Commentary

Misconceptions of Obama stoke fear in Heartland

I just saw a two minute video called “Misconceptions of Obama fuel Republican campaign,” filmed by Al Jazeera, the Middle Eastern news network. (Video after the jump.) What an eye-opener. Conventional U.S. news outlets are all abuzz talking about radical nutballs who shouted “terrorist” and allegedly, “kill him” at Sarah Palin’s rallies. To find out what some people at her rallies really think, Al Jazeera sent a reporter to eastern Ohio to let the people say for themselves what they thought. The clip show the reporter talking to “ordinary” folks who attended a Palin rally – not the rowdy lunatics hopped-up on Red Bull. These are the people at PTA meetings, garage sales – they’re scattered throughout rural and suburban towns all over America. I found what they had to say about Barack Obama alarming, to say the very least.

Please read on…

From “Misconceptions of Obama fuel Republican campaign” – 13 Oct 08

As the US presidential campaign enters its final weeks, both the Republican and Democratic candidates are hitting the … As the US presidential campaign enters its final weeks, both the Republican and Democratic candidates are hitting the swing states. But misconceptions and rumors abound and many voters have their facts about the candidates all wrong. Some believe that Democrat Barack Obama is a Muslim, for instance. Casey Kauffman talked to some Republican supporters after a rally by Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, in Ohio.

Here’s a little information about Al Jazeera from Wikipedia:

History:

The original Al Jazeera channel was started in 1996 with a $150 million grant from the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa.

In April 1996, the BBC World Service’s Saudi-co-owned Arabic language TV station, faced with censorship demands by the Saudi Arabian government, shut down after two years of operation. Many former BBC World Service staff members joined Al Jazeera, which at the time was not yet on air. The channel began broadcasting in late 1996.

About:

Al Jazeera, meaning “The Island,” referring to their status as the only independent Middle Eastern news station is a network headquartered in Doha, Qatar. Initially launched as an Arabic news and current affairs satellite TV channel with the same name, Al Jazeera has since expanded into a network with several outlets, including the Internet and specialty TV channels in multiple languages, and in several regions of the world.

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