To the Point
Muslims, Arabs and the Obama Campaign
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Muslims, Arabs and the Obama Campaign

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When Barack Obama says it's a "smear" to call him a Muslim, Muslim supporters have second thoughts. He's had kind words for the Palestinians, but his hard line for Israel has Arab Americans worried. Does Obama's message of unity have limits?  Is he distancing himself from voters who could make a difference?  Also, the Bush Administration changes tack and sends a senior diplomat to Iran. On Reporter's Notebook, is the Bush Administration contradicting itself on global warming? 

Banner image: Detail from The New Yorker, July 21, 2008 issue

Making News

Changing Tack, Bush Sends Senior Diplomats to Talk with Iran ()

President Bush has been adamant: no talks with Iran until it suspends enrichment of uranium. But tomorrow, his number-three diplomat will meet in Geneva with the European Union's foreign policy chief and Saeed Jalili, Iran's nuclear negotiator. Glenn Kessler, author of The Confidante: Condoleezza Rice and the Creation of the Bush Legacy, reports for the Washington Post.

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Main Topic

Obama, Distancing Himself from Arab-Americans, American Muslims? ()

Barack Obama has visited churches and synagogues during his presidential campaign but, so far, he has not been to a mosque. Does his message of unity extend to American Muslims?  Many are not so sure. Would his sympathy for the Palestinians produce more even-handedness in the Middle East? Some Arab Americans don't really think so. A Christian candidate needs to quash rumors that he's a secret Muslim without offending Muslims themselves. While his hard-line support for Israel may appeal to Jews, it could turn off another constituency that's potentially crucial in several states. As Obama goes to the Middle East, we talk about political challenges at home.

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Reporter's Notebook

EPA Calls Global Warming a Significant Health Threat ()

Last week, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would make no effort to regulate greenhouse gases. Today, that same EPA was part of an inter-agency group reporting that more people will die because of global warming.  Will the Bush Administration tackle the global warming or leave that to the next administration? Stephen Power, who covers energy and environmental policy for the Wall Street Journal, looks at the Bush Administration, science and public health.

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