Mismanaging the world

"John McCain and the Republicans will lose if this campaign is about issues. They only mismanaged the economy and mismanaged the hurricane and mismanaged the budget and mismanaged the war and mismanaged the hunt for Osama bin Laden and mismanaged the world." --John Brummett, Arkansas News Bureau. (Hat tip: Ben Smith.)

P.S. Meanwhile, on an unrelated note, the Obama campaign takes some MSM heat for its less than entirely progressive attitude toward the American Muslim community. Money quote from Congressman Keith Ellison (he's the guy who was actually photographed being sworn in with his hand on the Koran), regarding Obama's aggressive denials of those pesky "smears" alleging that he's a Muslim: "A lot of us are waiting for him to say that there's nothing wrong with being a Muslim, by the way." More here and here.

Comments

[Joe Mama]

Mike Huckabee saying that Repulicans should not demonize Obama is worthy of such derision?

I have no idea who John Brummett is, apparently for good reason.

[Sandy Underpants]

He's the smartest guy in Arkansas... Well the smartest guy in Arkansas doesn't live there anymore, so he's the smartest guy still living there.

[Joe Loy]

In one of the linked TNR/The Plank blogposts, Dayo Olopade declares (emphases added),

After all, it's factually accurate that there's nothing wrong with being a Muslim.

Well. Me say Dayo has his heart in the right place (a little Left of center :) but still No, his stamp of Nihil Obstat upon Islam is not "factually accurate". Nor is it "factually" Inaccurate. It cannot be either, because it is not a question of demonstrable-or-debunkable Fact, it's a matter of unprovable & irrefutable Opinion. There are no doubt plenty of people who Opine ~ everybody get ready to submit your Factual disproofs, now ~ that what's Wrong with being a Muslim is that one must follow a False prophet and the strictures of a false Scripture and thus never get to any Heaven with or without virgins, Blessed or otherwise. (Woops / flirting with blasphemy, here / mea maxima culpa, Cardinal David K :)

Granted, probably most of those American Voters who find Something Wrong with Muslims, do so on the somewhat less Theological basis that It's all them damn Sunny and Shittite ragheads that're tryna Kill us. / On this point ~ i.e., the proposition that the whole Islamic World is at War against the USA ~ some actual Facts do intrude. (But sadly, there's still room for Opinion too.)

A propos of which, Mr. Olopade goes on to blog (emphasis his),

...I don't think the ten percent of the nation that (according to Pew) believes Barack Obama is himself Muslim will increase because he acknowledges this reality.

Meaning the "reality" that there's Nothing Wrong With Being A Muslim. / Oh, you don't think so, eh? I do. More to the point: I suspect Obama does. See, "tryna Kill us", above. / Dayo then sayo,

...In fact, the invariable freak show of coverage that would follow such a statement could defang the rumor (more light!), and could go a long way, imagistically, in reinforcing the notion of Obama as reformer.

Freak Show, yes, and the phrase well struck too :}. / Fang Extraction and Reformist Reinforcement, no. OK well maybe not No but at best, a big Roll of the Dice. (Apologies to Bill Clinton :)

* * * * * * * * * * * * *
In the other linked TNR-The Plank post, Isaac Chotiner recalls how Obama aides asked Michigan US Rep Keith Ellison to can the plan to address an Obama rally at an Iowa mosque, to avoid controversy. The country's first Muslim congressman complied. The blogger writes,

Now try and picture this occurring with, say, a Jewish or Catholic Congressman--the outcry would be absolutely enormous.

Sure. But it would never happen ~ Nowadays ~ with a Jewish or Catholic Congressman, because (a) Those prejudices have faded, (b) those Tribes have waxed prosperous, respectable & Powerful, and especially (c) no significant slice of the American electorate believes (any more) that International Jewry and/or World Popery is seeking to subjugate and/or destroy America.

Yes, Obama is on the Horns of a dilemma with this business. / The Profile in Courage would be to speak up & affirm that in his opinion most Muslim Americans ~ like most Americans of other faiths ~ are Good Citizens, and moreover are his brothers & sisters whom he as a Christian is bound to, and Does, respect and love. / Will he Do it? / If he does, how will those Dice come up? ;>

[Jim]

heh, I've been wondering when this would come up.

[Sandy Underpants]

It's strange that in such a freedom loving country a candidate can be "accused" of being a Muslim by the opposing party in a smear to prevent him from being elected President. Whatever happened to freedom of Religion, and how far has America fallen when this goes on and is seemingly accepted as understandable dirty politics as usual?

Obama Akbar!

[Joe Mama]

"Whatever happened to freedom of religion?"

Absolutely nothing.

[David K.]

Sandy, its nothing new to use a Presidential candidates religion against them. However I don't think it really has anything to do with freedom of religion, its just fear and bigotry. As long as the government itself is not preventing us from worship as we like, then its not a freedom of religion issue.

[Joe Loy]

Yeah. Nor is it, strictly speaking, a "... no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States" issue [US Const, Art VI] as long as such Test remains merely in the Minds of the Voters.

(Of course the spirit of the constitution ~ well, that's Another matter.)

[Alasdair]

Shame on you, Elder Loy !

"the spirit of the constitution " is introducing your animistic beliefs into civil discourse ! Fie !

[Joe Loy]

Alasdair, I am not now & never have been a member of The Animist Party. :> You just stick to Your druids and I'll stick with Mine ;}.

[Alasdair]

Elder Loy - are you or have you ever been The Official Patriarch of the Stuffed-Animist Party ?

(grin)

[Joe Loy]

LOL, Alasdair! :) Lay on, MacDuffy, and damn'd be him that first cries, Hold a Stuffie! :>