffering is as important, or more important than human suffering), wouldn’t the logical conclusion be that human beings should do something to reduce our own population? Come on, don’t tell me the thought hasn’t crossed your mind. It seems to be the usual case that people with your type of arguments think that our populating the earth is equal to “sin”; or that abortion and euthanasia of human beings are acceptable. (Isn’t it always easier when the one being killed isn’t yourself?).
This is why I suggested that reducing our populations, starting with ourselves, might be the answer to the problem you perceive. What would your solution to the problem be?
Being candid about one’s areas of expertise is a good thing. I only wish Sarah Palin and John McCain would learn that humility. McCain can go back to plagiarizing his war experience and Palin can go back to forging her experience about her leadership of small town Alaska.
What kind of expertise should one need to state the scientific (or legal) facts which are freely available to anyone?
Yo la tango, don’t you think that someone who wants to become President of the United States, should know such a simple fact as when human rights begin?
“I agree that they have a spirit (not immortal)”
Oh is this how you understand the difference between soul and spirit Bethany? A soul and a spirit are basically the same except that a soul is immortal and a spirit is not? If one were to ask me the difference, I wouldn’t know. I’m not impressed with me… God love you, Bethany.
Actually, bobby, I’m not totally sure if I’m using the correct terminology. I probably am not! lol
I think you have correctly explained what I believe though- that humans are immortal and animals are not. If there is a better way to express that, please let me know! :)
Yeah, I don’t know. It’s one of these things that always comes to my attention and then I’m like “I need to make sure I know the difference between those two” and then I never do…
I have read about the differences before, but I always keep forgetting about what I read, and I usually get the “soul” and “spirit ” mixed up or put them in the wrong places. LOL I need to really study on it again and see where i’m going wrong. :D
I think another huge difference between animals and humans is that animals are not created in the image and likeness of God- yet, we are.
1 Cor. 15:15 says: “All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one flesh of men, and another flesh of beasts, and another flesh of birds, and another of fishes”
And it also says: “And God blessed them [the humans, Adam and Eve], and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”
God commanded sacrifice of animals (there are many references for this, but one example is Exodus 12:5-8), yet He also said that “whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed”. This is because man was made in God’s image.
Bethany – If Bush cared about when human rights began he would not have sent cluster-bombs into Iraq and Afganistan which have the side-effect of causing massive birth defects from depleted uranium.
If McCain cared about this issue he would not have ditched his first wife when she was sick with cancer. What happened to “Until death do us part”.
The republican party only cares about respect human life as an aspirational applause line that they could never really live up to. Anyone that respects human life would have to respect all human life – and what with their support for the death penalty and endless wars, they might want to improve their resume before applying for patron sainthood as protector of the “unborn”.
PS: Can you really protect the unborn if you make life on earth hard for those alive, and create pollution that is detrimental to fetal development? I’ll wait for an answer on that one.
Ok first off I am not the same person as Jon just so thats clear. And also I thought you should read this it’s fairly revealing about the topic of animals and souls.
http://www.all-creatures.org/murti/tsnhod-08.html
Sorry if it’s not linked right.
Finally yes I do have pets, three dogs and two cats. I hope to soon buy some more land and get more animals.
Yolatango, I can’t help but notice that you completely ignored the question and shifted the subject. Please answer my question.
PS: Can you really protect the unborn if you make life on earth hard for those alive, and create pollution that is detrimental to fetal development? I’ll wait for an answer on that one.
As for the question you asked me, it really doesn’t make sense. I’ll be happy to answer if you clarify.
Jon/George – I don’t know if you realize it, but I am a moderator here. Both Joe and George’s IP’s match, the style of writing is exact, you posted at almost the same time, and you both were making the exact same point. Makes it difficult to believe you are two separate individuals, you know. But I will reply to your alias’s separately.
George-
Would you please tell me whether you adhere to the principles and teachings of the Bible before I continue responding to your points? Do you believe in the God of the Bible, and do you believe that the Bible is His Word? I will respond to as much as I can in the time I have, if you will let me know your thoughts on the Bible. If you do not believe in God, then I see no point in responding to your Biblical assertions.
Finally yes I do have pets, three dogs and two cats. I hope to soon buy some more land and get more animals.
Okay, do you keep your pets indoors or outdoors? Do you ever put a chain or leash on your dogs?
Do you have a fence surrounding the area they stay in? How about the cats? Do they live indoors or outdoors? Are they spayed, neutered, etc?
I do have a point to those questions, I promise.
Ok well as I said we are not the same person I usually prefer not to tell complete strangers personal information but since you must pry, Jon is my brother who was visiting and we do share in many of the same views but we are not the same person. But about your questions, my dogs do not wear leashes unless needed such as when on walks or visits to the vet, and due to the road nearby where one of them was nearly hit last year after a friend of mine accidently let her out, I do have a fence around my 6 acre back yard which includes woods and open space. My cats can go anywhere they want since they never go near the road and in case you were wondering they are not declawed. And yes due to the fact that both cats and dogs like humans are severely overpopulated and are put to sleep all the time I do have them spayed and neutered. Because as much as I would like to take care of all these different animals it simply isn’t possible for me to do so. And to your other question I do believe in God even if in my opinion God is the answer to why not how.
P.S. to Yo La Tango I completely agree with you.
George, the God of the Bible, or another god?
By the way, gotta run for tonight…will continue more tomorrow. :)
While there may be many different representations of God I believe they all come from the same basis so I suppose you could say both but I’ve only really read things about God from the bible so God of the Bible.
Thanks for the interesting conversation Goodnight:)
I’m sorry for the confusing posts before. I was indeed using the terminology wrong about “souls” and “spirits”.
The soul is defined as: “the immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life”
But it is also defined as a secondary definition: ” the spiritual principle embodied in human beings, all rational and spiritual beings, or the universe”, which is the perspective that I was arguing from.
As per the first definition of soul, animals and man do both possess those. The animating quality.
The state of being.
Actually, I could clarify a bit better- we don’t actually possess souls, we ARE souls. “man became a living soul”
A soul (1st definition) can die; it is not immortal (Ezekiel 18:4) and unless it is born again (1 Peter 1:23) it will not live forever. A soul (1st definition) can be destroyed (Matt. 10:28).
In this way, George, you are right that animals do possess souls.
I cannot concede, however, that they are on the same plane as humans, as they were not created in the image of God, and do not have the capability of possessing eternal life.
In the Bible, God commanded human beings to have dominion over every other creature on the earth. (This is why creationism and Sarah Palin’s stance on animals do not contradict, which was the point I was making in the first place).
If God felt that humans and animals were on the same plane, then why would He command humans to sacrifice animals?
Why would He give us regulations on which animals were best to eat, and how to prepare them for consumption?
Why would He have clothed Adam and Eve in bear skin?
Why would He have provided Abraham with a ram to sacrifice?
Why would Jesus have eaten broiled fish?
Why would the Heavenly visitors (one of which was called “the Lord”) have partaken in Abraham’s meal he prepared for them, which consisted of butter, milk, and beef? (Genesis 18:2,7,and 8)
Why would the Bible call “forbidding meats” a false doctrine, and then clarify that every creature of God is good and not to be refused if it is accepted with thanksgiving?
Why would Jesus have fed the 5000 with fish?
Why did Jesus partake in the passover?
And the questions could go on and on. But I think you see what I’m saying. Creationism and the Bible are not contradictory to Sarah Palin’s stance on animals. That was my point.
I wanted to research this subject and write a paper. Your post what a thousand words would not. Nice job.
Biden: life begins at conception
UPDATE, 11:50a: The New York Times has a story today on Biden’s attempted parse on the abortion issue [HT: moderator Chris]: … Biden’s views… came at a time when his party is confronted with a new face: Gov. Sarah Palin……