Obama May Have His Work Cut Out for Him (Focus group thinks of him as Muslim, not American?)

[DeepModem Mom]

WSJ: Obama May Have His Work Cut
Out for Him to Draw Independents
By JACKIE CALMES
May 14, 2008; Page A6

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Barack Obama can't rest should he soon win Democrats' presidential-nomination marathon. His next big challenge: to introduce himself to the independents who may well decide the November election, and dispel the doubts and misinformation that have taken hold among many.

A focus group of independent voters here Monday night suggested that the Illinois senator is largely identified by his association with his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr., whose much-publicized sermons have been called racially divisive and anti-American. Yet Sen. Obama is also identified by many -- incorrectly -- as a Muslim, and suspect for that as well. The upside for the Democrat is that the Republicans' likely nominee, Arizona Sen. John McCain, seems to hold less appeal among independents than he once did, thanks to an unpopular association of his own -- with President Bush.

In the fourth of 10 election-year focus groups sponsored by the nonpartisan Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, a dozen Virginians were chosen to be representative of independents who don't participate in party primaries but will vote in November. The six men and six women ranged from 24 to 72 years old, and varied by income, profession, marital status, education and political leanings. Democratic pollster Peter Hart conducts the sessions, which are open to reporters who remain behind a one-way window, invisible to the group. His chief impression: "While Barack Obama's supporters are shouting 'Yes, we can!', there is another group of independent voters who have not been part of the process who are asking 'Who are you?'"...

***

Sen. Obama's chief appeal is his promise of change in Washington, the group indicated, while Sen. McCain's is his national-security experience. The group split between the two. The vote was six to five for Sen. McCain. A 12th voter, 49-year-old truck loader Susan Shaible, said she was undecided but wouldn't support Sen. McCain because he would continue the war and other Bush policies.

Her hesitation about Sen. Obama was illustrative of the qualms generally, even among potential supporters. While half the group said it hasn't paid much attention to politics, and the others only a bit more, all but two voters cited the Wright controversy as one of the most memorable things, and worried that Sen. Obama might be influenced by his former pastor. Several noted Sen. Obama's gaffe describing some small-town Americans as "bitter" at politicians' failed promises and clinging to their guns and religion. They concluded he may be elitist -- as Sen. Clinton has suggested....

When Mr. Hart asked the group point-blank whether they think of Sen. Obama as an American, half said no. "He is a Muslim," 24-year-old college student Josh Williams said. No one contradicted him, and 65-year-old teacher Dorita Wood echoed, "I don't know about his Muslim background and what they believe in." William Mawyer, a 72-year-old retired insurance-company representative, said he believed Sen. Obama had taken his oath of office on the Quran. The senator swore it on the Bible....

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121073137109790665.html

[rateyes]

1. So, now Muslims can't also be Americans?

And, 24 year old Josh Williams is a piece of shit.

[papau]

2. Hamas endorsed Obama does have a problem as his statements "just campaign talk"

[rateyes]

6. Yeah,

dumbfucks and those who pay attention to them are always a problem for politicians.

[DeepModem Mom]

3. There is so much wrong with that statement. All of this is so depressing!

Can people really be this ignorant -- not only about current politics (I realize we here are all junkies), but generally?

[ellacott]

4. It's depressing to me also

We do seem to have some ignorant people in this country.

[rateyes]

5. That kind of ignorance is intentional.

Chose to be stupid.

[pop goes the weasel]

7. opinion seconded

I think that the Ignoramuses Who Vote (IWV) go out of their way to avoid learning anything which may overturn their prejudices. In fact, if you tell them the truth, point out sources where they can get the truth, develop charts and graphs and a cartoon simplifying the concepts so that even a third grader could understand them, they will ignore everything and hold fast to their ignorance. If they can't be bothered to "pay attention to politics," then they should stay home on election day. I don't expect everyone who does their homework to vote Democratic, because people weigh information differently according to what they value at the moment, but I do expect everyone to be a good citizen and cast their votes based on knowledge, not rumor or bigotry.

[DeepModem Mom]

8. Good points. People seem to believe any unsourced nut-stuff mass e-mail forwarded to them...

by a friend or acquaintance -- or listen to scurrilous gossip -- but can't be bothered to look at actual news or some form of legitimate info.