WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan formally denounced on Thursday the Tennessee Republican Party 's use of Barack Obama 's full name in a recent news release questioning the Illinois senator 's commitment to Israel . `` The RNC rejects these kinds of campaign tactics , '' Duncan said in a statement . `` We believe this election needs to be about the critical issues confronting our nation . '' The statement in question , which was released Monday , said the state party is joining a `` growing chorus of Americans concerned about the future of the nation of Israel ... if Sen. Barack Hussein Obama is elected president of the United States . '' It also included a photograph of Obama from a 2006 trip to Kenya , in which he is dressed in traditional attire . The news release was sparked by recent praise for the senator from Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan , who has made derogatory remarks about Judaism and has indicated his support for Obama . At Tuesday night 's MSNBC debate , Obama said he denounced those comments and did not seek Farrakhan 's support . On Wednesday night , the party removed both the photo and the reference of `` Hussein '' from the statement after Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander called to express his belief that using them had become a distraction , Tennessee GOP Communications Director Bill Hobbs said . The news release now includes a clarification that reads , `` This release originally referenced a photo of Sen. Obama and incorrectly termed it to be 'Muslim ' garb . It is , in fact , Somali tribal garb , hence , we have deleted the photo . Also , in order to diffuse attempts by Democrats and the Left to divert attention from the main point of this release -- that Sen. Obama has surrounded himself with advisers and received endorsements from people who are anti-Semitic and anti-Israel -- we have deleted the use of Barack Obama 's middle name . '' Hobbs said Thursday that the party will no longer use Obama 's middle name in news releases . `` We 're not going to be using the middle name now , because apparently , it 's become a distraction , '' he said . `` But I would note , not too long ago , I saw a wire story out of the Middle East that talked about how a lot of people there are hungry for Obama to win and , in part , because his middle name gives him a connection , and that story used his middle name , so we 're not the first people to notice and use his middle name . '' Hobbs denied that the use of Obama 's full name carried any racial overtones but said he was n't surprised the statement has caused such an uproar . `` The left always finds something to pick at other than to describe the issues ; we 're not surprised at all . '' The news release , however , drew a sharp rebuke Wednesday from Tennessee Democratic Party Chairman Gray Sasser , who said it `` amplifies misinformation , discredited tall tales and Internet innuendo to appeal to the worst in people . '' Though it was issued Monday , the release came under fresh scrutiny Wednesday after conservative talk radio host Bill Cunningham repeatedly used Obama 's full name at a John McCain campaign event in Cincinnati , Ohio , while describing Obama as a `` hack Chicago-style Daley politician '' who had yet to be challenged by the media . Watch CNN 's interview with Cunningham » . And McCain , who on Tuesday denounced Cunningham 's remarks , also indicated Wednesday evening that he disapproved of the news release . Watch McCain apologize for the remarks » . `` This will be a respectful debate , '' the Arizona senator said in San Antonio . `` I have pledged if I am able to secure the nomination of my party , it will be a respectful debate ; I will continue to treat Sen. Clinton and Sen. Obama with respect , just as I have treated my primary opponents with great respect . '' E-mail to a friend .
Committee chairman says statement is `` distraction '' from big issues . Comment: News release also included a photograph of Obama in Kenyan garb .