Vote Obama
Auntie needs a green card.
No wonder she had the cops broom the Herald and Globe scribblers, the TV crews out of her South Boston public housing project, instead of coming out to gush about her stellar nephew. No wonder Auntie Zeituni and her story of coming to America for freedom and opportunity hasn’t been trumpeted by the campaign. Land of Opportunity, all that. Obama’s beloved auntie in Southie is here illegally, AP reports:
WASHINGTON (AP) – 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.
Information about the deportation case was disclosed and confirmed by two separate sources, one of them a federal law enforcment official. The information they made available is known to officials in the federal government, but the AP could not establish whether anyone at a political level in the Bush administration or in the McCain campaign had been involved in its release.
Well, I don’t know anything about that, but I can see that the Associated Press is actively involved in its dissemination, talking to sources and all that. Then sniffing at the story while running it. Kind of like a madam who’s too good to hang with hookers. But I’d like to applaud the Obamist Press for, at this late date, finally showing some interest in examining the legitimacy of anyone associated with the Democratic candidate.
The AP could not reach Onyango immediately for comment. No one answered the telephone number listed in her name late Friday. It was unclear why her request for asylum was rejected in 2004.
Don’t bother knocking on the door, AP. The cops will just run you off. But I have to credit the AP for being thorough in raising the awkward questions, even if while holding its nose.
It was not immediately clear how Onyango might have qualified for public housing with a standing deportation order.
That is a very good question. Boston Housing Authority … Mayor Thomas M. Menino … Gov. Deval Patrick … hmmm. I wonder. How do these things happen? Probably just an oversight.
Hey, how big is that tribe back in the old country, anyway? They gonna need a whole housing project? Obama transition team … get on it! You know, you’d think a sitting United States senatior, or his pal Ted Kennedy, could have finessed this thing. Maybe he was too busy, I dunno, walking on water, preparing to redistribute the loaves and fishes, help the meek inherit, etc.
OK, cat’s out of the bag. So does he throw her under the bus, or indignantly leap to her defense? Based on past practice, I’m going to have to go with … throw her under the bus while indignantly leaping to her defense.
Boston Herald yesterday: BHA “flabbergasted” to learn Obama’s auntie lives there. Just wait till they find out she’s an illegal. That’s be awkward. Question No. 52, how quick do they broom her? Here’s BHA deputy chief McGonagle pre-ICE revelations:
“She has been an exemplary resident,” he said.
She received a small stipend over the past year for working six hours a week as a volunteer resident health advocate in her complex, he said.
Little else is known about her.
Onyango had conversations with several BHA employees in recent days about her blood ties to the senator, McGonagle said. She proudly displays photos of Obama, including some that appear as old as 25 years, inside her first-floor apartment, McGonagle said.
A message left at Onyango’s apartment was not returned.
McGonagle asked that the media respect Onyango’s privacy.
“She is feeling very put upon,” he said.
Expect those feelings to intensify.
Here’s her nephew. Yeah, Auntie Z’s going … all together now … under the bus:
CHICAGO – Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama said Saturday he didn’t know his aunt was living in the United States illegally and believes that laws covering the situation should be followed.
…
A statement given to the AP by Obama’s campaign said, “Senator Obama has no knowledge of her status but obviously believes that any and all appropriate laws be followed.”
The campaign said it was returning $260 that Onyango had contributed in small increments to Obama’s presidential bid over several months. Federal election law prohibits foreigners from making political donations. Onyango listed her employer as the Boston Housing Authority and last gave $5 on Sept. 19.
AP pitches in with a helpful shove as the MBTA bus draws near:
Onyango, 56, is part of Obama’s large paternal family, with many related to him by blood whom he never knew growing up.
Explains how distant all his Kenyan relatives are. Gets around to saying he met her a couple of times, knew she was living in Boston. Sad that beloved Auntie Zeituni never got an invite whenever the candidate showed up in town, though.
Posted by Jules Crittenden at 9:06 am Comments (3) on Saturday, November 1, 2008
3 Responses to “Vote Obama”
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November 1st, 2008 at 10:42 am
Asked for comment on his aunt’s situation, Obama stated: “I can no more disown her than I can my gardener Manuel, who did such an amazing job with the hydrangeas this spring.”
November 1st, 2008 at 3:03 pm
I’m taking bets on whether Auntie actually gets deported or not. Chances are, if the Holy O is elected, South Boston will become known as Little Kenya.
November 1st, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Let me get this straight: She’s not here legally, she’s getting housing paid for by taxpayers, she’s also receiving pay for several hours a week working as a ‘health advocate’ in her complex, she has donated ‘her own’ money to the Obama campaign even though she’s not a legal citizen, Obama allows anyone to donate to his campaign if it’s in amounts under $200 by some sort of credit card (name doesn’t have to match actual card), Obama did say he was going to take public financing but then changed mind later because people seem to want to give small amounts to his campaign a lot, she had seen Obama as recently as 2004 and he did know she was stopping in Boston on her way back home to visit friends I think I read… so many dots, so little time to connect them all….