Advice for the Would-Be President

Barack Obama continues to counter rumors the campaign claims it hears that he is a Muslim.

First, let me say that the only place I'm hearing these alleged rumors is from the Obama campaign. The cynic in me is led to believe that the campaign is trying too hard to keep these alleged rumors alive, because A) they are easily refuted and B) they can make it seem to the casual, non-partisan voter that the only reason not to like Obama is that he's a Muslim (which he's not), even though there are plenty of actual reasons not to like him.

So I think that if the campaign were really trying to quell these alleged rumors, and not merely wanting to be seen quelling the alleged rumors, that they should simply drop the alleged matter.

But if it is deemed necessary to put down these alleged rumors, Barack Obama should now be giving pressers to say "I do not wish to alienate peace-loving, mainstream American Muslims, but rather we Christians should be reaching out to all people of faith to build blah blah hopey, changey blah blah.

If he were really interested in dispelling all of these alleged rumors of his allegedly alleged Muslimicity, then stridently insisting on reaching out to Muslims would be the clearest way to do that. Embracing non-terrorist Islam is also good policy, regardless of the motivation for it.

If I, mere political hobbyist, can think of this strategy in 15 seconds, why can't the junior Senator from the great State of Illinois?

At the risk of arguing circuendo, let me suggest that perhaps the campaign finds greater value in swatting straw rumors of its own propagation, and appearing to be the victim of some alleged whispering campaign, than in behaving as would the President of the United States.

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