The biggest scandal of the election campaign is going unreported, for the most part, by the mainstream newspapers and TV shows. Imagine if John McCain or Sarah Palin had a half-brother who was living in a hut. Imagine if McCain, a multimillionaire, did nothing to help the guy. Imagine if McCain came to the convention and spoke incessantly about compassion and how he was inspired by the biblical mandate: we are our brothers' keepers! This would be the lead story on the evening news.
So why aren't the networks covering the fact that Barack Obama's half-brother George lives in a 6 by 10 foot hut in the slums of Kenya? It took a reporter for the Italian edition of Vanity Fair to locate George Obama. Obama noted that when he met his famous half-brother in 2006 it was only for a few minutes and like talking to a complete stranger. George Obama also told the magazine that when people ask him whether he is related to Barack Obama he denies it because he is ashamed. Obama has done absolutely nothing to help his unfortunate half-brother.
Apparently alarmed that this report could hurt Obama, CNN dispatched one of its reporters to do cover-up work for the Obama campaign. This is a hopeless enterprise; anyone who sees pictures of Geroge Obama's dwelling place knows that they reveal the worst images of African poverty. Moreover, for all its propagandistic intent, the CNN report is unintentionally damaging to Obama. The reporter cannot hide the fact that George Obama comes from a "ramshackled slum." A neighbor tells CNN that Barack Obama really should connect with his half-brother and "see how he's living" and do what he can to "improve our way of life."
CNN attempts to portray George Obama as a self-reliant fellow who doesn't want any help. The network quotes him saying, "I was brought up well. I live well even now." Notice that George speaks in a halting voice; he is trying to maintain his self-image. George also says, "I'm Kenyan...I would love to live in Kenya." Presumably George gave this answer to a question asking whether he'd like to move to the United States with Barack Obama's help. These answers, however, in no way suggest that George doesn't want Barack Obama's intervention to relieve his grinding poverty. A man's effort to maintain his dignity should not be exploited to pretend that he doesn't want a helping hand.
When I posted on George Obama last week, the Obama apologists could do no better than to say that Barack Obama doesn't owe his half-brother anything. But sibling assistance is not a matter of debt. Rather, it is a matter of family values and compassion. Obama has publicly cited as his favorite Bible verse Jesus's statement: whatever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me. It seems that the Republican allegation that this man is full of pretense and empty words--in other words, a modern-day Pharisee--is more than justified.
Obama may not want to help his 26 year old half-brother, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't. I'm starting the George Obama Compassion Fund which has the goal of raising some money to help George move out of his one-room hut. George also wants to become a mechanic and surely he could use some funds to get the training he needs to fulfill his humble aspirations. Currently George lives on a few dollars a month. Even a few thousand dollars would completely transform this man's life.
I'm putting up $1000 to get this fund started. I invite people to send me small contributions--$5, $10, $25, whatever you can spare. Send them to P.O. Box 3384, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067. Make your checks to "George Obama." I will then contact the Obama campaign and offer them the money on the condition that they forward it to George Obama in Kenya. The advantage of this approach is that not only does George Obama benefit from our generosity, but also Barack Obama can use the opportunity to improve his relationship with his half-brother. Let's foster Obama family values, and give a break to a guy who really needs it.
Reader Comments ( Page 3 of 22)
31. "The network quotes him saying, "I was brought up well. I live well even now." Notice that George speaks in a halting voice; he is trying to maintain his self-image."
Or perhaps he speaks haltingly (which I'm not sure how you can determine through written word) because English is not his first language. And yeah, he is trying to maintain his self-image, in the face of a Vanity Fair article that didn't portray George in a truthful light, evidenced by George's comment in the article by CNN that Vanity Fair exaggerated.
Perhaps he's not living the American perception of a rich life, but clearly where he lives he thinks he's doing well. George and Barack are strangers, essentially. Barack owes him no more Christian compassion than he does the rest of Africa. And at least Barack has actually stepped foot on the continent.
Alyssa at 12:20PM on Sep 8th 2008
32. Not even worth a comment other than to mention, once again, what a twit you are.
John Galt
John Galt at 12:35PM on Sep 8th 2008
33. Dinesh, this is pure spin, and I don't have to be a Dem to say this. Such a shame the world still has a market for apologists who manipulate smaller minds with empty issues.
Time to invest in Black Hole insurance.
http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/discoveries/2008-09-08-lhcgrid-experiment_N.htm?csp=27&RM_Exclude=Juno
Mokele Mbembe at 12:59PM on Sep 8th 2008
34. Dinesh,
You go farther down the rabbit hole with each post. This is trash. You are so divisive, biased and controlled to be a Christian in the Christian sense of the word. Yet you go on debates.
What a whore you are. You fall in line with Hannity, Rush, and others. You've been bought, and your case a long time ago.
What do you know about help? Define help?
It seems to me that Barack is helping George, in a more important way then a donation Dinesh. And every article that I've seen on this, quotes George saying as much. Doesn't matter how you want to portray. See around the bull shit, and truth always is in the middle.
What do you know about small villages in Africa. Been to one? Site it for us, we'd like to know.
I've been to many. I know how they think and live. What do you know?
So a Father he never knew fathered many other children from multiple women that he never knew, and even thought this is the case, he's supposed to financially support all of them? Are you kidding me?
Do you know if he's offered George financial help?
What a complete whore you are.
Botts at 1:20PM on Sep 8th 2008
35. Spiders have tails? Who knew?
Paul at 1:19PM on Sep 8th 2008
36. Hey Dinesh, isn't one of YOUR relatives a maid in London....bet she would LOVE to get out from under Naomi Campbells fist....When she was getting battered by her (literally) boss where were you???
How about you help the people that are ASKING for help instead of trying to be a politcal pundit that just attacks others for your enjoyment..Pig.
emanon at 1:11PM on Sep 8th 2008
37. Paul,
This one does. Two actually. It even has 2 appendages not unlike scorpion claws. I shall call him Pablo.
Mokele Mbembe at 1:25PM on Sep 8th 2008
38. "I'm putting up $1000 to get this fund started. I invite people to send me small contributions--$5, $10, $25, whatever you can spare. Send them to P.O. Box 3384, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067. Make your checks to "George Obama." I will then contact the Obama campaign and offer them the money on the condition that they forward it to George Obama in Kenya"
Please read Matthew 6:1-4
6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.
2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Kodiak at 1:34PM on Sep 8th 2008
39. I thought a person had to be an American to be President of the United States, so how can a half-American; Barack Obama, African/American, become President? Also illegitimate persons cannot become Military Officers and since Obama is illegitimate as president he would be Coomander-in-Chief of men who cannot be illegitimate. It seems he doesn't qualify to even run for the office.
Sue at 1:45PM on Sep 8th 2008
40. Sue:
1) African Americans are not "half-Americans"
2) Hawaii is part of AMERICA
Mokele Mbembe at 1:47PM on Sep 8th 2008
41. REGISTERED DEMOCRAT
Mokele Mbembe:
Time to invest in Black Hole insurance.
*******
ALL insurance is a BLACK HOLE! Once your money gets past the event horizon (payment envelope) it's irretrievably lost. And we all know what manages to escape a black hole's grasp.
Anyone who's gone through a hurricane will easily identify with this.
torquemada at 2:03PM on Sep 8th 2008
42. "I thought a person had to be an American to be President of the United States, so how can a half-American; Barack Obama, African/American, become President? Also illegitimate persons cannot become Military Officers and since Obama is illegitimate as president he would be Coomander-in-Chief of men who cannot be illegitimate. It seems he doesn't qualify to even run for the office."
Something tells me some of your ancestors were likely from Europe Sue, so who the hell cares what some half-breed like you thinks anyway? Damned European-Americans disgust me!
The president also doesn't need to have any military background whatsoever, he can be 100% civilian, so even if your nonsense excuse about him being 'illegitimate' were even remotely valid, it would still be irrelevant.
I'm surprised you didn't bring up his 'fake' birth certificate while you were at it.
Zatheus at 2:15PM on Sep 8th 2008
43. Help America's Poor Move Out of their Hovels
Since the continuously repeated message from the right is to ignore the poor because they are 'lazy and a burden' (at least until they are no longer in utero) and because no conservative has ever received a single bit of help from the government (ignore wage standards, education, major portions of healthcare, equal protections under the law, etc.), then if you are truly serious about helping a poor man, Mr D'Souza, you might consider voting for Obama.
Pliny-the-in-Between at 2:17PM on Sep 8th 2008
44. Religion is such a useful political tool.
How can the right rehash the abortion issue every four years? Pick a candidate who 'feels strongly'.
How can the right make themselves out to be the charitable ones? D'Souza finds a way!
Can the Christian right take both sides of every issue?
That, apparently is easy! You're the party of morals and values. You get to define what is moral and what your values are! You get to decide when to 'go to the booklets' for morals and values and when it is, for example, "No time to turn the other cheek!"
Gone are the days, we hear, when a young girl who finds herself in the embarrassing position of being pregnant out of wedlock, gone are the days when this was "Hush, hush.", and the shotgun wedding was performed as quickly and quietly, as expediently as possible.
These day we claim victory if the shameless slut is willing to have the baby and marry the cad!
I wonder how the Christian right would have spun it if the guy wasn't willing to get married?
We can be sure that D'Souza wouldn't be able to stop talking about it if Palin was Obama's Democrat pick for VP!
What's so great about Christianity? Republican can use it as a club to beat their opponents with. If the opponent is Christian, as with Obama, they are MORE Christian.
What did Christ say about charity again, Dinesh? Was it something about using it as a political football?
Must have been, because that's what D'Souza uses it for!
not-pboyfloyd at 2:43PM on Sep 8th 2008
45. I think DD is going to vote Obama come November - after all then the rehtoric can continue and he can bash, bash, bash all he wants and complain that the ruin of his once proud adopted nation can be lain at the feet of a mixed-race, gay loving, pro-choice, socialist.
TJ at 2:43PM on Sep 8th 2008