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Posted on 06/02/2009 5:13:14 PM PDT by Gordon Greene
ABC News' Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller report: The other day we heard a comment from a White House aide that never would have been uttered during the primaries or general election campaign.
During a conference call in preparation for President Obama's trip to Cairo, Egypt, where he will address the Muslim world, deputy National Security Adviser for Strategic Communications Denis McDonough said "the President himself experienced Islam on three continents before he was able to -- or before he's been able to visit, really, the heart of the Islamic world -- you know, growing up in Indonesia, having a Muslim father -- obviously Muslim Americans (are) a key part of Illinois and Chicago."
Given widespread unease and prejudice against Muslims among Americans, especially in the wake of 9/11, the Obama campaign was perhaps understandably very sensitive during the primaries and general election to downplay the candidate's Muslim roots.
The candidate was even offended when referred to by his initials "BHO," because he considered the use of his middle name, "Hussein," an attempt to frighten voters.
With insane rumors suggesting he was some sort of Muslim Manchurian candidate, then-Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., and his campaign did everything they could to emphasize his Christianity and de-emphasize the fact that his father, Barack Obama Sr., was born Muslim.
The candidate's comment at a Boca Raton, Florida, town hall meeting on May 22, 2008, was typical: "My father was basically agnostic, as far as I can tell, and I didn't know him," he said.
In September 2008, candidate Obama told a Pennsylvania crowd, "I know that I'm not your typical presidential candidate and I just want to be honest with you. I know that the temptation is to say, 'You know what? The guy hasn't been there that long in Washington. You know, he's got a funny name. You know, we're not sure about him.' And that's what the Republicans when they say this isn't about issues, it's about personalities, what they're really saying is, 'We're going to try to scare people about Barack. So we're going to say that, you know, maybe he's got Muslim connections.'...Just making stuff up."
Back then, the campaign's "Fight the Smears" website addressed the candidate's faith without mentioning his father's religion:
"Barack Obama is a committed Christian. He was sworn into the Senate on his family Bible. He has regularly attended church with his wife and daughters for years. But shameful, shadowy attackers have been lying about Barack’s religion, claiming he is a Muslim instead of a committed Christian. When people fabricate stories about someone’s faith to denigrate them politically, that’s an attack on people of all faiths. Make sure everyone you know is aware of this deception."
The website also provided quotes from the Boston Globe and Newsweek mentioning his father's roots.
Since the election, however, with the threat of the rumors at least somewhat abated, the White House has been increasingly forthcoming about the president's roots. Especially when reaching out to the Muslim world.
In his April 6 address to the Turkish Parliament, President Obama referenced how many "Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim majority country. I know, because I am one of them."
Ben went to public school for 10-12. Other son started public school for 7th.
TDC asks:
Was Obama referring to himself as being an American who has lived in a muslim country, or is he saying that he is a Muslim who has lived in a Muslim country?
Advance the video to 3:15 and decide for yourself.
Hasn’t been to one of them thar Christian churches since acorn elected him.
Awesome. We have three boys, 10, 12 and 14. We’ve done it since the start.
God bless.
I've been saying this since before the election. The guy is a Muzzie pure and simple. But the question is, who is his handler? I'm thinking besides Soros, what about the Saudi King? That prostration act he did a few months ago was no "searching for a lost contact" routine. Sheesh, when are the sheeple going to wake up and realize our enemy is running the country??????????? No wonder America is dying before our eyes. God help us.
Obviously a great point. I think he spends all his spare time working out with his “buddy”.
That’s what he was doing with his Sundays before the election, anyway. What? Are there no Reverend Wrights in DC?
Are they trying to say his Muslim father DID NOT try to assert any religious belief in him at all, and that he suddenly embraced Christianity at an older age (with no prior religious faith from his parents?)
Or.. was he was born a Muslim?
What is the penalty for leaving Muslim religion to become Christian?
Someone who had an influence on him named him that in spite of its rarity in American culture, and the likelihood that it might subject him to scorn. One might even say the act of naming him that was defiant.
All I want to know is if the person who named him that had an influence on his thought processes, and if so, in what way. Hell, it could very well have been a benefit. But it seems like a reasonable question to ask.
Anyone can name their kid whatever they want. And a person's name has nothing to do with who they are as a person unless the name subjected them to behavior that singled them out, embarrassed them, or otherwise made them an outcast. Seems like we have a right to ask because for all we know maybe he felt embarrassed of his name and had a secret desire to lash out at Muslims for causing his pain.
Again, how would we know since we're not allowed to ask?
I've heard that Muslims mistakenly believe he's Muslim. But I've also heard that some Sunnis hate Shiites and some Shiites hate Sunnis.
So what kind of Muslim do they think he is? And is there a possibility this makes him (or America) the target of radicals from the other Muslim factions?
Again, I wouldn't know since asking about it, mentioning it, or discussing it in any fashion whatsoever is apparently a hate crime.
And since I'm constantly being told I'm "ignorant" of the Muslim culture, why does he shy away from talking about it. Isn't he just promoting my "ignorance"?
Can you spell “taqiyya?”
one clue would be, who paid his way through Harvard - and why
closely guarded state secret
Get over your BAD self would have been better!
“Get over your BAD self would have been better!”
With the theme from Shaft playing in the background... can you dig it?
LOL! I never watched that show, and I STILL know the theme!
I actually heard the uncut version of the song... I had to wash my soul out with AJAX.
I never saw the movie either.
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