In one of the most astonishing gaffes in American political history, in a national televised interview with ABC's George Stephanopoulus, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama referred to "my muslim faith," confirming what researchers and political opponents have been claiming.
While Stephanopoulus several seconds later tried to correct him, saying "Christian faith," it was too late. The damage was done. Obama clearly did not mean his Christian faith, since he was admitting that "John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith." The term "Christian faith" would not make sense in that context.
Here is the transcript:
STEPHANOPOULOS: You mention your Christian faith. Yesterday you took off after the Republicans for suggesting you have Muslim connections. Just a few minutes ago, Rick Davis, John McCain's campaign manager, said they've never done that. This is a false and cynical attempt to play victim. OBAMA: You know what? I mean, these guys love to throw a rock and hide their hand. The...
STEPHANOPOULOS: The McCain campaign has never suggested you have Muslim connections.
OBAMA: No, no, no. But the -- I don't think that when you look at what is being promulgated on Fox News, let's say, and Republican commentators who are closely allied to these folks--
STEPHANOPOULOS: But John McCain said that's wrong.
OBAMA: Now, well, look. Listen. You and I both know that the minute that Governor Palin was forced to talk about her daughter, I immediately said that's off limits. And--
STEPHANOPOULOS: But John McCain said the same thing about questioning your faith.
OBAMA: And what was the first thing the McCain?s campaign went out and did? They said, look, these liberal blogs that support Obama are out there attacking Governor Palin.
Let's not play games. What I was suggesting -- you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith. And you're absolutely right that that has not come--
STEPHANOPOULOS: Christian faith.
OBAMA: -- my Christian faith. Well, what I'm saying is that he hasn't suggested--
STEPHANOPOULOS: Has connections, right.
OBAMA: -- that I'm a Muslim. And I think that his campaign's upper echelons have not, either.
What I think is fair to say is that, coming out of the Republican camp, there have been efforts to suggest that perhaps I'm not who I say I am when it comes to my faith -- something which I find deeply offensive, and that has been going on for a pretty long time.
What is "fair to say", in fact, is that an off-balance Obama, in an unguarded moment, said three words that undid all of the carefully crafted efforts by his campaign to conceal his muslim family, his muslim childhood, and his adult muslim connections.
Because if Obama were not a Muslim, he could not possibly have said "My Muslim Faith" and indeed, "my Christian faith" would make no sense in that context. He might have said "accusations that I am a muslim" or "claims that I have muslim connections"
Even Obama's attempt at recovery -- "what I'm saying is that he hasn't suggested ... that I'm a Muslim" is in no way equivalent to, or a substitute for, "John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith."
Common sense dictates: Obama could never have said "my muslim faith" -- using the first person possessive -- unless it was an integral part of his identity.
It confirms, at the very least, the accusations, and not just from Republicans -- that "perhaps I'm not who [sic] I say I am when it comes to my faith." Yes, it would seem to be a concealment that has "been going on for a pretty long time, indeed, most of a lifetime of hiding three tell-tale words that could not have been spoken by anyone but a believer: "my Muslim faith."
