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Revision as of 07:48, 31 January 2007

On January 17, 2007, Insight Magazine an internet-only publication (the paper edition ceased operations in 2004) in publication founded by Rev. Sun Myung Moon of the Unification Church who has said that he is "humanity's Savior, Messiah, Returning Lord and True Parent." and sister publication to the Washington Times whose mission Moon proclaimed was to "become the instrument in spreading the truth about God to the world." published an article claiming that researchers connected with American presidential candidate Hillary Clinton had found that rival candidate Barack Obama was educated in a Wahhabist elementary school during his childhood in Indonesia.. Over the next several days a number of conservative pundits and news programs on Fox News Channel picked up the story.

CNN reporter John Vause visited the elementary school and found its staff in Western attire, its student body apparently consisting of Muslims, "Christians, Buddhists, also Confucian(s)". The CNN story also quoted a spokesman for Clinton dismissing the allegation as "an obvious right-wing hit job" on both candidates. Insight responded by denigrating CNN's investigation, claiming it did "not satisfy our standards for aggressive investigative reporting", while excusing themselves as being only responsible for supplying "political intelligence" on "a limited budget". Insight editor Jeffrey T. Kuhner maintains that the article is "solid as solid can be". A January 29, 2007 New York Times story, "Feeding Frenzy for a Big Story, Even if It’s False" debunked the allegations in Insight Magazine's unsourced madrassa story. The article notes, "Jeffrey T. Kuhner, whose Web site published the first anonymous smear of the 2008 presidential race, is hardly the only editor who will not reveal his reporters’ sources. What sets him apart is that he will not even disclose the names of his reporters." Even the Fox News network said that the story violated their basic rule of knowing "what you are talking about.”

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1. Babington, Charles (2004). "The Rev. Moon Honored at Hill Reception - Lawmakers Say They Were Misled". Washington Post: A01. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
2. "Hillary's team has questions about Obama's Muslim background". Insight. Jan. 16-22, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
3. "CNN debunks false report about Obama". CNN. January 22, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-26.
4. "Hats off to CNN, but... about Obama". Insight. January 23–29, 2007. Retrieved 2007-01-26.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)
5. David D. Kirkpatrick, "Feeding Frenzy for a Big Story, Even if It’s False" 29 January 2007 http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/29/us/politics/29media.html?_r=1&oref=slogin