Much was made this week about Barack Obama’s lack of priorities when he showed off his March Madness brackets for the ESPN cameras. Though the criticism was valid, he did tell us a little bit about how he thinks. In predicting that every number one seed would make the Final Four, Obama showed us how much value he places on picking favorites.
Earlier this month, while speaking at a news conference, he said that Muammar Gadhafi “must step down from power and leave.” That didn’t happen and when the United States began launching Tomahawk missles into Libya, Obama chose the rebels as his number one seed in the Libyan version of March Madness; presidents can’t vote ‘present.’
The anti-Gadhafi stance angered Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan; during an in-studio radio interview with Cliff Kelley on WVON in Chicago, Farrakhan spoke into a microphone but his words were directed at Obama:
“You can’t order him (Gadhafi) to step down and get out. Who the hell do you think you are? That you can talk to a man that built a country over 42 years and ask him step down and get out? Can anybody ask you? Well, well there’s a lot now gonna ask you to step out of the White House ’cause they don’t want no black face in the White House. Be careful brother, how you handle this situation.”
Farrakhan has a significant amount of skin in this game. He has been on the receivng end of millions of dollars from Gadhafi. In a 2009 column penned by the Nation of Islam leader, he welcomed Gadhafi to the United States for the latter’s address to the United Nations. In so doing, Farrakhan made reference to Gadhafi’s loan to NOI in 1971 of $3 million and then another $5 million loan later that was ultimately forgiven.
In 1996, Farrakhan was the recipient of the Gadhafi Human Rights Award replete with a $250,000 prize. Gadhafi is also said to have offered to fund Farrakhan’s group up to $1 billion. Jeremiah Wright joined Farrakhan on a trip to Libya to meet with Gadhafi back in 1984. The NOI leader has given multiple lectures at Wright’s church (Chrislam Alert).
As if this weren’t enough, Gadhafi allegedly told Farrakhan supporters that he would be willing to provide weapons to blacks in America (New Black Panther Party?) to be used against whites.
Wright was Obama’s pastor for twenty years and Farrakhan once referred to Obama as the “Messiah.”
Why would the president betray these relationships by targeting Gadhafi? Yes, there are political pressures and Gadhafi has been successfully demonized by the civilized world for decades but Obama likes to pick favorites.
The rebels in Libya are backed by the Muslim Brotherhood which seeks a global caliphate. There are people in Obama’s administration with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, people like Rashad Hussain. Farrakhan and Wright don’t have such a presence.
Sadly, leaving Gadhafi in power is the best option in light of the goals of the Muslim Brotherhood. Look no further than who Obama views as the number one seed when loyalty should be his guide.
Ben Barrack is a talk show host on KTEM 1400 in Texas and maintains a website at www.benbarrack.com