Ben Smith at the Politico writes:
A weird moment of TV, partially captured in the clip above. Clinton denies she thinks Obama's a Muslim, but her denial seems something other than ironclad, and the interviewer goes back at her on the question.
There are real danger zones for even hinting this stuff, even leaving yourself open to uncharitable interpretations, more with Obama than with any other politician I can think of. And expect a lot more of these moments if he's the nominee.
Here's the full "60 Minutes" exchange, in CBS's version:
"You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?" Kroft asked Sen. Clinton."Of course not. I mean, that, you know, there is no basis for that. I take him on the basis of what he says. And, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that," she replied.
"You said you'd take Senator Obama at his word that he's not...a Muslim. You don't believe that he's...," Kroft said.
"No. No, there is nothing to base that on. As far as I know," she said.
"It's just scurrilous...?" Kroft inquired.
"Look, I have been the target of so many ridiculous rumors, that I have a great deal of sympathy for anybody who gets, you know, smeared with the kind of rumors that go on all the time," Clinton said.