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?
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As I demonstrated in the post the ambassador easily sidestepped two of the fast balls that the radio crew threw at him. The reason he didn't sidestep the birth controversy was that -- at the time -- obama's birth was not controversial.
Only after the interview was broadcast and became controversial -- did the Kenyan embassy put out a non denial denial.
Why?
Well because Kenyans think that Obama was born in Kenya.
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.)
The thing has become a joke in washington. d
Joe Biden Joked at the Gridiron Dinner in March 09.
After mentioning one of the Republican speakers for the evening, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was born in Austria and that one of the Democratic speakers, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, was born in Canada, Biden chortled: "Folks, this is going to be Lou Dobbs' worst nightmare. "
From there, Biden transitioned to the birth certificate controversy.
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. This "son of the soil" or "son of the village" thing is how this got started (well that and the fact that Obama never released his original birth certificate).
John Kennedy was a "Son of Ireland." It doesn't mean he was born there. People say these things metaphorically.
The reason he didn't sidestep the birth controversy was that -- at the time -- Obama's birth was not controversial.
Or that Ogego wasn't paying attention to the question.
What they were asking him essentially was whether people were going to visit Obama's ancestral village, whether the government would put up a monument there. He may not even have caught the "birthplace" angle to the question.
Anyway, you have people who believe Obama was born in Mombasa, on the other side of Kenya, citing the ambassador and the "grandmother" as believing that he was born in the village. What's up with that?