Fox News's Republican focus group says it doesn't trust Obama 'because he's a Muslim'

The London Daily Mail ^ | February 10, 2011 | Staff

[2ndDivisionVet]

Nearly half of the members in a focus group of Republicans put together by Fox News say they don't trust President Barack Obama's response to the Egypt crisis because they believe he's a Muslim.

The Iowa-based group were asked by influential Republican 'message guru' Frank Luntz for their views on Mr Obama's pre-Super Bowl interview with Fox News's Bill O'Reilly.

The meeting with the focus group was broadcast on Sean Hannity’s programme Monday night.

(VIDEO AT LINK)

After a question by Mr O'Reilly about the Muslim Brotherhood's role in forming a government in Egypt, Mr Luntz asked why they all seemed to have such a negative reaction to Obama's answers, iowaindependent.com reports. One woman said she believed the president’s religious convictions guide his policies. When asked to clarify, she said, 'I believe that he is a Muslim.'

When Luntz asked the rest of the group how many believed Obama is Muslim, about a dozen, or nearly half, raised their hands.

'Now do you understand the implications of what you’re saying here?' Mr Luntz asked. 'What the media’s going to say about this group and about the Iowa Caucus voters in the future. Do you realise what you’re opening up here?' Some members of the focus group described Obama's religious belief as 'liberalism,' 'the most intolerant of all.'

This isn’t the first time Iowa has made headlines for comments about the president’s faith.

Kim Lehman, one of the state’s three representatives on the Republican National Committee, publicly questioned the president’s religion last summer. Other Iowa Republicans joined in, with state Sen. Sandy Greiner saying she respects the point of view of anyone who says the president is a Muslim....

[Retired COB]

I find him unfit for duty.

Me too! I'm more qualified for president than he is....at least I can show everyone my birth certificate.

[Lysandru]

My mother (a retired UMC pastor), who accuses me of being the rabid right winger in the family, thinks that Obama as a Muslim. She says that she doesn't mind that so much if he is-- it's the idea that he would lie about his faith.

As for me, I maintain that Obama is actually a pagan idolator. It occurred to me that the only thing that Obama seems to worship is himself. He often seems to truly believe in his own divinity.

[Eva]

Yes, Muslim sympathies and traditions that he learned in childhood, the kind of ingrained traditions that evoke warm feelings and comfort like an adult form of a baby blanket.