I wonder whether anyone has informed President Obama that NYC already has a large number of mosques and, therefore, Muslims have no problem in finding a place where they can worship. Or that traditionally mosques have been built in places where Islam achieved a victory over its enemies? Does he understand how awkward those Muslims who do want to be American must feel?
Above all:
This move puts the mosque (and community center) squarely into the midterm election debate. It is a bit difficult for me to understand the motivation behind this move. Was the President pressured by some of his Muslim friends present at the dinner? Is this a heartfelt statement of principle? Or is this some Alinskyite move, intended to heighten contradictions and "rub raw" (in Alinsky's words) the emotions of the public for yet-to-be revealed purposes? Certainly, from the standpoint of electoral advantage, it is not a logical move. Perhaps the President really does want a Republican Congress that he can run against in 2012.I ask again: does he have a political death wish? Has the presidency turned into ashes as soon as he achieved it?
ADDENDUM: Claudia Rossett investigates the mysterious whereabouts of Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the man behind the plan.
He is so arrogant he doesn't think it is. Obama operates in his own reality, that is the problem.
ReplyDeleteMost politicians do. But this is beyond anything. And completely unnecessary.
ReplyDeleteDifficult question, but I think the answer you seek has two words: Sarah Palin.
ReplyDeleteEver since her "death panels" Facebook post she has been buzzing round inside Obama's head. She is the one conservative politician of any stature who has dared to attack "The One" directly. Obama is a narcissist, and a misogynist. To be criticised and ridiculed by a nobody from the northern wilderness, and a woman to boot, is much more than he can handle.
Although the MSM made its best to hide Palin's message on the 9/11 mosque by ridiculing her neologism it still helped to bring the mosque to the front pages of the national, and even international, newspapers.
In the end it was impossible (psychologically impossible) for Obama not to reply. And just to goad him on the Grizzly Mama posted yet another twitter comment on the mosque just hours before Obama's speech:
"Will Obama express US lingering pain& ask Muslims for tolerance by discouraging 9/11 mosque while he celebrates Islamic holy month tonight?"
/Mikgen
Oh dear, she does not let him rest, does she? This will be commented on in the morning TV shows. (But as everyone knows, Sarah Palin has no influence, is totally irrelevant, and will never be a viable candidate for 2012.)
ReplyDelete"Legitimate Questions for the President
by Sarah Palin kl. 14 Augusti 2010, 15:01.
Mr. President, should they or should they not build a mosque steps away from where radical Islamists killed 3000 people? Please tell us your position. We all know that they have the right to do it, but should they? And, no, this is not above your pay grade. If those who wish to build this Ground Zero mosque are sincerely interested in encouraging positive "cross-cultural engagement" and dialogue to show a moderate and tolerant face of Islam, then why haven't they recognized that the decision to build a mosque at this particular location is doing just the opposite? Mr. President, why aren't you encouraging the mosque developers to accept Governor Paterson's generous offer of assistance in finding a new location for the mosque on state land if they move it away from Ground Zero? Why haven't they jumped at this offer? Why are they apparently so set on building a mosque steps from what you have described, in agreement with me, as "hallowed ground"? I believe these are legitimate questions to ask.
- Sarah Palin"
/Mikgen
My, my, this story moves fast. Apparently president Obama did not say what everyone heard him say, and thought he said. Backtracking it seems....
ReplyDeleteObama's comments take mosque story national
“I was not commenting and I will not comment on the wisdom of making the decision to put a mosque there,” Obama continued. “I was commenting very specifically on the right people have that dates back to our founding. That's what our country is about. And I think it's very important as difficult as some of these issues are that we stay focused on who we are as a people and what our values are all about."
Does not seems he will answer Sarah's question, does it? Or maybe he already did....
/Mikgen
Michelle Malkin, as ever, has been updating the story. Honestly, what was the man thinking of? That nobody will notice what he said? Sometimes I wonder whether TOTUS is a secret Republican.
ReplyDeleteMikgen,I think you are right about Palin goading him.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing about how bright he is,(from people who told us to expect wonderful things )but he seems preternaturally stupid even by the standards of the political class. I think his hatred of this country overwhelms what little sense the man has.
Misogynistic? There were rumors of him being on the down low. This would not surprise me, since the major theme of his life is deceit.
/obama is doubling down. He apparently thinks that pandering to the far left will help in the upcoming mid-terms andhis political stature generally. It seems he is working under the assumption that showing solidarity with the 'other' and the ROP will gain him points domestically and abroad. I believe he is mistaken, but going farther to the left than the public served him well during the campaign and the health care debate. The diff now is that the press is not as docile and the economy is, well, in the crapper.
ReplyDeleteThe tactic is like Kundera's moral judo for first year University students: if you are a socialist, well, I'm a Trotskyite. It is rash and myopic but Obama could just have realized that his admin is ruined and wants to make sure that he will receive Soros money for his foundation post 2012.
@renmimbi - Oh yes, he is sooo bright. Just look at these, and remember that these gafffes are just the winners each week:
ReplyDeleteThe Obamateurism of the week
The last paragraph of the on-line NY SUN op-ed is too good to miss:
ReplyDeletePalin's Point
/Mikgen (who forgot to sign the post above this)
This structure is purely a symbol of conquest,the muslim has not come for a better life or to integrate,but to dominate,to rule.In this country we see the very same thing,mosques springing up on average one a week,for the size of the muslim population they would not require so many if it were only for religious purposes,this is just an expression of thier political agenda backed up with brutal violence which we see in our newspapers every day,they certainly are not our friends.
ReplyDeleteHelen,
ReplyDeleteyour point about him wanting a Republican Congress is also very valid. If Obama's reputation is low, Congress's is lower by far. Obama has got the vast majority of his legislative program through already, so he may be wishing for a few Repbulican bills (like a budget full of pork) to veto.
He may wish to take a back seat and watch the old-timer moderate Republicans get into a state of conflict with the new Tea Party Republicans. Clinton exploited divisions on the right very effectively in the 1990s (remember Ross Perot?).
above comment by Nick
ReplyDeleteI don't think Obama is nearly as smart as Clinton was while being considerably more narcissistic. Quite a lot of that legislative agenda is still hanging fire or can be reversed. He may think having a Republican Congress is a good thing for him but I doubt it. Subtlety is not this man's strong point. I really do think he is finding the first executive position he has ever held for any length of time absolutely exhausting. After all, more experienced people than he have found it difficult.
ReplyDelete