Ok. . . This is terrifying.

[we vs us]

Facts are usually backed up by evidence. Unless you have genuflected to the cross shoulder-to-shoulder with President Obama, where is your evidence? Are you in his inner circle? How do you know, unequivocally he doesn't get the prayer rug out every day and pray toward Mecca?  You have no more facts available to you than those who think he's a Muslim, a Kenyan, or a Kennedy love child.

I don't have to see and experience every piece of evidence personally to know something is true. So:  the President himself has said he's Christian; for years he attended Jeremiah Wright's church, which is a Christian church.  It's been widely reported by journalists in respected outlets that he was and is a Christian.  All of these things make him a Christian.

Further, there's no evidence that he was every raised as a Muslim.  In fact, the only reported contact he had with Islam while growing up is his couple of years in Indonesia while he was a child.  

But, if we want to get all epistemelogical, I suppose we can say that we can't know that he's not a Muslim, just like I can't know that you're not a Muslim, secretly, in your home, when the shades are drawn and I'm not around.  And by that standard, we can't know ANYONE'S not a Muslim, simply because we can't be around them 24/7.  

[Hoss]

I don't have to see and experience every piece of evidence personally to know something is true. So:  the President himself has said he's Christian; for years he attended Jeremiah Wright's church, which is a Christian church.  It's been widely reported by journalists in respected outlets that he was and is a Christian.  All of these things make him a Christian.

Further, there's no evidence that he was every raised as a Muslim.  In fact, the only reported contact he had with Islam while growing up is his couple of years in Indonesia while he was a child.  

But, if we want to get all epistemelogical, I suppose we can say that we can't know that he's not a Muslim, just like I can't know that you're not a Muslim, secretly, in your home, when the shades are drawn and I'm not around.  And by that standard, we can't know ANYONE'S not a Muslim, simply because we can't be around them 24/7.  

Yeah, I always hate having to figure out which way is east whenever I'm somewhere....

/snark

[Gaspar]

Again. . . I don't care what his religion or lack of is.  I think he is a Christian if only in word.  I do not think he is Muslim.

The point is that his image is not in his control.  His message is not in his control.  He has put himself in a very bad position by allowing such things to go so far.  He is not only lax in his personal message control, but behind the message on everything.  This will continue to define him.

[Townsend]

Again. . . I don't care what his religion or lack of is.  I think he is a Christian if only in word.  I do not think he is Muslim.

The point is that his image is not in his control.  His message is not in his control.  He has put himself in a very bad position by allowing such things to go so far.  He is not only lax in his personal message control, but behind the message on everything.  This will continue to define him.

No image is completely in anyone's control.

I can post that you are a post-op transsexual.  If I do it enough, people will start saying that Gaspar is a post-op transsexual.  They won't need proof.  They will just believe it.

Once they believe it, you can scream from the rooftops that your equipment is standard but it won't matter.  You will be perceived by many to be a post-op transsexual.

[we vs us]

Again. . . I don't care what his religion or lack of is.  I think he is a Christian if only in word.  I do not think he is Muslim.

The point is that his image is not in his control.  His message is not in his control.  He has put himself in a very bad position by allowing such things to go so far.  He is not only lax in his personal message control, but behind the message on everything.  This will continue to define him.

There's no way he can take his image back, or control the message.  The people who believe he's Muslim believe it for reasons entirely unrelated to what Obama does or doesn't do. They believe he's Muslim because their conduits of fact have told them he is.  So it's a matter of fact now -- or "fact" -- to these people.  

[Conan71]

Gaspar is a post-op transexual? Serious?  I'll go post that on Facebook.

[Townsend]

Gaspar is a post-op transexual? Serious?  I'll go post that on Facebook.

You can just share my post on FB

[Conan71]

There's no way he can take his image back, or control the message.  The people who believe he's Muslim believe it for reasons entirely unrelated to what Obama does or doesn't do. They believe he's Muslim because their conduits of fact have told them he is.  So it's a matter of fact now -- or "fact" -- to these people.  

Sure he can control the message.

All he has to do is get his PR machine in gear.  He's got the attention of every single media outlet known to man.  You have photos taken worshipping, with a cross in the background while he works, or photos walking into church or you finally say "Enough is enough! I'm a Christian".  Presidents have always used the photo-op to convey images about their character, what they enjoy, and to relate to the common man or transsexual.

[Townsend]

Sure he can control the message.

All he has to do is get his PR machine in gear.  He's got the attention of every single media outlet known to man.  You have photos taken worshipping, with a cross in the background while he works, or photos walking into church or you finally say "Enough is enough! I'm a Christian".  Presidents have always used the photo-op to convey images about their character, what they enjoy, and to relate to the common man or transsexual.

Then Limbaugh et al would just say "he's denying it.  Why is he hiding it?  This is his next step to enslave us all."  etc etc

[nathanm]

Sure he can control the message.

All he has to do is get his PR machine in gear.

His PR machine does no good when it comes to people who only get news from Fox and the right wing radio nuts. If they weren't already getting their news from only those sources, they wouldn't believe that Obama probably or definitely is a Muslim. QED

You can't force people to accept reality.

Also, Townsend's point about not dignifying such stupidity with a response is a good one.

[Conan71]

So you guys prove the point that Obama thinks it's not worth trying to control the message.  Got it!

[nathanm]

So you guys prove the point that Obama thinks it's not worth trying to control the message.  Got it!

Please explain how Obama can control what Rush Limbaugh, the O'Hannity Brothers, or Glenn Beck are saying.

Also, please explain how a person can be forced to accept facts which they refuse to believe.

[Townsend]

Please explain how Obama can control what Rush Limbaugh, the O'Hannity Brothers, or Glenn Beck are saying.

Well, he is the President of the USA...I guess he can have them sanctioned.

[Conan71]

Please explain how Obama can control what Rush Limbaugh, the O'Hannity Brothers, or Glenn Beck are saying.

Also, please explain how a person can be forced to accept facts which they refuse to believe.

You can still send a message IN SPITE of what others say or think, that's the point.  As it is, he gives the impression to many that he's aloof and doesn't care about his public image.  He's not doing a very good job of relating to most Americans and it's not just the gun-hugging, Limpbaugh/Beck listening crowd who see this either.  It's a departure from the behavior of previous Presidents.  Either he's clueless or simply an iconoclast.  That's his prerogative, but it makes an attempt to be re-elected in 2012 much more difficult.  The mystery surrounding him in 2008 served him well, as he truly was a relatively new arrival to D.C. and I think the electorate wanted an outsider, amongst other things in their next President. 

Honestly, I don't care what religion he practices that's not my point anyhow.

As far as Presidential images:

President Reagan took office just a few weeks prior to his 70th birthday.  Rather than convey the image of a senior citizen, we saw photos like these:




Even though President Clinton had a well-known voracious appetite for skanks, he made sure people knew he was a church-going Christian:



A photo of FDR in a wheelchair was incredibly rare because a wheelchair sent a message of weakness:



JFK was portrayed as a family man, and images of his youth and energy served him well even though he was reputedly sickly from Addison's disease, shot up with amphetamines daily, lived in constant pain, and shared a common trait with President Clinton:

[nathanm]

You can still send a message IN SPITE of what others say or think, that's the point.

You're missing my point. Obama does send all kinds of messages. Calm rationality is a big one. This sort of thing won't seep through to the sort of person who has convinced themselves against all evidence that Obama is a Muslim. It's like trying to argue with a dog. Reason need not apply.

By the standard that you have just outlined, this should have ended the speculation once and for all:



What, specifically, is it that you think could be done better? Not glittering generalities like "improve the dissemination of his message," but specific action items.