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Reid calls for mosque to be built "someplace else"
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Candidate
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| Contributor | Scott³ |
| Last Edited | Scott³ Aug 16, 2010 08:20pm |
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| Category | News |
| Author | Greg Sargent |
| News Date | Tuesday, August 17, 2010 02:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | "Why Reid's position is indefensible: Some are pointing out that Harry Reid, by citing the First Amendment and religious freedom, is reaffirming the group's right to build the project. That's true. But it's not terribly relevant in the current political context. First off, that's not a difficult position to take. Many Republicans also respect the group's right to build, while claiming that the group is wrong to exercise that right.
Despite Reid's reaffirmation of this right, his response is still weak and indefensible. And it leaves the President hanging after he took a big risk to do the right thing. Obama did not explicitly endorse the decision to build the center. But Obama did say that if the group does proceed with that decision, we must respect that decision, in accordance with American values.
Reid is not willing to say that. Rather, he's saying, in effect, that even if he supports the group's right to build the center, he's not willing to respect the decision to do so. That's unacceptable, and leaves Obama isolated at a very sensitive moment.
What's more, it's unclear why coming out against the plan in the manner Reid did is even good politics for Democrats at this point. Reid basically threw the whole Dem caucus under the bus: With the Senate leader at odds with the president, the media will press every Senate Dem to declare which side they're on.
And this fuels a bad narrative for Dems, too. Literally seconds after Reid's statement hit the wire, Republicans blasted out a press release mocking the Dem disarray on this issue with this tagline: "Great moments in August Democratic Messaging." This just makes the Dems look weak, unorganized, cowardly, and unwilling to take a stand for principles they plainly believe in." |
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