West Coast Leaders Weigh in on Mosque Controversy
The controversy of whether to build a community center that contains a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero, has become a red hot issue in political campaigns all across the country, including here in California, where Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi spoke about it for the first time with KCBS, and Senate candidate Carly Fiorina has changed her position.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid broke with President Obama, coming out against building the mosque near the World Trade Center site, but Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi declined to do so, when we asked her about it on Treasure Island. Pelosi calls the matter a "local zoning issue."
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"I think everybody respects the right of people in our country to respect their religious beliefs on their property, the decision though, as far as how to go forward in New York, is up to New York," said Pelosi.
That is how Senator Barbara Boxer sees it too, saying US Senators shouldn't tell New Yorkers what to do. Initially, her Republican opponent, Carly Fiorina agreed with Boxer, but now she says, it's insensitive to build the mosque so close to Ground Zero.
"Now would be the time for the proponents of that mosque to withdraw and say they will find someplace else where their objectives can be met," said Boxer.
Speaker Pelosi wonders why this is suddenly such a hot national issue.
"How is this opposition to the mosque being funded?" she asked. "How is this being ginned up?"
