Hillary's team has questions about Obama's Muslim background

[~*~Serene~*~]

Jan. 16-22, 2007, Posted On: 1/17/2007

Hillary's team has questions about Obama's Muslim background



http://www.insightmag.com/Media/Medi...er/Obama_2.htm





Sen. Barack Obama approached the media after a meeting with President Bush at the White House on Jan. 5. (AFP/File/Mannie Garcia)
Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a Madrassa as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage?



This is the question Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s camp is asking about Sen. Barack Obama.



An investigation of Mr. Obama by political opponents within the Democratic Party has discovered that Mr. Obama was raised as a Muslim by his stepfather in Indonesia. Sources close to the background check, which has not yet been released, said Mr. Obama, 45, spent at least four years in a so-called Madrassa, or Muslim seminary, in Indonesia.



"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."



When contacted by Insight, Mr. Obama’s press secretary said he would consult with “his boss” and call back. He did not.



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.



"The background investigation will provide major ammunition to his opponents," the source said. "The idea is to show Obama as deceptive."



In two best-selling autobiographies—"The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream" and "Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance"—Mr. Obama, born in Honolulu where his parents met, mentions but does not expand on his Muslim background, alluding only to his attendance at a "predominantly Muslim school."



The sources said the young Obama was given the name Hussein by his Muslim father, which the Illinois Democrat rarely uses in public.



His father was black and came from Kenya. Mr. Obama’s mother, the daughter of a farmer, came from Wichita, Kansas. Mr. Obama's parents divorced when he was two years old. His father returned to Kenya.



Later, Mr. Obama's mother married an Indonesian student and the family moved to Jakarta. Mr. Obama returned to Hawaii when he was 10 to live with his maternal grandparents.



The sources said the background check concerned Mr. Obama's years in Jakarta. In Indonesia, the young Obama was enrolled in a Madrassa and was raised and educated as a Muslim. Although Indonesia is regarded as a moderate Muslim state, the U.S. intelligence community has determined that today most of these schools are financed by the Saudi Arabian government and they teach a ******* doctrine that denies the rights of non-Muslims.



Although the background check has not confirmed that the specific Madrassa Mr. Obama attended was espousing *******sm, the sources said his Democratic opponents believe this to be the case—and are seeking to prove it. The sources said the opponents are searching for evidence that Mr. Obama is still a Muslim or has ties to Islam.



Mr. Obama attends services at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago’s South Side. However, he is not known to be a regular parishioner.



"Obama's education began a life-long relationship with Islam as a faith and Muslims as a community," the source said. "This has been a relationship that contains numerous question marks."



The sources said Mr. Obama spent at least four years in a Muslim school in Indonesia. They said when Mr. Obama was 10, his mother and her second husband separated. She and her son returned to Hawaii.



"Then the official biography begins," the source said. "Obama never returned to Kenya to see relatives or family until it became politically expedient."



In both of his autobiographies, Mr. Obama characterizes himself as a Christian—although he describes his upbringing as mostly secular.



In “The Audacity of Hope,” Mr. Obama says, "I was not raised in a religious household." He describes his mother as secular, but says she had copies of the Bible, the Koran and the Bhagavad Gita in their home.



Mr. Obama says his father was "raised a Muslim, but by the time he met my mother he was a confirmed atheist...." Mr. Obama also describes his father as largely absent from his life. He says his Indonesian stepfather was "skeptical" about religion and "saw religion as not particularly useful in the practical business of making one's way in the world ...."



In the book, Mr. Obama briefly addresses his education in Indonesia. "During the five years that we would live with my stepfather in Indonesia, I was sent first to a neighborhood Catholic school and then to a predominantly Muslim school; in both cases, my mother was less concerned with me learning the catechism or puzzling out the meaning of the muezzin's call to evening prayer than she was with whether I was properly learning my multiplication tables."



Source: http://www.insightmag.com/Media/Medi...er/Obama_2.htm

[Muezzin]

If possible, provide a link too.

[FBI]

:sl:

Apparantly his farther was an apostate so he never was raised as a muslim, that's what I heard allah knows best.

[snakelegs]

it is a sad thing when the question of someone's religious education is viewed as a liability.
anyway, this was apparently a smear campaign. last i knew, washington times (and therefore insight magazine) was owned by the reverend moon. (remember moonies?). this whole thing is disgusting.

Hillary, Obama and Anonymous Sources

By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, January 22, 2007; 7:38 AM

Days after Barack Obama jumped into the presidential sweepstakes, he was hit with a thinly sourced story from his past--39 years in his past, to be exact.

The allegation, by a conservative magazine, raised questions about whether the Illinois senator had been schooled in Islamic radicalism when he was all of 6 years old.


Insight, a magazine owned by the Washington Times, cited unnamed sources in saying that young Barack attended a madrassah, or Muslim religious school, in Indonesia. In his 1995 autobiography, Obama said his Indonesian stepfather had sent him to a "predominantly Muslim school" in Jakarta, after two years in a Catholic school -- but Insight goes further in saying it was a madrassah and that Obama was raised as a Muslim.

Fox News picked up the Insight charge on two of its programs, playing up an angle involving Hillary Clinton. The magazine, citing only unnamed sources, said that researchers "connected" to the New York senator were allegedly spreading the information about her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination.

The New York Post, which, like Fox, is owned by Rupert Murdoch, also picked up the article, with the headline: " 'OSAMA' MUD FLIES AT OBAMA."

for full article
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...012200260.html
also:
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS...bama.madrassa/

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[MTAFFI]

what is bad, is I actually like this man even though he is a democrat, and I doubt he will get elected because of this, I even have a hard time with electing a Muslim for President. If it were between him and Hillary though to democratic candidate I would pick him, sorry ladies but I wouldnt want a woman president of the US.


(PS I know I probably just threw everyone into a rage on this site, but these are my own personal views and I apologize if they offend you):eek:

[tomtomsmom]

my oh my things are getting interesting. personally i like him. i like what he stands for. i guess you could say he is the lesser of 2 evils (dems vs reps)
now he has another card stacked against him. he is black and has islamic ties. i doubt he will get to run for office which is sad to say. this country needs a real change and voting the same type of politicain every time is doing nothing but digging a deeper hole. hilary might get the vote but it will be on shock value alone. after the drama with her husband as president i don't think she will make it that far. edwards on the other hand has a fighting chance. he has my vote and it isn't just because we are from the same state!!:)

[Woodrow]

I was favoring Hilary. But, to be honest I do not like this tactic being used to help her get the nomination. I think she just hurt the Democratic party. Would be far better if the Dems publicaly support each other and take care of their problems in private.

[Keltoi]

Hillary Clinton is a ruthless politician. People like to criticize the Republicans for playing hardball politics, but she is absolutely ruthless. I would expect even more Obama "secrets" to find their way into the media in the coming months. This is just the beginning. Hillary wants to be president, and anyone in her way better prepare to be attacked over and over again.

[wilberhum]

I was favoring Hilary. But, to be honest I do not like this tactic being used to help her get the nomination. I think she just hurt the Democratic party. Would be far better if the Dems publicaly support each other and take care of their problems in private.

I really don't think Hilary et all had anything to do with this.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...012200260.html

Clinton campaign officials were relieved that what they regard as an absurd allegation was not picked up more widely. "It's an obvious right-wing hit job by a Moonie publication that was designed to attack Senator Clinton and Senator Obama at the same time," says Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson

This was done to discredit both. At least that's my openion.

[Keltoi]

I really don't think Hilary et all had anything to do with this.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...012200260.html


This was done to discredit both. At least that's my openion.

That is a possibility, as the sources used to connect Hillary to "outing" Obama's childhood in Indonesia are suspect at best. That being said, Hillary isn't dumb enough to publicly challenge Obama on this matter. I would say if stories continue to come out about Obama's youth and his experience with Islamic schools it is a fairly good bet that Hillary's campaign is behind it, if not the woman herself. The conservatives have no interest in seeing Hillary president, so aiding her campaign would be the last thing on their minds.

[Pygoscelis]

Finally we atheists have something in common with you muslims. Both our world views are unfairly considered a liability in US politics.

[wilberhum]

Finally we atheists have something in common with you muslims. Both our world views are unfairly considered a liability in US politics.

I understand that there is not one proclaimed Atheists in congress. :rant:
Does anyone know if that is true?

[Keltoi]

I understand that there is not one proclaimed Atheists in congress. :rant:
Does anyone know if that is true?

Probably not. To be a force in politics one must have widespread support. Athiests simply aren't a large enough segment of the population for a politician to depend upon for votes. I suppose athiests would say religion or lack of religion shouldn't decide who represents Americans in congress, but that is the way of things and always has been.

[Count DeSheep]

my oh my things are getting interesting. personally i like him. i like what he stands for. i guess you could say he is the lesser of 2 evils (dems vs reps)
now he has another card stacked against him. he is black and has islamic ties. i doubt he will get to run for office which is sad to say. this country needs a real change and voting the same type of politicain every time is doing nothing but digging a deeper hole. hilary might get the vote but it will be on shock value alone. after the drama with her husband as president i don't think she will make it that far. edwards on the other hand has a fighting chance. he has my vote and it isn't just because we are from the same state!!:)

The first part of your quote, the "lesser of two evils" thing...I think that will play a big factor. But which one WILL get it? Obama is black, Clinton is a woman, and Edwards is a loser. I don't mean that to be a personal attack against Edwards, I'm just saying that he lost the last election, which will probably have an effect on his run this time around.

Anywho, I think that it will be Edwards. Lesser of three evils. Many Americans aren't ready to accept someone who has any personal ties to Islam, much less a non-white one, as the nation's leader. Same goes for a woman. I myself do not support these positions, of course. But my observations tell me that most Americans are ignorant and afraid to let go of their prejudices. Or maybe it's just that I can only meet bad examples of Americans wherever I go...XP

Obama and Clinton are both very good candidates, but the fact remains that they aren't white males. Because of that, I believe that they will not be elected. Not for a while, anyway. A long while. :cry:

(By the way, I'm saying that I think Edwards will be the Democratic candidate for president and the Democrats will win the 2008 election.)

[Count DeSheep]

Probably not. To be a force in politics one must have widespread support. Athiests simply aren't a large enough segment of the population for a politician to depend upon for votes. I suppose athiests would say religion or lack of religion shouldn't decide who represents Americans in congress, but that is the way of things and always has been.

Odd...There is an Athiest I know at school. She is very popular, involved in many clubs, makes excellent grades, is in all honors classes, and to my knowledge, she has never been discriminated against because of her religious beliefs. I realize that school and Congress are two very different places, but still...Makes be wonder what America will be like in 20 years or so. Assuming it's still called America then.

[north_malaysian]

I was favoring Hilary. But, to be honest I do not like this tactic being used to help her get the nomination. I think she just hurt the Democratic party. Would be far better if the Dems publicaly support each other and take care of their problems in private.

I would love Hillary to be the first american woman to be the president.... but after knowing this tactic..... I'm offended....:offended:

[snakelegs]

i am no fan of hillary clinton but please check out the links on post #4.
this was apparently a right wing smear campaign - i think against both candidates.
personally, i think it makes no difference what race or gender the president is - they are all indebted to corportate interests.

[Woodrow]

i am no fan of hillary clinton but please check out the links on post #4.
this was apparently a right wing smear campaign - i think against both candidates.
personally, i think it makes no difference what race or gender the president is - they are all indebted to corportate interests.

Sadly campaigning for President has become very expensive. It was never intended to become that. The original concept was that any American could afford to run for President. Only have to prove you are over 35 years old, not a fugitive from the law, a native born citizen, registered voter and pay the filing fee ($100 I believe). Sadly unless you have massive public exposure you are not going to get many votes. That is where the corporations come in, helping with the massive publicity. A person needs to already have the exposure (Eisenhower) (Reagan) (Nixon) be indepentantly wealthy (Kennedy) (Carter) or have the backing of supporters that can afford to pay for the publicity (The remainder of the modern candidates).

Various strategies have been tried to put an end to this, caps on campaign spending, public funding of campaigns, etc. So far none have worked.

At the moment the candidate with the most exposure is Hilary, she will be the one with the least need for indebtiness to private business. Her options at the moment will be to garner the support of a major political party or run as an independant. Sadly, the public seldom votes for an independant.

Right now, I think to restore credability to the White House an independant would not be a bad choice. But, I don't see any potential candidates that could carry the support of the majority as an independant.

Now I'm trying to recall which President was it that did not campaign and he won the election on his Statement:

"I refuse to run and if elected I refuse to serve" I recall he even refused to pay his filing fees and somebody paid for him and then he refused to make any campaign speeches , but he still got the majority of the votes. If memory serves me right that was either Coolidge (Silent Cal) or Hoover.

[tomtomsmom]

The first part of your quote, the "lesser of two evils" thing...I think that will play a big factor. But which one WILL get it? Obama is black, Clinton is a woman, and Edwards is a loser. I don't mean that to be a personal attack against Edwards, I'm just saying that he lost the last election, which will probably have an effect on his run this time around.

Anywho, I think that it will be Edwards. Lesser of three evils. Many Americans aren't ready to accept someone who has any personal ties to Islam, much less a non-white one, as the nation's leader. Same goes for a woman. I myself do not support these positions, of course. But my observations tell me that most Americans are ignorant and afraid to let go of their prejudices. Or maybe it's just that I can only meet bad examples of Americans wherever I go...XP

Obama and Clinton are both very good candidates, but the fact remains that they aren't white males. Because of that, I believe that they will not be elected. Not for a while, anyway. A long while. :cry:

(By the way, I'm saying that I think Edwards will be the Democratic candidate for president and the Democrats will win the 2008 election.)

i agree. america is in no way, shape or form ready for a woman or black man to be president. there are still to many closed minded people in this country. personally i am ashamed at the sate of this union. there once was a time that everyone caould say that they were proud to be an american but alas that time has come and gone. hopefully it will be that way again. i don't want my son to grow up knowing that the rest of the world hates him for something he had no control over. edwards lost the last election with kerry leading the way. most votes for the pair were contributed to edwards and not kerry so hopefully he can get through this time and if he does i hope he holds true to his word and puts an end to this war and takes our troops out of iraq. there has been too much bloodshed already.:cry:

the only way i can think of america as a whole accepting a woman or person of color as president is if oprah runs for office!

[Woodrow]

the only way i can think of america as a whole accepting a woman or person of color as president is if oprah runs for office!

At the moment that is not far fetched.

Intelligent, public appeal, plenty of exposure, independantly wealthy.


I just hope she realizes, that being elected prez would ruin her good reputation.

[tomtomsmom]

just one problem..........she says she has no desire to run because she can do more good doing what she is now than if she is in office

[shible]

Though there is a 50 - 50 choice as i would see it in another view in case if obama was to be elected then there is a chance that he might correspond to the ruthless activities of Bush.

In case if Hillary was elected and if she was as noble as they say then no issues and in case if they try to invade gulf nations jus for pride then as for the current president she may oppose and in case of fellow Republican wat would be her thoughts on it.

we shall hope to see for it

[snakelegs]

personally i am ashamed at the sate of this union. there once was a time that everyone caould say that they were proud to be an american but alas that time has come and gone. hopefully it will be that way again. i don't want my son to grow up knowing that the rest of the world hates him for something he had no control over.:

i feel just like you do. :cry:

[Woodrow]

When I was a kid parents used to tell there kids that they "could grow up to be President" as words of encourgement.





Today they use those same words as a threat to keep the kids from misbehaving.

[Pygoscelis]

I understand that there is not one proclaimed Atheists in congress. :rant:
Does anyone know if that is true?

Recent polls in the US have revealed Atheists to be the most disliked and leaste trusted group in the US, and have shown voters to not vote for somebody because they are atheist than for them being any religion, including Islamic or Wiccan,

[Pygoscelis]

the only way i can think of america as a whole accepting a woman or person of color as president is if oprah runs for office!

I've thought about this! She would win in a landslide and she wouldn't even have to campaign. Just add her name to the ballot at the last minute.

[Keltoi]

Odd...There is an Athiest I know at school. She is very popular, involved in many clubs, makes excellent grades, is in all honors classes, and to my knowledge, she has never been discriminated against because of her religious beliefs. I realize that school and Congress are two very different places, but still...Makes be wonder what America will be like in 20 years or so. Assuming it's still called America then.

It isn't like this is a new phenomena. A self-proclaimed athiest would have found it impossible to win election in 1800.

[Woodrow]

It isn't like this is a new phenomena. A self-proclaimed athiest would have found it impossible to win election in 1800.

Yet during that same era we had 4 Presidents in a row that had no religious affiliation and did not attend any church on a regular basis.

Lincoln
Johnson
Grant
Hayes


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_affiliations

Although they did not claim to be athiestic, the public did raise some concern about them during their terms in office, but their non-religious affiliation was never a major campaign issue.

[Keltoi]

Yet during that same era we had 4 Presidents in a row that had no religious affiliation and did not attend any church on a regular basis.

Lincoln
Johnson
Grant
Hayes


Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_affiliations

Although they did not claim to be athiestic, the public did raise some concern about them during their terms in office, but their non-religious affiliation was never a major campaign issue.

The key word is "proclaimed." If Lincoln had given a speech before his election and stated.."I am an athiest, to me God does not exist.", he wouldn't have been elected. Two of the names you mentioned, Lincoln and Grant, were elected primarily because of their supposed leadership qualities, although that wasn't so apparent with Grant, who had a failed presidency in most respects. So if the politician says the right things politically, and doesn't alienate the religious voter, they are okay. If a politician stands up and proclaims his athiesm to the world, he would have and will have a hard time getting enough votes to win an election.

[Woodrow]

You found the key words.

So if the politician says the right things politically, and doesn't alienate the religious voter,

I guess us Americans are funny people.

[Keltoi]

You found the key words.



I guess us Americans are funny people.

Not so funny. The Roman Republic had just as many funny people. :D

[MTAFFI]

who is running for the republicans? I have always been republican, and to me it is Obama is a black Muslim, Hilary is a woman, and Edwards is a moron. Democrats should find a better candidate. As far as the mudslinging goes, democrats are all about it, look at their history, it always seems to be a smear campaign, and to me why would I vote for someone who gets to office like that? However saying that Republicans are just as bad in some cases

[MTAFFI]

oh and something else to think about, Obama has no foreign affairs experience, Hilary voted for the war in Iraq and I wouldnt want a woman in control of the US Military and again John Edwards is a moron:happy:

[Keltoi]

who is running for the republicans? I have always been republican, and to me it is Obama is a black Muslim, Hilary is a woman, and Edwards is a moron. Democrats should find a better candidate. As far as the mudslinging goes, democrats are all about it, look at their history, it always seems to be a smear campaign, and to me why would I vote for someone who gets to office like that? However saying that Republicans are just as bad in some cases

It looks like John McCain, Rudy Guilliani, and Mit Romney are the Republican frontrunners at this point.

[MTAFFI]

anyways I wouldnt mind seeing John McCain or Rudy Guilliani, Republicans could win with either of those two, I will have to read more about them to find out what their experience is though, other than already having been a mayor or in congress

[Sami Zaatari]

no one cares about who u pick as president, as long as ur policies remain the same then ur country will not make any progress, its time u show some fairness in the mid-east and so on instead of 500% biasness towards israel and treating muslims as 3rd class ppl cause its going to get you nowhere.

[Sami Zaatari]

everyday ppl in iraq die because of u and ur stupid policies, do u know that? while u come here talking about stupid votes and president as if its a big deal PPL ARE DYING because of ur countries policies, so who cares about ur silly elections, u start changing ur goverments policies instead of talking nonsense while our ppl die because ur goverments doing.

[Woodrow]

This thread is serving no purpose except instigating unwarranted comments.:threadclo