Clinton: "As Far As I Know" Nothing To Base Obama Muslim Rumor On

Huffington Post:

Ben Smith at the Politico writes:

A weird moment of TV, partially captured in the clip above. Clinton denies she thinks Obama's a Muslim, but her denial seems something other than ironclad, and the interviewer goes back at her on the question.

There are real danger zones for even hinting this stuff, even leaving yourself open to uncharitable interpretations, more with Obama than with any other politician I can think of. And expect a lot more of these moments if he's the nominee.

Here's the full "60 Minutes" exchange, in CBS's version:

"You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?" Kroft asked Sen. Clinton.

"Of course not. I mean, that, you know, there is no basis for that. I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that," she replied.

"You said you'd take Senator Obama at his word that he's not...a Muslim. You don't believe that he's...," Kroft said.

"No. No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know," she said.

"It's just scurrilous...?" Kroft inquired.

"Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumors, that I have a great deal of sympathy for anybody who gets, you know, smeared with the kind of rumors that go on all the time," Clinton said.

Read the whole story: Huffington Post

Comments

[Sunking1456]

How is it that everything Hillary says is overanalyzed to the max? Is he a muslim? No! Should we keep harping on it? No! Should Senator Clinton even be asked that question? No! Get off it. You can't even mention Barack Obama middle name without everyone going crazy. THAT IS HIS NAME!!! If no one follows that with any other claims, they have done nothing wrong. How is that a "fear bomb" by saying someone's name?

Furthermore, when did we become a nation where saying someone is a Muslim is an insult?

Hillary '08

Obama '08

True Blue

[apollo440]

I'm a big Obama supporter and I have to admit that I found her response to the question a little curious. It was definitely unenthusiastic.

But let's be fair, she said:
"No. No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know"

I assume that while she may know Obama professionally, she doesn't know him personally and can't vouch for what he believes in. As far as she knows, he's not a Muslim. That said, I'd hoped for a classier response from her. . .that certainly wasn't one.

[jcwtts1]

It is the as far as I know that walks the no back. She knows for a fact that Obama is not muslim. She knows the rumor is destructive and untrue. She has fired people for spreading it. The as far as I know makes it sound like there might be some truth there just beyond her reach. If only she knew more she would answer differently etc.

J

[jcwtts1]

ps - after you notoriously parse words, "it depends on what your def of is is" you lose the ability to not have your words parsed. She is part of the white house that advised Bill on that line of defense. She pays a price for that forever.

J

[Shannon2008]

She could have just said "No", and left it at that.

[jcwtts1]

INSANE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She basically said Obama may be Muslim. Is there any wonder now why her campaign keeps pushing this story. Do you really want a president that is willing to say ANYTHING. It is insane. Her people have lost it, and she has lost it. She is going to shatter the democratic party for ever. The Obama faithful, which outnumber the Clinton faithful, will not support a candidate to acts this way. They just won't do it. It would be like Obama saying, "well, I don't believe Hillary and Bill killed Vince Foster. I mean, I think we have to take Hillary at her word that they had nothing to do with it." How would you guys like that? It is insane!

J

[boycottrightwingthings]

She never said any such thing! What is wrong with you people? Insane is people like you, who make something out of NOTHING!

[cheforacle]

No unfortunately this is big. For two reasons. First, Hillary knows that there are some people who, based on a serious of emails that have been sent out claiming Obama is a Muslim, who still believe it and will vote against Obama for that false reason. So she is willing to keep alive the falsehood - instead of unequivocally deny it - to try to win those votes appealing to the worst in people. Second, it is offensive to Muslims, as Obama pointed out in his interview, whom she is indicating needs to be demonized in order for her to try to save her campaign.

Her response reminds me of the Condi Rice response to the question "Did Saddam have anything to do with 9/11" Her answer was "We have no proof that he masterminded that operation." leaving an unspoken implication that maybe Saddam had some, maybe lesser, role in the attacks. Technically what she said was false but it left open an implication that maybe he had some involvement. Clinton is borrowing Condi-like tactics on this one.

[kinderworld]

jcwtts1
I agree with you 100%. As an Obama supporter, I feel so disgusted with Hillary. She knows very well that Obama is not a Muslim, yet she responds in a way as to leave some doubt. As a matter of principle, I could never vote for someone who is so unprincipled. Every day I lose respect for her, and I would never vote for her in the general election, if she were the nominee, which I hope she won't be. Her response was disgusting...compare that with Obama defending Biden when he was accused of making a racist comment. Like day and night. Obama is a decent human being, that is why people like him. There is a reason people don't like Hillary, and it is not due to a vast right wing conspiracy. Look at yourself, Hillary!!

[kdjoins]

you're insane. She said no, no, not, no, no, no, as far as i know no, no no, no.

that's not yes or maybe, that's no 10 times over.

[jwpilcher]

Sick. At best this is like her reluctance to admit she made a mistake with her war vote. At worst she's sending a secret non-denial denial to folks who she is unwilling to distance herself from who are spreading the Muslim rumor, either directly or indirectly.

The likely answer is somewhere in between: She loves the ancillary benefit of the Swiftiness of a Muslim Obama and doesn't want it to end and is a lawyer's lawyer so can't get herself to make an unequivocal statement.

Either way it proves why she is not fit to serve as president.

[kipmartin]

ok...thats it for her. i swear, if she gets the nomination, i will vote for Nader.

i used to be disgusted with Nader's ego, but maybe he's on to something.

[butchie65]

kip, I second that !

[kinderworld]

Yes, I agree. Hillary's response was inexcusable. The woman lacks principles, I am really disgusted with her, after this latest episode.

[Skullgirl]

For heavens sake, give it a break with this silly "I'm voting for Nader if Hillary gets the nomination" whine. If you've been paying attention at ALL over the last 7+ years, you'd never do anything to throw the election back to the Republicans. I support Sen. Clinton, but would vote for Sen. Obama in a hearbeat....and will be proud to do so, if he's the nominee. The Hillary campaign could not have started these ridiculous stories about him because I have been seeing them on the internet since he ran for Senator. They're just being recirculated again during his Presidential campaign. Anyone who thinks her response to Steve's question was not solid is trying to read something into it. If anything, Steve Croft seemed to be the one trying to stir something up:
http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.aspx?id=03cf8e5c-c4ab-4411-9f93-e0a048486393

[Wishb0ne]

The best part was her trying to make it about her, what with all the "I've been the target" too talk.

I guess it's not in the Clinton playbook to say anything honest about an opponent, not when you can slander by implication.

[mwinog2777]

I saw the same interview as Ben Smith. I saw something other than he observed. She seemed awfully firm in her opinion that he is not a Muslim. She couldn't have been firmer.

[situationcritical]

I looked for it. Didn't see what everyone is crying foul about. Both Obama and Clinton have every right to vie for this as long as it takes. And no, it won't splinter the democratic party.

[kinderworld]

Yes, it will splinter the democratic party. Hillary's behavior was disgusting and hard to forget in the Fall.

[S1m0n]

Hillary Clinton's conduct in defeat doesn't flatter her one bit.

[laborgrunt]

I saw this a few hours ago. And it is as if Hillary didn't really want to help in dispelling this lie about Obama.
Pretty disgusting on Hillary's part if you ask me.

[prospace]

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being Muslim, for heaven's sake. The only problem would be if he were deceitful about it, but Sen. Clinton says she believes him, as do most people. There's nothing more she could possibly say without testifying to another person's faith, which would be absurd.

There are enough people around to stir up trouble for Musims and non -Muslims they just don't like. I'm confident the Clinton campaign has too much serious business to do to screw around with this kind of junk.

There are real issues to talk about. I'd like to read about those. . . .

[BrooklynLager]

"as far as *I* know".

[lovethesinner]

Here's the story at PBS NOW about how the Clinton's were found to be responsible for starting this rumor in South Carolina:

Maria Hinojosa reporting:

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/401/index.html

"Here's the timeline: before Obama has even announced his candidacy, the story surfaces last January on the online magazine "Insight" a sister publication of the conservative Washington Times. Its title: 'Hillary's team has questions about Obama's Muslim background.' It claims that as a young boy in Indonesia Obama was educated in a madrassa, a type of Islamic religious school associated in recent years with teaching extremists.

Two days later, fox news picks it up and makes it a national TV story.

WOMAN ANNOUNCER: Ok, big news is coming out today about a possible presidential contender, Barrack Obama... something that he left out of the book that he wrote about his life growing up that apparently when he was a young boy he attended a Muslim school.

BRANCACCIO: Fox devotes four minutes on its morning news program to the story.

MALE ANNOUNCER VO: What have we heard about coming out of madrassa schools? This is huge!

BRANCACCIO: The next day a Clinton spokesman denies any connection to the story and calls the piece a "right-wing hit job".

.

BRANCACCIO: The email accused Obama of becoming a Christian because it was "politically expedient" and warned people to "remain alert concerning Obama's... candidacy" because "the Muslims have said they plan on destroying us from the inside out."

BRANCACCIO: Just so I understand, what do you think the point of an e-mail like that was? Like, what would—

FOLKS: To smear."

GObama1

[newpantaloons]

You know, with friends and collegues like Hillary Clinton, you really don't need any enemies. This is really, really low. I truly believe that Clinton WILL try to STEAL this election from Obama. That's just how bad she wants to win. This is a dispicable attack on his character and his honesty. Neither of which she possesses, as is shown by this comment of hers. Just dispicable!

[Forest]

I hope Hillary Clinton hasn't intentionally used innuendo against Muslims or any other religious
or non-religious group to get votes. USING religion is a crude strategy and we've seen too much of it in the media and in some grasping candidates like Huckabee and Romney.