Putting the Shoe on the Other Foot...

Below is a partial transcript of Hilary Clinton's 60 Minutes Interview lifted from ABCNews' Political Punch:

STEVE KROFT: You don't believe that Senator Obama's a Muslim?

HILLARY CLINTON: Of course not. I mean that's, you know, that, there is no basis for that. You know, I take him on the basis of what he says, and, you know, there isn't any reason to doubt that.

KROFT: You said you take Sen. Obama at his word that he's not a Muslim...

CLINTON: Right, right..

KROFT: …you don't believe that he's a Muslim.

CLINTON: No! No! Why would I? There's nothing to base that on. As far as I know.

The Obama-as-a-super-secret-sleeper-Muslim is more than a year old, and has been thoroughly debunked. CNN, Washinton Post, New York Times, and numerous other media outlets have beat this smear to near-death, but like all good smears, it rises again and again. Senator Clinton could have put it to rest, but chose a qualified answer that again helps fuel the smear.

As far as I know would be an acceptable answer in most situations. In the context of this campaign, this response just is not good enough.