In 2005, when Barack Obama was still an Illinois senator, a journalist snapped a photo of him with Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam movement, a notorious anti-Semite.
The Trice Edney News Wire published the photo that was taken by Askia Muhammad at a meeting of the Congressional Black Caucus. A member of the caucus approached Muhammad and requested that he not publish the photo and the disk containing the photo was turned over to Farrakhan’s chief of staff.
The photographer, Askia Muhammad, said that he “gave the picture up at the time and basically swore secrecy.”
The photo and the story surrounding it are being published in Muhammad’s book, “The Autobiography of Charles 67X”.
This 2005 photo with Minister Louis Farrakhan and former President Barack Obama was captured by Askia Muhammad at the Congressional Black Caucus meeting. It was hidden for 12 years and has now been released in the journalist’s book, “The Autobiography of Charles 67X”. #Farrakhan pic.twitter.com/QWTzT2l7bQ
— The Nation of Islam (@OfficialNOI) January 25, 2018
Harvard Law Professor and longtime Democrat Alan Dershowitz supported Obama in his presidential campaign but in an interview on Fox and Friends on Saturday, Dershowitz said he would not have campaigned for him had he known about the candidate’s connection with Farrakhan, who he called a “virulent anti-Semite and anti-American.”
“He has called Judaism a gutter religion. He is a horrible, horrible human being,” Dershowitz said about the leader of the Nation of Islam movement.
A possible connection with Farrakhan became an issue in Obama’s first campaign in 2008 when he expressed support for the candidate. Obama’s pastor, Reverend Jeremiah Wright had praised Farrakhan on several occasions. Hillary Clinton raised the issue of Farrakhan’s support in a primary debate. Obama won 78 percent of the Jewish vote in that election and 69 percent in his next election.
