From yesterday's website of the Washington Times is this jewel. Check out the online story here. Here are snippets of the story.
during an exchange with ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "This Week," when he was trying to criticize the quiet smear campaign suggesting he is a Muslim....
...The exchange came after Mr. Obama said that Republicans are attempting to scare voters by suggesting he is not Christian, which McCain campaign manager Rick Davis said was "cynical."
Asked about it on ABC, Mr. Obama said, "These guys love to throw a rock and hide their hand."
"The McCain campaign has never suggested you have Muslim connections," said Mr. Stephanopoulos, who repeatedly interrupted Mr. Obama during the interview.
"I don't think that when you look at what is being promulgated on Fox News, let's say, and Republican commentators who are closely allied to these folks," Mr Obama responded, and Mr. Stephanopoulos interrupted: "But John McCain said that's wrong."
Mr. Obama noted that when Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin "was forced" to talk about her pregnant 17-year-old daughter, he issued a forceful statement to reporters that the line of inquiry was "off limits." But he said the McCain campaign tried to tie him to "liberal blogs that support Obama" and are "attacking Governor Palin."
"Let's not play games," he said. "What I was suggesting -- you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. And you're absolutely right that that has not come."
during an exchange with ABC's George Stephanopoulos on "This Week," when he was trying to criticize the quiet smear campaign suggesting he is a Muslim....
...The exchange came after Mr. Obama said that Republicans are attempting to scare voters by suggesting he is not Christian, which McCain campaign manager Rick Davis said was "cynical."
Asked about it on ABC, Mr. Obama said, "These guys love to throw a rock and hide their hand."
"The McCain campaign has never suggested you have Muslim connections," said Mr. Stephanopoulos, who repeatedly interrupted Mr. Obama during the interview.
"I don't think that when you look at what is being promulgated on Fox News, let's say, and Republican commentators who are closely allied to these folks," Mr Obama responded, and Mr. Stephanopoulos interrupted: "But John McCain said that's wrong."
Mr. Obama noted that when Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin "was forced" to talk about her pregnant 17-year-old daughter, he issued a forceful statement to reporters that the line of inquiry was "off limits." But he said the McCain campaign tried to tie him to "liberal blogs that support Obama" and are "attacking Governor Palin."
"Let's not play games," he said. "What I was suggesting -- you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. And you're absolutely right that that has not come."
3 comments:
Brian,
This is called "First Person Removed" it is a writing construction. It is a construction because the word(s) "supposed", "alleged" and so on, are not explictly expressed (wrtten, spoken) but are implicity implied. Usuually, this is used, expressed in written form with quote marks around them. For example: " ... has not talked about my "Muslim faith." And you're ... "
This is very common but can get you into alot of trouble if over used. And most people don't know they're using it when they do use it. Which only makes the potential for problems greater. Further compounding this that you really can't put quote marks around something while you're talking.
Sen. Obama is talking about "plausible denabilty" - in this case; the abilty of Sen. McCain to deny respnsibitly for a slur that is benifiting him. He of course, has absolutely noithing to with this slur (Obabma being a Muslim) but ... he hasn't really said anythng to put a stop to it either. And, to be honest, from his point of view, why should he?
This happens on both sides. Go check out Oatney's recent blast about the agents of Lucifer saying bad things about Gov. Palin and her family. Neither Sen. McCain or Sen. Obama can control what nit-wits say - stupid does as stupid does. However, in my opinion, it seems to me that the McCain camp has a much thinner skin than the Obama camp when it comes to these things.
Finally, what is the problem with Sen. Obama being Muslim? He clearly isn't, but for the sake of discussion lets say he is. So? He's running for POTUS not Grand Mufti. The office of President of the United States has no religous authortity. The Constitution clearly spells out freedom of religion. Any attempt by the POTUS to excersize religous authority, or a curtailment of freedom of religion would be met by resistence at all levels of American socity. So???
In my opinion the reason the lie about Sen. Obama being Muslim has so much traction is simple bigotry.
For some it gives them the oppertunity to avoid the use of the "N" word and all that goes with it. For others it's religous bigotry, much like JFK faced back in '60, altho a little (alot?) more virulent.
Slime and slurs in politics? Welcome to the way it's played nowdays. Nobody likes it, but that's the way it is - Lee Atwater proved it works and that's a fact. Sen. Obama is NOT a Muslem, but if he was - So what?
SteveMule
Brian,
If you read the entire transcript, you know that what you chose to post is not a fair representation of what Sen. Obama said. (The large print stuff is especially heinous).
There is plenty of legitimate stuff to criticize Obama on. Spreading the lie that he is a Muslim only makes you look small and desperate.
If you've any sense of decency, you'll fix this post.
What I posted is a direct quote and I enlarged the print for emphasis.
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