Obama calls satire insult to Muslims

CHICAGO — Democrat Barack Obama said Tuesday that the New Yorker magazine's satirical cover depicting him and his wife as flag-burning, fist-bumping radicals didn't bother him but that it was an insult to Muslim Americans.

"You know, there are wonderful Muslim Americans all across the country who are doing wonderful things," the presidential candidate told CNN's Larry King. "And for this to be used as sort of an insult, or to raise suspicions about me, I think is unfortunate. And it's not what America's all about."

Obama blamed himself for not being forceful enough in challenging some of the rumors about him, including that he is Muslim. Obama is Christian.

The son of a Kenyan father, Obama lived in the largely Muslim nation of Indonesia as a child. He dealt with similar questions in February after a photo surfaced of him wearing traditional Kenyan clothing during a visit to Africa in 2006.

When asked about the satire Sunday, Obama declined to comment. A spokesman called it "tasteless and offensive."