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Obama Camp: Senator Knew Nothing About Aunt's Illegal Immigration Status

November 01, 2008 11:50 AM

In response to last night's late-breaking AP story that Sen. Barack Obama's aunt Zeituni Onyango is in the U.S. illegally Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton tells us, "Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed."

Democrats are already pointing out that the AP's information about the aunt  came from "a person familiar with the matter" and a person who is "a federal law enforcement official."

Meaning some federal government resources have been devoted to this story, which is potentially embarrassing for the Democratic presidential frontrunner.

Just as, Republicans would no doubt counter, some Ohio state government resources were devoted to finding out more information about Samuel Joe Wurzelbacher, aka "Joe the Plumber."

The Columbus Dispatch reports the latest twist and turn in that case, with Ohio Department of Job and Family Services senior manager Vanessa Niekamp contradicting agency director Helen Jones-Kelley's explanation that Wurzelbacher's records were search because her agency checks people who are "thrust into the public spotlight." Niekamp is a Republican; Jones-Kelley a Democrat.

-- jpt

November 1, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (284)

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She is a grown women here of her own accord. It's not like they barbecue on weekends, do any of you know what your Aunt's are doing at all times. Did she discuss this with him? I don't know and you don't know and if he did know should he have reported her. WWJD.

Posted by: Farmboy | Nov 4, 2008 4:07:34 AM

The problem is, OBAMA is suppose to stand for the poor and middle class, yet his aunt is living in the slums. He wrote about her in his book. He is a millionaire but all he gave her was 260 dollars, what a cheapskate.

Posted by: greg | Nov 3, 2008 10:59:12 PM

Apparently, this is irrelevant to most people, since a recent poll shows Sen. Obama gaining in the past few days.

Posted by: Raymond | Nov 3, 2008 5:37:12 PM

wow...
I was going to vote for Obama. After this incident, my trust for the candidate has been lost. Thank you for the update and hope McCain wins the elections.

Posted by: Juan | Nov 3, 2008 12:38:51 PM

McCain = HERO
Obama = ZERO

Posted by: CarlosPlus2001 | Nov 3, 2008 11:33:13 AM

With two days to go, the Obama people are throwing Aunt Zeituni under the bus. They refunded her $260 bus fare, so everything has been made right.

Posted by: John | Nov 3, 2008 4:47:53 AM

So sad.

I've YET to see or hear during this campaign, one positive Republican argument for their cause. ONE.

They simply cannot argue their case without fearmongering,(just listen to some of their sheeple talk about how "scared" they are) race-baiting, (mentioning Obama's middle name repeatedly, like some kind of racial epithet)their proud presumption of the moral or patriotic high ground (congratulating each other for being "real" Americans, and the implication that no one Democratic is as "Christian" as they are), and their incessant WHINING about the media.(Remember, it is the MEDIA that's run th Republican campaign, and the MEDIA who picked the most unqualified VP candidate in presidential history!)

And they have not ONCE positively made their case without speaking negatively of Senator Obama. At BEST, their greatest motivation, is that their side wins, simply so the Dems won't.

As Bill Clinton said, "If one guy is talking the issues, and one guy is talking about the other guy, then you should pick the guy who's talkin' the issues."

Obama/Biden 08.


Posted by: C C | Nov 2, 2008 3:48:28 PM

For the fairness sake, let’s make negative assumptions for both sides: Obama and Sarah. Obama knew all along about his aunt’s illegal status, and Sarah intentionally pressured the Trooper Chief to fire her ex-brother-in-law.

Verdict:
Let’s say Obama did something about her status as a Senator, he would be criticized by political opponents for abusing his power for personal matters clouding his political future because there would be a clear document proving his involvement. His other choice would be what he has just done -keeping distance from her and pretend he knows nothing. His Kenyan aunt just couldn't benefit his political ambitions anyway and yet he could use her story in the book to propel his political goal and even make money. When her situation comes into light, he says to the public, "Ok, deport her!"

That's similarly a kind of struggle that has happened with Sarah Palin with her ex-brother-in-law case. She wanted to get rid of him from the law enforcement for his troubling behaviors toward her family. But she knew the ethics law so did it in a subtly way which is still a violation. Now as expected, her political opponents are all over her.

Year 2009;
An intel says a terrorist group training in a sensitive region a nuke attack against America (no doubt it will happen). How would Obama react to it and what about Sarah? Will it be better to take no-action and see what happens or preemptive action with a risk?

No wonder the world chants “Obama!”

Posted by: yon | Nov 2, 2008 3:06:50 PM

Obama portrays himselfe as so passionate about Redistributing to the middle class and the poor.

How come he never Redistributed some of his money to help his own aunt.

Posted by: steve3433 | Nov 2, 2008 2:56:42 PM

I find it hard to believe that his aunt did not contact him regarding her immigration status. If I was facing deportation and Obama was my nephew, I certainly would have asked for his advise and/or help. I wonder if there are public records that would show if she had
any representation at her deportation hearing. Did
Obama write a letter on her behalf? I'm sure there is more to the story then Obama's often used claim of
" I was unaware."

Posted by: Susan | Nov 2, 2008 12:56:53 PM

For all the American people, Country First !!!


Stop letting the illegal people milk the system, taking our jobs and using our services without putting any money into our country !!!


McCain/Palin 08

Posted by: Alexis | Nov 2, 2008 12:06:13 PM

OBAMA
Didn't know about his Aunt being an Illegal Alien
That Rev Wright was a America Hating Racist Ranter, even after 20 years, and everyone else in Chicago knew it for 35 years
That Rezko was a hoodlum
That Ayers was a Terrorist
etc, etc
RIIIIIGHT!!!!!

Posted by: RoBoTech | Nov 2, 2008 10:55:55 AM

geeze, I guess Sen Obama should be shot that his Aunt is in this country illeagel. How many of us here are really in this country illeagally? Umm, probably everyone except the Indians. Why don't we give back the statue of liberty, she is just wasting her time hanging around there on her island. Most people are here in the U.S. illeagally, so what!! Give her a green card and move on. they've done it for so many others. We want Sen Obama to help this ailing country; but take his Aunt out and beat her over the head with a crowbar. Sen Obama cautioned the media and Sen McCain about going there, I guess they have gone anywhere else they wanted to go, even Iraq. So it wouldn't surprise me that they went there as well. I hope Sen Obama's Aunt will be treated with the respect she should, I wonder if the governor of Ca, has any relatives here illeagally? Oops, he's a republican and that doesn't count. Well, Obama spoke that towards the end, they would do any and every imaginable thing. All McCain can do is get free publicity from Saturday Night Live t.v., and make a fool of himself and show how not in touch he is with reality.

Posted by: 696 | Nov 2, 2008 9:03:43 AM

Obama's Aunt, Zeituni Onyango, is in the United States illegally, and the angle the liberal media chooses to highlight is her privacy? Please.

Can you say spin?

The liberal media (failing newspapaers, declining viewership) deserves what it gets after this election ... they have lost all credibility.

And if Obama is elected, and the "Fairness Doctrine" is imposed, we will get more of this kind of journalism.

Do not allow our free press a free pass on this story America. Ask questions!

I encourage everyone reading about this to watch the Sunday morning news shows, and watch how the liberal talking heads spin this story! Should be interesting! I'll just bet there will be a lot of hard-hitting jounalism. Not!

Vote McCain/Palin 2008 ... Please ... for our country's sake!

Posted by: DSM_CAL | Nov 2, 2008 6:28:46 AM

Yet another lame attempt to assasinate Sernator Obama's Character, and dragging in the family to do it. Do you really want to go there? Do you really want to open up the door to examining McCain's brother cursing out a 911 operator because he couldn't use the emergency service to complain about traffic? Or Cindy McCain stealing from her own charity to support her drug habit? Or McCain cheating on his second wife after she was crippled in a car accident? Seriously, do you really want to go into the character and family issue?

Posted by: Jackie B. | Nov 2, 2008 4:11:31 AM

I hope Obama gets elected. Then the youth will learn first hand what happened in the 70's under Carter. Obama's policies are like Carter's policies on steroids. He wo'nt lower taxes on those making 250 grand or less, he'll do exactly what he says he'll do. Roll back the Bush cuts, and restore the tax structure what it was under Clinton. He and Biden voted twice to roll back the Bush cuts, which translates to voting for raising taxes on those making $41,600, and raising the poverty level to $20,000.

Posted by: Ed | Nov 2, 2008 4:06:58 AM

Don't miss the point, Obama's team returned ~$200 election donation to his aunt because she is a foreigner. See, who knows how much money Obama has received from illegal sources?

Posted by: qq | Nov 2, 2008 1:49:12 AM

Jim K: "Obama 'didn't know' about a lot A LOT. Why on earth are you voting for him? He's seems to be very uninformed."

Besides the fact that he is already a great man with a set goal, that gives hope, and has ran a magnificent campaign

It's step forward
To healing this country
We are no longer voting for just a president, but for a unity, for growth, for change, and for forgiveness.
It is of great importance to the future of our nation's poeple.

We vote to live up to great promise of the Grand American Ideals^^

Posted by: ChrisB | Nov 2, 2008 1:29:25 AM

To: review this, left wing censors

Alleluia!!! You admire Obama's academic records? That must mean you have some in your posession? What are they? His thesis? His law review publications?

Please share them with us, because no one else has been able to access a single document. This would give us all a chance to learn something about this mystery of a man.

Thanks in advance. :)

Posted by: kit | Nov 2, 2008 1:17:00 AM

How low can McCain go? He's gone way past scraping the bottom of the barrel. McCain and Palin are so negatively charged, they repel each other.

Posted by: Raj | Nov 2, 2008 12:19:01 AM

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