by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright January 20, 2007
All Rights Reserved.

en. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y) jumped feet first into the 2008 presidential sweepstakes, announcing the formation of an exploratory committee. “I'm it. And I'm in it to win,” said the two-term junior senator from New York, leaving no doubt she's serious about the presidency after her Nov. 7 landslide. Hillary breaks new ground, becoming the first woman to run for president with a serious chance of winning the nomination. Hillary's qualifications leave few questioning her credentials for the Oval Office. “As we campaign to win the White House, we will make history and remake our future,” said Hillary in a two-minute video on HillaryClinton.com, inviting voters to join an historic attempt to place a woman at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Few doubt Hillary's resume but many question whether her personality and politics can end Washington's partisan divide.

      Hillary was pushed to make her move by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Il.), whose Jan. 16 announcement sent shockwaves through conventional political circles. Obama vaulted onto the public stage, delivering an electrifying speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention, only a few short months before handily winning his race for U.S. senate. Since then, Barack has lurked in the background as a possible presidential candidate. Clinton, 59, hits a mature political stride, where 45-year-old Obama carries a youthful gait, high-stepping his way onto the national stage. Unlike Obama, who added drama by promising a definitive announcement Feb. 10, Clinton left no doubt about her plans. “This campaign is our moment, our chance to stand up for the principles and values we cherish,” said Hillary, complaining about six long years under President George W. Bush.

      Conservative Intenet site “Insight Magazine” dredged up dirt on Obama, claiming he attended in his youth a madrassa [Muslim school] in Jakarta, Indonesia. “Insight” attributed the information to operatives inside Hillary's campaign, suggesting no time was wasted before slinging mud. While Barack represents one of Hillary's biggest rivals, it makes no sense that she would risk political fallout from a conspicuously dirty trick, especially one appearing racist. More likely, GOP operatives unearthed the skeletons, hoping to give Hillary a leg up in her quest for the nomination. Republicans fear a charismatic Democratic candidate with a populist message like Obama. Recent polls indicate that Republican candidates fair better against Hillary than Barack, beginning the veiled attack. Less than a year before Jan. 14, 2008 Iowa Caucuses, the games have already begun.

      Hillary enters the race with high expectations and the best campaign machine. She expects to raise $100 million before the first primary. Lining up donors is no easy matter, especially because she'll compete with Obama and other candidates for a finite pot of moola. What better way than to paralyze Barack's fundraising than tarring him as a closet Muslim. “Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a madrassa as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage,” asked the article in “Insight Magazine.” “This is the question Senator Hillary Rodhham Clinton's camp is asking about Senator Barack Obama,” fingering Hillary's campaign for slinging the mud. Barack graduated from Columbia University and was the first black editor of Harvard Law School's Law Review. Emphasizing his elementary school years seems outrageous.

      Obama attends Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. He considers himself a Christian—and that's what counts. His exposure to Islam or any other religion bears no relevance to his life as an adult. Whoever's responsible for spreading this malicious gossip needs to own the first racial attack on his candidacy. Immensely popular former Secretary of State Colin L. Powell refused to run for president, reportedly because of racist repercussions. If Barack's candidacy evolves toward the nomination, he's going to need extra Secret Service protection to guard against white supremacists committed to keeping an African-American out of the White House. Recent reports about Barack's Muslim past prove that racism has emerged in the 2008 presidential campaign. When Rev. Jesse Jackson or Rev. Al Sharpton ran for president, no one thought they'd make it to the White House.

      Branding Obama a closet Muslim represents a dirty racist trick, probably originating from tricksters inside the GOP. No matter what threat Barack poses to Hillary, it's unlikely her campaign would risk the adverse fallout from such despicable propaganda. “In Indonesia, the young Obama was enrolled in a madrassa and was raised and educated a Muslim,” reads “Insight Magazine,” proving, if nothing else, they'll stop at nothing to derail Barack's run for president. Unlike past black candidates, Obama has the mainstream appeal to break the race barrier and make it to the Oval Office. No Democratic candidate since John F. Kennedy has shown the kind of charisma needed to inspire a disheartened nation. Before the campaign gets out of hand, candidates must denounce egregious racism and commit themselves weeding out and punishing operatives who pull these kinds of stunts.

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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