Barack Obama: 57 States
Senator Obama discusses his campaign:
57 American states? Following the dust-up over his remarks, the official Obama geography expert responds:
So maybe Barack Obama just doesn’t have a map? OK?
El Rushbo gave a mention to another “57″ that’s found in this little factoid. I’ve pasted from Wikipedia.
The Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) is an international organization with a permanent delegation to the United Nations. It groups 57 nations, most of which are Islamic, from the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, Caucasus, Balkan, Southeast Asia, South Asia and South America. The official languages of the organization are Arabic, English and French.
And speaking of the Muslim issue, there was an interesting piece in the New York Times of all places that discusses Barack’s religious heritage. The author, Edward Luttwak, questions whether that heritage will actually make Barack a better diplomat in relations with the Muslim world given the religious codes in regard to apostasy. Here’s a brief pull-out, put please read the entire piece:
Because no government is likely to allow the prosecution of a President Obama — not even those of Iran and Saudi Arabia, the only two countries where Islamic religious courts dominate over secular law — another provision of Muslim law is perhaps more relevant: it prohibits punishment for any Muslim who kills any apostate, and effectively prohibits interference with such a killing.
At the very least, that would complicate the security planning of state visits by President Obama to Muslim countries, because the very act of protecting him would be sinful for Islamic security guards. More broadly, most citizens of the Islamic world would be horrified by the fact of Senator Obama’s conversion to Christianity once it became widely known — as it would, no doubt, should he win the White House. This would compromise the ability of governments in Muslim nations to cooperate with the United States in the fight against terrorism, as well as American efforts to export democracy and human rights abroad.
That an Obama presidency would cause such complications in our dealings with the Islamic world is not likely to be a major factor with American voters, and the implication is not that it should be. But of all the well-meaning desires projected on Senator Obama, the hope that he would decisively improve relations with the world’s Muslims is the least realistic.
Edward N. Luttwak, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, is the author of “Strategy: The Logic of War and Peace.”
And via a heads-up from Little Green Footballs, Patrick Poole gives us this alarming news:
State Department diplomats are taking full advantage of their new rules prohibiting the use of “jihad,” “jihadist,” and “mujahedeen” to describe Islamic extremists and terrorists, which they apparently have taken to mean that there are no jihadists in light of the exchange programs they have recently sponsored for the International Institute for Islamic Thought (IIIT) — an organization currently under active federal grand jury investigation for terrorist support activities.
10 Comments so far
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Full disclosure: I’m an Obama supporter. But regardless, this is completely bunk. I would feel just as strongly about a post this (either ignorant or deliberately misleading, you tell me) if it were about McCain or anyone else.
It’s clear that he meant “47″ because “one to go” would be 48, which equals the number in the continental US – he stated that he hasn’t been able to visit AK or HI. It was a simple verbal slip-up (the mind was thinking of all 50, then corrected only to the “seven” after the “fifty” had been uttered), and this “Islamic Conference” nonsense is just that.
And, the fact that you choose to parrot it here reveals something very unfortunate about you. I’m just not sure what. I’m disappointed, because I usually enjoy reading this blog — but not today, that’s for certain.
By joe lance on 05.13.08 8:22 am
Joe–Lighten up a bit. I’m having a little fun. Notice I use the word “strategery” in my other post.
We’re talking about politics here, not open heart surgery. I think if you step back a bit from your Obama admiration, you could enjoy a good laugh too.
Of course the difference is, when the Dem candidate messes up it’s just a “slip.” When a GOP messes up, he’s a monkey, an idiot, etc. etc. Barbs for thee, not for me, right?
By Terry on 05.13.08 9:03 am
Good thing he did not misspell “potato”. He might have been considered stupid.
By David on 05.13.08 2:42 pm
Barack might need a map but McCain needs to take an advanced econonics class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tu-tg1kQ8dk
By Richard on 05.14.08 12:42 pm
Barack Obama is a confused litle man who is in something way over his head. He was not and is not prepared to be the president of the United States. On the radio with Rush Limbaugh this morning, words were spoken that if Obama is the best the Democrats have to offer, then they are really ins trouble considering what a confused and mixed-up man he is. Whereas, Hillary is a bright, intelligent, strong, progressive individual who can enact the “change” that needs to be made. Barack Obama is more of the same, because he is a man, even though he is a man of a different hue. We need a woman of Hillary’s caliber to “change” and turn things around for our country. For all those men who feel intimidated by a woman, I say get over it. Your mom was a woman and she was probably a strong woman in most cases. Hooray for Hillary.
By yvonne davis on 05.14.08 1:37 pm
I can now see how the world will one day be fooled by the anti-christ. Obama has not just “slipped up” once about the 57 states (he is referring to the Islamic States). He also stated on Meet the Press about Israel being an ally, and finished his statement with retaliating against anyone who attacks Iran. I think these slip-ups are telling signs of who he truly is and what he stands for. America needs to wake up!!
By Renee on 05.14.08 7:56 pm
Are you guys serious? He is clearly talking about the USA, he has made an error. Accept it.
By Libertine on 05.17.08 10:02 am
Why is everyone being so critical of Sen. Obama. Perhaps we all need a refresher course in U.S. geography.
Lets not forget about the states of East Carolina, West Carolina, East Dakota, West Dakota, Older Mexico, Newer Mexico and East Virginia.
As for the confusion about whether there’s 58 or 59 States – everyone knows that Hawaii is a suburb of Alaska!
By Paul Simpson on 05.18.08 10:44 am
Obama neither fish nor fowl but any who would vote for him are no doubt fools. Any one even mildly paying attentention can see his limited abilities and knowledge not to mention his socialist and racist beliefs. A very dangerous man.
By Joe on 06.26.08 2:36 pm
Ywonne writes “Your mom was a woman and she was probably a strong woman in most cases.”
Well, I guess I’m not most cases. I love my mom, but she and her mom were dull. My Granny on the other hand was tremendous, as was my father. You feminists need to get over this idea of “Most cases”. Statistics tell us that for every person with a 130 IQ there is someone with a 70 IQ.
By Ivan Ivanovich on 08.28.08 8:29 am
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