Why the Illegal Aunt Story Matters
With 3 days to go before Election Day the McCain campaign is in desperate need of a game changer to alter voter perceptions about each candidate. Time is his enemy and the Team of Mavericks (ok really sidekicks) now hopes this story, first reported by the Associated Press, is it.
According to the Associated Press: “Barack Obama’s aunt, a Kenyan woman who has been quietly living in public housing in Boston, is in the United States illegally after an immigration judge rejected her request for asylum four years ago, The Associated Press has learned. Zeituni Onyango, 56, referred to as “Aunti Zeituni” in Obama’s memoir, was instructed to leave the United States by a U.S. immigration judge who denied her asylum request, a person familiar with the matter told the AP late Friday. This person spoke on condition of anonymity because no one was authorized to discuss Onyango’s case.”
The Obama campaign was quick to note today that they had no knowledge of her immigration status and that “any and all appropriate laws” should be followed. “The campaign issued a statement on that,” David Axelrod told reporters, “And I don’t have anything more to add to it, other than I think people are suspicious about stories that surface in the last 72 hours of a national campaign.
Why does this story matter? Frankly, its a non-issue. Obama hasn’t spoken to her in years (yes, not months but years), he isn’t responsible for her, doesn’t provide for her, and didn’t pull any special favors to help her. This story matters because the radical right is in a tizzy right now looking for something, anything to get voters to retreat from Obama. Watch how over the next 24 hours they attack on this issue. This story matters because the radical right will try and make it matter. It is up to the rest of the country, to reject sidebar issues and to consider the real stakes of this election.
The facts do not support the radical right but that hasn’t stopped them before, so don’t expect it to stop them now. The key for Obama is to stay focused on what people care about - the economy and the future of America. With that closing message he will win.
With new polling out today that shows Obama’s lead has expanded over the last 24 hours, the American people seem intent on rejecting the kind of nonsense the Republicans have been spewing during this fall campaign. Gallup’s latest poll has Obama up 10%. That’s not a victory, that’s a landslide and a mandate for change.
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8 Responses to “Why the Illegal Aunt Story Matters”
What we need to be focused on our votes. I just watche a documentary on HBO called “Hacking Democracy”. This is very scary.I want to know why the issue of someone or group potentially hacking into the memory cards of electronic voting systems have not been addressed????? This is serious, our lives are at stake and we have individuals or groups messing around with our future, and yet the “best political team” on CNN has been quiet. Why???? If it is not true, why have they not denounced the theory?? Diebold machines who were the focus of this documentary continue to use thousands of there machines in several states. Whether you are republican or democrat, white, black, hispanic, asian whatever, too many people have died for us to have that right. The thought; just the thought of it being stolen makes me sick to my stomach. We need to be vigilant in 3 days and ask questions. The main stream media has avoided this like the plague, but yet they spend so much time focusing on ACORN, lets tlak about Diebold and there ties to the political scene.
Comment made on November 1st, 2008 at 8:12 pmSo, what’s the big deal? There are millions of illegal immigrants in this country. One in Obama’s family is not surprising, given his ethnically diverse background. Also, it is simply an accurate representation of this country - where immigrants come to live to start a new life. A denial of this historic fact, is a denial of reality.
Comment made on November 1st, 2008 at 8:43 pmEvery time I think maybe the old McCain might be coming back - his campaign lets loose with another dirty trick. How long and how much money did they have to spend to dig up the Aunt story? This is Bush and Chaney all over again. Glad I didn’t vote early so I can move other to the Dem. side without any guilt. You blew it John - first with Palin and then by letting Karl Rowe take over your campaign. When you and Cindy wake up on Wed and wonder what happen - play back some of Palin’s and now your speeches and see the hate and how you have tried to devide this country.
Comment made on November 1st, 2008 at 9:16 pmit shouldn’t matter to anyone man.
it’s just another bullshit distract story.
peace out
Comment made on November 1st, 2008 at 10:27 pmIt’s amazing how it doesn’t matter to the Democrats whether the Illegal Aunt story is even true or not. The very FIRST thing they do is demand an investigation as to who started or “leaked” the story. This is insane.
Comment made on November 1st, 2008 at 10:46 pmIt matters because Americans are sick and tired of Obama thinking he is above having to answer any questions. He is going to throw his aunt under the bus just like he did his grandmother and his pastor etc…You can’t keep lying over and over and avoiding the real answers. Idiots on this blog seriously think that the other side haven’t been questioned??? Americans deserve answers and they don’t think for a moment that he didn’t know she was here. He wrote about her in his book and if he didn’t know she was here, shame on him. Shame, shame shame for having her live that way but then doesn’t Obama have relatives in kenya making $1 a month. Why doesn’t he spread his wealth and quit being selfish. While he lives in his 1.6 million dollar home, his fathers sister lives in govt housing. That is why we needed to know this story!!! Let’s give this close to his home and his family. That is why democrats are leaving him by the droves as they are disgusted!!! Enough is enough for me and many others.
Comment made on November 1st, 2008 at 11:45 pmAll this McCain tricks seems to be making him look bad..well really nothing can make him look as bad as he already does I guess. Who cares if Auntie is illegal or not that has nothing to do with OBAMA him self. Hey I may have a relative who has been in jail but I have not so who cares as long as I have not been in jail. That does not make me a bad person. I will say the more and more i see here of the games McCain is playing the more I really listen to OBAMA speak. He is a very good speaker and a well educated man. There are illegals in this country and until we get them all out of here lets just not pick on one that just so happens to be related to a person who is running for president. Geezzzzz there are whole houses filled with 30 illegals get them 1st not one poor old sole. Wake up people forget this illegal stuff and think about if OBAMA will be a good persident or not! My self I sure think at this point he will be a better one than McCain after all the dirty tricks he is pulling. Just think what dirty tricks McCain will pull on us if he gets into office. Oh How scarey!
Comment made on November 2nd, 2008 at 1:02 amIt doesn’t matter at all… unless you are writing a shitty blog.
Comment made on November 2nd, 2008 at 3:57 pmLeave a Comment