Rep. King: Al-Qaida would celebrate Obama victory

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Iowa Congressman Steve King says terrorists would celebrate if Democratic candidate Barack Obama won the presidency.

King, a Republican, bases his prediction on several criteria: Obama's pledge to pull troops out of Iraq, his Kenyan heritage and his middle name Hussein -- a reminder of Iraq's former leader.

King, in an interview today with the Daily Reporter in Spencer, said al-Qaida would -- quote -- "be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on September 11th."

King says terrorists would declare victory in the war on terror because Obama would pull troops out of the Middle East.

The congressman added -- quote -- "They'll be dancing in the streets because of his middle name, they'll be dancing in the streets because of who his father was."

King's comments are the latest attack on Obama's heritage. The Illinois senator, born in Hawaii to a white Kansas woman and a Kenyan man, has said he is a Christian and has little connection to the Islamic religion.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor criticized King and others who have brought Obama's heritage into the presidential debate.

My friend was actually asked if she was a citizen by one of her co workers

If someone had a Hispanic name or a Hispanic accent (like many US-born Mexicans do... no offense intended but most of us Hispanics can tell someone who's been living in a Mexican household the moment they open their mouths, just like we can tell a Brit or Aussie or Mid-Westerner or Southerner), I would think it's a natural question to ask where were you born. Now, if someone knew she was born in the US and then still asked if she's a citizen, if proves the person is an idiot, whether liberal or conservative.

My point is that both sides has its fair share of idiots and racists (as a Hispanic I'll point to "La Raza" and the Reconquista movement as prime examples on the left), but that the idea that enforcing our borders and immigration laws is inherently racist is a canard played by those who want to win Hispanic voters via pure demagoguery. The lailure of cnservatives has not been supporting border control, the failure has been explaining that this is not due to racism.

I totally agree with you and that is why I referred to the tone of the issue. My daughter-in-law has no accent at all. I'm also aware of the fact that democrats will use Hispanics just as they've used Blacks to secure power. I just hope the GOP will learn to approach the subject of illegals and boarder control in a way we don't turn off future generations of a very large voting constituency that in a lot of ways should be more naturally aligned with the GOP. Can't we find spokesman with in the party that aren't bomb throwers?

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