...as in Dinesh D'Souza's Forbes article that claims Obama is not really a socialist but took great influence from the dream of his Kenyan father, who by most accounts leaned more towards Marxism than free market economics.How dare someone claim Obama might have an African perspective or anti-colonialist leanings. Howie Kurtz details the outrage in his WaPo column today, including a fact check of sorts:
Reached separately in New York, D'Souza, 49, who worked in the Reagan White House, says his argument that the president was heavily influenced by the late Barack Obama Sr. is a "psychological theory." But, he insists, "the idea that Obama has roots that are foreign is not an allegation, it's a statement of fact."Well yes, except for the four years in Indonesia with the other Muslim (agnostic?) father who apparently didn't inspire any dreams. Gibbs quickly calls this stuff innuendo; ie--stealth birtherism, because we all know any mention of Obama's roots other than by Obama himself is birtherism, especially when coming from someone who used to work in the Reagan White House. The only worthwhile ex-Reaganites are the ones who agree with Democrats--who doesn't know that?
The facts are also these: Obama Sr. abandoned the family when his son was 2, and the future president saw his father only one more time, during a visit in Hawaii when he was 10. Obama Sr. died in 1982.
Howie seems to be saying there was no time for Obama'a father's dream to wear off on him since he left at 2 and they didn't stay in touch. But the book, Tattoo, the book! Obama often trumped his foreign roots to burnish his reputation as someone who understood the world unlike Bushhitlerburton--but that was to get elected; does he really have an African anti-colonial perspective? Well, last year he said this:
Mr Obama, the son of a Kenyan, added: "I'd say I'm probably as knowledgeable about African history as anybody who's occupied my office. And I can give you chapter and verse on why the colonial maps that were drawn helped to spur on conflict, and the terms of trade that were uneven emerging out of colonialism.See? The evil colonialists have been out of the business of carving up Africa since at least 1990!
"And yet the fact is we're in 2009," continued the US president. "The West and the United States has not been responsible for what's happened to Zimbabwe's economy over the last 15 or 20 years.
Whatever, the White House is apparently in nervous breakdown mode today, requesting a meeting with Forbes Mag to complain of fishiness while simultaneously denying that Michelle Obama said what Carla Bruni's unofficial biography said she said about life in the White House. It's officially heaven on earth, and with that little blue Democrat transit seal stamp of approval to prove it (and perhaps a new slogan--"it's now change that matters, unlike the change we've just seen").
Funny how Gibbs never jumped right out and rebuked Christopher Andersen's book for alleging that Bill Ayers helped write "Dreams". Not a peep.
And Dreams contained a lot of jabberwocky about economic inequities both in Africa and America--D'Souza himself admits basing the article on the book. But the White House is claiming his facts are wrong. Do they mean his facts about Obama's time outside the US or his ponderings of white man's greed in a world of need? Maybe Gibbs can now point to Andersen's book--which claims Ayers actually wrote Dreams--as his new defense.
It might work. Anything beats talking about the record foreclosure repo rate, unless they can spin it right.
7 comments:
Who would have thought one comment could lead to such panic in the White House. I guess you saw this article by Debra J. Saunders on Newt, D'Souza and Obama:
http://townhall.com/columnists/DebraJSaunders/2010/09/16/authentically_newt-ered
She thinks as much of Newt I(Newtered) as I do, not much. But he did stir up a storm here.
Debbie
Right Truth
http://www.righttruth.typepad.com
Hard to say that obama's father has influenced his style of functioning and decision making process, as mentioned his father left him at the age of two.
//Hard to say that obama's father has influenced his style of functioning and decision making process, as mentioned his father left him at the age of two.//
Some young men who never know their fathers in their formative years, grow up; they get inquisitive some time in early adulthood, as they struggle to find their own selves.
To do this, they will often seek to learn about their fathers....who they were, what they were, what they believed in, etc. We know that Obama did this. We know that he wrote about his dad (or so we are led to believe), and now it stands to reason that he is likely trying to emulate him in some form or fashion.
This does not even begin to make room for the influence of his mother, who was an avowed follower of socialist principles, based on the same kinds of economic models of the former Warsaw Pact nations and the SSRs that were closely aligned with the Mother Bear.
There was a good reason why Obama's mom was attracted to his father at the outset. They both shared Marxist dreams in conversations, during THEIR formative years.
There was a good reason why Obama's mom was attracted to his father at the outset. They both shared Marxist dreams in conversations, during THEIR formative years.
Not only that, but I believe they met in a Russian studies or language course.
And don't forget about Obama's grandfather, who had far leftist leanings to the point of exposing him to "Frank".
I think D'Souza is onto something, not only due to Gibbs' rapid reaction but because Obama has left many clues.
Debbie, thanks for the tip. I had forgotten all about this:
Two years ago, however, the Newter was seated on a loveseat next to Speaker Nancy Pelosi starring in TV ads for Al Gore's global warming campaign. Quoth Gingrich, "We do agree, our country must take action against climate change." And: "If enough of us demand action from our leaders, we can spark the innovation we need."
This column reinforces why Newt will never be president.
//This column reinforces why Newt will never be president.//
I think that if this is is worst mistake ever, then he would be just fine if would own up to it and publicly denounce himself for doing that ad. When I hear Newt talk, I hear a lot of Reagan's ideas.
I won't hold Newt to an ideal of perfection, for Reagan was not perfect either. But out of all of the people who I think could get things going back in the right direction, he's the one that comes to my mind. It's such a shame that even many in his own party cannot overlook his baggage long enough to listen to what he is saying today.
There are others who have this knack for stating the truth and sticking with it no matter how unpopular it may sound. But he is the one who has the deepest understanding of how things are and what needs to be done to solve the huge insurmountable debt, we are going to face in just a few short years.
But then again, I have been wrong before. I honestly thought the Colts would come from behind and beat Houston last weekend.
I think Newt might get a lot of heat that's unwarranted--which is true for anyone who stands up for principles, but I wonder about his principles if he's going to come out basically for cap and trade right as the Democrats roll into power.
I just think the GOP can do better with Gingrich working behind the scenes.
Post a Comment