Politicians beyond New York continued to stake out positions Tuesday on the controversy over plans to build an Islamic center and mosque near the site of the World Trade Center, but divisions emerged within each party over what has become a surprise issue in the 2010 elections.
In Pennsylvania’s closely contested Senate race, the Democratic candidate, Rep. Joe Sestak, appeared with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and endorsed the rights of project organizers to construct the Islamic center at its proposed location. Mr. Sestak’s position put him at odds with several other candidates in his own party, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who on Monday announced his opposition to the mosque’s being built near the site of the destroyed towers in Manhattan.
The issue dominated a news conference Tuesday in which Mr. Bloomberg endorsed Mr. Sestak’s Senate bid. Mr. Sestak, who had won the Democratic nomination over the opposition of Senate leaders and the White House, appeared pleased to once again highlight a difference between himself and Mr. Reid.
It is overlooked that this is called the Cordova Project. Cordova fell to Muslim invaders and became the place from which Spain was ruied. Somehow I find this fact offensive and I believe it was intended to be offensive.
The more I am thinking about this the more I am wondering if Democrats are using this as a wedge issue to turn out some of the black vote.
Right, No. 2. I haven’t observed any lack of enthusiasm for the issue among Republicans. It doesn’t seem particularly D-driven. It seems more likely to me that Republicans thought this would be a nifty issue to get the vote turned out and are beating it like a drum. It remains to be seen whether the issue is what they think it is or something with a nasty ricochet embedded in it.
I am so sick of liberals playing the racist, hater, bigot, phobia cards. I do not remember a time when the country was so divided. It is not divided because people had honest, heart-felt disagreements. It is because the left is demonizing the conservatives for those honest beliefs.
Nancy Pelosi is now calling for an investigation of those opposed to the mosque.
Sad when even WSJ reporters get this wrong. Very few critics are challenging the right of this religious group to build worship space. The issue is whether the group is being insensitive or triumphalist in exercising its right at this location. Reporters and comments in many places are misstating the argument. Here, Sestak defends the Cordoba Initiative from a putative attack on its rights when those rights are really not in question.
Agree with Katherine.
Straw man Liberals: They have the right to build the mosque there. Only hateful, bigots are against this.
Rational Conservatives: No one is denying their rights, but rather we are calling on them to act responsibly and point out the obvious that it is unbelievable insensitive and provocative to do it.
Straw man Liberals: But they have a right to build the mosque there.
and so on…
In the mean time, the radical islamists in this country get to play this up and recruit more suicide bombers. Liberals playing useful idiots for the jihadists. Sort of like what they did for the Nazi’s after they invaded Poland.
Why give the fanatics a home base from which to operate……especially one so close to Ground Zero? And please don’t tell me they won’t operate from there! And yes, I do think they mean to build this mosque as an insult to us.
They are not fanatics, and they have had offices in this neighborhood since before the World Trade Center towers were built.
Not fanatics?? Scott are you deranged or just swallowing the left wing propaganda? Islam is the sworn enemy of Israel and will exterminate the Jews if left to their own devices. Pick up a Koran and read
Sura 9:5. Be sure you get the version given to Muslims and not Americans. Wake up America! This is not a religion-it is a political system designed to enslave you.