Sunday, February 03, 2008
BOISE, Idaho —
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama assured Western voters Saturday he believes in Jesus as well as the rights of gun owners.The presidential candidate warned people about hoax e-mails they may get saying he's secretly a Muslim who might want to destroy the United States.
"I've been going to the same church for 20 years, praising Jesus," the Illinois senator told more than 10,000 people packed into Boise State's basketball arena. He is a member of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.
Obama's crowd and his mention of God was notable in Idaho, one of the smaller prizes among the 22 states holding Democratic presidential campaign contests on Super Tuesday. Idaho's caucuses offer 18 Democratic delegates to the national convention.
Obama urged those at the rally not to believe everything they hear about him.
"We've heard the usual sort of smear campaigns. I don't know if they've trickled up to Iowa," Obama said to laughter from the crowed, then quickly corrected himself. "Idaho. I know they were in Iowa.
"They send out these e-mails saying, `You know Obama, he's a Muslim and he doesn't pledge allegiance to the flag,'" he said. "Don't try to just insult not just me but people of the Islamic faith by playing on people's fears. I know who I am.
"And then there are people who say, `Well, he doesn't believe in the Second Amendment,' even though I come from a state _ we've got a lot of hunters in downstate Illinois. And I have no intention of taking away folks' guns."
Obama didn't mention that he does support gun control and has a record of voting for it in the Illinois Senate. He backed limiting handgun purchases to one a month, but he made no attempts to ban them. Today, he stands by his support for controls while trying to reassure hunters that he has no interest in interfering with their access to firearms.
Asked about Obama's comments on gun rights, rival Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said, "He has to speak to his own record, which has really changed over a relatively short time period."
A spokesman for Clinton pointed out that 12 years ago, when Obama was running for the state Legislature, he said in a questionnaire that he "supported banning the manufacture, sale and possession of handguns."
"Which one of Senator Obama's positions do you think the Republican nominee will tout in the fall?" said Clinton spokesman Phil Singer.
The Republican National Committee wasn't waiting until then. Party spokesman Alex Conant quickly put out a statement calling Obama's statement "misleading" in light of his 1996 statement.
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