Chicago, IL – As Senator Barack Obama courted voters in Iowa last December, Representative Keith Ellison, the country’s first Muslim congressman, stepped forward eagerly to help.
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Mr. Ellison believed that Mr. Obama’s message of unity resonated deeply with American Muslims. He volunteered to speak on Mr. Obama’s behalf at a mosque in Cedar Rapids, one of the nation’s oldest Muslim enclaves. But before the rally could take place, aides to Mr. Obama asked Mr. Ellison to cancel the trip because it might stir controversy. An aide appeared at Mr. Ellison’s Washington office to explain.
“I will never forget the quote,” Mr. Ellison said, leaning forward in his chair as he recalled the aide’s words. “He said, ‘We have a very tightly wrapped message.’ ”
When Mr. Obama began his presidential campaign, Muslim Americans from California to Virginia responded with enthusiasm, seeing him as a long-awaited champion of civil liberties, religious tolerance and diplomacy in foreign affairs. But more than a year later, many say, he has not returned their embrace.
While the senator has visited churches and synagogues, he has yet to appear at a single mosque. Muslim and Arab-American organizations have tried repeatedly to arrange meetings with Mr. Obama, but officials with those organizations say their invitations — unlike those of their Jewish and Christian counterparts — have been ignored. Last week, two Muslim women wearing head scarves were barred by campaign volunteers from appearing behind Mr. Obama at a rally in Detroit.
In interviews, Muslim political and civic leaders said they understood that their support for Mr. Obama could be a problem for him at a time when some Americans are deeply suspicious of Muslims. Yet those leaders nonetheless expressed disappointment and even anger at the distance that Mr. Obama has kept from them.
“This is the ‘hope campaign,’ this is the ‘change campaign,’ ” said Mr. Ellison, Democrat of Minnesota. Muslims are frustrated, he added, that “they have not been fully engaged in it.”
Aides to Mr. Obama denied that he had kept his Muslim supporters at arm’s length. They cited statements in which he had spoken inclusively about American Islam and a radio advertisement he recorded for the recent campaign of Representative Andre Carson, Democrat of Indiana, who this spring became the second Muslim elected to Congress.
The strained relationship between Muslims and Mr. Obama reflects one of the main challenges facing the senator: how to maintain a broad electoral appeal without alienating any of the numerous constituencies he needs to win in November.
After the episode in Detroit last week, Mr. Obama telephoned the two Muslim women to apologize. “I take deepest offense to and will continue to fight against discrimination against people of any religious group or background,” he said in a statement.
Such gestures have fallen short in the eyes of many Muslim leaders, who say the Detroit incident and others illustrate a disconnect between Mr. Obama’s message of unity and his campaign strategy.
“The community feels betrayed,” said Safiya Ghori, the government relations director in the Washington office of the Muslim Public Affairs Council.
Even some of Mr. Obama’s strongest Muslim supporters say they are uncomfortable with the forceful denials he has made in response to rumors that he is secretly a Muslim.
once a muslim always a muslim! how did he get this far……. I have nothing against muslims, but aren’t we at war?????? where are peoples brains? “I guess common scence aint that comon any more”
Imagine how upset they will be when he converts to Judaism
Obama is smart he did this to the two muslim ladys that from now on they will be able to stand behind him on “smach” that he can’t be a racist but smart men can look throu this clown we can not let this guy take over he’s dangerus
Lately I’ve really been thinking that the jews should really vote for Obama (although I’m a registered Republican) because he will really be good for Israel and the jews, because he will have to show that he isn’t a muslim or anti-semite as he’s been acting throughout his campaign (just like many said that Lieberman wouldn’t be good for the jews).
ppl should not vote for him
he does nto support this country he will not put his hand on his heart
hussein uh uh uh obama has done NOTHING in his career to prove that he could lead the country. they are concerned he deserted the muslims? HAHAHA! He deserted the USA!
Think again, bec. the only time he really needs to disguise the truth is NOW, during the campaign…After that, we’re dead meat!!!
He will do ANYTHING now just to win. ONE day later, he’s back exactly who he is! A MUSLIM! An ARAB! no a real Jew lover I think…
I guess we gotta be mispallel that he NEVER gets that chance of a day after winning….
Well, Don’t forget he needs our second term (which he probably will lose anyway).
# Mark Levin Says:
comments – arrow hussein uh uh uh obama has done NOTHING in his career to prove that he could lead the country. they are concerned he deserted the muslims? HAHAHA! He deserted the USA!
06-23-2008 – 9:51 PM
genuch genuch Mark,he’s do more than you have stop with this nonsense the man is very intelligent and will be a great President. At least he can put words together to form a coherent sentence unlike what is in office now. He also had the good judgement to be against this terrible war of choice Bush and his oil buddies got us into.
Marl please genuch!!!
Just how much Senate experience does Barack Obama have in terms of actual work days?
Not much.
From the time Barack Obama was sworn in as a United State Senator,
to the time he announced he was forming a Presidential exploratory
committee, he logged 143 days of experience in the Senate.
That’s how many days the Senate was actually in session and working.
The one single Senate committee that he headed, never even met once.
After 143 days of work experience, Obama believed he was ready to
be Commander In Chief, Leader of the Free World, and fill the shoes
of Abraham Lincoln, FDR, JFK and Ronald Reagan.
Think about it…….143 days — 20.4 weeks — 4.7 months .
My Grandchildren spent more time in pre-school
getting ready for Kindergarten.