"With his newfound opposition to his own attempts to reform immigration policy..."

McCain's NALEO speech: "McCain: Immigration reform “top priority” for first 100 days
by Mosheh Oinounou

WASHINGTON, DC — Boldly declaring that he will make comprehensive immigration reform
his “top priority,” during his first 100 days in office, Sen. John McCain today
assured Latino leaders that they will have an ally in the White House.

“It will be my top priority yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” McCain told the National
Association of Latino Elected Officials Saturday. “Immigration reform will be my
top priority because we have the obligation to address a federal issue from a federal
standpoint. I will reach across the aisle again and work in a bipartisan fashion.
We will resolve the immigration issue in America and we will secure our borders."

Nice timing.

"With his newfound opposition to his own attempts to reform immigration policy..."

McCain's NALEO speech: "McCain: Immigration reform “top priority” for first 100 days
by Mosheh Oinounou

WASHINGTON, DC — Boldly declaring that he will make comprehensive immigration reform
his “top priority,” during his first 100 days in office, Sen. John McCain today
assured Latino leaders that they will have an ally in the White House.

“It will be my top priority yesterday, today, and tomorrow,” McCain told the National
Association of Latino Elected Officials Saturday. “Immigration reform will be my
top priority because we have the obligation to address a federal issue from a federal
standpoint. I will reach across the aisle again and work in a bipartisan fashion.
We will resolve the immigration issue in America and we will secure our borders."

Nice timing.

Falwell and his ilk read or misread the Bible in such a fashion as to bring ruin down on the lives of pregnant women, ill-cared-for children, and homosexuals.

Osteen is everything Taibbi says, but from what I've seen of him what the Bible says is one of the least of his concerns, and he doesn't feel constrained to foist its the misery-rendering doctrines on the rest of us.

That McCain desperately latches on to him may just be further evidence he hasn't a religious bone in his body--though of course he does have lot of constituents he has to convince otherwise.

I think the column and the comments are a bit harsh regarding Osteen. He is much more in the vein of Norman Vincent Peale than Jerry Falwell. I pulled the following quote from Wikipedia.

"Osteen says that he chooses to focus on the goodness of God rather than sin.[15] In answer to questions raised over why he does not include many Bible verses in his books, he says that he sees himself as more of a life coach. Osteen explains that he tries to teach Biblical principles in a simple way, emphasizing the power of love and a positive attitude. [16]"

That doesn't sound that horrible to me.

Taibbi's comments about Osteen's physical appearance tells me all I need to know about Taibbi's criticality and depth.

i've always wondered what a life coach does, and whether he can he bench you?

this white-hot diatribe was a fascinating example of how we're "all citizens of Nixonland", to use the phrase Perlestein coined in his new book, especially those consumed by hatred of Nixon-types.

Also, I don't know much about Osteen, but the column didn't really make the case that he's doing anything aside from updating the protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism...

this white-hot diatribe was a fascinating example of how we're "all citizens of Nixonland", to use the phrase Perlestein coined in his new book, especially those consumed by hatred of Nixon-types.

Also, I don't know much about Osteen, but the column didn't really make the case that he's doing anything aside from updating the protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism...

I have to second Chicago Guy's caveat about Joel Osteen. While i am not an admirer, i don't agree with the characterization of osteen as sanctifying "terrestrial greed."

McCain's biggest sin as naming Osteen as the most inspiring author he has read is that he is ratifying banality, not theological evil.

Boy talk about some weenies who don't know their asses from a whole in the ground. You Osteen defenders would be better served to put youe efforts into defending someone worthy like Idi Ameen or Hitler. Do a little research and come back. The guy is worse than he's being portrayed by Taibbi.

i didn't think much of osteen either way
when i dialed through. i've definitely
seen worse. he doesn't seem half as bad as
tony robbins, for instance.

gandalf, can you cite or type a quick example. Joel O. is a tv evangelist and that says a lot. The local press here in Houston have pointed out some dents but nothing worthy of such scorn. His huge flock has many Obama supporters. Attacking their pastor so viciously is is just stupid on Tibbi's part. Stupid.

Kleiman pegs Osteen as offering prosperity theology, like T.J. Jakes. The deal is, if spiritually you believe real hard and well, materially you will prosper. But it's pretty clear that for all you have to believe in is more pop psych pablum than any biblical verities. And I don't think Osteen is among those shills who promise that if you send them a faith offering, he'll pray for you and see that God makes you rich.

I'd credit any evidence Osteen does real harm. So far, I know of none.

Or is it simply that peddling a notion that prosperity indexes true worth is repellent enough?

Or is it simply that peddling a notion that prosperity indexes true worth is repellent enough?

Well it's certainly unbiblical, so I'd call passing it off as Christian ethics instead of as feel-good claptrap to be repellant.

Not only is he now a shameless flip-flopper and Chri$tianism shill, John McCain is computer illiterate by his own admission. When asked "PC or Mac", He said, "I am an illiterate that has to rely on my wife for all of the assistance that I can get." (All the others asked picked one or the other.) BTW Kevin, it's about time you posted something about this (forgive me if I missed one already there.) It's about *him* and his competency in the modern world, not e.g. back-fire-liable murmurs about his wife stealing narcotic pills back in the 90s.

But Frister anon, McCain saying that to the Latino leaders is part of his problem. He says one thing to them, another thing to the "base." Taibbi wasn't making up the other McCain quotes and position statements, just providing fodder to see the contradictions.

I've watched Joel Osteen numerous times, though never for more than about 5 minutes while flipping channels. But I've never heard him make the crass sort of prosperity pitch Taibbi imputes to him. Osteen says that, if you follow Jesus, you'll be successful, but he neither says nor suggests that you'll be rich.

And unlike nearly every other TV preacher, Osteen doesn't have much to say about gays or Muslims or abortion. In fact Joel Osteen is probably the least repulsive televangelist that a Republican could get away with shouting out.

I read Matt's article about McCain in Rolling Stone the other day and it is as fine a take-down of a politician as I have read in a while...

The part where he asks the rubes why they don't like Obama and all they can come up with is, "you either are or you aren't - and he aren't!" - is priceless.

Shit, maybe Schmuck Talk wants to learn how to attack flight attendants like Osteen's wife did.

Chicago Guy, et al: Actually, he's more in the vein of Oral Roberts than either Falwell or Peale with his success gospel.

As for "not doing any harm," if you consider (legally) defrauding people out of money "not doing any harm" ...

Taibbi looks disturbingly like the lovechild of a good-looking Southern college boy and Chunk from The Goonies.

His new book sounds interesting, and I enjoyed his takedown of McCain here, but he's always so, so much smarter than everyone else.

well, the first paragraph is obvious attempt to conjure image of white mobs hunting down Negroes - not surpring rhetoric from Obama types. The following two paragraphs are obvious as well - Rev Wright is I guess bad but look who McCain courts! Pretty transparent stuff - again, not surprising from you Obama morons.

Soc Gad, I am not sure exactly how J. O. is defrauding folks, not including that whole Bible thing. He does not sell prayers or solicit love gifts. I would rather money go to him than Hagy or Parsely and their ilk.

Why is Southern-fried Christianity so slimy? I always feel like I need a bath after coming into contact with it. That - or else wash my hands or something.

Black Southerners gave us our national music - jazz and R&R. What have white Southerners contributed that has been a positive influence on American culture?

"Black Southerners gave us our national music - jazz and R&R. What have white Southerners contributed that has been a positive influence on American culture?"-Jixster

How about country music, guys like George Jones and Elvis Presley? Saturday Night Special by Ronnie Van Zant is the best gun control song that ever made the top 40.

"Hand guns are made for killin
Aint no good for nothin else
And if you like your whiskey
You might even shoot yourself
So why dont we dump em people
To the bottom of the sea
Before some fool come around here
Wanna shoot either you or me"

Sweet Home Alabama was a better song than Southern Man (and I liked Southern Man)....

Just from a theological standpoint alone, the notion that earthly wealth is a measure of one's rightness with the christian god is about as anti-biblical and blasphemous as you can get. From a strictly christian point of view, Osteen makes a living out of sending as many people as he can to hell. I think Taibbi's description of him as a slick, polished con-man is right on point.

Ork: The fact that you're reading racial undertones into that first paragraph is disproof enough of your own position that race is being injected into the presidential contest by Obama supporters. The suggestion is one of uninformed, superstitious-peasant mob mentality, which maybe an unfair portrayal of McCain supporters, but it's consistent with Taibbi's "rubes being taken in by a charlatan" thesis. Calling other people morons because they don't agree with your twisting of things really proves the opposite.

Jixter: Horton Heat, Southern Culture On The Skids, and Rockabilly in general. :)

Eh, I find Matt Taibbi's writing to be lazy as shit hipster mush. Yeah, he can toss off lots of insults. But he's shallow and I can't think of any time I've read his pieces and gone "hunh, that's an intriguing point."

He's also got things precisely backwards on Osteen.

Of all the evangelicals McCain could have picked, this atheist is least disturbed with that one. The fact that Taibbi finds him revolting really says a lot more about Taibbi than Osteen. The guy is bland, certainly, but the extra-super-duper offense is just classic elitist sneering.

Eh, I find Matt Taibbi's writing to be lazy as shit hipster mush. Yeah, he can toss off lots of insults. But he's shallow and I can't think of any time I've read his pieces and gone "hunh, that's an intriguing point."

He's also got things precisely backwards on Osteen.

Of all the evangelicals McCain could have picked, this atheist is least disturbed with that one. The fact that Taibbi finds him revolting really says a lot more about Taibbi than Osteen. The guy is bland, certainly, but the extra-super-duper offense is just classic elitist sneering.

My wife watches Osteen, and I have overheard a lot of his sermons. The bulk of his message is about not about not getting obsessed with the personal grievances you have with others and not getting discouraged when things are not going well. His sermons are not about getting rich by worshiping God. A conservative Christian would have much more reason to be offended by Osteen than any non-Christian.

Osteen has always struck me as the Tony Robbins of televangelism. I've got nothing against positivity, but there is something vulgar in his message, and the idea that he's passing it off as Christianity, though it's certainly less obvious vulgarity than the whole Prayer of Jabez fad awhile back.

I'll certainly take him over most of the others, as spreading greed and shallowness is preferable to spreading hate, but my opinion of him isn't much better than Taibbi's.

I do agree that Taibbi missed the politics of this one. Picking Osteen isn't much of a sop to the Christian Right -- Osteen seems more tailored to the corporatist crowd of conservatism than the gay/women-hating crowd. He's really the safest pick of the televangelists for McCain. I suppose it tells us something that Agents-Of-Intolerance McCain felt the need to pick an evangelist at all when asked for an inspirational author, but it's something we already knew when McCain started making kissy faces with Falwell. And at this point, buddying up to Christianity is pretty much routine in modern election cycles, for both sides.

What have white Southerners contributed that has been a positive influence on American culture?

Oh, the names Mark Twain, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Thomas Wolfe, Harper Lee, Truman Capote, Flannery O'Connor, Walker Percy and John Kennedy Toole spring to mind.....

And if we're talking music, I can think of bluegrass and Appalachian folk music, as well as Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, the Carter Family, Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, etc.

And unlike nearly every other TV preacher, Osteen doesn't have much to say about gays or Muslims or abortion. In fact Joel Osteen is probably the least repulsive televangelist that a Republican could get away with shouting out. Posted by: kth

Whether he's as big a dick as Falwell or not is besides the point. The fact that McCain couldn't come up with any real thinkers (like Shrub citing Jesus) is evidence enough that he's not intellectual up to the job as even a city councilman in a medium-sized Midwestern city let alone putative leader of the (semi-) free world.

Tabbi may have missed the mark on Osteen but one mistake does not refute a mans work in its totality. I think the piece was 100% inciteful about American politics and republican voters. Tabbi is one of the few American journalists to not ware rose colored glasses and see humans as they are. McCain will ride the irrational rage fueled resentment express all the way to the White House if he can. It will be very difficult to stop him. That was Tabbi's point and it is valid.

What have white Southerners contributed that has been a positive influence on American culture?

How about the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights? Both written by white Southerners.

To Stefan's list of writers, I would add Cormac McCarthy, Robert Penn Warren, James Dickey, and Eudora Welty.