Political Insider: Obama Rumors and Rev. Wright Controversy
Posted By James BesserPolitical Insider: Poll Shows Impact of Obama "Muslim" Rumors, and Renewed Focus on Controverial Chicago Preacher
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A few months ago, the Jewish Week reported that the viral email campaign tarring Sen. Barack Obama as a secret Muslim - and right-wing talk show hosts who invoked his middle name, Hussein, as if that alone was evidence of disloyalty - seemed to be gaining traction in the Jewish community (read the story here).
Since then, an abundance of evidence that the rumors are false seems to have eased concerns about a Jewish backlash against Obama's candidacy based on the Muslim issue.
"I actually think the invocation of 'Hussein' will have more influence with non-Jews," said Alan Wolfe, a Boston College political scientist and director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life. "Jews tend to be sophisticated voters; I don't think these kinds of attacks will make a real difference in November."
Wolfe may be on to something. While Jewish politicos say the Obama-as-Muslim campaign seems relatively static within the Jewish community, it may be having a bigger impact with the general electorate. According to a Wall Street Journal/NBC poll, 13 percent of Americans, when asked about Obama's religion, now say he is a Muslim.
That may not sound like a lot, but it's a big jump from the 8 percent who answered that way in December.
(For an interesting analysis of how the Obama rumors spread, read Ari Berman's story in The Nation here).
At the same time, there is evidence the Obama campaign's effort to reinforce the candidate's status as a practicing Protestant is also having an impact. 37 percent now say they believe Obama is a Protestant, compared to 17 percent in December.
One theory suggested by several Jewish politicos: the viral emails and invocation of Obama's middle name may be sticking with a small segment of voters who are unlikely to vote for a black Democrat in any event.
A more formidable problem for the campaign may be a renewed focus on a South Side Chicago megachurch pastor Obama once described as a mentor.
Fox News has distributed video clips of the Rev. Jeremiah Wright's Afro-centric sermons, and this week the Wall Street Journal ran an opinion piece on the subject suggesting that Obama's "closeness to Mr. Wright underscores his radical record."
(Read the story by Ronald Kessler, a former WSJ reporter, here)
The renewed Wright controversy -- which Democratic insiders say points to a real vulnerability in the Obama campaign - comes as the presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain, deals with the fallout from his endorsement by the controversial Pastor John Hagee.