NEW YORK — Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged Jewish voters to denounce the whisper campaign that for months has pushed the false rumor that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is secretly a Muslim.
Bloomberg, mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate for both parties, warned a Jewish group in Boca Raton, Fla., on Friday that the attempt to portray Obama as a shadowy Muslim often targets Jewish voters online and with e-mails.
The deceptive campaign against Obama, who is Christian, “threatens to undo the enormous strides that Jews and Muslims have made together in this country,” the New York mayor said.
The lies are “cloaked in concern for Israel, but the real concern is about partisan politics,” said Bloomberg, who is Jewish. “This is wedge politics at its worst, and we’ve got to reject it — loudly, clearly and unequivocally.”
Obama, asked about Bloomberg’s comments, said he hadn’t heard them but was happy to know the mayor was defending him.
