Qaradawi denies his support of McCain: Obama is closer to us and more capable of renewal

Doha- Mohamed al-Makki Ahmad, Al-Hayat, Nov. 13, 2008

The Islamic scholar, Sheikh Youssef al-Qaradawi, has denied having supported the Republican candidate for the US presidency, John McCain. Qaradawi said, “Some newspapers have reported me as saying that I have supported … [McCain]…, that I said McCain is open in his attitude and hostility toward us as opposite to Obama, who, acting as a sly fox, manipulates our emotions and his intentions are different than his announcements; dealing with an open person is preferred to dealing with a devious one.”
In denying this, Sheikh Qaradawi indicated “he has wished Obama success, although his attitude toward Israel is not much different from that of his opponent, but Obama, in my opinion, has to his credit several features. These are his promise to change domestic and foreign policies, and this is in our favor, his African origin, which makes him closer to us and in a position to better understand the issues of concern to us, in addition to his being closer to youth in terms of age and aspirations: youth are more capable of renewal.”
Qaradawi concluded by stating, “we have suffered from the policies of (George) Bush and his team : 8 years of war in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere and his war against philanthropic Islamic work. We therefore welcome the alternative, hoping that it would be better and more appropriate.”
Radwaly