Rep. King Stands by Prediction That Obama Presidency Would Be Welcomed by Terrorists
U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa — An Iowa Republican congressman on Monday defended his prediction that terrorists would celebrate if Democrat Barack Obama were elected president, despite a rebuke from aides to John McCain, the GOP’s apparent presidential nominee.
“(Obama will) certainly be viewed as a savior for them,” Rep. Steve King told The Associated Press. “That’s why you will see them supporting him, encouraging him.”
King said his offices have been bombarded with calls — positive and negative — since he said Friday that Al Qaeda “would be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on September 11 because they would declare victory in this war on terror.”
King cited Obama’s pledge to pull U.S. troops from Iraq, his father’s Muslim roots in Kenya and his middle name, Hussein, which King said has a meaning to terrorists.
Asked about the remarks as he campaigned in Mississippi, Obama said, “I think that Mr. King has it backwards. The fact that the continuation of a presence in Iraq as Senator McCain has suggested is exactly what, I think, will fan the flames of anti-American sentiment and make it more difficult for us to create a long-term and sustainable peace in the world.
“But I have to say that Mr. King and individuals like him thrive on offensive or controversial statements as a way to get in the papers, so I don’t take it too seriously. I would hope Senator McCain would want to distance himself from that kind of inflammatory and offensive remarks,” Obama said.
Aides to McCain also disavowed King’s comments.
“John McCain rejects the type of politics that degrades our civics … and obviously that extends to Congressman King’s statement,” spokesman Brian Rogers told The Associated Press.
Last month, McCain also denounced his introduction in Cincinnati by talk-show host Bill Cunningham, who referred to Obama three times as “Barack Hussein Obama.”
Obama supporters have claimed such tactics are being used to imply that he is a Muslim.
The Illinois senator, born in Hawaii to a white Kansas woman and a Kenyan man, is a Christian and has said he has little connection to the Islamic religion, though he acknowledges spending part of his childhood in largely Muslim Indonesia.
I fail to see what is so “inflammatory” and “offensive”. Mr. King has merely had the courage in our PC culture to state the facts. It is not BHO’s fault that his mother gave him a muslim middle name or that his father has muslim roots or that he spent part of his childhood in a largely muslim nation, and that he wants to be elected president of this country in a day and time when these things matter more than they ever have before. If he had been running for president in another day and time these things would not be a factor. His stance on the war on the other hand is his own doing. Simply put, our enemies will interpret the election of BHO as a sign of God’s favor on their cause and it will embolden them. It will be a perception that they have won. It is simply a fact. BHO will have to grow up and deal with it.
All Mr. King has done is state how his election will be perceived among the terrorists. This is not meant to degrade BHO’s lineage. BHO is going to have to be stronger on the issue than any other candidate to overcome his inherent weaknesses in this area of foreign policy.
All these Talkshow Hosts supporting Hillary use INFLAMATORY comments” Racial comments” and Hillary suporters -Heraldine the former Vice presidential nominee and Pensylvania governor Rendell also used INFLAMATORY comments regarding Obama. I think those who support Hillary have racial problem. Herself and her husband used the same INFLAMATORY lines during the campaign. Hillary, Bill, and their racial supporters should understand that, this is the 21 century not the 90s. We do not want our children have the same racial problems than their parents. We must move on and try to bring Blacks, Whites, Latinos, and others together for better America.
Senator Obama’s remarks imply that terrorists only have “anti-American sentiments” for the United States because of our presence in the Middle East. Last time I checked, NYC, Washington DC and Pennsylvania were located on US turf. He naively asserts that terrorists attack because we aren’t sufficiently accomodating to them. Maybe if Obama linked arms with the terrorists and sang “Cumbayah” we would have “sutainable peace in the world”? Thank goodness someone like Rep. King has the guts to infuse some much needed reality into Obama’s foolish rhetoric.
Is it me or have we heard Senators Obamas’ ,our war in Irak is just fanning the flames of anti-American resentment in the Muslim world, argument before. Isn’t this just the same old position from the left, that America standing up for Democracy against tyranny and supporting Israel etc. Is causing the problem. A free democratic superpower has the obligation to be the guardian of liberty in this crazy world, even at great cost and even when contrary to the wishes of tyrants, Muslim or otherwise. History is clear, we can not appease those that demand the destruction of freedom. When will we learn this lesson? Itis percieved as weakness and a victory for despots. There is no middle ground, history has proven this time and time again. Does anybody remember a guy named Hitler? Senater Obama your position has been proven to be a disaster in the past.
God bless America, the worlds shining star.
John Hicks (Democrat)
I emphatically endorse representative King’s remarks stating that an Obama presidency
“would be welcomed by terrorists.” What Senator Obama is advocating is pacifism, a naive and
delusional effort to placate the terrorists by pulling out our troops. Of course this would “be
welcomed by the terrorists”! The terrorists would aso welcome a “gradual” pulling out of troops,
which Senator Clinton has promised should she win the presidency.
The terrorists want to kill us because we disagree with their interpretation of Islam. We
need to elect John Mcain, a man who would see the fight through until we have defeated
the terroirsts!
Thank you!
Jim.
I think Rep King should be removed from office. Comments like that have no place in todays America. I think he & people like him are the one fueling the terrorists. I’d like someone to figure out how to logically explain that someones middle name welcomes terrorists…
Truer words were never spoken…except mayb for Ferrarro’s. It is all true.
Steve King, who is he to talk about Obama..silly fellow….people come out of woods to talk about a honest guy….urghhh
any person who wants to pull us (the troops) out of iraq has no buisness running this country.
All its going to do is allow rouge states to fill the void left when the US is no longer there and create a mutch bigger problome than they could imagine. If Obama cant see this he is truley not fit to run this country
Rep King demeans the Republican party of which I am very proud with his narrow minded and thinly veiled prejudices. We are better than that. As Karl Rove has said the demonization of Obama because of his name or his fathers religion will hurt the Republican party. There are many legitimate issues to criticize.