Barack Obama's Decision to Leave His Church

Barack Obama finally quits his Chicago church, the Trinity United Church of Christ.

Why? Here's why:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FATHER MICHAEL PFLEGER: Racism is still America's greatest addiction. I also believe that America is the greatest sin against God.

REV. JEREMIAH WRIGHT: No, no, no. Not God bless America. God damn America. That's in the Bible for killing innocent people. God damn America for treating us citizens as less than human.

PFLEGER: America has been raping people of color, and America has to pay the price for the rape.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Senator Obama's decision to leave his church is the subject of this evening's "Talking Points Memo."

There is no question Barack Obama has associated with radical left-wing people in order to build his power base. That's almost a necessity in Chicago if you're a Democrat.

For whatever reason, the Windy City is full of windy anti-American far-left loons who control political donations and some votes. Sometimes these loons get completely out of control, like Wright and Pfleger did at the Trinity Church. Sometimes they are unrepentant, violent people, like Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.

But again, to rise on the left side of Chicago politics, you cannot avoid these people.

The problem for Barack Obama now is two-fold. His past associations are on the record and will be used by the Republicans. And he has not really explained why he kept an active friendship with radical people like Wright and Pfleger who are so extreme. The senator's current view is this:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK OBAMA: I did not anticipate my fairly conventional Christian faith being subject to such challenge and such scrutiny. Initially, with e-mails suggesting I was a Muslim; later with, you know, the controversy that Trinity generated.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

With respect to the senator, no fair-minded person is questioning your Christian faith. What many voters are concerned about is your choice of friends. If you want to hate America, the Constitution protects you. But the court of public opinion will hold you accountable.

Barack Obama does not hate America. I think he's a patriot. But for whatever reason, he embraced a number of America-haters, and that is not a resume booster for any presidential candidate.

That, quite simply, is the story here: judgment in associations. And of course, voters will make their judgments come November.

And that's "The Memo."

Pinheads & Patriots

Nineteen-year-old Ross McGinnis has won the Medal of Honor. The soldier threw himself on a grenade in Iraq, saving the lives of four other soldiers. He was killed.

His family received the nation's highest honor today at the White House, and of course Private McGinnis and his family are patriots.

On the pinhead front: We like actor Woody Harrelson. He's a funny guy and his performance in "No Country for Old Men" was excellent.

But ol' Woody is out there a bit, now saying he's going to a desert island for 40 days and he will fast the entire time to see "how the experience will affect his brain." I think I can already tell you.

As you already know, Jesus fasted for that long. But he was Jesus. Woody may be a pinhead.