The Truth About Obama’s Political Roots: An Interview with Historian Paul Kengor
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Paul Kengor
In the book, you actually argue that Davis’s influence extended beyond Obama to two of Obama’s closest and most powerful friends: David Axelrod and Valerie Jarret.
It’s incredible, but you can’t make this stuff up. In Chicago, Davis worked with the mentors of David Axelrod as well as with Valerie Jarret’s father-in-law and grandfather. These folks all knew each other in Chicago Communist Party circles.
In light of all your research, what do you make of Obama’s infamous “If you’ve got a business, you didn’t build that” speech last month? To many people, these remarks seemed anti-capitalist and, as social scientist Charles Murray has written, rather “un-American.” Were we perhaps hearing traces of Frank Marshall Davis?
I actually find it kind of paradoxical and ironic because Davis was a total self-made man. Obama’s mentor got to where he did with help from nobody. He faced real discrimination, worked 100-hour weeks, and fought off a literal attempt by a couple of people to lynch him when he was five years old.
We’re in August; the elections are in November. How would you respond to people who might dismiss your book as just another partisan attack designed to help Romney win the election?
Actually, the best thing for this book would be if Obama were re-elected. That would give it a lifespan of four more years, not merely three more months.
The book came out when it did because that’s when I got it finished. But regardless of when the book was released, the facts are the facts, and why I wrote it should be irrelevant.
tell a friendAbout the Author: Elliot Resnick is a Jewish Press staff reporter and holds a Masters degree from Yeshiva University’s Bernard Revel School of Jewish Studies.
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Despite gross misrepresentation of the Obama-Davis relationship, there is NO evidence that Davis was Obama's "mentor," as claimed throughout the conservative blogosphere.
Although Obama's book indicates "Frank" was a family friend who offered him advice on racial issues, Obama wrote that Davis "fell short" and his views were "incurable." Obama's book proves that Obama did not consider Davis to be a "wise and trusted counselor," which is the standard definition of "mentor." By what creative definition can Davis be considered his "mentor"?
Further, according to "Dreams," Obama visited Davis only twice on his own after visiting with Gramps: once to discuss his grandmother's bus stop incident, and three years later before leaving for college. When could any "communist" training occur?
Correlation does not imply causation. There is no evidence that Davis discussed politics or economics with Obama, much less any evidence that he discussed socialism. There is no evidence that Obama or Gramps were even aware of Davis's CPUSA involvement. Such propaganda is par for the course in the Conservative Disinformation Network.
Mark Davis you are the son of Frank Marshall Davis and you are a disinformation specialist for the CIA. You are not credible. Your daddy was a communist and is likely not only the mentor of Barack Obama but also your half brother too. It is quite obvious Obama is a Marxist and is intentionally destroying the free-market capitalist system of the greatest country in world history. He is best buddies with George Soros and all the Union leaders. His actions speak louder than words.
My, what an ACTIVE imagination! Such delusions are par for the course in Right-Wing Fantasyland. My condolences!
President Obama in Roanoke Virginia July 13, 2012 ‘If You’ve Got a Business — You Didn’t Build That. Obama to Joe the Plumber, “I want to spread the wealth around.” Obama: “I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students, the foreign students, the Chicanos, the Marxist professors." ~ Barack Obama (Dreams From My Father.) Obama, Commie mother, commie father, commie grandparents, commie mentor, commie friends…… commie Barack. Not too difficult to figure this out.
Election2012 Capitalism or Socialism. Your choice.
Obama is probably a CIA employee (John Pilger). I think we can assume that Bill Ayers and Ronald Reagan were COINTELPRO insiders.
Surprised to see such McCarthy like slurs in this media!
Unfortunately, this paper is a regularly right-wing outlet.
it has no place. but anything to disparge Obama