King's comments put him in center of another firestorm
By Bret Hayworth Journal staff writer | Posted: Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington June 19, 2007, to discuss immigration legislation entitled the Secure Borders First Act. (AP Photo)
Steve King isn't backing down.
Then again, was anyone really expecting him to?
The Iowa Fifth District Congressman, who has often courted controversy in his three Congressional terms, said Monday his comments about Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama "needed to be said." King went on to say liberals "are intentionally misinterpreting what I said for political purposes."
In an interview Friday with the Daily Reporter in Spencer, King said an Obama victory in the November general election would have radical Islamists and al-Qaida "dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11." He said Obama's middle name, Hussein, "matters" because terrorists and extremists would "read a meaning into that."
His comments were quickly criticized by Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor, seized upon by the national media and, on Monday, drew condemnation from Democrats on the floors of the Iowa House and Senate.
Obama's campaign has criticized King's comments and asked McCain to disavow them, which the Arizona senator's aides did Monday.
"John McCain rejects the type of politics that degrades our civics ... and obviously that extends to Congressman King's statement," spokesman Brian Rogers told The Associated Press.
King's comments were the latest of a series of controversial statements he has made since being elected to Congress in 2002. In 2004, King compared the treatment of Abu Ghraib prisoners by U.S. personnel in Iraq to "hazing." In 2005, he called U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy "a hero for America." Later, in 2006, he compared illegal immigrants to livestock and stray cats and said his wife faced more danger in Washington, D.C., than civilians faced in Iraq.
King announced last week he is seeking a fourth term. Rob Hubler, a retired Presbyterian minister from Council Bluffs, is the sole Democrat running for the post.
On Monday, Hubler called on King to apologize.
"We have heard him call Joseph McCarthy an American hero and claim the streets of downtown Baghdad are safer than those of our nation’s capitol. But to say Barack Obama is a link to those who want to destroy the United States is the greatest of insults," Hubler said in a released statement.
On Monday, King told the Journal he was quoted accurately by the Daily Reporter but that many, primarily liberals, "missed the point." King said that Obama's intention to remove troops from Iraq if elected would amount to a declaration of defeat. If that happens, King said, "then our enemy naturally will declare victory, and when they declare victory, then they will be dancing in the streets."
Iowa Democrats weren't buying King's explanation.
Rep. Deborah Berry, D-Waterloo, called the comments "demeaning" and said they could incite fear and hate.
"As an Iowan, I’m quite offended by that and quite appalled by the thought that one of our very own congressmen would even make such a comment about a person who’s running for any seat, for that matter," Berry said.
Sen. Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville, said people outside Iowa shouldn't get the wrong idea about the state from King’s recent comment. Dvorsky, who has endorsed Obama, said on the Senate floor that King doesn’t speak for all Iowans.
Dave Widman, acting chairman of the Woodbury County Republican Party, would not comment when asked if he thought King's comments were appropriate.
"I think his main point is, he believes we would have a stronger defense against terrorism with Sen. McCain as president," he said.
Linda Holub, secretary of the Woodbury County Republican Party, said she thought terrorists would be happy if either U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton or Obama were elected because both want to withdraw from Iraq. Holub said she didn't pretend to understand the mentality of terrorists but speculated they also might identify with Obama because of his middle name.
"They may have some camaraderie for him because of his heritage," she said.
King said his office has been flooded with comments from across the country. The first three dozen comments received, King said, were predominantly critical of his statement. "Then it changed to 60-40 (percent) positive, as people think about what I said," he said.
Any chance he'll tone down his rhetoric after this latest flap? Not at all, King said.
"It needed to be said, and the more reaction there is, the more it confirms it needed to be said. It touched a nerve, and the American people need to think about the consequences if they are going to elect someone to the presidency who has declared for defeat rather than victory," King said.
The Associated Press, Journal Des Moines Bureau writers Dan Gearino and Charlotte Eby and Journal staff writer Molly Montag contributed to this report.
The King file
2004
Topic: Treatment of Abu Ghraib prisoners in Iraq
King said: "We had a high school down here that had worse things going on in their wrestling team hazing their freshmen."
2005
Topic: U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy
King said: "... A hero for America."
2006
Topic: An electrified border fence
King said: "We do that with livestock all the time."
2006
Topic: Safety in Iraq
King said: "My wife lives here with me, and I can tell you ... she's at far greater risk being a civilian in Washington, D.C., than an average civilian in Iraq."
2008
Topic: Prospect of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama winning the presidency
King said: "His middle name does matter. It matters because they read meaning in to that. ... The radical Islamists, the al-Qaida ... would be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11...."
Then again, was anyone really expecting him to?
The Iowa Fifth District Congressman, who has often courted controversy in his three Congressional terms, said Monday his comments about Democratic presidential nominee and U.S. Sen. Barack Obama "needed to be said." King went on to say liberals "are intentionally misinterpreting what I said for political purposes."
In an interview Friday with the Daily Reporter in Spencer, King said an Obama victory in the November general election would have radical Islamists and al-Qaida "dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11." He said Obama's middle name, Hussein, "matters" because terrorists and extremists would "read a meaning into that."
His comments were quickly criticized by Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor, seized upon by the national media and, on Monday, drew condemnation from Democrats on the floors of the Iowa House and Senate.
Obama's campaign has criticized King's comments and asked McCain to disavow them, which the Arizona senator's aides did Monday.
"John McCain rejects the type of politics that degrades our civics ... and obviously that extends to Congressman King's statement," spokesman Brian Rogers told The Associated Press.
King's comments were the latest of a series of controversial statements he has made since being elected to Congress in 2002. In 2004, King compared the treatment of Abu Ghraib prisoners by U.S. personnel in Iraq to "hazing." In 2005, he called U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy "a hero for America." Later, in 2006, he compared illegal immigrants to livestock and stray cats and said his wife faced more danger in Washington, D.C., than civilians faced in Iraq.
King announced last week he is seeking a fourth term. Rob Hubler, a retired Presbyterian minister from Council Bluffs, is the sole Democrat running for the post.
On Monday, Hubler called on King to apologize.
"We have heard him call Joseph McCarthy an American hero and claim the streets of downtown Baghdad are safer than those of our nation’s capitol. But to say Barack Obama is a link to those who want to destroy the United States is the greatest of insults," Hubler said in a released statement.
On Monday, King told the Journal he was quoted accurately by the Daily Reporter but that many, primarily liberals, "missed the point." King said that Obama's intention to remove troops from Iraq if elected would amount to a declaration of defeat. If that happens, King said, "then our enemy naturally will declare victory, and when they declare victory, then they will be dancing in the streets."
Iowa Democrats weren't buying King's explanation.
Rep. Deborah Berry, D-Waterloo, called the comments "demeaning" and said they could incite fear and hate.
"As an Iowan, I’m quite offended by that and quite appalled by the thought that one of our very own congressmen would even make such a comment about a person who’s running for any seat, for that matter," Berry said.
Sen. Bob Dvorsky, D-Coralville, said people outside Iowa shouldn't get the wrong idea about the state from King’s recent comment. Dvorsky, who has endorsed Obama, said on the Senate floor that King doesn’t speak for all Iowans.
Dave Widman, acting chairman of the Woodbury County Republican Party, would not comment when asked if he thought King's comments were appropriate.
"I think his main point is, he believes we would have a stronger defense against terrorism with Sen. McCain as president," he said.
Linda Holub, secretary of the Woodbury County Republican Party, said she thought terrorists would be happy if either U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton or Obama were elected because both want to withdraw from Iraq. Holub said she didn't pretend to understand the mentality of terrorists but speculated they also might identify with Obama because of his middle name.
"They may have some camaraderie for him because of his heritage," she said.
King said his office has been flooded with comments from across the country. The first three dozen comments received, King said, were predominantly critical of his statement. "Then it changed to 60-40 (percent) positive, as people think about what I said," he said.
Any chance he'll tone down his rhetoric after this latest flap? Not at all, King said.
"It needed to be said, and the more reaction there is, the more it confirms it needed to be said. It touched a nerve, and the American people need to think about the consequences if they are going to elect someone to the presidency who has declared for defeat rather than victory," King said.
The Associated Press, Journal Des Moines Bureau writers Dan Gearino and Charlotte Eby and Journal staff writer Molly Montag contributed to this report.
The King file
2004
Topic: Treatment of Abu Ghraib prisoners in Iraq
King said: "We had a high school down here that had worse things going on in their wrestling team hazing their freshmen."
2005
Topic: U.S. Sen. Joe McCarthy
King said: "... A hero for America."
2006
Topic: An electrified border fence
King said: "We do that with livestock all the time."
2006
Topic: Safety in Iraq
King said: "My wife lives here with me, and I can tell you ... she's at far greater risk being a civilian in Washington, D.C., than an average civilian in Iraq."
2008
Topic: Prospect of U.S. Sen. Barack Obama winning the presidency
King said: "His middle name does matter. It matters because they read meaning in to that. ... The radical Islamists, the al-Qaida ... would be dancing in the streets in greater numbers than they did on Sept. 11...."
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JOHN POLAKA wrote on Mar 12, 2008 4:47 PM:
Craig Williams wrote on Mar 12, 2008 12:35 AM:
I might suggest you all read an article by Aaron Klein posted, of all places, on the Muslims Against Sharia web site. muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/03/author-confirms-terrorists-rejoice-at.html
In the article, Klein reveals information gleened from direct interviews with Muslim terrorists.
For example, Ramadan Adassi, leader of the Al Aqsa Brigades terror group in the West Bank's Anskar refugee camp, pointed to Obama's rise to stardom as "an important success. He won popularity in spite of the Zionists and the conservatives."
Or, Muhammad Saadi, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad in the northern West Bank town of Jenin, who said, "As Arabs and Muslims we feel proud of this talk. Very proud from the great successes of the Iraqi resistance. This success that brought the big superpower of the world to discuss a possible withdrawal."
I realize facts tend to confuse liberals, particularly when they are so busy being tolerant only to those who agree with them, but check it out anyway. "
The Truth wrote on Mar 11, 2008 11:45 PM:
Lee wrote on Mar 11, 2008 11:01 PM:
I always sensed his love for the camera. This, of course, will be a position jointly held with the Woodbury County Repub. party head. Each of these folks seem to feel they know what Al Queda wants, better than even Al Queda. "
Sherry wrote on Mar 11, 2008 10:33 PM: