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Just another nugget to consider:

Excerpted from a Chicago Tribune article:

That was only the first surprise. Stanley Ann began classes at the University of Hawaii in 1960, and shortly after that, Box received a letter saying that her friend had fallen in love with a grad student. He was black, from Kenya and named Obama.

About that same time, another letter crossed the Pacific, this one heading to Africa. It was from Barack Obama Sr. to his mother, Sarah Hussein Onyango Obama. Though the letter didn't go into great detail, it said he had met a young woman named Ann (not Stanley). There wasn't much on how they met or what the attraction was, but he announced their plans to wed.

SNIP

The self-assured and opinionated Obama spoke with a voice so deep that "he made James Earl Jones seem like a tenor," said Neil Abercrombie, a Democratic congressman from Hawaii who was part of those regular gatherings.

While Obama was impatient and energized, Stanley Ann, whom Abercrombie described as "the original feminist," was endlessly patient but quietly passionate in her arguments. She was the only woman in the group.

"I think she was attracted to his powerful personality," Abercrombie said, "and he was attracted to her beauty and her calmness.".

Six months after they wed, another letter arrived in Kenya, announcing the birth of Barack Hussein Obama, born Aug. 4, 1961. Despite her husband's continued anger, Sarah Obama said in a recent interview, she "was so happy to have a grandchild in the U.S."

SNIP

Although he didn't say it at the time, Abercrombie privately feared that the relationship would be short-lived. Obama was one of the most ambitious, self-focused men he had ever met. After Obama was accepted to study at Harvard, Stanley Ann disappeared from the University of Hawaii student gatherings, but she did not accompany her husband to Harvard. Abercrombie said he rarely saw her after that.

"I know he loved Ann," Abercrombie said, but "I think he didn't want the impediment of being responsible for a family. He expected great things of himself and he was going off to achieve them."

The marriage failed. Stanley Ann filed for divorce in 1964 and remarried two years later, when her son was 5. The senior Obama finished his work at Harvard and returned to Kenya, where he hoped to realize his big dreams of taking a place in the Kenyan government.

(http://www.courant.com/features/lifestyle/chi-0703270151mar27,0,7437761.story?page=4)

Six months after they wed, another letter arrived in Kenya, announcing the birth of Barack Hussein Obama, born Aug. 4, 1961.

A remarkable sentence structure! The core of it is "another letter arrived in Kenya". What a strange passivity about that phrase, and it bears no subject-verb relationship to the "they wed". It is not "the lovebirds sent another letter", that would be clear and unambiguous. Instead the letter goes of its own volition, arriving whenever it chooses, being a letter of self-reliance, evidently.

And no date for the wedding. So nebulous!

Yet then at the end a switcheroo ... clear and firm, imperative almost -- "Barack!", born on exactly the 4th of August 1961!

That's a special pleading, eh?

Six months after they wed, another letter arrived in Kenya, announcing the birth of Barack Hussein Obama, born Aug. 4, 1961. Despite her husband's continued anger, Sarah Obama said in a recent interview, she "was so happy to have a grandchild in the U.S."
Quote from:
THE OBAMA FILE, LATEST NEWS.link
'Obama's grandmother -- who isn't his grandmother -- and who is described in this fawning report as "the famous woman from Nyang’oma Kogelo Village of Siaya District" -- made an appearance at the U. S. Independence Day celebrations, held at the U. S. ambassadors residence in Nairobi, Kenya.'
"It’s quite a surprise. I couldn’t in my wildest imagination think that Obama’s grandmother (she's not his grandmother) would be here. I did not expect it at all. I have to at least say hi to her," one person was overheard saying.
And as she mingled freely with many dignitaries, who included Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Mama Obama, who was with her grand-daughter, Dr Auma Obama, engaged her new found friends in hearty conversations.
Phony grandma --"celebrity"
'She clearly stole the show. Many could not resist either posing for a photo with her, or taking her pictures, with the hope that in the next few months, they would brag to others that they once were with the US President’s grandmother! (she's really not his grandmother!)
This was the first time Mama Sarah, who embraced the Obama family tradition, first saying she was a Muslim and then saying she was a Christian, attended an official function and going by the look of things, she is definitely going places (yeah, to the White House).
Meanwhile, Obama's real grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, who raised him and put him through the prestigious Punahou School, remains a shadowy figure. Hidden away by Obama's campaign, the woman that Obama described as a "typical white person" is, according to Obama, "somewhere in Hawaii."
Quote from:
THE OBAMA FILE, FAMILY. LINK.
'Grandfather's third wife Sarah, is the one often referred to by Obama as his "grandmother." She is not a blood relative and describes herself as a lifelong Muslim. "I am a strong believer of the Islamic faith," she said.

Sarah was the primary caregiver for Senior after his mother, Akuma, left the family when her children were still young.

Although he didn't say it at the time, Abercrombie privately feared that the relationship would be short-lived. Obama was one of the most ambitious, self-focused men he had ever met. After Obama was accepted to study at Harvard, Stanley Ann disappeared from the University of Hawaii student gatherings, but she did not accompany her husband to Harvard. Abercrombie said he rarely saw her after that. "I know he loved Ann," Abercrombie said, but "I think he didn't want the impediment of being responsible for a family. He expected great things of himself and he was going off to achieve them."

thanks for the link Ali, I've been wondering about this Abercrombie:

WHAT BARACK OBAMA LEARNED.LINK.

Excerpt:

For Stanley Ann, her new relationship with Barack Obama and weekend discussions seemed to be, in part, a logical extension of long coffeehouse sessions in Seattle and the teachings of Wichterman and Foubert. The forum now involved graduate students from the University of Hawai`i. They spent weekends listening to jazz, drinking beer and debating politics and world affairs.

The self-assured and opinionated Obama spoke with a voice so deep that "he made James Earl Jones seem like a tenor," said Neil Abercrombie, a Democratic congressman from Hawai`i who was part of those regular gatherings.

While Obama was impatient and energized, Stanley Ann, whom Abercrombie described as "the original feminist," was endlessly patient but quietly passionate in her arguments. She was the only woman in the group.

Abercrombie is described by Hawaii Reporter editor Malia Zimmerman as "D-Hezbollah" for his weakness on terror and anti-Israel record in Congress. Today he represents Honolulu in the US Congress and is a member of the Socialist-founded Congressional Progressive Caucus.

Six months after they wed, another letter arrived in Kenya, announcing the birth of Barack Hussein Obama, born Aug. 4, 1961. Despite her husband's continued anger, Sarah Obama said in a recent interview, she "was so happy to have a grandchild in the U.S."

Sarah is not really BHO Jr's grandmother. His grandmother left his grandfather leaving Sarah, another of his grandfather's wives, to raise BHO Sr.