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Bad optics?

A new article, this one in the NY Times, about the Obama campaign’s arm-length approach to Muslims. You have to wonder how many more of these have to appear before the candidate decides he has a problem.

As Senator Barack Obama courted voters in Iowa last December, Representative Keith Ellison, the country’s first Muslim congressman, stepped forward eagerly to help.

Mr. Ellison believed that Mr. Obama’s message of unity resonated deeply with American Muslims. He volunteered to speak on Mr. Obama’s behalf at a mosque in Cedar Rapids, one of the nation’s oldest Muslim enclaves. But before the rally could take place, aides to Mr. Obama asked Mr. Ellison to cancel the trip because it might stir controversy. Another aide appeared at Mr. Ellison’s Washington office to explain.

“I will never forget the quote,” Mr. Ellison said, leaning forward in his chair as he recalled the aide’s words. “He said, ‘We have a very tightly wrapped message.’ ”

No room in that wrapping for any optics involving Obama and Muslims (even the Congressional kind!), though Obama aides are quick to point out supportive statements on Islam (American-style), a radio ad for the Democratic candidate who became the second Muslim in Congress, and “a brief, private meeting” with the leader of a Dearborn, MI mosque. Reaching out to Muslims is fine for the campaign as long as there aren’t too many cameras nearby, apparently. In this light, last week’s insulting treatment of two Muslim women at a Detroit rally looks like policy rather than a thoughtless aberration by volunteers.

Obama ‘08 seems to feel that a perceived snubbing of the Muslim electorate is an acceptable price for avoiding reinforcement of the stubborn and erroneous “Obama is a Muslim” meme. It’s a political calculus that’s essentially driven by fear and caters to slurs hurled by opponents - unworthy behavior in a candidacy touting inclusiveness, and a bad optic in itself.

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