Obama Steers Clear of Michigan Muslims He May Need to Win State

[Purveyor]

Heidi Przybyla Wed Jul 16, 12:01 AM ET

July 16 (Bloomberg) -- The cover of this week's New Yorker magazine may explain why Barack Obama isn't reaching out to Michigan's Muslims.

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Muslim- and Arab-Americans represent 4 percent of the vote in Michigan, a battleground in this year's election. Yet Obama, who has held 13 events in the state during the presidential campaign, hasn't visited a mosque or met with Muslim leaders.

Bill Ballenger, editor of the nonpartisan newsletter Inside Michigan Politics, said Obama, 46, has to strike a delicate balance. The Illinois senator ``doesn't have to pander'' to such voters, who are likely to back him anyway, though he can ill- afford to ``dismiss them in an arrogant fashion.''

While Obama is leading in Michigan polls, some politicians said it would be a mistake for him not to actively court the state's Muslim voters, who went for Democrat John Kerry four years ago and Republican George W. Bush in 2000.

`Peril' for Democrats

The Democrats ``do this at their own peril,'' said David Bonior, a former Michigan congressman who is advising Obama.

Osama Siblani, publisher of The Arab American News in Dearborn, complained that Obama's arms-length approach demonstrates that he views Muslims as ``a liability.''

Many Muslims who once leaned Republican have been turned off by the Iraq war and the law-enforcement scrutiny of their community put in place after the Sept. 11 attacks. Nationally, only 8 percent of Muslims identify themselves as Republican, compared with 49 percent who say they are Democrats, according to the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations. In 2006, the percentage was 17 percent Republican to 42 percent Democratic.

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BLOOMBERG: http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20080716/pl_bloomberg/aercm5vov0ja;_ylt=AhCMsX8D5fyYKMukq064vNSs0NUE

[anonymous171]

1. lol the news orgs are very concerned that Obama isn't hanging out with Muslim groups.

[sufrommich]

2. There is no way in hell the arabs in this state are

going to vote for McCain and more bloodshed in the Middle East.It ain't gonna happen.A cartoon is not going to take precedence over a republican who wants to put their extended families in their countries of origin in harms way for illogical reasons. Obama will get the vast majority of the Arab vote.

[Another Bill C.]

3. As soon as he does

embrace the Muslim community, every right-winger in the country will be sending out e-mails with the picture and a subject line that says "I told you so!"

[anonymous171]

4. Which is what the oh-so-concerned MSM is hoping for.

[ClassWarrior]

17. There's NOTHING "mainstream" about the Corporate Media.

Please don't advance that meme by calling 'em "MSM."

NGU.

[DesertFlower]

7. you're right and it's sad. nt

[sufrommich]

9. And yet this one is fine and dandy with them:

<a href="" target="_blank"><img src="" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[stray cat]

5. 1 person 1 vote - you could say the same for reaching out to any demographic

[pegleg]

6. He really isn't losing a thing by not hanging out with them.

Muslims are not likely to vote for McCain, so Obama risks losing more than he would gain if he appears to be too close to muslims.

[Cha]

8. I guess ol Heidi didn't

see the one where Obama said the New Yorker cover was "insulting to Muslims"?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6506979

[MichiganVote]

10. Has McSame visited any Mosques lately? Thought not.

[cbc5g]

11. So? He's steering clear of me too, an atheist ..this is the media trying to start controversy

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

12. I'm very concerned the Michigan Muslims will vote for McCain.

As a life-long Michigan Muslim, I'm very concerned.

[VADem11]

13. What?

Obama has opened up a campaign office in Dearborn which is home to many many Muslims in Michigan. Obama can't win according to the MSM.

[Motown_Johnny]

14. Do you think the Michigan Muslim vote might go to McCain? I don't, and I live within 30 miles of

Dearborn Michigan

[Arkana]

15. Wow, the media is concern-trolling us.

Fuckers.

[book_worm]

16. latest poll shows Obama 8-points up in Michigan, twice what Kerry won it by.