McCain backer riles Muslims with 'kneel or kill' comments
A supporter of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said that Muslims wanted to kill Americans, provoking anger among Muslims and a hasty clarification from the campaign.
By Agencies |
WASHINGTON: A supporter of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain said that Muslims wanted to kill Americans, provoking anger among Muslims and a hasty clarification from the campaign.
"The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us," former prisoner of war in Vietnam Bud Day said on a conference call with reporters organised by the Floridan Republican party.
"I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel, and John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel."
Day was a prisoner of war at the same time as McCain, and was a member in 2004 of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" group that sought to discredit then Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry's statements about his own service in the Vietnam war.
McCain campaign spokesman Michael Goldfarb sought to clarify Day's remarks yesterday after the conference call, saying: "The threat we face is from radical Islamic extremism." However, Day's words prompted a quick reply from US-based Muslim groups.
"Mr Day's distorted view dismisses the vast majority of Muslims who stand with our nation to fight extremists and anti-American forces," said Council on American-Islamic Relations legislative director Corey Saylor.
"Senator McCain needs to make it clear that he does not support such a divisive position and that his campaign respects all Americans," Saylor said.
"The Muslims have said either we kneel or they're going to kill us," former prisoner of war in Vietnam Bud Day said on a conference call with reporters organised by the Floridan Republican party.
"I don't intend to kneel and I don't advocate to anybody that we kneel, and John doesn't advocate to anybody that we kneel."
Day was a prisoner of war at the same time as McCain, and was a member in 2004 of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth" group that sought to discredit then Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry's statements about his own service in the Vietnam war.
McCain campaign spokesman Michael Goldfarb sought to clarify Day's remarks yesterday after the conference call, saying: "The threat we face is from radical Islamic extremism." However, Day's words prompted a quick reply from US-based Muslim groups.
"Mr Day's distorted view dismisses the vast majority of Muslims who stand with our nation to fight extremists and anti-American forces," said Council on American-Islamic Relations legislative director Corey Saylor.
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"Senator McCain needs to make it clear that he does not support such a divisive position and that his campaign respects all Americans," Saylor said.
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