"Obama Is A Muslim" Rumor Starter Meets The Press

By Prescott Carlson in News on Oct 13, 2008 8:15PM

Years after anyone to the left of Pat Buchanan dismissed it as nonsense, the New York Times takes a look at the one person primarily responsible for the rumor that Barack Obama is a Muslim -- Andy Martin.

Martin, a perennial political candidate (he ran for U.S. Senator from Illinois in 1978, 1980, 2004 and 2008 as well as lost the Chicago mayoral election to Michael Bilandic in 1977) is regularly quoted in anti-Obama material, such as Jerome Corsi's recent book Obama Nation. Martin also has made many public anti-Semitic comments in the past, such as calling a judge "a crooked, slimy Jew" in bankruptcy documents, and that one purpose for running for Connecticut congressman was "to exterminate Jew power." Which is why he was pushed to the forefront last week when critics slammed Fox News host Sean Hannity for having Martin on a special Hannity produced for the station, where Martin stated unchallenged that Obama was "in training for radical overthrow of the government" during his time as a community organizer.

Other Obama rumors started by Martin:

• Obama is the one that took all the red jellybeans.
• Obama was secretly rooting for the Cubs.
• Obama didn't mean it when he said he liked the sweater you're wearing.
• Obama double dips.
• Obama thinks Wilco is a bit overrated.
• Obama likes ketchup on his hot dogs.

[Trib]

Screenshot from News 13 video