Obama refuses to discuss Islamic terrorism. Instead he whitewashes it. Now a Gold Star Mom called him out on it.
President Barack Obama sparred with CNN host Jake Tapper in a tense exchange over Obama's refusal to use the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism."
During a CNN town-hall event focusing on the US military, Gold Star mother Tina Houchins asked Obama why he won't use the term.
TINA HOUCHINS: Hi, Mr. President. As a gold star mother, my son gave his life for acts of terrorism. Do you still believe that the acts of terrorism are done for the self-proclaimed Islamic religious motive? And if you do, why do you still refuse to use the term... Islamic terrorist?
So Obama blamed Trump and claimed that we would alienate Muslims.
The truth of the matter is that this is an issue that has been sort of manufactured, because there is no doubt, and I've said repeatedly that where we see terrorist organizations like al-Qaeda or ISIL, they have perverted and distorted and tried to claim the mantle of Islam for an excuse, for basically barbarism and death. These are people who kill children, kill Muslims, take sex slaves - there's no religious rationale that would justify in any way any of the things that they do.
I believe it's called the Koran.
But what I have been careful about when I describe these issues is to make sure that we do not lump these murderers into the billion Muslims that exist around the world, including in this country, who are peaceful, who are responsible... hen you start calling these organizations Islamic terrorists, the way it's heard, the way it's received by our friends and allies around the world is that somehow Islam is terroristic. And that then makes them feel as if they're under attack. In some cases, it makes it harder for us to get their cooperation in fighting terrorism.
Then Obama blamed Trump.
And, you know, I think that - I'll just be honest with you, the dangers where we get loose in this language, particularly when a president or people aspiring to get pres - become president get loose with this language, you can - you can see in some of the language that we use - in talking about Muslim-Americans here and the notion that somehow we'd start having religious tests in - in who can come in the country and who's investigated and - and - and whether "The Bill of Rights" applies to them in the same way.
Then he denied that he did it.
TAPPER: Just to interject...
OBAMA: Yes?
TAPPER: - you were clearly talking about the Republican nominee, Donald Trump, just then. You think his...
OBAMA: No, I wasn't. But...
TAPPER: You weren't?
OBAMA: - I - because - no, I - I...
TAPPER: Well, you just said...
OBAMA: - I would just say this, Jake, because...
TAPPER: - aspiring to this office...
OBAMA: - no, but it's not - it's not - it's not unique to the Republican nominee. And - and, again, I'm I'm trying to be careful. We're on a military base. I don't want to - I don't want to insert partisan politics into this.
Yes, we wouldn't want to do that.