Sikh with 'sheik' Mitt Romney confuses

WASHINGTON: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney lamented the tragedy of Wisconsin gurdwara in a fundraising event in Iowa, but referred to a "temple Sheikh 'instead of a" Sikh temple "while offering their condolences.

Confusing the Arabic honorific term Sikhs, Romney mispronounced and found people talking about Sheikh. Earlier in the day, Republican spoke well of the Sikh religion, when he observed a minute's silence at a campaign event in Illinois. But the slip of the tongue came to West Des Moines in Iowa to raise funds. "We had a moment of silence in honor of those who lost their lives in that temple Sheikh. I said it was a tragedy for many, many reasons," he said, referring to his speech in Chicago.

He continued: "Among them are the fact that people, people sheik, are among the most peaceful and loving people you can imagine, and their faith." Romney spokesman Rick Gorka insisted that the confusion was a mispronunciation.