In Washington, DC, Mike Duncan who is the chairman of the RNC had given a formal denouncement on Thursday, February 28. This denouncement is aimed at the Tennessee Republican Party’s use of Barack Obama’s full name which includes his middle name of “Hussein.” The Tennessee Republican Party used it as a means to question US Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama’s commitment to the state of Israel.
“The RNC rejects these kinds of campaign tactics,” Duncan said in a recent statement. He added: “We believe this election needs to be about the critical issues confronting our nation.”
US Republican underdog candidate Mike Huckabee took Barack Obama’s side in this regard. While wanting a debate with John McCain, the likely nominee of the Republican Party, Mike Huckabee said he did not see the press release about Barack Obama. He did say it was custom for politicians to wear clothes in accordance to the local customs of the nations being visited.
Huckabee said that the photo had nothing to do with the United States presidential race.
This press release was ignited from the recent praise from Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam. Farrakhan has been known for making derogatory and degrading remarks towards the Jewish faith and the state of Israel. Farrakhan had also indicated that he would support Obama.
During the Tuesday night Democratic debate on MSNBC, Obama had denounced the comments from Farrakhan. He added that he did not seek the support from Farrakhan either.
Bill Hobbs, the director for GOP communications in Tennessee said that they will no longer use Obama’s middle name in future press releases. Now, the news release clarifies that in the photograph, Obama wore a Somali tribal garb and not a ‘Muslim’ garb.
“We’re not going to be using the middle name now, because apparently, it’s become a distraction,” Hobbs said. He added: “But I would note, not too long ago, I saw a wire story out of the Middle East that had talked about how a lot of people there are hungry for Obama to win and , in part, because his middle name gives him a connection, and that story used his middle name, so we’re not the first to notice and use his middle name.”
Hobbs was quick to deny that they were not trying to be racist. However, he said it did not surprise him that it would create both uproar and backlash from the Democrats.
Conservative talk show host Bill Cunningham who introduced McCain in Cincinnati, Ohio also used Obama’s full name. So far, Cunningham has yet to be challenged. However many in the GOP fully know that Cunningham has a record of starting controversy. This controversy is just another one to be added onto Cunningham’s record.