Obama Personally Apologizes To Muslim Women

Senator Barack Obama today called the two Muslim women who were barred from sitting behind him at his Detroit rally to apologize, one of the women and two other sources said.

"Senator Obama called himself and he apologized to each of us," one of the women, lawyer Hebba Aref, told me just now.

Aref, who had suggested that an appropriate fix might be seating her behind Obama at some future event, said she'd also discussed that possibility with his staff.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[Probus]

The MSM needs to let this story rest. It is ridiculous to hold Obama responsible for what a volunteer did. He can't be expected to know everything they do or say. This clearly wasn't campaign policy. The fact that he personally apologized to these women shows that he harbors no ill will towards Muslims.

[tanyainsacramento]

If they are supporters..why did they bring this to the press to begin with? I understand they are upset but sheesh...why do what the GOP and anti Obama folks are already doing?

[cynicism101]

Tanya says:

"..why do what the GOP and anti Obama folks are already doing?"

What action are you referring to? Getting out the truth?

[iswideopen]

We already knew that he would. He is being villified by the MSM and it sickens me. Can't we let everyone's ratings slip for about a week. Their advertisers won't like it one bit. I have already stopped watching CNN and MSNBC except for Keith Olbermann, and returned to Dan Abrams 2 days ago. If and when I do not see fair treatment, they loose this viewer. Just fair, just honest.

[HerbTee]

BO has spoken out several times publicly on national TV about the MSM vilifying Muslims even while the MSM has vilified him as being a Muslim. But why do some people want BO to be an apologist, constantly on his knees kowtowing to everyone from every persuasion about everything? Heck, why should he stop at repeatedly apologizing to all Muslims? Why does he not also apologize repeatedly on bent knee to all the Catholics, the Pope and the Vatican for what Father Pfleger said? Or apologize repeatedly to all Christians for each and every sermon Rev. Wright, Rev. Hagee or Rev. Parsley ever preached. Or apologize profusely to all Jewish Americans for the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust.

BO personally called the two Muslim ladies and has apologized personally to them, even though he was not there and had nothing to do with the incident. However, he took responsibility for what has happened as a good leader and a good-hearted and caring person should. That's likely far more that anything HRC or McCain would have done under similar circumstances. Other than that, what else do some of you want from the young man?

[betz55]

Thank you, Mr Obama. I was afraid AIPAC was biasing you to be an Israel firster and that would be inexcusable at best. I have confidence that you can and will change the perception, when elected, that we are ALL Anericans and put the US first.

[Gmoney1]

These muslims are confronting the wrong person(s) - for a very long time, the media and many others have been disparaging Muslims, saying and protraying them in an awful way - yet tthose two Muslims would pick Obama to make their point of discrimination - although, it was absolutely wrong what those silly and more likely than not young volunteers did - those muslims should be ashame of themselves to make Obama the culprit in their quests for attention - they knew or should have known that the media was aching for something negative to put out there and they would have done so had those Muslims been situated directly behind Obama - the smear media would have said the lowest of anything just for news - so, I am very suspect of those Muslims - they may have had a legitimate complaint, but why did they go media with it - they need to go away - they are frauds in my mind -

[dajay]

More phony baloney.

[mostlyharmless]

senator obama was responsible for what happened, to the extent that, while objecting to being called a muslim, he did not also refute the very clear implication that being a muslim is bad . . . hence, his volunteer believed that she needed to exclude the hijab wearing arab americans

and apologizing to the women was not only the just thing to do, it was politically astute . . . arab voters are a significant bloc in the swing states, making up 5% of likely voters in michigan, 2% in both ohio and florida (2x the 2004 margin of victory!) and more than 1.5% in pennsylvania . . . given that they have been trending more and more democratic with every year of the bush administration, they could represent the difference between winning or loosing . . . obama can appease white racists from now until november and still not get a single one of their votes

[rmetz74]

He's not responsible for the decisions of every person on his staff. They're adults, they make their own decisions.

[mostlyharmless]

but he makes the policy and sets the tone of his campaign, and he will pay the political price for his surrogates' mistakes . . . unless, of course, he acts to counteract the bad acts of those associated with him

the volunteer -- yes, an adult with free will -- was given the authority to decide who could sit behind the candidate, and she explicitly told these women that they could not sit behind the candidate wearing their hijabs, which are considered essential public attire by many muslim women . . . perhaps, if you are not a muslim woman in america, you cannot empathize with their experience, but you must know that being rejected on the basis of one's most basic identity -- ones faith and ethnicity -- is hurtful, and offensive to the larger arab/muslim community

of course, the senator could have chosen to say that "bad apples did it, not my problem" but that would have been, in my opinion, be a grave, political mistake

[StillIRise]

In fact, he did refute the clear implication that being called a Muslim was somehow bad! His speech was replayed last night on MSNBC in which he addressed this very issue, long BEFORE the incident with the volunteers. Obviously, by addressing this issue when he did, and again by immediately correcting the most recent situation, he is not trying to appeal to white racists; and considering that he is black, it's also obvious that he will never appeal to racists, and I doubt if he expects their support or vote. Nonetheless, he has continued to reach out to all Americans, of all colors and faiths, and has been consistent in doing this. The pictures which show him with Muslim supporters, including women with scarves, are consistent with his recent response, and his integrity as a politician and as a man remains unscathed. Being an astute politician is not a bad thing, but being a person of integrity is what makes the difference between Senator Obama and others.

[nativeeyes]

Native American's and their Casino's have been donating to MoveOn.Org for years.. It's ok for them to go clean for Obama...

Clean up Washington OBAMA!!! Your Transparency Act to clean it up.. Keep up the great work...

We are all in need of this Change....

Now we will keep giving our large 100k donation to WE THE PEOPLE COALITION

http://www.wethepeoplecoalition.org/

We will take on the Swift canoers!!! :O)

The Republicans and McCain are TOAST!!!!!!!

[Beachrunner]

"Aref, who had suggested that an appropriate fix might be seating her behind Obama at some future event, said she'd also discussed that possibility with his staff."

And the staff recoiled in horror.

I don't think you'll ever see a bunch of Muslim women in head dress being photographed with Obama.

[zippywpinhead]

"And the staff recoiled in horror'

um, no they didn't- quit making things up...

[newgeneration]

Here we go again,,, another apology from Obama.,,, he should just get up every morning and say : I am sorry ,, I am sorry,,, I am sorry . It's just ridiculous, why are people expectations of Obama so high? why does he needs to explain himself ,, over and over again.

[cubs325]

why because he claims to be different and represent real change - the staffers should have been fired immediately and his response should have been - you obviously do NOT think my way and believe in the principles i believe in and am trying to represent - so you should not be part of my team.

I am for him but am starting to see him acting like a typical politician and not someone who represents the kind of change he started with

[lizr]

are yo u kidding me?

the man would like to win, not just represent your principles,

and the person I want for pres will not fall for Rep dirty tricks.

Am so sorry he apologized, now he'll have black Re p M us lims dogging him for the rest of hte campaign, demanding to sit behind him.

Sometimes appeas ement is not a good thing.

[newgeneration]

Hey, I am for Obama ,, I am just tired of the double standard,, no one goes trou the same scrutiny as Obama. That was my point. I am sorry that he has to deal with all the stupidity.

[LawinLA]

First, they were volunteers not staffers. The issue did not become known until the ladies brought it to our attention. So how exactly does one go about firing a volunteer from an event that already occurred? Second, I think we need to stop this dangerous idea of all or nothing. Why fire someone simply because they don't think the same as you? I don't believe that's what Obama's been saying he believes in, do you? I believe he's stated on several occasions that he wants people who think differently. People make mistakes and people view things differently, that shouldn't be the sole benchmark to determine whether we fire or hire a person. After all, wouldn't that make him very Bush like?

[Liberoservative]

These were volunteers and I think that what they did was from an honest desire not to give the Repubs anything at all to smear him with.... while their intentions were misguided, I believe they were done with love in their hearts for the candidate.... Obama did the right thing when informed....

[zippywpinhead]

I suppose you prefer a president that never apologizes. 7 1/2 years later and not one apology from the chimp in chief- and lord knows he has plenty to apologize for...

[jhink465]

Some people have enough class to apologize for an injustice done in their name, some don't because they are self absorbed and selfish with no class. Where do you come down?

[nonofyabusiness]

Now they want special treatment..........They have the apology and media attention they so desperately "Needed" and now these women won't stop and are acting oh so narcisistic. Bet all they're friends are patting them on the back and these women are now feeling as if this is the best thing that ever happened to them..

They remind me of the kook who would not stop stalking and whining to Obama for a picture.

[IRepTheKing]

Exactly, it's almost like a black mail.

[rmetz74]

It's amazing the lengths some posters will go to create conspiracy and drama where there is none.

Some staffers made a decision that was inconsistent with his values, so he apologized personally and took measures to make sure it won't happen again.

Simple, and honorable. Hard to imagine in national politics, I know.

[zippywpinhead]

thank you! between the tinfoil "operation chaos" posts and those of the haters claiming that this was a high level decision from the Obama campaign, I was ready to scream...

[metrext]

Now I'd like to personally apologize to Sen. 0bama for having to deal with this stupidity.

The multi-cultural, multi-gendered mass of people who end up standing behind the candidates in these photo ops is carefully selected and completely fake.

McC tries to have younger crowds behind him. Hill reduced the number of older white women by padding in white college kids and African American men. 0bama tries to have more of the "working-class white" people that he supposedly has a problem with.

As soon as these women were in the shot, there was going to be a problem. Provide fodder for MSNBC by moving them or provide fodder for Faux News by keeping them in their seats.

It is unfortunate that their appearance in the photo would have mattered to some people. But let's not pretend that it wouldn't have mattered.

[way out left in san francisco]

Open your eyes! This is staight out of the OPERATION CHAOS playbook from Rush Limbaugh! These women were paid by the McCain Campaign and the RNC, It is a WIN WIN situation for them. If Obama is photographed with them - they smear him. If anything happens to them they go to the press and create a smear. If these Muslim women really supported Obama they would have realized the logic and moved. They may have had hurt feelings but they would not have gone to the Press. This is staight out of the OPERATION CHAOS playbook from Rush Limbaugh! Expect to see more Republican woman of color in costumes at future Obama events. These people play dirty politics. Either way they win with smear by association or smear by discrimination. Open your eyes!

[cyndeewi]

I truly believe they were plants!

[cynicism101]

Naturally, it had to be the vast right wing conspiracy.

I mean really, what are the chances that a political rally in Michigan, the state with the largest population of Muslims, just "might" have a few Muslims in the crowd? I'm sure the chances of that happening on its own - well, just not possible.

[IRepTheKing]

Maybe they weren't plants, but they definitely know what will happen to Obama if he lets them sit behind him. Why is it so important that they get to "display" their head wear. I say this because it's obvious that it's not sitting behind Obama that they want. They want to display their headwear more than display their support for him.

I'm upset that he always has to pacify people all the time. First the "sweetie" comment (which is pretty ridiculous to bring up), now this. I say, the have teh apology and the attention, but the seats shouldn't be something they get in this "bargain".

Finally, Obama's campaign did not hinder them from sitting backstage. Volunteers did. The volunteers should have apologized, not Obama. this is crazy.

[DallasMike]

This speaks volumes about Obamas vision of change.
Looks like the same old political bigotry.

[nonofyabusiness]

You actually beleive ol yeller or the iron maiden would personally apologise anything, let alone for such an obviously GOP manufactured "Constroversey"????

[zippywpinhead]

it does speak volumes for Obama's vision of change- just not in the way you suggest. The same old, same old would have been to sweep it under the rug, deny, obfuscate and eventually scapegoat the poor local volunteers who made the mistake. Obama did the right thing and dealt with it like an adult and it drives people like you crazy...