Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., September 24, 2008 Elul 24, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:37 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 11:04 28/02/2008
Obama tells Jewish leaders: I have never been a Muslim
By The Associated Press
Tags: Obama, U.S., Muslims, Israel

For Barack Obama, it is an ember that he has doused time and again, only to see it flicker anew: links to Islam fanned by false rumors, innuendo and association.

The Democratic presidential front-runner and his campaign reacted strongly this week when a photo of him in Kenyan tribal garb began spreading on the Internet.

And the praise he received Sunday from Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the black Muslim group Nation of Islam, prompted pointed questions during Tuesday night's presidential debate and in a private meeting over the weekend with Jewish leaders in Cleveland, Ohio.
Advertisement
During the debate, Obama repeated his denunciation of Farrakhan's views, which have included numerous anti-Semitic comments. And, after being pressed, he rejected Farrakhan's support in the presidential race.

The Democratic candidate says repeatedly that he is a Christian who took the oath of office on a family Bible. Yet on the Internet and on talk radio, and in a campaign introduction for Republican candidate John McCain this week, he often is depicted, falsely, as a Muslim with shadowy ties and his middle name, Hussein, is emphasized.

"If anyone is still puzzled about the facts, in fact I have never been a
Muslim," he told the Jewish leaders in Cleveland, according to a transcript of the private session.

The photo of Obama wearing Kenyan tribal raiment, taken by an Associated Press photographer during his 2006 visit to the country where his father was born, resurfaced on the Internet amid unsubstantiated claims that it was being circulated by members of Hillary Rodham Clinton's campaign. Clinton and her aides said they had nothing to do with it. The Obama campaign accused them of shameful, offensive fear-mongering.

On Tuesday McCain denounced the introduction he got in Cincinnati that
criticized Obama in vivid terms. Talk show host Bill Cunningham referred to Obama three times as Barack Hussein Obama and called him a hack, Chicago-style politician during Cunningham's introduction of McCain.

The Obama campaign is closely attuned to the rumors and insinuations.
Information on Obama's Christian faith is prominently available on the Know the facts page of his Web site. The campaign has distributed flyers to churches in states with presidential contests. It encourages supporters to flag any attack that may make its way into cyberspace.

"Our campaign is vigilant in quickly responding to any information about
Senator Obama that surfaces, be it on the Internet, in the media or from our opponents," spokesman Bill Burton said Wednesday.

"If there is confusion - and opportunity for political mischief - it derives at least in part from Obama's rich cultural background. His mother was a white woman from Kansas, his father was Kenyan, and he spent part of his childhood in Indonesia, a largely Muslim country.

"My grandfather, who was Kenyan, converted to Christianity, then converted to Islam," Obama said Sunday. "My father never practiced; he was basically agnostic. So, other than my name and the fact that I lived in a populous Muslim country for four years when I was a child, I have very little connection to the Islamic religion."

Obama has become careful in denouncing the links, lately noting that some
rumors about him also have been insulting to Muslims. Jim Zogby, founder and president of the Arab American Institute, said many Arab Americans are drawn to Obama because of his cultural background.

"It is clear he wants to have a broader relationship with the Muslim world," Zogby said. "He has a biography that connects him to the Muslim world."

Obama, though in the presidential limelight now for more than a year, is still introducing himself to voters. An AP-Yahoo poll in January asked people to volunteer the first few words that came to mind about each of the candidates, and 4 percent of the respondents, unprompted, mentioned the word Muslim when describing Obama.

Some of the rumors and allegations about Obama clearly are not true yet still spread, often anonymously:

-A debunked chain e-mail circulating widely on the Internet suggests he is hiding his Islamic roots. It says he was sworn into the Senate on the Quran and turns his back on the flag during the Pledge of Allegiance.

He took his Senate oath with his hand on a family Bible, and he says, "Whenever I'm in the United States Senate, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. In fact, no candidate could survive if he publicly spurned the pledge."

-Another false report says he attended a Muslim madrassa school as a child in Jakarta. Obama was born in Hawaii and moved to Indonesia when he was 6 to live with his mother and stepfather. He returned to Hawaii when he was 10 to live with his maternal grandparents.

Interviews last year by The Associated Press at the Catholic elementary school in Jakarta found that it is a public and secular institution and has been open to students of all faiths since before Obama attended in the late 1960s. Said vice principal Akmad Solichin: "Yes, most of our students are Muslim, but there are Christians as well. Everyone's
welcome here."

-Obama also has faced questions about his pastor at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, where he has been a member for 20 years. Trinity calls itself Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian. But it accepts nonblack congregants. The United Church of Christ's president and general minister, the Rev. John H. Thomas, was quoted in a church publication as pointing out that the Rev. Jane Fisler-Hoffman, Illinois Conference Minister, who is white, has been a member of the congregation for years.

-Obama has been asked about Farrakhan's words of praise and Farrakhan's
receipt of an award from Trumpet Newsmagazine, a Trinity church publication last month. Obama told Jewish leaders Sunday: "An award was given to Farrakhan for his work on behalf of ex-offenders completely unrelated to his controversial statements. And I believe that was a mistake and showed a lack of sensitivity to the Jewish community, and I said so."

Farrakhan did not endorse Obama but said Sunday: "This young man is the hope of the entire world that America will change and be made better."

Asked Tuesday night whether he would accept support from Farrakhan, Obama said: "I live in Chicago. He lives in Chicago. I've been very clear, in terms of me believing that what he has said is reprehensible and inappropriate. And I have consistently distanced myself from him."

Following an exchange with Clinton, he then added: "There's no formal offer of help from Minister Farrakhan that would involve me rejecting it. But if the word 'reject' Senator Clinton feels is stronger than the word 'denounce,' then I'm happy to concede the point, and I would reject and denounce."

Related articles:
  • Obama: I'm a 'stalwart friend' of Israel, its security is 'sacrosanct'
  • Obama supports Israel. Period.
  • Would Obama be supportive of an Israel governed by Likud?
  • The row over Obama's stance on Israel is a dispute between Jews
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Iranian suspects
    Argentina asks Iran to hand over suspects in 1994 Jewish center bombing.
    Einstein's telescope
    Physicist's telescope renovated and on display to the public at Hebrew University.
      1.   Just the facts 11:21  |  Egbert 28/02/08
      2.   Homer and Hussein 11:43  |  Cpt. Jack 28/02/08
      3.   What does it matter if he was/is muslim or not? 11:57  |  Suzanne 28/02/08
      4.   Is being a Muslim like having the plagues? 12:19  |  Minuteman 28/02/08
      5.   WHAT AN OFFENSIVE GESTURE 12:19  |  indrajaya 28/02/08
      6.   THE LAST POLL FOR OBAMA 12:24  |  indrajaya 28/02/08
      7.   Voters still have a right to question his views 12:28  |  dyinglikeflies 28/02/08
      8.   If he is no muslim , then .... 12:41  |  Theodor 28/02/08
      9.   The FBI is auditing Obamas church 12:54  |  petra 28/02/08
      10.   Can You Imagine This? 13:04  |  Ghassan 28/02/08
      11.   BETCHA If you give Obama a few drinks, he`ll sound just like Mel 13:27  |  Seymor Butz 28/02/08
      12.   #5 Indrajaya 13:28  |  Sarah 28/02/08
      13.   #5&6 Indrajaya 13:32  |  Moshe 28/02/08
      14.   #7 13:34  |  level playing field 28/02/08
      15.   Jewish hateres for Islam stings Obama 13:45  |  Abed 28/02/08
      16.   Baracks/obama, ehud 13:52  |  g-d 28/02/08
      17.   Religion, does it really matter 14:10  |  Mary 28/02/08
      18.   Indrahaha,#5 and #6 14:14  |  Hastaroth 28/02/08
      19.   to dyinglikeflies and same 14:42  |  nobodysacred 28/02/08
      20.   Obama & racism 14:44  |  Stan 28/02/08
      21.   more on Obama & racism 14:45  |  Stan 28/02/08
      22.   until muslims practice and promote peace this is the reality 14:45  |  don 28/02/08
      23.   Don`t let the facts stand in the way of the nay sayers 14:50  |  Michael N 28/02/08
      24.   Only in America!!! Could one with ANY connection to Muslims after 14:51  |  9/11 run for Pres. 28/02/08
      25.   So where`s the video performance of Obama singing "If I only had 14:54  |  McCain"? 28/02/08
      26.   Don`t Keep Roasting Obama About Muslims 15:12  |  Yosemite 28/02/08
      27.   #2 Cpt. Jack 15:13  |  Todd 28/02/08
      28.   This is offensive 15:18  |  Israeli 28/02/08
      29.   HYPOCRISY AND LYING MIGHT FOOL SOME OF YOU. 15:19  |  TERRY SNODGRASS 28/02/08
      30.   What a shame that thanks to the jewish lobby Obama has to say 15:19  |  lakshmi 28/02/08
      31.   Accoring to Sharia 15:21  |  Rustam 28/02/08
      32.   McCarthyism all over again ... 15:22  |  Communist 28/02/08
      33.   I GUARANTEE YOU,THIS GUY`S BUDDIES ARE JEW HATERS 15:23  |  GARTH HECHT 28/02/08
      34.   THIS SCREENER APPARENTLY IS ONLY ALLOWING PRO OBAMA PAP 15:25  |  DON 28/02/08
      35.   As if Muslims need another looser!! 15:26  |  sina 28/02/08
      36.   Ignoring Obama`s Spineless Acts 15:41  |  S. Dokle 28/02/08
      37.   Big deal 15:41  |  George 28/02/08
      38.   I voted for Obama 16:06  |  Nathan Mizrahi 28/02/08
      39.   "Who is Obama?"! 16:07  |  sandra chitayat 28/02/08
      40.   death fatwas 16:07  |  Stan 28/02/08
      41.   Not true Sina, we don`t care if he`s purple, as long as his moral 16:42  |  character is strong 28/02/08
      42.   Stan, we`ve grown beyond the "An enemy of my enemy is my friend" 16:45  |  mantality. 28/02/08
      43.   Who cares? Are Jews against Muslims? 16:47  |  Jew 28/02/08
      44.   Israeli: THANK YOU! 16:49  |  Catholic 28/02/08
      45.   To "Nobody`s Sacred" - so Ask. It Is All The Time. 17:16  |  dyinglikeflies 28/02/08
      46.   # 16, RUSTAM 17:27  |  indrajaya 28/02/08
      47.   sandra chitayat - What? 17:28  |  ME 28/02/08
      48.   To indrajaya 17:31  |  Oleg 28/02/08
      49.   THIS IS AN OUTRAGE 17:38  |  Arik Silverman 28/02/08
      50.   Whaf if they called him a Jew 17:39  |  Lobo08 28/02/08
      51.   Obama is a fine and true American. 17:42  |  Stephen. 28/02/08
      52.   # 30, OLEG 17:47  |  indrajaya 28/02/08
      53.   indrajaya- regarding apostates 17:49  |  Rustam 28/02/08
      54.   Idiots are the same everywhere 17:54  |  sentjao 28/02/08
      55.   Obama doesn`t need to answer his RACIST critics 18:19  |  POP 28/02/08
      56.   indrajaya,we don`t give a hoot if your offended or not,thats the 18:20  |  terrornator 28/02/08
      57.   Obama is bad news 18:21  |  Rustam 28/02/08
      58.   Cpt.Jack off # 2 your racism against americans is worse than what 18:29  |  terrornator 28/02/08
      59.   # 35, TERRORNATOR 18:30  |  indrajaya 28/02/08
      60.   Yomama, LIAR!! We know your background, you`re practicing TAQIYA! 18:37  |  Cristo 28/02/08
      61.   Whats wrong with being a muslim? Why mongering hate 18:40  |  omolll 28/02/08
      62.   Arik Silverman in WI 18:57  |  Ramzi, a Palestinian 28/02/08
      63.   Who is really Obama? 19:02  |  David Israel 28/02/08
      64.   Obama`s Stepfather was a muslim who raised obama as a muslim 19:11  |  Adam 28/02/08
      65.   I HAVE ONE WORD FOR ANYONE WHO THINKS OBAMA IS PRO ISRAEL.....NO! 19:16  |  Tim Buckto 28/02/08
      66.   Obama is not Muslim 19:24  |  MichaelF 28/02/08
      67.   BARACK HUSSEIN OSSAMA is a Muslim either he wants it or not 19:26  |  Genuine Tosefta 28/02/08
      68.   Sina Bambina, will there ever be a Christian King/PM in Jordan? 19:30  |  Genuine Tosefta 28/02/08
      69.   Bigotry!!!! 19:34  |  dan 28/02/08
      70.   Genuine Tosefta - Who follows Sharia law? 20:01  |  MAN 28/02/08
      71.   Genuine Tosefta 0 Who cares anyway? 20:03  |  MAN 28/02/08
      72.   INDRAJAYA,i`ve got a caps button on my keyboard too 20:24  |  terrornator 28/02/08
      73.   omolll # 41 its simple,one word can sum it up,terrorism 20:32  |  terrornator 28/02/08
      74.   #41 22:32  |  Moshe 28/02/08
      75.   INDRAJAYA,I GOT A CAPS BUTTON ON MY KEYBOARD TOO 23:12  |  terrornator 28/02/08
      76.   Lying about things is that what our country stands for 05:05  |  Stephen Shapiro 29/02/08
      77.   To Lakshmi (#15): The real shame ... 06:07  |  Morris Valentine 29/02/08
      78.   Arabs here speaking of racism......it is sooooo fuuuuuunny!!!!!!! 19:08  |  Genuine Tosefta 29/02/08
      79.   Jimmy Carter 22:35  |  Nativewmn 29/02/08
      80.   Secrets already 23:00  |  Nativewmn 29/02/08
      81.   anti-Obama smear campaign 11:41  |  Jack 01/03/08
      82.   and more distortions 11:52  |  Jack 01/03/08
      83.   To Genuine Toseta 12:19  |  Christian from EU 01/03/08
      84.   what Obama secrets? 13:32  |  Jack 01/03/08
      85.   humble beginnings 13:55  |  Jack 01/03/08
      86.   Some reading for Lakshmi (#15) 19:28  |  Morris Valentine 01/03/08
      87.   Obama `s rhetoric causes hysteria 11:08  |  Sumayah 02/03/08
     Read & React
    Bradley Burston: Erasing Ahmadinejad from the map
    Responses: 123
    Poll: 28% of Palestinians back idea of joint state with Jordan
    Responses: 61
    IDF officer kills terrorist who rammed car into crowd in Jerusalem
    Responses: 233
    ANALYSIS / Another attack in Jerusalem - get ready for more
    Responses: 113
    Iraqi MP may face death sentence for Israel visit
    Responses: 67


    More Headlines
    01:10 Ahmadinejad: Zionist regime is on a slope to decline
    22:29 Peres at UN: World in danger if Iran produces nuclear bomb
    00:02 Livni to Qureia: Israel will respond with force to Palestinian terror
    21:45 Top adviser: McCain would not get in way of Israel-Syria talks
    23:25 Charge Ahmadinejad with incitement to genocide, say former U.S., Israeli envoys to UN
    00:49 This Hyphenated Life / How a little humor can save the world
    00:42 Five Palestinians killed after Egyptian forces detonate smuggling tunnels
    21:41 Fatah official: Group could agree to Hamas rule in Gaza Strip
    19:12 Einstein's lost telescope to go on display at Hebrew University
    23:08 Netanyahu: Israel owes Olmert a debt of gratitude
    22:07 VIDEO / Father of Jerusalem attacker: My son's no terrorist
    20:43 Argentina asks Iran to hand over suspects in 1994 Jewish center bombing
    22:12 VIDEO / Syria's Assad calls for Israel-Syria talks to continue
    19:27 Two Israelis and a Palestinian - conquering Everest together
    18:54 Sources: Mofaz to decide political future after Rosh Hashanah
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved