Posted on 12/16/2007 6:30:48 PM PST by LdSentinal
Some Obama supporters have asked why former Sen. Bob Kerrey, D-Neb., who endorsed Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., today, mentioned her opponent Sen. Barack Hussein Obama's middle name in remarks published in The Washington Post.
"I like the fact that his name is Barack Hussein Obama, and that his father was a Muslim and that his paternal grandmother is a Muslim," Kerrey is quoted as saying. "There's a billion people on the planet that are Muslims, and I think that experience is a big deal."
Obama supporters see this in the same light that they see Clinton strategist Mark Penn's remarks on MSNBC's Hardball -- that, as far as former Clinton campaign co-chair Billy Shaheen's remarks about Obama's youthful drug use, "the issue related to cocaine use is not something that the campaign was in any way raising."
Too clever by half, they think.
A clear attempt to raise an issue while pretending not to raise it.
Same thing with the "Hussein" middle name?
Reached on the phone Sunday evening, Kerrey said that's not at all how he meant it.
"What I said was an answer to a question," Kerrey said.
He'd been asked by a reporter from the Omaha World-Herald about the fact that the Clinton folks are hammering home the idea that Obama has little experience, while both Obama today and Kerrey in 1992 ran for president in their first Senate term.
"My answer was yes, but I finished third in the primary. Obama's smarter and more talented than I ever was, and he has two things which are connected to his life experience that give him special capacity," Kerrey recalled. "First, he is African American and can speak to underperforming Black youth in a way that no other candidate can. He gave a speech in Selma that was incredible, that no white person could ever give. No government program could ever do what Barack Obama can do.
"Second," Kerrey continued, "his name is Barack Hussein Obama. I know that middle name is seen as a weakness by Republicans, but I don't think it is. I think it enables him to speak to a billion Muslims around the world."
Kerrey said he's spoken to Obama and his staffers and told them to "lead with it as a strength. There's this nonsense out there about him being a Muslim Manchurian candidate. He should do a commercial, look the camera straight in the eye, and say, 'My wife Michelle and I are Christians, but my father was a Muslim and my paternal grandfather was a Muslim, and that fact and my name means I can speak to a billion people around the world" who need to hear from the United States.
There's a lot of people who think it's far from nonsense, which is why Kerry put it out there. Kerry is carrying water for the Clintons
Yeah, that’s what he meant.
Kerry only mentioned the middle name to differentiate him from all the other Barack Obamas who are running for President of the United States.
Bob Kerrey's Bill Shaheen moment...
Same reason they use William Jefferson Clinton.
But you can bet your bottom dollar if Osama wins the nomination his nickname will become “Hussein”.
OMG, the Clintons will go to any length to sink this Obama.
Bob Kerrey has now sunk to the level of a Begala and a Blumenthal. This is so interesting. I wonder what his position was to be in the continuance of the Clinton administration.
Bringing up the "Dumbo" nickname would have been entirely out of bounds.
“(Bill) Clinton’s an unusually good liar. Unusually good. Do you realize that?”
— Bob Kerry, 1996
Actually, the is perhaps the most masterful job of totally sliming a guy while pretending to praise him that I’ve ever seen.
What are the chances Kerrey said all this on his own and it's all a complete surprise to Hillary & Co.?
If someone with his politics, and name, Obama Osama Hussein becomes president, I’m moving to Iraq.
Of course, Osama Obama Hussein Gadafi is as likely to win the Dem nomination as my old dead dog.
It will be Hillary, no problem. And after the swing states are rigged, Hillary will pull off a victory, become the first woman, socialist, and last president of the USA.
It's too bad that President Bush gave up on using that line of his regarding "the soft bigotry of low expectations."
How'd you like to be an African American, and the first words out of the hacks that run "your" political party when they refer to your race is "underperforming".
It'd be like saying of Ronald Reagan: "First, he's an Irish American, and can speak to drunk Irish youth in a way no other candidate can." Har.
LOL, correct. This is just kid's play now. Just wait!!
Cuz Bob Kerrey has Hsu money meaning he is Hillary’s pawn.
What an intolerant religious Bigot!
Can you say “sandbag”??
I am impressed. He managed to cram “Hussein,” “Muslim(s)” (SEVEN times!!), “African-American,” “underperforming black youth,” “no white person,” and “no government program” in a very short speech!
All right, who coached Kerrey in subliminal double-speak?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.