25% of Anti-Obama Dems Think He's a Muslim

All the smear tactics aimed at Barack Obama appear to be working with key segments of the voters who support Hillary -- no matter how false the charges. The Pew Foundation reports today, while noting that Obama is weathering the Rev. Wright storm:

White Democrats who hold unfavorable views of Obama are much more likely than those who have favorable opinions of him to say that equal rights for minorities have been pushed too far; they also are more likely to disapprove of interracial dating, and are more concerned about the threat that immigrants may pose to American values. In addition, nearly a quarter of white Democrats (23%) who hold a negative view of Obama believe he is a Muslim.

So when Hillary Clinton said in an interview that Barack Obama was a Christian..."as far as I know," that signal gave indirect credence to the Barack-as-Muslim smears circulating on the Web and elsewhere during this campaign season. It's also naive, as some progressives claim, or flatly disingenuous, to insist that such false allegations shouldn't be seen as smears at all, just because there's nothing wrong with being a Muslim.

Now the Barack-is-Muslim lie appears to be taking root with some voters -- many of those who may bolt to McCain if Obama is the nominee.

To smear artists everywhere, it's a job well-done.

UPDATE: For the full story, check out the Anatomy of a Smear broadcast on PBS's Now from January, showing how it began in 2006 and filtered into the early primary campaigns and right-wing media. Here's how that Muslim smear -- along with the false claim that Obama didn't put his hand over his heart when doing the Pledge of Allegiance -- developed later in 2007, part of an in-depth timeline:

Nov. 29, 2007: The Washington Post publishes an article, "Foes Use Obama's Muslim Ties to Fuel Rumors About Him", by political reporter Perry Bacon Jr. exploring the rumors that Obama was Muslim. The article did not explicitly dispel those rumors.

Dec. 9, 2007: In response to "ferocious" criticism from readers and others, Washington Post ombudsman Deborah Howell addresses Bacon's story in a column titled Refuting, or Feeding, the Rumor Mill. She writes: "My problems with the story...were that Obama's connections to Islam are slender at best; that the rumors were old; and that convincing evidence of their falsity wasn't included in the story."

Dec. 13, 2007: Despite being debunked by mainstream news organizations, the claim that Obama didn't place his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance is repeated on Bill O' Reilly's show. In response to a caller who says she's disturbed by Obama's alleged action, O'Reilly doesn't correct her and, according to MediaMatters.org, replies: "I think that Obama needs to answer some questions about his point of view, not only on the USA, but on a lot of things."

And now, thanks to the hard-fought Democratic primary campaign, such smears continue -- and have a clear impact.

Comments

[dudelette]

How about this? Only atheists and agnostics get to run for office. I'm sick to death of people claiming to speak for their god or God or whomever making decisions while in political office based on their beliefs. No one can be in office who might be influenced by some religious leader or minister or imam or priest or rabbi or cultist of any kind. Ever.

And don't even try to throw Stalin in my office. Don't even. The man was evil, and would have been evil in any context. Morality exists without religion. Anyone who requires a fear of suffering eternal torment after death to behave decently in this life is is not a moral person.

So let's have this new religious test for office, and get rid of all this holier than thou c**p now.

[LightningJoe]

If only people wouldn't use a private matter, such as their personal religion, as a credential for public office, I'd disagree with you. But politicians show no such restraint, nor respect for another's private matter of conscience.

The founders were explicit in saying that religion was not to be a test for public office, yet we now have such a defacto test in place. No avowed atheist can be elected president, nor can a Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, or Jain. I don't capitalize atheist, because freedom from belief cannot be construed as a belief in itself; any more than lack of a handicap can be called a handicap in its own right. Atheism is just the lack of a belief in a mythical supreme being.

To be president of this country in this day and age, one has to declare one's allegiance not only to the flag and the principles for which it stands, but for a few principles it absolutely does NOT stand for. Namely a belief in some old white guy in the sky named "God," who sent His Son to save us from our sins. Seriously, if we really believed this cr*p, getting saved would be enough to commute a death sentence for murder.

[dsigeorge]

Art, your wriing on this subject contributes to the base nature of certain voters be they democrat or republican. It's too bad you didn't understand the message of Senator Obama's speech on racism (and other forms of bigotry). Why not bring yourself above those you describe by writing about the goodness of the 75+% off the voters that have the decency to educate themselves on the issues and leave the religious/race issues where they belong...I­n the gutter.

[1will]

If Obama would stop putting out those caveside videos on Al Jazzera every coupld of months then people would stop thinking he's Muslim.

[sakel]

Obama's entitled to attend the church of his choice. He lives, thank Zeus, in a relatively free and democratic country It's his judgment that 's in question.

Obama wrote to Imus' bosses if Imus worked for Him, he would have fired him immediately after such "stereotypical" sexist, racist comments re the young Rutgers College women. I question his Parental, i(not 'presidential') judgment, in allowing his two impressionable little girls, to absorb Jeremiah's messages and witness the lewd simulation of sex acts on- Pulpit, wildly gyrating, shouting:
"Bill Clinton loves us...yah..­like Monica...H­e's riding us high, like he did Monica!" Is this Porn-on-the-Pulpit substituting Sunday Catechism for children!.­..(Yet there was no bar inside to explain the frenzy).

Why did he not apply the same standard of Judgment for his own two girls that he applied to the racist and sexist Imus comments and walk out of "church" taking his kids to another, less Profane, Sexist and Racist ? He could have started a 'healing conversation" with his 'uncle' 20 years ago so that the hatred would not be perpetuated on yet another generation 's hearts and souls. Obama chose to stay . He gave instead...­. a politically expedient Speech to the whole nation 20 years too late!

Perhaps it's not too late for Obama's atonement : He could donate an 'X-RATED WARNING" sign posted outside his Church to prevent other people's children at least from being exposed to such toxic environment and "profanity-laced hate sermons" .

[DemsDeBreaks]

Personally, I don't care if Barack Obama is a Klingon.

We've had presidents who have bullied the world and our own citizens into doing what they wanted done. That hasn't worked out so well. Clinton is another bully. So is John McCain. Heck, they're *proud* of being bullies since they equate bullying with successful leadership.

Look at our most successful corporations and business leaders. How many really successful bullies do you see in the private sector? Fact is, you see a lot more successful leaders with traits like Obama's.

Look at other countries. Categorize their leaders into Bully and Non-Bully columns. How many bullies are running succesful democracies vs. how many are running dictatorships?

Oh, and for those who think Obama should be crucified for things his pastor did or said, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, I hope you're not Catholic. Not that Catholics have the market on their leaders doing horrible things or making really bad judgement calls. It happens in all kinds of churches. Why is this just an issue for Obama?

Oh...and as far as Hillary saying this wouldn't be her church...s­he's saying she would quit an institution because of something objectionable it's leader said. Well, my dear, you are in the institution of marriage and it's leader was disbarred and impeached for lying to the American people while he was president. Tell me again why you are still a member of that institution?

[Gmoney1]

If they are anti-Obama - who cares what they think - suppose they thought he was an alien from mars - could that be defended - those people are anti/against him so who cares - you can't win all of the morons all of the time - so let them stew in their paranoia -

[writer99]

Using the "muslim" line is simply an easy out for those who would rather not vote for an African-American or American/African. It's OK, but throw off your coward's cape and just say so.

For those readers (who claim Christianity) and who are able to intelligently analyze anything you may want to listen to this message on the site below:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid353515028?bctid=416343938

[Truthortradition]

Using the fact that Hillary's husband cheated on her as a reason not to vote for her is just an easy way to hide the fact that you would never vote for a woman, no matter how qualified she might be.
Tit for tat.

[Revrob56]

The same fuel poured on this fire by "as far as I know" is the same fuel being poured on the party as a whole. Supers need to act now if they want a Democratic majority in the House and Senate.

[Suprshrink]

Everytime someone blogs about Obama by trying to smear Clinton, it drives me further and further away from the democratic party. You blame Clinton for saying, "as far as I know," after being asked the same question over and over and, though she answered it boldly being blamed for finally saying "as far as I know." You don't, however, blame Obama for allowing his supporters to believe Clinton caused the picture of him in Somali dress to be circulated by saying, "well, if she says she did not, I would have to believe her."

Furthermore, though I do not believe he is a Muslim, Obama has not helped his own case. His name is not the issue but his behavior is. He goes to a church where his pastor reveres Louis Farrakhan and he uses "code words" from Malcolm X (bamboozle, hoodwink, etc.). Even on the issue of race, Obama has tried to tilt it to favor him by accusing the Clintons of racism (without giving his famous speech) while participating in a church that he knew could be a liability. He simply waited until the dam broke with the video of Wright before he made any formal comment. You in the media, however, exalted him for his speech on race that could easily have been given months ago to take race out of the discussion.

If there is a smear job in this primary it is you and the media against Clinton.

[northeast73]

AMEN!

[richardsgirl]

Trust me, "bamboozle, hoodwink, etc." are NOT code words in the black community. I've seen this posted before, and after sixty years of living as a black woman in America, I still don't know what these words are supposed to mean in a coded sense. If someone "bamboozles or hoodwinks" me, I assume they have fooled me, but I think most literate people, black and white, understand the universiality of the meaning of these words. Please help me to recall when SENATOR OBAMA accused the Clintons of racism! I've also seen this posted several times, but I have yet to read any evidence of this. Senator Obama also never brought race INTO the discussion, but was compelled to respond when it was brought to him in the context of video soundbites and the reaction of the American people to these soundbites. His brilliant and timely speech on race, and his challenge to us to begin a dialogue on race, was received well by everyone, except for those who resist giving him credit for it ... or to give him credit for anything.

[schmuckwithearlaps]

The conservatives are laying the foundation (with great success so far) in making the 2008 election one between people who love America and people who believe "God Damn America". Why are we helping them? After reading several hundred comments on liberal web sites in which posters are writing off all Americans to the right of Michelle Obama, I wonder what this love affair is about between liberals and losing. Losing is not any more fun this year than it was in 2004. In fact, it is worse. We have more at stake. We are one more war away from becoming a second rate power, and one more Supreme Court justice away from overturning Brown vs. Board of Education. Why are we helping destroy this country? Do we have to destroy America to save it? I do not think so, but Obama supporters need to look in the mirror and see what is looking back at them. I have read dozens if not hundreds of posts that say the same thing. Because of America's history or racism, genocide and all that goes with it, we must support Obama hell or high water, win or lose. If it takes an Al Gore/Chris Dodd team to win, let's nominate them, not turn our country into a waste land to punish the people who owned the slave ships and who gave diseased blankets to the Native Americans. Not many of those people are still around to take the punch.

[disgusted48]

Hey, I didn't know that Gore was running.

[UrbanInterloper]

Between 13-30% of the country doesn't finish high school (depending on what statistics you cite).

12% of the country falls below the poverty line (a figure that would be closer to 30% if the U.S. used the same calculation method as the British).

25% of anti-Obama Democrats still believe a false, toxic rumor and intend to vote accordingly.

Gee, do you think there's maybe a connection between these things?

[VicPerry]

Anybody who has a problem with "interracial dating" is a racist --- no way to spin that one.

But the real news, and it's good news, is that the poll from which this information was taken basically demonstrated that after the whole Wright smear played out, Obama has about the same support as ever, while Hillary's continues to drop (gosh, what happened to that oh-so-publicized Gallup poll from last week?). It means that most of the people who claimed to have been shocked out of supporting Obama by the carefully selected soundbites of Wright never would have voted for Obama to begin with. Meanwhile, an untold number of observers got another taste of the real Hillary - and spit.

[NickOhio]

While I'm sure this has been said many, many times on HuffPost, it is sheer folly to:

1. believe that Barack Obama is a Muslim
2. believe that there is inherently something bad about being Muslim
3. believe that what Hillary Clinton did to diffuse the issue only served to fuel it even more, by adding her now infamous "... as far as I know..." to the end of her statement which before that had been to support the fact that Obama is Christian by faith.

If the American public refuses to believe the facts, then we are surely in deep, deep trouble.

I would like to know if the 25% of the Dems who believe this untruth, lie, call-it-wh­at-you-may­, are also racists. Any guesses? Any polls on that one?

Obama needs to make his faith crystal clear, but even if he were a Catholic and was filmed walking up the aisle to receive Holy Communion, there would still be those doubters.

[Truthortradition]

Obama has managed to make the world believe that the first black president, Clinton, is a racist. Yet he gets all upset that people view him as a Muslim AND a racist. Ha.

[Brubeard]

Hmm...and here I thought this Rev. Wright controversy would put all of this foolishness to rest.

Boy, was I wrong!

But I'd rather be wrong from making an intelligent deduction, which is infinitely preferable to being wrong out of fear, ignorance or stupidity.

[kristin]

Here is more on Reverend Wright, Obama's pastor, this by Hillary's former pastor.

Pastor Of Clinton's Former Church: Don't Use Wright To Polarize
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/03/25/pastor-of-clintons-forme_n_93418.html

[mudbug11]

Deja Vu...or as CSN sang, "we have all been here before..." Once again, the voting public has been kidnapped, swept up in the tornado of Presidential Politics, and deposited in the land of Oz. , a parallel universe where up is down. Leave your rose-colored glasses back in Kansas. They will not illuminate the truth, the rarest of commodities. We lay in the poppy field dreaming of a better world, only to wake up to the nightmare where we have been jerked from reality, and led to think that all that we have believed in before no longer matters. That we can be held accountable for what our family, friends say or do. That our desire for peace and understanding is misguided. That somehow Bill Clinton is black(only in Oz). That the Clintons don't come with enough baggage to fill the Superdome. That we should really believe that Hillary would be showered, shaved, and dressed at 3am to answer the dreaded "red phone". That John McCain's cozy relationships with Lobbyists are ok here. That the fear of peace overrides our fear of war.

Well, I am not Dorothy. I will not follow that Yellow Brick Road. I will take cues from the plight of the Lion, the Scarecrow, and the Tin Man. That all you really need is what you already have. Search your hearts, turn on your brains, and get some courage of conviction. Do this until you are safely home again.