Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Long-range love of Obama’s absent mother
The Times ^ | 11/23/2008 | Christine Finn in Honolulu and Sarah Baxter

Posted on 11/22/2008 3:51:07 PM PST by bruinbirdman

A cache of private letters attained by The Sunday Times reveals the influences that helped shape the young Obama


Ann Dunham's time in Indonesia was spent as a programme officer for women's work

In his autobiographical memoir, Barack Obama’s mother is almost as distant a figure as his absent Kenyan father: America’s president-elect was largely brought up by his grandparents in Hawaii. But a trove of private letters obtained by The Sunday Times highlights her devotion to her son and her struggle to make ends meet as an anthropologist in Indonesia.

It was as a free-spirited student in Hawaii that Ann Dunham fell pregnant and married Obama’s father at 18, at a time when interracial unions were still illegal in many parts of America. They divorced when Obama was two and she later married Lolo Soetoro, an Indonesian. It was the start of a long love affair with his country, although the marriage did not last.

Dunham died at 52 of ovarian cancer in 1995, leaving behind a 1,000-page doctoral thesis on peasant blacksmithing in Indonesia, which friends still hope will gain her academic recognition. They believe her support for micro-financing projects and women’s work in Indonesia influenced Obama’s determination to build a grassroots campaign for president - and may yet shape his economic agenda in office.

Alice Dewey, a professor of anthropology at the University of Hawaii, was Dunham’s close friend and thesis supervisor. For her, Obama will always be “Barry”, as his mother called him. Dunham also had a daughter from her second marriage, Maya Soetoro-Ng, who is now a teacher in Hawaii.

“I have a vivid picture of Ann on a couch, Maya going and sitting on her lap and Barry, not wanting to be left out, sitting on Maya’s lap -

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Hawaii
KEYWORDS: bho2008; birthcertificate; certifigate; commie; dunham; ho; obama; obamafamily; obamagate; yomama; yomamaobama
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-117 next last

1 posted on 11/22/2008 3:51:07 PM PST by bruinbirdman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: LucyT

Obama mama private letter ping.


2 posted on 11/22/2008 3:54:18 PM PST by hoosiermama (Berg is a liberal democrat. Keyes is a conservative. Obama is bringing us together already!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

“A 1,000 doctoral thesis on peasant blacksmithing in Indonesia”

A real `page turner’, you betcha.


3 posted on 11/22/2008 3:54:20 PM PST by tumblindice (In this school of war called life...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

“I have a vivid picture of Ann on a couch, Maya going and sitting on her lap and Barry, not wanting to be left out, sitting on Maya’s lap -

And there you have the root to the Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Sad.


4 posted on 11/22/2008 3:55:45 PM PST by autumnraine (Churchill: " we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall never surrender")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman
They believe her support for micro-financing projects and women’s work in Indonesia influenced Obama’s determination to build a grassroots campaign for president - and may yet shape his economic agenda in office.

Obama and "micro financing" doesn't go together. It's more like hyper trillion spending.

5 posted on 11/22/2008 3:56:35 PM PST by SolidWood (Sarah Palin - Everything that is Sweetness and Light! WE STAND WITH HER!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SolidWood

place saver


6 posted on 11/22/2008 3:57:31 PM PST by Guenevere
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

There once was a boy child named Barry,
whose papa was drunken and scary.
His mom married twice,
so she put him on ice.
Poor grandma ... ‘twas all she could carry.


7 posted on 11/22/2008 3:57:44 PM PST by BenLurkin
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman
"It was as a free-spirited student in Hawaii that Ann Dunham fell pregnant...."

LOL....typical libspeak. Pregnancy is not only a punishment, but a disease you contract.

8 posted on 11/22/2008 3:57:51 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: autumnraine

It’s sad he didn’t go see her before she passed away.


9 posted on 11/22/2008 3:58:04 PM PST by Perdogg (01-20-2013 Obama's last day)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman
"America’s president-elect was largely brought up by his grandparents in Hawaii."

grandparents every bit as much communists as his mother. But despite "poor little Obama" spoiled as he was by grandparents who gave him everything,

The ungratefull little creep didn't have the decency to attend her funeral.

10 posted on 11/22/2008 3:59:04 PM PST by Nathan Zachary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: BenLurkin

Excellent.


11 posted on 11/22/2008 3:59:19 PM PST by Stentor (b. July 4, 1776 - d. January 20, 2009 sorely missed.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Joe 6-pack

Obama’s mama was a ho.


12 posted on 11/22/2008 4:01:36 PM PST by dragonblustar (Once abolish the God, and the government becomes the God - G. K. Chesterton)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: SolidWood
Obama and "micro financing" doesn't go together. It's more like hyper trillion spending.

You're thinking of Bush.

13 posted on 11/22/2008 4:02:51 PM PST by wideminded
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Nathan Zachary
The ungratefull little creep didn't have the decency to attend her funeral."

But he did make time to go to Hawaii and make sure any evidence of birth was put under lock and key.

14 posted on 11/22/2008 4:03:44 PM PST by taxesareforever (Quick justice for the senseless killing of Marine Lance Cpl. Robert Crutchfield.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

What an unattractive woman. I guess she looked for love wherever she could find it. I’m already on Obamort overload!


15 posted on 11/22/2008 4:04:06 PM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ("Don't touch that thing")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Nathan Zachary
There was a funeral?
And where is his white sister?
Why did his mom abandoned him to be raised by his white grandparents?
16 posted on 11/22/2008 4:04:27 PM PST by svcw (Great selection of Christmas gift baskets: http://baskettastic.com/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: bruinbirdman

Wonder how this got planted?


17 posted on 11/22/2008 4:05:57 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Joe 6-pack
""It was as a free-spirited student in Hawaii that Ann Dunham fell pregnant...."

I guess abortions weren't legal at that time. Lucky thing for Obama,____ ____ ____ _______ .

18 posted on 11/22/2008 4:06:10 PM PST by Nathan Zachary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: autumnraine

Maya was several years younger than Barry. Odd he would sit on her lap. Sad.


19 posted on 11/22/2008 4:06:58 PM PST by little jeremiah (Leave illusion, come to the truth. Leave the darkness, come to the light.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: hoosiermama

The article says “she fell pregnant”, how does one fall pregnant, I had 3 children and I sure as h-ll never fell pregnant.


20 posted on 11/22/2008 4:07:12 PM PST by lolhelp
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-117 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson