WaPo After Free Republic Again, Now Over Barack-is-a-Muslim Email

Newsbusters.org ^ | 6/28/08 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

The Washington Post published a June 28th piece geared to protect Barack Obama from the nagging rumors that he is a secret Muslim, rumors that have been circulating since 2004. The Post's Matthew Mosk penned an attack on Free Republic, based on an Obama flak who claims she has somehow discovered that Freepers are to blame, if not initially responsible, for floating the Barack-is-a-Muslim chain email that so many millions of Americans have found in their email boxes over the last four years. But, the Washington Post's article is so filled with assumptions and a singular desire not to really investigate the matter that it boggles the mind. Naturally, all the journalistic missteps serve to shield Barack Obama from any controversy and make all opposition seem nefarious or unhinged.

The Obama flak in question is one Danielle Allen of the Institute of Advanced Studies at Princeton. Mosk wishes to assure us that she is one smart cookie, apparently. To settle any question to the contrary, we are treated to some earnest, if over-the-top, adulation for good Doctor Allen. Allen is called a "razor-sharp, 36-year-old political theorist," that she's "gained valuable insight into the way political information circulates," and that she works at the institute "most famous for having been the research home of Albert Einstein." Mosk tells us that Allen "boasts two doctorates, one in classics from Cambridge University and the other in government from Harvard University." The Post tells us that one winter morning Allen was "studying in her office at the Institute for Advanced Study, the renowned haven for some of the nation's most brilliant minds." Mosk also tells us that Allen "works alongside groundbreaking physicists, mathematicians and social scientists. They don't have to teach, and they face no quotas on what they publish. Their only mandate is to work in the tradition of Einstein, wrestling with the most vexing problems in the universe."

Jeeze, next Mosk will be telling us that Danielle Allen is the virtual reincarnation of Einstein himself!

Byron York saw how silly all this puffery was, too. Over at NRO's Corner Blog, York takes a jab at those vaunted “vexing problems in the universe” and succinctly sums up the big nothing that is the real underlying conclusion of the Washington Post's extensive four-page story.

And one of the most vexing problems in the universe, which Allen has decided to pursue in the tradition of Einstein, is the origin of a number of e-mails claiming that Barack Obama is a Muslim. Using the advanced research tools at her disposal, the razor-sharp Allen found…a couple of posters on the Free Republic website, plus a former political rival of Obama's who sends out zillions of e-mails to reporters every day.

The piece goes on and on in grave tones about the chain email that seems to have first surfaced sometime in 2004. Allen "obsessively" worries about such things as chain emails we come to discover. Allen tells the Post, "I started thinking, 'How does one stop it?'" She then informs Mosk that the whole mysterious, shadowy email has a nefarious and unidentified genesis. Mosk assures us that this email is the "modern version of a whisper campaign," and worries about the "secret identities" of the Freepers that Allen reveals to him.

We are dealt the conclusion that all this email and Freeper stuff is… well, dontcha know it's scary, kids? I wondered if Mosk wanted his Mommy to keep the nasty Freepers away from him by the end of this curious piece?

So, what about this email saying that Obama is a secret Muslim? Where did it come from? Matthew Mosk doesn't know and neither does his main source, the brilliant Doctor Allen. But they are both sure it has something to do with the website Free Republic. Or maybe a perennial candidate from Illinois named Andy Martin... or a guy in Philadelphia who operates a website and posts on Free Republic... or maybe not. But whatever the case, Matthew Mosk of the Washington Post just took the word of open Obama supporter Danielle Allen as gospel, assuming that her "research" was indisputable.

Allen began her "investigation" by using key phrases that appears in the email and Googling them to see where else they appear. As a result, she found Andy Martin of Illinois.

Back in 2004 in Obama's hometown, Chicago, a fellow named Andy Martin was attempting to launch his own attempt to become Obama's opponent for the Senate. Martin is a political gadfly and perpetual candidate in Illinois who has never been elected to much of anything, the sort of guy who has been hanging on the fringes for decades without ever getting much traction. To be sure, he was an actual candidate in the last primary to determine who will be the poor GOP sacrificial lamb to face Dick Durbin in the coming general election, so he did get on a ballot for a change. One thing is for sure, that Martin is tenacious and knows how to publicize himself is beyond doubt.

In the run up to the 2004 election, Martin admitted to the Post's Mosk that he had circulated the claim that since Obama was born to a Muslim Father, Barack himself would be considered a Muslim by birth to any other Muslim. Martin also pointed out that the Obama campaign then, as now, rejects any claims that Barack is now or ever has been a Muslim. Martin was quite upfront that he believes that Obama is not being truthful over the whole Muslim question.

But, it is also completely obvious that Martin did not write the original email nor that he is a member of a secret anti-Obama conspiracy. Martin’s activities are well known to many and are completely out in the open.

On top of all that, there is no indication that Doctor Allen ever contacted Andy Martin during her "investigation."

See the rest at NewsBusters.org...

[Abundy]

Seems like the "genius institute" should get it's $500k back...how did both a brillant woman and intrepid journalist miss those articles?

/SARCASM

[Loyal Buckeye]

I heard Obama was raised a Muslim.

You heard that too?

Karl Rove

;-)

[StAnDeliver]

Clinton Campaign Volunteer Out Over False Obama Rumors

"Hillary Clinton's campaign asked one of its volunteer county coordinators in Iowa to step down after the person forwarded an e-mail falsely stating that Barack Obama is a Muslim. Obama is a Christian and attends Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, but chain e-mails have been circulating throughout his campaign that falsely describe him as a Muslim." -- Washington Post

[jan in Colorado]

I don’t mind at all...I “borrowed” it from another FReeper!

[StAnDeliver]

Clinton Supporters Send Last-Ditch Obama Attack Emails To Supers

"In more than dozen messages sent yesterday evening and shared with The Huffington Post, supporters of Clinton emailed a laundry list of political and exceedingly personal attacks on Obama's candidacy, including criticisms of his prior associations and claims that he, not Clinton, had played the race card...

..."It was a 'spur of the moment' idea brought about by a blog," explained Shirley Luther, a Texas Democrat... "Tonight several of our bloggers came up with the idea of writing the super delegates. Someone on the blog found a list of emails and posted it"....

[Grampa Dave]

Getting the WaComPo's panties in a bunch is easy these days. Their circulation is going in the toilet, and they've spent $80 mil-mil-million to buy out their staff in order to downsize. The rest who are left are trying to throw red meat to the uber-left D.C. establishment in a bid to save their own asses.

In the past month or so, with all the bad realities/garbage we have on Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas is being spiked, hidden, ignored or laughed at by most of the MSM.

The latest is this attack of the Compost by one of Obama’s elitist left wing politically correct Black Racist Professor on Free Republic, Beckwith and other Freepers.

The mediots and their elite left wing owners put $inator Hill out of the race, and now they are doing anything to defend Obama to put McCain out of the race to make Obama appear to be the great Messiah, who will save America.

What deals has Obama made with the elite MSM owners behind closed elite doors?

We know the shaky financial realities most of the owners of the MSM outlets face.

If the trends continue against them, few if any the MSM will be around by the next big election in 2012.

Did Obama promise federal funding if he is elected or bailouts like the one Chrysler got decades ago if the MSM elites and their mediots protect and shield Obama to get him elected?

They are counting on something to save them, and it appears to be electing Obama as POTUS and doing anything to get Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas elected.

[Grampa Dave]

he is NOT a Christian.

Adios Trinity! I'm out of here for now!

This is my church, the one I never quit.

[AmericanVictory]

Truthful inquiry into a man’s Muslim heritage and background bad; bigotry by Muslims and black racism favoring this slaver’s religion goooood. Arab racism goooood, Han racism goooood. Only white American’s are racist and bad and responsible for all that is evil in the world.

WaPo must revive fairness doctrine and restore its central command and ability to impose idiocy upon the world. Free Republic must be eliminated. The Republic must be eliminated.

[bert]

.....What deals has Obama made with the elite MSM .....

IMHO
None. Obama is someone’s puppet. Those pulling the strings made the deals.

[bert]

[Jimmy Valentine's brother]

Danielle Allen and Cornell West both of Princeton plan to put out a new CD “Rapping wid Obama.”

[Grampa Dave]

Why is the certificate # blacked out?

African is not a race! In 1961, wouldn't Negro or Negroid have been used to describe his Father's race instead of African?

Where is the indentation of the official seal and the folded marks, the rest of us have on our valid birth certificate copies?

Last but not least: What are the reverse purple lettering past the last entry line on the lower middle right? What do they mean, and why are they there?

Did Dan Blather's liar, Mary Mapes create this bs?

Is this phoney birth certificate just another example of the Real but Fake Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas, the Islamofacist Manchurian Candidate for Changing America?

Compare this doctored and phoney BC with a real one shown below:

We probably have as much chance of seeing a real copy of his birth certificate as seeing John Kerry’s full military record. Kerry refused to release his military records, and Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas, the Islamofacist Manchurian Candidate will probably not show his BC. We will be labeled as racists for daring to question his birth.

[george76]

BO will not answer if he was every baptised.

Bo’s muslim sister and family believes that BO is a muslim.

[Grampa Dave]

“None. Obama is someone’s puppet. Those pulling the strings made the deals.”

You may be correct. Someone had to pull the strings for Carter and Clintoon, two worthless and unknown governors to be elected as President.

[RetiredArmy]

After Obama is elected, with control of the House in the Hood and the Marxists Congress, you can bet Obama’s gang of thugs will start on conservative talk shows and conservative web sites. They have the power of the thugs in the IRS, CIA, FBI, liberal US Attorneys (Obama will fire all of Bush's US Attorneys and of course you will hear nothing about it like when Bush fired 9 recently). They will have the power of the imperial federal government to do as they please. People will watch as these items are picked off one by one, and say well it is not me, so I will just stand aside and keep my mouth shut to protect me and mine. But it will keep happening. This is what a totalitarian government does and how it operates. They will start doing this crap because, simply there is no one to stop them. I believe they will start to pass all the laws they want to get what they want and to stop from losing power again. They will throw up every road block they can to keep what Americans are about to present to them on a silver platter, TOTAL CONTROL over our lives, property, rights, liberty and money. And, we gave it too them in the name of FREE STUFF. Its coming. I fully believe that. I am not a doom and gloomer. I believe once in power, they are not going to let it get away from them again. It will take the power of a revolution to take it back and there is no way people today can mass to do that without them knowing about it. There is no way we can prevent their total take over. I firmly believe they will pass laws to keep themselves in power.

[b4its2late]

The good Doctor missed it? In her case, Phd evidently stands for ‘piled higher and deeper’.

[b4its2late]

If African is a race, then my race is American.

[george76]

Lie 1: He began with Obama’s claim that “Selma got me born” so inspired were his parents. However, Obama was born in on August 4, 1961. and the Selma, Alabama to Montgomery march took place on March 7, 1965. Much like Hillary Clinton born October 26, 1947 claimed she’d been named after Edmund Hillary, the mountaineer who who climbed Mt. Everest , six years after Hillary was born, in 1953.

“Obama’s older brother still lives in Kenya. Abongo “Roy” Obama is a Luo activist and a militant Muslim who argues that the black man must “liberate himself from the poisoning influences of European culture.” (sounds a bit like Reverend Jeremiah Wright, doesn’t he?)

Lie 6: Obama claims his name is African Swahili. Hussein is an Arab name. Barack comes from “Baraka” which means “blessed” in Arabic.

Obama is also an Arab name. Barack Hussein Obama, SENIOR was 87.5% Arab, and 12.5% Negro. which makes Junior 50% white, 43.75% Arabic and 6.25% Negro.

http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/obama-the-muslim-the-smear-that-just-wont-die/

Sandra M:

[bcsco]

I notice also that on Obama's ostensible certificate it reads at lower-left "DATE FILED BY REGISTRAR" whereas on your example it reads "DATE ACCEPTED BY STATE REGISTRAR". I realize that 30 years separate the two, but everything else remains the same; including the spacing between entries vertically.

[bert]

My gut tells me that Obama is a suprise to the handlers. They were thinking two or three election cycles in the future. Strangely believe it, he came on strong and won this cycle, inspite of total lack of experience.

They miscalculated the hatred for Hillary.