Mayor Bloomberg Sticks Up for Obama

MSNBC: While talking to a group of Jewish voters in Boca Raton, New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg called on those in attendance to defend Obama against a "whisper campaign" that the presumptive Democratic nominee is a radical Muslim and commended McCain for sticking up for his opponent.

Acknowledging that the rabbi said he could not talk about the candidates, Bloomberg said he was going to talk about the election process instead. However, he quickly brought up Obama's name, saying it was important as Jewish people and voters to "keep the conversation focused on the facts and not let it to descend into false rumor and innuendo."

"Unfortunately, we have already started to see that happen," Bloomberg said to the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. "As I am sure many of you know, there are plenty of emails floating around the internet targeting Jewish voters and saying that Senator Obama is secretly a Muslim and a radical one at that. Let's call these rumors what they are -- lies. They are cloaked in concern for Israel, but the real concern is about partisan politics and Israel is just being used as a pawn."