A detroit radio station called the Kenyan embassy after the election of Obama. After a a few minutes they get through to the ambassador of Kenya.
The ambassador of Kenya says that obama was born in Kenya and that his birth place has become a national shrine.
Listen to the
recording here
The quote is around 12:35, so if you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing, you can jump ahead.
The transcript reads:
Radio Jockey: President elect Obama's birth place over in Kenya -- is that going to be a national spot where he was born
Ambassador Peter Ogego: its already an attraction. his paternal grandmother is still alive
Radio Jockey:But his birth place...they'll put up a marker there
Ambassdor Peter Ogego: It would depend on the government. Its already well known.
Here is an
abridged Utube version of the the radio interview. So you can hear just the relevant parts.
It can be reasonably pointed out that the DJ was trying to entrap the Ambassador and that the Ambassador fell into his trap.
However, if you listen to the long version of the radio interview --you’ll notice he used the same strategy on two different occasions and the ambassador gently brushed him off.
First, he tried to force the ambassador to sing the Kenyan national anthem. The ambassador referred him to the kenyan website.
Second he tried to push the ambassador into saying something about maybe Kenya becoming the 51st state. Again the ambassador said that Kenya was a sovereign country. ie No.
He used the same technique on the question of Obama’s birth place. This time the ambassador did not brush him off. Rather in answer to the question as to whether Obama was born in Kenya --he says "It is well known."
Because the ambassador answered no in the two previous examples -- you can't say that the ambassdor was either a fool or ill advised.
Finally, you might ask well doesn't he know that saying Obama is born in Kenya would make trouble for Obama? The answer there is why should he be concerned? He has heard no suggestion in the mainstream media that there might be a problem there. So to say what is already well known--as he says--would be no problem.
Here is a utube video of Ambassador Peter Ogego speaking at a conference.
Ambassador of Kenya H.E. Peter Ogego To verify that the voice on the radio is Ambassador Ogego-- compare the radio voice with the DJ to the voice on the Utube that goes with Ambassador Ogego. Ambassador Peter Ogego is introduced a bit after minute 18..
They are the same.
Subsequently, the
Kenyan ambassador said that he meant Obama's father was born in Kenya. However, when pressed about Obama's birth place:
"I don't know," he said with a tone of irritation. "You should ask your government. I know his father is Kenyan."
However, that's not what the original transcript suggests. clear="all" /> Finally, there is a
Affidavit of Bishop Ron McRae which is part of the Berg case. The Bishop says pretty much the same thing as the Ambassador.
"Additionally, it is common knowledge throughout both the Christian and Muslim communities in Kenya, that contrary to news media propaganda here in the United States, US Senator Barack Obama is a Muslim and not a Christian, and that he was born in Mombasa, Kenya and not in the State of Hawaii as falsely purported by the Obama campaign for presidency of the United States."
While you cannot impeach the ambassador's character, you can impeach McCrae's character. After all, he's just an itinerant preacher. But McCrae has been to Kenya. Still that makes two people who say that it is common knowledge in Kenya that Obama was born in Kenya.
Then of course there is
a video of Obama's grandmother saying that Obama is born in in her village in Kenya There is a case to be made that Obama mother didn't mean Obama was born in her town but rather that he is a "son of this village". If taken alone, she could well be ignored. However, her take is in keeping with others both high and low.
Again here is a
pdf transcript of Kenyan National Assembly on Nov 5, 2008, the day after Obama was elected. Over and over again there are references to Obama being a "son of the soil" of Kenya and a Kenyan. On page page 3275 there is this passage:
HOUSE SHOULD ADJOURN TO DISCUSS ELECTION OF MR. BARRACK OBAMA
Ms. Odhiambo: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. It is not on this issue. I stand on a point of order under Standing Order No.20 to seek leave for adjournment of the House to discuss the American presidential election results.
(Applause)
Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President-elect, Mr. Obama, is a son of the soil of this country. Every other country in this continent is celebrating the Obama win. It is only proper and fitting that the country which he originates from should show the same excitement, pomp and colour.
Again. It is not the one thing. Rather it is the tide.
The Obama administration could put this to rest by releasing his long form birth certificate. But he doesn't. Rather he spends -- now over a million -- on flaks. Why bother. The Arnold would have run for president long ago and likely won if he were a "natural born" american. He's not. He's naturalized. So he can't run. And he knows it. (though there were some trial balloons sent up a couple years back about changing the law--that went nowhere.)
Like the Arnold, Obama looks to be a naturalized citizen--but maybe he's not even that.
Because the ambassador answered no in the two previous examples -- you can't say that the ambassador was either a fool or ill advised. Why not? Like a lot of ambassadors, Ogego may have been a political hack rewarded for his loyalty. It doesn't sound like he really knew what was going on and Detroit's wacky morning crew slipped this "birthplace" thing into the conversation.
Obviously, if you're the ambassador of a sovereign country you aren't going to say "Yes, we should become another state in the USA," and people with lousy singing voices don't always volunteer to sing in public.
They didn't ask, "Where was Obama born?" They asked: "One more quick question, president-elect Obama's birthplace over in Kenya is that going to be a national spot to go visit where he was born?"
Well, is it? If you hear about people making pilgrimages to some site in Kenya to pay homage to Obama, you might not have figured out just why they were going there, and "birthplace" might sound like as good a reason as any for why people went there.
Do you really think he had some secret knowledge about where Obama was born that he just let slip? Or is it more likely that the wacky crew just blindsided him?