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WEST DES MOINES — 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-Qaida "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.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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- James Beltran's Column, All of Newsvine
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- Regions: United States , Kenya , Iraq , Indonesia , Des Moines/Ames
- Public Discussion (36)
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9.6
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1.1
{"commentId":1563538,"authorDomain":"thecivicvoice"}
Key it up, guys. See where it gets you. Good for McCain for dismissing these sorts of tactics.
{"commentId":1563538,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"thecivicvoice"}
- 6 votes
#1 - Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:04 PM EDT{"commentId":1563589,"authorDomain":"osaide"}
May he choke on his tongue @$# hole
{"commentId":1563589,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"osaide"}
- 4 votes
#2 - Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:22 PM EDT{"commentId":1563632,"authorDomain":"biochemgirl"}
I don't know why this is news. I guess being from Iowa, I am desensitized to this guy's absurd comments. I don't know who keeps electing him. The best thing to do is ignore him, he is just the run of the mill politico who wants his time in the sun and is willing to say anything to get it.
{"commentId":1563632,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"biochemgirl"}
- 5 votes
#3 - Mon Mar 10, 2008 11:39 PM EDT{"commentId":1570669,"authorDomain":"Extremist-Moderate"}
I don't know who keeps electing him.
That's a brilliant question now, isn't it? Who could possibly go into a voting both a honestly feel he is appropriate for the job? Does he run unopposed? How demoralizing it must be, to lose to a man such as King. I think that would be a great investigative report for biochemgirl, to take a day and wander about his voting district with camera and notepad in hand. Ask who is proud of their vote for Steve King as their representative, and document for Newsvine the nature of his constituency!
No, really....I'm not kidding, it will be an amusing story to read of, no matter what you discover.
{"commentId":1570669,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"Extremist-Moderate"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1570690,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
Heh, do it!
{"commentId":1570690,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1571520,"authorDomain":"biochemgirl"}
Spring break is next week. I am on the job. Be sure to check my page for my first original article! :)
{"commentId":1571520,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"biochemgirl"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1583279,"authorDomain":"thedagda"}
OK, so I looked it up. The Dems have a decent candidate to dethrone King in the 5th District, in Western Iowa, which once sent (now-Senator) Tom Harkin to Congress. The district includes suburban Omaha and Sioux City. Ron Hubler, a retired Presbyterian minister and Vietnam War-era veteran who favors bringing the troops home from Iraq and sees the subtleties needed to resolve the illegal immigration question.
He could use some money.
Here is his website: Hubler for Congress
and here is a recent press release from his campaign:
Hubler Demands The Incumbent Apologize For
Linking Possible Obama Administration With Al-Qaeda Victory
Rob Hubler, Democratic candidate for Iowa's Fifth Congressional District, is demanding the incumbent publicly apologize for his statement that if U.S. Senator Barrack Obama becomes president, it would be a greater victory for Al-Qaeda than the terrorist attacks of 9-11.
"To say Islamic extremists would be 'dancing in the streets' because of a possible American president's middle name is beyond comprehension," Hubler said. "We have heard him call Joseph McCarthy an American hero and claim the streets of downtown Baghdad are safer than those of our nation's capital. But to say Barack Obama is a link to those who want to destroy the United States is the greatest of insults."
"Is this the representation western Iowans want to be known for? Will this rhetoric truly move our country forward," Hubler asked. "Nothing less than a public apology by the incumbent and admonishment by the U.S. Congress for his remarks is acceptable."
"Now we see the tactics of this Congressman for what they really are," Hubler added. "Continuous fear and demagoguery, all for the sake of extremism and dividing this country, is the foundation for his re-election campaign. This only serves our purpose of letting the people of the Fifth District know there is an alternative for Real Representation come November Fourth."
Kick in a few bucks if you can, or mosey on out to Iowa.
{"commentId":1583279,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"thedagda"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1563706,"authorDomain":"zennhead"}
I don't think this guy is a nice guy. He's a jackass, actually. I have seen him on C-Span's coverage of the House, and jackass is being kind. However, one has to remember that millions upon millions of Muslims throughout the world are barely literature. Millions more are heavily weighted against the U.S. Millions would probably buy that Obama IS a Muslim, and that weird American political games either make it impossible for him to declare his allegiance to Allah, or the American media simply doesn't want to report it. One of the main characteristics of the Arab and Muslim world is a tendency to grok towards crazy conspiracy theories. Again, strong distrust of anything coming from America and despising the U.S. could easily lead to a strange conspiracy theory emanating from al-Qaeda about Obama's "muslim background." WE know he's not. WE don't give a crap if he is. This IS America, and we don't even need to know if he is or isn't. There are going to be plenty of ignorant Americans who really WILL believe Obama is a Muslim, no matter how many people say he's not. Just believing that b.s. will cause them to vote against him. That's what King wants. King is a twit, but there will be, no matter what we'd like to see, dancing in some streets as millions of Muslims think a fellow Muslim has been elected President. It's goofy, but I think, unfortunately, he's right. But if you listen to King, you KNOW he's not really right in the head. He's a twit. Just know that lots and lots of dumb Americans will believe it. THAT's what King hopes will happen. He is a religious zealout in his own right, and he wants to skew the results against Obama, and won't retract his prediction, I suspect, no matter who leans on him.
{"commentId":1563706,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"zennhead"}
- 3 votes
#4 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:05 AM EDT{"commentId":1563712,"authorDomain":"agio"}
Apparently some people are afraid of Muslims dancing. Why is that?
{"commentId":1563712,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"agio"}
- 4 votes
{"commentId":1563776,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
zealout
Did you mean to say zealot? Because I hope you were cleverly combing the words "zealot" and "sellout," but that doesn't seem likely. It seems like a typo.
But if it was a clever concatenation, then my did you make a good word!
{"commentId":1563776,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1563865,"authorDomain":"arghawon"}
Apparently some people are afraid of Muslims dancing. Why is that?
Muslims dancing cause bombs to fall on your head...
Like the Rain dance, but w/ a big boom!!
{"commentId":1563865,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"arghawon"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1563868,"authorDomain":"douglasq"}
Apparently some people are afraid of Muslims dancing. Why is that?
Maybe it is only the news footage I have seen, but they tend to shoot in the air a lot while dancing.
{"commentId":1563868,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"douglasq"}
{"commentId":1564552,"authorDomain":"marygj"}
Steve maybe it was lout not sellout!
{"commentId":1564552,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"marygj"}
{"commentId":1565597,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
Muslims dancing cause bombs to fall on your head...
Like the Rain dance, but w/ a big boom!!
Thanks for the racist/ethnocentric/whatever word applies comment. Hopefully I'm not the only one who reported it as such.
{"commentId":1565597,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
{"commentId":1565685,"authorDomain":"agio"}
they tend to shoot in the air a lot
This might be true. Though the Mythbusters tested the myth of bullets falling out of the sky and found there was no way they could attain a terminal velocity that would be harmful.
(Still not a good idea, though.)
{"commentId":1565685,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"agio"}
{"commentId":1567983,"authorDomain":"arghawon"}
Ok SteveHouse
its called SARCASM.... I was joking at the absurdity of the comment about 'dancing Muslims'.
I was born in Kabul and 99% of my family are Muslim. Lighten up, dude!
{"commentId":1567983,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"arghawon"}
{"commentId":1568000,"authorDomain":"CCS"}
Arghawon, you've gotta be more clear with the sarcasm. You've been around Newsvine for a while, so what I'm about to say shouldn't be news to you. We encounter to much bigotry and racism on this 'vine to leave anything to chance. The written word is very open to interpretation. I thought you meant the same thing Steve thought...
Don't jump on him because sarcasm doesn't read well on the internet. But, now that I know you like sarcasm, I'll be more likely to read that into future comments of yours.
{"commentId":1568000,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"CCS"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1568004,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
Sorry, Arghawon. When you're making a statement like that, it's probably just better to call it what it is afterwards, either explicitly or implicitly.
Hopefully we can avoid further misunderstandings with that, and better reading on my part. :)
{"commentId":1568004,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
{"commentId":1568095,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
*shrugs* I thought it was hilarious... particularly the "rain dance" thing. LOL
{"commentId":1568095,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1569428,"authorDomain":"arghawon"}
I apologize, I am sorry. You are right, I should have added some kind of sarcasm note....
:) Hugs all around :)
{"commentId":1569428,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"arghawon"}
- 2 votes
{"commentId":1563707,"authorDomain":"agio"}
Ass + Hat = this guy.
{"commentId":1563707,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"agio"}
- 5 votes
#5 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:05 AM EDT{"commentId":1563779,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
I LOL'ed at that one. Congratulations.
{"commentId":1563779,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1563716,"authorDomain":"isaacs"}
Let him keep talking... he's essentially just digging a larger hole for McCain. LOL
{"commentId":1563716,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"isaacs"}
- 5 votes
#6 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:08 AM EDT{"commentId":1563756,"authorDomain":"CCS"}
I would love to agree with you, but I need to find out which hole you're talking about... With conservatives, or with the average American voter?
If it's with the average American voter, McCain keeps distancing himself vocally from these statements, so I don't think they harm him as much as the GOP on the whole.
But with Conservatives, probably. McCain can only denounce so many of his comments before they stop seeing him as one of them, assuming they ever did...
{"commentId":1563756,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"CCS"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1563770,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
King cited ... and [Obama's] middle name, Hussein, which King said has a meaning toterroristsMuslims.
There. See, when you see what he was thinking, it makes a lot of sense. 1) Yes, Hussein has a meaning to Muslims. Good for you for having some kind of cultural observational skills. 2) No, all Muslims aren't terrorists. Please retire.
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.
What he said.
{"commentId":1563770,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
- 2 votes
#7 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:30 AM EDT{"commentId":1563782,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
Also, this man is the devil, and I can prove it.
Look at his eyes.
{"commentId":1563782,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
- 1 vote
#8 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:33 AM EDT{"commentId":1563791,"authorDomain":"CCS"}
His eyes are lifeless and scary (very dead-like), but that's discrimination against people with ice blue or steel gray eyes. On a warm person, they can be quite sexy.
{"commentId":1563791,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"CCS"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1563800,"authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
Appended:
Look at his eyes and how they contrast with the rest of him.
{"commentId":1563800,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"stevehouse"}
- 1 vote
{"commentId":1563813,"authorDomain":"agio"}
I dunno, I always assumed the devil was "a man of wealth and taste," not a Republican flunkey. But then again, theology's not really my forte.
{"commentId":1563813,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"agio"}
- 3 votes
{"commentId":1563814,"authorDomain":"jfrank"}
I thought the last time they attacked a republican was in office.
{"commentId":1563814,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"jfrank"}
- 3 votes
#9 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 12:43 AM EDT{"commentId":1563877,"authorDomain":"marygj"}
Question:
Why do the Republicans have a double standard? Democrats get some backbone. Stand up and demand this man apologize. You all made Rep. Stark apologize for the truth he told about Bush. Maybe he could have said it differently, but we all know he was not lying. Republicans, of course, wanted him formally reprimanded but the Dems would not take it that far.
Republican double standards, hmmm Hillary Clinton fits right in...
{"commentId":1563877,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"marygj"}
#10 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 1:29 AM EDT{"commentId":1563938,"authorDomain":"forager"}
maybe he has mad cow disease from eating all of that feedlot pork from his home state.
{"commentId":1563938,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"forager"}
#11 - Tue Mar 11, 2008 2:13 AM EDT{"commentId":1570737,"authorDomain":"QACoach"}
Lemme guess...King has a set of white robes and a hood at home in his closet.
{"commentId":1570737,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"QACoach"}
- 1 vote
#12 - Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:04 PM EDT{"commentId":1577053,"authorDomain":"pmorgan-1"}
Hmmmm..... the odds are against that since he is not a Democrat. Do the research
{"commentId":1577053,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"pmorgan-1"}
{"commentId":1577059,"authorDomain":"pmorgan-1"}
Visit the national black republicans site to see why.
{"commentId":1577059,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"pmorgan-1"}
{"commentId":1576999,"authorDomain":"pmorgan-1"}
The only thing I agree with King is that names do matter since certain words can trigger a positive or negative response. Would you vote for a candidate with the name of Benedict Arnold, Adolf Hitler, Jeffrey Dahmer or Osama bin Laden? Perhaps another George Bush, even if he had no relation to the one in office today and not a republican? Everyone associates certain words with positive, negative or neutral experiences. So having a name like "Obama" that sounds like "bomber" or "Osama", or "Hussein" that is associated to "Saddam", does not help a campaign. Yes, everyone should look past the name and focus on the issues, the record, the experience and what a candidate stands for, but that would only happen in a perfect world. And nobody is perfect. If you still don't think that a names matter then ask yourself how likely would you be to buy a chocolate candy bar named "Turd", "Excrement", "Crap", "Dropping", "Dung", "Manure", "Poop", "Sewage", or "Stool".
{"commentId":1576999,"threadId":"232693","contentId":"1357443","authorDomain":"pmorgan-1"}
#13 - Fri Mar 14, 2008 10:58 AM EDT{"canLink":false,"threadId":"232693","isPrivate":false}
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