My Muslim faith

The words "my Muslim faith" were uttered by Barack Obama in an ABC News interview with George Stephanopoulos, excerpted on YouTube.

• STEPHANOPOULOS: You mentioned your Christian faith. Yesterday, you took after the Republicans for suggesting you have Muslim connections. Just a few minutes ago, Rick Davis, John McCain’s campaign manager, said they’ve never done that. This is a false and cynical attempt to play victim.
• OBAMA: You know what, these guys love to throw a rock and hide their hands.
• STEPHANOPOULOS: But the McCain campaign has never suggested you have Muslim connections.
• OBAMA: No. No. No. But I don’t think that when you look at what is being promulgated on Fox News, let’s say, and Republican commentators who are closely allied to these folks …
• STEPHANOPOULOS: But John McCain said that’s wrong.
• OBAMA: Listen, you and I both know that the minute that Governor Palin was forced to talk about her daughter, I immediately said that’s off limits. And …
• STEPHANOPOULOS: And John McCain said the same thing about questioning your faith.
• OBAMA: And what was the first thing the McCain campaign went out and did? They said, look, these liberal blogs that support Obama are out there attacking Governor Palin. Let's not play games. What I was suggesting - you're absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith, and you're absolutely right that that has not come at my ...
• STEPHANOPOULOS: [breaking in] Christian faith
• OBAMA: [stuttering] ma - my Christian faith ... and what I am saying is that he hasn't suggested that I'm a Muslim ...
• STEPHANOPOULOS: [speaking over] the connection, right
• OBAMA: ... and I think that his campaign upper echelons have not either. What I think is fair to say is that coming out of the Republican camp there have been efforts to suggest that perhaps I'm not who I say I am when it comes to my faith, something that I find deeply offensive and that has been going on for a pretty long ... [end of clip]

Supporters of Obama have suggested that Obama was talking about a false allegation of Obama's "Muslim faith," but for detractors that still does not explain his comfortable use of the phrase. Detractors argue that a Christian is not likely to refer to "my Muslim faith," and Obama's comfortable use of the phrase "my Muslim faith" suggests he is a Muslim rather than a Christian.

The Washington Times, founded by ecumenical religious leader Rev. Moon, said the phrase was a slip of the tongue.

See also

• Fifty-seven states
• The bomb that fell on Pearl Harbor