Totally Secret Muslim - Updated

August needs to end. Soon. We need a good shot of crisp air to blow out all the crazy.

 Bleeding Heartland first broke the news that Kim Lehman issued a cranky tweet declaring her belief that President Obama is a secret Muslim. And, unfortunately, we have to pay some attention to what Lehman says because Iowa Republicans elected her to a seat on the Republican National Committee. That makes her a state GOP leader.

In her tweet last week, Lehman contends Obama "personally told the muslims that he IS a muslim. Read his lips."

In this morning's Des Moines Register, Lehman explained, and gave some advice on other possible sourcing for the story. Helpful:

"Call the president," she said. "Say, 'Are you a Christian or not?' If I'm wrong, I'm more than happy to say, 'Oh, I'm wrong.' "

Lehman explained that she was referring to Obama's speech in June 2009 in Egypt.

In that speech, the president made no comment about being a Muslim. Instead, he said generations of his father's family were Muslim and that he had "known Islam" on three continents. But he also said, "I'm a Christian," a transcript shows.

Lehman said, "I'm just going off what he said in Cairo. (The speech) just had a sense of embracing or aligning with the Muslims. I don't know. It was unnecessary, the stuff he said. That's the whole point."

Lehman said she would never give anyone the impression that she is anything but a Christian.

Clearly. But what was it that Obama said in Cairo, exactly, that set off Lehman's Muslim detector?

I am a Christian, but my father came from a Kenyan family that includes generations of Muslims. As a boy, I spent several years in Indonesia and heard the call of the azaan at the break of dawn and the fall of dusk. As a young man, I worked in Chicago communities where many found dignity and peace in their Muslim faith.

As a student of history, I also know civilization's debt to Islam. It was Islam – at places like Al-Azhar University – that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe's Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality

I know, too, that Islam has always been a part of America's story. The first nation to recognize my country was Morocco. In signing the Treaty of Tripoli in 1796, our second President John Adams wrote, "The United States has in itself no character of enmity against the laws, religion or tranquility of Muslims." And since our founding, American Muslims have enriched the United States. They have fought in our wars, served in government, stood for civil rights, started businesses, taught at our Universities, excelled in our sports arenas, won Nobel Prizes, built our tallest building, and lit the Olympic Torch. And when the first Muslim-American was recently elected to Congress, he took the oath to defend our Constitution using the same Holy Koran that one of our Founding Fathers – Thomas Jefferson – kept in his personal library.

So I have known Islam on three continents before coming to the region where it was first revealed. That experience guides my conviction that partnership between America and Islam must be based on what Islam is, not what it isn't. And I consider it part of my responsibility as President of the United States to fight against negative stereotypes of Islam wherever they appear.

Why you stereotype-fighting, other perspective-experiencing, Thomas Jefferson-invoking....

But the "I am a Christian" part seems pretty straightforward, so I guess the president already sort of answered Lehman's question. That's going to save us a phone call.

And yet, I don't think Lehman and all the other conservative commandos trying harder than all heck to paint Obama as the scary un-American president are going to be at all convinced.

I mean, just look at all his fancy, compelling and thoughtfulwords of understanding. His unnecessary alignment with reasonableness. You expect anybody to believe that stuff?

But at least cooler, adult heads in the Republican Party surely will step in to correct this foolishness once and for all. Phew:

Several Republican Party officials did not return phone calls and e-mails from The Des Moines Register seeking comment Monday, including Iowa Republican Party Chairman Matt Strawn and Steve Scheffler, Iowa's other Republican National Committee member and president of the Iowa Christian Alliance.

...

Terry Branstad, the Republican candidate for governor, declined to comment on Lehman's statements. But he answered questions about his family's Jewish heritage.

Branstad said no one has ever challenged the authenticity of his Christian faith. He was raised by a Jewish mother and a Lutheran father and converted to Catholicism after he met his wife in 1971.

But Branstad said he'll "take the president at his word" on the whole Christian claim. So brave.

The fact that no top Republicans are willing to call Lehman out on this is remarkable, but not all that surprising. I think they may regret it down the road.

I can't help but think about 1998, when Jim Ross Lightfoot was cruising to victory in the governor's race. But his wife and his campaign team just couldn't resist running the infamous ads about "totally nude dancing." They were giddy. They thought they had pounded the last nails into Vilsack's casket.

But what they showed voters is they lacked maturity and seriousness. They showed a mean, vindictive side that turned reasonable people off. With some really important issues on the line, they went with nude dancing. They made Lightfoot into a punchline and Vilsack into a winner.

This year, Republicans appear to be on their way to a pretty good November. The economic winds are blowing their way. A frustrated country is looking for leaders.

And yet, they just can't resist wallowing in all the silly garbage.

I'm not saying 2010 is 1998.  Much different circumstances. I'm just wondering  why sensible Republicans would allow this kind of lunacy to even pose a potential risk at a time when circumstances are going their way.

All Lehman succeeded in doing was motivating Democrats, who are now using her tweet to raise money. It's like she personally told the Democrats to get motivated. Read her lips.

UPDATE -- Iowa GOP chair Matt Strawn and other republicans now have some reaction to Lehman,

according to the DMR's politics blog.