GOP Operative Releases Obama Muslim Ad

Less than a week into the formal general election campaign and Republican operatives have already pulled the Is-Barack-Obama-A-Muslim? card.

Famed dirty trickster Floyd Brown - of Willie Horton fame - has released a new web advertisement through his National Campaign Fund PAC, suggesting that Barack Obama is covering up a Muslim heritage.

Of course, countless ink has been devoted to debunking the myth that Obama was attended a Muslim school when he lived in Indonesia. And Brown, whose group is not exactly rolling in finances, has operated under the premise that the more outrageous the material one puts together, the more likely it is to be aired and the more money one is likely to raise. Earlier this cycle, for instance, he put together an inflammatory ad blaming Obama for gang murders in Chicago.

But the current installment is, perhaps, the sleaziest (and most tired theme) yet. It begins:

Question: Was Barack Obama ever a Muslim. He says no, but the Associated Press found records that showed Obama was in school as a Muslim living in Indonesia and the Obama campaign can't explain why.

There is much context left to fill. For starters, the school Obama attended at the time was Catholic -- a spokesman for Indonesia's Ministry of Religious Affairs said as much. And while someone did list Obama as a Muslim (the religion of his step father) on a document that required students to list religious affiliations, the campaign has insisted that it was a mistake.

"Senator Obama has never been a Muslim," Robert Gibbs, Obama's communications director, said. "As a six-year-old in Catholic school, he studied the catechism."

Moreover, Brown's own ad concludes that the issue is inconsequential. "Maybe it doesn't matter if Obama were a Muslim back then," the spot goes, before questioning why he won't tell the truth now.

What may be more telling than the smear ad is the reaction that it engenders. Brown has a history of using barely discreet racist messaging to drive political discussion. So it is hardly a surprise to see him meddling in the Obama-is-a-Muslim affairs.

But Sen. John McCain has pledged to run a smear-free campaign. His candidacy has no direct connections to Brown's National Campaign Fund. And yet, his reaction to the group's latest work could go a long way in determining the tone and tenor of the general election.

Comments

[DanK]

If you wanna see just how vile and vicious the attacks can become, check out some of the Hillary diehard sites. Feminists for McCain: what a joke.

[brushfinch]

So what?His religion should be irrelevant to his candidacy.Are we saying tha Moslems have nothing to offer?Just ..the European Renaissance would not have occured without Moslem input.... Everybody...get your facts and history straight, and stop being so prejudiced.

[DrRJP]

"Of course, countless ink has been devoted to debunking the myth that Obama was attended a Muslim school when he lived in Indonesia."

Myth? What myth?

Read Obama's "Dreams of my Father," in which BHO himself acknowledges that he attended a Muslim school, and a Muslim mosque.

[DrRJP]

What's at issue is not whether he is, or is not a Muslim, but that if he WAS BORN AND RAISED AS A MUSLIM, and he continues to deny it, then he is a fraud.

The evidence says that he was.

Nedra Pickler of the Associated Press reports that "documents showed he enrolled as a Muslim" while at a Catholic school during first through third grades. Kim Barker of the Chicago Tribune confirms that Obama was "listed as a Muslim on the registration form for the Catholic school." A blogger who goes by "An American Expat in Southeast Asia" found that "Barack Hussein Obama was registered under the name "Barry Soetoro' serial number 203 and entered the Franciscan Asisi Primary School on 1 January 1968 and sat in class 1B. ¦ Barry's religion was listed as Islam."

Paul Watson of the Los Angeles Times learned from Indonesians familiar with Obama when he lived in Jakarta that he "was registered by his family as a Muslim at both schools he attended." Haroon Siddiqui of the Toronto Star visited the Jakarta public school Obama attended and found that "Three of his teachers have said he was enrolled as a Muslim."

Obama himself says that while living in Indonesia, a Muslim country, he "didn't practice [Islam]," implicitly acknowledging a Muslim identity.

[candlegravity]

Lol, what a waste of republican money!

[keclxivq]

McCain and team are making this way too easy.

[LawSource]

I AGREE 100%!!

YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN..... THE GOP WILL BE "SOUP" COME NOVEMBER!!

SEE WITH ALL THE SEAR BY THE GOP, Last Week Obama Pull a Head In The Polls in Missouri. TODAY Obama Pull A Head in Michigan!!!

Things Are Looking Great For MCBUSH and The Gop!!!

[CHARLIESBABI]

See it should be he pulled ahead, not he pull ahead. I would say that 90 % of obama followers are dummies who just roll with the flow and doesnt have a clue what his policies are nor do they care. It should be easy to defeat Obama in Nov. if enough smart people put their heads together and just do it! Any body who thinks Obama was raised in indonesia and did in fact attend a Muslim school at one time, who,s father was a muslim and whose mother was an atheist, is fit to be president of America, deserves exactly what they are going to get if he is elected! come down to earth people, he did not attend with Wright and be so close to him and resko and louis farrakan without being infected. If you are around someone and have close ties with them for 20 yrs. you are going to get the same sickness they have, you can deny it all you want too, it doesnt change FACTS!

[mebble]

Smear smear smear. The Republicans are DESPERATE. If this is all they can do, the politics of fear instead of the politics of substances, it shows how bankrupt they are. Not to worry.

[plafayette]

What really bothers me about all this shyt is the fact that DEMS just can't seem to get on the same fricken page and simply blow these repugs out of the water. Instead we are like crabs in a barrel pulling down the democratic nominee because he may not have been our first choice. McCain is not the first choice of his party yet the repugs are doing whatever they can to WIN. Too many HRC supporters are doing everything they can to see that we LOSE. They will not see reason. Reason being that we should WIN the White House first and then fight the DNC to the death later if necessary. AMERICA cannot withstand four more years of Bushism policies. I do not know if the folks who are spouting this madness are posers or real- but OBAMA supporters should show restraint and not engage these folks by bashing HRC. Respect your candidate by behaving respectfully. We simply must win! Nothing else is important.

[Bigeasy]

I heard that Obama has hired a team to handle these smear tactics, he's on top of it. He remembers what happen to Kerry in 2004.

[BigBen]

Somebody is always putting Obama name or religion on documents or votes which he said he never himself signed but somebody else did it.How convenient.

[Chubbster]

These ads pander to and target the lowest common denominator. Unfortunately in our country today that is a huge number. Thomas Jefferson said democracy depends on an informed citizenry. Today all we find are vacant opinions based on fantasy and nonsense. (this does not exclude wingnuts of either party.)

[madkey]

THIS IS THE GOP'S ONLY STRATEGY TO WIN THE ELECTION BY SCARING PEOPLE TO VOTE MCCAIN. THEY HAVE TO ANSWER FOR THE PASTE 7.5 YEARS OF GEORGE W. BUSH AND THEY HAVEN'T ACHIEVE ANYTHING. THE GOP NEEDS TO HIDE BEHIND SMEAR TO AVOID ANSWERING WHY THE LEADER OF THEIR PARTY IS LEAVING THE ECONOMY IN ITS CURRENT CONDITION. THEY HAVE TO ANSWER WHY WE HAVE A NO END WAR FOR THE PASSED 6 YEARS AND THEIR CANDIDATE THAT WANTS TO CONTINUE THE PATH FOR 100 YEARS, SO THE GOP IS HOPING PEOPLE WOULD BE AFFRAID OF OBAMA NOT BECAUSE HE HAS TERRIBLE POLICIES, INWHICH HE HAS THE BEST POLICIES BUT BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ANY ANSWERS OR SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS AMERICANS ARE FACING.

[silvertongue]

Although Sen. Obama is NOT a Muslim, so what if he is? The one thing Bush said after the terrorists attack is: "Islam is a peaceful religion." Just a reminder to Floyd Brown....It's not the Muslims STUPID; It's the terrorists! Remember the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995? I don't think that bomber was a Muslim!

[yoli647]

These Ads only work on Dumb, ignorant racists Americans. It is a shame that there are people who believe these lies and that these people actually vote. Thank you NeoCons that you are proud with this part of society, but I hope there are more informed people that these Ads are not going to work. P.S. He is not muslims. Hispanc woman for Obama!!!!

[dtrain51]

Now is the time for us to go after Floyd Brown, and dig out his little dirty secerts

[CCW4ME2]

Well, if Bill Clinton was our first Black president, why can't Barack Obama become our first Muslim president?

[akaJohnQ]

The Republicans run ads like this because they work. They know that a large segment of American voters will not watch the debates and will not educate themselves as to where the candidates stand on the issues. They know that some Americans, who don't want to vote for Obama because of his race, will use a Muslim question as their excuse for not voting for him. Karl Rove and the Republicans have mastered the art of dirty campaigning. The Republicans know that McCain is a carbon copy of Bush, and that they can't sell him on his own merits. The only way he can win is if voters are distracted from the real issues with sideshow crap, and if the character of Obama is distorted. These tactics worked for Dubya in 2000 and in 2004. I only hope that the voters have matured enough in 2008 to be wary of them. ( but I doubt it )

[Levittown]

If the media permits the ' swift-boating ' by lies ,rumors or gossip they will continue the abuse and their privilege of being honest and trustworthy will be eventually withdrawn and maybe never to return.
The media has a lot to atone for from what we have seen and heard for the past seven years.
It is time for them to shape up.

[DofG]

Negative ads generally work, because it's a scientific fact that the human mind can construct negative imagery more sucessfully, than a postive one. Furthermore, the confluence of nationalism, and ignorance easily make people their own jailer!

[tuttlemsm]

I don't care how optimistic anybody is, and I don't care what any poll says. BO and the Democrats have to fight every day like they're 20--- make that 30--- points behind until election day. A lot of really stupid people are going to fall for this crap and will vote their hate.

[BluesDogLefty]

Scum like this tried the same crap on Jack Kennedy (Catholic) and it didn't work then.

Man--these folks are about as un-American as it gets.

If I was an independent or was just not political---this ad would make me vote for Obama.

[beachpoet]

except for the fact that you're already voting for him?

[bella]

Get use to it, as this is just the beginning of these ugly attacks. Regardless of what McCain tells the media, you know he wont lift a finger to stop this crap.

Unfortunately, a large percentage of the voting bloc is not smart enough - or perhaps just too lazy to look for the truth. I truly believe many votes will be brainwashed into believing Obama is a Muslim or whatever else they may throw out there. Heck, how many people fell for all the war & terror BS? WAY too many! In a nutshell, many Americans aren"t too bright when it comes to politics and the Republicans know it.

[Chubbster]

Doubtless the salivating acolytes of Karl Rove will have their asses handed to them.