Right-Wing Media Figures Claim Clinton Behind Obama/Muslim Smears

[As referenced in MoveOn.org's mass e-mail from Noah T Winer, dated 22Feb07]

How can they be smears if they're true? I don't get it.

The first paragraph alone was enough to have me laughing so damn hard!

An excerpt: None of the four cited any evidence, other than the article, that Clinton was responsible for promoting the madrassa story, and the article cited no one by name.

Isn't that the standard by which all Leftist journalists ply their trade? I'm pretty sure it is. Cite ambiguous references, don't name sources, allude, and twist. I guess what's good for the goose, eh?

For the FoxNews portion of the story... out of all the talking heads this article mentions, FoxNews was the only one that took a rational tone. Examples: "[Republican strategist, Terry] Holt also noted that "a madrassa, before it was politicized and really taken over by the fundamentalists primarily from Saudi Arabia, it was nothing more than a parochial school, and Barack Obama was in school 40 years ago." and "[FoxNews, The Big Story, John] Gibson said: "Americans have a visceral reaction to the word 'madrassa.' In our world, a madrassa's where zealots train your Muslim kids to hate America, to hate the West, and to be killers. Saying Obama attended a madrassa is tying Obama's name to terrorism, and that is real political hardball in action, especially when Obama himself said in his own book that he attended a predominantly Muslim school as a youngster in Indonesia.""

In reading what happened on the other shows, they all gave credit to Insight magazine for the tip. Just as you would Reuters, the UPI, AP, whatever. And?

From The World Tribune

"He was a Muslim, but he concealed it," the source said. "His opponents within the Democrats hope this will become a major issue in the campaign." This is true. No one knew Obama was a Muslim. He never declared his religion. Not until this became an issue. He now declares himself Christian.

"Sources said the background check, conducted by researchers connected to Senator Clinton, disclosed details of Mr. Obama's Muslim past. The sources said the Clinton camp concluded the Illinois Democrat concealed his prior Muslim faith and education." Hillary is well-known for her using "background checks", even from her Arkansas days, this was her vehicle for getting the goods on those unsuspecting State Troopers. Whether the Clinton camp concluded something, well, we just can't know that.

""The background investigation will provide major ammunition to his opponents," the source said. "The idea is to show Obama as deceptive."" The "idea" will have to blossom as time goes by. But, Obama associating himself, so closely, with George Soros is not a good thing. That signals decption from the git-go.

About Obama's specific madrassa espousing Wahhabism... I doubt it. Not back then. Today? Yes. Absolutely. Back then? Not so much.

And it is every political candidate's obligation to find his/her opponent's weak points, these days, whatever they may be. If you can cause your opponent to look bad, or at least weaker than you, that's the goal. Smear to win.