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From NBC's John Yang
As an Orthodox Jew, Jack Lew, President Obama's choice to Director of the Office of Management and Budget, observes the religious restrictions on the Jewish Sabbath, which runs from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. He leaves the office Friday afternoons in time to get home before sundown, and does not use electric or electronic devices, including the telephone.
Once, while working in President Clinton's director, Lew's home phone rang one Saturday. He didn’t answer and a familiar voice could be heard from the answering machine, urging him to pick up the phone. Mr. Clinton said he understood the sanctity of the Sabbath, but that it was important that he talk to Lew. He even said, it was later reported, that "God would understand."
Lew later consulted with his rabbi, who said that taking an important phone call from the President of the United States would be permissible on the Sabbath under the Talmudic teaching that work on the Sabbath is allowed in order to save a life.
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"God would understand"??
OK, let's see how the righties shoot down THIS guy!
Simple. The rightards will whine that he isn't a Christian.
Amen, Al. And if Obama appointed Jesus himself, they would complain that he was 'sucking up'.
Jindal recently signed a law permitting guns in church. Do you accept Jesus Christ as your lord and savior, .....well do you punk? Gotta love the religoius right.
LOL Forrest... 'You feelin lucky today'?
Guns in church, even religious places aren't free from the first amendment rule--everybody has a right to a gun, and if you don't pray to suit them, they'll just pull a gun and..... Bet God appreciates that.
Jody - I think you mean the second amendment
Act up in Church and go Directly to Heaven, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200
"Before joining the Obama administration, Lew served as a hedge fund manager for Citigroup, overseeing one of the bank's investment arms. His ties to a financial giant that received a large federal bailout is likely to come up at his Senate confirmation hearings."
I didn't hear that from Obama today?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/13/jacob-lew-budget-director_n_644362.html
Citibank??? This is from a Left Wing site...............Russian Roulette anyone?
Exactly, rightards are so gibberish!!! Again, the drivel should be soon coming from the rightards. They are so sensless.
Good for Mr. Lew. Thanks FR, for a nice, light story.
When I was in school, there was one Jewish classmate whose family followed the Jewish sabbath faithfully. She never attended any basketball, football, baseball games or dances because they were on Friday night. She didn't celebrate Christmas or Easter--she was part of the group I palled with and was very nice; we always felt bad that she couldn't come along. She said she didn't mind but I always wondered if she would have liked just one time to go to the ballgame and school dance afterwards. We are a predominately Christian country and too often forget that not everyone operates on our calendar.
I agree, Jody. It's nice to have a person of faith, who isn't afraid to show it, in this leadership position. That he has been so effective in his stewardship of the nation's money is a strong testament to where his heart is, and whom he serves.
Good choice, President Obama.
Hey Ignars, I wonder what Jesus would say to his Anointed Son Bammy. if he meets him one day. I'm sure he wouldn't tell the Bammy anything, but silently make that halo disappear from around his elephantine ears!
Jesus would say: "welcome President Obama, you did everything you could do help your country and the average people who live there. Your predecessor stopped by a few years back, but, well...that torture and Iraq war stuff and what he did to the world's economy--whew, sent him south, way south--sorry to say but we just couldn't let him stay.
The righties probally would ask for his papers.
Republican Jesus will ask him, what kind of gun do you want in heaven?
The Repubs would nail him to another cross, just like their predecessors the Romans, but only after they drained his bank account.
I really don't think the man's religion should get in the way of him doing his job. As long as we understand that we have freedom of religon granted to us in the Constitution and understanding that sometimes we have to understand and accomodate.
President Obama screwed up appointing some lazy jew who refuses to work on the sabbath. We need someone who will work hard at balancing our budget, not some orthodox religious nutcase who won't work hard for his money. Bet he'd whine if his pay got cut for not working full time.
Eric, I usually agree with most of what you say but come on. Just because someone takes one day off doesn't mean he isn't putting in long hours the other 6 days. I didn't like working weekends and generally avoided it but I put in plenty of extra hours in the evenings, M-F, and took work home which allowed me my weekends for fun.
Eric, that post was rude and beneath you.
Eric, did you forget to add the sarcasm emoticon or was this otherwise vile, disgusting and bigotted comment a true reflection of your beliefs?
I usually pass on by your Anti-Semitism, Eric; but seriously - you need to get over it. Hate speech is Hate speech and you seem to wear it proud. As a Jew, I am personally offended and as a regular on this board, I expect more from you.
Eric, this site has been left up to all of us to moderate. MSNBC is trusting all of us long time posters to not post things like that. Your comment is unacceptable.
Please let's not turn this into just one more hatefest like so many websites out there. This is a great site and has always been professionally run. So just like I would like you or anyone else to call me out, we need to do it as well to you. Otherwise, we lose the freedom we have been given to talk to each other 24/7.
Besides all that, your comment was just horrible. Please think before you type.
How sad.
Eric, don't you think that post was over the line of decency? I admire people who can adhere to their beliefs.
What was he going to get done on Saturday which couldn't be done on a Sunday?
Eric, chill out a little. You can work hard and you can work smart. You can work 24/7/365 and you ain't going to balance our budget. Not for five years or more.
Gee, we thought Eric only hated the right. Now, we know he's entirely full of hate. However, as we know First Read won't delete this just as they never delete any of his hate.
I'm not surprised at Eric. Many of his post related to Israel are strongly skewed pro-Palestinian and anti-Israeli.
Finnally the libs on this site are seeing their demi-god Eric in the true light. A hater is a hater no mater what side of the spectrum he is on. Worst of all Eric is a coward and a hypocrit. When Byrd died and he praised him for be a true example of truth justice and the american way, I responded by pointing out his Klan membership and oposition to the cival rights act. This anti-semite responded by having my comments removed becaused he considered them hateful. Since libs love boycots I propose you start a boycot on Eric.
Paul,
He could figure out an answer to Paul's question last Saturday about the new ROE and their effect on IED casualties.
How's it going. I really enjoyed your skillfull shaping of that argument - trapped him good.
Thanks................I think. Did I ever get an answer?
Good one. A guy calls you a jackass and the next time he's giving a compliment? I see your point.
The compliment was real and no, I never an answer from him.
Good one , yourself. LOL
Paul,
I answered your question on the EFP issue and ROE. Your reply is welcome. By the way Paul, I never called you a Jackass.
Bob,
If you're referring to me, I never called him a Jackass. Why would you tell him I said that? Hmmmm......WOW.........please explain............or better yet, post the remark.
Paul Florida
We, Bob and I, called each other Jackasses. Go back and re-read yours and mine exchange. You did not answer my question of how the ROE stops one from shooting someone whom you know is implacing an IED? NO answer from you, just another question.
Paul,
Well I took the statement below as a reference that he's applying that to me, if it's not, I apologies.
"A guy calls you a jackass and the next time he's giving a compliment?"
Now your ROE question, the current ROE states if someone is placing an IED you can not shoot at them unless they are carring a rifle. This includes our Soldiers that are getting shot at and when they engage and investage and find adult male walk out without any rifles, they MUST let them go even if rifles are found in a building,field, mud hut, ect......
Thank you. I would like to see the text of the ROE you sighted posted here. I understand the issue with the rifles and the huts and the suspects. If it can be determined that the rifles have been recently fired, the suspects should be held, taken prisoner and interrogated; the rifles confiscated as evidence. If an IED is recognized as a weapon, whether it is implaced or not, as it should be, then it strains credulity that a rifle is required for one to engage them. What about a pistol or an RPG, or a hand grenade in their possession? Sounds like a misinterpretation to me. And what is the penalty for gunning down an insurgent who you knew was implacing an IED and can prove it because you recovered the IED?
Paul,
Let me know if this link works. This is dated July 2010. Look at the IED in placing. It takes a few minutes to in place an IED.
http://victoryinstitute.net/intel/ROE%20Action.pdf
I went to your link, I can see why you did not post it as I asked. The VictoryInstitute? Anyway your own source confirms that you may engage someone in-placing an IED (No other weapon need be present).
Try answering my other questions with responses that are visible on this board.
is placing.......in placing........implacing........inplacing......all the same thing correct?
I've heard is called everything you mentioned except "is placing"
Did you not read the ROE on your own link? They, VictoryInstitute ,use the term "is placing an IED".
Are you now conceeding that the ROE allows you to engage him even if he has no other weapon?
Mr. Lew is to be commended for being able to survive in DC and not compromise his personal convictions. My question is for Brian William; why he felt the need when reporting this man's appointment also commented on his being an Orthodox Jew. What significance does it have to his new job? It is not that his religious beliefs interferes with his job; but rather his job may interfere with his religious beliefs. What would be of greater possible significance is what he did during the Clinton administration (other than not answer the phone on the Sabbath) and what part he may or may not have played in the bank crisis when he worked for Citibank.