I was forwarded the latest and greatest Obama smear e-mail, which purports to list 50 of his “lies”. Below each accusation is the truth. I have left the ridiculously bad grammar, spelling, and punctuation intact for pure comedic value. Enjoy.
1.) Selma Got Me Born - LIAR, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965.
• Fact: Selma began in 1963, not 1965. And the reference is to the growing civil rights movement, which cannot be summed up in one single event or organization.
2.) Father Was A Goat Herder - LIAR, he was a privileged, well educated youth, who went on to work with the Kenyan Government.
• Fact: Ever heard of the New York Times? That little one-horse newspaper has verified that Obama’s father was, in fact, a goat-herder turned economist. Check it out here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/world/africa/04village.html?_r=2&oref=slogin
3.) Father Was A Proud Freedom Fighter - L IAR, he was part of one of the most corrupt and violent governments Kenya has ever had.
• Fact: Obama never said his dad was a freedom fighter. All that he said was that he was part of a bureaucratic, messy government. I can also find nothing to support the claim that Oginga Odinga’s reign was any more violent than any other Kenyan government
4.) My Family Has Strong Ties To African Freedom - LIAR, your cousin Raila Odinga has created mass violence in attempting to overturn a legitimate election in 2007, in Kenya. It is the first widespread violence in decades.
• Fact: First of all, Raila Odinga has claimed to be cousins with Senator Obama, but this claim is widely reported to be exaggerated. He did indeed come from the same tribe as Obama’s father, but that is all that is known. Secondly, Raila Odinga is the Prime Minister of Kenya, a post that was created with the UN after the “legitimate election” was rigged to favor the other party. He did not incite violence, supporters from either side clashed, and an agreement was finally made. He was sworn into office on April 17th, 2008. Side note: Obama would probably prefer to have the Prime Minister of Kenya as his cousin instead of Dick Cheney, who is indeed a distant cousin.
5.) My Grandmother Has Always Been A Christian - LIAR, she does her daily Salat prayers at 5am according to her own interviews. According to the New York Times: “I am a strong believer of the Islamic faith,” Ms. Obama, 85, said in a recent interview in Kenya.' Not to mention, Christianity wouldn’t allow her to have been one of 14 wives to 1 man.
• Fact: The author of this email must be the product of an immaculate conception, as he doesn’t realize that people have two, count ‘em, TWO grandmothers. Obama was referring to his maternal grandmother, who had a large part in raising him.
6.) My Name is African Swahili - LIAR, your name is Arabic and ‘Baraka’ (from which Barack came) means ‘blessed’ in that language. Hussein is also Arabic and so is Obama.
• Fact: The name has origins in both Swahili and Arabic. Here is a link explaining more:
http://itre.cis.upenn.edu/~myl/languagelog/archives/004187.html
Hussein is originally a Semitic name, read here for more: http://www.salon.com/opinion/feature/2008/02/28/hussein/
7.) I Never Practiced Islam - LIAR, you practiced it daily at school, where you were registered as a Muslim and kept that faith for 31 years,until your wife made you change, so you could run for office.
• Fact: This is just a blatant lie. Here is a link on Snopes.com that disproves that claim:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp
8. ) My School In Indonesia Was Christian - LIAR, you were registered as Muslim there and got in trouble in Koranic Studies for making faces (check your own book).
• Fact: The school required that you register with one of five state-approved religions. Obama was registered in the religion of his stepfather, a non-practicing Muslim. The school offered teachings of the religion of the land, which he was required to attend. It should also be noted that he also attended a Catholic school, which he writes about in the same paragraph. Forgive me but, is it a crime to study other religions in school? I took a religion class in college and studied the Koran, the Bible, and the Torah, and I don’t think that makes me Muslim, Christian, or Jewish.
9.) I Was Fluent In Indonesian - LIAR, not one teacher says you could speak the language.
• Fact: I can not find one source to back up this claim. Obama does, however, speak “passable” Bahasa, the language of Indonesia and Malaysia.
10.) Because I Lived In Indonesia, I Have More Foreign Experience - LIAR, you were there from the ages of 6 to 10, and couldn’t even speak the language. What did you learn, how to study the Koran and watch cartoons.
• Fact: Again, a randomly contrived “quote”. Obama only said that living abroad changed the way that he viewed other cultures.
11.) I Am Stronger On Foreign Affairs - LIAR, except for Africa (surprise) and the Middle East (bigger surprise), you have never been anywhere else on the planet and thus have NO experience with our closest allies. You seek to disarm America whil e our avowed enemy, Iran, will not subject itself to a nuclear ban. Top Hamas politica l adviser Ahmed Yousef said the Hamas terrorist group 'supports Obama’s foreign policy vision'.
• Fact: Wow. That doesn’t even make sense. Iran is our “avowed enemy”? Did John McCain write this??? For the record, the Ahmed Yousef quote was “We like Obama and hope he wins”. As I stated in a previous post, an unsolicited endorsement is not something he can control. I would also like to remind everyone that McCain admittedly sought out John Hagee’s endorsement, a man who said that New Orleans deserved Hurricane Katrina. Just a thought…
12.) I Blame My Early Drug Use On Ethnic Confusion - LIAR, you were quite content in high school to be Barry Obama, no mention of Kenya and no mention of struggle to identify - your classmates said you were just fine.
• Fact: Being a biracial kid in the 70’s was probably no picnic. It was probably difficult to fit in, and I doubt that anyone could speak to his state of mind, that’s pure conjecture. Also, does the writer of this email have any record of his classmates saying he was “just fine”? How can anyone try to presume what motivates anyone?
13.)An Ebony Article Moved Me To Run For Office - LIAR, Ebony has yet to find the arti cle you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
• Fact: I don’t even know how to address this. The first thought is…who cares? Secondly, maybe he confused it with another magazine but, again, who cares!?!?
14.) A Life Magazine Article Changed My Outlook On Life - LIAR, Life has yet to find the article you mention in your book. It doesn’t, and never did, exist.
• Fact: Again, he mixed up the magazine. He was nine years old, these things happen.
15.) I Won’t Run On A National Ticket In ‘08 - LIAR, here you are, despite saying, live on TV, that you would not have enough experience by then, and you are all about having experience first.
• Fact: The quote said that he had “no plans” to run. Both McCain and Hillary have said the same thing in the past.
16.) Present Votes Are Common In Illinois - LIAR, they are common for YOU, but not many others have 130 NO V OTES.
• Fact: A present vote is a way of saying that you support aspects of the bill, but not the earmarks and pork barrel spending attached to it. And for the record, Obama voted “present” 129 times out of 4,000 votes. Check out more here:
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/01/24/fact_check_obamas_present_votes/
17.) Oops, I Misvoted - LIAR, only when cau ght by church groups and Democrats, did you beg to change your misvote.
• Fact: I have no idea whatsoever as to what this is referring to.
18.) I Was A Professor Of Law - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
• Fact: The University of Chicago issued a statement verifying that, in fact, Obama was a professor of law. It can be found here:
http://www.law.uchicago.edu/media/index.html
• Additionally, Obama was the president of the Harvard Law Review, one of the most prestigious titles a lawyer can have.
19.) I Was A Constitutional Lawyer - LIAR, you were a senior lecturer ON LEAVE.
• Fact: Obama worked as a constitutional lawyer from 1993 to 2002 at the law firm Miner, Barnhill & Galland, whose site can be found here: http://www.lawmbg.com/index.cfm/PageID/2674
20.) Without Me, There Would Be No Ethics Bill - LIAR, you didn’t write it,introduce it, change it, or create it.
• Fact: Blatant lie, proven by the Senate website:
http://obama.senate.gov/issues/ethics_and_lobbying_reform/
21.) The Ethics Bill Was Hard To Pass - LIAR, it took just 14 days from start to finish.
• Fact: The final draft of the bill took 14 days, but the actual crafting of any bill takes much longer.
22.) I Wrote A Tough Nuclear Bill - LIAR, your bill was rejected by your own party for its pandering and lack of all regulation - mainly because of your Nuclear Donor, Exelon, from which David Axelrod came.
• Fact: Obama’s bill was not passed because of a republican controlled senate, but even after being watered down by republicans, it still installed new safety protocols. For more info on nuclear nonproliferation legislation introduced by Obama, refer here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=388x3353
23.) I Have Released My State Records - LIAR, as of March, 2008, state bills you sponsored or voted for have yet to be released, exposing all the special interests pork hidden within.
• Fact: Blatant lie. Read more here:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200711150016?f=h_latest
24.) I Took On The Asbestos Altgeld Gardens Mess - LIAR, you were part of a large group of people who remedied Altgeld Gardens. You failed to mention anyone else but yourself, in your books.
• Fact: Obama organized and led the group. He never claimed to take it on by himself.
25.) My Economics Bill Will Help America - LIAR, your 111 economic policies were just combined into a proposal which lost 99-0, and even YOU voted against your own bill.
• Fact: I have no idea what this is referring to.
26.) I Have Been A Bold Leader In Illinois - LIAR, even your own supporters claim to have not seen BOLD action on your part.
• Fact: Again, a complete fabrication.
27.) I Passed 26 Of My Own Bills In One Year - LIAR, they were not YOUR bills, but rather handed to you, after their creation by a fellow Senator, to assist you in a future bid for higher office.
• Fact: Again, I can find no evidence to back up this claim.
28.) No One Contacted Canada About NAFTA - LIAR, the Candian Government issued the names and a memo of the conversation your campaign had with them.
• Fact: The memo only says that the meeting took plane and that NAFTA was discussed. An advisor to the Obama campaign never denied the meeting took place. And he also admitted that he was there to ease their minds, and to assure them that Obama’s talk on NAFTA was accurately about negotiating, not scrapping NAFTA.
29.) I Am Tough On Terrorism - LIAR, you missed the Iran Resolution vote on terrorism and your good friend Ali Abunimah supports the destruction of Israel. You state you will open friendly communication with the Leader of Iran who is attempting to develop nuclear weapons to destroy us, but refuse to speak to FOX news. You are against provisions of the Patriot act which would all wiretapping of the phones of suspected terrorists in the USA.
• Fact: Obama did not vote for that resolution because it would have amounted to a support for an attack on Iran. It should also be pointed out that our Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, and our Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, support more diplomatic approaches to foreign policy. Also, Ali Abunimah is an acquaintance of Obama, not a “friend”. Also, why would any reasonable person support the Patriot Act? The Patriot Act serves to throw away all of our civil liberties and turn us into an Orwellian state. I am NOT ok with the “Patriot” Act either.
30.) I Am Not Acting As President Yet - LIAR, after the NAFTA Memo, a dead terrorist in the FARC, in Colombia, was found with a letter stating how you and he were working together on getting FARC recognized officially.
• Fact: Once again, a complete fabrication.
31.) I Didn’t Run Ads In Florida - LIAR, you allowed national ads to run 8-12 times per day for two weeks - and you still lost.
• Fact: Obama ran ads on national networks like CNN and MSNBC, which, astonishingly, happen to be watched in Florida. He did not insert ads on any Florida television channels or networks.
32.) I Won Michigan - LIAR, no you didn’t.
• Fact: Obama wasn’t even on the ballot in Michigan. Obama slipped in an interview when he was exhausted and mentioned Michigan by accident. He was so tired that he called the interviewer the wrong name.
33.) I won Nevada - LIAR, no you did not.
• Fact: Again, this quote never happened.
34.) I Want All Votes To Count - LIAR, you said let the delegates decide.
• Fact: Guess what, the delegates are assigned based on the votes of the people.
35.) I Want Americans To Decide - LIAR, you prefer caucuses that limit the vote, confuse the voters, force a public vote, and only operate during small windows of time.
• Fact: Is the writer insinuating that Obama should change the rules of the democratic nominating races?
36.) I passed 900 Bills in the State Senate - LIAR, you passed 26, most of which you didn’t write yourself.
• Fact: Again, a fabrication.
37.) My Campaign Was Extorted By A Friend - LIAR, that friend is threatening to sue if you do not stop saying this. Obama has stopped saying this.
• Fact: I have never heard of this and cannot find a single reference to it.
38.) I Believe In Fairness, Not Tactics - LIAR, you used tactics to eliminate Alice Palmer from running against you.
• Fact: Alice Palmer could not get enough signatures to be put on the ballot.
39.) I Don’t Take PAC Money - LIAR, you take loads of it.
• Fact: Out of $233 Million, Obama’s campaign is registered as taking $250 of PAC money. Check it out here: http://www.fec.gov/DisclosureSearch/mapApp.do?cand_id=P80003338&searchType=&searchSQLType=&searchKeyword=
40.) I don’t Have Lobbysists - LIAR, you have over 47 lobbyists, and counting.
• Fact: Obama stated that his campaign and his presidency will never have any federally registered lobbyists. This is true to this day.
41.) My Campaign Had Nothing To Do With The 1984 Ad - LIAR, your own campaign worker made the ad on his Apple in one afternoon.
• Fact: It was not made by a campaign worker. Check it out here: http://www.bluestatedigital.com/2007/03/on_the_1984_video.html
42.) My Campaign Never Took Over MySpace - LIAR, Tom, who started MySpace issued a warning about this advertising to MySpace clients.
• Fact: Again, what is this about? I can find no references to this anywhere.
43.) I Inspire People With My Words - LIAR, you inspire people with other people’s words.
• Fact: First of all, I don’t believe that was a quote that he made. Secondly, during one speech, he borrowed a line from one of his campaign’s national co-chairs who encouraged him to use the line and gave him permission to do so.
44.) I Have Passed Bills In The U.S. Senate - LIAR, you have passed A BILL in the U.S. Senate - for Africa, which shows YOUR priorities.
• Fact: Wow, the 3rd anti-Africa statement. Clearly the writer of this e-mail is educated and a progressive thinker. The fact is, he has passed many bills in the US Senate. And as far as Africa goes, George W. Bush has promised more aid to Africa than any previous president or country, the only good thing that has come of his presidency.
45.) I Have Always Been Against Iraq - LIAR, you weren’t in office to vote against it AND you have voted to fund it every single time, unlike Kucinich, who seems to be out gutting you Obama. You also seem to be stepping back from your departure date - AGAIN.
• Fact: Once the war is started, Obama would be stupid to not vote to support our troops with money for supplies. Secondly, he has never set a firm withdrawal date, only a general guideline.
46.) I Have Always Supported Universal Health Care - LIAR, your plan leaves us all to pay the 15,000,000 who don’t have to buy it.
• Fact: Am I reading that wrong? I can’t even understand what the accusation is.
47.) I Only Found Out About My Investment Conflicts Via Mail - LIAR, both companies you site as having sent you letters about this conflict have no record of any such letter ever being created or sent.
• Fact: Again, no idea what this is about.
48.) I Am As Patriotic As Anyone - LIAR, you won’t wear a flag pin and you don’t put your hand over your heart during the Anthem. There is a Cuban Flag with Che Guevara Displayed at Barack Obama Campaign Office which you allow to b e displa yed. You voted against making english the official language of the United States. You voted to give illegal aliens social security benefits, which would bankrupt the social security system for Americans legally paying into it.
• Fact: Patriotism, last time I checked, did not require a lapel pin. I, as well as most Americans, do not put my hand over my heart during the anthem.
• The office at which the flag was displayed was a volunteer office that is in no way affiliated with or funded by the Obama campaign. Nonetheless, his office issued a statement that while the volunteer was flying the flag, his campaign did not support the action.
• The vote referenced was against The Comprehensive Immigration and Reform Act of 2007, and the English language amendment was added days before the vote took place. The real opposition was to the actual bill, not the last minute amendment. Check it out here: http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/e/english-official.htm
• In regards to the social security bill, the vote was whether or not to give LEGAL aliens credit for the money they paid into the system before they were legal. Check it out here:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/immigration/socialsecurity.asp
49.) My Wife Didn’t Mean What She Said About Pride In Country - LIAR, your wife’s words follow lock-step in the vain of Rev. Wright and Louis Farrahkan, in relation to their contempt and hatred of America.
• Fact: Michelle Obama clarified her statements. Her words could’ve been chosen better, but her original statement still stands as blown out of proportion. She was referring to the pride that she felt about the way that Obama has inspired a grassroots movement.
50.) Wal-Mart Is A Company I Wouldn’t Support - LIAR, your wife has received nearly a quarter of a million dollars through Treeho use, which is connected to Wal-Mart.
• Fact: Michelle Obama worked for a pepper and pickle company that sold 16% of its products to Wal-Mart. It is quite a stretch to say that because the company she worked (past tense) for sold some of their food to Wal-Mart, Obama is somehow supporting Wal-Mart. I would challenge anyone to find a successful food company that refuses to sell their food to Wal-Mart. It would be business suicide to not have your products sold in the nation’s largest retailer.
One of my favorite recurring themes is LIAR. I also enjoy the randomly made up accusations and quotes that can’t be documented or proven whatsoever.
