Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Obama's "Madrassa"   [Jonah Goldberg]

Unless I hear more, I've got to say that I'm siding with Howie Kurtz over our friends at Insight. The story smelled fishy, the sourcing seems stretched ("sources close to the Clinton opposition research war room"?) and both allegations strike me as implausible or silly.

First, if Hillary's people "unearthed" this story, they would not leak it to Insight. Indeed the Insight story doesn't exactly say that Hillary's campaign put the story out there (which is how Fox spun it). So the idea that Hillary is behind this attack doesn't quite track for me.

Second, Obama writes in his book that he attended a predominately Muslim school in Indonesia. That's not a Madrassa. Someone needs to explain if there's some other school in question. Because as it stands this ain't it. Also, even if he was raised as a Muslim in his childhood for a couple years the fact is he's a Christian now — and that means the people we're at war with believe he should be beheaded for his conversion, and right quick. I for one want nothing to do with any opposition to anybody which follows the logic of "once a Muslim, always a Muslim."

There are plenty of reasons to oppose Obama or be skeptical of all the hype. But this strikes me as cheap smear work and little more (I'm not saying the Clintons are too honorable to do such a thing, I just don't buy that they've done it this time). Obama has very little experience, he's never won a truly competitive serious campaign, etc etc. But the fact that he has some knowledge of the Muslim world doesn't strike me as a legitimate handicap. 

If all this makes me part of the liberal mainstream media in Insight's eyes, so be it.  

01/23 07:57 AMShare