Posted on 02/28/2008 4:25:56 PM PST by tobyhill
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan formally denounced on Thursday the Tennessee Republican Party's use of Barack Obama's full name in a recent news release questioning the Illinois senator's commitment to Israel.
"The RNC rejects these kinds of campaign tactics," Duncan said in a statement. "We believe this election needs to be about the critical issues confronting our nation."
The statement in question, which was released Monday, said the state party is joining a "growing chorus of Americans concerned about the future of the nation of Israel ... if Sen. Barack Hussein Obama is elected president of the United States."
It also included a photograph of Obama from a 2006 trip to Kenya, in which he is dressed in traditional attire.
The news release was sparked by recent praise for the senator from Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan, who has made derogatory remarks about Judaism and has indicated his support for Obama.
At Tuesday night's MSNBC debate, Obama said he denounced those comments and did not seek Farrakhan's support.
On Wednesday night, the party removed both the photo and the reference of "Hussein" from the statement after Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander called to express his belief that using them had become a distraction, Tennessee GOP Communications Director Bill Hobbs said.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Oh, I’m sure it feels real good to use “Hussein”. No wusses here, mind you. Let everyone know his last name is “Hussein”. No PC here, mind you.
But, that won’t turn anyone against Obama that’s not aready against him and it won’t win the election. In fact, it will probably just tick a lot of people off that would rather discuss issues rather than try to make a stretch to what someone’s name could imply.
Mentioning someone’s middle name is a ‘campaign tactic’? Oh, good grief.
Using a candidate's middle name isn't 'dancing on the line of racism'. It's done all the time (for candidates and after they become President).
That, succinctly put, is why HUSSEIN's name SHOULD be used,,,,early and often.
The average voter (in particular the average democratic voter) is 'dumber than a box of rocks'--and there is nothing wrong with HIGHLIGHTING the fact that Hussein DOES have a muslim background. Many will not know that otherwise.
In a post-9/11 world, two years of schooling at a muslim school as a youth (your most formative years) does matter. Everyone most certainly should be aware of it,,,and they, themselves, can decide if it matters to them.
P.S. No one EVER let us forget that Mitt Romney was a Mormon.
Obama’s sympathies to Islam, and his inability/unwillingness and inexperience to correctly deal with Muslim extremism needs to be dealt with directly.
Prominant and repeated mentioning of his middle name has the effect of cheapening the issue, and thus dilutes the issue from the very serious matter of Obama’s incompetence as a Commander-in-Chief (the Republican argument)...to one of racism (the Democrat argument).
By keeping the middle name issue out of the argument, McCain is able to fight on Republican terms not Democrat terms.
I applaud the McCain campaign for this stand...not because of “fairness” or “running a clean campaign”, but because it is the correct path in which these arguments should be steered.
Let’s not fight the democrats on the basis of their arguments.
Just another insightful comment from someone who knows how to deliver a positive, winning message.
I've already addressed this. It is a matter of em-PHAS-is, as those who go out of their way to tag Obama with "Hussein" know very well.
Exactly.
The Press routinely used "George Herbert Walker Bush" as his name in an effort to paint and portray him as a rich, elitist, Republican that could care less about the average person.
The same with Dan Quayle. Dan Quayle hated to be called "James Danforth Quayle" for the same reasonas "James Danforth Quayle" because Rather knew that it really irritated Quayle.
The same with Dan Quayle. Dan Quayle hated to be called "James Danforth Quayle" for the same reason. Dan Rather repeatedly called him "James Danforth Quayle" because Rather knew that it really irritated Quayle.
The problem with that is the average American voting public couldn't find Israel on the map if they had to much less know what constitutes anti-semite. They do know the name "Hussein" as in Saddam but they do not connect Obama with Saddam or anything else other than "he's this cool guy running for president". People don't like dirty politics and see mentioning "Hussein" as exactly that.
I didn't make these rules and the people that can't help wanting to feel good by saying "Hussein" aren't doing the GOP any favors. If enough of them keep doing it and similar, in mid-November this year everybody will be saying, "Yeah, wait till 2012. We'll really kick 'Hussein's' butt then.
If we can't win on the issues and have to resort to name-calling, it's over right now.
So basically, you're saying it is a subjective thing. Those who want to see it as racism or as painting Obama as a terrorist will see it as that, and those that don't, won't.
Glad to be of help. Let me further clarify so you don't get confused. The fact that Obama is a son of an African Muslim Polygamist is relevant to me. That and his far left views are all part of the same package.
How a person was raised, what church they attend (a racist one in his case), personal habits, etc are all just as much who they are as the crap they bloviate for public sale.....maybe even more so.
lolol!
No, I'm saying that one can often tell by the emphasis and repitition someone uses, whether or not it is used untowardly as a slur by culture/race.
And that is something to discuss -- especially his behavior as an adult -- which is evil.
He personally blocked legislation in Illinois which would have secured the right of babies living outside the womb, due to botched abortions, not to be murdered.
In his last debate, he also said that his biggest regret from his experience in the U.S. Senate is that he did not use whatever means to kill the legislation that sought to save the life of Terri Schiavo -- who called out her desire to live, according to witnesses.
btw...
I am bigoted towards Muslims.
I stand by that. We have to make deals with them around the world but I’d prefer to limit them coming here and sure as hell don’t want even a quasi one as POTUS....regardless of his politics.
and I don’t much worry about how folks think I emphasize a slur one way or another....about race or religion or gender or sexual preference.
I think that preoccupation is silly and is used to thwart anything relevant.
The fact that Barak Hussein Obama has something of a Muslim background and education is very very negative for me.
“I will not resort to dirty campaigning by using my opponents middle name Hussein”.
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