RSS Feed for This PostCurrent Article

“How Chicago Politics Shaped Obama”

By NewHampster on October 19, 2008 at 8:00 PM in Current Affairs

by Michele Norris

NPR All Things Considered, October 16, 2008

I had the rare chance to catch an entire segment of Michele Norris on Thursday and I couldn’t believe I was hearing one of the Obamedia outlets do an honest look into his Chicago politics.

The read is good but being NPR, if you go to the site you can listen to the entire segment.  It really is quite chilling to hear one of his supporters say, “I’m afraid he learned to go along,” says Dobry, the Hyde Park political activist. “There’s a fellow I know, another committeeman, ‘Bull Jive’ Taylor. [He] used to say to me, ‘Alan, why don’t you go along? Everything would be so much easier. Everything would be so much smoother.’ And I think Barack learned to go along. It may get him elected president, but it doesn’t make me happy.”

When Democrat Barack Obama began his run for the White House, he faced constant questions about his fortitude and his lack of experience in national politics: Is he tough enough? When attacked, will he cower or will he fight back?

So common were these questions that a popular New York Times columnist took to calling him “O-Bambi.”

It’s now widely believed that Obama toughened up in the course of a long nomination battle. But people in Chicago who knew Obama long before he became a political star say he has always had that warrior instinct.

Chicago, known as the “City of the Big Shoulders,” is famous for its pugilistic politics.

“We always say there is a little bit of gangster in everybody who’s from Chicago,” Cobb says, adding it’s a point of tremendous pride.

So how did Obama’s time in Chicago shape him as a politician?

The story of Obama’s first election could be called: “The Political Execution of Alice Palmer.”

Yes, they said the “Political Execution of Alice Palmer” and had me listening for the rest of the show.

  • NewHampster

    Obama’s new style of politics seems awfully familiar to people used to broken knees and smashed knuckles.

    • Helena

      Because Obama was a Kenyan citizen until he was 21, did he register at Occidental College and Columbia University as a Kenyan or British Subject?

      It would have been his right to do this, as he inherited this citizenship from his father, and it would have been to his advantage because the applicant pool from Kenya would not have had as many people with his elite prep school education.

      It would have been a smart move on his part at the time and there’s nothing inherently wrong about it.

      The US applicant pool is much more competitive for these elite colleges.

      Has anyone discussed this thoroughly? I know the college records are all locked up…but wouldn’t Americans want to know if he applied to the schools and registered under his foreign citizenship?

      What’s wrong with this is his secrecy and covering up his true history. His educated, elite followers would no doubt understand and approve of his applying and registering for college as a Kenyan citizen, while others would wonder why he felt he had to keep it a secret and go to great lengths to cover it up.

  • WasLNbutNoBamaBotsKeepStealingMyName

    Yes, next to be executed, should Precious be elected steal the election, will be our American way of life and freedom.

  • street_parade

    The biggest cognitive dissonance (sp?) with Obama has always been that he emerged from a Chicago he was unable to ‘change’ in any way. Indeed there is no evidence this ‘change agent’ ever even tried.

    Surely the Chicago political cesspool provided ample opportunities to show himself to be a reformer. There is certainly much to be cleaned up.

    But from Obama? Nothing.

    • http://purplechiten.wordpress.com Chiten

      His platform is “Change” not because he changed Chicago, but because Chicago changed him.

      I’m DYING to hear that MO tape and watch everything crumble around the arrogant, hate filled couple!

  • NOt That One

    time for a million American strong multi state class action federal lawsuit demanding nobama provide his birth certificate to prove his qualification for president.

    any one know if this is possible?

  • http://deleted Buzz Latte

    The only thing Obama deserves from the american voter is a pair of cement shoes. [Administrator: This kind of remark earns people a visit from the Secret Service. Do not EVER make such remarks here again.]

    Damn, I bet even Al Capone would think Obama was too corrupt. Obama has no honor whatsoever.

    It is my understanding that Operation Board Games is not over as far as pending indictments and prosecutions. Blagojevich is next in line. Obama will hopefully be after him.

    • http://deleted Buzz Latte

      Sorry. Didn’t think about it. It will not happen again.

      My apologies.

  • Fandango13

    Why would NPR tell any truth about Obama? If they said ANYTHING negative, it would be because someone else already had the story.
    I will not easily forget NPR’s Ken Rudin comparing Hillary to the Glenn Close creature in “Fatal Attraction”.
    NPR: too little, too late.
    PUMA

  • 30yrdem-not any more

    We have to get out the vote for McCain.

    Hannity is airing pt.2 of his Obama Ayers show ….pretty good so far. He is going to talk about Rezko also.

    • Liz B

      Anybody know what has happened to the Jerome Corsi story that was supposed to be airing on Hannity’s America last week?
      Did somebody do away with the guy? I have not heard word one about him, since he claimed to have documentation of emails connecting Obama to the Odinga Campaign in Kenya.
      I am more than a little curious about what has happened to both him and his documents.
      Any word people?

  • EightBelles

    Americans who know the truth about Barack Obama but who choose to ignore the warning signs are themselves learning to “go along” with Chicago thug style politics. What surprises me is how someone of the calibre of Colin Powell could ignore all the red flags and himself “go along for the ride” when democracy as we know it is at stake.

    These are strange and terrible times in the US. More than ever this election has demonstrated to what degree “politics makes strange bedfellows.” I hope the DNC who bulldozed Sen Clinton out of the picture are aware of what a bunch of thugs and liars they, too, have become during election year 2008.

    • lark

      We Americans have built this hubris that our democracy is invincible and that we would never suffer as other nations have suffered for theirs. That nothing can ever change what we have. So we consider risky events like the election of Obama something that our country can easily absorb and withstand. No sweat. The common wisdom is that we will go through Obama’s administration whatever that would happen to bring and get to the other side unscathed.

      The same feeling goes for our economic success. That’s why we continue to increase our deficits.

      • NOt That One

        The idea that our democracy is safe is fantasy. Our democracy is susceptible now.
        Very susceptible.

    • leslie

      This is the same Colin Powell who showed slides of the “mobile laboratories” in Iraq. This is the same Colin Powell who covered up the My Lai massacre in Vietnam. This is the same Colin Powell who went along to get promotions and to remain in the Bush administration “good graces”.

      Why would you be surprised?

  • Shiloh

    Have to say I love what Rush said about Powell: Where are the inexperienced “white” liberals he has endorsed?

    • Fandango13

      That’s really funny. Nice post.

    • http://JohnMcCain.com Galt, Master Thrall of Planet Triskelion

      Shiloh, this election has brought out many “smart” people who have turned out to be total fucking morons obsessed with a symbolic idol presidency.

    • cookiegramma

      I fail to understand why there is any news value to this. There were very strong hints back in the primaries that Powell was going to endorse Obama. The campaign just had him sit on it. I smell a Chicago rat, something really big must be coming up. Certainly it cannot have been called on just because the polls are tightening.

      • http://JohnMcCain.com Galt, Master Thrall of Planet Triskelion

        Two possibilities or both together:

        Something is coming up. We know the GOP has a huge dossier on The Precious. We also know the GOP has been amazingly disciplined in ratcheting up the pressure.

        Sinking poll numbers.

        • Andrew

          Yep, bet they have some dark stuff. I think they are waiting till the last minute to release it so that Obama can’t talk his way out of it. He always talks his way out of crap.

  • Diana L. C.

    It’s frightening to me that people feel proud of politics done this way–or that they will actually vote for someone who “goes along.”

    And it frightens me that it does appear that Obama showed up in Chicago with the White House in mind.

    I guess I’m too idealistic.

  • WasLNbutNoBamaBotsKeepStealingMyName

    Sorry OT but breaking: African Press International just posted that the MO tape will be released in the U.S. in the next 24 hours.

    http://africanpress.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/the-obama-tapes-to-be-released/

    Hopefully, this is not a hoax.

    • Sarracuda In So Cal

      This better not be BS, seriously I am sick of this shit, either release it or not. But I do have a question, lets say they do release it, and michelle does go on a racist rant, will anyone change their mind and not vote for Obama, will this affect Obama in anyway? I do remember in 2004 how Kerry basically had the election won, til some info came out about his wife and shady dealings, which made some not like him. At this point I am not even sure if anything will change people’s minds about this fraud

      • Steve_in_KC

        The only purpose of releasing this tape or the so-called whitey tape is to show MO as a racist. I think that will be bad everybody, but it just might be the only way to get people to realize she is unfit to be First Lady.

        I know it will made racial tensions worse, especially if it becomes the turning point in the election. I abhor the concept that this might be required to prevent the take-over of Washington by Chicago BLT extremist thugs, but if she is on tape spewing racism, the Obamas cannot be allowed to win the presidency. The truth needs to come out.

        Frankly, I’ll be a bit relieved if there are no tapes or they are never released. But if that is the only way to stop this dangerous group, so be it. Bring it on. The truth must come out.

      • lark

        The tapes should have been released last Monday so now they will be released one week late. I still don’t believe they have a tape and I still think it is a bluff. But… if the tapes exist and they reveal what was written, then they will change thousands if not millions of votes. Mostly because of timing. Is too close for Barack and Michelle to rationalize those issues because they are too many issues within the conversation.

        • Sarracuda In So Cal

          I will believe it when I see it. the ones that are in the tank for Obama will NEVER EVER change their mind of him, but the ones on the fence for him would stop supporting him. I think if this is true(And I hope to God it is and not some stupid hoax cause I am sick of this, hoping and praying that something comes out that brings this guy down) releasing it tomorrow or sometime this week is perfect. Remember the Reverend Wright tapes, most people have forgotten about them already, people have a short term memory, but if the media, and ALL the media show it, then yeah there will be an effect I hope

          • Andrew

            Obama uses special voodoo that makes obedience mandatory. It is performed every time you go to one of his speeches. Some of the kids at my school were normal until they went to Barack-the-vote. Now they are zombified and can’t think critically.

            Oh, and about 5 minutes ago I was attacked by an O ad on Discovery Health, DISCOVERY HEALTH!! Ridiculous. No channel is safe.

    • Shiloh

      Yeah and those guys in Georgia had a frozen bigfoot too. This is bunk. it should not be given anymore ink or anymore attention.

      • http://JohnMcCain.com Galt, Master Thrall of Planet Triskelion

        Agreed. NQers, please don’t post that bullshit anymore.

    • Jason

      It’s definitely a hoax. Has anyone else noticed how many of the “reader comments” read like they were written by the same person, and scan like they were written by someone whose first language is not English? Notice how many of them “commend your professionalism in this matter”? Anyone who is used to reading threads on the Nigerian scam baiting websites will instantly recognize this African style scam bullshit a mile off.

      I predict – no tapes.

      • http://JohnMcCain.com Galt, Master Thrall of Planet Triskelion

        There was a blurb posted by the alleged tape owner that had what looked like a US IP address. So the bad English might be fake as well.

        I can write that way too:

        Thank you for your most prompt attentions to this most urgency of matters.

      • lark

        I think so too. I am not optimistic. Is too unusual for something as valuable as that to be guarded like that. And again, Sunday would have been 10 times better than a stupid Monday. Give me a break. Kindergarten infantile.

    • Andy

      The AIP story is a hoax. Do not believe it or you’ll be disappointed….
      Besides it’s supposed to be about some interview they made… whatever.
      Forget it; it’s like those Nigerian Spam messages telling you won the lottery.

  • Jane the Plumber

    Funny this happens to be the topic at no quarter. I was using google 2001 and found something I wanted to share.

    Restaurant spices congressional campaign

    A general manager of the Hyde Park restaurant Medici, Kirsten Schley, is demanding that the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) remove her likeness and the restaurant’s name from Rush leaflets and billboards. The INC. Column reports that Schley is angry the pictures were displayed without her permission and that supporters of Rush’s challenger, state Sen. Barack Obama (D-Chicago), are threatening to boycott her restaurant in retaliation.

    http://web.archive.org/web/20010712111741/yacgi.chicagotribune.com/news/metro/

    • NewHampster

      Awesome find plumber lady

  • TruthWillPrevail

    What goes along around, comes along
    around … Can’t wait for Rezko to sing Obama’s final
    farewell song.

    • Kal

      Wouldn’t that be nice!

      PUMA!!

  • jimbob

    ACORN did Obama’s dirty work in the Democratic Primary. I can see Obama, ACORN people, Jeremiah Wright, and Bill Ayers all saying: “She never knew what hit her.” They did it the Chicago way.

  • Peggy Sue

    And so? We’re to throw down the red carpet for Chicago politics meets Pennsylvania Ave?

    Wake up, America! This is like the vampire legend. They can’t get in, unless you throw open your window and invite them in.

    And then? It’s over.

    • street_parade

      Excellent analogy!

      They can’t get in, unless you invite them in.

  • Andy

    Thanks for the tip NewHampster; I’ll try to hear it.

    I wonder though why NPR is doing this on October 16th 2008 rather than October 16 2007. It is not like the info. was not out there already….

    Maybe it’s my skepticism but seems to me NPR had to make sure (a) to get rid of Hillary and (b) make sure Obama has –in their eyes- the election in the bag. So, when it’s alreday too late to change anyone’s mind why not go ahead air all the dirty laundry; so that they are not blamed for the cover up once he is POTUS?

    • Andrew

      NPR is paid by us but is under the dominion of the Soros. Just like PBS. Soros. Soros. Soros. He is like the evil mastermind in bad movies.

      • street_parade

        Or Sauron.

        That’s the really scary thing about BO, he’s just the dumb front man, you can’t take him or his idiot sidekick Joe Biden seriously. But BO’s clearly not going to be the one calling the shots.
        People like Pelosi, Reid and Kerry probably think they’re going to be in charge, but there just as dumb as BO/Biden.

        I can see the shadows behind the curtain, but I can’t make out the faces.

  • csuzeq

    Thank heavens for Hannity. If you haven’t seen part 2 of his expose on Obama’s radical friends, you must somehow see it!

    I hope undecideds are tuning in.

  • Sharon

    Obama is starting to formulate a total police state, with the cooperation of the media and the internet media, without even being President. It is amazing what one person can do with a bunch of BS, a LOT of money, and a big smug smile.
    I just got done watching “Iron Jawed Angels” for the first time. I was extremely angry all day, so I figured I needed to see it. I cried throughout the movie, but I was left with one burning thought -
    Lead, Follow, Or Get Out of the Way…….

    That is the subtitle of the movie. WE, meaning all of us forgotten citizens, need to take our country back from the politicians who think that we are nothing more than a pawn in their stupid egotistical game.

    The Democratic party has been totally corrupted and should be thrown aside by anyone who is a true believer in the Constitution and the right to vote and have your vote counted (honestly).

    We have endured Obama, and his minions, calling every type of citizen in the United States a negative name, racial slur, or an out and out condemnation. His minions have sent many of the women I know degrading sexual content, either in words or pictures. And, many of us got them constantly on MySpace.

    The media AND the internet media outlets, video hosts, and ‘social networks’ have allowed Obama’s minions to insert sexually degrading videos, and textual content, about Hillary, Sarah, Cindie, AND John. And, yet, Obama has nothing but soft words and rainbows surrounding him.

    I don’t know about you, but I am sick and tired of all of us being attacked, and all of our chosen leaders being attacked, because of one very sick, egotistical, arrogant puppy.

    “Matthew 25:40 – And the King shall answer and say to them, Truly I say to you, Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me.”

    This isn’t about a candidate anymore. It isn’t even about the elections. It is about the complete moral degradation of our society for the sole purpose of controlling our governmental system. There are ways to control human beings that result in all the same effects of a dictatorship, without blatantly looking like a dictatorship. But, I say, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck; it MUST be a duck!

    We have been ‘had’! We believed that our ‘system’ would not let us down, but it has gradually become 100% corrupted by the process and politicians that we put in place as our so-called leaders. Things MUST change. We cannot continue like this. Our country is doomed if we do.

    I intend to lead……..
    I WILL NOT follow the media-frenzied Obama supporters…….
    And, I absolutely REFUSE to get out of the way………..

    What do you intend to do?

    ________________________________________
    Take Care, Sharon

  • AF catfish

    Banks don’t lend to each other because they don’t trust each other. Now some are voting for a candidate we can’t trust.

    We’re in a huge trust deficit right now. It breeds cynicism, corruption, crime.

    McCain may not agree with you, but you can trust him. Vote McCain/Palin.

  • Bas

    But there is one thing that is clear. Nothing sticks with him. I feel it is very very hard to turn back things agnaist Obama at this time unless otherwise something happen . All these negative stuffs didn’t work out.

    • Andrew

      Possible concern bot.

  • Seattle Moss

    Hi Andrew…
    The Obots are having a bad weekend..
    They realize that they were stupid to mock a regular Joe and expose themselves as Marxists for all to see.

    Obamabots need to be flushed!!!

    http://i193.photobucket.com/albums/z229/andy58-in-nh/FR/flush.jpg

    • http://JohnMcCain.com Galt, Master Thrall of Planet Triskelion

      Maybe the koolaid is wearing off a bit or they realized we don’t live in the antimatter universe with them?

      • Seattle Moss

        I meant to tell you earlier..
        Thanks for the Popcorn and cold one!

  • http://purplechiten.wordpress.com Chiten

    Maybe we don’t have to go as “wayback” as we think we do…..

    He says himself that Soetoro was his “stepfather” and that he attended a predominantly Muslim school.Surely his own words can be cross-referenced with the information that has been learned.

    http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/Obama_2.htm

    In the book, Mr. Obama briefly addresses his education in Indonesia. “During the five years that we would live with my stepfather in Indonesia, I was sent first to a neighborhood Catholic school and then to a predominantly Muslim school; in both cases, my mother was less concerned with me learning the catechism or puzzling out the meaning of the muezzin’s call to evening prayer than she was with whether I was properly learning my multiplication tables.”

  • EMJ

    This is a major part of the Chicago history as well:

    1988 – Ayers solicits Khalid Al-Mansour to raise
    money for Obama’s Harvard Law School education

    ****
    Michelle says they just paid off college loans.

    BO since 2000 shows no loans on his financial disclosure forms.

    Someone is not “accurate” (i.e, telling the truth).

    Khalid Al-Mansour is Hamas and PLO supporter.

    So we could end up with a President indebted to (controlled by??) a PLO / Hamas supporter!!

  • Patience

    Okay. Today on NQ I’ve read that Newsweek and now NPR have done pieces on Chicago-style politics. Am I dreaming? This must be a$$-covering because the polls have tightened and surely they wouldn’t want to start telling us the truth at this late stage in the race and jeopardize The One’s chances. BUT could it be that something bad has leaked and they’ve gotten wind of it? Let’s face it, they’ve all been marching in lockstep for Obama until now. And we’ve learned, if we didn’t know before, what a tight-knit, chummy circle the media are. I wonder what’s up?

    I guess we’ll just have to sit tight and see what happens, but why do I feel like an animal who senses the earthquake before it happens? Maybe it’s just hope. But something’s strange.

    • Anie

      Actually, the New Yorker did a very long one in mid-July titled “How Chicago Shaped Obama” … it was by Ryan Lizza and was mostly overlooked because there was so much noise about the cover caricature at the time.
      http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza

      The article, which was discussed for only one day for the most part, because the cover picture overwhelmed discussion forums, was so balanced that Obama supporters were complaining mightily while non-supporters felt it was too kind.

      The New Yorker recently endorsed Obama, and I think they normally don’t do endorsements.

      And this month, I think, CNN did a video report, shown now on the Breitbart page, and the video page is titled, “CNN Finds Extensive Ties …[with] …Ayers.”
      http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/10/new_yorker_endo.html

      A few months ago they did the Alice Palmer story, so CNN HAS been, unlike MSNBC, doing as much vetting as has been done for Joe the Plumber :-)

      Anderson Cooper did one recently too, pointing out the ties were deeper than the NY Times implied and than Obama had said.

      Cooper was very surprised, as a strong Obama supporter. But these things won’t matter to most.

  • Lizzie Struthers

    I do not for one microsecond believe Chicago shaped Obama. That is ridiculous. If anything Obama reshaped Chicago. Obama went to Chicago because he saw a perfect fit. Crooks recognise each other a half continent away.

  • doc99