Obama

[Soldier4Christ]

Brother,

Please do keep us all informed. I will start looking also, but I must get some rest first. If this is true, it would mean THAT A HOUSE OF CHEAP CARDS IS ABOUT TO FALL HARD!

Unfortunately it was a sick joke. It isn't over yet though. There are many still trying to obtain information on Obama but he is still fighting hard to keep it hidden.

[nChrist]

Unfortunately it was a sick joke. It isn't over yet though. There are many still trying to obtain information on Obama but he is still fighting hard to keep it hidden.

Brother,

I'm sorry to hear this was a joke, but I'm still optimistic that our system will work. There are far too many determined, decent, and patriotic people to allow turning this into a socialist or communist country. It really doesn't mater what his name is - HE'S A TRAITOR! It's my opinion that he's also an IMPERSONATOR AND UNQUALIFIED! HE AND THE OTHERS WITH HIM HAVE A TRAITOR'S END WAITING FOR THEM!

[HisDaughter]

Birth certificate issue No. 1 at Fox News
Obama eligibility most talked about topic on news website

Posted: May 29, 2009
9:38 am Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama's elusive long-form birth certificate that would establish his eligibility to serve as president as a "natural born citizen" is the hottest discussion topic at the Fox News Channel's website.

Under the heading, "Should Obama release his birth certificate? Or is this old news?," nearly 1,000 comments have been posted – all of them since White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was questioned about the document earlier this week by WND White House correspondent Les Kinsolving.

The rush of posts at the Fox News site makes it the "most talked about" issue, according to a ranking on the right side of the page.

One contributor to the page had this to say: "Not old news, just a burning question that needs an answer, and while your at it, get some of that other hidden, sealed information uncovered like, his passport to Indonesia, his college records, etc. There are so many unanswered questions, and frankly you all dropped the ball before the election."

The visibility of the Obama birth certificate issue has also been raised by a new national billboard campaign initiated by Joseph Farah, editor and chief executive officer of WND. Launched just over a week ago, the campaign has raised about $55,000 and begun erecting billboards that ask the question, "Where's the birth certificate?"

That campaign followed one launched months earlier to collect names on an electronic petition demanding accountability and transparency on the issue. So far, that petition has gathered nearly 400,000 names.

In his questioning of Gibbs, Kinsolving specifically made reference to the WND petition.

"Are you looking for the president's birth certificate?" he asked incredulously. "Lester, this question in many ways continues to astound me. The state of Hawaii provided a copy with the seal of the president's birth. I know there are apparently at least 400,000 people – (laughter) – that continue to doubt the existence of and the certification by the state of Hawaii of the president's birth there, but it's on the Internet because we put it on the Internet for each of those 400,000 to download. I certainly hope by the fourth year of our administration that we'll have dealt with this burgeoning birth controversy."

It was the first time any member of the press corps has publicly asked a member of the administration a question directly related to Obama's constitutional eligibility for office as a "natural born citizen."

The question comes as the controversy is heating up nationally – sparked in part by a new billboard campaign asking the question: "Where's the birth certificate?" The campaign has also raised more than $50,000 in contributions from the public.

Just last week, Farah announced the billboard campaign to raise public awareness of the fact that Obama has never released the standard, "long-form" birth certificate that would show which hospital he was born in, the attending physician and establish that he truly was born in Hawaii, as his autobiography maintains.

The "Certification of Live Birth" posted online and widely touted as "Obama's birth certificate" does not in any way prove he was born in Hawaii, since the same "short-form" document is easily obtainable for children not born in Hawaii. The true "long-form" birth certificate – which includes information like the name of the birth hospital and attending physician – is the only document that can prove Obama was born in Hawaii, but to date he has not permitted its release for public or press scrutiny.

Oddly, though congressional hearings were held to determine whether Sen. John McCain was constitutionally eligible to be president as a "natural born citizen," no controlling legal authority ever sought to verify Obama's claim to a Hawaiian birth.

Both the petition and the billboard campaign are part of what Farah calls an independent "truth and transparency campaign."

Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs bends over laughing at a question over Obama's eligibility

The first sign to be posted under the week-old campaign, a digital, electronic one, is up and online on Highway 165 in Ball, La. – the result of a donation by the owner. In addition, based on the heavy volume of financial donations in the first two days of the campaign, WND was able to commit to leasing two more standard billboards – one in Los Angeles and the other in Pennsylvania. It will take several weeks to get those billboards up because of the vinyl printing and shipping involved. Yesterday, WND agreed to lease another electronic billboard in Orange County, Calif.

While the campaign is off to a robust start, many viewers have asked why Obama's name is not included in the billboard. Farah said the matter was carefully considered.

"There are several reasons we chose the message: 'Where's the birth certificate?'" he explained. "There is only one birth certificate controversy in this country today – despite the near-total absence of this issue from coverage in the non-WND media. This is a grass-roots issue that resonates around the country, as our own online petition with nearly 400,000 signers suggests. In addition, I like the simplicity of the message. I like the fact that the message will cause some people to ask themselves or others about the meaning of the message. It will stir curiosity. It will create a buzz. I'm assuming when these billboards are springing up all over the country, it might even make some in the news media curious. And there's one more factor that persuaded me this was the way to go.

"Come 2012, campaign laws will pose restrictions on political advertising mentioning the names of presidential candidates. This one clearly doesn't. I would like to see the federal government make the case that this is somehow a political ad," he said.

Farah said the campaign was born of frustration with timid elected officials in Washington, corrupt judges around the country and a news media that show a stunning lack of curiosity about the most basic facts of Obama's background – especially how it relates to constitutional eligibility for the highest office in the land.

"As Obama transforms this country from self-governing constitutional republic to one governed by a central ruling elite, the simple fact remains that no controlling legal authority has established that he is indeed a 'natural born citizen' as the Constitution requires," Farah said. "Obama's promises of transparency have become a bad joke as he continues to hide simple, innocuous documents like his birth certificate and his student records."

The idea behind the billboard campaign is to make sure Obama cannot avoid this question any longer. He must be asked to produce it at every turn, Farah says. Billboard space is currently being hunted in Houston, Dallas, Sacramento, San Francisco, Seattle and other metro areas.

"Is it unusual for a news agency to launch such a campaign?" asks Farah. "Yes it is. But we live in very unusual times. The founding fathers built special protections into the First Amendment for the free press. The reason they did that is because they understood a vibrant 'Fourth Estate' was necessary as an independent watchdog on government. It is in that tradition that WND assumes this role – since nobody else in the press will do it."

WND previously launched a petition campaign that has collected more than 375,000 names demanding Obama's eligibility be verified and demonstrated publicly. That campaign continues. That list has been shared with members of the Electoral College and the chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

"I wish such a campaign were not absolutely necessary," said Farah. "I wish there were checks and balances in our political and electoral systems to ensure that constitutional eligibility of presidential candidates was established before politicians could assume the highest office in the land. I wish my colleagues in the news media believed the Constitution really means what it says and pressed this issue as hard as we have pressed it at WND. I wish radio talk-show hosts were bold enough to ask this question. But wishing is not enough. It's time to raise the visibility of this issue vital to the rule of law in America. I ask everyone to pitch in and help WND make a simple yet profound statement: The Constitution still matters."

[light2light]

Today our nation and the world in which we live in are looking more and more for a “savior-messiah” to deliver us from the many crises that engulf our present world. When the masses are fearful and uncertain, that is when they are the most open to deception and most susceptible to relinquishing their personal freedoms to anyone who promises deliverance from their dire situations. History has testified to this countless times. The Lord Jesus Christ knew this and gave countless warnings to his own and to the world. Be not deceived! (Matt 24:4; Luke 21:8; Mark 13:5-6; 2 Thess. 2:3-4)

The ever-growing global crisis at hand is due to the outworking of the godless secular ideologies which reject the Creator’s blueprint and design for humanity which is found in God’s Word, the Bible. (Romans 1:18-32, Gal. 6:7, 8

Our new current President, with his hollow promises and well sounding phrases of change and hope, has given the masses something to believe in. Warning! Do not drink the Kool-Aid!


http://www.theignorantfishermen.com/2009/01/be-not-decieved.html

[nChrist]

Amen Light2light!

YES, I think we are close to watching Bible Prophecy unfold before our very eyes. GOD'S WORD tells us that many will be deceived, and we can see what an easy time the devil has in deception.

As Christians, we already have our KING, and we are just waiting to go HOME. Our time is probably limited to share the GOOD NEWS. All we can do is Pray and Keep trying.
_____________________

GOOD NEWS!

1:  Romans 3:10 NASB  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

2:  Romans 3:23  NASB  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3:  Romans 5:12  NASB  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

4:  Romans 6:23  NASB  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5:  Romans 1:18  NASB  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

6:  Romans 3:20  NASB  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

7:  Romans 3:27  NASB  Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

8:  Romans 5:8-9  NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

9:  Romans 2:4  NASB  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

10:  Romans 3:22  NASB  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

11:  Romans 3:28  NASB  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

12:  Romans 10:9  NASB  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

13:  Romans 4:21  NASB  and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

14:  Romans 4:24 NASB  but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

15:  Romans 5:1  NASB  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

16:  Romans 10:10  NASB  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

17:  Romans 10:13  NASB  for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

Thanks be unto GOD for HIS unspeakable GIFT!, JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever!

[HisDaughter]

Obama promises Arabs Jerusalem will be theirs
Official: President said Palestinian state with holy city capital 'in American interest'
Posted: May 30, 2009
5:39 pm Eastern

By Aaron Klein
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

JERUSALEM – President Obama and his administration told Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a meeting last week the U.S. foresees the creation of a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital, according to a top PA official speaking to WND.

"The American administration was very friendly to the position of the PA," said Nimer Hamad, Abbas' senior political adviser.

"Abu Mazen (Abbas) heard from Obama and his administration in a very categorical way that a Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital is in the American national and security interest," Hamad said.

Read the groundbreaking work that exposes the threats to Israel from within and without in Aaron Klein's "The Late, Great State of Israel" from WND Books.

Another PA official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told WND today that Obama informed Abbas he would not let Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "get in the way" of normalizing U.S. relations with the Arab and greater Muslim world.

"We were told from this new administration they will not allow a Netanyahu government to hurt their efforts of rehabilitating U.S. relations with the Arab and Islamic world, which is a high priority of Obama," the official said, speaking during a visit to Cairo.

Also in Cairo today, Abbas met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, where the Palestinian leader briefed Egypt's president on his recent trip to Washington, saying the U.S. was committed to bringing about an end to Israeli construction in the West Bank.

Hamad's comments about Jerusalem today come as controversy abounded regarding the U.S. position on Israel's capital city.

Last week, the State Department refuted a speech in which Netanyahu said Jerusalem never will be divided.

"Jerusalem is Israel's capital," Netanyahu said at an event marking Jerusalem's reunification. "Jerusalem was always ours and will always be ours. It will never again be partitioned and divided."

In response, the State Department released a statement that Jerusalem "is a final status issue."

"Israel and the Palestinians have agreed to resolve its status during negotiations. We will support their efforts to reach agreements on all final status issues," the statement said.

Also last week, a top Palestinian Authority official claimed in a WND interview that the Obama administration told the PA that Jerusalem will never be united under Israeli sovereignty.

"Americans said an open Jerusalem – yes. But a united Jerusalem under Israeli sovereignty – no," Hatem Abdel Khader, the PA's minister for Jerusalem affairs, said in comments to both WND and Israel's Ynetnews website.

"(The Obama administration) has made clear that Jerusalem must be accessible to everyone – but not united under Israel's rule," Khader said.

Khader claimed the U.S. is cooperating with the PA to "thwart Israel's plans in Jerusalem."

"When they collaborate with us in Israeli courts against home demolitions or the confiscation of land we see their attitude," he said.

Khader told WND, "The Americans are very present on the ground, and they are making pressure over Israeli authorities and even municipalities."

"They are acting according to the concept that the failure to establish a Palestinian state would jeopardize U.S. national security interests – and without Jerusalem there is no Palestinian state," he said. 

Khader's claim the U.S. is helping the Palestinians gain a foothold in Jerusalem is accurate. In April, WND reported that under intense American pressure and following a nearly unprecedented behind-the-scenes U.S. campaign, the Netanyahu government has decided not to bulldoze Palestinian homes built illegally on Jewish-owned property in Jerusalem.

The issue is critical since the 80 homes in question are located in Silwan, an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood close to the Temple Mount and Jerusalem's Old City that the Palestinians claim as a future capital. Jewish groups have been working to fortify the community's Jewish presence. Silwan is adjacent to the City of David, a massive archeological dig just outside the Temple Mount that is constantly turning up Temple artifacts.

Like tens of thousands of other Arab housing projects throughout eastern Jerusalem, the Palestinian homes in Silwan were illegally constructed on property long ago purchased by Jews. The Israeli government ordered the structures' legal demolition.

But during a visit here in early March, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton strongly protested the planned bulldozing.

"Clearly this kind of activity is unhelpful and not in keeping with the obligations entered into under the Road Map," she said. "It is an issue that we intend to raise with the government of Israel and the government at the municipal level in Jerusalem."

The Road Map calls for Israel to freeze Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank but does not bar Israel from dismantling illegally constructed Palestinian homes in Jerusalem.

WND learned that in the weeks since Clinton's visit here, the U.S. mounted an intensive campaign lobbying the Israeli government against tearing down the illegal Palestinian homes in Silwan. The campaign included letters from the Middle East section of the State Department addressed to various Jerusalem municipalities, with copies of the letters sent to the offices of Israel's prime minister and foreign minister. The letters called on Israel to allow the illegal Palestinian homes in Silwan to remain and stated any demolitions would not foster an atmosphere of peace.

Also, in a follow-up visit here, State Department officials made it clear to their Israeli counterparts the U.S. opposes the Silwan bulldozing.

According to sources in the Israeli government, including in Netanyahu's administration, a decision has been made not to bulldoze the illegal Palestinian homes. The sources said the issue of the homes may be raised again in the future, but for the time being the houses will remain intact.

The sources attributed the decision against the bulldozing – which has not yet been announced – to the intense American campaign against the house demolitions.

Said one source in Netanyahu's administration, "This was very frustrating to us. Can you imagine if a foreign government came in and told a city office in the U.S. not to tear down a house that was illegally constructed on someone else's property?"

While Clinton opposed the Palestinian house demolitions, informed Israeli officials said the Obama administration is carefully monitoring Jewish construction in eastern Jerusalem and has already protested to the highest levels of Israeli government about evidence of housing expansion in those areas.

The officials, who spoke on condition that their names be withheld, said that last month Obama's Mideast envoy, George Mitchell, oversaw the establishment of an apparatus based in the U.S. consulate in Jerusalem that closely monitors eastern Jerusalem neighborhoods, incorporating regular tours on a daily basis.

The officials said that in recent meetings Mitchell strongly protested Jewish construction in eastern Jerusalem. Mitchell also condemned the work of nationalist Jewish groups to purchase property in Jerusalem's Old City, including in areas intimately tied to Judaism.

Israel recaptured eastern Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount – Judaism's holiest site – during the 1967 Six Day War.

The Palestinians, however, have claimed eastern Jerusalem as a future capital. About 244,000 Arabs live in Jerusalem, mostly in eastern neighborhoods, out of a total population of 724,000, the majority Jewish.

[nChrist]

Hello Grammyluv and All,

It's apparent that Obama stands against Israel and with the terrorists. As we speak, he's on another apology tour for all of the horrible things that America has done. The Muslim world will love him as he shovels dirt in the face of our Armed Forces who have given so much for the peace, liberation, and safety of the Muslim world. Obama is an embarrassment to decent, freedom-loving people everywhere.

Israel is a Sovereign Nation, and they should simply tell Obama and his corrupt GANG to butt out. This is SICKENING, and I'll stop here!

[HisDaughter]

Obama asks which public records you want to see
On White House site, 30% answer establishing his eligibility to serve

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: May 31, 2009
8:17 pm Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily

WASHINGTON – Hours after WND alerted the public to a White House website on "open government dialogue," most participants are calling on Barack Obama to release his elusive "long-form" birth certificate to establish his constitutional eligibility to serve as president.

I'm not going to post the whole article here because you can go to WND and read it yourself.  However I will tell you that I have already gone to the "Open Government Dialogue" site and posted my comment on the birth certificate issue.  I would encourage you to do so also, but it's up to you.  My feeling is that the more of us that dog this issue, the better.

[HisDaughter]

Sometimes my mind is a dangerous place to be for my thoughts this morning are that every traitor and the list is long, including the media that is every bit as guilty in betraying the people of the United States of America, should be deported along with the imposter that they put into the White House.  But then I thought, why not put them in a zoo so that the rest of us could see what species of beast sold out our country.  I would gladly pay the fee for entry, hotdogs, peanuts and popcorn as it would be donated to bailing out the real citizens of America.

Seems I'm back on my soapbox; at least for this morning!

Grammyluv

[Soldier4Christ]

Since that article was first posted early this morning that 30% has now increased to 79% and I don't doubt but that it will increase even more.

I'm all for you in that, sister however we will have a difficult time in finding anyone that would be willing to accept them in their country.

What I see is a whole lot of talk of states splitting in a similar manner as they did for the civil war only it won't necessarily be a north vs south split. There are many states right now that are promoting state sovereignty laws attempting to push the Federal Government out of their business yet there are other states that are doing the opposite and pushing for a stronger Federal Gov.

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

This whole thing makes me SICK just thinking about it. It appears that many are waiting to be personally effected before they are willing to say or do anything. They don't get it - ALL are going to be negatively impacted in a major way. It's far past time for EVERYONE to STAND UP, SPEAK UP, AND DO WHATEVER IS NECESSARY TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK. THE LEAST EVERYONE SHOULD DO IS SPEAK UP - JUST SAY NO AND MEAN IT!

I obviously don't know what the immediate future holds, but I do know there are many people who won't be a part of a socialist or communist country. The current key to all of the issues appears to be CONSTITUTIONS AND THE RULE OF LAW. I still think there's a significant majority who will NOT tolerate a MINI-STALIN ruling over us and BREAKING OUR LAWS - AND VIOLATING OUR CONSTITUTIONS. I think this majority will eventually involve many left-leaning people who had no idea what they were getting. They are now finding out what they got in a pretty RUDE AND SHOCKING manner. The HOPE AND CHANGE they got is MINUS THE HOPE, and the CHANGE IS UGLY.

As Christians, we have a CONTRAST to think about. Our HOPE is not in men, rather IN JESUS CHRIST. Our HOPE is as sure as ever, and the CHANGE we are waiting for is a GLORIFIED BODY. This lost and dying world is getting worse by the minute, but OUR HOPE GROWS NEARER! We should all know that the Tribulation Period is growing near, and so is the RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH. The world's appetite for EVIL will be satisfied. In fact, the world will gorge on EVIL as the EVIL goes out of control into a living nightmare. The pleasures of EVIL will turn into horror and bloodshed like the world has never known. TOTAL CHAOS will rule, and mankind will do his worse with the devil pushing men further into DEPRAVITY AND KILLING. This EVIL WORLD is going to be such a MESS that only JESUS CHRIST will be able to restore ORDER AT HIS SECOND COMING. By that time, 75% of the world's population have DIED. GOD has PROMISED these things will take place, AND I BELIEVE IT!

[Shammu]

Obama promises Arabs Jerusalem will be theirs

I hate to tell Obama, he can't give, what belongs to God. Yes there will be a time when Jerusalem (Israel) is surrounded by her enemies, but that time is away off yet.+

[nChrist]

I hate to tell Obama, he can't give, what belongs to God. Yes there will be a time when Jerusalem (Israel) is surrounded by her enemies, but that time is away off yet.+

Obama is a communist clown who doesn't have a clue. He's already made us the laughing stock of the entire world, including Red China. He's alienating our allies and encouraging our enemies. If you look at everything overall since he's taken office, he's ZERO FOR ZERO + ZERO. He's not even a very slick CRIMINAL OR TRAITOR - unless someone wants to give him credit for destroying a once great country in a short period of time. Otherwise, he's just a communist who hates everything about America and probably Israel.

[light2light]

What was it Obama said about not being beholden to special interests?


Obama Taps Big Donors for Ambassadorships

Thursday, June 4, 2009 6:40 PM

 WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Thursday announced eight new ambassadorial appointments, naming three big campaign donors and fundraisers to plum posts in Canada, the Bahamas and South Africa and tapping career diplomats for jobs in Guinea, Haiti and Lithuania.

Avant, an occasional actress and the vice president of Interior Music and Avant Garde Music Publishing, raised at least $500,000 for Obama and donated the maximum $4,600 to his campaign and $500 to Clinton's.

Avant's father, Clarence, a former chairman of Motown Records, contributed $4,600 to both the Obama and Clinton campaigns and donated another $25,000 to Obama's inauguration fund. Avant's brother, Alexander, was also a contributor, giving $4,600 to the Obama campaign and $1,250 to Clinton's.

For South Africa, Obama chose Donald Gips, a Colorado communications executive, aide to former Vice President Al Gore and Federal Communications Commission official. Gips raised at least $500,000 for Obama, and donated more than $4,000 to his campaign and $2,300 to Clinton's, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.


Obama chose David Jacobson, an Illinois lawyer, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Canada. Jacobson raised between $50,000 and $100,000 for Obama and donated $2,507 to his campaign and $500 each to Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden's ill-fated presidential primary runs, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/us_obama_ambassadors/2009/06/04/221722.html




 

[HisDaughter]

Obama shifts tone toward Islamic parties

washingtontimes.com

President Obama hinted Thursday that the United States would for the first time accept the results of Middle East elections won by Islamist parties.

In contrast to the Bush administration, which boycotted groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah even after they performed well in elections, Mr. Obama said, "America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them. And we will welcome all elected, peaceful governments — provided they govern with respect for all their people."

Those words carry particular significance because on June 7 Lebanon is expected to hold an election where Hezbollah, an Iran-backed group, could win a plurality of votes.

It was also a message to the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood, whose members running as independents won 88 seats — 20 percent of the Egyptian national assembly — in 2005 despite widespread cheating on behalf of the government.

Several members of the group were in the audience at Cairo University as the president spoke. Egypt holds new parliamentary elections next year.

In 2006, Hamas won an outright majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament, leading the Bush administration to cut off all ties with a government that included Hamas.

The Obama administration has kept the basic conditions set forth under the Bush administration for contact with Hamas. The group must renounce terror, recognize Israel and adhere to past agreements before obtaining U.S. recognition.

In his speech Thursday, Mr. Obama warned Islamist parties that win power through the ballot not to use that power to block others from contesting future elections.

"This last point is important because there are some who advocate for democracy only when they are out of power; once in power, they are ruthless in suppressing the rights of others," Mr. Obama said. "No matter where it takes hold, government of the people and by the people sets a single standard for all who hold power: you must maintain your power through consent, not coercion; you must respect the rights of minorities, and participate with a spirit of tolerance and compromise; you must place the interests of your people and the legitimate workings of the political process above your party. Without these ingredients, elections alone do not make true democracy."

Soon after the Muslim Brotherhood's gains, the Bush administration began to unwind its democracy promotion agenda in Egypt, cutting civil society funding from $50 million in 2007 to $20 million in the administration's last budget.

In Egypt, Mr. Obama also avoided allowing himself to be photographed with Gamal Mubarak, the son of President Hosni Mubarak. Such a photo would have signaled U.S. approval for the elder Mubarak's efforts to transfer power to his son without a fair election. Gamal Mubarak, who met with President Bush in 2006 in Washington, did not get an audience with Mr. Obama when he came to the U.S. in April.

Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, said he approved of Mr. Obama's comments on democracy.

"Partly this is a message to the Mubaraks of the Middle East that they cannot use the specter of Islamist parties being empowered to deter the United States from promoting democracy," Mr. Malinowski said. "He is saying in principle it is not who you are, but what you do that matters."