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Texas Darlin has an alleged AP photo (see update below) on her blog and at No Quarter of an Indonesian school registration document for Barry Soetoro a.k.a Barack Obama. I definitely recommend checking out her article. The photo caption says:
This registration document, made available on Jan. 24, 2007, by the Fransiskus Assisi school in Jakarta, Indonesia, shows the registration of Barack Obama under the name Barry Soetoro into the Catholic school made by his step-father, Lolo Soetoro. The document lists Barry Soetoro as a Indonesian citizen, born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, and shows his Muslim step-father listed the boy’s religion as Islam.
(AP Photo/ Tatan Syuflana)
Texas Darlin has this to say about what the photo means:
This AP photo is compelling evidence of the following assertions, which have been set forth on this blog:
1. Barack Obama had Indonesian citizenship
2. Barack Obama had the legal name Barry Soetoro
3. Barack Obama was a Muslim, despite his “fight the smears” claim that he never has been. (see new story that we just posted on this topic).In addition, it means that Barack Obama apparently lied to the Illinois Supreme Court when asked to provide former names, according to this Attorney’s Registration Record:
Here is an image of Obama’s Illinois Attorney Registration page from Texas Darlin’s blog and the link to the actual record on the registration site (also courtesy of TD) that shows that Obama did not list his former name, Barry Soetoro.
Do we really know who the man-product named Obama is? I think it’s long overdue that the American people find out the truth about “Obama” — and his past!
[Updated 8/14/08] I’ve done some digging to verify the photo’s authenticity and the information contained in the photo.
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(Click thumbnail for larger image. Photo from Change & Experience)
Here are my findings:
The Photo
From what I can tell Tatan Syuflana is a legitimate AP photographer. A simple Google search of her name shows many reports with photos by this person for the AP, specifically that region of the world, meaning that this photographer has traveled to Jakarta. The site, daylife, containing the photo is a news clearing house site that partners with the MSM, including the AP.
Syuflana’s Barry Soetoro photo is stored in the AP folder of the site along with lovely pics of the Olympics. Unfortunately, not every photo gets a story. Change & Experience has also looked into the photo and has additional research on their site.
AP Reporters, MIA?
The notoriously bad AP reporter, Nedra Pickler, has a version of the story that the WaPo ran back on January 24, 2007 (same day as the photo was taken) addressing the charge that Obama attended a radical Muslim madrassa. The report also says that McDowell and Associated Press reporters Ali Kotarumalos and Zakki Hakim contributed to the report from Jakarta, Indonesia.
Pickler writes:
Interviews by The Associated Press at the elementary school in Jakarta found that it’s a public and secular institution that has been open to students of all faiths since before the White House hopeful attended in the late 1960s.
I’m assuming that on the ground AP reporters, Ali Kotarumalos and Zakki Hakim, interviewed and verified it was a public Catholic school. Great. Got it. Now for Pickler’s reporting. I certainly wouldn’t believe anything out of the mouth of Obama’s Communications Director, Robert Gibbs. Pickler writes:
Obama’s mother, divorced from Obama’s father, married a man from Indonesia named Lolo Soetoro, and the family relocated to the country from 1967-71. At first, Obama attended the Catholic school, Fransiskus Assisis, where documents showed he enrolled as a Muslim, the religion of his stepfather. [emphasis added - yes, and now we have the photo to prove it. Interesting that the photo wasn't run with the story.]
The document required that each student choose one of five state-sanctioned religions when registering - Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Catholic or Protestant. Gibbs said he wasn’t sure why the document had Obama listed as a Muslim. [emphasis added]
“Senator Obama has never been a Muslim,” Gibbs said.
Do you remember when the media believed everything that came from the Obama campaign and basically used their campaign talking points for reporting the news? We remember how our esteemed journalists decided to take a vacation and bask in The One’s glory.
Additional Reports
A second report confirms the registration number 203 seen in the photo. On April 29, 2008, Christiane Oelrich’s report appeared on News 24.com, which included an interview with Obama’s Indonesian teacher, Israella Darmawan:
Darmawan, 64, who retired last year, now only returns to her former school to tell current pupils about their famous alumnus. She takes a faded book from a shelf, the school register dating back to 1968…Under registration number 203 it reads in large-lettered handwriting: “Barry Soetoro.” [emphasis added]
A third report from the Jakarta Post confirms that Obama’s teacher liked to show this registration document to reporters.
Israella Darmawan is every inch a teacher, from her shiny cap of black hair to her sensible shoes. In an office at the Fransiskus Assisi School, she shows me an old register with an entry for Barry Soetoro, as Barack Obama was know[n] then. [emphasis added]
(H/T to comments by Tony Stark and BA on TD’s blog for the links to reports.)
Summary
The photographer, the photo, the photo source site, and the information contained in the photo are factual and authentic. Why didn’t the AP include the photo with the story? Why has the American MSM helped the Obama campaign in keeping the facts of the story quiet. Obama has made every concerted effort to cover up his background from the American people. He says he was never a Muslim and was never raised as a Muslim. He makes the claim on his website that: “Senator Obama has never been a Muslim, was not raised as a Muslim, and is a committed Christian.” Lie.
Obama has consistently lied about his Muslim background; his own family talks about it and his parents certainly felt comfortable declaring he was on his Catholic school registration — it’s a Catholic school, I’m sure they didn’t have a gun to their heads to list Islam as his religion.
Do you think the American people have a right to know the truth? Do you think the media should do their job and find out the truth? I do.
The American public has a right to know that the potential president has lied about his background repeatedly during the primaries (sound familiar John Edwards) and may very well become a hero for Islamic Extremists. At the very least it continues to show that Obama lies and distorts past events and associations. If Obama would have been properly vetted by the media, I guarantee he would not be the “presumptive” Democratic Party nominee right now. Hillary Clinton would be the nominee.
Many Americans, myself included, have a problem with a presidential candidate who may also be a citizen of another country. More importantly, I don’t care about one’s religious practices, or background, but I do care about our President, especially in this climate of anti-American terrorism by Islamic Extremists. IMHO, the last thing we need is for Islamic Extremists to think they have a friend in the White House.
The DNC and party leaders who backed Obama/Soetoro really screwed up. Luckily, there is still time to correct the course and nominate Hillary Clinton at the convention. Obama has serious anti-American baggage. There is NO WAY Obama will survive this, and Wright, and Ayers, and…(insert your laundry list here) in the general election against McCain.
I say, “no deal” to Obama no matter who his running mate is. Supers, do your job and nominate the only Democrat who can win the general election, Hillary Clinton!
[Updated 8/15/08] The AP confirms photo. No Quarter has received confirmation from the Associated Press that the AP photograph by Tatan Syuflana is legitimate.
Crossposted at Alegre’s Corner
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LunaBelle
August 14th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
When will the MSM report this? It does appear that Obama has lied in a big way. The American public will not like this at all, and they have a right to know.
grlpatriot
August 14th, 2008 at 3:42 pm
The American public does have a right to know the truth and to know that the man known as Obama has lied to them repeatedly about his background. I agree, LunaBelle, I don’t think the public is going to like getting bamboozled one bit.
la_doctora
August 14th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Great research! Thanks for sharing it with us. Now, if only the press will pick up the photo and your research that supports it! I, along with jillions of others say NO DEAL and NOBAMA. I support Hillary and have worked to have her name at the convention for nomination. She is the best qualified for president. What a low-lying business Obama and staff engaged in to “dis” Hillary and to be rampant in their sexism!
grlpatriot
August 14th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
Thanks, La Doc. Hopefully, the media will finally do their jobs. The real kudos go to Texas Darlin for tirelessly working on the story despite much backlash. She never gave up. We aren’t giving up. Hillary isn’t giving up either. Go Hillary!
FembotsForObama
August 14th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
The evidence does seem pretty strong that this register which shows he was listed as Muslim is real. So if real, presumably said religion would be practiced in his household. And where is his mother’s signature/information? Seems that she would have to be present if Soetoro hadn’t adopted him.
But what bothers me is his essay about being president… of which country? Indonesia? Cause that’s where he was living at the time…
And that comment about being tolerant since he lived among Muslims really stokes me… Are they saying that Christians or other religions can’t be tolerant of Muslims? So, only Obama can be tolerant of them… it’s not about being tolerant anyway, it’s about doing what’s in the best interest of Americans as a whole, not a singular group.
Hopefully, the MSM will learn from the Edwards scandal (who I supported) and investigate this. But Obama is like Teflon, but even teflon cracks and peels, hopefully his image is starting to peel like my omelette pan.
LunaBelle
August 15th, 2008 at 11:08 am
It looks like the AP did confirm (story is over on NO QUARTER) that the photo of Obama’s school record is authentic.
Lt. Ripley
August 15th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Hey GP, I just saw this post online from a blog on WOAI (local NBC in San Antonio) about upcoming legal challenges for Obama regarding his birth certificate and his citizenship status.
There are many out there who believe that Obama may not qualify to be President under Article II of the Constitution. Remember it was Bill Clinton in his interview on ABC who said that anyone can run for president so long as they “qualify under the Constitution.”
I just want to say this as a democrat, if Obama is not eligible, then the party needs to step up and get him out of nomination before the republicans do it in September. How much longer will the DNC let this go on without addressing these issues?
grlpatriot
August 15th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Thanks for the heads up, LunaBelle, I updated my post.
Ripley, the info from WOAI is interesting. I’ll look into it. Thanks.
grlpatriot
August 22nd, 2008 at 4:51 am
Linda, I removed this comments (one of three) you left on my blog because of length. Sweetie, if you want to rant about PUMA, Roe v. Wade, and McCain get your own blog. Your Roe v. Wade threats don’t scare me.
Linda
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:21 am
So here’s the real deal. If Obama gets elected and he doesn’t deliver Hillary has a chance to run again and beat Obama in 4 yrs. If McCain gets elected Hillary will not be able to win a primary 4 yrs. from now because she will be percieved as the one who cost the Democrats the election this time around and democrats will be bitter. It’s a chess game. Hillary lost this round whether you like it or not. So if you really want to help her, retire her debt and vote Obama, which gives her a chance. If Obama is so terrible, Hillary gets her chance and the Democrats will welcome her. If Obama does well in the next 4 yrs. then she may have to wait 8. But you vote McCain, no chance for a woman in God knows how long. I personally wish Obama had waited and let Hillary have her chance and he could get more “experience” although as Bill Clinton implied nobody is ever ready or has the experience to be president until you become one. Nobody seemed to worry about Bush’s lack of experience or his lack of intelligence. Obama has intelligence at least.
So go ahead be sore losers vote for the wrong guy to get your message across. Had Hillary won do you think McCain wouldn’t have pulled every sexist scheme in the book against her! Are you kidding?!!! He used his wife’s money to establish his political career why didn’t he encourage her to use her money on a political career for herself? Her money paid for her to stand demurely “behind” him. Sexism reigns supreme in the Republican Party!
Linda
August 22nd, 2008 at 5:31 am
I guess I’m not done. You also accuse Obama of being a muslim. That is such an ugly argument because you don’t really care whether he is or isn’t, you’ll only use it to inflame fear. I’m pretty sure this smacks of Karl Rove tactics. Is that criminal behind the scenes and running PUMA? Hey, it wouldn’t surprise me because PUMA seems to be trying to destroy both Barack and Hillary. The hatred on this site and it’s articles is obvious, so beware all who enter here, it is not about women. Of course I’ll bet you delete my comments before tomorrow.
grlpatriot
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:39 am
Linda, I’ve been a Democrat since I could vote 20 years ago, so save your sermon for someone else. Believe it or not, PUMAs are trying to save the party from misguided voters and the left wingnuts trying to take over the party.
If you want to talk about Rovian tactics, let me remind you of how your precious Obama, his surrogates, and his supporters parroted Republican talking points to trash and smear Hillary during the primaries. Obama’s vicious attacks on the Clintons, the 1990s, and universal health care were based on Republican lies. Oh, yeah, and let’s not forget the race-baiting (that was a planned Obama campaign strategy) to frame the Clinton’s as racist. Team Obama’s actions are simply unforgivable. Oh, and I haven’t even gotten to the caucus fraud, media bias, and sexism and the lack of leadership from the party on any of these very troubling aspects of the primaries.
I don’t care if Obama, the private citizen, has dual citizenship and/or was/is a practicing Muslim, but I do care if someone running for the Office of the Presidency does, covers it up, then lies about it. Obama is a liar. He has lied about his background, which is the point of this post. Obama lies to suit the situation. What does Obama really stand for — is it the Obama of the primaries or is it the general election Obama, or the Obama pandering to the audience of the moment. He has flip flopped on all his major positions. I even heard one of his top surrogates refer to him as being “more hawkish” than people think he is. Well, that’s just great for all those anti-war voters who got suckered into voting for him during the primaries. Obama, the man, is a marketing myth that I saw through 9 months ago. I’m sorry that you didn’t catch on to all the early warning signs. It must be very disappointing to see the man you thought was going to save the world unmasked for who he really is — just a lying opportunist with a great marketing gimmick. Do you even listen to what he says anymore? Do you even care? Linda, you, are what scares me — you either believe his lies or peddle them.
Obama lacks the experience, judgment, or qualifications to be President, and if nominated by the Democratic Party, will lose this election all by himself. So, stop blaming Hillary for Obama’s failings. If you want a Democrat in the White House so badly, then you’ll support Hillary as the party’s nominee.
Lt. Ripley
August 22nd, 2008 at 6:32 pm
Tell it like it is, girl (patriot)!