Princess Obama Derangement Syndrome

Michael B

Well done. Hear, hear. Some particularly noteworthy passages here, particularly revealing of the comic and tragi-comic theatricality exhibited by our would-be moral exemplars.

field

I think I'd certainly want to know about the birth certificate - is he really denying access to that?

Secondly I'd like to know exactly how he was received into Jeremiah Wright's "Church".

The Church's similarities and connections with the Nation of Islam are puzzling to say the least. "Entryism" and the creation of front organisations are of course well established ploys in all forms of human organisation. Not to say this is the case, but one can ask why JW is on such good terms with Nation of Islam and what Obama's role in the Church was. Was he a simple member of the congregation or something more?

eric

first and foremost, you are not african,if you were,you would understand that being one's cousin or uncle is not the same as in the west. obviously,you are not an anthropologist neither. Good luck in your indeavors.

Lee Jakeman

You sometimes get the impression that Obama is DESTINED to become the first black president of the United States. The problem with DESTINY is that no-one can ever argue against it. Of course, if Obama screws up big time, then that will be our DESTINY too. Let us pray ....

Bobby

There is about the same number of Muslims and Christians in the World; they are similarly rich, influential, connected. Saying a major political figure has two-degree connexions with radical Islamists is. . . obvious.
Bush has two-degree relations with Hilter, Osama bien Laden and probably worst.

Al Ramy

Bravo, you and Ms. Anne Kyle Shiver, of NRO/American Thinker
sample: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/06/obama_black_liberation_theolog_2.html, though many more can be checked in the A.T archives) are two brave women who do not buy the pathetic lies, denials & flip flops of Mr. BHO. Just like the previous wet pretender JF Kerry, his entire quest is based on the hope that the public will figure what a fraud he is. We dodged a big one with that gigolo (JFK, specializes in older rich women) but now we face this Bolshevik retread. Sadly the entire U.S media with few rare exceptions, mainly on the web, tell it like it is. Keep it going because the deafening sounds of the tickled chorus of so called American journalists is deafening, they are utterly beside themselves, this also goes for the entire EU press.

BA

You wrote: Anyone who doesn’t think all this cries out for proper investigation is either a fool or a knave.

This is one of the better articles I've read on this topic, and I fully agree with your conclusion.

Thank you.

Bill M

I hope you understand that most of the American press suffers from PODS. I can't wait to read the responses from more PODS sufferers. Their contorted, twisted reasoning makes them better candidates for performers at Cirque du Soleil than engaging in rational debate.

Kris from U.S.

Melanie -you go, girl! I went through the comments from the other day fairly quickly. You have hit the nail on the head as re: Obama. It's nice to read such clear-headed thinking. Thank you.

Mike Higgins

Confusing rhetoric for values blinds you to hypocrisy. 2Titus 4:3-4

Citizen Mike, USA

Yitzy

Right on!

deranged

you'll probably accuse me of "obama derangement" as well, but come on, if this were true, why can't you find any reliable sources? Daniel Pipes? LGF? Some random expat blogger?

Fat Man

Why would Muslims want to kill Obama for being an apostate before he has a chance to surrender to them?

James C

Ms Philips as usual, you are spot on. I am very worried about Obama. And so should you be America. He is a trojan Horse.

ajmalkov

Mel, re the Rezco land deal:

You have it almost right. Obama wasn't just trying to "enlarge" his own property. The seller insisted upon selling the house and neighboring parcel at once for about $2.9 million, and the Obamas couldn't afford the package. So in order for Obama to be able to buy the house at all, "Mrs. Rezco" bought the parcel at market price ($625K), while Obama got the house for $300,000 below the asking price ($1.65m). Later the Obamas bought part of the parcel from Mrs. Rezco to enlarge their yard. They paid $30,000 above market price for it.

Basically, the Rezkos' investment enabled the Obamas to get a sweet deal on their house and the yard of their dreams.

All this while it was well known even to people outside the Rezco-Obama circle that Rezco was being investigated by the federal government for fraud. The fact that Rezko was a political fixer currying favor with Obama did not seem to occur to him until recently, after a 20-year friendship.

By the way, I thought the Obamas were supposed to reject middle-classness. Has anyone seen the house on Google? It's HUGE.

Dwayne Felder

Dear Miss Phillips:

Please know that I am one of your readers, who consider your writings to be a refreshing breeze of truth.

Jen06

Borrowing a comment I read about this article: There is nothing so refreshing as a clear mind expressing itself in clear, well-modulated prose.

(Thanks, buzzsawmonkey)

Holly Moffat

Thank you!! Sad I had to go to England to get the truth.. huh?
Please keep on it.. as we know that Obama is a the great "Deceiver".

Commondog

I must admit that the Obama phenomenon is one about which I need to know more, and I have therefore read with interest, and without comment, the reactions to MP's former postings.

Thank goodness this commentator is providing such evidence (yet again) as helps people like myself to form an opinion broader than the current bout of - what could reasonably be called - courtship between Mr Obama and the British public; the media acting as matchmaker.

Mladen Andrijasevic

It is indeed quite extraordinary that the candidate for the president of the United States is lying about his Muslim past and that nobody is taking him to task. Melanie is quite correct in emphasizing that the crux of the problem is Obama’s CONCEALMENT of the fact that he WAS once a Muslim. Not only that, he is trying to confuse the issue by claiming that many are saying that he is a Muslim NOW, which is not the point people are making. In short :1) There is enough evidence proving that Obama was a Muslim in his childhood and he is still trying to conceal that fact. 2) Why is the mainstream media not questioning this concealment?

George

So why isn't McCain making a big fuss of the fact that Obama has lied? Is it because lying is not such a big deal anymore?

Ian C

Another 158 'comments' by lunchtime...........?

CK

Or rather, Melanie Phillips Derangement Syndrome.

Roger Cotton

Bravo! Well-documented and reasoned.

Not all of us in America have fallen stupid under the spell of the Obamessiah. In fact, I am deeply offended that some obstensibly compare him to Christ!

All blasphemy and idiotic analogies aside, it is apparent that the Liberals in our Media and Government have manipulated his nomination.

For that, I do not consider these subversives "Americans." To seek to economically destroy this nation, and to impose freedom-restricting Socialist policy is NOT American.

The Obamites may succeed in getting thie empty-suit elected, but the true Silent Majority of patriotic Americans will ultimately rise up and confront those who would deign to lord over We the People.

It is my hope such a thing never needs to happen. But, Americans, once pushed too far, push bash farther.

Irf

Mel, you really have gone stark raving mad. When you quote morons like Robert Spencer and Daniel Pipes, it means you havce effectively joined the looney-far-Right brigade. I pity you.

headless

When I am a small boy, I sometimes go with my father to church. At school I am registered as CofE and I don't opt out of RE. Forty years later I deny I have ever been a practicing christian.

Well no I don't unless I want to be accused by MP of deceiving people.

Pathetic. But look at the Pipes site MP relies on. This is what MP's case against Obama amounts too.

Ron

It has been reliably reported that Obama signed up to the "Black Value System" at the Trinity United Church of Christ. It includes the words "Pledge Allegiance to all Black Leadership Who Espouse and Embrace The Black Value
System.". Replace "Black" with "White" and imagine how long a politican who had once signed it would last.

Paulo

yaa . . come on American journalists -- do your jobs. This kind of thing is what you went to journalism school for, isn't it? Start digging

Michael Asher

Melanie, we're not all suffering from PODS but this might help fight it:

http://www.affinityfilms.com/Disassociator.jpg

LauraInCali

I am one of a large group of Democrats who don't have Princess Obama Derangement Syndrome. We will do whatever we possibly can to expose Obama and take back our party. The US media has the POD syndrome Too! Rather sad really. Thanks for your brilliant article. JUST SAY NO DEAL! PUMA POWER BABY!

yochanan

NO bama

Marwan

I think the Obama phenomenon is based on mass hope that the possible first black president is'nt the vapid, shifty unprincipled loser he appears to be. Unfortunately I fear that what you see is what you get ; a nullity.

Jonny Mac

Melanie - I'm sorry, but you're beginning to look disingenuous. At the start of this post you claim that the key issue is and always had been that, on the facts as you believe them, Obama lied, rather than what (you say) he lied about. That certainly didn't come across from your initial post. Later on in the post you move from that position back to your original position of the importance being what (you say) he lied about, and why. You have established no link between his early life and what you say are "indirect associations with radical Islam"; you simply raise the possibility. That, I'm afraid, is a classic smear. I might as well say "I saw Melanie Phillips in the pub last night. That pub is frequented by known drug dealers. What is the nature, if any, of Melanie's relationship with drug dealers? Is she even one herself? I'm not saying she is, but as she's a major journalist who sounds off on moral issues, isn't anyone even going to investigate?" Find out the facts yourself and then present them. Don't just say "who knows what this all adds up to". That's smearing; it's gutter journalism, and it's deeply unworthy of you. (Please note: on other issues I agree with you and have great respect for you. I just think you've got this badly wrong, and it's damaging you.)

Mladen Andrijasevic

lrf writes: "When you quote morons like Robert Spencer and Daniel Pipes, it means you have effectively joined the loony-far-Right brigade."

This sentence reminds me of the time in 1974 when Solzhenitsyn was expelled from the USSR and thousands of Russians were supporting the decision in meetings in schools and factories without having read any of his books. It is obvious that lrf never read Spencer’s “The Truth about Muhammad” in which Spencer used only Muslim sources, (Ibn Ishaq for example), nor did he read any of his articles on jihadwatch or the Koran blog which is at the moment at Sura 28. Daniel Pipes has the best prediction track record of any analyst I know . He accurately predicted that the Israeli-Syrian negotiations in 1999 would fail, and his analysis of the Oslo peace process proved correct.

It is sad that people in the West in their ignorance and lack of arguments resort to insults
instead of checking the facts. One could understand why Russians behaved the way they did – refusal to join the crowd could mean losing your job or ending in a psychiatric clinic - but how to explain calling other people morons and refusing to access information available at your fingertips?

steve

"As for the ‘Islamic experts’ who poured cold water on a similar argument by Edward Luttwak in the New York Times -- who are hailed as Voices of Absolute Truth by my more excitable commenters despite the fact that they know zilch about them -- these prove nothing other than the existence of commentators who sanitise Islam."
Talk about a blanket slur on your part. The NY Times public editor approached 5 different Islam experts at 5 different universities all who said Luttwak was out to lunch. Luttwak then produced his own expert who also disagreed with his view. Practice what you preach when it comes to conspiracy theories and irrationality.

Sue

Field: You ask what role Obama has or had in the racist Trunity United Church of Christ: according to his 2006 tax return, made public by his campaign staff, he made a donation of $26,500 to that body.

Yoyo

Oh, Jonny Mac. "I saw Melanie Phillips in the pub last night. That pub is frequented by known drug dealers. What is the nature, if any, of Melanie's relationship with drug dealers?"

What is the parallel between sitting in a room with someone and accepting funding from them and then not revealing the fact that you've accepted money from them, a la Rezko?

Obama did not sit in a room with Raila Odinga, he went all the way to Africa to support this radical Islamist. Why?

Likewise, he didn't sit having chill-out beers with Jeremiah Wright, he hugged him to his bosom. This isn't some casual acquaintance, this was a relationship based on sharing views. They may not be carbon copy views, but Obama clearly had Mr Wright on a pedestal for 20 years - and he was on that pedestal because of his views. Why?

Glenda Slagg

Ah dontcha just love American elections.

On one hand there is the secret service working round the clock trying to keep Obama alive and on the other, a team of elite make-up artists working round the clock to trying to make McCain look like he actually is still alive!

Nick Kaplan

Melanie; although I have been against Obama due to his empty rhetoric and (to put it mildly) dodgy associates for quite some time, I was thoroughly unconvinced by your last blog on the ‘blogosphere conspiracy.’ However, having read this blog it confirms that this was my mistake in misreading what you were saying. You are completely right and these issues must be investigated to the fullest extent and Obama must explain his own position regarding them.

jbjd

This article reminds me of the slogan popular during Watergate: it's the cover-up, stupid! As to PODS... I only hope that, just as they did in the primary, given the facts, and on more rational introspection, the voters will come to their senses and reject the stealth campaign of the DNC to install Senator Obama as the President of the United States, when he is incompetent even to be a part-time state senator from Illinois.

patricia

You did what you always do - quote some deranged Zionist conspiratorialist source - in this case the New York Lunatic Daniel Pipe - and make it sound supreme and unassailable.

More objectivity.

Learn to hide those bloodthirsty fangs under your curled up bottom lip a little.

Please.

Charles

** PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT **

Anyone (British) who wants to know a bit more about how this smearing business works in the USA should check the following link:

www.thenation.com/doc/20080331/berman

fleety3000

Good Journalism Derangement Syndrome

You could write an equally fuzzy innuendo-laden post about John McCain:
His 5 years in the Hanoi Hilton.
His chief advisor's real links to dictators around the world.
His courting of John 'Catholism is the great whore' Hagee.
But its not worth it really worth it because its much easier to pick huge holes in his actual policies.

David Adams

Perhaps Obama is really being set up for a fall; all this mindless adulation by the press and the unwillingness to question anything about him makes me think he's going to be the fall guy when the poop hits the fan.There is just too much expected of him and too many factions pulling on him for this kid to handle without imploding. He is not 'eloquent', he is not smart and if he had any 'vision' he'd get out while the getting is good.

Ken Besig

Just yesterday, Barack Obama's other brother, Malik who is also a Moslem, told a reporter that his brother Barack would be able to relate to the international Moslem community because of his own Moslem background. I would think that this would end any controversy about Barack Obama's antecedents.

steve

field: isn't this is birth certificate:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/birthcert

fleety3000

You say 'obamamania has destroyed capacity for reason' yet your post is full of half truth and rumour and shows no reason whatsoever.
You also mention Daniel Pipes 'cautious manner' and he may be a perfectly good scholar but you must mention that he was an advisor to Rudolph Guliani.
Lastly you reiterate your charge that Muslims might want to kill Obama and this seems to be a reason to not vote for him which seems to be extremley cowardly.

Sean Healy

Oh for goodness sake. You think all the kids going to (Catholic run) State schools in Ireland are de facto Catholics? Because nobody in Ireland thinks that. It is completely unremarkable that someone going to school in Indonesia would have studied the Koran.

Melanie, you're paranoid ranting on this reminds me of those nutters always on the look-out for 'secret Jews'. Lay down the crack pipe, lady.

Augustus

I agree that a vote for Obama is quite certain to lead to the mushrooming of all manner of Middle Eastern connected organizations in America who will embark on countless bombing campaigns in the name of Allah and Islamic values. Their footholds in South Africa and other African states are already established, and Obama with his degree in masterly deception would be the prized Trojan Horse for these ventures to succeed. Americans really must be truly nuts to even contemplate wanting such a man under present day conditions.

nadeem afzal

Deary deary me Mel, you sound absolute pathetic don't you?
using Daniel Pipes wow he is never wrong!!

Oh beautiful, intelligent Mel are you ever wrong???

PODS- Philips Obviously deranged Syndrome.

QuickRob

This is all very disconcerting.

The fact that many on the American and European left are too busy falling all over themselves in adoration of Obama to actually examine the man, his policies, and his past is very unsettling.

If these people don't even have any interest in learning about their beloved candidate, then democracy is surely not something they are intelligent enough to use to their advantage, but will instead use to their painful disadvantage.

Rick

Revelations of Obama's shady business dealings or his connection with radical Islam mean nothing to the lemmings that are blindly following their messiah to that sea of "change you can believe in".

The world's liberal press has orchestrated one of history's more impressive coups. Get the masses hysterical over "global warming" (now "climate change") with predictions of man's extinction and vilify any and all who stand up against Islam's radical millions and poof! - present the world with the next Christ, the next Saviour, the Black Messiah.

Brilliantly done. But can America survive it?

LuAnn Ruse

The democratic party in America is under the assumption that the 18 million people who voted for Sen. Clinton will develop amnesia from now until the November election, then wake up, join hands, and gleefully throw their support to the Obamanation. It will not happen. We've known about Obama's questionable associations for months and the more they are pointed out, the less we hear about it. The main stream media in America, with the exception of FOX News, are on the Obama love train...refusing to vett the man and refusing to vett his associates.

We know better, and most of us will either vote for McCain or not vote at all. Obama, the "uniter", has divided this country.

Obama is so ill-prepared to lead our nation that it is sickening to know there are so many idiots supporting him, especially the democratic elite party elders. It should not be surprising, though, because they can control Obama...something they could not do with Sen. Clinton.

NO OBAMA '08!

Harry

Well, some of the Obama supporting commenters have proven your point. They certainly do lack reasoning ability. I'll see if I can not give them a clue to help them along life's pathway.

First, it is not the person who says something that matters, it is the idea. Is it true or not? This is where you look at the facts. I see people rejecting what some people say because their saying it makes it propaganda. That is nothing but an ad hominem attack, which of course is completely worthless. What about people who propagandize for the truth? Oh, I forget. You people don't believe in any truth ever. More evidence of your lack of reasoning ability.

Second, logic depends on the ability to understand the association between ideas. i get the distinct impression that some here are incapable of comprehending a reasonable line of thought. This involves logic and reading comprehension. Actually reading a book might help.

Third, some people suggest that a wonderful practice is actually thinking about what you want to say before you say it. Something along the lines of Better to be thought a fool than opening your mouth and proving it.

David Appletree

"To repeat once again for sufferers from PODS: the issue is NOT Obama’s religion, now or in the past. It is the many questions which need to be answered about a) why he has sought to conceal his early background; b) why he has so many indirect associations with radical Islamism; and c) whether these two questions are in some way related.

Anyone who doesn’t think all this cries out for proper investigation is either a fool or a knave."

-well stated and TRUE.

Galus, USA
The JIDF.org

Leona

Sean Healy, I don’t know what sort of school you went to. Whatever sort it was, you didn’t learn how to comprehend, did you?

This isn’t about being de facto anything.

It’s about being less than truthful about your past and why that is.

Jeff

According to Obama supporters, there is something wrong with being a Muslim.

JDW

Melanie, I wonder why you even bother. The Obrainwashed can't be convinced of anything. Obama's as pure and disturbing example of a cult of personality if their ever was one. Leftists always march in group-think, lock step. What's worse is that Obama will win by default because McCain is just really an awful, terrible, lousy, unloved candidate.

Verity

2:42 pm Patricia - If I came into your house and started instructing you on your demeanour, you'd think I was either very coarse or very bonkers. This blog is the private property of Melanie Phillips and she is free to concuct it as she chooses.

Equally, you are free not to frequent it.

Bobby, no there aren't around the same number of Christians and Muslims in the world. Islam has around 1.5bn and Christianity in excess of 2bn- some hundreds of millions more in other words.

Eric says: "you are not african,if you were,you would understand being one's cousin or uncle is not the same as in the west". So tell us, Eric, how do they define "maternal uncle" over there in Africa?

Nelson

Barack Obama, a mile wide and an inch deep. Yet, the American media won't even dig that deep. It amazes that the media refuses to see the things that are as glaring as Las Vegas at night.

Kyle

While I agree that all candidates' pasts should be investigated properly, I have doubts as to whether any such action could be undertaken in our society of right-wing bigots and hype-peddlers. I can understand his reticence to discuss religion when almost half of America, it seems, is already convinced that he's some sort of Muslim Manchurian candidate. Do you want the truth on all sides, or do you only really care about finding new gossip to share with Republican friends?

Can I imagine how "they" would be slavering about "all this" were Obama a Republican candidate? Ignoring the fact that Republicans scarcely seem capable of nominating anybody who has even MET a Muslim (Saudi oil barons notwithstanding), yes, I can imagine what would happen: the whole thing would be promptly ignored. Who in America knows about the Keating Five scandal? Who knows that McCain dumped his disfigured first wife to marry a rich, attractive, politically-connected new one? Who is willing to discuss the outright danger of electing a president possibly suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder? Or the fact that he is rapidly dismantling whatever "maverick" traits he ever had to pander to the Right and fall into step with Bush?

Furthermore, this article and its broader argument ignore one other little aspect of a candidate: his plans for the future. Obama's handling of his race, the tone he is setting, and his planned policies are better than McCain's in every way.

I realize this article doesn't explicitly endorse McCain, but in a two-man race it tacitly does so. A McCain win would be disastrous for the world.

Joseph

I love how people think they make a brilliant point when they simply accuse Melanie or the people she sources as being the "far right" or "Zionist" or my favorite, "Zionist New Yorker." And then accuse Melanie of being hateful.
You sophisticated Europeans you! Just keep telling yourself that you have nothing in common with the anti-free market, anti-American, anti-Jewish European Fascists of the Early Twentieth Century.

Adina Kutnicki

The only part I was unaware of is Rezko's Syrian/Nation of Islam roots, and Obama's staffers being part of the anti-white/anti-semitic Nation of Islam.
Talk about smoking guns! If there were ever a reason to suspect a Manchuerian Candidate this is it.
Isn't it noteworthy that everywhere you turn an Islamist connection surfaces around the corner? By the way, those who wish the US to disintegrate, and those who hate the Jews, are foaming at the mouth to see him elected.Hmmm. Others who support him are also very uninformed as to the above. Surely it is our duty to demask OBAMAMANIA!

raymond joseph douglas

Our media and our liberal-left,are desperate for a Obama Presidency.They think such a victory will make the muslim world like us.They are wrong.They will only accept us when we adopt their religion and not before!

vwman

As far as the Obama background, I feel he has never left the muslim roots as illistrated by the type of "christianity" that has been revealled at Trinity, Pastor Wright specifically.

Joseph

Kyle,
All you do is hurl insults at Republicans. Melanie, and "the Republicans and Right-wing bigots" aren't saying he's a Muslim Manchurian candidate. That's just a typically dishonest leftist tactic to avoid any honest debate with people they disagree with by simplifying their positions and calling them names.
Melanie is simply pointing out the fact that Obama continues to lie and misrepresent himself. That's a perfectly legitimate discussion to have during a presidential race.
Difference in policies are also a legitimate debate.
Obama wants to pursue the failed policies of the European Left. McCain isn't that great either, that's for sure.
But just because you believe in total state control of people's lives, don't tell yourself you are automatically on a higher plain than people who disagree with you.
It is Obama who is surrounded by racists. Real racists. That's who you support. So before you call anyone else a bigot, look in the mirror.

London Calling

A firestorm indeed, or was that the intention?

Revealing? indeed it was.

‘And questioning at all of Obama’s background is entirely off-limits?’

No, it was fairly debated and was on and over the Limit.

But based on vicious bloggers and smokes his pipe accusations,
the bottom line is......

This is still Propaganda based on whether Obama was a Muslim,
whether Obama Lied, whether Obama will make a good President
and whilst these maybe important questions that need answering, the witch hunt lynch mob rhetoric has –revealed- just how dangerous rumours and speculation fires up into a frenzy of public Trial without the accused present, yet the defence steaming ahead regardless.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (New International Version)

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Oh Yes, a Firestorm indeed …that of which evolved swiftly into a mirage of delusion…

London Calling

A firestorm indeed, or was that the intention?

Revealing? indeed it was.

‘And questioning at all of Obama’s background is entirely off-limits?’

No, it was fairly debated and was on and over the Limit.

But based on vicious bloggers and smokes his pipe accusations,
the bottom line is......

This is still Propaganda based on whether Obama was a Muslim,
whether Obama Lied, whether Obama will make a good President
and whilst these maybe important questions that need answering, the witch hunt lynch mob rhetoric has –revealed- just how dangerous rumours and speculation fires up into a frenzy of public Trial without the accused present, yet the defence steaming ahead regardless.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (New International Version)

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

Oh Yes, a Firestorm indeed…that of which evolved swiftly into a mirage of delusion…

Verity

4:09 pm Well said, Joseph 4:02!

Charles

Joseph says: "You sophisticated Europeans you! Just keep telling yourself that you have nothing in common with the anti-free market, anti-American, anti-Jewish European Fascists of the Early Twentieth Century."

Our answer: Well we certainly have less in common with them than Prescott Bush did - go Google.

Carol

Charles posted something about a "smear". How is telling the whole truth a smear?
His attachment to communists and the NOI should be a deal breaker.

Red Ruffansore

Melanie, you give me hope that Europe will see through this charlatan. I see no hope here though, the alphabet soup press here is in the tank for the ObaMessiah and will tolerate no unkind thoughts of our saviour. Just his utter lack of experience at anything other than writing a book should give one pause, looking at his history ought to make a rational person run the other direction screaming. I don't profess to care for McCain in any fashion but good grief, it's a no-brainer, Obama is a disaster on any given policy that comes to mind. I'm sure the DNC thinks they'll slip the bridle on after the coronation but once he has the crown on his head, Obama will auger this countries economy into the ground faster than a plane flown by terrorists.

RV

I thought I would focus on the Kenyan connection.

Melanie says:

The concerns about Obama’s Muslim antecedents arise from the fact that a) he has tried to conceal them.

Could we please have some evidence of this? Most of the evidence seems to come from Obama's own writings about his childhood.

MP then goes on to say:

b) that he has a puzzling number of indirect connections with radical Islamists or their supporters.

The 1st example MP mentions is Raila Odinga:

1) He has gone out of his way to support in Kenya Raila Odinga, head of the Luo tribe, who promised to introduce sharia law if elected.

According to Wikipedia Raila Odinga is of the Anglican faith[24]. He was accuused by his opponents of promising to introduce sharia law for Muslims if elected. This is something both he and Kenyan Muslim leaders have denied.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7115387.stm

There also seems to some confusion over whether they are cousins as we would think of it. Obama's father is supposed to be the brother of Raila Odinga's mother. But according to this site (if I am reading it correctly) Barack Snr had two sisters called Sarah and Auma:

http://genealogy.about.com/od/aframertrees/p/barack_obama.htm

Whereas Raila's mother is called Mary Juma:

http://www.jaluo.com/wangwach/200710/Leo_Odera_Omolo102507d.html

I think they maybe cousins in the sense that they are part of the same clan or very extended family. They clearly know each other but I'm also not clear in what way Obama he has gone out of his way to support him. Is this the phone call? The closest I can get is various accounts of Obama's 2006 trip to Kenya mentioned on anti-obama websites.

Here is a 2006 report on that trip to Kenya:

Obama's Criticism Irks Kenyan Government

Government Says Obama Is A Stooge For Political Opposition

by Mike Flannery

(CBS) There are signs of tension between Sen. Barack Obama and African leaders. On Monday, Obama stepped up his criticism of government corruption in Kenya.

But as CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports, the government fired back, saying Obama is a stooge for an opposing political party.

A surprise raid that seized and burned copies of Kenya's oldest newspaper, The Standard, still prompts journalists there to call last March 2 the darkest day in the more than 100 years they've been publishing.

"For us as an institution, I think it was the lowest point in the history of this newspaper," News Editor Douglas Okwatch said.

It was because of that raid that Sen. Barack Obama went to the Standard's offices. He declared that democracy can't work without freedom of the press and freedom of information.

"It is not just a loss for the Standard. It's a loss for the people of Kenya. So my hope is that this is one episode that won't be repeated," Obama said.

At the University of Nairobi two hours later, the senator offered more pointed criticism, something he's done almost every day since arriving last week. After remaining largely silent, the government of President Mwai Kibaki is beginning to respond, suggesting that Obama may have fallen under the spell of opposition leader Raila Odinga.

A potential presidential candidate himself, Odinga's been at Obama's elbow here fairly often and is a member of the Obama family's Luo tribe.

"Sen. Obama has to look at critically about where he's receiving his advice from," said government spokesman Dr. Alfred Mutua. "Just because somebody, somewhere wants to run for president and is using Sen. Obama as his stooge, as his puppet to be able to get to where he wants to get to."

Stung by Obama's continuing criticism of corruption in Kenya, government spokesman Alfred Mutua placed an ad in several newspapers. He reasserted that no bribe money was extorted from CBS 2 News during a customs dispute at the Nairobi airport that has now been widely publicized here, calling it instead a case of miscommunication. The $840 was returned to CBS 2 after Obama complained. Mutua said it was legitimate customs duties, but he could not explain why we were charged double the maximum amount allowed under Kenyan law.

Joseph

This is what we have to fight against. Anyone who dares apeak honestly about Obama will be demonized, called a racist. The totalitarian impulses of the Left are running on high-octane, and they are circling the wagons around their Obama.
I frankly don't care whether Obama was born a Muslim or not. I'd vote for a pro-free market, anti-big government Muslim over a leftist Jew or Christian anyday -- but I don't want to go over the head of identity-politics obsessed leftists.
The problem is, Obama is a hardcore leftist (oops, we're not even allowed to call him liberal!)
It is amazing to see how much the left project themselves onto those they disagree with. The fact that Obama is surrounded by racists and corruption is irrelevant because the saliva is already dribbling down their collective chins at the thought of the coming utopian salvation Obama will bring to America and to the world.
Obama is now a religious figure, and the irrational arguments of his supporters is fascinating.
We can't be intimidated by these people. Obama is what he is, a neo-marxist. And that's what we will get. And the utopia he will bring will be just as wonderful as all the other Marxist utopias in human history.
Melanie, keep up the good work! I love the way you make the blood of these Leftist drones boil.

Joseph

Charles,
Wow, George Bush! Good come back! However did you think of that?
George Bush will be gone from office soon (and I'm glad about that, trust me), and people like you will one day have to start dealing with the truth.

d1carter

Keep fanning the fires, Mel. The American MSM will never ask these questions.

David Lindsay

Oh well, even cheerleading for John McCain by opposing Barack Obama is better than cheerleading for Kelvin MacKenzie by opposing David Davis, I suppose.

"his many questionable associations"

Compared to whom? No one associated with him is an unrepentant disciple of Max Shachtman, or an unrepentant founder-member of Trotsky's Fourth International, or an unrepentant veteran of the Trotskyist alcoves fighting the Stalinist ones at City College of New York.

Whereas Bush is surrounded by such people, and several (notably Robert Kagan) are also close to McCain.

Why is John Hagee acceptable if Jeremiah Wright isn't? (Why do you like Christian Zionism so much? It is a five-act play in which the Jews disappear at the end of Act Four.)

And why (although this does seem a bit obvious, considering the alternative) have prominent morally and socially conservative Democrats (who are much more left-wing economically than liberal ones - it's like the difference between the Old Labour Right and New Labour) come out for Obama? Or are they "questionable associates" as well?

Joseph

RV
Melanie has detailed quite well about how Obama lied about his childhood. Go and look. And why are Obama's own writings not legitimate evidence?

According to this BBC story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7176683.stm

Odinga himself claims to be Obama's cousin. I believe him.

Shevvers

If Americans are really stupid enough to elect this guy, we deserve to lose our supremacy to Europe.

Joseph

Odinga says Obama is his cousin:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7176683.stm

Charles

Joseph asks: "However did you think of that?"

The answer: Pure serendipity! Our ex-Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, once described George Bush's administration as "crap". Google the names 'Prescott' and 'Bush' and, hey presto, one finds Nazis. And with that I've just proven Godwin's Law, once more.

fleety3000

Obamas father was actually an atheist when he war born and so was his mother which so cant really see anyone having a problem with this.

RV

I don't know if they are cousins. I just tried to find evidence to share.

It is all a bit irrelevant even if Odinga is his cousin. He is an Anglican christian not a muslim. What does it prove?

fleety3000

Even your colleague Clive Davis is now exposing your extremley weak sources.
http://www.spectator.co.uk/clivedavis/769621/quintessiential-ny-icon-sold-to-jews.thtml
But I suppose hes just another obamamaniac.

Charles

There's got to be a song in this Obama Odinga thing? It's got such a great rhyme. I'm thinking along the lines of "Let's Call the Whole Thing Off" (the one about potato - potaeto, tomato - tomaeto). Any songwriters out there?

Joseph

I know this is hard to grasp, but John Hagee and John McCain have nothing to do with each other. Hagee endorsed McCain, which McCain eventually rejected. The difference is that Wright was Obama's spiritual mentor with whom he had close ties with for twenty years. That's the difference.
As for the other babble about Trotsky and Stalin and Kagin and Bush..... I mean really.

Charles,
I agree with Prescott that the Bush Administration is largely crap... that doesn't change the fact that European intellectuals prior to WWII were in love with the idea of collective salvation by the State, hated American Capitalism, hated any concept of free markets, hated Judaism and Christianity, and many suspected Jews of pulling the strings behind the curtains just like the great intellectuals of todays British Academeic unions.

fleety3000

The New York Times Obumsman has also heavily criticised edward luttwak's article
'but they [op-ed writers] are not entitled to get the facts wrong or to so mangle them that they present a false picture'

David Lindsay

"As for the other babble about Trotsky and Stalin and Kagin and Bush..... I mean really."

Yes.

Really.

The Chocolate Orange Registrar

Shevvers - The One-worlders in mainland Europe would love him to come over so they could elect him President of Europe for life! And beyond!

Kyle

Joseph,
Call what I said insulting if you will, but I never said that anybody is currently calling Obama a Manchurian candidate. I said that many people are already convinced of this lie, or something similar to it. This is politics - one needn't repeat the lie, just add fuel to the "firestorm." The damage is already done.

I simply find it amazing that an entire party of war criminals (among other things) is getting a free pass while pundits offer us snarky "Princess Obama Derangement Syndromes" and the like. I'll admit Melanie falls on the reasonable side of things, but on the other hand I don't believe this article takes us any nearer to a place where (often tangential) connections to Muslims and black people aren't used to scare up conservative votes.

PA Pundits

Great Post!
People seem to be blinded to reality much more now than at any other time in history.

Keep up the good work!
Ed

The Chocolate Orange Registrar

Eric - I see you have not yet sent us the African definition of "maternal uncle".

Jack

I think you do not understand enough about American history to understand why people object so strongly to people questioning his background. Questioning who the guy is and where he came from seems to be as close to overt racism as anti-Obama people can get.

Katie W

Why is it "princess" and not "prince?" I think you are being a bit sexist here.

Joseph

David Lindssey, I know you think you are brilliant.
Whom are you referring to when you say "socially and morally" conservative democrats? Who are these economically conservative Democrats? Is it Pelosi? Is it Reid? Is it Boxer? Feinstein? Clinton? Which democrat are you specifically referring to? And what does that have to do with whom Obama has surrounded himself with for the past two decades?

I love this! These are the same people who yelled "case closed!" after seeing a photograph of Cheney shaking hands with Saddam Hussein, but questioning Obama's ties are somehow unnaceptable.
And diverting attention to George Bush doesn't change one single fact about Obama. It just shows how weak your arguments are.

So Kagan went to City College of New York? My God what a bombshell.

Do you know how many Marxist professors teach at Colleges?

How about Obama IS a Marxist.
yeah, really.

steve

Joseph: That is simply wrong about McCain and Hagee. McCain sought his endorsement and while he distanced himself from some of Hagee's outlandish views he has not rejected the endorsement. I'm looking forward to Melanie going after McCain over these extremist connections.

Joseph

Jack,
I totally agree with you. Everyone knows America is a vile racist country, and anyone who doesn't vote for Obama hates Black people.

Joseph

Steve,
You are simply completely wrong about McCain and Hagee. They had NO ties for the past twenty years. Obama and Wright did.
Obama sat in Wright's church for twenty years, the title of Obama's book "Audacity of Hope" comes from a sermon of Pastor Wright, which Obama details in said book. Wright married the Obamas and baptized their children.

Find me one speech or piece of writing by McCain in the past two decades affirming his close relationship to Hagee.

Tying Hagee to McCain is a pathetic attempt to divert attention away from Obama's long, close ties to a hate-filled racist left-wing demagogue.

If you can prove to me that McCain ever sat in Hagees church then I would consider that an issue. I would be honest about that.

But why bother, I mean, everyone knows that if you don't like Obama, it's because you hate black people.

Joseph

Steve,

McCain DID reject Hagees endorsement:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/22/mccain.hagee/

Ann

Why is it "princess" and not "prince?" I think you are being a bit sexist here -

because this is akin to Diana-mania.

Ann

I agree with Prescott that the Bush Administration is largely crap -

ROFL. A tinpot, useless, ignorant, illitetate, incompetent, mendacious bully's opinion is what you base your views on?

Joseph

Ann,
I don't even know who Prescott is, but I believe you. I do think the Bush administration failed miserably in many respects, but I reject the anti-Bush hysteria which is not based in reality. When he is gone, people are going to be slapped in the face by the fact that Bush is not and never was the source of the great evil in our world today.
But thanks for informing me about Prescott, I will never agree with a politician I've ever heard of ever again, I was just having fun with Charles.

christina

Another republican talking up republicans and talking down demorats... WONDERFUL.
I wish you would have spent this much time on Iraq, maybe we could have prevented that failure.

MelanieL

Well said Melanie. Obama has benefited from a remarkable lack of curiosity by the American MSM. Scratch the surface of the persona he presents to the world, and a much shadier picture emerges - lies, half-truths and worrying associates. Please keep asking the questions - the truth needs to emerge and soon.

LarryJohnsonisatoolbag

The deadenders even have transatlantic reach! This place is swarming with them. Do you have any idea how crazy and deranged the lunatic fringe (NoQuarter) sounds like? Obama = Hitler. That is pathetic! LOL! You people are sad.

sjl106

The majority of the Dems do not have the "Princess Obama Derangement Syndrome" that is why the majority voted for Hillary, we know obama is a fraud and that there is something seriously wrong.

Jody

Off-limits, no. Idiotic, yes.

Jakester

Sorry Melanie,
Before you write me off as a troll, I agree with you 90% of the time. But it seems that every critic of Obama goes off on this phony tirade about he/she is not supposed to criticize Obama based on some Obama fan's unqualified support. Then commentor goes right for the gut and attacks Obama over his Islamic connection, the contemptible Rev, Wright, etc etc. All the while they claim that they are being censored from doing their critique by some vague force of PC that hasn't seemed to still their keyboard or voice one iota. You sound like Rush Limbaugh in your disingenuous claims of censorship

fleety3000

The whole point about hagee is this; in the 2000 primary campaign mccain then somewhat of a maverick described people like hagee as 'agents of intolerance' for the hate they preach quite admiraly. This time round he actively courted hagees endorsment mindful that he needed to reasure the base of the GOP.He only rejected the endorsment after some of hagees worst comments came to light.however mccain still portrays himself as a real maverick when infact over the last 6 or so years hes been rather cynical.

Tim USA

Ignore steve he is a known Obamaton troll. The Obama birth certificate he points to is a blatant fake missing several important items such as registrars seal and signature and containing artifacts around the state seal and all text that a genuine birth certificate would not have. If he was to atcually release his genuine birth certificate, it would not be to dkos an Obama rag. It was someone at dkos manufactured the so called birth certificate that was later posted on the Obama campaign site. An actual release from the campaign would surely be made to actual reporters for a network. Not some left wing nutbag who could care less about facts only his own twisted agenda.

Charles

Joseph,

I fear you may also have offended Ann (and countless others) by including the words "Prescott" and "intellectual" in the same paragraph.

Although it is true that the country is going to the dogs, we do try to maintain certain proprieties. Kindest regards from Old Blighty, nevertheless.

Susan cox

I hope you will allow me to make comment as an American citizen: Thank you for telling the truth and confronting Mr. Obama's deceit head-on. I only wish the American Press had half your objectivity.

Liz from USA

Right on! It's scary the way the press over here has "drunk the kool-aid." If you don't go online and really look for it, the truth is no where to be found.

Scary is hardly the word to describe this election. The consequences are unimaginable. Those who are against Obama are dismissed as "racist" or "feminist" if they are a Hillary supporter. Apparently there are millions of knaves and fools, but I don't think the populace will go for it in the end. And, although his defeat will widely be attributed to race, it wouldn't have been about race at all until his campaign made it that way.

There are pockets of idiots that are racist, but for the most part in American white society, one is considered the lowest of the low (by other whites) is one is racist.

ritamary in cali

This life long Democrat thanks you for calling attention to the very problematic deceptions concerning Obama's past. Too bad the corporate media in the United States has again not only neglected to report the facts but has jumped on the Obama bandwagon. As the corporate media hyped George Bush's candidacy for president in 2000, acted as cheerleaders for the invasion of Iraq, and viciously attacked Hillary Clinton, I fear we are on the road to another disaster due to the media's failure to do their job.

Barbara

I believe that Obama has duped a great percentage of the American voting public...Obama is Muslim; Obama is a racist radical; Obama and his wife are not patriots nor do they love this country. Michele Obama wore "the color purple" when Obama got the DNC nomination...Oprah W. wore "the color purple" when she endorsed Obama....how much more evidence do we need to present to confused Americans (white voters) that they are supporting someone that desires to destroy this country as we know it.

Disgruntled American Voter

Verity

Why certainly, Jack. No one here finds Obama an over-ambitious, sly, conniving, rather suspect, vacuous, under-qualified individual not overly attached to the truth except those racists among us! We are making it all up because we don't respect black people (like Colin Powell and Thomas Sowell, for example)! I am afraid it is you, old chap, who seems not to have the ability to judge black people as fellow human beings and admit that some of them are simply awful. Some are even as mendacious and sly and over-ambitious as Tony Blair.

Joseph, regarding the mendacious, sly, fat, slobby, gobby, loutish, greedy, thick-skulled incompetent (and this is just how his friends describe him) John Prescott, I do not think you would want to be in the same room as this individual.

Christina complains that we are Republicans "talking down demorats... WONDERFUL".

Demorats! Wonderful indeed! Thank you!

DJ MacDonald

There is nothing substantial to support your claims here. Thought, I think like you, I do have suspicions about the past involvement with his religious endeavours. I would suggest the main reason for this article is nothing more than creating sensationalism and drama for the sake of it.

Suspicion is not reason enough to warrant an investigation, we must deal in facts, you have provided little supporting evidence and in your position must take a more reasonable approach to this kind of article.

Obama does not need to prove anything, but you his accuser do.

I'd like to see something more substantial than just jumping on the media drama bandwagon.

Dakinikat

Welcome to the wonderful world of trying to speak truth to Obama supporters. They are so addicted to Opium that every one who dares to question anything (even legitimate questions) is thrown into the pile of racist, bitter, undereducated, hater. I've been experiencing this as a Hillary Clinton supporter for about six months now. They all need to go to rehab. It's like trying to hold an intelligent conversation with a proud member of the Hitler Youth right after fearless leader plowed under another 'unbelieving' country.

Linda USA

The problem with Obama is that the press and powers that be did not vet him out. Because the issue of race has always been a thorn in the side of America, many Americans would like to see a black president. In this way, some feel the "problem" of race can be put to rest. As a result, he's been given a free pass. Had he been a white candidate he most likely would not have come this far. He is inexperienced, extremely liberal and has not been responsible for any great piece of legislation.

If he does have a questionable background, the mainstream media is not addressing it.

I would not like to see him as my president!

marisa

Thank you for writing such a well-reasoned article. I'm sure that a lot of the logic of it is lost on Obama's most fervent followers (for whom blind allegiance is the most powerful opiate), but it is not lost on me.

I do have questions about Obama, but every time I try to get an answer--even to the most benign of inquiries--I get double speak, contradictions, and even outright lies.

Who knew that asking a question of a man who would aspire to the presidency of the United States would pose so many problems.

It seems that Mr. Obama prefers that we know as little about him as possible, which is yet another question for which the answer just might be contained in the pithy, but appropriate line:

The more I get to know him, the less I like him.

California Girl

Thanks, Melanie, so much for your articles. The media here in America have been grossly negligent. It is frightening that the Obama campaign was able to label Hillary Clinton, of all people, as a racist. Some of us here understand that another untrustworthy leader is the last thing this country needs.

tillthen

Thank God there is a voice of reason coming from across the sea. It is frightening to think of how many Americans have already drunk the KOOL-Aid. I am a Larry Sinclair supporter and I hope he brings down Obama at the National Press Conference on the 18th of June. Do come!!

Darren

Whether you agree or not with this article, it was written in a very measured, professional tone--far more than can be said about those comments here attacking it (and the author).

Verity

JDMcDonald, you lead off with a little lecture to Melanie, who has been a highly regarded international journalist and broadcaster for around 20 years, and follow it with non-thoughts.

As in, "Obama does not need to prove anything, but you his accuser do."

Incorrect. Obamarama needs to prove to the American voters that he is clean and fit to be voted in to the great office of President of the United States. So far, other than lavish praise for himself, he has said absolutely nothing of substance, and multiple unsavoury allegations accrete. Reztso (sp), Jeremiah Wright, this father who ran off, this madrassah which he denies, these non-cousins in Kenya who aren't Muslims, his friendship with Keith Ellison,his wife's apparent disapproval of America and her government-funded career on the "diversity" gig.

Obama has a lot of mud to scrape off the bottom of his shoes before he is fit to step into the Oval Office and I, for one, do not think he can do it.

Dakinikat, we have the same swooning mindset over here, and they can't even vote! How needy is that?

Gavin

This article is a truly squalid farrago of smears and innuendo. What a Hogarthian journey Mad Mel has taken, from her glory days as a semi-passable journalist taken seriously now and then, through the reaches of the right to her natural home at the Daily Mail, and now lower and ever lower still, until she reaches this nadir, this gin alley where she dwells amongst the crazed and feebly raging denizens of the paranoid far right.

indigo

I am Indonesian so I know what growing up schooling in Indonesia is like. Obama had to register his religion and since his mom was not religious (or close to being an atheist), it was understandable that he was registered under his stepfather religion: Islam. And yes once a week he had to take Islamic class and perhaps also learned to recite the Quran.

Conclusion: Obama was indeed Muslim by default, not by choice since he was only a child then. He should have been open about this because this is really nothing to worry about. He obviously later lost contact with his "Islamic upbringin" when he moved back to US and then later converted to Christianity.

What worries me more is his radical associations, including and especially his Islamic fundamentalist cousin Odinga. That needs to be explored and exposed further. I don't think Obama is fit for POTUS or electable and we'd better know everything about him now before the convention.

Robert

Melanie, it's the tone of your article that's objectionable. You're practically insinuating that someone with a muslim background can't run for the White house.
An openly muslim candidate could never run for the white house in the same way an openly gay candidate couldn't. If Obama was candid about his childhood and admitted he is no longer a practising Muslim- that would never work. Many Americans believe strongly that all muslims are evil or outright terrorists. So i can understand Obama lying about his past, politicians do it all the time, i don't think it's anything sinister.

"why he has so many indirect associations with radical Islamism;"

One speech in Kenya? Do you have the contents of his speech?
Do you know that Raila Odinga isn't even a muslim? He's an Anglican. Please show me any evidence of him saying he would introduce Sharia law? By indirect do you mean his upbringing and half brother? So if my half brother converts to Judaism that makes me a jew? And how does being brought up a muslim equate with "radical islam"?

eris

Obama has made a major blunder as a result of his fears.

The very title of his site

“Fight the Smear”

is a prima facie sign of someone who doesn't know what the word "uniter" means.

The title is divisive, hysterical, a bit paranoid, and demonstrative of a fundamental narcissism and hypersensitivity to critique.

It assumes any information about Obama it doesn’t agree with was disseminated as a deliberate “smear” by some evil party.

I would have recommended entitling it “The facts as we see it” or something neutral and non-judgmental.

Uniter? HA!

Marc

Thanks for this excelent information. Although it's also quite depressing to see that those yanks, my only hope for free Western future, might even gone more nuts than we in Europe. Who is now going to safe the world?

Anon 1

I don't think America can afford another President in the White House with a history of cocaine use.,.......Wake up America!!

A happy American

Is it any wonder we broke away from you people? You're bent!

GO OBAMA 08

Sharon M. Chang

This article is brilliant and should shame every major journal in the US. This sort of reporting is straightforward and concise, methods which should be possible for US news sources, but which seem to be beyond their abilities. How sad for us as Americans to need to reach out to the UK for accuracy in reporting our own news! Thank you, thank you, for publishing these questions. Whether we ever get the answers, at least we know that someone was responsible enough to ask them.

Jakester

So for all you Obama critics that claim you have been silenced as a racist or Islamophobe or whatever, please produce proof of your oppression, like postcards postmarked from the camp they sent you, Dr. signed statements and photos of the wounds you received from torture, official transcripts of the secret tribunals you faced. What a joke! You are as addicted to victim hood just as much as your opponents!

Ralph

Wonderful articles. Americans have the priviledge and responsibility of electing the person who is arguably the most important person in the world. This will all come out before the election. Much of it will site your work.

I have one quibble. "The issue is NOT Obama’s religion, now or in the past. It is the many questions which need to be answered about a) why he has sought to conceal his early background; b) why he has so many indirect associations with radical Islamism; and c) whether these two questions are in some way related." These are important but may I add another that somwhat disqualifies your summary, it is important who Obama is culturaly. As an American from rural Pennslylvania I am culturaly Christian. I have taken the time to understand what this heritage means, who it has made me and how it had created America.

If Obama was raised Muslim he could rightly be considered culturely Islamic. This is important to me as a voter. It means he sees and reacts to the world in a much different way than the people who built this nation.

Harvey

Send for the men in white coats...

Woof! Woof! Woof!

Ernest Cam

Verity ! [13/06 at 21:17]

WONDERFUL indeed! One of the most amusing, concise and accurate summations of the bulimic bloater since Matthew Parris retired as a commons sketch writer.

nadeem afzal

Robert, it's no use buddy Mad Mel is already convinced!!!!

Wow Mel you are so brilliant.....oh why can't the word see that you are right and they are wrong

obamaobserver

The irony, and possibly also the tragedy, of why America rejected Hillary due to sensing that Billary exist soley, exclusively, totally and utterly for the pursuit of power, is that that pursuit is fourfold in the breast of Obama without the obvious potential for leadership which the mantle of power demands.

Rob-NY

Thank you Melanie. It is nice to see there is some real journalism still be practiced.
Well done!

Robin

Gavin, dude. What a beautifully worded paragraph of utter drivel.

So good to see reasonably well-written nonsense. It's a pity about the punctuation, but one can't have everything.

Verity

Joseph, think of it this way. John Prescott makes a hopelessly inebriated Teddy Kennedy look like Cary Grant.

Verity

Indigo - Some uninformed person above, or on another thread on this blog, said that "all the schools in Indonesia are Muslim". I wrote back to say this is just not true. Indonesia is a secular republic, not an islamic republic. There are all kinds of schools.

Thank you for speaking with the authority of an actual Indonesian. (Indonesia is a beautiful country and I highly recommend the Orang-Utan Rehabilitation Centre in Sumatra. It's wonderful.) BTW, if this uninformed person thought Indonesia was an Islamic state, how could they explain Bali?

Terimah kasi, Indigo!

EyesOpen

Melanie,
How easy it is to arrive at the enemy lines just by asking a few simple questions. How proud we are of the Democratic All About Me Nominee and the tone he has set through his campaign. The blogs in the US have written about tactics to deal with the gorilla posters; trying rational counter arguments is a waste of your important time - kind of funny appeasement is only met with greater resistance. A wiser investment in time is to continue your investigating and find the anwers yourself. Nice work.

Al Ramy

Ro validate some of the points of this take:
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/06/return_of_the_dupes_and_the_an.html

American Thinker

Water

Best of luck to Obama and well done on trashing Hilary.

Ekke Nekkepenn

This Melanie bird makes me smile. I'm not a Muslim but I really enjoy their call to prayer when the sun was rising. It sounds wonderful...remember that if you hate something or somebody then you probably hate something about yourself. I somehow think that true wisdom will not be welcomed in when it knocks at your door, Melanie.

Texan GOP voter who is voting Obama

What a total piece of shite this is.

Obama has already released his broth certificate thus rendering this piece of shite article meaningless.

I find it hilarious that you haven't assessed one policy position but choose to take all your talking points from Faux News.

There is no Princess Obama derangement syndrome going on you mentle case. In case you didn't see the Dem. race, the other candidate got 18 million votes, hardly evidence of a unilateral syndrome.

Voters care about gas prices, the war in Iraq, healthcare, and mostly the economy. We know everyone has a past. And we also know that Obama isn't about to bring sharia law to the US.

This is just another smear piece that can be debunked by a vist to www.fightthesmears.com

Get well soon!

Verity

3:07 pm EyesOpen - why would gorillas be posting and why would there have to be tactics to deal with them? What do the gorillas have to gain or lose from having Obama run?

Ekke Nekkepenn - "...remember that if you hate something or somebody then you probably hate something about yourself."

What a truly stupid observation. We don't relate to little cutesy-poo, simplistic, folksy, preachy American homilies.
Don't instruct us to "remember" because no one over here would be stupid enough to have such a dimwitted observation in their mental portfolio.

If you are going to try to reprimand our generous hostess, try using grown-up language, there's a dear boy.

Joshua

'if you hate something or somebody then you probably hate something about yourself.'

Hmm, well I do hate the part of me (the area of the temporal lobe that processes strong smells) that occasionally reads articles by Johann Hari.

Joshua

'If you are going to try to reprimand our generous hostess'

Hostess? You make Ms. Phillips sound as if she is a bored housewife from Hendon running a coffee morning for WIZO.

OhDearNeverMind

The last time history recorded the adoration of a political figure, such as that Obama is receiving, from swooning and clapping children to a whole section of a society to "heal" them and "renew" their land, was in the 1930s, in Germany. The party was socialist: The National Socialists Party. The politician: Adolf Hitler made women faint and had the media firmly in thrall to him. He also recruited children.

The similarity, to me, is frightening.

WAKE UP AMERICAN.

Verity

Joshua, Melanie is the owner of this property. We are on her property. She is the hostess. It's not an exceptional usage.

Water

"try using grown-up language" good thing see things have evolved.

Familiar Clown

Texan GOP -

"Broth certificate"? Yes, these 'shite' liquids do tend to be somewhat turbid and full of cloudiness.

Bill M

Field,

In addition to the $20+K he gave to Trinity personally, I encourage you to look into the federal government funding (what was my hard earned money to feed my family) that he fought and lobbied to give to Trinity "outreach" programs. I think the childcare program got a ridiculous amount like $100K or $250K. Whatever it was it was calculated to about $20+K per child. That smells really, really bad.

The guy is a phony opportunist beauty queen who is not at all fit, nor qualified, to lead our precious country--particularly in these times.

Shame on us if he gets elected.

Chuck

ObamaGate deception. I wonder how many of these comments were paid for by Obama?

anne

Thank you!! This is what so many of us have been dealing with. This cult of personality is so scary and dealing with his supporters can be downright frightening. Coupled with no longer being able to critisism at the risk of being called racist or hateful names, and the media's complete lack of a critical eye, I truly fear an Obama presidency. I am a democrat voting mccain this november.

Susan Montague

Apropos Raila Odinga, he is an Anglican, but the point is he signed memorandums of understanding saying that should he gain power he would have introduced Sharia law.

Why?

The Sharia has huge implications for Muslims who don't want Islam to rule their lives outside of the mosque and for non-Muslims.

So what was Barack Obama doing out there?

Is he going to be as casual about Sharia creep in America if he becomes US President?

This is why his mentoring by Reverend Jeremiah Wright and his extremely close connections with Tony Rezko matter.

Both these unsavoury characters have very strong links to the Nation of Islam and Barack Obama has had them right at the very centre of his court with Wright as his own personal guru and Rezko giving serious and substantial help to Obama's business affairs - although he tried tried where possible to keep his involvement concealed.

This is just the stuff that's been forced to the surface and we've been slowly learning about - not that we were meant to find out any of it, of course.

What more is to hide?

Joshua

"Melanie is the owner of this property. We are on her property. She is the hostess. It's not an exceptional usage."

The meanings given at the complete OED on CD-ROM:

1. A woman that lodges and entertains guests.

2. spec. a. A woman who keeps a public place of lodging and entertainment; the mistress of an inn.

b. A woman employed to entertain customers at a night-club [I have edited out a rather ribald meaning here -- Joshua]

c. = air hostess; also, a woman similarly employed on a train.

†3. A female guest: cf. host n.2 4. Obs. rare.

4. Comb. hostess apron, dress, gown, pyjamas, robe, skirt, trolley.

Water

Ahh good to see the system back to normal.

ndm

"Unhinged."

Clive Davis was being polite.

Alexandrovich

Hostess I understand, generous I do not.

Verity

7:03 pm Joshua - regarding your childish little list - the internet has changed - or added definitions to - a lot of usages. "Boot" for example. "Log", as in log-on.

Blogs are owned by people who let other people (guests) onto their property in cyberspace. Don't be so silly.

Kevyn Bodman

Hello Joshua, (at 5.51pm)

Concise Oxford Dictionary, 9th edition

'hostess' 1) a woman who receives or entertains a guest

Verity's usage fits perfectly.

Harvey

Chuck asks...

'ObamaGate deception. I wonder how many of these comments were paid for by Obama?'

You can get on the payroll?

Sounds good to meeeeeeeee :D

Oh by the way, 'Obama is the antichrist' is the latest hot thing in the anti-Obama bonkersfest. Any takers for this - erm - interesting theory here?

Don't be shy....

Hal

Ms. Phillips,

You need to make the case that Obama was a Muslim as a child in the most methodical, calm and airtight way. It is not enough to say "Is it not legitimate to ask...?" This is far too easy, and you are playing with matches and oil-soaked rags here. This is politically indendiary, it evokes the worst tribalist reactions, and you are being irresponsible here.

How would being a Muslim at age 6 affect Obama at age 46? Which is he today, an apostate or a secret Muslim? If he's lying about something close to the core of who he is, why can't you find traces of this in his speeches, interviews and policies? Liars tend to trip themselves up, the more so the bigger the lie.

You have a lot more work to do, I think.

ndm

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama advocated almost identical policies in their Democratic Primary campaigns - the only significant difference being in healthcare where Clinton wanted a more "left wing" solution. The most significant political difference between the candidates was that Obama made the correct call and Clinton the wrong call in supporting the biggest foreign policy disaster the United States has faced in the last fifty years - if not its entire history. Given the closeness of their policies and political philosophies, other than Republican and Independents who voted for Clinton BECAUSE she is a woman, any self-described Clinton voter who switches to John McCain in the general election does so for one reason only and that reason is racism.

There are huge policy differences between McCain and Obama. Indeed there are huge policy differences between the McCain of eight years ago and the McCain of today. The Republican Party is going into the general election in the face of intense public dislike of its failed policies of the last eight years - failed policies McCain intends to continue.

McCain and his supporters know that they will not win the general election on merit because the American public clearly prefers the policies of Obama and the Democratic Party. The Republicans and their supporters are therefore reduced to swift boating Obama with innuendos about him being a Muslim or a Muslim apostate facing mandatory execution and innuendos about him being a drug-dealing homeboy. These are foul and despicable slanders symptomatic, not of an intelligent and rational thinker, but of an Islamophobic racist.

It seems at this point very unlikely that McCain will win the general election on merit; he can win it only because enough voters come to believe these smears. Following on from the Supreme Court giving Bush Florida in 2000 and the swift-boating of John Kerry in 2004 such a result would be disastrous for the United States. There could be very serious political repercussions as Americans will be forced to address the racism that persists and which was pretty clearly demonstrated in the high working-class white vote Clinton received in the Appalachians. Melanie Phillips and her many fans do not care about this racism or its consequences - they seek to foment it.

Samantha Jones

I thought i was alone in thinking he is not up to the job and i'm sick of people saying i'm biased because he is black, it has nothing to do with it as far as i'm concerned, i couldn't care if he was green with little orange dots on, he's a liberal and the world has had enough of those. I too find his background a little confusing and there are already many sites with 50 lies he has told about it, can they all be wrong?
For America to elect someone because he is black or she is a woman is totally irresponsible. He doesn't have the experience for such a big job. I'd never heard of him until a few months ago.
Can the US be that stupid, i sincerely hope not?

Simon

Obama is not motivated by Islamism. He's motivated by the black nationalist version of New Left Marxism. Of course there is a crossover between the two with the likes of Farrakhan.

James Hodson - Worthing, W. Sussex

I shall ignore the arguments for and against Barack Obama and his religious upbringing and history.

However, I will mention the tone of this blog's posters. Many of those who side with Mr Obama are far less polite than those who question his record.

Robert

Oh, Melanie, you can never overestimate the ignorance, irrationality, and gullibility of the American Left. Perhaps I just should say us Americans generally, but Leftists in spades.
It's something in the water. (We find it altogether expedient to blame environmental degradation for most of our shortcomings.) But, then, our schools are crappy, too.

Petronius

Seconding Tim USA re Obama's "birth certificate": The document that appeared on Daily Kos (a) was not officially released by the Obama campaign and (b) is not an original birth certificate. Instead, it's a "certification of birth" -- a secondary document (this one bearing a date stamp indicating that it was issued in June of 2007) that simply affirms that the birth occurred and is documented, elsewhere, by a birth certificate. The latter document is the one we haven't yet seen, and the one that the Obama campaign refuses to disclose.

For the record, a legitimate birth certificate issued in the state of Hawaii in 1961 includes vastly more information than the Kos document does. The legit items include, among others, the marital status of the parents; the name and signature of the physician who attended the birth; the name and signature of at least one witness (usually an attending nurse); the name and address of the hospital where the birth occurred; a statement as to whether the infant's father was, at the time of the birth, an actively serving member of the U.S. Armed Forces; and, not least of all, an imprint of the infant's right foot (fingerprints, at this point, being too small for practical use).

Regarding the notation "African" under the "Race" heading on the Kos document: This term -- which in any event does not denote race but rather geopolitical status -- was not in use in the U.S. in the early 1960s, when the standard word was "Negro" (with no opprobrium attached; simply a genetic fact).

It is entirely possible that Stanley Ann Dunham was not legally married to her son's father (who, be it recalled, alreadly had another wife back in Kenya), such that Barack Hussein Obama II would have been designated on the original birth certificate as illegitimate.

It is also possible, given that his father was not present at the birth or at the civil-registry proceedings, that the legitimate original certificate listed the infant's race as being the same as his mother's, namely, "Caucasian" or "white" -- which would rather set the cat amongst the pigeons regarding Mr. Obama's subsequent election of race, which, with the support of the Black Liberation Theology of the Trinity United Church of Christ, provided him the foundation for his political activism among the poor black neighborhoods of South Chicago.

Reis R. Kash

Melanie Phillips is the most accurate, serious, and informative writer on either side of the Atlantic. She is a credit to England (formerly Great Britain). I wish her well and, when the time comes and she needs to escape from Muslim England, I will offer her refugee status and a home in my home.

Michael B

To fail to be under the thrall would seem to be a very great sin. Oh my. And this from certain quarters not roundly, not entirely known for their political and ideological sobriety, to indulge in some understatement of note.

The theater continues, the actors much applauding themselves, each one, without exception, unaware the play is a parody, a farce.

J H Holloway

Mmm. Come 2009, who better to have as the leader of the free world but someone who can say he studied the Koran....That might give the US some serious leverage in the Muslim world.

From the back of the bus to the White House in less than 50 years? I'm buying that, and I'm a proper Thatcherite.

Come to think of it, Maggie might recognise the distance this guy has had to travel to get this far.

Incidentally, if was advising Obama I'd get the 'Rosa Parks' bus out the streets and use it in the campaign. It's currently in the Henry Ford museum in Detroit.

Verity

Hal - in your own words, "You have a lot more work to do, I think." What an utterly pointless post.

ndm - Do you really think anyone read all the way through your lengthy, closely-argued,intensely thought-out,socialist boilerplate?

Samantha Jones - in some magical way that defies rational thought, Obama has "chosen" to be black, according to his Indonesian "half sister". This has nothing to do with his half brother Abongo from Africa. In terms of scale, this is a significant number of people in different countries, including his mother in Hawaii.

Does anyone know whether any half-brothers or half-sisters have emerged in Hawaii? Do they know the cousins in Kenya and the half-sisters in Indonesia?

Is this what they call an "extended family"?

Commondog

Hal.

"If he's lying about something close to the core of who he is, why can't you find traces of this in his speeches, interviews and policies? Liars tend to trip themselves up, the more so the bigger the lie."

Bad liars trip themselves up. Good liars get elected.

Joshua

"Joshua - regarding your childish little list"

That childish little list was drawn from the most authoritative dictionary in the English language, the latest edition of the OED. I would have thought that a woman of your maturity would have know that.

"the internet has changed - or added definitions to - a lot of usages"

So every single time you use a word wrongly on the internet, this is the answer you provide?

Besides, like "authoress" and "Jewess" the word "hostess" both patronises and diminishes; they all imply something less than their male equivalents. If you must, please use the word "host" instead in future. Many thanks.

Joshua

"Concise Oxford Dictionary, 9th edition"

You have just discovered one of the dangers of using a very inferior dictionary.

Ann

ndm is an example of the very racism he pretends to deplore: according to him, if you don't vote for a black man (even if you don't vote for him because he is a liar, or a hypocrite, or an inexperienced fool, or a racist), then you are 'racist'. Everything boils down to race. This is the definition of racism.

Ann

Joshua, when you have finished playing with your conkers and dictionaries, consider this:

This blog is a public place of entertainment and discussion. MP is its hostess.

End of.

George

As a normally natural Democrat, I despair.

I could see Obama crumbling as soon as the Wright stuff came to the fore. Hillary’s surge after that was too late to catch up with Obama, and now look at where this candidate is.

He is completely untested and, man, does it show.

Being US President is about looking after the health and wellbeing of American households and the American nation.

The sort of welfare Obama talks of means seriously putting up taxes. Now? When people like me are struggling to put food on the table for our families?

And the nation? If you’re to be Commander in Chief, you have to show you’re good at judgment calls. If America does not prevail at the top of the world order, someone else will. Who will that be if – God forbid – our President gets it wrong? Putin? Ahmadinejad?

I may sometimes have disagreed with how Bush has gone about defending us, but at least I knew he wouldn’t falter in the objective. Leaders can get some judgments wrong, but not so wrong they imperil our safety.

How did Obama get Wright so wrong for 20 years? How did he get Rezko so wrong he involved him in everything from campaign funding to personal business on Obama’s land deals? How does he think it’s a good call to go all the way out to Africa and help someone else campaign on a platform that included spreading Sharia law?

Why has my party got itself so hung up on fancypants slogans and MTV-style campaign videos that it thinks people like me are going to be dazzled by all this? These don’t pay my bills or contribute to the safety of our nation. They create a buzz. Is that it?

You think people vote for the President of the United States on a buzz? Well, I’d like to take a glass of water and throw it in the face of all those Democrats who’ve let this happen.

It’s no good their looking at the bottom of a beer can, being blind drunk on hype and thinking this is what counts on election day. Rest assured, I’ll be stone cold sober when I make my judgment come election day, I just wish my party had been the same when it chose this candidate. Non-alcoholic drink, please, Mr Bartender.

Commondog

Joshua.

The suffix 'ess' at the end of a word, neither patronises nor diminishes. What it does is offer a level of definition, without which the reader would be less informed. That the reader might then use the information for purposes with which you disagree, is quite another thing.

The argument that we should shear parts off a perfectly working system, in order to meet the demands of a theory of sexual equality, does no service to the system or the theory.

Pip

As usual Melanie, well done.

Water

"Bad liars trip themselves up. Good liars get elected." The dog maybe on to something.

Verity

ndm - Cannot you see how thought-free overly emotional your post is? If the voters reject Obama, it is because they are racists. They could not be rejecting him because they see him as a conscience-free greedy opportunist with a rather sleazy history of mixing with the wrong kind of people?

He took help buying his house, from Tony Retzo. Did he pay any interest on this very large "friendly" lone with somewhat odd terms?

You will have to face that many people dislike Obama on his own merit. Vain, shallow, opportunistic, greedy and free of anything that could be considered a contribution.

He is 50% white, don't forget, so by your lights, any black voters who reject him - and many do - only do so because they are "racists".

Don't you see how infantile your little thoughts are?

Joshua, who has flown into a fit at my use of the word hostess for Melanie, who owns this space and welcomes guests onto it, "hostess". "So every single time you use a word wrongly on the internet, this is the answer you provide?"

I don't use words wrongly on the internet or anywhere else. You have to face the fact that the internet has changed, or added to, many word usages. Mouse is another one.

I agree with you that "authoress" and "Jewess" and their ilk are belittling. But "hostess" is in in common parlance, which the others are not. We must speak the language of our time, Joshua.

Ann - thanks.

nancy sabet

Thanks for the article. It is true, that obviously all his associates and his relations with them are all questionable. Are the radical Islamists wanting to take over the highest office of the land in this country? I am very concern and worry. Hussien Obama is a liar and can not be trusted. Plus, he is so incompetent and has no moral charactor.

Hal

No one has addressed my complaint about Melanie Phillips's methodology, which is about raising suspicions rather than proving anything. Phillips is intelligent; I think she could nail these allegations down if they were true. She has yet to do so.

Verity: Please leave me alone in the future. You are a toxic sort. Thank you.

phil

Hal and Joshua-you waste your time asking the fragrant verity for pleasantness or even politeness let alone sane debate(her history precedes her) -it seems to be her greatest pleasure to insult people she doesn't even know -I have read of course your posts and in Hals case it is very rare that I dont agree with Mel but in this case it does concern me that he seems condemned for unproven accusations -he is either a diabolical liar or his doubters are wrong -I dont know, but he is entitled in my mind anyway to a fair hearing and having listened to what he had to say at AIPAC I believe he meant what he said -but Joshua to deal in semantics with that woman(V) is a waste of your obvious intellect -she even seems to agree with your political stance and still needs to insult you -perhaps we should feel sorry for her and now I await with baited breath her retribution -well it gives me a good laugh .

I also note ndm (this blog and some of its readers)and alexwhatever (paradise)were unable to address the questions I posed them .obviously to difficult for ndm and the other guy just is here to annoy us all

Hal

Verity -- My comment to you was intemperate. I apologize.

But you do go some way toward disproving the idea that the Obama supporters are the nasty ones.

Verity

Hal - No, I won't "leave you alone". If you post on a public forum, you must expect other people to avail themselves of the same freedom to answer you.

You have no power to set rules on someone else's property. Get your own blog, and ban me.

whitehousewatcher

So, not only is he tainted with black money, he's also attempting to con voters into the wrong sort of change, with his high-tax and protectionist policies.

The two candidates may agree on a few things like banning torture and tackling climate change, but they are poles apart on most domestic and foreign issues. There is something unAmerican about the whole divisive partisan structure now being played out
which seems strangely evocative of a past era. He is certainly not equipped to tackle the poor state of the economy, or to win over traditionally Republican states. He may even divide the Democrats long-term. Thumbs down for Obama, but six out of ten for charisma (of sorts).

Ann

"No one has addressed my complaint about Melanie Phillips's methodology, which is about raising suspicions rather than proving anything"

What toxic whining. Her methodology is what it is, and it's not your job to 'complain' about it. Refute her arguments, if you can; otherwise, start your own blog where you can use whatever methodology takes your fancy.

Obama has behaved disgracefully from day 1: dishonestly, hypocritically, cravenly, mendaciously. There is plenty of evidence of that, so now he has form. Let him come clean to the American voters, if he can. Or don't you think politicians should come clean?

Dr J Llewellyn

Argumentum ad hominem non sequitur.

You speak of reason. Perhaps it would be better to try logic and wider understanding.

You speak of a man's childhood and ignore the present context of world events.

Churchill lied. Hitler lied. Roosevelt lied. Stalin lied. Christians lie. Jews lie. Muslims lie. Buddhists lie. Hindus lie. Economists lie. Politicians lie.

There are big lies and small lies. There are harmful lies and harmless lies.

One thing though, not all lies, and not all liars, are equal.

The essential question is not who has lied at sometime in life.

The essential question is: whose acts are good and whose evil?

Obama's popularity is not in the least related to the infatuation with the poor ill-fated princess. The argument is a pathetic smoke screen.

Rather, Obama's popularity is an indication of the disgust Americans have for the Ministry of Lies, and the evil acts, of the administration under which they have been living for so many years.

Americans are tired of the repudiation of the most essential values of Western civilization and the repudiation of the traditions of law that have been our proud heritage. Lying to start wars. Kidnapping. Torture. Extra-legal proceedings. And much, much more.

Americans are simply tired of, disgusted with, the Bush administration, the Republican Party, the Neo-con representatives of the worst elements in the Israeli right wing, and the pseudo-Christians lacking a shred of God's love.

Reflecting on the consequences of their choice of the most ignorant president in recent times, Americans are willing to try someone from the top of his law school class, at our top law school, a man with experience teaching constitutional law at one of our top law schools, over a man who was close the bottom of his class and who gives the prospect of continuing the very policies that are now so thoroughly discredited.

Now, as to evil acts .... no secret here.

Why did the Neo-cons and their henchmen in the current Bush administration argue that Saddam Hussein had to have weapons of mass destruction, meaning, in this case, the materials for gas warfare?

Answer:

Simply because the administrations of Ronald Reagan and GHW Bush had provided Saddam with those materials!

This no secret. It is a matter of public record and public controversy. A Google search request for 'Iraq poison gas' yields 392,000 hits!

And yes, Hussein used the gas we gave him. He was a killer all right!

The problem was, the Neo-cons and 'W' et al just could not believe that Saddam had squandered the WMD we gave him on the Kurds, the Shiites in southern Iraq and in the war with Iran.

Yes, he had them. We gave them to him. He had to have them still! Surely there must be some left to use against Israel! Trust a dictator to over do killings.

The hope was simply that the public had not paid attention or would not remember the facts concerning the source of the WMD.

And so what?

Against this background, the facts of the education of a little boy, over which he had no control, are insignificant.

Beat the drum as you may. There is no more distraction to be won.

Verity

Hal - It's perfectly OK. I'm afraid you cannot distinguish between "racism" - le mot des nos jours - and political judgement. Obama's a charlatan and I would say this regardless of his being 50% black and 50% white with an Indonesian half-sisters and various and sundry people who may or may not be "cousins" in Kenya.

Phil writes, regarding me: "and now I await with baited breath her retribution."

Thanks for confirming it. You just write as though you have rather strong breath.

phil

HAL I told you :) you will get the broomstick next I cant tell whether its pistachios or brazils but she is one of them

Commondog

Dr J Llewellyn.

Thank you.

For almost five years now, I've been hearing all these people castigating the war to free Iraq, on the grounds that there were no WMDs.

But as you and I have known all along: there were.

Thanks again.

Paul Hill

Blimey, good job he has only said he will be even handed in Arab -Israeli relations otherwise poor old Mel would be on tranquilisers

Harvey

Paul Hill says ... 'Blimey, good job he has only said he will be even handed in Arab -Israeli relations otherwise poor old Mel would be on tranquilisers'

This is a lot of what this is about - the sense the Israel Lobby have that Obama is not 'one of us' (to borrow a phrase) and may actually do something disobliging. The chances of this are slight, but they aren't taking any chances.

joyce

Obama is not an honest man...tht much he has made clear. But those who hate Bush (because the media has made that fashionable) give Obama a complete pass.

It's INSANE. People are biting their noses to spite their face...and WE are all going to have to live with the bad results if he is elected (because he's not only dishonest, he's a socialist)...and they WILL be bad in so many ways.

People think CHANGE is always good....change is often very bad.

Logdon

Watching the BBC you'd think the job was in the bag. One reason for me to be suspicious. The second was Mrs (or is that Ms?) Obama's declaration on the first time she felt hope, this from a lawyer living in a huge Rezco funded house, high on the hog of the American Dream she denies exists. I wonder how many whitey rust belt workers who cling on to guns and religion would trade places?

here now

ndm is a verbose jackass. this comment contains precisely the same factuality (by weight) as that whole screed

Bill M

Dr. J - Physician, heal thy self! At least take a Xanax. Obama isn't qualified to be President. His policies are just regurgitated "progressive" drivel. Policies that have never worked anywhere in the world. He just spouts "hope" and "change" and look at me, I'm cool, even though he's just another Chicago Democrat politician.

macdoodle

The respectable Associated Press articles have already cleared Obama of most of your claims.

SNOPES .COM REFERS TO MUCH. fro any one who wants to begin learning actual facts.

if you don't like Obama -and want to have a reason keep reading this doo doo

next shell be accusing him of having fathered a two headed alien baby or some such

bits and pieces of pictures torn and repasted to form an image to suit.
while its interesting to look at doesn't represent any sort of reality.

OBAMA HAS NOT FAILED TO DISCUSS HIS PAST. while a human and imperfect, He just doesn't come with the failings you'd hoped. In fact, for a politician, he could be seen as almost angelic.

Frank Pulley

Commondog

It is worth visiting the Front Page website:

http://www.frontpagemag.com/Default.aspx

and clicking on the video of David Horowitz's address to a convention at the the Santa Barbara retreat recently. It puts the rather idiotic remarks of Dr J Llewellyn into perspective, particularly on the issue of WMD and, to get back on topic of this thread, about Barack Obama. Mr Horowitz paints a very bleak picture of future geopolitical affairs: probably of more interest to you than a clapped out septuagenarian like me, but nonetheless I shall now retire to my bed with my already troubled thoughts seething with the cold truth of his analysis. I am not surprised that he seemed a little worse for wear as he delivered it. Moreover, he makes David Davis's stunt seem rather inconsequential when placed in the global scheme of things. It's 30 minutes or so long, so fill your glass and get comfortable. And be sure to listen carefully to the Gramsci quote.

Dr. J Llewellyn

Dear Bill M:

How nice to hear from you.

Thanks for your concern for my health.

I'll take a pass on the Xanax.

I think I'd rather relax with a glass of white wine.

On the subject of qualification ... the word 'qualified' has lost most of its meaning in the last seven and one-half years.

Surely you don't mean to say that Bush was qualified?

Bush has made a mess of everything he touched. The 'decider' indeed.

And when he sought help, he usually chose help of the worst sort. And, even then, he wouldn't listen.

And now we have Mr. McCain. Is he a mental or administrative giant?

McCain jokes about his own mental weakness. He was the bottom of his class and he's proud of it. He would be.

McCain qualified? Voters may have been fooled but the Republican party knows better.

Conservatives across America are rightly dismayed by the selection of McCain. You and I know why.

The late William Buckley had the current Republican party well and truly pegged. He said that Bush and the neo-cons had destroyed Conservatism in America.

McCain is more of the same.

If you don't believe Buckley, try Pat Buchanan or the supporters of Ron Paul et al or so many other Republicans.

And, what about the religious right?

You know, the tee total fundamentalist folks cannot take kindly to a candidate living on the millions made from the distribution of beer. Gulp.

As to 'regurgitating drivel' [I like the expression, by the way] ... the dim witted lord of the 'talking points' and his zanies have made a low art of repeating the same inane material ad nauseam. It is they who have 'regurgitated drivel'.

Bush needs talking points because he cannot speak coherently on any subject. He has become a Republican 'Mr. Creosote'.

Could a Democrat, in just a few months, ever have a hope of catching up? Nope! Let's give Obama eight years, shall we?

As to Obama being a 'Chicago Democrat' ... I don't think so, at least not in the sense you seem to mean.

The saying in Chicagoese is, 'we don't want nobody nobody sent'.

Nobody from Chicago city hall sent O'Bama. He's too squeaky clean. Perhaps a few years in office will corrupt him. But, I doubt it.

I doubt too that city hall, or anyone else, will reap the spoils that an insider candidate would have to send home.

Obama is more likely the ordinary politician's worst fear, a competent and honest man. God help him.

The best way to fight corruption, as the American founding fathers knew, was to keep any one party from holding power too long. It is simply time for a change.

NightFire

Sen. Obama has lied about a number of things whilst declaring that any criticism of him will be construed as a "smear." That gives us a very good clue as to how he would govern, doesn't it?

Gerald Hanner

It may be that the US voting public has the same blind spot for Obama that it had for James Earl Carter. I think not, but if Obama does become POTUS the result will be that the Democrats will be out of power for a generation. That is essentially what happened post-Carter.

phil

Hal just caught up with the posts -you seem to have awoken harridans inc.and are in danger from low flying broomsticks-better get out the garlic and keep a cross in your hand or even a magen david ,maybe both would be safer - i have taken shelter and may have to call up the reservists -adam B, cohen, j isaacs are you there ?

Eleanor

Dr J Llewellyn says America is tired of “liars”. But when you see what these “liars” are pitted against it all makes sense.

“Not all lies, and not all liars, are equal” – quite, Dr Llewellyn. Western politicians do sometimes lie for expedience, but none of them do it with religious sanction and encouragement apropos Takkiya. That type of lying is to advance but one thing: the Caliphate.

The comparison with Princess Diana is entirely accurate. Just as people robbed themselves of all reason when it came to grieving for the Princess and invented a fairytale fiction around her, so America is doing the same with Obama. He’ll just make it all go away, won’t he?

If Obama is elected those, er, difficult passages in The Koran will suddenly hold no meaning, surely? Maybe they were only “activated” because some people didn’t like President Bush. Yes. And the battle at the gates of Vienna never happened.

“Americans are tired of the repudiation of the most essential values of Western civilization” – yes, which is why they want to be defended from the Caliphate. We are dealing with an enemy that operates with no hitherto normal rules of engagement. As 9/11 graphically demonstrated, anything goes. America is doing all it can not to sink to this level, but it has a duty to protect its citizens and, yes, that means getting tough back. Look where pussyfooting got us – more than 5,000 dead in one day.

Obama has no track record whatsoever (unless you look at his uber liberal voting record), and seems to have spent an awful lot of time in the very close company of people who would have no trouble in understanding the concept of Takkiya.

I usually vote Democrat. This year, though, I will not be helping America to make the leap from the Bush fire to the Obama frying pan.

DL

Why is everyone surpised at the background of Obama - it has been on Wikipedia since before the start of the Democratic primaries - why are Americans blinkered as to the possiblity of Obama becoming a leader. They still believe in 'dreams' and not reality. Well that's fine if you live in a dream-like world which we don't! Wake up USA to the reality of what's going on in the world we need you on our side!

Verity

Dr Llewellyn has air of knowing superiority regarding the United States when, sadly, what he thinks he "knows" is myth. He refers to "the fundamentalists" thusly: "the tee total fundamentalist folks cannot take kindly to a candidate living on the millions made from the distribution of beer. Gulp."

Did you note that clever, knowing "Gulp" at the end? The overweening superiority! The ignorance!

I lived in Texas for a number of years and I never encountered a "fundamentalist" - although I sm sure there are some scattered around. Certainly not nearly enough to form a block vote. There was a woman who worked in my office who didn't smoke or drink, but that was about it in my experience, and even she didn't care what other people did.

I know Pat Buchanan doesn't like Mr Bush and William Buckley didn't either, but neither man ever said Mr Bush is stupid. You don't get a degree from Harvard, then another one from Yale unless you have some pretty nifty brain cells, plus a level of determination and drive. (And just to answer a point I feel Llewellyn will race in to make, with all this superior knowledge of the United States that so many who have never lived there appear to have acquired by osmosis, no his father didn't buy his degrees for him. Any more than Al Gore's father (who is immeasurably richer than the Bushes) bought Gore's single degree, his BA, for him.

Obama is a cheap, sleazy, on-the-make politician in good standing with the infamous Chicago Democratic machine. He is sleazy by nature and corrupt by association.

ahad ah'amoratzim

Vote for OBama because ignorance is truth. Because War is Peace. Because Freedom is Slavery. Because McCain is too old and too boring and besides he's identifed with Bushitler. And because we're too busy watching American Idol to care.

G-d help the USA when this inexperienced, shallow, glib self-serving fraud becomes our president.

Hereford

That's it irf. If you can't argue your point, go for the person expressing the opposing one. You idiot.

ndm

Matthew Yglesias writes today on his Atlantic Monthly blog:

"This, of course, is the faction of Clinton supporters -- people who don't like black people -- where McCain has a very good shot at picking up new voters."

I find it noteworthy that my earlier comment is the only one to mention the policies of any candidate. Of course, evaluating candidates on their policies requires more intellectual effort than mere consideration of the colour of their skin. An effort that appears to be beyond the reach of some of my fellow commenters.

Verity

ndm - to be evaluated on your policies, you must first have policies.

Obama's are as shiftable as the sands of the Sahara. He's from the Democratic party machine in Chicago, so at least he can be assured that all the dead Democrats in Chicago will vote for him.

Ekke Nekkepenn

I left a comment here on the 14th. Why has it not been published? What kind of a blog is this? One with censorship thrown in for good measure...and you have the audacity to talk about free speech? Laughable.

Pete Hoskin

Ekke: we've bee having a few problems with comments recently, and some haven't been getting through.

You can try reposting. Or you're very welcome to e-mail your comment to phoskin @ spectator.co.uk and I'll put it up manually for you.

Richard from New Hampshire USA

I'm an American who voted for John Kennedy and Bill Clinton but who won't voted for Barack Obama, not because he is biracial but because his rhetoric of "hope, change and unity" is empty of content. I am deeply worried that Obama will pander to the Saudis, Iranian clerics, etc. His promise to sit down and sip tea with the likes of Hugo Chavez, Kim Il Jung, etc. is unacceptable.

Dr. J Llewellyn

"Dr Llewellyn has air of knowing superiority regarding the United States when, sadly, what he thinks he "knows" is myth. He refers to "the fundamentalists" thusly: "the tee total fundamentalist folks cannot take kindly to a candidate living on the millions made from the distribution of beer. Gulp."

Did you note that clever, knowing "Gulp" at the end? The overweening superiority! The ignorance!

I'm so flattered that you noticed!

Yes, my tone is/was a bit dramatic. Horrid!

Actually, a bit of fun for a native of Chicago, ex-fundamentalist, retired academic, former businessman, and now full time geezer. Oops, TMI.

I may try again.

I tried the religion and science blog. Bit of a bore actually.

In the context of the present blog, which virtually drips with, and even seems to delight in, condescension, my tone is/was hardly out of place.

But oh, what a lovely, nasty, intellectual playground.

Is it quite safe?

Might get burned here!

Check Melanie's first line, 'My oh my, what a firestorm I appear to have started ...'

She's delighted. Imagine the sly, even malicious, smile. Get ready for a bit of fun.

How sweet!

'Princess Obama Derangement Syndrome'.

Why, thats a two-fer! Diana and Obama. Offending two parties in one go.

Or is it a three-fer? Diana, Obama, and the mentally ill.

No, it is a four-fer, Diana, Obama, the mentally ill and the medical profession.

In baseball, that would be a home run!

But no, there are more. Five-fer, the Americans.

Six-fer, liberals.

Seven-fer, the Moslems.

Help me, I'm getting dizzy!

I know there are more but I'm getting tired.

Melanie is stirring the pot and enjoying every bit of it.

Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge. Know what I mean? Know what I mean?

AF

I can't get my head around so many American's being so blind. I suppose media bias has really influenced many. And, of course, the war. They have forgotten 9/ll and are looking for a quick fix. I just hope Fox News picks up on your points. I will be emailing them your points in your blog. Please, please keep it up. We desperately need help to keep him out of the White House. Thank you,

Nina

You’re dizzy, Dr? Well, you sound like you were dizzy well before you got here because your powers of comprehension are sorely lacking.

It is not about Diana. It is about the weird cult of her mourners – not people who knew her personally - but the ghouls who obsessed over her from a distance and deprived themselves of all normal reason. Oddly, you don’t find many of them about these days.

Thus it is we have the “Princess Obama” as he was dubbed by Ms Philips – a being who inspires a large number of hysterical followers who seem to have no real reason for their strange devotion other than sweet-talk slogans.

And do stop your whimpering, Dr. I know your students might not talk back to you but this is a grown-up forum and you’ll have to expect people to challenge your arguments.

Ben-Tsiyon (ha rishon)

Reis R Kash's comments on Melanie Phillips and her situation are brief, correct and to the point. His offer of refuge is an accurate comment on the situation here in the UK today. Brilliant!

Gavin

Reis Kash

You're very welcome to her!This may come as terrible shock to you -over here she's regarded as bit of a joke.

Dr. J Llewellyn

"And do stop your whimpering, Dr. I know your students might not talk back to you but this is a grown-up forum and you’ll have to expect people to challenge your arguments."

Contradiction? No problem. It is just part of the game. Nice try.

'Whimpering', is it? Thanks, you've made my point.

Grown-up? Come off it. We know better than that.

This forum is merely an outlet for the angry inner child of people who see themselves as awfully bright.

Lets face it. The subject matter here, though ostensibly serious, is just a pretext.

Formula:

Find a popular current topic loaded with emotion.

Make a few challenging assertions.

Throw in the opinions of a few controversial figures.

Watch the sparks fly. Great fun.

Any response at all quite enough.

The more responses, the more opportunities for 'hits'. Two hundred and twenty three so far on this one.

Do you count the 'hits'? I bet there are lots of people who do.

Of course, if you want serious discussion, you'll look elsewhere.

Ellen

Joke, Gavin? Yes. She reminds me of that joke in Apocalypse Now when one inexperienced troop sitting in a helicopter says to another: “Why do all you guys sit on your helmets?” And the reply comes: “So we don’t get our balls blown off.” Cue laughter by the questioner, followed by pause, followed by him taking his tin helmet off and sitting on it.

Ms Phillips spent nearly a decade explaining in plain and simple English what would be the result of synthetic phonics disappearing from our classrooms. Cue gales of laughter at “Mad Mel” followed with an aftershock of “Oh, most of our university entrants are functionally illiterate.” Can you guess what method the British government now decrees as its preferred method of teaching children to read?

Maybe Gavin finds people’s education going down the toilet funny. Pardon me if I don’t join in the laughter.

Verity

Richard from New Hampshire - Well, yes, of course. But your state motto is Live Free or Die. I love it! It certainly encourages independence of outlook! (I like the gun ownership bit, too, although I think it should be mandatory.)

Dr Llewellyn, you didn't have to tell us that you're a "retired academic"; it is painted on your posts in Day-Glo. There may be a blog on which laboured - and wordy - humour is appreciated, but this isn't it.

Gavin writes, with a vacuity that actually sucks the air out of the room, "This may come as terrible shock to you -over here she's regarded as bit of a joke."

Melanie is published in the US, so Americans have been judging her for themselves and do not need your advice, eagerly squeaked out on tiptoe, about how she is regarded "over here". She's plenty known "over there".

Why not run off and squat on CiF for an indefinite period of time and allow us to recover from your corruscating wit.

Plonker.

Davod

"Dr J Llewellyn says America is tired of “liars”.

In the words of P.T. Barnum "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time."

The problem in America is that the liers and dissemblers can fool enough of the people most of the time.

As Dr J Llewellyn paints with a broad brush, I will use two examples to rebut those who lie and dissemble:

The first applies to Senator Obama's propensity to bend the truth or outright lie. Much like most of his associations unsavoury people, he has denied an association with Raila Odinga, Prime Minister of Kenya. Unfortunately, the international media has a record of Obama's assistance to Odinga. OBAMA'S DANGEROUS DECEPTION:
DISCARDING ODINGA.

On a larger scale we have the constant "Bush lied in the lead up to the war in Iraq" refrane from all and sundry.

There have been a number of reports on the intelligence leading up to the war in Iraq. The latest published recently by the Democratic Majority in the US Senate. The executive summary of this report is critical of the Administration. However, as Fred Hiatt writes in the Washington Post r/www.latimes.com/news/printedition/opinion/la-oe-kirchick16-2008jun16,0,7766785.story">Bush never lied to us about Iraq
The administration simply got bad intelligence. Critics are wrong to assert deception.

The simple fact is that the liers and dissemblers efforts, and they are still at it judging by the executive summary, destroyed US credibility in the world. For what - short term political gain, notoriety, money.

These people pray on your gullibility, and you will base your judgements in what they say. You should be incensed at what they have done.

Ben-Tsiyon (ha rishon)

Oh dear, poor Gavin! Reis Kash has upset him with the truth about the situation over here.

phil

Dr l ,I have read with amazement your very long winded summaries of world affairs and as you see us only as "an outlet for the angry inner child of people who see themselves as awfully bright."" . May I ask what on earth are you doing here indulging your own fantasies?-you certainly have not managed to say anything that I can understand and I have had a good education.

You also say" Of course, if you want serious discussion, you'll look elsewhere"-well I think I will stay here ,where will you be going ?

Ann

"may come as terrible shock to you -over here she's regarded as bit of a joke"

And you think you speak for everyone over here, silly, delusional little man? What an imagination you must have.

Ann

"Did you note that clever, knowing "Gulp" at the end? The overweening superiority!"

Yup, you sure are an example of that, Dr 'pretentious' whatever it is.

Ann

"Americans are simply tired of, disgusted with, the Bush administration, the Republican Party, the Neo-con representatives of the worst elements in the Israeli right wing, and the pseudo-Christians lacking a shred of God's love"

I know a great many educated Americans. None of them fit your formulaic, sweeping, ignorant list.

ndm

Ann writes:

-- I know a great many educated Americans. None of them fit your formulaic, sweeping, ignorant list.

Unfortunately for Ann, opinion polls in the United States routinely show more than two-thirds of the American people DISAPPROVE of the job President Bush is doing. The United States is so populous that Ann's "great many" doesn't amount to a plurality of American let alone a majority. In fact it appears to be an insignificant minority.

http://www.pollingreport.com/BushJob.htm

ndm

Davod -

I don't think linking to unreported op-ed from James Kirchick - of all people - is going to help your case.

Mike

Melanie, just because Raila said he's Obama's cousin doesn't mean its true, Idi Amin claimed to be Scottish... are you going to take the ramblings of a sociopath to be true just because they say it?
Like i had said in my earlier post, Raila was looking to get elected late year and the man is prone to say anything as long as it can get him some political mileage.

I'm very much against Raila but here i'm afraid i must defend him in the face of such blatant misinformation, if only so that the truth is known.
Raila is as much a radical muslim as James Dobson is, the man is a devout Anglican for the love of God!!
How do you suppose he was going to introduce Sharia law in a country that is 80% Christian, including himself???!! He has no muslim ties, i'll say it again Melanie the man signed MoU's with every special interests group that wanted one, even you could have signed one with him if you wanted.

I also like the way you plant the seeds of doubt by your repeated mantra of his 'conversion' to Christianity..... he wasn't a muslim in the first place.
Just because part of his upbringing in a muslim environment doesn't make him one.
I spent most of my school holidays at my aunt's house who was a staunch Catholic and therefore attended mass every sunday i was there. But i'm a Baptist through and through, that exposure to Catholicism didn't change the denomination my mother had raised me in. In fact such exposure broadened my mind.

Lay off it luv, you're clutching at straws

Tom

Mike, you are at pains to tell us all how insignificant Odinga is, but how many people get a US Senator to campaign on their election platform?

It’s in another Continent, for heaven’s sake. Moreover, politicians are supposed to be about principles. It matters not that Mr Odinga did not win his election in the same way that it doesn’t matter that the BNP might not win an election.

Professional politicians are never naïve enough lend their names out willy nilly, let alone leap on a jet plane to do so.

OTIENO

why dont you just read his books instead of compiling exapts from God knows where. It is suprising how easily people get swayed by propaganda. I am of the Luo tribe same as Raila and Obamas father! Some of your understandings of Raila is sooo warped that it suggests ignorance. Nothing here holds any signifacant sense. Read Mccellans Book on the deceptions of the Bush regime.Besides are you trying to say that a muslim is a lesser person?

Verity

Mike - Lay off it, sweetie. You are a stout little soldier, but you are too emotional. Calm down and have a bicky.

obamaobserver

I ask you, who makes more sense?

"Our troops are just going to pack up our things, one night before Christmas, and tip-toe quietly out of Iraq." Well, his actual words were: "We have to be as careful getting out as we were careless getting in". Not a very profound statement.

Or, "We are on the path to victory, and that victory means that Americans come home, but they come home with honor and victory, not in defeat". quite a profound statement.

davod

ndm June 17th, 2008 8:31pm

The two links I provided about Iraq were from the LA Times and the Washington Post. Both valid sources.

OBAMA'S DANGEROUS DECEPTION:
DISCARDING ODINGA .

A>

Bush never lied to us about Iraq
The administration simply got bad intelligence. Critics are wrong to assert deception.

The LA Times is not considered a friend of the Administration, nor the washington Post. Would they have printed the storys if they did not have merit.

Janet

Dr. J Llewellyn,

Of all the election campaigns in all the world and all the election candidates in them, a Senator from Chicago finds the time to pitch up half-way across the world in Kenya to campaign on a platform with a fellow politician promising to introduce… Sharia law.

Of all the pastors in all America, Senator Obama chooses for his a Christian pastor (who was also his spiritual mentor for 20 years), with extraordinarily close connections to… the Nation of Islam.

Of all the people who have helped Senator Obama with his political and personal dealings, the one that gets convicted of fraud happens to have extraordinarily close connections to… the Nation of Islam.

Like the birth certificate that is still missing – not that strange, would-be facsimile on Senator Obama’s website – none of this information was given up gratis. It was eked out drip by astonishing drip.

Quite what it means, we don’t know because we’re only seeing what Obama’s team haven’t been able to hide about their candidate. The recurrence of certain themes suggests they would do well to keep on hiding.

Your position, Dr. Llewellyn, is that all this is meaningless and coincidental.

Perhaps it is.

But I put this to you, Dr. Llewellyn, are you aware of any other self-respecting country that would elect as its leader a man whose spiritual mentor unashamedly declares: ‘God damn this country’?

Do you not, Dr. Llewellyn – at the very least – see what troubles people so much about this candidate?

James

Read his books, OTIENO? But we have. That's why we're so worried.

'The Audacity of Hope' takes its title from a sermon made my Jeremiah Wright.

Obama now has the audacity to say Wright was not his spiritual mentor, despite one of his book titles being so inspired by Wright's ideas it is named in tribute to them.

Lonestar

How long before this will be called a Swift Boat Attack?

MountainSage

LOL at Princess Obama Derangement Syndrome.

Thank God it's not all Americans who have fallen for Obama's hype.

Here's a website of his associates: http://barackobamaassociates.info/

Thanks for the article.

http://themountainsage.wordpress.com/