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Obama's New Name? Barack Black Eagle

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May 19, 2008 6:39 PM

ABC News' Sunlen Miller Reports: Traveling though Montana on Monday, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., made his first stop as a presidential candidate to an Indian reservation - and got a little more than expected.

Obama was adopted as an honorary member into the family within the Crow tribe that inhabited the reservation - who gave the presidential candidate a new name and new parents.

"Awe Kooda bilaxpak Kuuxshish" was the honorary name given to Obama meaning, "one who helps people throughout the land."

Obama was escorted out to the stage in Crow Agency, Montana arm-in-arm between his adopted parents: Sunny and Mary Black Eagle.

Obama thanked his honorary new parents – for giving him another name to tack on to the list, "I like my new name Barack Black Eagle. I mean that's a good name."

The Crow tribe does adoption ceremonies for special dignitaries who visit the reservation. The Black Eagle family was chosen to adopt Obama because there are one of only five living generations on the reservation. With life expectancy so low, it is sign of great fortune and honor to have several generations living in the family.

Senator Obama, speaking for only 12 minutes told the Native American crowd of nearly 2,000 that he knows what it's like to be an outsider - that his struggles being an African American, are similar to theirs.

"I was growing up in Hawaii at the time and where I was growing up there weren't a lot of black families and so sometimes I was looked at as sort of an outsider and so I know what it’s like to be on the outside. I know what it's like to not always have been respected or to have been ignored and I know what it's like to struggle and that’s how I think many of you understand what's happened here on the reservation, that that a lot of times you have been forgotten just like African-Americans have been forgotten or other groups in this country have been forgotten."

Obama promised the crowd that as president he would have regular meetings at the White House with tribal leaders and appoint an American Indian policy advisor.

Obama’s transition into the Crow extended family was not without a few hiccups. While greeting the crowd at the onset, Obama mistakenly mispronounced the name of their land.

"I'm still working on it, I was just adopted into the tribe so, I am still working on my pronunciations," he said when he was corrected.

Obama was given two necklaces made by the members of the tribe. The necklaces, Obama was told, were to be a gift for his wives.

"I only have one wife," Obama said laughing, "So, you know when he was talking about the gifts to my wives, I want to make sure, I don't want to get in trouble when I get home. I can have new parents but no new wives."

May 19, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (54)

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The rise of Obamanism phenomena in America. It is mind bugling to me to see the rise of Obamanism phenomena in America. Maybe I am wrong and maybe I am sad but I see how socialists and radical liberals manipulating truth and hitting right notes to appeal their radical agenda on hard working people in this country. Yes, it is true - we are tired of old Washington politics. Yes, we are over taxed and making less money and paying more at the gas stations and supper markets. Yes, we are losing jobs that are moved out of country. Yes, our foreign policy stinks and we are losing prestige and power. Yes, we need immigration reforms and need to secure our borders. Yes, yes and yes to so many issues we as Americans have to deal with and we are in desperate need of change but not the trough the Obamanism but the trough the true patriotic desire and optimism backed with real solutions and great compromises. Americans in desperate need of hope for the better future and not just words, words alone do not bring results but rather deeper disappointments. Americans are suffering in many aspects of their lives. We lost our identity and pride and cannot find our identity nor pride yet, we need a leader who can revive us all and without true American leader we will fall to new Obamanism phenomena and Obamanists are taking advantage in pursing they a hidden agenda trough the promises of “hope” and “change” to bring new socialistic reforms for this county.

Posted by: angela pink | May 19, 2008 7:24:18 PM

"Have some tea" is exactly what Obama wants to do with terrorist organizations such as Hamas, and anti-American leaders like Iran's Mahmud Ahmadinejad. In fact he's had quite a bit of tea with terrorists- the PLO's, Rashid Khalidi, and domestic terrorists Weathermen Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn.

Tea isn't what we need. We need a leader like Hillary who won't meet with foreign leaders in Iran, North Korea, Syria, and Cuba without preconditions.

Posted by: Emily | May 19, 2008 7:25:43 PM

Out of Touch
Obama said, "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said. Guess What---some of do not own SVUs and eat as much as we want, or even keep our homes at 72 degrees all the time. Many of us pay taxes and are hard working Americans---probably the vast majority of us!

Posted by: Anne | May 19, 2008 7:26:16 PM

Words are chip if they do not get any actions and Obama only talks promising Americans more dreams that have no substance. His wife is a fare game and he should take his own medicine he used for Bill Clinton.

Posted by: angela pink | May 19, 2008 7:27:41 PM

Angela Pink ---Yes, it is true - we are tired of old Washington politics---a true statement. But you know when Hillary said "we are going to have to roll up our sleeves and work together"-----it was the words WORK TOGETHER that I think drove people to Obama. The younger generation does not work they are entertained with all kinds of gagets and want someone to just come fix things for them. Obama is promising "faith" and "hope" and not words like HARD WORK and ACHIEVEMENT. Obama is pitching that we cannot stay the great country that we are "change" is coming and we he comes right out and says the rest of the world will not tolerate our lifestyles and choices. He is going to turn this country back 75 years!

Posted by: Anne | May 19, 2008 7:30:58 PM

How anyone can honestly believe Obama is a change from the same old political games is beyond me. He said his association with Rezko was a 'dumb' decision, that he didn't know Wright was a rascist, that he wasn't putting down small town workers, that he wants a bipartisan administration.He was voted "Most Liberal Senator" title last year, he wants gun controls, made a deal with Rezko even while knowing Rezko was under investigation for corruption,lied about not knowing Wright's agenda, and told a liberal San Francisco audience what they wanted to hear about rural 'hicks'. He told Judicial Watch he had no records from his term in the Illinois legislature and is using a Madison Avenue slogan 'Change We Can believe In' to try to get in the White House. He comes from a wealthy Hawaiian family even though he tries to portray himself as one of the downtrodden. 100 years ago he would have been called a snake oil salesman.

Posted by: oldoregon | May 19, 2008 7:48:19 PM

Obama is slick.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 19, 2008 7:57:30 PM

Yes, I heard that Obama wants to debate with President Bush who is not running for re-election....President Bush tell the youngster that when he learns how many states we have in the Union you will debate him.

Posted by: Anne | May 19, 2008 8:02:21 PM

Obama cannot win a debate, I guess he probably thought he might have a chance with George.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 19, 2008 8:06:42 PM

Obama looked fabulous today, yesterday and a day before that. It is gratifying that everyone is speaking about him and not his opponents. I means that the level of interest on his accendency to the most powerful office on earth is noticed and perhaps, guaranteed. Like it was mentioned in one of the comments in this post, if Michelle will be the target, let us target every moving object with two legs (that walks) that is a member of either party's presidential family. Let us target the perveyors of this ugly campaign of disturtion, I am sure that most of them have skeletons in their cadboard. If it is good to attack Obama's wife, then it is equally good to attack wives of the Tenn Repucblican leaders too.

Posted by: chyk o | May 19, 2008 8:07:45 PM

Perhaps they should have called him He With Many Names:

Barry Soetoro
Barack Hussein Obama
Barry Obama
Barack Obama

and now

Barack Black Eagle

I like to think of him as Bolsa De Humo.

Posted by: Thunderbolt | May 19, 2008 8:13:59 PM

Hillary Bright Feather will win the nomination.

Posted by: Anders Scooper | May 19, 2008 8:21:13 PM

OldOregon says Obama was raised by a wealthy Hawaiian family????
First - Obama is NOT Hawaiian.
Second - Obama went to an expensive school in Hawaii. So did I - my parents sacrificed everything so that their children could have a decent education in a state where the public school system is abysmal. His mother did him the same favor. She's from Kansas, and his dad from Kenya.

And hey Thunderbolt - what's wrong with having a nickname in highschool?? Or being named after your grandfather? Or using your stepfather's name? Barry, Barack, Hussein, WHATEVER - he's going to be the next PotUS - so get used to it.

Posted by: waimeamom | May 19, 2008 8:33:28 PM

Here is another example showing how geographically ignorant Obama is:

"What it says is that I'm not very well known in that part of the country," Obama said. "Sen. Clinton, I think, is much better known, coming from a nearby state of Arkansas. So it's not surprising that she would have an advantage in some of those states in the middle."

He also said Japan refused to import US beef because they don't want competition. But Japan stopped importing US beef because of mad cow.

He also said "We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other
countries are going to say OK"

These words just sound so ... I expect we hold a higher standard for a person claims to be the "HOPE". Oh, well we have Bush already.

Posted by: Amy | May 19, 2008 8:39:52 PM

Damn,....hate don't take a day off, me thinks your problems are much closer to home

Posted by: Chill | May 19, 2008 8:54:01 PM

Obama 08.

I respect the family for welcoming him into their home. I only wish my fellow citizens would DROP their Racist uninformed comments and welcome him as well.

At the very least, leave legitimate arguments, not debunked many times over proven false accusations in the form of comments.

Peace to you all- John mcCain is Bad.

Sally Blueflower

Posted by: Sally | May 19, 2008 8:57:32 PM

I am appalled by the comments that show an overwhelming amount of misinformation that cite UNREPUTABLE sources. Try wikipedia,factcheck.org and others, try reliable news sites and see what you can find. There are no ties to terrorists, no radical muslims in his background. But I guess it's easier to believe smears without foundation than thinking about it and looking for real live facts to back it up. If you're thinking of Ayers, look it up on factcheck. He was never convicted, he was a very minor person in the weather underground. Don't believe everything Hanity says! Michelle has often stated that she was speaking about the election and support when she said that sentence. She went on to clarify that she was speaking about the election process throughout her life. That's why you only hear one sentence in the clip.It makes it easy to take out of context. I think the democrats ought to start recording the spouses of republicans and using whatever sentences can best be twisted and make a large video of republican spouses. Obama will not raise the taxes of the average folks, he wants to raise the taxes of millionaires so they pay the same percentage as the average hard working citizens. You have a problem with millionaires paying their fair share rather than to continue getting Bush's tax breaks for the wealthy??? Amazing, you must love McCain. To the author of this story, many thanks. It is about time the Native Americans got some recognition and understanding in our goverment. It's too bad this rally didn't get more coverage.

Posted by: Jeri Newswatcher | May 19, 2008 9:08:32 PM

I keep my house on 76f in summer not 72f.
72f is like heaven ,,,wow,,,
Cut energy crisis Mr...

Posted by: catleya | May 19, 2008 9:17:51 PM

Anybody know what does he mean with " Old washington Politic"?

Posted by: catleya | May 19, 2008 9:21:41 PM

Yes he did go to elementary school for a year or two in Indonesia - a muslim country. I went to school in a Christian country - and lo and behold we learned the Bible!! But hey guess what? I am not a Christian. Amazing.

Posted by: waimeamom | May 19, 2008 9:30:55 PM

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