“You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?” Kroft asked Sen. Clinton.

[still_one]

“You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?” Kroft asked Sen. Clinton.

“Of course not. I mean, that, you know, there is no basis for that. I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that,” she replied.

“You said you'd take Senator Obama at his word that he's not…a Muslim. You don't believe that he's…,” Kroft said.

“No. No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know,” she said.


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/29/60minutes/main3894659_page4.shtml

[Deja Q]

1. "As far as I know".

Okay, she's opened the invitation. Anybody care to put in the damning proof?

[still_one]

2. It is a pretty low tactic she is using, and I believe it will backfire /nt

[Name removed]

15. Deleted sub-thread

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[roguevalley]

63. If she doesn't firmly put this away, then I hope a landslide

in Ohio and Texas ends the worry of it. Criticize what is true. End this repug innuendo shit today.

[Beaverhausen]

3. why are they asking her that question anyway?

jesus christ- millions of americans are starving, thousands are homeless and this is what they ask her?

[Deja Q]

4. To end that tangential point once and for all?

I think the big questions will come out later this year with the actual sock-it-to-me debates.

[Beaverhausen]

8. what? why not ask him?

this is bullshit.

[MethuenProgressive]

7. To let whiny DUbamas have something to whine about.

Obviously.

[still_one]

You're right, the question is irrelevent. It is also unfortunate that she answered

it the way she did, to leave doubt in people's minds

[Beaverhausen]

17. what doubt? And why does her "opinion" on what his religion is matter?

my god- what have we come to in this country?

[still_one]

29. It doesn't to you and me, but it probably does to the bible belt /nt

[Beaverhausen]

35. so, why not ask Obama? Why does Hillary have to be the last word of who is and isn't muslim

[still_one]

38. Perhaps because she said his denouncement of "farrikan" wasn't strong enough

in the last debate. Maybe because she started with that point?

I sure know what she really thinks about War Powers Act though?

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Pathetic, no? Like something out of Nazi Germany. "Is Obama a Jew?"

[Patsy Stone]

24. The lead-in

was a question about the Drudge photo. This was the follow-up.

:hi:

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[still_one]

13. She did NOT answer it well. Incidently, your other comment, it works both ways /nt

[jenmito]

14. "As far as I know...I take him at his word..." Go to hell, Hillary.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

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[jenmito]

18. "As far as I know...I take him at his word..." Go to hell, Hillary.

[MethuenProgressive]

19. Your hatred will consume you.

She said "Of course not."

[jenmito]

22. She added, "As far as I know...I take him at his word..." Go to hell, Hillary.

[Beaverhausen]

26. what do you want her to say? She can only know what she knows, and go with what he says

this is fucked up. She just can't say anything right to some people here.

[jenmito]

32. I want her to say "Of course not." PERIOD.

[MethuenProgressive]

44. That's not what she said, jen

And now you know it.

[Yael]

50. Jigs up -- video has been posted. Commence to eat your words

[KAZ]

21. I second that.

[jenmito]

23. I third it...

can I do that to my own post? :D

[berni_mccoy]

6. She is an opportunistic RACIST/BIGOT. "As far as I know."

[Name removed]

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[jenmito]

9. This just proves she was fully aware of all that Muslim smear garbage that came out...

or she TOLD the people to spread the lies. She wouldn't even give a plain and simple "NO. Of COURSE he's not a Muslim." She's the lowest of the low.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted sub-thread

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[K Gardner]

20. She also full well knows this is a rampant rumor in Ohio.. knows that most of

Ohio will be watching 60 Minutes because they know they've been filming there.. and she wanted to perpetuate the "rumor".

This wasn't an accident.

[jenmito]

28. She's worse than Karl Rove. I will not vote at all if she's somehow the nominee. This was the last

straw.

[Zorro]

55. How very Republican

You must be a Vichy Democrat, if you're a registered Democrat at all.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

30. Deleted sub-thread

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[chascarrillo]

31. ... as far as she knows.

[jefferson_dem]

33. "As far as I know."

Fuck Hillary. Ignore that.

[LiberalAndProud]

27. Obama 'took her word" that her campaign had nothing to do

with the garb-gate photos.

Tit for tat. Presidential? You decide. She's only handing back what was handed to her.

[KAZ]

37. ESAD.

[psychopomp]

34. She lost me at "spade work"

Most DU'ers were able to shrug off that use of racist code when she uttered it months ago, but I was convinced that it was dirty politics.

What do you think of her "spadework" now?

[MethuenProgressive]

39. You want others to think that "spade work" is racist? Link?

Because speakers of the English language disagree with you.
http://bits.westhost.com/idioms/id559.htm
spade work first stage of the work, preparation for later work, pave the way Paul did the spade work for our food bank. He asked each of the merchants for a donation.

[psychopomp]

45. You want me to believe it was an innocent gaffe?

You will not convince me. Sen. Clinton has proven that she is not above such gutter politics.

[MethuenProgressive]

46. "gaffe"? It was the use of a common idiom that has to do with a Shovel, not racism. And you know it.

[psychopomp]

49. No, I don't "know it" and I think many others were alarmed, too

I had to wonder if she would really sink that low at first, but she has proven that there is no depth that she is not willing to go in her seeking the worst gutter, slimy politics.

[MethuenProgressive]

56. So, you gonna go picket at Home Depot? Bicycle playing cards?

Your fake outrage is so... well, fake.

[psychopomp]

59. No, I am going to continue to point out Sen. Clintons shortcomings

She has earned that with her remarks.

And I am not "outraged." I have had enough experience living in the United States to realize that there are deep wounds in our body politic that have yet to completely heal. Sen. Clinton has demonstrated on more than one occasion that she is willing to exploit these fissures in our society if she thinks it will help her to win.

I am not outraged, I am extremely disappointed in her and look forward to her being denied the brass ring she craves; it will be the last gasp of the Clinton's style of "win at all costs" politics.

...until somebody else equally amoral reaches into the slime to pick up the baton.

[workinclasszero]

60. You were right

Hill and Bill have been playing dirty since SC at least.

The only positive is Obama gets a preview of the racist, gutter campaign the Thug party is about to hit him over the head with. The Obama campaign can learn how to turn the hate back against the racists and emerge the winner.

That the lesson came form his democratic party rival is sickening.

[Yossariant]

36. It's all rather murky. Farrakhan, the madrassah, the name. Pres. McCain if Obama's the nominee.

:shrug:

[chitty]

40. I think my life will

be better when I don't have to hear or see Mrs. Clinton on a daily basis.

I used to think highly of her, now I think she's just repugnant.

[MethuenProgressive]

41. chitty, she said "OF COURSE NOT" - that's "repugnant"?

Don't get caught up in the shit stirring of the HillaryHaters.

[chitty]

42. I am not caught up in it.

But she does try to create an "air of confusion" with some of her answers.

[MethuenProgressive]

43. AH HA! The scurrilous OP left out the very next sentence! You have all been HAD! Quote:

“No. No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know,” she said.

“It's just scurrilous…?” Kroft inquired.

“Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumors, that I have a great deal of sympathy for anybody who gets, you know, smeared with the kind of rumors that go on all the time,” Clinton said.

------------
The OPer got you all.

[MethuenProgressive]

47. :crickets:

Suckers.

[jefferson_dem]

48. As far as Hillary knows, Obama is not a Muslim but she is definitely the uber-victim

to end all victims.

Keep digging.

[berni_mccoy]

51. Except that I watched the entire video as it aired. When you see her smugness and the way

she said it, there can be no other interpretation for what she said.

This is her Macaca moment.

[Apollo11]

62. But there is another interpretation for what she said.

Hillary was uncomfortable being asked repeatedly about her opponent's religious beliefs and background. She answered the question as clearly and as truthfully as she could. She made it very clear that she does not believe that Barack Obama is or ever has been a Muslim.

I guess this issue is especially relevant for people who think that there is something wrong with Muslims, or that a Muslim should not be President, or that a person's personal beliefs or family background have anything to do with who is the best candidate for President.

[berni_mccoy]

52. This was Clinton's Macaca Moment. n/t

[ORDem]

53. K&R n/t

:kick:

[invictus]

54. "As far as I know," Hillary's political career is finished. n/t

[CJCRANE]

57. "Do you beat your wife, Kroft?"

What a ridiculous line of questioning.

[Thrill]

58. You would expect a fellow Democrat to defend that much harder

Its hard to respect Hillary these days.

[Apollo11]

61. Hillary did a great job dealing with a dumb question

SHAME ON YOU, Steve Kroft, for asking Hillary about Obama's religious beliefs.

AND SHAME ON YOU, Obama supporters, for accusing Hillary of trying to gain some kind of political advantage by supposedly encouraging voters to be fearful of the possibility that Obama might be a Muslim.

PLUS PROPS to Hillary for dealing with this question with clarity and truthfulness!


Hillary Clinton on CBS - 60 Minutes - March 2nd, 2008 (my transcript)

KROFT: You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?

HILLARY: Of course not. I mean that's, you know, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that.

KROFT: You said you take Senator Obama at his word that he's not a Muslim.

HILLARY: Right. Right.

KROFT: You don't believe that he's a Muslim?

HILLARY: No. No. Why would I? There's no ... No. There's nothing to base that on - as far as I know.

KROFT: It's just scurillous ...

HILLARY: Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumours. I have a great deal of sympathy for anyone who gets, you know, smeared by the kind of rumours that go on all the time.


You can see the whole video here:
www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/main500251.shtml?id=38...

The part about Obama's religion is all in the final 3 minutes.

Hillary's answer is very clear and absolutely truthful.

The problem with this whole discussion is that it confirms and underlines the widely-held prejudice that there is something wrong with being a Muslim.

As if being a Muslim would somehow make a person "less American" than a Christian or a Jew or an Agnostic or an Atheist/Humanist/Rationalist.

If you ask, me, I think Hillary should have said "Well, as far as I know, Senator Obama is not a Muslim. Not that there's anything wrong with that!" B-)