From a strictly Machiavellian point of view, this photo is brilliant politics. It doesn't matter that it does not, in fact, show Barack Obama revealing his inner Muslim. What it does is strike a resonant chord within voters who, however irrationally, fear that he's secretly a Muslim. This image is going to linger in the subconscious of a large number of people this fall, and will help drive GOP turnout. Not saying it should -- in fact, I think it shouldn't -- but am saying that it will.
See, the Clintons really will do just about anything to win, though it's kind of amazing they couldn't get this image out without their fingerprints on it. How hard would that have been? People might have assumed that the Republicans did it, and Hillary would have been able to denounce this wicked stunt obviously generated by the bottom-feeding Rovians in the GOP, while adding that unlike a certain Democratic presidential candidate whose middle name is HUSSEIN, she won't be vulnerable to fearmongering GOP attacks this fall. That might have worked for her.
Can't see this particular stunt helping the Clintons with Democratic voters, though -- and in fact, it will probably hurt. Am I wrong?
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James hit this right on the head. This is no different than the cretins who went beating up and shooting Sikhs right after 9/11 because they **thought** they were Muslims.
And Scott Lahti hits it right on the head with the ever-so-enlightened, ever-so-tolerant, ever-so-wanting-to-help-people Hillary Clinton using this as a desperate campaign tactic.
Wow, great of the author to post little elliptical note in his article that conservative voters *shouldn't* let a total falsehood get in the way of using fear to motivate voters. Wow, that's so big of you! You're one of the good guys. Oh, wait, you're not.
Thanks for showing us a tiny bit of the inherent racism in the GOP. Christians don't judge others. Unless they're poor and black!
This is total b.s. and a waste of energy. How is it different from the pictures of Hillary and Chelsea wearing saris during their trip to India, except that they looked pretty good in the saris? How is it different from W in his perennial cowboy hat? By the same token, I was disimpressed by Obama's response to the hoohah. Why couldn't he just say "I was honored to wear the costume of my ancestors" and let it go at that?
It's over for Hillary. I take comfort in the fact that this is a "change" election no matter who wins. I like McCain, and I am willing to give Obama a chance and plan to check out his positions carefully before making a final decision. I'm sad for Hillary, though.
Your objection to the likely reaction of conservative voters is weak, as though you're happy about the probable result (that they will be mobilized against Obama), yet wish to maintain a congenial Christian opposition to bigotry. Conservatives have been playing the "Hussein" anti-Muslim card for months. But the fact that this appears to have surfaced from the Clinton camp makes it newsworthy for you. I would have hoped for a more prophetic stand explaining the principles of your opposition, noted only in passing, to this kind of reaction which is antithetic of the Gospel.
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