Dems on defensive after Obama's mosque statements

WASHINGTON - Democrats Monday scrambled to deflect GOP attacks after President Barack Obama's weekend statements on the mosque near Ground Zero launched a local New York fight into a contentious national issue.

Republicans claimed that Obama's comments were insensitive to the families of 9/11 victims and out of touch with the American people, and they demanded that Democrats take a stand on the president's views.

Suddenly faced with a new Republican litmus test on the mosque, some Democratic candidates in this fall's midterm elections, including Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), on Monday turned against the building of the Islamic Cordoba Center so close to the 9/11 site.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), locked in a tough battle against Republican challenger Sharron Angle, a tea party favorite, also declared his opposition. "The First Amendment protects freedom of religion. Senator Reid respects that, but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

With three GOP challengers pressing him on the issue, Bishop on Monday effectively embraced the views of mosque opponent Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) and urged the Muslim group "to seek an alternative location."

Under fire from Republican opponent John Gomez, Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington) issued a nuanced statement, saying the mosque's directors should demonstrate "more sensitivity to the families of 9/11 victims . . . before proceeding further."

Democrats say they aren't rejecting Obama's principled view that Muslims have a constitutional right to put a mosque wherever local laws allow. But Obama said he wouldn't comment on the wisdom of putting a mosque near Ground Zero.

"The president didn't do this because of the politics," said White House spokesman Bill Burton, but felt he had to address a constitutional issue.

But that distinction may be lost on many Americans. Polls show before Obama spoke that Americans opposed the mosque site by a ratio of 2-1.

"The question is whether the American people heard him say that he thought the mosque should be built, or heard him say they have a right to build the mosque," said Quinnipiac University pollster Peter Brown. "From now on, this will take on a life of its own. They'll hear it the way they want to hear it."

The issue has spread from New York to other states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey, said Tory Mazzola of the National Republican Congressional Committee. The GOP will push the issue as long as voters show interest, he said.

Democrats sought to turn the tables on Republicans, pointing to the House GOP's near-unanimous rejection of the 9/11 health bill to aid ailing first responders and residents.

"If the Republicans are being sincere, they would help us pass this long-overdue bill," Manley said.

Some Democrats seem to be trying to determine if the issue has legs to last until the elections in a year when the economy appears to trump all else.

For instance, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) declined to elaborate on a past statement that he's not opposed to the mosque. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) stuck to her stand backing the zoning board approval of the mosque site.

"It may well be that on Nov. 2 that the mosque won't matter in what happens," Brown said. "But you can bet that Democratic candidates around the country wish they didn't have to worry about it."