# Why would Obama make such a preposterous claim? \[US one of the largest Muslim countries\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 3, 2009, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567 "2009-06-03T12:55:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/81 "2009-06-03T20:44:30Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Yes, it’s just irritating that you can’t call Obama on his bullshit without someone crying, “But W!” It’s irritating that \*everything \*Obama does is called “bullshit”. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/82 "2009-06-03T20:49:14Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > By builiding, I meant discussion, friendo. Only to mock it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/83 "2009-06-03T20:54:51Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Only to mock it. 😃 I have always wanted to say that, and then I got to. I love this place! ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/84 "2009-06-03T21:12:07Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Yes, it’s just irritating that you can’t call Obama on his bullshit without someone crying, “But W!” You might have a point if I were excusing a major screw-up by Obama by pointing to a minor screw up by W and saying “See! Equivalency!” However, in this case I believe I am pointing out a minor screw-up by Obama and contrasting it with a major screw-up by W and saying “Obama screwed up yes, but let’s put things in perspective here.” ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/85 "2009-06-03T21:15:02Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > You might have a point if I were excusing a major screw-up by Obama by pointing to a minor screw up by W and saying “See! Equivalency!” > > However, in this case I believe I am pointing out a minor screw-up by Obama and contrasting it with a major screw-up by W and saying “Obama screwed up yes, but let’s put things in perspective here.” No my point is that we can’t judge Obama without being irritatingly being reminded of how horrible his predecessor was. That W is held up as an example positive/negative or otherwise, reduces us as a people and our standards. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/86 "2009-06-03T21:16:13Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Because people want to say “bullshit is bullshit” which implies it is all the same. As has been shown it isn’t as comparisons to W-bullshit shows all too clearly. When I said bullshit I didn’t even think of Bush. I thought that what he said was bullshit, which it was. Bush derangement syndrome dies hard. > [@](#): > > It’s like saying “a lie is a lie” suggesting there are no shades of gray in there. If I am throwing you a surprise party tonight and I lie to you so as not to spoil the surprise is a far cry from lying about, say, non-existent WMDs. LOL ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/87 "2009-06-03T21:19:46Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > No my point is that we can’t judge Obama without being irritatingly being reminded of how horrible his predecessor was. That W is held up as an example positive/negative or otherwise, reduces us as a people and our standards. What did you expect? Obama could spend an hour of his next televised speech running kittens through a sausage grinder on live TV, and the usual suspects would be here defending it. The Dope never changes. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/88 "2009-06-03T21:22:44Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > What did you expect? Obama could spend an hour of his next televised speech running kittens through a sausage grinder on live TV, and the usual suspects would be here defending it. The Dope never changes. You do realize there is a severe cat and dog overpopulation problem, I presume. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/89 "2009-06-03T21:24:50Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > No my point is that we can’t judge Obama without being irritatingly being reminded of how horrible his predecessor was. That W is held up as an example positive/negative or otherwise, reduces us as a people and our standards. I’ll give you that. **Oakminster** ’s comment though is just silly. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/90 "2009-06-03T21:27:32Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > No my point is that we can’t judge Obama without being irritatingly being reminded of how horrible his predecessor was. That W is held up as an example positive/negative or otherwise, reduces us as a people and our standards. The problem is, you are not judging Obama, or how he governs. You and your ilk are going complete and utter apeshit over whether or not he has bowed to a visiting royal, took his wife to a broadway show, or spoke a word of thanks in a foriegn language. You need persective. Read a book, plant a garden, go for a walk. On the off chance that President Obama really REALLY screws up, no one is going to listen to the right after trying so hard to manufacture scandal. Not to mention that W WAS a terrible President. I won’t rehash the litanny of issues I have with him, but the fact remains, he is one of the worst presidents our country has seen in the modern era, and he was yours. Life sucks. Wear a helmet. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/91 "2009-06-03T21:31:30Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > No my point is that we can’t judge Obama without being irritatingly being reminded of how horrible his predecessor was. That W is held up as an example positive/negative or otherwise, reduces us as a people and our standards. Since the office of POTUS is so one-of-a-kind, I would say that, on the contrary, we _cannot_ actually make an informed judgment about his performance without at least considering the performance of recent office-holders who have been faced with a similar set of political circumstances. But I’ll give you this: saying he’s better than Bush is not saying a whole hell of a lot. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/92 "2009-06-03T21:38:37Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I’ll give you that. **Oakminster** ’s comment though is just silly. True, though. I hate kittens. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/93 "2009-06-03T21:43:45Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > True, though. I hate kittens. You’re in luck then because everytime Obama speaks a kitten dies. It’s true! I read it on the interweb somewhere! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/94 "2009-06-03T21:47:37Z")
> [@Lust4Life](#): > > His statement might just prevent some moderate Muslims worldwide developing into extremist Islamics with a hatred for the U.S. with all its consequences. > This in turn might save American lives. The nerve! Trying to save lives by being friendly and civilized, while everyone knows we should be saving American lives by torturing people. Will the nightmare never end? ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/95 "2009-06-03T22:12:01Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > What did you expect? Obama could spend an hour of his next televised speech running kittens through a sausage grinder on live TV, and the usual suspects would be here defending it. The Dope never changes. Did you enjoy knocking over that little straw man you just fabricated? ---
**Author:** ![stolichnaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bcef8e/32.png) [@stolichnaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stolichnaya)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/96 "2009-06-03T23:19:23Z")
I am witholding judgement on the sausage gaffe until we get more detail, as we know, the spice is the test of a good sausage. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2009, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/97 "2009-06-03T23:39:50Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > It was inevitable. > Faux outrage is now real outrage from [Micheal Goldfarb at the Weekly Standard](http://www.weeklystandard.com/Weblogs/TWSFP/TWSFPView.asp#11838). > > He is actually insinuating that Obama is hiding the fact that he speaks Arabic. From a one word thanks to a foreign head of state, and a cll to prayer in 2007. “He knows a foreign language ?! Damn elitist ! We need a President who’s ignorant as dirt, like a REAL American !” ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/98 "2009-06-04T00:54:55Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Yes, but generally we rely on figures from several years back for population extrapolations. If you can find something more up to date I am fine with revising my figures. Even 3.2m won’t make us one of the largest Muslim nations, either the smallest of the biggest or biggest of the smallest, but not one of the biggest Muslim populations. Once again, depends on how you define “largest” - we are definitely in the upper half of countries in the world by a numerical count of our Muslim population. That definitely means we are not among the smallest. It would probably be more accurate to say “in terms of Muslim population, we have greater than the mean number against all world countries,” but that is poor rhetoric. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/99 "2009-06-04T01:01:27Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > Once again, depends on how you define “largest” - we are definitely in the upper half of countries in the world by a numerical count of our Muslim population. Actually more like the [Top 15%](http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/06/03/looking-for-media-bias-in-all-the-wrong-places.aspx). Not all the high when it comes to bragging rights, but close enough to touching the hem of the truth not to make such a big deal about. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567/100 "2009-06-04T01:52:28Z")
This is utterly stupid manufactured outrage. Is this all that is left from the right? Shrill histrionics based on anything they can maybe pretend to be upset about. What he said is true, we have a lot of Muslims. More than most countries. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-obama-make-such-a-preposterous-claim-us-one-of-the-largest-muslim-countries/498567.md?page=6)