Michigan, USA - Obama’s relations with Muslims were further stressed as a private back-door meeting spiraled downward over Jewish support.    Among over 150 African-American community leaders and a handful of Arab-Americans were invited to the private meeting.  An argument ensued between Obama and  Osama Siblani regarding the presidential hopeful’s public support of Israel. 

“The more people learn about him the more they feel he is like any other politician,” says Husam Abid, a Chaldean business man in Detroit, Michigan.  “I was told that the Arabs at the meeting made it clear that they want Obama to return to his roots and stand against Jews.  Others feel Obama is purposely alienating Muslims to mask his heritage and show he would not favor Islam.”

Chaldean community leaders, like Ramzi Dalloo, of Troy Michigan  are hopeful that Obama’s efforts to reach out to the two communities are reciprocated.  Nonetheless, tension between Jews and Obama grows.  A website sharing Jewish frustration titled, www.JewsAgainstObama.com is gaining national attention.  The site catalogs Obama’s anti-Jewish stance.  Danny Ayalon, Israel's former ambassador in Washington adds to the growing discourse in a published article in the Jerusalem Post.  Ayalon writes that the Democratic candidate wasn’t entirely forthright regarding Israel. 

The private meeting held less than a week ago in Michigan has Arab Americans gathering in Dearborn regarding the contentious issue and how the Dearborn Arab community should proceed.

Obama has been making his rounds privately with Muslims in America.  Prior to meeting with the Muslims in Dearborn Obama met privately last month in Macomb County with Muslim leader Imam Hassan Qazwini.

In other non-Arab communities, like the Chaldeans, Obama’s support is dwindling fast.  “More and more Chaldeans are not supporting him because he is far too left.  He believes in raising taxes, making people more dependant on the government, and his stance on abortion and gay marriage is appalling,” says Joseph Barrash.  “Chaldeans that support him are usually doing so because they follow whatever their union says or are bitter over the war and lack of support for Christians in Iraq.”

Barrash feels that McCain is winning Chaldeans over.  “He has impeccable character, experience, international wisdom, and is able to work with both parties.  He will get things done in Washington.  He has shown he can over and over.  He has been the only one in congress to be fair over how our tax money is used.  He is not self-serving.  Now Obama, who is able to get more campaign money from the people, goes back on his word.  Obama is hard to trust.”

Barrash claims that Chaldeans are feeling more like Senator Lieberman and what many of the union members are starting to feel.  “The Democratic party is leaving us.  They are supporting criminal illegal immigrants, abortion, gay marriage, and are becoming increasingly anti-military.  These are middle-America issues.  When Democrats support these issues they offend union members and Chaldeans."