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Last update - 23:38 16/04/2008
Obama slams Carter for meeting Hamas, tries to reassure Jewish voters
By The Associated Press
Tags: Barack Obama 

PHILADELPHIA - U.S. Senator Barack Obama on Wednesday criticized former U.S. President Jimmy Carter for meeting with leaders of the Islamic terrorist group Hamas as he tried to reassure Jewish voters that his presidential candidacy is not a threat to them or U.S. support for Israel.

The Democratic presidential candidate's comments, made to a group of Jewish leaders in Philadelphia, were his first on Carter's controversial meeting scheduled this week in Egypt.

Republican presidential nominee-in-waiting John McCain called on Obama to repudiate Carter in a speech Monday.
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Obama told the Jewish group he had a fundamental disagreement with Carter, who was rebuffed by Israeli leaders during a peace mission to the Middle East this week.

"We must not negotiate with a terrorist group intent on Israel's destruction," Obama said.

"We should only sit down with Hamas if they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel's right to exist, and abide by past agreements," he added.

Obama has been working to reassure Jewish voters nervous about his candidacy in the wake of publicity about anti-Israel sentiments expressed by his pastor, the Reverend Jeremiah Wright.

Obama's rival, Hillary Rodham Clinton, also criticized him during a February debate, saying he did not immediately rejected an endorsement from black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan. Obama responded that he already denounced Farrakhan, but would reject his support as well.

Obama told the group that he had not been aware of Wright's more incendiary speeches before launching his presidential campaign last year, even though he had been a member of Wright's congregation for nearly 20 years. Obama said he had spoken to Wright and privately conveyed his concerns about some of his sermons once he learned of their content. But he acknowledged that he had declined to be more public in his criticism until recently, since Wright was preparing to retire from ministry at Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ.

"You make a decision about how are you going to handle it," Obama said. "Do you publicly denounce his comments? Do you privately express concern but recognize you are still part of a broader church community that is going to be transitioning? I chose the latter."

Obama has stepped up his outreach to the Jewish community in recent weeks after videos of Wright's speeches surfaced where he criticized Israel and expressed sympathy for the Palestinian cause.

Among other things, Wright has denounced Israel as racist and suggested tension between Israel and the Palestinians had contributed to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Obama also met privately with about 100 Jewish leaders in Ohio before that state's primary March 4.

Obama has been the subject of persistent Internet rumors suggesting he is a Muslim who was educated at a Madrassah in Indonesia and took the oath of office with his hand on a Koran. Obama did spend part of his childhood in Indonesia but attended Catholic and public schools there. He took the oath of office on a Bible.

Obama delivered a well-received speech last month addressing the Wright controversy, in which he criticized many of his former pastor's views. But the issue has continued to dog him.

Obama told Jewish leader he would work as president to diminish tensions between the black and Jewish communities, noting that both groups shared the experience of suffering discrimination.

Obama also said at the meeting that he is willing to make diplomatic overtures to Iran even thought it has funded Hamas and other militant groups.

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      1.   Obama: AIPAC claims another unsuspecting victim 22:06  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 16/04/08
      2.   Next he will promise to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem 22:18  |  Man deVoshkes 16/04/08
      3.   "Change" stops at AIPAC`s door 22:37  |  Joe 16/04/08
      4.   Barack Obama, or the art of self-humiliation....... 22:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/04/08
      5.   Im not voting for him then 22:55  |  KHW 16/04/08
      6.   "Change" stops at AIPAC`s door 23:03  |  Joe 16/04/08
      7.   "Change" stops at AIPAC`s door 23:10  |  Joe 16/04/08
      8.   He`s got my vote! 23:20  |  Lee 16/04/08
      9.   Good Move 23:22  |  Yosemite 16/04/08
      10.   what is the difference between iran and hamas? 23:33  |  vik 16/04/08
      11.   A Presidential candidate grovels to American Jews 23:43  |  Clickfool 16/04/08
      12.   Obama! Obama! Obama! 23:48  |  Palestinian American 16/04/08
      13.   For Joe from the Occupied Tejas as to the reasons 23:53  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 16/04/08
      14.   obama 23:54  |  george 16/04/08
      15.   Don`t fool yourselves guys Hussein Obama here is with us 23:58  |  Arab American 16/04/08
      16.   Jewish Vote 00:04  |  Mary 17/04/08
      17.   6&7 Joe,Obama said the other day that he would not sit down&talk 00:09  |  lakshmi 17/04/08
      18.   Obama, Clinton and McCain --and Ahmadinejad`s incitement 00:17  |  Elihu D Richter 17/04/08
      19.   Carters visit 00:25  |  Petras 17/04/08
      20.   Obama the trapez artist. Swinging high..! 00:27  |  Stephen. 17/04/08
      21.   clickfool,carter and obama 00:48  |  Connie 17/04/08
      22.   Obama the faker! 00:49  |  Voter 17/04/08
      23.   B. Hussein Obama, the devider: Hold your breath! 00:50  |  Sane 17/04/08
      24.   Bow2Israel! 00:50  |  W 17/04/08
      25.   Carter IS HAMAS! 00:53  |  Kadima 17/04/08
      26.   Joe comments on AIPAC 00:54  |  Sam 17/04/08
      27.   Joe, your comments on AIPAC 01:02  |  Sam 17/04/08
      28.   Clickfool, no appreciation 01:10  |  Sam 17/04/08
      29.   Problem is Obama talks Out Of Both Sides Of His Mouth 01:36  |  Dish It Out 17/04/08
      30.   Political Suicide or AIPAC Abasement 01:53  |  chet 17/04/08
      31.   Baruch Obama ? 01:58  |  Darth Zaider (Ed) 17/04/08
      32.   #16 arab American 01:58  |  Zolman ben Moshe 17/04/08
      33.   Obamalama time............ 02:08  |  NS 17/04/08
      34.   To Swiss (Dino): Typical Swiss thinking. 02:16  |  Abraham Saks 17/04/08
      35.   Obama - That SOB Nader Has Him Pegged 02:26  |  Tod Zuckerman 17/04/08
      36.   Mary: Whose dumber? 02:28  |  Brad 17/04/08
      37.   Dont like Carter, but we know who he is. Obama?? 02:44  |  Eugenio 17/04/08
      38.   Duh! 02:46  |  MARK KLEIN, M.D. 17/04/08
      39.   # 4 Swiss...I realize this is a major disappointment 02:48  |  Lynn 17/04/08
      40.   #11 Clicky...he already sold out his grandmother 02:52  |  Lynn 17/04/08
      41.   Carter did the same 02:55  |  Refugee 17/04/08
      42.   All leftwing nonthinkers do not understand ONE 03:04  |  17 17/04/08
      43.   To Clickfool (#11): Grovel, Grovel, toil and trouble 03:26  |  Morris Valentine 17/04/08
      44.   Carter is a Saint! 16:15  |  Joe Hulllitse 17/04/08
      45.   Obama Needs to Move to Israel 17:37  |  Vic 17/04/08
      46.   obama condeems CARTER 22:28  |  mee 17/04/08
      47.   obama 02:05  |  max watts 18/04/08
      48.   The American people supports their alliance with Israel 20:46  |  Realist 23/04/08
      49.   "DEMOCRATS WHO WILL NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA` 14:41  |  petra 23/05/08
      50.   Connie #21--Slander? 18:07  |  Alan 24/05/08
      51.   Not all Americans are fond of US Policy 20:43  |  Jen Tiles 11/11/08
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