Professor's endless, stalker material, please please run in 08, Barack Obama thread

[Professor]

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/153574,luda112906.article

Obama meets with Ludacris

November 29, 2006
BY DEANNA BELLANDI ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, contemplating a run for president, met privately Wednesday with rapper Ludacris to talk about young people.
''We talked about empowering the youth,'' said the artist, whose real name is Chris Bridges.

Bridges was in town to launch the YouthAIDS ''Kick Me'' campaign to raise HIV/AIDS awareness during a stop at Northwestern University in the Chicago suburb of Evanston.

The gathering at Obama's downtown Chicago office was a meeting of two star powers: Obama, who enjoys rock star-like status on the political scene, and Ludacris, who has garnered acclaim for his music and acting.

Obama declined to comment after their meeting but walked with Bridges to the elevator as he left.

Bridges said meeting Obama, known for his warm personal style, was like meeting with a relative.

The spotlight has been on Obama, a first-term Democrat from Illinois, as he mulls a run for the White House in 2008. Obama has said he would make a decision in the coming months.

Meanwhile, he is scheduled to visit New Hampshire Dec. 10 for a Democratic Party event.

Obama, who became famous two years ago after addressing the Democratic National Convention, is no stranger to the star set. He has graced the cover of magazines, appeared on Oprah Winfrey's talk show and is scheduled to appear Friday on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,'' where he will promote his best-seller, ''The Audacity of Hope.'' Obama already has won a Grammy Award for readings from his memoir, ''Dreams From My Father.''

Bridges' latest album, ''Release Therapy,'' debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album charts when it was released in September and his acting chops include appearing in the Oscar-winning ''Crash'' and ''Hustle & Flow.''

[Professor]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/sweet/152712,CST-NWS-sweet29.article

Obama bound for New Hampshire
BY LYNN SWEET Sun-Times Columnist

Considering a 2008 White House bid, Sen. Barack Obama will visit New Hampshire, an early presidential primary state, on Dec. 10. Before going to New Hampshire, Obama, an Illinois Democrat, has strategic trips to the West and East coasts on his calendar:
• Obama will hit New York on Monday to keynote a children's charity event. In return, he was offered control of the distribution of $1 million worth of new products to charitable agencies across the nation. However Obama attorney Bob Bauer said that he declined the offer and "we are not taking control of the gift."

• In California on Friday, Obama will take a seat on Jay Leno's couch on the "Tonight Show."

As reported previously in this column, Obama will be on a panel discussing the HIV/ AIDS crisis at a conference hosted by the "purpose- driven" Saddleback Church of southern California. He will have his second public HIV/AIDS test in 97 days.

Has visited Iowa 3 times
Democrats have not firmed up the 2008 primary schedule. Traditionally, Iowa and New Hampshire hold the first White House test votes but other states are trying to elbow into the franchise.
Obama has been to Iowa three times. But he has never set foot in New Hampshire, a state where voters are used to personal contact before they make up their minds on whom to support.

Other potential Democratic contenders have already been laying groundwork in New Hampshire: former Sen. John Edwards, Gov. Bill Richardson and Senators John Kerry, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden and Evan Bayh.

Notably absent from this list is the top tier 2008 possible candidate, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who has not made any testing-the-water visits to these early primary states.

Obama has told me if he entered the 2008 primaries, he would fully expect to be part of the traditional process of running in Iowa and New Hampshire.

[Professor]

I love his work for the AIDS campaign. AIDS is soon to be named the #3 killer in London, which means in America it can't be too different. This will also lay to rest the people who think his test in Kenya was a publicity stunt. His brother died from AIDS, so I do think it is a personal quest for him and he uses his politcal clout, not that he does it because he needs to.

As for the title of the thread I thought I would just call a spade a spade. :P

[Professor]

Source:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/29/AR2006112901439.html

Church Is Urged to Disinvite Obama

By Alan Cooperman

Antiabortion groups are assailing one of the nation's most influential evangelicals, the Rev. Rick Warren, for inviting Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) to speak at a conference on HIV/AIDS at his Southern California megachurch this weekend.

In a statement, 18 antiabortion leaders called on Warren to rescind the invitation because Obama supports keeping abortion legal.

"You cannot fight one evil while justifying another," says the appeal, whose signers include Phyllis Schlafly of the Eagle Forum, Judie Brown of the American Life League and Tim Wildmon of the American Family Association.

Warren, author of the bestseller "The Purpose Driven Life," responded yesterday by asserting that he and his wife, Kay, are "staunchly pro-life" and "completely disagree" with Obama's position in favor of abortion rights.

Obama was one of 60 speakers invited to "share his views on AIDS, not abortion or any other issue," the Warrens said in a statement issued by their Saddleback Valley Community Church. They added that Obama and Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) will "present two different political perspectives" at the weekend "Summit on AIDS and the Church."

"Our goal has been to put people together who normally won't even speak to each other," the Warrens' statement said. "We do not expect all participants in the Summit discussion to agree with all of our Evangelical beliefs. However, the HIV/AIDS pandemic cannot be fought by Evangelicals alone. It will take the cooperation of all -- government, business, NGOs and the church."

A spokesman for Obama said he has no intention of withdrawing from the conference, where he is expected to take a public HIV test.

"While we will never see eye-to-eye on all issues, surely we can come together with one voice to honor the entirety of Christ's teachings by working to eradicate the scourge of AIDS, poverty and other challenges we all can agree must be met," a statement from the senator said.

[Professor]

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/154969,CST-NWS-ludacris30.article

Obama, Ludacris rap about AIDS
Safe sex, condoms highlight talk

November 30, 2006
BY MAUDLYNE IHEJIRIKA Staff Reporter
Rapper Ludacris, known for a genre of music frequently criticized for promoting sex, drugs and violence, flipped the script during a Chicago visit Wednesday.
The gangsta rapper was in town to promote AIDS awareness with local college students and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama.

Signed on as a spokesman for the international YouthAids organization's "Kick Me" youth awareness campaign, he talked safe sex and condoms in a frank, one-hour Q & A with students at Evanston's Northwestern University, then whisked off in an entourage of Cadillac Escalades to meet with Obama at the senator's downtown office.

"I talk a lot about sex in my music, but you don't ever hear me talk about condoms," the rapper told about 125 Northwestern students.

'Empowering the youth'
The Grammy-winning rapper-turned-actor closed the session and his Obama meeting to the press, saying he wanted the students to feel free to ask frank questions, and himself to be able to respond as frankly.
After meeting with the senator, the entertainer would only say, "We talked about empowering the youth," likening the meeting to that of family.

Obama, too, declined to comment on the meeting afterward, but his spokesman said it focused on AIDS awareness.

"They just basically shared their views on not only AIDS in America, but the AIDS epidemic in Africa," spokesman Julian Green said. "Both Sen. Obama and Ludacris have initiated individual efforts to bring attention to the cause, and the senator applauded Ludacris for using his stature and his celebrity to bring attention to the issue."

Ludacris, whose big-screen efforts include the Academy Award-winning "Crash," and whose latest album, "Release Therapy," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, usually garners publicity of a more controversial nature.


No future plans together
He was dropped as a Pepsi spokesman in 2004 after Pepsi's choice drew criticism from talk show host Bill O'Reilly and the conservative right. And last year he ended up in a war of words with media mogul Oprah Winfrey after accusing her of being against rappers because she doesn't feature them on her show. Winfrey responded by asserting she doesn't condone the negative images of women propagated by Ludacris and others in lyrics and videos.
Asked whether the meeting with Obama yielded any joint projects for Ludacris and the senator, Green was firm.

"It was definitely a timely meeting as World AIDS Day [Friday] approaches, but there are no definitive plans for the two to be working together on anything in the future," Obama's spokesman said.

[Professor]

I really like the idea of a QandA with Ludacris. It's unconventonal, yet it would seem to be effective. I like it a lot.

I don't know of any other senators who would tour with rappers.

[Professor]

Source: http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/154980,CST-NWS-obama30.article

Top pastor defends Obama invite despite abortion protests

November 30, 2006
BY NEDRA PICKLER

WASHINGTON -- Famed pastor Rick Warren on Wednesday defended his invitation to Sen. Barack Obama to speak at his church despite objections from evangelicals who oppose the Democrat's support for abortion rights.
Obama is one of nearly 60 speakers scheduled to address the second annual Global Summit on AIDS and the Church beginning today at Warren's Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, Calif.

Obama, who is mulling a run for president, plans to take an HIV test during his appearance Friday and encourage others to do the same. The Illinois Democrat will be joined by a potential 2008 White House rival -- Republican Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas -- and is urging unity to fight AIDS despite differences on other issues.

Conservative evangelical Rob Schenck, president of the National Clergy Council, e-mailed reporters to protest the visit because of Obama's support of abortion rights.

Saddleback responded with a statement acknowledging ''strong opposition'' to Obama's participation. The church said participants were invited because of their knowledge of HIV/AIDS and that Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life, opposes Obama's position on abortion and other issues.

''Our goal has been to put people together who normally won't even speak to each other,'' the statement said. ''We do not expect all participants in the summit discussion to agree with all of our evangelical beliefs. However, the HIV/AIDS pandemic cannot be fought by evangelicals alone. It will take the cooperation of all -- government, business, NGOs and the church.''

Obama declined an interview request. But in a statement, he said while he respects differing views on abortion, he hopes for unity ''to honor the entirety of Christ's teachings by working to eradicate the scourge of AIDS, poverty and other challenges.

''It is that spirit which has allowed me to work together -- and pray together -- with some of my conservative colleagues in the Senate to make progress on a range of key issues facing America,'' Obama's said.

While in California, Obama also plans a Friday night appearance on ''The Tonight Show with Jay Leno'' to promote his best-selling book, The Audacity of Hope.

[Professor]

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/01/AR2006120101164.html?nav=hcmodule

Obama Offers Frank AIDS Talk

By GILLIAN FLACCUS
The Associated Press
Friday, December 1, 2006; 5:08 PM

LAKE FOREST, Calif. -- Potential presidential candidate Barack Obama stood before one of the country's largest evangelical churches Friday for a frank discussion of sexuality and spirituality that included the declaration that condoms should be made more widely available to fight AIDS.

The Democratic senator's appearance at the Saddleback megachurch was a source of dispute among evangelical leaders, with some of the most conservative saying that a politician who supports abortion rights should not have been allowed to speak at such a prominent church.

Obama urged unity despite political differences to fight the disease that has killed 25 million people since the first case was reported in 1981. Some 40 million currently are infected with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

"We are all sick because of AIDS," Obama said. "We are all challenged by this crisis."

In a show of political unity, Obama took an AIDS test with a potential White House rival on the Republican side _ Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas. Brownback draws his support from the conservative evangelical community, but Obama has been urging liberals not to allow Republicans to claim itself the party of Christians.

After addressing Brownback as his friend and applauding his efforts on issues such as AIDS, Obama said: "There is one thing I've got to say, Sam, though: This is my house too. This is God's house. So I just want to be clear."

In another show of bipartisanship, the Illinois senator said President Bush doesn't get enough credit for committing $15 million against HIV and AIDS over five years.

He called the dispute over condoms a "false argument."

"I also believe we can't ignore the fact that abstinence and fidelity, although the ideal, may not always be the reality, that we're dealing with flesh and blood men and women and not abstractions, and that if condoms and potentially things like microbicides can prevent millions of deaths, then they should be made more widely available," Obama said. "That's my belief."

He said men and women often are "contracting HIV because sex was no longer part of a sacred covenant, but a mechanical physical act." He said government programs cannot solve that problem, but churches can make a real difference by providing people with a moral framework to make better choices.

"I don't care whether you're conservative or liberal, you've got to lift up that aspect of this struggle," said Obama, who at times drew applause.

Obama repeated a story that he read in the Chicago Tribune about a South African woman named Hlengiwe Leocardia Mchunu who lost five of her seven siblings to AIDS. He said he couldn't imagine what it would be like to have AIDS affect his family, but "here's the thing _ my faith tells me that Leo's family is my family."

The summit came on World AIDS Day and the 25th anniversary of the discovery of the disease.