Muslims Seen Abandoning Bush

Abdul Ahamed, left, and Abul Towhid distribute Kerry fliers to motorists leaving the All Dulles Area Muslim Society. (Ricky Carioti -- The Washington Post)

In addition, the Arab American Institute in Washington estimates a likely turnout of 515,000 Arab American voters in four key states: 235,000 in Michigan, 120,000 in Florida, 85,000 in Ohio and 75,000 in Pennsylvania. In a September survey of 502 Arab American voters in those states, 49 percent said they intended to vote for Kerry, and 31.5 percent said they would support Bush.

Bush retains the support of some Muslims and Arabs, especially such Iraqi Americans as Zainab Al-Suwaij of Cambridge, Mass., who are grateful for the deposing of Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi people "have been under a brutal regime for so long, and they need[ed] to be liberated from that," said Al-Suwaij, who spoke at the Republican National Convention.

Some Muslims are not enthusiastic about Kerry.

The Los Angeles-based Muslim Public Affairs Council announced last week that it was disappointed in Bush but would not endorse Kerry because "[w]e simply don't know what the senator thinks about issues of concern" to Muslims.

A day later, the American Muslim Taskforce, a political action committee of 10 Muslim national groups, declared a "qualified endorsement" of Kerry. At a news conference, Taskforce Chairman Agha Saeed cited Kerry's early support for the war in Iraq and his campaign's failure "to affirm its support for due process, equal justice and other constitutional norms."

Saeed acknowledged that senior Kerry campaign officials had met with Muslim leaders, but he took the candidate to task for not doing the same in a high-profile way, saying it appeared to be because of "an environment of bigotry and racism and Islamophobia in this country." The Kerry campaign did not respond to several requests for comment.

The Taskforce's stand drew criticism from some Muslim commentators, who said it was out of sync with the Muslim electorate.

The Muslim American Political Action Committee's Hossain said Taskforce officials were looking for an "optimum" candidate. But, he added, "an optimum candidate is like an optimum spouse; it doesn't exist. You have to learn to take the best one you find and learn to live with it."

Hasem Ahamed, who drives a Washington Flyer Taxi cab, said he plans to vote for Kerry and won't be in his usual spot at Dulles International Airport on Nov. 2. Instead, the Sterling resident has volunteered to give up a day of work to drive Muslims to the polls, one of about 30 cabbies offering to do so.

"The last election, I saw people not interested to vote," said Ahamed, 44, who immigrated from Bangladesh.

"I feel if I go to somebody's door and knock and say: 'It's time to go the polls. I have a ride for you,' they will vote, and we can maximize the voters," he added. "This is one thing I take seriously this time."