# Fox News focus group of likely Iowa GOP caucus-goers don't trust Obama on Egypt because he's Muslim
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [February 8, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701 "2011-02-08T21:42:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/41 "2011-02-09T14:54:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#):
>
> That might make sense if he only became “religious” after he got into politics, but that isn’t so. You’re making it more complicated than it needs to be.
>
> It’s only an issue because people want to make it an issue. It wasn’t an issue for McCain, and he’s got no history of being religious.
There is an underlying Manchurian Candidate sentiment to this whole thing. Once you realize that Obama has been plotting a secret takeover of Government since he was a child, the rest of it all falls into place.
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### Author:  [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/42 "2011-02-09T14:57:20Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#):
>
> If that’s the case, how do we know ANY of our elected officials are the religion they claim to be?
Because they’re white and look like us so they must pray like us.
FTR: I am not white and I don’t pray a lot.
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### Author:  [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/43 "2011-02-09T15:00:39Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#):
>
> If that’s the case, how do we know ANY of our elected officials are the religion they claim to be?
To a large extent, we don’t. We can know what they are not: for example, if they don’t carry out any of the practices of devout Muslims, we can be pretty sure they aren’t Muslim, and if they don’t go to Mass on most Sundays, we can be pretty sure they aren’t Catholic.
There are a range of possibilities with respect to Barack Obama’s real religious beliefs, ranging from a fairly conventional acceptance of mainstream Protestant Christianity, including belief in personal salvation, all the way through to agnosticism, with the desire to maintain an outward appearance of Christian belief. But the range does not include Islam as it’s understood by most Muslims, because if you believe in Islam you have to practice it.
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### Author:  [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/44 "2011-02-09T16:00:26Z")
> [@Nadir](#):
>
> I guess if it’s a big enough issue to you, you’ll make it your business to know your politician well enough to make an informed evaluation.
Or if it’s a big enough issue for you and you’re a Fox ‘News’ watcher, you say, “fuck informed evaluation,” and you just jump straight to, “He must be a Muslim.”
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### Author:  [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Long_Time_First_Time)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/45 "2011-02-09T16:08:53Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> Either one of two possibilities here:
>
> 1. Fox went out to find the stupidest shits among their audience for this show, or
> 2. The average Fox viewer just happens to be a stupid shit.
This is Fox news so there’s a third possibility. This isn’t a group of Iowa natives, they are paid actors. Fox got busted doing this during the last presidential election when the same individuals kept showing up in focus groups even though they were held all over the country.
Take a screen shot from this. When they next hold a focus group in New Hampshire or South Carolina or where ever take another and match up the people.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/46 "2011-02-09T16:11:06Z")
> [@Nadir](#):
>
> But you have to be smarter than the average moron to recognize that.
I will concede that you are no average moron.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/47 "2011-02-09T16:13:26Z")
Straight Dope - where the women are strong, the men good looking, and all our morons are above average.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/48 "2011-02-09T16:20:12Z")
> [@Nadir](#):
>
> What I suspect is what most fucking morons with 2 brain cells to rub together can plainly see: Religion is nothing more than a political issue to him and anyone else who mentions it from either side of the political spectrum
He really doesn’t make much political use of it at all, aside from occasional “rain puddles in heaven” type platitudes. I would like to think (as i know a lot of people would) that he’s too smart to really believe in a lot of superstitious nonsense, but having read his books and speeches on religion, I think his connection to Christianity is genuine, but is grounded more in the feeling of community and social service than theology. His words about theology tend to be very generalized and ecumenical - an “all roads lead to Rome” sort of attitude. And I’m not convinced he doesn’t believe in God. My intuition is that he does, but in a very abstracted way.
He was dead on right with his “bitter” comments, by the way. If he made a mistake it was in being too truthful.
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### Author:  [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/49 "2011-02-09T18:45:36Z")
> [@Keweenaw](#):
>
> Well I hope it’s one these two, since we let Iowa and New Hampshire pick our Presidents.
Really, all we do is weed out the total losers. Just be happy you only have to hear campaigning from the good canidates. We get them all.
> [@Long\_Time\_First\_Time](#):
>
> This is Fox news so there’s a third possibility. This isn’t a group of Iowa natives, they are paid actors. Fox got busted doing this during the last presidential election when the same individuals kept showing up in focus groups even though they were held all over the country.
>
> Take a screen shot from this. When they next hold a focus group in New Hampshire or South Carolina or where ever take another and match up the people.
Don’t be too sure. This is the same voter pool that has inflicted Rep. Steve King (even too crazy for R- IA) on the rest of you.
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/50 "2011-02-09T20:12:46Z")
> [@suranyi](#):
>
> I’m not sure it’s specific to Americans. There was a study recently that showed that people, generally, are MORE inclined to hold on to previously held beliefs if you show them evidence against them.
This is true.
It is also notably _more_ true of conservatives than liberals. Irrefutable evidence is of no help. They still believe their bullshit even in the face of unavoidable evidence to the contrary.
I’ll look up the study again if you want. I’ve posted about it here on the SDMB before.
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### Author:  [@Nadir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nadir)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/51 "2011-02-09T20:27:45Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#):
>
> I would like to think (as i know a lot of people would) that he’s too smart to really believe in a lot of superstitious nonsense, but having read his books and speeches on religion, I think his connection to Christianity is genuine, but is grounded more in the feeling of community and social service than theology.
So to help me better understand this little tap dance, might I rephrase: Obama, genuinely connected to Christianity, probably does not believe in this superstitious nonsense, but leverages the community and social service angle on religion more for political purposes.
In all fairness, I did of course move a few of your words around. But would that be a fair interpretation for my understanding of your position on Obama WRT this topic?
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/52 "2011-02-09T20:35:54Z")
> [@Nadir](#):
>
> So to help me better understand this little tap dance, might I rephrase: Obama, genuinely connected to Christianity, probably does not believe in this superstitious nonsense, but leverages the community and social service angle on religion more for political purposes.
>
> In all fairness, I did of course move a few of your words around. But would that be a fair interpretation for my understanding of your position on Obama WRT this topic?
That would be a complete and utter distortion. I didn’t say he “leveraged” anything. I believe (and his early career is good evidence of this), that his commitment to community and social service is genuine. This is a guy who turned down six figure corporate job offers to work as a community organizer in Chicago for less than $10K a year. Those aspects of Wright’s own church are what attracted him to it and to the Christian community in general. I see nothing political in any of it.
I also said that I DO think he believes in God, I just suspect that he doesn’t necessarily buy literally into everything about Christian dogma. He would not be unusual in that. My wife is the same way.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/53 "2011-02-09T21:25:36Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#):
>
> Well the country doesn’t have to vote for the candidates the Republican party throws up but for some reason we do. Heck, we voted for George W Bush TWICE.
I guess I’m just a geezer, but I fondly remember the days when you could vote for a candidate and not be afraid of the other one coming to office. Last election like that was Clinton/Dole.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/54 "2011-02-09T21:27:43Z")
Nuh-uh.
Eisenhower/Stevenson.
Well, okay. Johnson/Goldwater. Nixon entering into the equation just throws everything off,
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/55 "2011-02-09T21:28:14Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#):
>
> There is an underlying Manchurian Candidate sentiment to this whole thing. Once you realize that Obama has been plotting a secret takeover of Government since he was a child, the rest of it all falls into place.
Look at the birth certificate scandal. Not since he was a child, since he was in the womb.
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### Author:  [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/56 "2011-02-09T21:31:30Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#):
>
> Nuh-uh.
>
> Eisenhower/Stevenson.
>
> Well, okay. Johnson/Goldwater. Nixon entering into the equation just throws everything off,
Johnson/Goldwater? :eek: In your heart you know he’s nuts?
Goldwater wasn’t as bad as Johnson’s ads said, but electing him would have put civil rights back for years. And, God forbid, he might have escalated a land war in Asia.
Nixon in 1968 was reasonably moderate. We didn’t know back then he was nuts. He was also damn well qualified, as was HHH.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [February 9, 2011, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/57 "2011-02-09T22:13:48Z")
He was also already Tricky Dick, and had been for quite some time.
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### Author:  [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2011, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/58 "2011-02-10T09:50:09Z")
> [@Nadir](#):
>
> Good question. I guess if it’s a big enough issue to you, you’ll make it your business to know your politician well enough to make an informed evaluation.
But that is exactly what the people for whom this IS a big issue do NOT do.
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### Author:  [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2011, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/59 "2011-02-10T17:13:01Z")
Nuh-uhh. _Mis_-informed is a subset of all possible qualities of _informed_.
And Fox News is reliable and consistent about providing that service. :rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)
#### Post date: [February 10, 2011, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fox-news-focus-group-of-likely-iowa-gop-caucus-goers-dont-trust-obama-on-egypt-because-hes-muslim/570701/60 "2011-02-10T17:44:52Z")
I think the question we’re all missing here is why the fuck Obama’s religion matters WRT his Egypt policy.
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