"What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge," says Mr. Obama, while denouncing statements of him being a Muslim as a smear. Why is the presidential candidate who claims to be religiously inclusive is treating the word "Muslim" as an insult? Apparently, it is OK for Mr. Obama to be associated with terrorists like William Ayers or racists like Jeremiah Wright, but God forbid somebody would call him a Muslim! No, he won't stand for that kind of smear! We admit that most terrorists are Muslims, but most Muslims are not terrorists and the statement on Mr. Obama's website is insulting to hundreds of millions of people.

How could a man who discards his family heritage in favor of political expediency be even considered for presidency of the United States? Where are all the so-called "Islamic civil rights groups" like CAIR, MPAC, ISNA, MAS, etc. who are quick to defend every Islamic terrorist, but are silent when Muslims in general are being denigrated? Would Mr. Obama have the same reaction if someone claimed that he was raised as a Jew? We sincerely doubt that.

Muslims Against Sharia demand immediate removal of "SMEAR: Barack Obama is a Muslim" statement from the official Barack Obama's website as well as an apology for giving the word "Muslim" a negative connotation.

http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/06/senator-obama-is-not-dirty-muslim.html

This is designed to imply that Obama is a radical Muslim, dark skinned, threatening man.

No, it's intended to imply that he would talk to this particular threatening man. Which Obama specifically said he would do. Amadinijad was the person at the heart of that controversy.

The symmetry of the images is designed to invite the viewer to compare Obama & Ahmadinejad. What are the most salient characteristics of Ahmadinejad: a radical Muslim, dark skinned, threatening. Now look at Obama: rumored to be Muslim, dark skinned, pictured in a stern/angry moment. This is not coincidental. This is designed to imply that Obama is a radical Muslim, dark skinned, threatening man.

Because of the Muslim angle, I will amend my earlier statement: this is not just racism, but rather racism and religious bigotry. This in the face of the fact that Obama is clearly a pretty devout Christian.

"Racist"? Please help me out with that one. I don't see that at all.

Somebody posted some very useful links on another thread, I'll re-post them if I find which one.

It was Mike P, who's comments can be found here:
http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/page/2/#comment-407264

Dave Schuler makes a similar point a couple of comments above it, but Mike provided more details.

Technically isn't he Muslim by birth, regardless of the faith he practices? At least thats how it was for a Catholic friend of mine when he lived in Jordan (his dad was/is Muslim).

That's not a universally accepted rule, and many respected Muslim jurists have noted exceptions in the past that would apply to Obama now. Somebody posted some very useful links on another thread, I'll re-post them if I find which one.

There's also the minor fact that here in America, it doesn't matter what religion your father and/or mother were.

conflates Obama with Ahmadinejad

Uh, no. It merely pictures them together under the headline "Is it OK to Meet Unconditionally with Anti-American Foreign Leaders?" I'm mostly tired of that line of attack but it's a legitimate one.

http://www.johnmccain.com/landing/b3.htm?&sid=google&t=Iran&r=iraqwar

There ain't know way they can get around the truth.