Obama Doesn't Have A “Pastor Problem”

Fox Nation attacked President Obama for attending an Easter service at a church where dozens of presidents have worshipped, claiming he had a “pastor problem” because the Easter sermon given by the church's reverend touched on politics.

On March 31, Easter Sunday, Obama and his family attended services at St. John's Church, known as “The Church of the Presidents” due to the attendance of many presidents since James Madison. According to Washington Post reporting, the rector of the church, Reverend Luis Leon, delivered a homily in which he highlighted past discrimination that he felt was rooted in religious-right extremism:

It drives me crazy when the captains of the religious right are always calling us back ... for blacks to be back in the back of the bus ... for women to be back in the kitchen ... for immigrants to be back on their side of the border.

Based on reporting on Leon's Easter service sermon, Fox Nation claimed on Monday that Obama has a “pastor problem”:

Other right-wing blogs similarly claimed that Leon is controversial, going so far as to compare him to Jeremiah Wright.

Based on his record, Leon is not controversial. Leon previously delivered the benediction at Obama's second inauguration, replacing a more controversial selection. He also delivered the invocation at the second inauguration of President George W. Bush. Bush reportedly counted Leon as a close friend and dined with him at the White House:

(Image via Berryacademy.net)