Another Obama stumble – Malley resigns as Middle East advisor

Barack Obama Middle East advisor Robert Malley has stepped aside after The Times (London) asked about his connections to Hamas.

Malley told The Times that he had been in regular contact with Hamas, which controls Gaza and is listed by the US State Department as a terrorist organisation. Such talks, he stressed, were related to his work for a conflict resolution think-tank and had no connection with his position on Mr Obama’s Middle East advisory council.

“I’ve never hidden the fact that in my job with the International Crisis Group I meet all kinds of people,” he added.

Malley, a respected commentator on Middle Eastern issues and part of President Clinton’s negotiating team at the Camp David talks, has come under attack in recent months from right-wing bloggers. Yesterday, asked if Obama campaign was aware of his contact with Hamas, he said: “They know who I am but I don’t think they vet everyone in a group of informal advisers.”

You know somebody was nudging John McCain about this; hence his Obama “hearts” Hamas comments last week.

(Sidebar: It’s interesting that Raw Story didn’t have the Times story linked at its website; it’s also interesting that it didn’t quote from any of Malley’s comments. And that’s why I’m a skeptical liberal.)

Of course, conservatives are already rubbing it in, noting that World Net Daily reported these contacts five months ago.

Frankly, both Obama and WND are wrong.

I said Obama was wrong last month to criticize former President Carter for meeting with Hamas. But, it’s time to pander for Zionist-supporting Jewish voters in Florida, I guess. And, of course, WND et al are wrong in their blank-check Zionism support.