Erick Erickson: Trump ‘Did Nothing Wrong’ In Obama-Muslim Incident

RedState Editor-in-Chief Erick Erickson makes comments to attendees at the 2014 Red State Gathering, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
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Erick Erickson may have publicly snubbed Donald Trump for making what he thought were sexist comments about a Fox News host, but the conservative pundit said Monday that the Republican presidential frontrunner “did nothing wrong” when he let a supporter erroneously call President Barack Obama a Muslim.

“Donald Trump is under no obligation to correct someone asking a question,” Erickson wrote on his blog. “He does not have to do it. If he did otherwise, he could see his events hijacked by an army of left-wing trolls intent on making him correct and apologize every one of them.”

Trump was roundly criticized for letting the false claim go unchallenged last week. His failure to correct the man suggested the real estate mogul was trying to court his substantial base of supporters who falsely believe that Obama is a Muslim and a non-citizen of the United States.

Erickson blamed the media for drawing attention to the incident. He then pandered to the Obama-is-a-secret-Muslim conspiracy theorists by linking to an out-of-context clip of an 2008 interview where Obama addressed questions about his faith.

“This is a ridiculous media generated story,” he wrote. “And oh, by the way, Barack Obama talked about his Muslim faith. Not that he’s a muslim, mind you. The man is a secularist.”

“Regardless, Donald Trump did nothing wrong,” Erickson added.

In the 2008 interview with ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, Obama appeared to verbally slip when he referred to “my Muslim faith.” Stephanopoulos noted that then-Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said it was “wrong” for people to question Obama’s faith.

“You’re absolutely right that John McCain has not talked about my Muslim faith—” Obama said.

“Your Christian faith,” Stephanopoulos broke in.

“My Christian faith,” Obama continued. “Well, what I’m saying is he hasn’t suggested that I’m a Muslim. And I think that his campaign, upper echelons have not either.”

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