The Muslim “Smear”

I found this item from Obama’s “Fight the Smears” site was interesting.

When I hear the word “smear,” I think of it as more than a lie.  It is a lie that attempts to make someone look bad.  For example, if you say that I support a regional transit tax, it would be a lie.  But since there’s nothing morally repugnant about a regional transit tax, it would not be a smear.  If you say that I support hiring child molesters to teach the 3rd grade, it would be a smear.  You would be lying about my position, but also lying about something that is morally repugnant.  “Smear” has an entirely different connotation than “lie.”

So why would Obama’s campaign label a false accusation of being Muslim a “smear?”  Yes, it’s untrue, but so what if he was?  Is that morally repugnant?  No.  It would possibly make one question what he would do in fighting Islamic terrorists, but the simple fact of being a Muslim is no more morally repugnant than adhering to any other religion. 

It’s interesting that Obama is so worried about that incorrect information perpetuating that he would label it a smear.