Why is it a big deal that Obama's middle name is Hussein?

Question

I'm still young. Too young to vote. But I'm confused. What's the big deal over Barack Obama's middle name?

I understand that Saddam Hussein wasn't "the nicest person alive" (okay, he was one of the worst, right next to Hitler...), but why should that affect Obama?

Answer 1

Exactly.

Even at your young age, youre smarter than the republicans.  They operate on a 3rd grade level.

Answer 2

B/c many Americans are ignorant and only want to vote a candidate in if is name sounds American enough. I wonder if an Italian American man runs and his last name is Soprano will ppl assume he's part of the mafia?

Answer 3

Obama is the next Saddam Hussein that's the big deal.  he is the next Hitler.  He is truly evil.

He will be the end of us all.

Answer 4

It's not a deal at all.  Hussein is an extraordinarily common name.  The right wing echo chamber has insisted on repeating his name to plant the idea in people's heads that he is muslim.  On occasion, that whisper campaign has spilled over into the mainstream media.  And it has worked.  An astonishing number of Americans believe that Obama is muslim.

Answer 5

It is not a big thing.  There are millions of people in the world name Hussein.  It is the negative politics of the racist, classicist  Republican party to use dirty tactics to keep blue collar white people afraid and to reinforce their racism. They are dull and they have done irreparable damage to the economic outlook of the country they claim to love, but they take responsibility for nothing.  Making a big deal about Obama's middle name, and all the other lies they have told are just smoke and mirrors to keep really stupid people distracted so that they don't face the issues and look at their current fortunes and the future of their children.  

Answer 6

Nothing, it's a name.

It's not like he chose his name...

Answer 7

It's all about fear tactics.  Hussein = Muslim = Terrorist.  

Answer 8

It's kinda funny... but *sad* yeah thats it sad

Answer 9

Well Palin rymes with FAILin so I guess it all fits togather.

Answer 10

Republican scare-tactics 101.

Answer 11

Roots!

Answer 12

because they think he's from iraq and a terrorist just because he has the same name as a terrorist. he's not though. people are just being stupid about it.

Answer 13

You're exactly right.  Please, keep asking questions like this.  And vote one day. You sound like someone who can think.

The Right has been bashing Obama because they don't like his middle name.  Then they pick a VP candidate that wants censorship and many other horrible things. (see link for book-banning)

Answer 14

umm because technically he is from the same culture was raised in it for some years as a child...you dont just leave that or forget it ..now claims to be a christian..they dont go hand in hand....he flips around too much

Answer 15

because people are not smart and instead of looking at real issues and trying to understand how the economy or foreign policy or public debt work - all these things that will define the quality of your life for many years - instead they like to make decisions about elections based on superficial things like middle names or whether or not someone wears a lapel on their jacket

'hussein' is an islamic name so these people say even though Obama is Christian becuase his dad's side of the family was Muslim he is not good enough to be the President

however, whether your are Muslim, Christian or Buddhist and whatever origin you are it does not affect one's ability to run a country

America is supposed to be a free country, a country where any natural born person of a certain age can be a president even if he does not believe in god!

Religion and state should be separate.

good job asking questions - that shows you are thinking, keep on doing that!

you don't have to agree with me or them but you have to use critical thinking and decide for yourself by examining facts and not sensationalized garbage

Answer 16

I'm too young to vote as well, and I don't get it either. Some people are just really petty and love to hate instead of talking about this issues..it fuels their empty lives.

Answer 17

people are stupid, that is why.  read this

Wow another Ron Paulian.    Ok here is another....  WAKE UP AMERICA ! ! ! !    The educated, most caring, most experienced politician is being ignored.  Why?????  Because he did well enough delivering babies, AS A REAL DOCTOR,  that he can't be bribed?  Sounds like the truth to me.   Just word to all followers,  don't completely trash our relationship with the GOP because to win in 2012 we need a major party.  Remember we all made splashes,  and if they ripple till 2012 you can call it wave.

Answer 18

I am leaning towards Mccain, but it upsets me that some people could be so ignorant to bring a man's name up as an issue. I think Obama is an honorable man and he inspires me. I just disagree with his foreign policy. I don't know about you but I had nothing to do with naming myself.

Answer 19

It's racism pure and simple.  

Answer 20

I think the reason people point it out is because even if he doesn't claim Islam as his religion right now, he comes from Muslim roots, and he himself attended a Muslim school as a youth.  That combined with his refusal to speak of "Islamic terrorists" makes some wonder if he will be perhaps more tolerant of Islamic terrorist nations than he ought to be.

Answer 21

ive asked that to many people...and they all say that it doesnt sound "right" for the president of the united states....but dont let it affect you...he will make a good president

Answer 22

IT SHOULD BE NO DEAL AT ALL.  You are so smart to figure out already that his middle name has nothing to do with how well he could or could not manage the executive branch of the government.

What should matter is, what are his plans and how does he plan to achieve them.  Then, do you agree with not only his objectives, but his action items to achieve those objectives.

The rest of the arguments, such as that he is a black man, or his middle name, or that his pastor is a racist,,,,, has little to do with his ability to govern the country.  I don't agree that these are major issues to be decided when I cast my vote.

His objectives for education, and the fact that he wants to send the government funding for bonus payments to teachers and school systems, to community action groups so they can decide how who gets the money, bothers me more than his middle name.  (proposed legislation when he was a congressman from IL, linked from his congressional website, not his presidential website.)

His proposal to have government funding earmarked (only spent for a special project), in the amount of 1,000,000 dollars to build a pavilion (nothing to do with patient care) at his wife's hospital (where she works), which just gave her a promotion, bothers me more than the fact that his pastor is a racist.  

His plan to increase the tax burden on small business, (which employees more americans than big business), has a bearing on my vote, where the fact that he is the first black nominated by a major party does not.

The simple fact that you, have just as much actual hands on time involved with the executive branch of any government as Mr. Obama, means more to me than the fact that he is a good looking man, who speaks well.  

Now, just to show I'm not only bashing Mr. Obama, the fact that Mr. McCain does not want to enforce the current immigration laws of our country, means more to me than the fact that he spent many years as a prisoner of war.  

It's hard to get past the junk of an election, and the hype that goes with each canidate on both sides.  But the fact that you will ask a question and admit that you don't know something, in many ways makes you a more real person and a more mature person than either of the two canidates for president.  

Hope to see you on the ballot in 20 years.  

PS. note which arguments are name calling and sound mean, and note which side they support,,,,,, now, is it the republicans doing the name calling, or what...... you decide.

Answer 23

its not a big deal to me

I dont care what his name is

but he is a total fool and a dingbat no matter what his name is

Answer 24

It shouldn't. It is just something used to distract people from the real issues.

Answer 25

It shouldn't, and people that choose to attack him based only on his name are silly. I myself am guilty of such silliy acts, but its nothing more than passion.

So, like I said, his name means nothing in the grand scope of things.

Answer 26

Well after 9/11 everybody in republican party hate Muslims.They dont understand the fact that

"Every terrorists are muslim

                  But

Every muslims arent terrorist"

and ofcourse Hussein sounds like a muslim name.

Answer 27

republicans are petty and will use anything to villify obama and make people not trust him. there are many people with the name hussein, who are good people. just ridiculous.

Answer 28

No sweetie, Sadam Hussein was not like Hitler! There are a lot of Sadam Husseins in this world, only a few were as vile as Hitler and the n***s. Hitler and his government didn't just oppress the Germans, far worse, they made Germans believe Germany's doings were noble.

@ Mary - It is very sad for an American to make such a hateful statement. You really don't know what you are talking about. Please go to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC so you can see what Hitler and the n***s did.

Too sad you can hate a person you haven't met, a person who is willing to serve this country, a person who is concerned about YOUR well being.

The same goes for those who make similar statements about the GOP. What a waste of energy...

Answer 29

because the name "hussein" carries a negative connotation and those against obama like to use it to stir up trouble. It's just a name but the right doesn't see it that way. people who use it are basically very small.