NPR: Did Russert Actually Help Obama With Farrakhan Issue?

Did Russert Actually Help Obama With Farrakhan Issue?

It was perhaps the most dramatic moment of last night's Democratic presidential debate. NBC co-moderator and host of Meet The Press, Tim Russert, asked Illinois Senator Barack Obama about an endorsement he had received from the controversial leader of the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan. Russert asked Obama if he would reject Farrakhan and his endorsement. Here's the exchange:

(The issue of Farrakhan, anti-Semitism and Obama's stand on Israel has been a consistent leitmotiv with many in the American Jewish Community, as we covered yesterday in this blog.)

Obama then at some length went on to say that he denounced Farrakhan's virulent anti-Semitic statements and had been doing so from quite some time, since they were both from the Chicago area. Sen. Clinton challenged him to "reject, not denounce" Farrakhan. Obama said he didn't see much difference between reject and denounce, but if she wanted he would "reject and denounce" Farrakhan.

Some pundits, like Andrew Sullivan at The Daily Dish, thought it was not a good moment for Obama, but he was overwhelmed with comments from readers who disagreed. By having Russert raise the Farrakhan issue now, many of his readers commented, put it out on the table and made it harder for any Obama rival to use it against him - since he had been able to answer the question about Farrakhan during a much-watched debate.

Shmuel Rosner, chief U.S. correspondent for the Israeli paper Ha'aretz, wrote in his blog that Obama's answers to the question gave him the upperhand over what he called Clinton's attempt to "score points against Obama in the Jewish community."

But the reaction to Obama's comments also seem to depend on the writer's political point of view. Byron York at the conservative National Review Online wrote that Obama "stepped into the Farrakhan trap" and that he seemed to try and spin his way through his answer to the question until Clinton forced him to say he rejected Farrakhan.

But Josh Marshall of the liberal Talking Points Memo said it was not a classy move by Russert to even ask the question in the first place. "As a Jew and perhaps more importantly simply as a sentient being I found it disgusting. It was a nationwide, televised, MSM version of one of those noxious Obama smear emails."

11:00 AM ET | 02-27-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Farakhan is completely irrelevant to anything remotely connected to actual policy making. This is a complete non-issue brought up to make for good TV and make Russert (who I normally like very much) look crafty. Are we supposed to believe that Obama -- or any serious candidate -- would be taking counsel from a showman like Farakhan? Come on...

Sent by davidconnell | 11:49 AM ET | 02-27-2008

Tim Russert does exactly what General Electric and NBC tell him to do. He is the Seargeant who get some governance as to how he does it. Period.

It made for "good tv". What a oxy moron that is.

Hillary made great use of a skinny opening to make Obama look bad in doing so. Obama waffled for sure. I missed the pillow comment because I had to walk the dog. So what. This was not a debate. It was a stage show that from what I saw was a 51-49 for Obama. When are these candidates going to stop if the moderator asks them to? Maybe when they are admonished for ill behavior per the forum on the tv. Maybe not.

Obama had a golden opportunity to blast Farakhan and that ilk and he simply blew it.

The senator has many high profile jewish community supporters and he would have been well served by naming several..he really needed to blast that radical Farakhan filth off the slate and did not do it.

He had a chance to explain his ideas about how to handle Isreal and their neighbors but did not. He had a chance to explain why a peaceful talk is not a bad thing to have before you deploy for mortal combative strategies. He is not going to get many chances like last night and he needs to "kill the snake on the first pass".

Sent by Dave Rosen | 2:10 PM ET | 02-27-2008

Sent by Dave Rosen:
"Obama had a golden opportunity to blast Farakhan and that ilk and he simply blew it.

That's why Obama is NOT experienced enough to be president!

You don't get a second chance to act!

Sent by Harold | 5:24 PM ET | 02-27-2008

Harold makes an excellant observation. He may also be correct. I do not know. What I do believe is that one or the other of the Democrat candidates is probably less likely to to keep us where we do not belong. Obama needs to be absolutely sure before he speaks; now and forever. Clinton needs to keep former President Clinton in a closet now and forever. The USA is in a bad fix at this time and we do not need an ill-prepared Commander in Chief.
It is unfortunate that the candidates never get enough time to be specific about how they plan to do what their platform is all about.

If voters get bored with detail, too bad. This is about the leader of our country. The electorate needs to actually listen and (if required) to think, that is alright. Again as adult registered voters, listening and thinking may be a great requirement.

Sent by Dave Rosen | 9:22 AM ET | 02-28-2008

I am suspicious of Obama and Farakhan. He should have not stuttered so much in his answer.

Sent by Nikos | 9:57 PM ET | 02-28-2008

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