Kathryn Jean Lopez, one of the most frequent blogger at National Review Online, must be gunning for an audition on Fox News. Part of the blogging art is to be a little “forward leaning” as we say in the trade, but her post yesterday “The Obama Muslim Confusion,” is precisely the kind of slimy manipulation that has resulted in 31 percent of Republicans, and 18 percent of all Americans, believing the President is a Muslim.
There is no “confusion” about whether or not Obama is a Muslim. When Rush Limbaugh refers to President Obama as “Imam Obama,” he knows Obama is not a Muslim. A person may be “confused” about information, but people are manipulated by misinformation. Lopez's manipulation of a story from Obama’s memoir is appalling.
But, it is her closing that truly rankles. She writes: “Everyone on MSNBC who seemed to be angry at poll respondents yesterday for not being clear on Obama’s religion should consider the president’s approach and optics on the matter.” I assume she means that the President should go to church more often, and be seen to be going to church more often. Maybe like National Review’s political hero, Ronald Reagan? Going to church for political purposes is the very definition of hypocrisy and you can bet Lopez would be first in line to level that charge at the president if he was seen going to and from the altar on a weekly basis. Besides, what business is it of anybody’s how often the President prays or where? We answered that question when we elected John Kennedy to the presidency.
