Republicans decry use of 'Hussein' in Obama's name

[Doomsday101]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan formally denounced on Thursday the Tennessee Republican Party's use of Barack Obama's full name in a recent news release questioning the Illinois senator's commitment to Israel.

"The RNC rejects these kinds of campaign tactics," Duncan said in a statement. "We believe this election needs to be about the critical issues confronting our nation."

The statement in question, which was released Monday, said the state party is joining a "growing chorus of Americans concerned about the future of the nation of Israel ... if Sen. Barack Hussein Obama is elected president of the United States."

It also included a photograph of Obama from a 2006 trip to Kenya, in which he is dressed in traditional attire.

The news release was sparked by recent praise for the senator from Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan, who has made derogatory remarks about Judaism and has indicated his support for Obama.

At Tuesday night's MSNBC debate, Obama said he denounced those comments and did not seek Farrakhan's support.

On Wednesday night, the party removed both the photo and the reference of "Hussein" from the statement after Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander called to express his belief that using them had become a distraction, Tennessee GOP Communications Director Bill Hobbs said.

The news release now includes a clarification that reads, "This release originally referenced a photo of Sen. Obama and incorrectly termed it to be 'Muslim' garb. It is, in fact, Somali tribal garb, hence, we have deleted the photo. Also, in order to diffuse attempts by Democrats and the Left to divert attention from the main point of this release -- that Sen. Obama has surrounded himself with advisers and received endorsements from people who are anti-Semitic and anti-Israel -- we have deleted the use of Barack Obama's middle name."

Hobbs said Thursday that the party will no longer use Obama's middle name in news releases.

"We're not going to be using the middle name now, because apparently, it's become a distraction," he said. "But I would note, not too long ago, I saw a wire story out of the Middle East that talked about how a lot of people there are hungry for Obama to win and, in part, because his middle name gives him a connection, and that story used his middle name, so we're not the first people to notice and use his middle name."

Hobbs denied that the use of Obama's full name carried any racial overtones but said he wasn't surprised the statement has caused such an uproar.

"The left always finds something to pick at other than to describe the issues; we're not surprised at all."

The news release, however, drew a sharp rebuke Wednesday from Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser, who said it "amplifies misinformation, discredited tall tales and Internet innuendo to appeal to the worst in people."

Though it was issued Monday, the release came under fresh scrutiny Wednesday after conservative talk radio host Bill Cunningham repeatedly used Obama's full name at a John McCain campaign event in Cincinnati, Ohio, while describing Obama as a "hack Chicago-style Daley politician" who had yet to be challenged by the media

And McCain, who on Tuesday denounced Cunningham's remarks, also indicated Wednesday evening that he disapproved of the news release.

"This will be a respectful debate," the Arizona senator said in San Antonio. "I have pledged if I am able to secure the nomination of my party, it will be a respectful debate; I will continue to treat Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama with respect, just I have treated my primary opponents with great respect."

[CanadianCowboysFan]

gee who could have see such a tactic coming? Interesting thing, even if the RNC decried the use of Barack's full name, the public is now focussed on his middle name.

As an aside, when did support for Israel become a requirement to be President of the USA?

[iceberg]

Originally Posted by CanadianCowboysFan

gee who could have see such a tactic coming? Interesting thing, even if the RNC decried the use of Barack's full name, the public is now focussed on his middle name.

As an aside, when did support for Israel become a requirement to be President of the USA?

We will simply NOT tolerate the misuse of barak hussein obama's middle name. DO NOT focus on HUSSEIN as an issue. HUSSEIN is NOT an issue and a man can be named HUSSEIN if he wants to be!

heh

[Doomsday101]

Originally Posted by CanadianCowboysFan

gee who could have see such a tactic coming? Interesting thing, even if the RNC decried the use of Barack's full name, the public is now focussed on his middle name.

As an aside, when did support for Israel become a requirement to be President of the USA?

Republicans are not the 1st to mention Obama middle name but McCain was very quick in denouncing it when Cunningham continued to use it and McCain has since has been slammed by Cunningham on his conservative talk show because McCain took exception to it. As for support of Israel they are allies to us in a very dangerous region

[theogt]

Holy cow. Can we all step back and realize that using the guy's name is considered a negative attack? Calling him by his name? What the heck?

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Originally Posted by theogt

Holy cow. Can we all step back and realize that using the guy's name is considered a negative attack? Calling him by his name? What the heck?

If his middle name was John, would you be calling him Barack John Obama in a speech? Of course not.

Tieing it into a lack of support for Israel is a brilliant move, makes it look like he is an Arab jew hating Democrat without even saying that is the case.

[Doomsday101]

Originally Posted by theogt

Holy cow. Can we all step back and realize that using the guy's name is considered a negative attack? Calling him by his name? What the heck?

Cunningham was doing it to raise doubts about Obama background, of course he claims that was not the case but most who heard him had no doubt why Cunningham continue to say it time after time. Personally I don’t think the RNC should be mocked for telling those who are campaigning to knock it off

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Originally Posted by Doomsday101

Cunningham was doing it to raise doubts about Obama background, of course he claims that was not the case but most who heard him had no doubt why Cunningham continue to say it time after time. Personally I don’t think the RNC should be mocked for telling those who are campaigning to knock it off

RNC has done all it can. You know it will be mentioned other times though, just like McCain's black baby, his affair with a woman 30 years younger (hell great work if you can get it) etc

All is fair in love, war and politics

[zrinkill]

I here them say William Jefferson Clinton all the time

as well as George Walker Bush


How bout Franklin Delano Roosevelt?


If the guy was ashamed of that name he should have changed it .... If he is not ashamed of it, it should not bother him.

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Originally Posted by zrinkill

I here them say William Jefferson Clinton all the time

as well as George Walker Bush


How bout Franklin Delano Roosevelt?


If the guy was ashamed of that name he should have changed it .... If he is not ashamed of it, it should not bother him.

Walker was used to distinguish him from his dad, you know it and I know it.

As for the others, who knows why they used the middle name.

However, you aren't that dumb, you know as well as I do mentioning Hussein at same time as comments on the state of Israel were done deliberately.

[theogt]

Originally Posted by CanadianCowboysFan

If his middle name was John, would you be calling him Barack John Obama in a speech? Of course not.

Tieing it into a lack of support for Israel is a brilliant move, makes it look like he is an Arab jew hating Democrat without even saying that is the case.

Originally Posted by Doomsday101

Cunningham was doing it to raise doubts about Obama background, of course he claims that was not the case but most who heard him had no doubt why Cunningham continue to say it time after time. Personally I don’t think the RNC should be mocked for telling those who are campaigning to knock it off

If he doesn't like his middle name, he should change it.

[ThreeSportStar80]

And people wonder why the world hates this country so much, CanadianCowboysFan makes a wonderful point, if Sen. Obama's middle name was Jeffrey or Julius etc. this WOULD NOT be a topic at all... As an Black person I'm embarrassed at this country for the ignorance it constantly displays....

[Jon88]

Originally Posted by CanadianCowboysFan

Walker was used to distinguish him from his dad, you know it and I know it.

As for the others, who knows why they used the middle name.

However, you aren't that dumb, you know as well as I do mentioning Hussein at same time as comments on the state of Israel were done deliberately.

Yeah they probably were.

[ConcordCowboy]

Originally Posted by ThreeSportStar80

And people wonder why the world hates this country so much, CanadianCowboysFan makes a wonderful point, if Sen. Obama's middle name was Jeffrey or Julius etc. this WOULD NOT be a topic at all... As an Black person I'm embarrassed at this country for the ignorance it constantly displays....

This is one of those don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining moments.

We ALL know exactly why the guy was making a big deal about his middle name.

But I don't in the least this kind of crap is going to work for McCain in this election.

I mean last night it came out that McCain had said he never met the guy before and now it comes out that not only did McCain meet the guy before but that McCain's campaign specifically wanted that guy to introduce McCain because they knew he was known to be a guy that would throw Red meat (like the middle name thing and others) to the people before McCain came out in order to get them worked up.

[zrinkill]

Originally Posted by theogt

If he doesn't like his middle name, he should change it.

Exactly ..... If McCain's middle name was Adolf .... I guarantee that every democrat would say it every time they mentioned him.