Newt: Why does Obama 'behave the way that people would think' he's Muslim?

[ellisonz]

By MAGGIE HABERMAN |
3/23/12 1:32 PM EDT

POLITICO's Ginger Gibson reports:

Newt Gingrich insisted Friday that he has no questions about President Barack Obama’s Christian faith, but said he understands why some Americans might.

Asked about polls suggesting many in the public continue to think Obama is a Muslim, Gingrich said in Louisiana that he takes Obama “at his word” that he believes in Christianity.

Then he launched into a riff on how Obama’s policies are excessively sensitive to non-Christian, non-Jewish faiths, suggesting it could raise doubts for some about where the president’s impulses come from.

“Why does the president behave the way that people would think that [he’s Muslim]?” Gingrich said. “You have to ask, why would they believe that? It's not cause they're stupid. It's because they watch the kind of things I just described to you.”

Politico Story

There is nothing wrong with belonging to the Islamic faith. There is nothing wrong with belonging to the Jewish faith. There is nothing wrong with belonging to the Christian faith.

[chemp]

1. But, apparently, If you belong to one

being a member of one of the other two, or <shudder>, none at all, IS wrong.

[Enrique]

2. a theme

UPDATE: This apparently was a theme yesterday too in a radio interview, in which Gingrich talked about the media going easy on coverage of Obama's "Muslim friends."

[Richardo]

3. It IS because they are stupid, Newt.

...and you like them that way.

[Arneoker]

14. I disagree.

They think that way because they are bigots. (Oh, I'm not supposed to say that!)

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. What does he mean, "behave the way people would think that"?

What, exactly, does Obama do that would make people think he's a Muslim? He attends a Christian church, decorates the White House for Christmas, drinks alcohol, eats pork, and has a pet dog. Sometimes he mentions Jesus. Nobody has ever known him to kneel down on a prayer rug facing Mecca and pray five times a day (or at all) or mention Allah or attend a mosque or read the Q'uran. He hasn't made the required pilgrimage to Mecca, although he could certainly afford it.

So, what, exactly, does he have to do to convince Newt of his un-Muslim-ness? Not that he should have to, or that anybody should give a rat's ass what that egomaniacal blowhard thinks. But still - short of actual crucifixion and resurrection, I'm just wondering what "proof" of Christianity would satisfy Newt and the viewers of Faux News. And I have to conclude, there isn't anything that would do it.

[ellisonz]

5. He's black and has a funny name.

Pretty annoying that almost 4 years later we're still on this topic because of people like Newt Gingrich

Someone needs to call out Mitt Romney on this nonsense...

[JHB]

11. Where's Newt's proof he's any variety of Christian?

There's nothing about his behavior that would point to it. Isn't there a commandment against bearing false witness? And what did Jesus say about the spirit of the law?

[saras]

17. What it would take to convince Newt is people other than Obama doing something...

...what it would take is everyone who might do business with Newt saying "look, Newt, you're sounding like a loon. I just don't think we can trust you with this real estate deal..."

six months of that and he'd shape right up, unless he really IS that stupid.

[tanyev]

6. I don't know, Newt. Why do you behave in a way that people would think you're a philandering asshat?

[Carla in Sequim]

27. Good question. That is my first reaction.

I sure can't assume he is a good Catholic. He converted for his current wife, who was having an affair with him while married to wife #2, right?
How does she justify her adultry with her faith?

[catrose]

7. And there is nothing wrong

with respecting faith of others.

Back in the 50s, as a child, I addressed my father's Christmas cards for him, back when you sent a card to everyone you'd ever met, particularly in the way of business.

Good little Christian girl that I was, I wanted to send manger scenes, but my father always chose Season's Greetings and Happy Holidays because, he said, some people on his list were Jewish, and it wasn't civil to stuff our religion down their throats.

My father was a Republican. Things have changed.

[WI_DEM]

8. Newt, why do you behave in a way that people think your a pompous big mouth?

[Swede Atlanta]

9. Newt....why do you behave

the way a wealthy, self-absorbed, un-Christian, old dude would behave? Please explain? Trust me your God is unlikely to be impressed with your "for television" crocodile tears about your previous affairs, leaving wives on their deathbeds, etc.

Me thinks before you start asking others to explain their behavior, you have a lot of 'spraining' to do on your own.

[mzteris]

10. maybe he's acting like a "real Christian", Newt

and practicing tolerance and love.


(Note: I don't think ANY religion is at it's core, good. People are either good or they are not. I've seen far more cases of "organized religion" perpetuating evil than doing much in the way of "good". )

[Lucy Goosey]

12. Oh, please, Newt, we all know it has nothing to do with his behavior

Whatever, Newt. People don't think he's Muslim because of the way he behaves, they think he's a Muslim because he's not white, and his middle name is Hussein, and Fox News told them he went to a madrasa in Indonesia.

[LeftishBrit]

13. Why does Newt behave in the way that would make people think that he's a nasty, vicious hypocrite?

[cheezmaka]

23. answer to #13.

because he IS a nasty, vicious hypocrite!

[baldguy]

15. Why is Newt complimenting Muslims?

Could be Newt's a totalitarian crypto-Marxist Islam apologist?

[mackattack]

16. Im 29

My dad was born in 1942.

We aint Catholic but I know when my dad was born catholics were not supposed to be presidents or anyone representing the country. They adhered to their priests and the pope and not the Constitution, right? That was the whole thing, wasnt it? They couldnt be loyal to the US...BECAUSE OF THEIR RELIGION.

Al Smith lost votes because of it.

Kennedy makes a speech saying he will abide by the Constitution, not the Church.

So then we get to 2012.....

1. The GOP frontrunner is catching shit because of his religion

2. Santorum, a catholic, says that religion and state should be intertwined.

3. Newt, a catholic convert, says that Islam is a problem because muslims adhere to sharia law and not the Constitution.


The top three republican delegates can go to hell regarding religion. If they ever read a history book they would now how ridiculous it sounds. However, they are pandering to the prejudiced base who want to hear WPWW and white-Christian identity all day every day. Not surprised........just disappointed.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

18. Newt, why do you act like the asshole that we all know you are?@?@?@??@

[Proud Liberal Dem]

19. Why does Newt feel like it matters

There is NO religious test for office. The founders were very clear about THAT. So, whether he's a Christian, Jew, secret Muslim, atheist.......it's not supposed to matter.

[Marrah_G]

20. ummm I'm never once seen anything that would make me think he was a Muslim.......

Not that I would really care if he was.

[Cobalt-60]

21. Why does gingrich behave like a Mammon Worshiper?

They may call the stuff he sprews and practices Christianity. But it doesn't have anything to do with the teachings of Jesus.
No, the utterly selfish and hateful greed that is at the center of what Gingrich calls Christian is in fact the core of Mammon Worship.
"... You can not serve both God and Mammon."
—Matthew 6:19-21,24
All the supposed bible scholars can't follow a Mammon worshiper, unless of course they're also Mammonites.
THis is part of the Republican pattern of referring to everything they do as exactly the opposite of what it is.
They wrap themselves in the flag - but they're traitors. If they're not actively collaborating with hostile countries to damage Democratic presidents, they're practicing economic terrorism against the American people.
They claim fiscal responsiblity - but they're wastrels. When pig Reagan slipped in deficits soared. They continued to soar until a Democrat took office.
President Clinton reversed the trend, indeed there was a surplus- until the Money Court awarded the presidency to the loser in 2000.
They deliberately tanked the economy. And they deliberately wasted money. Can you imagine a gigantic pharmaceutical customer like the Medicare system not being allowed to seek a volume discount? Those assholes borrowed every penny they could get at ruinous short term rates. Then they directed as much as they could to cronies.
On they way out they threatened our representatives with martial law if they wouldnt agree to drain the treasury into the pockets of bankers.
They shout freedom - but they're fascists. How can anyone take getting government off your back seriously if they're constantly trying to get between people and their doctors?
The 2012 War on Women has been an incredible display of direct hands on interference with the private decisions of individuals.
No, Gingrich and his ignorant followers have to go. Today.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

22. Why can't these guys ever give examples?

What are some examples of Obama showing excessive favoritism to non-Christians? All we hear from the current crop of GOP candidates are generalities with no specifics, such as the continuing harangue that Obama goes around the world apologizing to foreigners about America. What? When?

[quaker bill]

24. They would not stop regardless of what he did

so there is no point paying any attention to them. This is the way politics works, you work to sell those who can be convinced, and you ignore the rest and just do business.

[Downtown Hound]

25. He doesn't Newt, Republicans are just fucking dipshits. n/t

[Ikonoklast]

26. I wonder why people think Newt is a Christian?

Because he's a gigantic hypocrite, just like them?