Obama's prayer

A written prayer that Barack Obama left this week in the cracks of the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest site, asks God to guide him and guard his family, an Israeli newspaper reported Friday.

"Lord _ Protect my family and me," reads the note published in the Maariv daily. "Forgive me my sins, and help me guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will."

More below.

The paper's decision to make the note public drew fire. The rabbi in charge of the Western Wall, Shmuel Rabinovitz, said publishing the note intruded in Obama's relationship with God.

"The notes placed between the stones of the Western Wall are between a person and his maker. It is forbidden to read them or make any use of them," he told Army Radio. The publication "damages the Western Wall and damages the personal, deep part of every one of us that we keep to ourselves," he said.

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I'm a little surprised none of the other Muslim blogs I read picked up on this yesterday.  This is an excerpt from an interview conducted by CNN's Fareed Zakaria with Barack Obama on foreign policy issues. Comments below the excerpt.

Time For A Real Offensive Against Terrorism  Obama keeps talking sense.

"Today, we will focus on nuclear, biological, and cyber threats -- three 21st century threats that have been neglected for the last eight years."

McToughLovin’ Funny video making points.

More below.

Interviewer: Mr. McCain, what is the gravest long-term threat facing our economy?

McCain: Its Radical Islamic Extremism, Stupid

Well this wasn't the precise quote... but it sums it quite well. To quote then in the spirit of completeness:

MuslimMatters's Ruth Nasrullah, a hijab-wearing Muslim convert touches upon how some Muslim women with hijabs were "removed" from being behind Obama. Her thoughts are being cross-posted here with full permission

I'm currently reading The Veil: Women Writers on Its History, Lore, and Politics, edited by Jennifer Heath, which is an in-depth compilation of essays by different writers exploring various aspects of the veil, not just in terms of Islamic dress, but of veils from all over the world over the centuries - and of veiling as an idea.

News clips on Youtube show us the real McCain  Most of it is devastating and ought to be played and replayed throughout the coming campaign.

On your mark. Get set. Grind your teeth!  McCain Campaign Agrees With CNBC Pundit: Americans Making $200,000 Are ‘Not Rich’

Look out below....

Might be the heart of the problem right there, Sparky Gas Hits $4 a Gallon; Bush "Hadn’t Heard That"

McCain's own attack dog, Sen. Graham says: McCain’s Policies Would ‘Absolutely’ Be An ‘Extension’ And ‘Enhancement’ Of Bush’s

The sound of unity Beautiful speech by Hillary Clinton endorsing Barack Obama.

More below.

A special Thursday edition, just because there's so much going on.

"Report on Whether Public Statements Regarding Iraq by U.S. Government officials Were Substantiated by Intelligence Information"

"Report on Intelligence Activities Relating to Iraq Conducted by the Policy Counterterrorism Evaluation Group and the Office of Special Plans Within the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy"

Spoiler: They lied to us.  You're shocked, I know.  More below.

Obama is the nominee

"Tonight, after fifty-four hard-fought contests, our primary season has finally come to an end," Obama says in his victory speech. "Tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States."

http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpoi...
Superdelegates Flock to Obama  http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpoi...

Starting in the 1950s, American states began to repeal "blue laws" that prohibited retail activity on Sundays.  A new study by Jonathan Gruber of MIT and Daniel M. Hungerman of Notre Dame shows that the repeals of blue laws nationally has created both social and economic problems as a result.

Except it's Iranian clerics and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad:

In a news conference last week, the president lashed out at those who were “insulting and mocking” him about a Shiite belief that he said was based on Islamic teachings.

The tensions surround Imam Mahdi, the 12th imam in a direct bloodline from the Prophet Muhammad, who the Shiite faithful believe will one day emerge from 1,000 years in hiding to save mankind and bring justice to the world. Tens of thousands of pilgrims go each year to the Jamkaran mosque near Qum, about 75 miles south of Tehran, where they believe that the imam will appear.

President Ahmadinejad, who came to office in 2005 declaring his intention to “hasten the emergence” of Imam Mahdi, said in a speech broadcast nationally this month that Imam Mahdi supported the day-to-day workings of his government and was helping him in the face of international pressure.

That was too much for senior clerics, who contend that they alone are qualified to speak on the topic.

“Mr. Ahmadinejad’s remarks are common beliefs in Shiite Islam, but they were never brought up in politics and for political purposes by a noncleric,” said Farid Moddaressi, a religion reporter in Tehran. “Mr. Ahmadinejad’s views come from a religion which is defined by its clerics, but they believe that he is not a religious authority to make such remarks.”

It's amazing how the threat of getting glassed in a nuclear attack will clarify your thinking on core doctrines like eschatology.

All the talk about Obama's minister Wright and his big mouth. But hardly a squeak about McCain's extremist endorsers and guides.