I disagree with this. In fact, it seems that unless you are an alternative media buff, people have had no opportunity to hear that Obama was educated in a muslim school. The MSM certainly hasn't made this fact well known. It is merely assumed it is well known by people such as ourselves that peruse alternative media sources. You might be right that it is well known by most people, but imo, that's an assumption, not a fact. The MSM has been actively screening everything about this candidate's backround. The farthest they've gone was to show his "pastor" slamming every group in America, yet still insist that Obama is a "christian" because he's been a member of Wright's hate-filled "church" for 20 years. They seek to connect a long membership in that church to the attributes of being a practicing christian, which in itself stretches credulity. Labeling something 'christian' doesn't make it so, yet the media continue to parrot the line that he's a christian, and won't even touch on his muslim backround except to insist that he's a christian because he belongs to Wright's church. Is Bill Ayers an issue? Do you think most Americans have heard about him via the trusty MSM? What about his Rezko connection, or his teaching of Saul Alinsky's principles at Harvard? All these things are worthy of discussion as it relates to Obama, yet the media have nary mentioned any of them with any type of concerted investigatory gusto. Are we only to discuss the things that the MSM wants to discuss? Even on the energy issue, they are covering for him as best they can, insisting that "Big Oil" already has enough land to drill on, and that Obama is right. How many Americans know that argument is FOS?
"...I was thinking just before signing on to FR, that his Muslim background doesn't seem to bother most Americans even a little bit..."
Again though, I don't believe it's possible to know how many Americans have even heard the truth about his "muslim backround." They certainly haven't heard it from the MSM, unless it was to downplay it due to some pesky "rumors" floating around about it.
Despite it, and the fact that we are currently at war with terrorist Muslims, Obama has become the democratic nominee for president.
Yes, but he was selected by the DNC, not elected by the voters. Of course you're right that a certain segment of the population isn't going to care one way or the other, but it is the undecided voter that is being targeted by both campaigns, not the people that have already committed to each candidate. The real question is, how many undecided voters know of his muslim backround? If they're tuning into the MSM, they aren't going to hear the details of his childhood except as the MSM wants to spin it. If these undecided voters were to find out about his muslim backround, it could be an issue against him for many of them. Don't assume that just because lib-dems don't care, that they somehow speak for the undecided voter.
"...Therefore, the argument that he has a Muslim background and Muslim ties, has already proven to be a loser.
I disagree. It's been effectively squelched by the MSM, but the issue itself has not been determined to be a loser, especially among the undecided voter that has perhaps only heard that he's a christian.
If we continue to use it, it's going to bounce off Obama and stick to us.
Perhaps. Perhaps not. The people that have already decided it doesn't matter, and the people that have decided it does matter, have already made up their minds. The point could just as easily be made that if the undecided voters finally hear about Obama's muslim backround, then it could bounce back to him very negatively, since those are the people he needs to win. Of course, my argument is different than your argument, and is allowing for the possibility that the undecided voter has not heard much if anything at all about Obama's muslim backround. If I assume that most people have heard about it and disregard it as an issue, then I'd agree with your point, but I don't necessarily believe that to be the case.
The issues that will have better traction with the American people, are the ones that will hurt their pocketbooks. We'd be wise to exploit the current gas crises.
I agree, but I think the man should be cornered on all issues. Economic, national security, ideology, and anything else out there. I certainly don't see undecided voters saying "oh well, I was thinking of voting for McCain, until those GOP meanies decided to bring up Obama's muslim heritage, so now, I'm going to vote for Obama just to show them how mad I am at them for doing that." I don't see it being the "distraction" you do, but we're each entitled to our opinion. I can certainly see the angle you're coming from (most americans know about his past and don't care), I just don't necessarily agree with it. If you can show that most Americans (especially undecided voters) HAVE heard about his muslim backround, then I agree, it's pointless to continue to go after him on that issue. I don't think anyone can show that though. People are assuming it, just like many others are assuming that many Americans haven't heard about his muslim backround.
I am surrounded by some of the most average people you would ever want to meet. They know Obama has Muslim ties and it doesn't phase them a bit. Were he currently a practicing Muslim, it might be different. He isn't.
Thank you for the civil and thoughtful response. I don't get as many of those these days. : ) I am going to come back and read it more carefully and dissect it tomorrow.