“They’ve been playing on fear in order to try to score political points or to advance their campaigns. And it’s irresponsible. And it’s contrary to who we are. And it needs to stop, because the world is watching.” –Barack Obama
Speaking at a press conference Tuesday night in the Philippines, President Barack Obama was asked to comment about allowing Syrian refugees into the U.S. The President was only too happy to, and for the second day this week, unleashed a surgical strike on Republican presidential candidates and GOP lawmakers who have been using fear, hate, and lies to drum up their Islamophobic base.
“We are not well-served when, in response to a terrorist attack, we descend into fear and panic,” the President, at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Manila, warned. “We don’t make good decisions if it’s based on hysteria or an exaggeration of risks.”
Noting that refugees “are subjected to the most rigorous process conceivable,” he told reporters the “intelligence community vets fully who they are” to “ensure that a refugee is not admitted that might cause us harm.”
The President then slammed, albeit not by name, Chris Christie and Jeb Bush, among others.
“When candidates say, we wouldn’t admit three-year-old orphans — that’s political posturing. When individuals say that we should have a religious test and that only Christians — proven Christians — should be admitted — that’s offensive and contrary to American values.”
WATCH:Â Obama Slams GOP Presidential Candidates For ‘Religious Test’ Comments After Paris Attacks
“I cannot think of a more potent recruitment tool for ISIL than some of the rhetoric that’s been coming out of here during the course of this debate. ISIL seeks to exploit the idea that there is a war between Islam and the West. And when you start seeing individuals in positions of responsibility, suggesting that Christians are more worthy of protection than Muslims are in a war-torn land, that feeds the ISIL narrative. It’s counterproductive, and it needs to stop.”
Donald Trump was also not immune from Obama’s scorn.Â
“I would add, by the way, these are the same folks oftentimes who suggest that they’re so tough that just talking to Putin or staring down ISIL, or using some additional rhetoric somehow is going to solve the problems out there. But apparently, they’re scared of widows and orphans coming into the United States of America as part of our tradition of compassion. First, they were worried about the press being too tough on them during debates. Now they’re worried about three-year-old orphans. That doesn’t sound very tough to me.”
“They’ve been playing on fear in order to try to score political points or to advance their campaigns. And it’s irresponsible. And it’s contrary to who we are. And it needs to stop, because the world is watching.”
“I was proud, when the attacks in Boston took place, and we did not resort to fear and to panic. Boston Strong. People went to the ballgame that same week, and sang the National Anthem, and went back to the stores and went back to the streets. That’s how you defeat ISIL. Not by trying to divide the country, or suggest somehow that our tradition of compassion should stop now.”
And then he went after GOP lawmakers. Â
“Oh, one last thing. With respect to Congress, I know that there’s been discussion about legislation suddenly surfacing around refugees. I’ve been waiting for a year and a half, or more, for legislation that would authorize the military activities that we’re carrying out in Syria as we speak, and have not been able to get anything out of Congress. And now, suddenly, they’re able to rush in, in a day or two, to solve the threat of widows and orphans and others who are fleeing a war-torn land, and that’s their most constructive contribution to the effort against IISL? That doesn’t sound right to me. And I suspect it won’t sound right to the American people.”
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Image: Screenshot via NBC News
Hat tip: Jennifer Epstein and Talking Points Memo
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