Of course Obama is responsible for his own radicalism, but I don’t see what is so off-putting to some about discussing his family’s radical background as well. If I were running for President, I would expect the media & the public to want to learn more about my family & heritage, at least to get to know where I’m coming from.
I don't either.
Is Obama to be declared untouchable or granted immunity from the same treatment as others because he is half black?
Or perhaps because his father's family is muslim?
Digging into a candidate's ancestry, their upbringing and the forces that shaped them is standard fare for presidential candidates.
There certainly was wide open discussion about Bill Clinton's parents and his upbringing.
As first lady Hillary's history was discussed in detail and there have been plenty of second looks since she embarked on the present campaign.
George Bush's parents, upbringing and early adulthood have been beaten to death by the media and his detractors.
I don't believe there should be a different standard for Obama or any one else.
While it might be useful to describe where someone “came from”, it’s also a tenet of American life that you are not necessarily who your parents were. In a land of opportunity, you have the ability (and the obligation) to “rise above your raising” when necessary.