KHOW's Caplis continued attacking Obama over African clothing photo, claiming an analogy with bin Laden's garb

Summary: Just as he did a day earlier, 630 KHOW-AM host Dan Caplis on his February 26 program referred to a photo of Sen. Barack Obama wearing traditional African attire during a 2006 visit to Kenya and suggested that it called Obama's "judgment" into question. Caplis repeated his assertion that Obama's clothing was similar to Osama bin Laden's garb, stating that "the man who personally ordered the burning to death of thousands of Americans [] also wears that clothing," and speculated that "this enemy that preys on weakness might view Obama as being an easier target" because of the photo.

On February 26, for the second consecutive day, 630 KHOW-AM's Dan Caplis questioned the "judgment" of Sen. Barack Obama for having worn the traditional attire of a tribal elder during an August 2006 visit to Kenya. Caplis echoed his remarks from the previous day by comparing the clothing Obama wore in the photograph to that of Osama bin Laden, saying, "Unfortunately, the man who personally ordered the burning to death of thousands of Americans in New York City, including women and children, also wears that clothing."

Pondering the "practical effect" of the photograph, Caplis also stated, "I become very concerned that this enemy that preys on weakness might view Obama as being an easier target, in part because of, you know, his -- well, you take this photograph." Caplis added, "And they look at -- let me just play this out for a second -- they look at this photograph, and they may take false comfort in that photograph and believe that Barack Obama would not be as likely to retaliate and do regime change in a Muslim state that supports terror."

Later, clarifying his point to a caller, Caplis stated, "I'm talking about if Barack Obama's elected president of the United States, I think that the enemy is gonna be more tempted to attack the United States of America and its interests than if John McCain is elected."

As Colorado Media Matters noted, Caplis similarly attacked Obama over the photo on February 25 and questioned why the presidential candidate would "put on similar clothing to the outfit worn by the man who personally ordered thousands of Americans, including women and kids, to be burned to death," a reference to bin Laden.

According to a February 26 BBC News article, the photo of Obama wearing Somali clothing caused "a storm after it got released to the Drudge Report website." The article continued:

Yusuf Garaad Omar, head of the BBC's Somali Service, explains the meaning of the robes.

These are the normal clothes that nomadic people wear.

The head turban is especially used by elderly people as a suggestion of respect.

[...]

There is no religious significance to it whatsoever. It is mainly the nomadic people who use it. Some of them are religious, some are not.

It is simply a tradition of the place where they are from.

In this particular place, Wajir in north-east Kenya, the community is majority ethnic Somali.

During his February 26 program, Caplis remarked, "I was just surprised that somebody considering a run for the presidency, flashing back to [1988 Democratic presidential candidate] Michael Dukakis in the tank with that helmet photo that helped to bury Dukakis, would put a turban on after 9-11 and be photographed in it."

From the February 26 broadcast of 630 KHOW-AM's The Caplis & Silverman Show:

CALLER: You brought about an interesting point about, you know, the clothes that he wore, and that maybe terrorists might consider that he may not retaliate, which is an interesting point. And what I was thinking was that, not all people that wear those clothes are terrorists. I think that's a point you even brought up before. So, what I'm wondering is, would the majority of people that aren't terrorists that wear those kind of clothes would think that he would be more sympathetic to their cause? And I told your screener that I think this is pretty much a win-win situation for the senator, simply because, you know, the more he gets knocked, the more backlash there's going to be.

CAPLIS: Hmm. And that potential's always out there. It's one of the first things that I mentioned on-air yesterday when the topic came up, and whether this was a Clinton-generated smear. Now, my point is, as you say, that the vast majority of people who wear that clothing are peace-loving, good people. Unfortunately, the man who personally ordered the burning to death of thousands of Americans in New York City, including women and children, also wears that clothing. And so that's why, first on the judgment issue, I was just surprised that somebody considering a run for the presidency, flashing back to Michael Dukakis in the tank with that helmet photo that helped to bury Dukakis, would put a turban on after 9-11 and be photographed in it. So there was a judgment issue.

But the other, more subtle point, my friend, was just that, that you take this enemy -- and I, this enemy, you know, I try to learn as much as I can about the thought process of the devil essentially, and that's what Osama bin Laden and his ilk are -- and, you know, you read the words Osama bin Laden has written and, at that point, you know, I become very concerned that this enemy that preys on weakness might view Obama as being an easier target, in part because of, you know, his -- well, you take this photograph. And they look at -- let me just play this out for a second -- they look at this photograph, and they may take false comfort in that photograph and believe that Barack Obama would not be as likely to retaliate and do regime change in a Muslim state that supports terror. So, I think there's also at least a fair question about that practical effect of something like this. So --

CALLER: Dan, I think that's kind of a weak point. First, I don't think that they would ever try and attack Obama. I mean, I really don't see that happening. I could be wrong, obviously --

CAPLIS: Well, why?

CALLER: If they attack -- God forbid -- if he got, you know, hurt or assassinated, or anything like that --

CAPLIS: Forgive me for not being more precise. I'm talking about if Barack Obama's elected president of the United States, I think that the enemy is gonna be more tempted to attack the United States of America and its interests than if John McCain is elected.

—C.H.