GOP 2016 hopefuls split over Trump's Muslim controversy

CNN Politics ^ | September 18, 2015 | Jeremy Diamond and Tom LoBianco

[2ndDivisionVet]

Greenville, South Carolina (CNN)—Republican presidential hopefuls were split Friday amid the fallout from Donald Trump not taking issue with a man who, during a campaign event, called President Barack Obama a Muslim and said Muslims are "a problem in this country."

Rick Santorum and Ted Cruz refused to criticize Trump or say whether they believe Obama is a Christian, instead slamming reporters for asking about the incident. Jindal said it wasn't a candidate's "role" to correct a questioner -- but also said he would have pointed out the U.S.'s anti-discrimination values.

And Chris Christie, Lindsey Graham and Jeb Bush emphatically said they believe Obama was born in the U.S. and criticized Trump for not standing up to the questioner.

"Look, ladies and gentlemen I'm not playing this ... game that you want to play," a visibly aggravated Santorum said at Heritage Action's presidential forum in Greenville, South Carolina. "The President can defend himself. He doesn't need Rick Santorum to defend him. He's got you doing that very, very well. So cut it out."(continued)

[2ndDivisionVet]

It's like a Rorschach test.

[SaveFerris]

Nice try, CNN. We’ll be sure you and the rest of liberal MSM will keep perpetuating the lies. And idiots will believe you.

Just like the “I can see Russia from my house” thingy.

[exnavy]

CNN=DNC

[SaveFerris]

[And Chris Christie, Lindsey Graham and Jeb Bush emphatically said they believe Obama was born in the U.S. and criticized Trump for not standing up to the questioner.]

Gee, what a surprise.

[antceecee]

All of the likely suspects! 😛

[Paladin2]

Heb! claimed that President Muhammad is a Christian.

How does he know?

[ifinnegan]

“Muslim controversy”?

This is a 100% trumped up fake “controversy” based on a non-event.

It is a perfect example of the lack of any integrity, and in fact corruption, of the press.

[sheik yerbouty]

Embracing their dhimmitude..Christie Cream has appointed judges from TROP in New Jersey..

[BigEdLB]

One point to Cruz and Santorum. One half point to Jindal zero to the rest.

[SpaceBar]

There is no Trump muslim controversy.

Never was.

A nutjob audience plant asked a question and Trump gave him a boilerplate answer.

It’s all the media.

[dp0622]

I’m sick of this whole dam country going bat crazy left wing.

If anybody has a dependable poll since Wednesday debacle, throw it out here.

Why do white people in this country and Western Europe hate themselves so much?

Their liberal “values” are DETESTED by muslims and they will be the first to go.

Next rally for Trump in NYC and I’m going.

And please, let there be counter protesters.

[RC one]

Because Obama said so. seriously.

[Tucker39]

Square One: He was a GOPe/CNN plant.

[freespirit2012]

This has to be the most desperate phony outrage of the 17.5 phony outrages against Trump in the past two months. So, he didn't reply to some drunk guy's question in the midst of a raucous crowd of supporters, in a manner similar enough to how McCain replied to some elderly woman's marginally similar question eight years ago. Instead Trump decided to say his campaign would look into the alleged Muslim camps. Camps which have been reported on by among many other places, the nationally televised news program, The O'Reilly Factor.

We are supposed to base our votes for the world's most powerful position based upon those twenty seconds of Trump's life instead of looking at his positions on real issues that affect every American. We are supposed to believe that the twenty second exchange reveals Trump to be a racist, xenophobe because he made a joke about the guy's question being chosen first and did not condemn the man right away, as the always honorable McCain and any God fearing red blooded American certainly would have.

We are supposed to choose other candidates that do not have the lifetime of accomplishment in the private sector and do not represent our interests based on the belief that these other candidates would have responded to that question by immediately condemning the questioner. I feel sorry for the two or three individuals in the world, that would actually use that exchange as a factor in determining who is best able to lead our country in these difficult times..

What kind of imbeciles do they think we are? Does the media really believe they can convince voters that this brief, chaotic and ridiculous question and answer should be given serious weight in choosing the next leader of the free world? Alternatively, perhaps the media is so emotionally distraught over not being able to hand select our candidate that they are unable to see how idiotic and desperate it looks to insist it is worthy of even the smallest amount of consideration.

[ScottinVA]

Wow, that was a hard one to figure out.. set up a plant to ask that question to trip up the GOP frontrunner, froth themselves up over Trump’s non-correction of the comment, then promptly canvass all the other candidates about it.

They fancy themselves as slick, but in truth these “media” clowns are as stealthy as a fat, cookie jar-raiding 6-year-old.

[Rodney Dangerfield]

DNCNN

“The President can defend himself. He doesn’t need Rick Santorum to defend him. He’s got you doing that very, very well. So cut it out.”

Bingo!

[JudyinCanada]

I hope Trump responds with something like:

I don’t give a rat’s behind if Obama says he is Christian, muslim, or Mary, Queen of Scots, for that matter. What I care about is that he’s been a disaster for the country and we need to clean up after his failed policies.

If someone out there has the opinion that Obama is a non-American muslim, it’s not MY job to correct them. If the president has some people believing this, that’s HIS P.R. issue, not mine. People still have the right to believe what they want, and, last time I checked, say what they want, regardless of what the rest of us may or may not think.

[cripplecreek]

If Obama is a muslim he’s a pretty crappy one.

One thing is sure, he’s an anti Judaeo-Christian marxist.

[cameraeye]

I believe even Rev. Wright has said, “He didn’t baptize him.”
So ahh, who did?

[ransacked]

He certainly favors muslims. That, combined with his interview with George Stephanopoulos where Obama used the words “my muslim faith” certainly would lead one to believe he was one of those scum-bags.