Return to Transcripts main page
Wolf
Obama Speech Addresses Muslims in U.S.; Interview with Bernie Sanders. Aired 1:30-2p ET
Aired February 03, 2016 - 13:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: But part of the answer is to make sure that the Muslim community in all of its variety, in every -- all the good works it's doing, in all the talent that's on display, that it's out there, visible on a consistent basis, not just at at a certain moment.
(APPLAUSE)
But what is also true is -- is that there is a battle of hearts and minds that takes place -- that is taking place right now. And American Muslims are better positioned than anybody to show that it is possible to be faithful to Islam and to be part of a pluralistic society and to be on the cutting edge of science and to believe in democracy.
(APPLAUSE)
And so -- so I would urge all of you not to see this as a burden, but as a great opportunity and -- and -- and a great -- a great privilege to show who you are. To use a little Christian expression, let your -- let your light shine because when you do, you'll -- you'll make clear that this is not a clash of civilizations between the West and Islam. This is a struggle between the peace- loving, overwhelming majority of Muslims around the world, and a radical, tiny minority. And ultimately, I'm confident that the overwhelming majority will win that battle.
(APPLAUSE)
Muslims will decide the future of your faith, and I'm confident in the direction that it will go. But across the Islamic world, influential voices should consistently speak out with an affirmative vision of their faith.
And it's happening. These are the voices of Muslim clerics who teach that Islam prohibits terrorism, for the Koran says whoever kills an innocent, it is as if he has killed all mankind.
(APPLAUSE)
These are the voices of Muslim scholars, some of whom joined us today, who know Islam has a tradition of respect for other faiths. And Muslim teachers who point out that the first word revealed in the Koran, "iqra," means "read, to seek knowledge, to question assumptions." (APPLAUSE)
Muslim political leaders had to push back on the lie that the West oppresses Muslims, and against conspiracy theories that says America is the cause of every ill in the Middle East. Now, that doesn't mean that Muslim Americans aren't free to criticize America and U.S. foreign policy. You know, that's part of being an American.
I promise you, as the president of the United States, I'm mindful that that is a healthy tradition...
(APPLAUSE)
... that is alive and well in America.
But like leaders everywhere, these leaders have been offering and need to continue to offer a positive vision for progress. And that includes political and economic progress. And we have to acknowledge that much of the violence in places like the Middle East is now turning into fights between sects -- Shia, Sunni and others -- where differences are often exploited to serve political agendas, as I said earlier. And this bloodshed is destroying Muslim families and communities and -- and there has to be global pressure to have the vision and the courage to end this kind of thinking and this approach to organizing political power.
It's not historically unique. It's happened in every part of the world, from Northern Ireland to Africa to Asia, to right here in the United States in the past. But it is something that we have to fight against.
And we know it's possible. Across the history of Islam, different sects traditionally have lived and thrived together peacefully, and in many parts of the world they do today, including here in the United States. Like people of all religions, Muslims living their faith in a modern pluralistic world are called upon to uphold human rights, to make sure that everyone has opportunity.
That includes the aspirations of women and youth and all people. If we expect our own dignity to be respected, so must we respect the dignity of others.
(APPLAUSE)
So let me conclude by saying that as Muslim communities stand up for the future that you believe in, that you exhibit in your daily lives as you teach your children, America will be your partner. We will -- I will do everything I can to lift up the multiplicity of Muslim voices that promote pluralism and peace. We will...
(APPLAUSE)
... we will continue to reach out to young Muslims around the world, empowering them with science and technology and entrepreneurship, so they can pursue their God-given potential and help build up their communities and provide opportunity. It's why we will continue to partner with Muslim American communities not just to help you protect against extremist threats, but to expand health care and education and opportunity.
(APPLAUSE)
Because that's the best way to build strong, resilient communities.
(APPLAUSE)
Our values must guide us in this work. Engagement with Muslim- American communities must never be a cover for surveillance. We can't give in to profiling entire groups of people.
(APPLAUSE)
There is no one single profile of terrorists. We can't securitize our entire relationship with Muslim-Americans.
(APPLAUSE)
We can't deal with you solely through the prism of law enforcement. We've got to build trust and mutual respect. That's how we'll keep our communities strong and our communities united.
Now, as I was in discussion with the young people before I came in here, I said, this will be a process. Law enforcement has a tough job. Some of these groups are specifically trying to target Muslim youth. We're going to have to be partners in this process.
There will be times where the relationship is clumsy or mishandled. But I want you to know that, from the president to the FBI director, to everybody in law enforcement, my directive and their understanding is, is that this is something we have to do together. And if we don't do it well, then we're actually not making ourselves less safer; we're making ourselves less safe.
And I -- here, I want to speak directly to the young people who may be listening. You know, in our lives we all have many identities. We are sons and daughters, and brothers and sisters, we're classmates, we're Cub Scout, troop members, we're followers of our faith, we're citizens of our country. And today, there are voices in this world, particularly over the Internet who are constantly claiming that you have to choose between your identities.
As a Muslim, for example, or an American. Do not believe them. If you're ever wondering whether you fit in here, let me say it as clearly as I can, as president of the United States -- you fit in here. Right here. (APPLAUSE)
You're right where you belong. You're part of America, too.
You're not Muslim or American, you are Muslim and American.
(APPLAUSE)
And don't grow cynical. Don't respond to ignorance by embracing a world view that suggests you must choose between your faith and your patriotism. Don't believe that you have to choose between your best impulses and somehow embrace a world view that pits us against each other, or even worse, glorifies violence.
Understand your power to bring about change. Stay engaged in your community. Help move our country forward, your country forward.
(APPLAUSE)
We are blessed to live in a nation where, even if we sometimes stumble, even if we sometimes fall short, we never stop striving for our ideals. We keep moving closer to that more perfect union.
We're a country where if you work hard and if you play by the rules, you can ultimately make it, no matter who you are or how you pray. It may not always start off even in the race, but here, more than any place else, there is the opportunity to run that race.
And as we go forward, I want every Muslim American to remember you are not alone. Your fellow Americans stand with you, just as Saba described her friends after she decided that she was going to start wearing a hijab.
That's not -- that's not unusual. Because just as so often we only hear about Muslims after a terrorist attack, so often we only hear about America's response to Muslims after a hate crime has happened.
And we don't always hear about the extraordinary respect, and love and community that so in Americans feel.
I'm thinking about the 7-year-old boy in Texas who emptied his piggy bank to help a mosque that had been vandalized.
(APPLAUSE)
OBAMA: Or all the faith communities that rallied around Muslim- Americans after the tragedy in Chapel Hill. The churches and the synagogues, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their local mosques, including the woman carrying a sign saying We Love our Muslim Neighbors.
Think of our men and women in uniform who when they heard that a little girl was afraid because she was a Muslim sent her a message, I will protect you.
(APPLAUSE)
I want every American to remember how Muslim communities are standing up for others as well, because right now as we speak, there are Muslims in Kenya who save Christians from terrorists and Muslims who just met in Morocco to protect religious minorities, including Christians and Jews. (APPLAUSE)
The good people of this mosque helped this city move forward after the turmoil of last year. Muslim-Americans across the country helped African-American churches rebuild after arson. Remember the Muslim-Americans in Boston who reached out to victims of the marathon bombing, and the Muslim Americans across the country who raised money for the families of San Bernardino. The Muslim Americans in Chattanooga who honored our fallen service members, one of them saying in the name of God, the God of Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Mohamed, God bless our fallen heroes.
(APPLAUSE)
We are one American family. We will rise and fall together. It won't always be easy. There will be times where our worst impulses are given voice. But I believe that ultimately our best voices will win out ...
(APPLAUSE)
... and that gives me confidence and faith in the future. After more than 200 years, our blended heritage, the patchwork quilt which is America, that is not a weakness, that is one of our greatest strengths. It's what makes us a beacon to the world. It's what led -- that mother who wrote to me, the one who worries about her young daughter, it led her to end her letter with hope. Despite her fears, she said, I still believe in one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
May God's peace be upon you. May God bless the United States of America. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you. Thank you.
(APPLAUSE)
[13:48:02] WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Very important speech by the president of the United States. The first time he has addressed the Muslim community in a mosque since becoming president of the United States. First time in seven years.
I want to go it our White House correspondent, Michelle Kosinski.
It comes at a very sensitive time in the race for the White House as well because there have been statements out there on the campaign trail as we all know that clearly have irritated so many people, especially in the Muslim-American community. The White House said the president decided to do this now because why?
MICHELLE KOSINSKI, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: They said it was a perfect time to do this basically. He is doing other religious events this week. He recently appeared at an event honoring the Holocaust. They felt like the scene was right now for him to do this.
But absolutely politics plays into it. I mean, when the president appears anywhere now, gives a speech, one question everybody has is, how much is this going to be a response to Donald Trump and what his rhetoric is without saying his name?
And the president in this speech -- I mean, wow, this was a 45-minute long speech. It was perfect timing and this being the first time he appeared at a mosque in the U.S. You can tell he wanted to get everything in. But the rhetoric played a central role. He called it hateful, manipulative, saying it tears at the fabric of our nation.
But one thing the White House has been trying to do a lot lately in this political season is to create this real divide between the Republican rhetoric and the Democratic rhetoric. Overall, the president wanted to have a very positive message here, not just criticize the Republican rhetoric, but talk about moving forward together, and American values -- Wolf?
[13:49:43] BLITZER: All right. Michelle, thank you very much.
Once again, a very important speech by the president of the United States.
When we come back, we'll get reaction from Bernie Sanders, the Democratic presidential candidate. He wants to be the president. There he is. We'll get his reaction to what we just heard from the president. He also says he wants a revolution here in the United States. Our full interview. That's coming up live with Bernie Sanders right after a quick break.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BLITZER: Welcome back. The two presidential Democratic candidates will field questions from voters in a CNN town hall later tonight. It's a chance for both Hillary Clinton and Senator Bernie Sanders to talk directly to the people of New Hampshire.
But first, Senator Sanders taking time out to talk with us. He is joining us now from Burlington, Vermont.
Senator, thank you for joining us.
I wanted to get your reaction to what we just heard. It is a powerful, historic speech from the president of the United States. First same he actually visited a mosque since taking office. How important is this, from your perspective?
SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (I), VERMONT & DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think it's very important. You know, if this country is about anything, it's about religious freedom, religious tolerance. And let me be very clear. What Donald Trump and some of these other people are doing are trying to condemn the Muslim religion, trying to say that we should not have Muslims coming into this country, is totally unacceptable. Attacking Mexicans, that is not what America is about. America is about standing to the as one people, not allowing ourselves to be divided up by religion or by nationality.
[13:55:02] BLITZER: A lot of officials, White House officials, others suggest the president decided to deliver this important speech right now because of that rhetoric out there, including what Donald Trump suggested weeks ago, that there should be a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the United States until the U.S. can figure out how to deal with the issue of terrorism. That was probably the timing that led up to today's event.
SANDERS: Let me tell you, Wolf, I was in an even -- we did an event a number of months ago, George Mason University. And a young Muslim woman, I think she is studying engineering, came up. And we talked for a while. And she is frightened. And I've talked to Muslim all over this country who are literally frightened with all of this hate talk going on. That is not what America is supposed to be. You can have a different point of view on immigration or anything else, but we cannot be attacking people because of their religion.
BLITZER: I know you visited a mosque a few weeks ago --
SANDERS: Yeah.
BLITZER: -- with Congressman Keith Ellison, one of two Muslim Congressmen in the United States Congress. You, of course, are Jewish. Do you think that potentially could be a problem working with the Muslim world out there and trying to get help, for example, in this war against ISIS?
SANDERS: No, I don't. In fact, I think we have to understand that the Muslims are the ones suffering most, are being killed most, being dislocated most by ISIS. And we also have to understand that when we listen to people like King Abdulla of Jordan, what he says is that it must be Muslim troops on the ground to destroy ISIS because they have hijacked what is Islam is supposed to be. So I think what our job is to work with Muslim countries all over the world, have major powers support them from the air, training troops, providing military equipment. But at the end of the day, I think it will be the Muslim nations themselves destroying ISIS.
BLITZER: The presidential Democratic contest right now, Senator, is down to a two-person race between you and Secretary Clinton. What's main difference between you and Secretary Clinton that you hope to convey at that CNN town hall later tonight?
SANDERS: Well, there are a lot of differences. You know, Wolf, when the middle class this country is disappearing, when we have massive levels of income and wealth inequality, when the 20 wealthiest people in this country now own more wealth than bottom 506 percent, we need leadership that stands up to the billionaire class and says to them you know what, you guys can't have it all. We've got to rebuild the middle class. And second of all, let's be frank, we have a very corrupt campaign finance system which allows Wall Street and billionaires to buy elections.
Here's the difference between Hillary Clinton and me. I have received 3.5 million individual campaign contributions averaging $27 a piece. Hillary Clinton recently announced the results, the take from her super PAC, $25 million coming into her super PAC. $15 million of that came from Wall Street. That is a very significant difference. Our campaign is funded by the people to a significant degree. Her campaign is funded by Wall Street and big money interest. BLITZER: Some people say in a politically, strategically, that could
be a mistake on your part, not having that super PAC. You probably could raise a lot of money. But you are unilaterally, they say, disarming. Is that a problem?
SANDERS: I think you are right. That is what a lot of people have said. But that's what we are taking on. That's what my campaign is about to say, yes, I can raise a lot of money if I had a super PAC. But I don't represent the interests of the billionaire class. I don't represent corporate America. I don't represent the very, very wealthy. So I'm going to let them keep their money. We are not going to have a super PAC and what we are going to do is reach out to the American people at BernieSanders.com.
And, Wolf, I've got to tell you I've been overwhelmed that up to this point in the campaign we have received more individual campaign contributions than any candidate in the history of the United States of America. And that indicates to me not only the kind of grassroots support we have, but that also tells me that people across this country -- and by the way, across the political spectrum, are sick and tired of super PACs. They are sick and tired of Citizens United. And they are sick and tired of billionaires buying elections.
BLITZER: Are you suggesting that secretary Clinton is beholden to Wall Street and big money?
SANDERS: No. What I'm simply saying is a fact. She recently reported that her super PAC received $25 million. $15 million of that came from Wall Street. I will let the American people determine what all of that means.
[14:00:02] BLITZER: She also says she is a progressive. She says she gets things done. You said -- just recently you said she's a progressive on some days. To which she replied. And I'm going to play the clip for you, Senator. Listen to this.
