The Muslim advocacy group Council on America-Islamic relations, contended that Barack Obama is not to blame for his nonexistent outreach to American Muslim leaders. CAIR Spokesperson Ibrahim Hooper said that Obama’s reticence to reach out to American Muslims is partly due to people making use of the senator’s middle name. “Senator Obama has been targeted by anti-Muslim extremists who have falsely claimed he’s Muslim,” says Hooper. “… [I] think he is reacting to that concerted effort to smear him with false allegations …. Unfortunately, in reacting to these [smears], he can have the perception of keeping the American Muslim community at arm’s length,” Hooper said.
