Clinton Camp Attempts 'Muslim' Smear of Obama (updated)

By Rick Moran

Perhaps if the Clinton campaign itself had released the photo showing Barack Obama in the traditional Kenyan garb of a tribal elder (hinting that it was clothing worn by Muslims), it would have been seen as simple stupidity and a sign of how low the campaign has sunk.

But as it turns out, the Clinton camp circulated the photo and may have even posted it on the right wing site Free Republic in order to get conservatives to do their dirty work for them. At the very least, the Freeper who posted the photo may have been tipped by a Clinton staffer.

From Drudge:

With a week to go until the Texas and Ohio primaries, stressed Clinton staffers circulated a photo over the weekend of a "dressed" Barack Obama.

The photo, taken in 2006, shows the Democrat frontrunner fitted as a Somali Elder, during his visit to Wajir, a rural area in northeastern Kenya. The senator was on a five-country tour of Africa.

"Wouldn't we be seeing this on the cover of every magazine if it were HRC?" questioned one campaign staffer, in an email obtained by the DRUDGE REPORT.

The question is irrelevant because the Clinton campaign knows full well that there is a sizable segment of conservatives who have been trying to prove that Obama is some kind of closet Muslim. By circulating the photo in conservative circles, they had to know that it would go viral as some less than intelligent righties would point to the picture as "proof" of Obama's adherence to Islam or that he somehow sympathizes with Muslims.

There are many very troublesome positions taken by Obama that most of us on the right feel disqualifies him from serving as President - not the least is his squishy foriegn policy and attitudes toward Israel.

But trying to mine this vein of attack is useless. Obama is not a Muslim. Nor is there any evidence that he is a Muslim sympathizer beyond his respect for all religions. And trying to posit the notion that he would be sympathetic to the extremists is just plain loony.

I have some thoughts on conservatives who are trying to push this theme here.

Thomas Lifson adds:

Rick is correct that Obama is no Muslim. But the Hillary campaign has a point that the picture has not received media coverage. The relevant comparison is to Bush in silly garb at summits, or Dukakis atop the tank with the silly headgear. Even Saturday Night Live realizes the press in overdoing the Obama adulation. Americans love to see their leaders and wannabe leaders make fools of themselves. Why should Obama be immune?