Andy Martin creates a firestorm over mainstream media efforts to conceal Barack Obama's religious roots
Andy Martin's book goes from bestseller to blockbuster as left/right battle over Obama. Martin keeps publishing the truth about Obama, and the Washington Post gets caught deceiving its readers as to the provenance of so-called "political expert" Danielle Allen, who appears to be an Obama campaign operative. Martin calls his book a "take-it-to-the beach-and-enjoy" volume. "Obama: The Man Behind The Mask" goes on sale nationally within days.
ANDY MARTIN
Executive Editor
ContrarianCommentary.com
“Factually Correct, Not
Politically Correct”
AMERICA’S #1 POLITICAL
BLOG ON THE 2008 CAMPAIGN
AUTHOR ANDY MARTIN'S COLUMNS TRIGGER EMBARRASSMENT FOR WASHINGTON POST AND MAELSTROM OF RIGHT/LEFT CRITICISM
MARTIN'S NEW BOOK IS AT THE PRINTER AND WILL BE ON SALE NATIONALLY WITHIN DAYS.
"TIMING IS EVERYTHING," SAYS ANDY
(NEW YORK)(June 30, 2008) By the looks of it, we have created a firestorm across the Internet, and across the presidential campaign. What is a little amazing is that this mountain of controversy comes just as my new book "Obama: The Man Behind The Mask" goes on sale nationally. Timing is everything.
And, since people who have no particular desire to help sales of my book generate all of the publicity, it all leaves you believing in divine intervention. Nevertheless, "Obama: The Man Behind the Mask," already a bestseller, is now headed for blockbuster status.
What explains all of this continuing conflict over Senator Barack Obama's religious beliefs? There are a number of factors.
First, the liberal mainstream media establishment insists on blatantly deceiving readers and viewers. Matthew Mosk of the Washington Post wrote an article about my columns, but he put the picture of someone else, Danielle Allen, on the story. Mosk neglected to tell his readers that Allen was an Obama contributor who had been an Obama defender in print media for years; in all likelihood an Obama campaign operative. Readers were deceived into believing Mosk's fairy tale that Allen "woke up one morning" and decided to take up a spear for Obama. Mosk's basic story line was a blatant sham.
Once the Internet focused on the Post's reporting, Allen was humiliated, Mosk was disgraced, and the Post's reputation for fairness and balance was in tatters. Mosk's article boomeranged on the Obama campaign.
The only one left standing with an intact reputation was me.
Second, despite Obama's lies, he grew up in a Muslim family. I am not going to hyperlink every story that confirms that fact. It is a fact. It is useless and counterproductive for Obama to deny that fact. Why does he persist in lying? About his childhood, for God's sake? Obama is clearly in deep denial about his convoluted upbringing, unstable mother, scandalous father and hapless stepfather.
Third, childhood religious experiences matter. They matter a great deal. Obama admitted to a New York Times reporter in 2007 that Obama could still recite Muslin prayers in flawless Arabic. That learning did not come by accident or overnight. It came through relentless drilling in the Arabic language. (Whether we call it rote memorization or repetition, the effect is the same; the Islamic prayers were drilled into his brain. Just ask a Roman Catholic friend about similar "drilling.") I have also quoted the old Jesuit saw that says "If we have a boy until he is seven years old, we have him for life." The Muslim religion had Obama in various forms until he was around ten.
Important note: when Obama moved in with his grandparents, they made no effort to displace his Muslim heritage because they had no religious beliefs of their own to substitute. Since children don’t begin to develop reasoning powers until eight or nine, Obama's Muslim roots remained by default.
Fourth, journalistic integrity matters. When I first began writing about Obama's religious roots, conservatives were suspicious. I have differences of opinion with some conservatives on U. S. Middle East policy. "How," conservatives asked, "could someone such as Andy Martin, who is sympathetic to the Muslim point of view, be 'exposing' Barack Obama?" The reason I could write about Obama with a clear conscience is that I owe my only loyalty to the truth, and through the truth to my readers and listeners.
Yes, I do have sympathies, and I am honest and open about them. But I never let my personal views interfere with the facts. Although no one will ever thank me for it, I have probably screened out more anti-Obama trash than anyone else. If there is no truth behind the facts, I won’t get behind the story.
So, where do we stand on the eve of publication of my blockbuster book?
The book has large amounts of new commentary that have never appeared anywhere. Regular readers of my columns will want to obtain a copy to see how I analyze old issues and look to the future. There is also an anthology of collected columns to show how I kept digging relentlessly for the truth about Obama. The book is designed to be readable and accessible, a take-it-to-the beach-and-enjoy volume. I write for Hillary Clinton Democrats (those of media myth anyway) as well as country club Republicans. As we say in my own church, the Episcopal Church, "All are Welcome," to buy a copy of the book.
Second, the Washington Post's ombudsman Deborah Howell will face a firestorm when she returns. She is apparently on vacation. The Post handled the Andy Martin/Danielle Allen story very, very badly. Readers were at least misled and possibly deceived. Matt Mosk has egg on his face. (Interestingly, Mosk treated me fairly and accurately, so I have no personal beef with the WP.)
Third, Barack Obama's "Fightthesmears.com" shenanigans have exploded in his face. Again.
Fourth, I have become the conservative poster boy for self-identified "hard left" media loonies such as Christopher Hayes of "The Nation" and Ben Smith of Politico.com. They will stop at nothing to smear me with lies, damn lies and more lies. In fact, in order to placate the "hard left," I have had to invent the fantasy of ContrarianCommentary.com's massive underground command and control bunker in Midtown Manhattan, where I manipulate coverage of the 2008 presidential election. Keith Olbermann has a standing invitation to visit. I only ask that Mr. Hayes and the others who have made me a poster boy keep it clean. No Page Six stuff, Keith.
Finally, ContrarianCommentary.com and its related blogs remain America's #1 political blog on the 2008 presidential race because we are independent, impartial and honest. That is a lot more than I can say for Barack Obama and his sycophants in the mainstream media. You keep reading and I'll keep writing. As Sergeant Joe Friday would always intone, "Just the facts, ma'am."
Buy the book and take it to the beach. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent you can count on my facts and opinions to get your blood flowing. After forty years observing the sewers and cesspools of Illinois politics, I know Barack Obama. And he is Barack Obama. He's no John Kennedy. A tip of the hat to former Senator Lloyd Bentsen for that thought.
BOOK ORDERS: http://orangestatepress.com
-------------------------------------------------------
©
document.write(new Date().getFullYear())
2008 The Washington Post Company
Obama E-Mail Timeline
2004
August 10: Andy Martin — a former political opponent of Obama and now the publisher of an internet newspaper — posts an article saying that Obama has concealed his Muslim heritage. Martin says that under Islamic law Obama became a Muslim at birth due to his father's religion.
2006
December 29: Ted Sampley, a former U.S. Army Green Beret and conservative political activist, publishes an article titled "Obama, Who is He?" The article quotes Martin, as well as others, who say Obama is a Muslim.
December 29: A first version of the "Who Is Barack Obama?" email is captured by Snopes.com, a Web site dedicated investigating rumors and myths that spread via the Internet.
2007
January 2: Andrew Walden, the founder of an alternative Hawaiian newspaper, publishes an article with many of the same biographical details from the email, such as that Obama was "raised in Muslim lands and educated in Muslim schools."
January 8: A FreeRepublic.com reader using the name "Cedar" posts a version of the email, which associates Obama with radical Islam. His post garners only 13 replies.
January 15: Different versions of the email are posted on an "Urban Legends" page on About.com.
January 16: Three versions of the email show up on FreeRepublic.com, including the version that was earlier posted on the Web site Snopes.com.
January 17: Insight, a conservative Web magazine owned by the Unification Church, publishes a story that alleges the Clinton campaign is asking questions about Obama's background:
"Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a Madrassa as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage? This is the question Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's camp is asking about Sen. Barack Obama."
January 19: The Fox television network's morning program, "Fox & Friends" broadcasts a report based on the Insight story.
January 23: CNN runs a report refuting the Insight story. The network states that the school Obama attended in Indonesia was not a madrassa.
January 30: FreeRepublic.com reader FrouFrou posts the Ted Sampley article "Obama: Who Is He?"
February 10: Obama announces he will run for president.
August: CBS News asks voters in a poll what they think Obama's religion is. Seven percent think he is Protestant, 7 percent say Muslim, and 84 percent don't know or don't answer.
Mid-November: The Obama campaign posts a dossier on its Web site titled "Obama Has Never Been A Muslim, And Is a Committed Christian." It includes testimonials from religious leaders vouching for Obama's faith.
December 5: Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign acknowledges an Iowa volunteer forwarded a version of the email. "This was wholly unauthorized, and we were totally unaware of it," Patti Solis Doyle, Clinton's campaign manager, tells The New York Times. "Let me be clear: No one should be engaging in this."
2008
January 15: Obama confronts the issue during Las Vegas debate:
"Let's make clear what the facts are: I am a Christian. I have been sworn in with a Bible. I pledge allegiance [to the American flag] and lead the pledge of allegiance sometimes in the United States Senate when I'm presiding."
March: An NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll asks:
Do you know what Barack Obama's religion is?
Of those who know, 37 percent answer Protestant (includes United Church of Christ, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian and other Christians), 13 percent say Muslim.
April: A Newsweek poll shows the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy has no impact on public perceptions about Obama's religion. The portion of the voting population that believe he is Muslim remains 13 percent — and that belief is higher (16 percent) among those described as working class whites.
April 21: Obama tells The New York Times:
"It's not just that I'm a Christian and some of these emails are misinforming people. They're also feeding on anti-Muslim sentiment and that's also wrong."
June 12: The Obama campaign unveils a Web site called Fight the Smears to address the email rumors.
CREDIT: Reporting by Matthew Mosk, The Washington Post - June 28, 2008
---------------------------------------------------------
Andy Martin is a legendary Chicago muckraker, author, Internet columnist, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. Andy is the Executive Editor and publisher of www.ContrarianCommentary.com. © Copyright by Andy Martin 2008. Martin covers regional, national and world events with over forty years of experience. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. His columns are also posted at ContrarianCommentary.blogspot.com; contrariancommentary.wordpress.com. Andy is the author of Obama: The Man Behind The Mask, being published in July 2008, see http://www.OrangeStatePress.com. MEDIA CONTACT: (866) 706-2639 E-MAIL: AndyMart20@aol.com [NOTE: We frequently correct typographical errors and additions/subtractions on our blogs, where you can find the latest edition of this release.]
Andy Martin's book goes from bestseller to blockbuster as left/right battle over Obama. Martin keeps publishing the truth about Obama, and the Washington Post gets caught deceiving its readers as to the provenance of so-called "political expert" Danielle Allen, who appears to be an Obama campaign operative. Martin calls his book a "take-it-to-the beach-and-enjoy" volume. "Obama: The Man Behind The Mask" goes on sale nationally within days.
ANDY MARTIN
Executive Editor
ContrarianCommentary.com
“Factually Correct, Not
Politically Correct”
AMERICA’S #1 POLITICAL
BLOG ON THE 2008 CAMPAIGN
AUTHOR ANDY MARTIN'S COLUMNS TRIGGER EMBARRASSMENT FOR WASHINGTON POST AND MAELSTROM OF RIGHT/LEFT CRITICISM
MARTIN'S NEW BOOK IS AT THE PRINTER AND WILL BE ON SALE NATIONALLY WITHIN DAYS.
"TIMING IS EVERYTHING," SAYS ANDY
(NEW YORK)(June 30, 2008) By the looks of it, we have created a firestorm across the Internet, and across the presidential campaign. What is a little amazing is that this mountain of controversy comes just as my new book "Obama: The Man Behind The Mask" goes on sale nationally. Timing is everything.
And, since people who have no particular desire to help sales of my book generate all of the publicity, it all leaves you believing in divine intervention. Nevertheless, "Obama: The Man Behind the Mask," already a bestseller, is now headed for blockbuster status.
What explains all of this continuing conflict over Senator Barack Obama's religious beliefs? There are a number of factors.
First, the liberal mainstream media establishment insists on blatantly deceiving readers and viewers. Matthew Mosk of the Washington Post wrote an article about my columns, but he put the picture of someone else, Danielle Allen, on the story. Mosk neglected to tell his readers that Allen was an Obama contributor who had been an Obama defender in print media for years; in all likelihood an Obama campaign operative. Readers were deceived into believing Mosk's fairy tale that Allen "woke up one morning" and decided to take up a spear for Obama. Mosk's basic story line was a blatant sham.
Once the Internet focused on the Post's reporting, Allen was humiliated, Mosk was disgraced, and the Post's reputation for fairness and balance was in tatters. Mosk's article boomeranged on the Obama campaign.
The only one left standing with an intact reputation was me.
Second, despite Obama's lies, he grew up in a Muslim family. I am not going to hyperlink every story that confirms that fact. It is a fact. It is useless and counterproductive for Obama to deny that fact. Why does he persist in lying? About his childhood, for God's sake? Obama is clearly in deep denial about his convoluted upbringing, unstable mother, scandalous father and hapless stepfather.
Third, childhood religious experiences matter. They matter a great deal. Obama admitted to a New York Times reporter in 2007 that Obama could still recite Muslin prayers in flawless Arabic. That learning did not come by accident or overnight. It came through relentless drilling in the Arabic language. (Whether we call it rote memorization or repetition, the effect is the same; the Islamic prayers were drilled into his brain. Just ask a Roman Catholic friend about similar "drilling.") I have also quoted the old Jesuit saw that says "If we have a boy until he is seven years old, we have him for life." The Muslim religion had Obama in various forms until he was around ten.
Important note: when Obama moved in with his grandparents, they made no effort to displace his Muslim heritage because they had no religious beliefs of their own to substitute. Since children don’t begin to develop reasoning powers until eight or nine, Obama's Muslim roots remained by default.
Fourth, journalistic integrity matters. When I first began writing about Obama's religious roots, conservatives were suspicious. I have differences of opinion with some conservatives on U. S. Middle East policy. "How," conservatives asked, "could someone such as Andy Martin, who is sympathetic to the Muslim point of view, be 'exposing' Barack Obama?" The reason I could write about Obama with a clear conscience is that I owe my only loyalty to the truth, and through the truth to my readers and listeners.
Yes, I do have sympathies, and I am honest and open about them. But I never let my personal views interfere with the facts. Although no one will ever thank me for it, I have probably screened out more anti-Obama trash than anyone else. If there is no truth behind the facts, I won’t get behind the story.
So, where do we stand on the eve of publication of my blockbuster book?
The book has large amounts of new commentary that have never appeared anywhere. Regular readers of my columns will want to obtain a copy to see how I analyze old issues and look to the future. There is also an anthology of collected columns to show how I kept digging relentlessly for the truth about Obama. The book is designed to be readable and accessible, a take-it-to-the beach-and-enjoy volume. I write for Hillary Clinton Democrats (those of media myth anyway) as well as country club Republicans. As we say in my own church, the Episcopal Church, "All are Welcome," to buy a copy of the book.
Second, the Washington Post's ombudsman Deborah Howell will face a firestorm when she returns. She is apparently on vacation. The Post handled the Andy Martin/Danielle Allen story very, very badly. Readers were at least misled and possibly deceived. Matt Mosk has egg on his face. (Interestingly, Mosk treated me fairly and accurately, so I have no personal beef with the WP.)
Third, Barack Obama's "Fightthesmears.com" shenanigans have exploded in his face. Again.
Fourth, I have become the conservative poster boy for self-identified "hard left" media loonies such as Christopher Hayes of "The Nation" and Ben Smith of Politico.com. They will stop at nothing to smear me with lies, damn lies and more lies. In fact, in order to placate the "hard left," I have had to invent the fantasy of ContrarianCommentary.com's massive underground command and control bunker in Midtown Manhattan, where I manipulate coverage of the 2008 presidential election. Keith Olbermann has a standing invitation to visit. I only ask that Mr. Hayes and the others who have made me a poster boy keep it clean. No Page Six stuff, Keith.
Finally, ContrarianCommentary.com and its related blogs remain America's #1 political blog on the 2008 presidential race because we are independent, impartial and honest. That is a lot more than I can say for Barack Obama and his sycophants in the mainstream media. You keep reading and I'll keep writing. As Sergeant Joe Friday would always intone, "Just the facts, ma'am."
Buy the book and take it to the beach. Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Independent you can count on my facts and opinions to get your blood flowing. After forty years observing the sewers and cesspools of Illinois politics, I know Barack Obama. And he is Barack Obama. He's no John Kennedy. A tip of the hat to former Senator Lloyd Bentsen for that thought.
BOOK ORDERS: http://orangestatepress.com
-------------------------------------------------------
©
document.write(new Date().getFullYear())
2008 The Washington Post Company
Obama E-Mail Timeline
2004
August 10: Andy Martin — a former political opponent of Obama and now the publisher of an internet newspaper — posts an article saying that Obama has concealed his Muslim heritage. Martin says that under Islamic law Obama became a Muslim at birth due to his father's religion.
2006
December 29: Ted Sampley, a former U.S. Army Green Beret and conservative political activist, publishes an article titled "Obama, Who is He?" The article quotes Martin, as well as others, who say Obama is a Muslim.
December 29: A first version of the "Who Is Barack Obama?" email is captured by Snopes.com, a Web site dedicated investigating rumors and myths that spread via the Internet.
2007
January 2: Andrew Walden, the founder of an alternative Hawaiian newspaper, publishes an article with many of the same biographical details from the email, such as that Obama was "raised in Muslim lands and educated in Muslim schools."
January 8: A FreeRepublic.com reader using the name "Cedar" posts a version of the email, which associates Obama with radical Islam. His post garners only 13 replies.
January 15: Different versions of the email are posted on an "Urban Legends" page on About.com.
January 16: Three versions of the email show up on FreeRepublic.com, including the version that was earlier posted on the Web site Snopes.com.
January 17: Insight, a conservative Web magazine owned by the Unification Church, publishes a story that alleges the Clinton campaign is asking questions about Obama's background:
"Are the American people ready for an elected president who was educated in a Madrassa as a young boy and has not been forthcoming about his Muslim heritage? This is the question Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's camp is asking about Sen. Barack Obama."
January 19: The Fox television network's morning program, "Fox & Friends" broadcasts a report based on the Insight story.
January 23: CNN runs a report refuting the Insight story. The network states that the school Obama attended in Indonesia was not a madrassa.
January 30: FreeRepublic.com reader FrouFrou posts the Ted Sampley article "Obama: Who Is He?"
February 10: Obama announces he will run for president.
August: CBS News asks voters in a poll what they think Obama's religion is. Seven percent think he is Protestant, 7 percent say Muslim, and 84 percent don't know or don't answer.
Mid-November: The Obama campaign posts a dossier on its Web site titled "Obama Has Never Been A Muslim, And Is a Committed Christian." It includes testimonials from religious leaders vouching for Obama's faith.
December 5: Sen. Hillary Clinton's campaign acknowledges an Iowa volunteer forwarded a version of the email. "This was wholly unauthorized, and we were totally unaware of it," Patti Solis Doyle, Clinton's campaign manager, tells The New York Times. "Let me be clear: No one should be engaging in this."
2008
January 15: Obama confronts the issue during Las Vegas debate:
"Let's make clear what the facts are: I am a Christian. I have been sworn in with a Bible. I pledge allegiance [to the American flag] and lead the pledge of allegiance sometimes in the United States Senate when I'm presiding."
March: An NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll asks:
Do you know what Barack Obama's religion is?
Of those who know, 37 percent answer Protestant (includes United Church of Christ, Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal, Presbyterian and other Christians), 13 percent say Muslim.
April: A Newsweek poll shows the Rev. Jeremiah Wright controversy has no impact on public perceptions about Obama's religion. The portion of the voting population that believe he is Muslim remains 13 percent — and that belief is higher (16 percent) among those described as working class whites.
April 21: Obama tells The New York Times:
"It's not just that I'm a Christian and some of these emails are misinforming people. They're also feeding on anti-Muslim sentiment and that's also wrong."
June 12: The Obama campaign unveils a Web site called Fight the Smears to address the email rumors.
CREDIT: Reporting by Matthew Mosk, The Washington Post - June 28, 2008
---------------------------------------------------------
Andy Martin is a legendary Chicago muckraker, author, Internet columnist, radio talk show host, broadcaster and media critic. Andy is the Executive Editor and publisher of www.ContrarianCommentary.com. © Copyright by Andy Martin 2008. Martin covers regional, national and world events with over forty years of experience. He holds a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. His columns are also posted at ContrarianCommentary.blogspot.com; contrariancommentary.wordpress.com. Andy is the author of Obama: The Man Behind The Mask, being published in July 2008, see http://www.OrangeStatePress.com. MEDIA CONTACT: (866) 706-2639 E-MAIL: AndyMart20@aol.com [NOTE: We frequently correct typographical errors and additions/subtractions on our blogs, where you can find the latest edition of this release.]
posted by Andy Martin | 9:54 PM
1 Comments:
Senator Obama is NOT a Dirty Muslim!
"What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge," says Mr. Obama, while denouncing statements of him being a Muslim as a smear. Why is the presidential candidate who claims to be religiously inclusive is treating the word "Muslim" as an insult? Apparently, it is OK for Mr. Obama to be associated with terrorists like William Ayers or racists like Jeremiah Wright, but God forbid somebody would call him a Muslim! No, he won't stand for that kind of smear! We admit that most terrorists are Muslims, but most Muslims are not terrorists and the statement on Mr. Obama's website is insulting to hundreds of millions of people.
How could a man who discards his family heritage in favor of political expediency be even considered for presidency of the United States? Where are all the so-called "Islamic civil rights groups" like CAIR, MPAC, ISNA, MAS, etc. who are quick to defend every Islamic terrorist, but are silent when Muslims in general are being denigrated? Would Mr. Obama have the same reaction if someone claimed that he was raised as a Jew? We sincerely doubt that.
"In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific reassurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction." Barack Obama, "The Audacity of Hope", page 261.
Well, the political winds did shift in an ugly direction. Is equating "Muslim" with "smear" Obama's idea of "stand[ing] with [Muslims]?
Muslims Against Sharia demand immediate removal of "SMEAR: Barack Obama is a Muslim" statement from the official Barack Obama's website as well as an apology for giving the word "Muslim" a negative connotation.
http://muslimsagainstsharia.blogspot.com/2008/06/senator-obama-is-not-dirty-muslim.html
Post a Comment
<< Home