McCain campaign reveals that it understands the nature of Islam, sort of. “McCain surrogate makes controversial Muslim comment,” from CNN, July 18:
A leading John McCain surrogate stirred controversy Friday after defending the Iraq war in particularly stark terms, telling reporters “the Muslims have said either we kneel, or they’re going to kill us.”
Bud Day, who was a prisoner of war with McCain in Vietnam and often advocates for the Arizona senator’s presidential bid, made the comments during a conference call with Florida reporters organized by the Florida Republican Party.
The Miami Herald has posted audio of the call
“I don’t intend to kneel, and I don’t advocate to anybody that we kneel, and John doesn’t advocate to anybody that we kneel,” he also said.
Asked to respond to Day’s comments, the McCain campaign issued a short statement from spokesman Michael Goldfarb.
“The threat we face is from radical Islamic extremism,” he said.
What, no groveling and profuse apologies? No denouncing a colleague to save face? Actually sticking to one’s guns—even if it makes you look politically incorrect, or worse, an “Islamophobe”? Ah but wait! CAIR is on the move:
Corey Saylor, the national legislative director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told CNN Friday McCain should directly repudiate the remarks.
“CAIR would like to see Senator McCain come out and make a clear statement repudiating these remarks,” he said. “We don’t believe they’re helpful at all in either putting out the campaign’s message or winning the hearts and minds in the Muslim world that America needs to be winning.”