Washington (CNN) - Republican Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour said Saturday he was "mortified" to hear a top Obama administration official describe Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood as a "largely secular organization."
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper made the remark in testimony before a House panel on Tuesday. His office later clarified the statement through a spokeswoman, saying that the Muslim Brotherhood was participating in Egypt's secular political system and that Clapper "is well aware that the Muslim Brotherhood is not a secular organization."
In an interview with Townhall.com after his address to the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, Barbour said he was traveling in Israel when Clapper made the comment. But Barbour said he was "mortified" when it came to his attention.
"That's like saying I should be an ad for Weight Watchers," the portly governor joked. "That's absurd."
Barbour is seriously considering a 2012 presidential bid and just returned from a trip to Israel designed to burnish his foreign policy credentials.
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"The Muslim Brotherhood is 100% the exact opposite of a secular organization and that point should not be confused in any way from our political leardership"
And you or anybody else knows this how? Do you have credible sources? It may or may not be true but when people speak of others without any source to back it up it tells me more about the gossiper than those they talk about.
Tell Barbour "mistakes were made", and ask him if he knows who said it about what.
Like Haley Barbour would know anything about other nations, a man who has spend his whole life under a Mississippi rock thinks he knows something about diversity....
Oh Jesus, my head hurts.................
I was mortified with Barbour's remarks about racism in his state.
Why be 'mortified' at Muslim Brotherhood , you got Obama , he is just as bad !
His name could be Mubarak. He's wealthy but the people he represents are poor. He's clueles.
Saw a woman on local news from Mississippi voicing her dislike of "Obamacare", couldn't help but notice the rotten teeth in her and the little kids mouths. So Sad. Fix that Haley! Then you talk.
Only in the republican party can you make a political career promoting ethnic fear mongering.
Sadly, Haley probably thinks travelling to New Mexico constitutes foreign policy experience.
This guy for President...outside of Mississippi ..you would need a stocked bar to make me even consider voting for him for city council.
Barbour is seriously considering a 2012 presidential bid and just returned from a trip to Israel designed to burnish his foreign policy credentials.
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Arguably the most hated country in the Middle East? That's a terrible way to gain foreign policy credentials. Visiting our troops in Afghanistan and Iraq is even better.
We need jobs, Haley Barbour! Like you Republicans promised in November.
President Obama is not a muslim. Still trying to portray him as one as the election nears will not work.
Mississippi needs jobs desperately. Work on that!
Why is he not mortified that his state consistently ranks at the bottom of most lists that rank states with regard to things like overall health of its citizenry, edcuational progress and test sores, federal tax assistance, and average wages?
Why would anyone want to support a guy for POTUS who can't get his own state out of the cellar with regard to all of the things he says are important for America's revitalization. That's kind of like thinking that by hiring a coach that has never won a game at the high school level, you will increase your chances of winning the Super Bowl the following year.
I am mortified at how poorly Mississippi ranks in health, education and receiving of federal tax dollars.
This is the kinds of remarks that come from an inept administration. No surprise here.
Muslim brotherhood in Egypt is a genuine part of Egyptian system AND population....I donot care what the western think about them but we , as muslim and Egyptians think , that they are against terrorism and hatred toward western..they are moderate muslim group that adopts tolerance and democracy...I hope that AMERICAN SYSTEM does not back up un-demoratic governements based only on the American benefits/interests...that,s a very stupid and simple approach ...lets build the democracy and justice in the whole world..that,s in the best interests of America and western countries... try to be more realistic and get rid of Islamic phobia....we like USA people DESPITE the mess created in last 15 yrs by BELL CLINTON AND GEORGE BOSH administration , despite the unjustifiable wars in gulf and Iraq , and Aphaganstan
Barbour, could you please translate? Your drawl makes it impossible for this northerner to understand a word you say!
Funny, because Haley Barbour clearly needs to not be in a Weight Watchers commercial but a Weight Watchers center. I'll trust the Obama administration over any MS Governor.
Let's face it. Next to Kentucky, Mississippi is our Great National Embarrassment.
Mr Barbour will never get elected President, he is from the most racist state in America and I truly beleive he is a racist
also. If you want to be President, you have to be President of all the people.
Mr. Barbour is right to be concerned about the Muslim brotherhood. We have an Administration that is just plain STUPID. They can't get past their egos to see what they are doing to this country. I think this is just another "crisis" that they shouldn't let go to waste. Bunch of fruitcakes we have in Washington!!
@Former Republican:
Don't get me wrong, Alaska is the number one state for federal tax money (per capita.), but please stop using the phrase "Sarah Palin's Alaska." She wasn't born there, didn't go to college there, and per capita i'd say more alaskans hate her than anywhere else. She's made an embarassment out of a state with a very rich and proud history. She quit on the Alaskan people 2 years into her governorship (which was actually a huge blessing in disguise) and she is a fraud.
Now, at least Alaska provides some return on that investment... actually, a lot of return. Fish, lumber, OIL, GOLD, zinc..... the list goes on. The last frontier is the last place in America to be raped of it's natural resources. Come get it while its still hot folks.
Teahadist Barbour, stoking fear, like the rest of the no-nothings of the right wing.
Barbour should spend more time being mortified at the 1% approval rating he received in the CPAC poll...
I guess the only way to fully understand the Muslim Brotherhood with such authority is to be a member of the brotherhood. OMG!! He's a Muslim?!