Cute. But ultimately, as much a deliberate deception as all the other conservative lies. The right wingers are shameless in their use of half-truth and completely false smears (I heard a few years back that John McCain had a black baby born out of wedlock).
Give this as much credence, and let the shame fall on those credulous enough to believe it, or corrupt enough to deliberately spread the lies.
There's an apocryphal story that in a tight senate race way back when, LBJ instructed his staff to spread a rumor that his opponent was having sex with goats. His staff balked, objecting that it wasn't true and that it was beyond belief. LBJ responded, "I don't care if anybody believes it or not, I just want to see the son of a bitch have to deny it."
Same deal. Republicans these days can only get elected if they can distract voters away from their real agenda and policies. They can claim Obama is a secret muslim, but only the xenophobes and nativist bigots who comprise their base will believe it or care.
Not that I intend to dignify the lies with a serious debunking, but the three articles linked as "proof" of Obama's crypto-muslim origins all take pains to point out that his stepfather was only "nominally" muslim, nonobservant, and that his education was largely in a catholic environment, and that he only spent the years 7-9 of his life in a muslim country. So as a factual basis for a smear, it's pathetically thin.
But I tell you what, you run your candidate as the non-muslim, and we'll run ours as the non-Bush, and we'll see who wins. As Obama said, I welcome that debate. Have at it.
I think it's pretty clear that he isn't a Muslim now, although that Kristoff article was pretty shocking. But it's disingenuous of him and his followers to claim that he never was a Muslim.
Like with his other mini-scandals, if he'd just tell the truth from the start (or at least stick with one story) things probably wouldn't have become such a big deal. He's just a typical politician, but lacks the finesse of experience.
Unfortunately, saying Obama isn't a Muslim is kind of like saying you're not gay in middle school if there's a rumor going around... it's going to do nothing but make the rumor that much stronger.
Republicans know this, and that's why even when they're denying it (or better yet, saying it doesn't matter), they know they're doing damage.
Hmm...Just like 2004. Hey, let's have a debate over whether or not John Kerry was a coward during Vietnam who inflicted wounds on himself because he wanted a purple heart so badly... you can go first.
He's 50% European/White 43.75% Arab 6.25% Black/African
If memory serves, his great-grandmother on his father's side was a native african, all other paternal ancestors were arabs. Muslim arabs.
I honestly wouldn't care about that, but for the lies. Ditto Scalpel's link.
The man is a socialist, statist tool.
What I want is a strict constitutionalist, I'll settle for the lesser of two evils. In other words, I'll hold my nose and vote McCain, because I love my country more than I hate McCain.
If, however, he's idiot enough to pick Bloomberg for a running-mate, I'll be at the range wasting ammo on 11/2. Perhaps 4 years of socialism will have the same effect it did in the '80's -- after all, the best thing to come of the Carter administration was Ronald Reagan. Perhaps we need an arab/ex-muslim/socialist to bring about the long-overdue revival of true (non-religious) conservatism -- constitutionalism.
About me: I am an ER physician and administrator living in the Pacific Northwest. I live with my wife and four kids. Various other interests include Shorin-ryu karate, general aviation, Irish music, Apple computers, and progressive politics. My kids do their best to ensure that I have little time to pursue these hobbies.
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8 comments:
Not anymore, that is.
Cute. But ultimately, as much a deliberate deception as all the other conservative lies. The right wingers are shameless in their use of half-truth and completely false smears (I heard a few years back that John McCain had a black baby born out of wedlock).
Give this as much credence, and let the shame fall on those credulous enough to believe it, or corrupt enough to deliberately spread the lies.
The only deliberate deception is Obama trying to hide from his past.
It's pretty hard to run away from that name of his though.
There's an apocryphal story that in a tight senate race way back when, LBJ instructed his staff to spread a rumor that his opponent was having sex with goats. His staff balked, objecting that it wasn't true and that it was beyond belief. LBJ responded, "I don't care if anybody believes it or not, I just want to see the son of a bitch have to deny it."
Same deal. Republicans these days can only get elected if they can distract voters away from their real agenda and policies. They can claim Obama is a secret muslim, but only the xenophobes and nativist bigots who comprise their base will believe it or care.
Not that I intend to dignify the lies with a serious debunking, but the three articles linked as "proof" of Obama's crypto-muslim origins all take pains to point out that his stepfather was only "nominally" muslim, nonobservant, and that his education was largely in a catholic environment, and that he only spent the years 7-9 of his life in a muslim country. So as a factual basis for a smear, it's pathetically thin.
But I tell you what, you run your candidate as the non-muslim, and we'll run ours as the non-Bush, and we'll see who wins. As Obama said, I welcome that debate. Have at it.
I think it's pretty clear that he isn't a Muslim now, although that Kristoff article was pretty shocking. But it's disingenuous of him and his followers to claim that he never was a Muslim.
Like with his other mini-scandals, if he'd just tell the truth from the start (or at least stick with one story) things probably wouldn't have become such a big deal. He's just a typical politician, but lacks the finesse of experience.
Unfortunately, saying Obama isn't a Muslim is kind of like saying you're not gay in middle school if there's a rumor going around... it's going to do nothing but make the rumor that much stronger.
Republicans know this, and that's why even when they're denying it (or better yet, saying it doesn't matter), they know they're doing damage.
Hmm...Just like 2004. Hey, let's have a debate over whether or not John Kerry was a coward during Vietnam who inflicted wounds on himself because he wanted a purple heart so badly... you can go first.
Thanks is due to Shadowfax for bringing this topic up for discussion then.
How about a Jeremiah Wright post next?
He is, however not "black."
He's 50% European/White
43.75% Arab
6.25% Black/African
If memory serves, his great-grandmother on his father's side was a native african, all other paternal ancestors were arabs. Muslim arabs.
I honestly wouldn't care about that, but for the lies. Ditto Scalpel's link.
The man is a socialist, statist tool.
What I want is a strict constitutionalist, I'll settle for the lesser of two evils. In other words, I'll hold my nose and vote McCain, because I love my country more than I hate McCain.
If, however, he's idiot enough to pick Bloomberg for a running-mate, I'll be at the range wasting ammo on 11/2. Perhaps 4 years of socialism will have the same effect it did in the '80's -- after all, the best thing to come of the Carter administration was Ronald Reagan. Perhaps we need an arab/ex-muslim/socialist to bring about the long-overdue revival of true (non-religious) conservatism -- constitutionalism.
DD
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