A Misleading Childhood

As regular COTTonLINE readers know, we have observed on several occasions that the President won't criticize Muslim extremism because he knew Muslims who were nice people, not extreme. I've wondered when this logical connection would show up in the media, and it finally has.

RealClearPolitics reports the comments of Bob Beckel, cohost of Fox News' The Five, speaking of Obama:

He had friends who were Muslims. I think he doesn't want to make himself believe they can be a nasty group.

Historically the people of Indonesia, where Obama went to elementary school, are among the world's most moderate, least fundamentalist Muslims. Quite simply, his was an experience custom-made to create a false impression of Islam.

Unfortunately U.S. foreign policy suffers because Obama had a childhood in Indonesia. His experience is like knowing Massachusetts RINOs and therefore assuming you understand real Republicans, from Utah or Texas.