Carrie Wigal

A few weeks ago while watching what’s been happening on the political scene at the federal level, I couldn’t help but think of the line from the Wizard of Oz, “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” It seems that whenever Senator Obama is confronted with something from his past (giving further insight to the candidate himself), he and his running mate dismiss those references as “distractions” from the real issues, refuse to give an answer, or lie.

Who is the man behind the curtain?

Where was he born? His paternal grandmother says he was born in Kenya, but he says it was in Hawaii. When confronted with a lawsuit asking for proof of citizenship (Berg v. Obama), instead of providing a vault copy of his birth certificate to end all questions, he has the document sealed. [the Certificate of Live Birth posted on Obama's website is not the vault copy and has been proven to be altered.]

What about his education? How did he afford to attend both Columbia and Harvard? What classes did he take and what organizations were he a part of? We don’t know…his records at Columbia have been sealed and the Obama campaign will not release them. He graduated in 1983 after two years there with a Political Science degree.

What about his faith?  He joined Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago in the mid-late 1980s. He moved away for a period of time to attend Harvard Law School and returned after graduating in 1991. I visited the church’s website several months ago when someone emailed me about it stating both Oprah & Obama attended here.

First let me preface this with some personal history. I’m originally from NJ and was raised in a much more diverse population than there is here in Central Virginia. I never had issues with race…I had friends of all different ethnicities and did not consider myself (& still don’t) racist. It just was never on my radar growing up, and up until about a month ago, I didn’t realize how racially charged some folks are over having an African-American running for president (don’t forget he’s only half-black…he happens to be half-white, too but for some reason it’s the black part that concerns some whites).

Anyway, I attended a prominently black church for several years while I lived in Raleigh, North Carolina in the late 90′s, and I loved it. I particularly enjoyed the praise & worship and the minister at the time, Dr. Mark Chironna was very compelling in his preaching, and inspired me to delve deeper into the word. I became exposed to folks like T.D. Jakes and Hezekiah Walker and really enjoyed listening to them. So I have a bit of experience in that kind of an environment. But you know, it was not an ALL black church that I attended and while issues of race came up in sermons at times it was mostly talking about getting along with one another and recognizing that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ.

Now when I visited Obama’s church’s website, it was clear to me it was an ALL-black church and they took pride in the fact that they were all black. And when I read more about their “Black Value System“, I got the sense that they promoted racial divide and it really disturbed me. It still does. Especially after uncovering some other troubling information concerning Michelle Obama’s statements in a phone conversation which is expected to be released through FoxNews anytime now.

Reverend Dr. Jeremiah White Jr was his pastor throughout his whole time there. Reverend Wright’s sermons have been known to be “inflammatory rhetoric” against white people and even America as a whole. One sermon in particular proved to be very disturbing. After much controversy, Obama ended up repudiating the minister. [Watch the video clip on this ABC News report]

What about his record? He was a state senator in Illinois as well as a US Senator. While in Illinois, he voted “present” nearly 130 times (withholding a “yes” or “no” vote). Was he playing politics or just doing his job?

He voted against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act and lied about it. Obama claimed during the last presidential debate that it put the Roe v Wade decision in jeopardy and he didn’t want that to happen…that was why he voted against it. However, even NARAL did not oppose this act in the form that it was sent to the Congress for passage, stating it did not jeopardize Roe v. Wade and Obama still voted against it. What kind of a person would murder a baby after being born alive by intentionally denying any life-saving medical care? Evidently someone like Barack Obama. [Click here to view Gianna Jessen who was born alive after a botched abortion]

According to the National Journal’s 2007 Vote Ratings of the US Senate, Barack Obama was #1…the most liberal!

What about his associations? Whenever unrepentent domestic terrorist Bill Ayers is mentioned, Obama plays down the association. First, he was “just a guy in my neighborhood”. Then, when claims of their working together on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge in 1995 (founded by Bill Ayers with Obama as the Chairman of the Board) as well the discovery that the two worked together on a juvenile crime bill in 1997/1998. Then, most recently it was brought to light that Obama wrote a review/blurb promoting Ayers’ book in December 1997. Yet, Obama continued to dismiss the association by stating “the bombings happened when he was eight years old” as if they were irrelevant because it was in the past.  Obama’s initial statement dismissing his association of Ayers being “just a guy in his neighborhood” is a far-cry from the familiarity the two men shared. (Click here to see Obama on the O’Reilly Factor giving an answer for his association with Reverand Wright & Bill Ayers.)

Then there’s ACORN…and Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac…and Tony Rezko… Need I go on?

What about his economic philosophy and socio-political agenda?

Senator Obama published a book in 1995, Dreams of My Father and disclosed a bit about his liberal leanings from his college days.

Two weeks ago when an average Joe (a plumber), approached Obama with a question while the Presidential candidate was campaigning in his neighborhood, Obama revealed his intention was to “spread the wealth around” and that it was good. McCain picked up on this in the last presidential debate and within hours, Joe the plumber was attacked by both Senators Biden and Obama… for what? For being a plumber? For asking a question? For drawing an observation?

Senator Biden was interviewed over the weekend in Orlando, Florida and was asked about Obama’s position concerning “spreading the wealth around” and how it compares to Marxism as well as what he would say to the people concerned about Obama wanting to turn America into a Socialist country, and Biden scoffed at the questions saying Obama didn’t want to “spread the wealth around” (despite that’s exactly what he said to Joe, the Plumber), and that Biden didn’t know anyone who thought like that (re: America being made into a Socialist country by Obama) except for the far right wing of the Republican party and refused to answer the question.

Another interview took place last Thursday with Senator Biden in Philadelphia where the interviewer asked about Obama’s “spread the wealth around” comment to Joe, the Plumber and equating it to socialism and asked for further explanation. Biden responded with “no, no, no … absolutely not, absolutely not…” but again no explanation. Instead he just accused the Republicans for putting out “malarkey”. If it’s not true, then why won’t he explain the comment made by Senator Obama?

Then an audio recording surfaces within the last 24-48 hours from a radio interview in 2001 where Senator Obama laments over the Supreme Court’s inability to redistribute the wealth. He wants to seek redistributive change and discusses how seeking change through the courts is not the best way to bring that about. What’s so disturbing is that it is so obvious that he is not decrying redistributive change, but rather just discussing how to bring it about.

What else is there about this man that we don’t know?