Some two years ago, Wayne Allyn Root insinuated that Obama never went to Columbia, simply because Root never met Obama at Columbia, and didn't know anyone who did.
In October, 2009, an email went viral on the internet, spreading that theory while citing Root.
I've now learned that in February 2010, Snopes.com addressed Root's insinuation. The famous debunking site not only cites people who knew Obama at Columbia, it also cites Root as a source for the rumor.
Of course, Root is also described as the Libertarian Party's 2008 presidential candidate. I guess Root's supporters should praise Root for getting the LP brand out there, however embarrassing the context.
From Snopes.com:
"Most expressions of this rumor feed off the statement (referenced in a Wall Street Journal editorial) that 'Fox News contacted some 400 of [Obama's] classmates and found no one who remembered him' and a statement made by Wayne Allyn Root (the Libertarian Party's 2008 vice presidential nominee who also attended Columbia at the same time as Barack Obama) that 'I don't know a single person at Columbia that knows him, and they all know me. I don't have a classmate who ever knew Barack Obama at Columbia.'
"...it isn't true that 'no one ever came forward from Obama's past saying they knew him, attended school with him, was his friend, etc.' Those who have attested to having daily personal experience with him during his time at that school include:
"Friend and roommate Sohale Siddiqi, whom the Associated Press located and interviewed in May 2008.
"Roommate Phil Boerner, who provided his recollections of sharing a New York City apartment with classmate Barack Obama to the Columbia College Today alumni publication and the New York Times in early 2009.
"Michael L. Baron, who taught the year-long honors seminar in American Foreign Policy that Barack Obama took during his senior year at Columbia and recalled in an NBC interview Obama's "easily acing" the class and receiving an A for his senior paper on the topic of nuclear negotiations with the Soviet Union.
"...other external evidence documents Barack Obama's presence at Columbia from 1981-83, including:
"An article by Barack Obama published in the 10 March 1983 edition of Columbia's Sundial school magazine.
"A January 2005 Columbia College Today profile of Barack Obama as a Columbia alumnus.
"A Columbia College press release from November 2008 identifying him as "the first College alumnus to be elected President of the United States.
"Finally, the fatal flaw in the 'Obama didn't go to Columbia' theory is that he couldn't have been admitted to Harvard Law School in 1988 without having received an undergraduate degree. ... yet his time between the end of his Columbia days in 1983 and his entering Harvard Law in 1988 is accounted for ... and no other school claims him as an alumnus, nor does anyone purport to have encountered him as a classmate or student at any other college or university during that period."
Read the Snopes article.
But I guess the important thing is that Root is getting on Fox News. Who cares if Root's claims are ridiculous or not? Certainly not the Fox News audience.
Unfortunately, some Libertarians think the LP should likewise sink to that level if it will help the LP "get votes."
Sorry, I'm in the LP. W.A.R. is neither Libertarian [to begin with] nor speaks for the party.
ReplyDeleteIt is to be expected that such a person would "stoop" so low. He is a charlatan and is as oily as a used car salesman.
Is there any other reputable candidate that has allegations and rumors of fraud, gambling scams and possible SEC investigations into the sale of his company surrounding them?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteSnopes is a part of the left-leaning Annenberg group. I never rely on them as an authoritative source because I have seen how their politics affect their positions.
ReplyDeleteFor example, Snopes’ analysis of John Kerry’s Vietnam exploits - they recite as truth the garbage printed in his authorized bio. Snopes is unreliable and biased. By the naive believing that Snopes are the arbiters of truth, they have tremendous power.
Wayne Allyn Root could be one of the instruments to cause long desired change possible in our country in the near future. Politically, one can sense that he is a good leader. This assessment is based on his commentaries and editorials which I found worth-reading.
ReplyDeleteBella Donna spreads more urban myths about snopes.com and John Kerry. The Swift Boat Liars is a creation of several Republicans to discredit Kerry who conservatives have hated ever since he came back from Vietnam after volunteering for combat and spoke out against the war. Because reality has a way of shooting down their myths conservatives are now spreading more myths about fact checkers. The moderate Republican founded Annaberg Foundation has no connection to snopes.com but does provide support to factcheck.org.
ReplyDeleteNitwit Root was going to "testify" at a fake trial held by a fake Harlem pastor, "Dr." James Manning, regarding how Obama supposedly never went to Columbia, since he was actually the CIA's top man in Afghanistan-Pakistan in 1981. (!!!!) Plus, the usual birther crap.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.theagitator.com/2010/05/16/wayne-allyn-root-bonkers/
The shitstorm which erupted persuaded Root to change his mind, but the damage is done:
http://www.independentpoliticalreport.com/2010/05/wayne-allyn-root-why-i-decided-not-to-testify-at-the-%E2%80%9Cobama-trial%E2%80%9D/
Do we really want a person so obviously lacking in judgment to head the LP?
Interesting that Root was claiming Obama never went to Columbia. This month (April 2011) there is a crazy email being sent to millions of gullible right wingers with some nutty letter Root wrote saying he (Root) knows Obama has had a long term plan to destroy America since those college days, which implies that Root was a friend or acquaintance who Obama knew back then. And all the right wing websites posting or emailing this letter HAVE ADDED STUFF AT THE BEGINNING THAT ROOT DID NOT WRITE. First, they claim Root was Obama's roommate, not just some guy who went to the same college. SecoNd there is an intro that make it look like Root said HE KNOWS FOR SURE THAT OBAMA'S A MUSLIM. 3rd, none of these Republican websites say Root ran for president as a Libertarian against Obama and got almost no votes.
ReplyDeleteI have seen several e-mails stating that snopes.com is a liberal leaning group and they themselves do not tell the truth. Keep your eyes open
ReplyDeleteand let the rest of us know (with proof)if it is true.
Why is it we have never heard from ANY of Obama's former classmates? What did he do, hide in a closet the entire time he was in college? Everybody has to meet people in the real world...where are all the people Obama met throughout his life? Just seems strange to me.
ReplyDeleteWe HAVE heard from Root's former classmates.
ReplyDeleteSnopes.com cites some of them: http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/columbia.asp
What is interesting is the class of '83 class president as well as George Stephenopolus dont recall seeing or running into OBAMA all the years he claims he was at Columbia. A member of the class of '83 who had the same major as Obama claims Obama was NEVER in any of his classes in all four years.
ReplyDeleteNOW ISNT THAT STRANGE????????????
No, it's not strange.
ReplyDeleteI went to NYU the same time that Root and Obama went to Columbia.
I only remember a handful of the people I met at NYU -- dozens I don't remember, hundreds I never even met.
Both NYU and Columbia are HUGE -- MANY students.
It's normal not to know, or remember, MOST of the students one went to school with decades ago.
Some people DO remember Obama from Columbia. Some do not.
I'm sure many people at whatever college you went to don't remember you. So what?
Frst, I hate Obama but Wayne Allyn Root is... there are no words to express what he does for a living. Total scam artist. Go to winningedge.com -- that's Wayne. That's how the guy makes a living...selling his "five-star" gambling picks.
ReplyDeleteSnopes is in bed with the DNC. If he went to Columbia, release his transcripts. If it was George Bush Snopes would be going spastic to see them. Simply the liberal dishonesty.
ReplyDeleteVery few of the "examples" you cite have credibility. "Two" supposed roommates; no neighbors, no rent receipts, no dates? Where is the back-up evidence? Grade transcript (surely he had to have one to get into Harvard? Where is the argumentative Obama that took a supposed Harvard Law Degree into a job as a community organizer with supposed high college tuition to pay for? There is much more evidence for Barack Hussein Obama Senior citing girls he married, and girls he got knocked-up. But the virulent Senior has a more visible trail than the son, even to the extent of letters recommending his student visa be revoked. Surely, you could come up with something better than, "I read it in Snopes."
ReplyDeleteSnopes cannot be trusted, they are a left wing organization
ReplyDeleteIt has become apparent when dealing with Snopes.com you must realize the service is either owned or strongly backed by George Soros. This ploy is a very strong indicator of the Marxist attitude "give me your press, and I will rule your nation" (paraphrased).
ReplyDeleteInteresting that I cannot find any insinuation by Roots said "Obama" didn't go to Columbia. He, as many others said, never saw or met the man. Irrespective...it is irrelevent. The point is Obama's vervent desire to destroy Capitalism in America and he is on target to do it. Go vote your consious!!
ReplyDeleteInteresting that I cannot find any insinuation by Roots said "Obama" didn't go to Columbia.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean you can't find any "insinuation" that Root "said" it? Are you seeking a quote by Root?
Do you even know what "insinuation" means?
An insinuation is when you suggest, imply, or communicate something without actually saying it.
As one dictionary put it, it's "tending gradually to cause doubt, distrust, or change of outlook often in a slyly subtle manner."
Do you see where it says "in a slyly subtle manner"?
Of course Root never said outright that Obama never went to Columbia. He only said, repeatedly, how strange it was that Obama was his classmate for so many years, yet he never once actually saw Obama on campus. (wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)
Snopes.com... Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!!! Yea right!!!
ReplyDeleteLeft leaning BS!!!
The assertions made by Root about Obamsky are true - repeat, TRUE. Obamsky is an Evil, Vile, America-hating, islamoNazi-promoting Marxist, who intends - if allowed - to deconstruct our nation and make us look like pre-1989 Romania.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder I scrammed from the LP, years ago; too many of the LP prefer interminable jaw-jaw, rather than getting to the (please excuse) root of the issues, to wit, Obamsky is a nogoodnik. Who the hell cares w h a t SNOOPEs says? Capisce?
Wait! Just to be sure everyone understands this bizarre possibility: A thread called "Libertarian Peacenik" requires "approval" by the blogster? Oops! "Ver ar du papers! I muzst zee der papers- und ve haf vays uf makink du show us der papers!
ReplyDeleteIss dare no einest amendment?
Yes, "Anonymous," a blog called "Libertarian Peacenik does indeed moderate posts.
ReplyDeleteThis is because, prior to moderation, I'd get a dozen or more spambot posts per day from Chinese porn sites, Nigerians seeking to move money from bank accounts, and Viagra sales people. Over 100 spam posts per month, drowning all else.
BTW, you idiot, moderation is not the same as "demanding your papers." If it were, I wouldn't allow you to post under "Anonymous."
That you're allowed to post under "Anonymous" proves that no one has "demanded your papers."
It's Wayne Allyn Root who, in the name of "fighting Islamo-fascism," wants the state's National Security Apparatus to demand people's papers.
If you're truly opposed to "demanding one's papers," go slam Root -- and thank Snopes for exposing him.
You won't? Didn't think so.
Why does he have to have his records sealed, what is he hiding. He's the god damn president, he should have nothing to hide. He's a fraud and should be polishing Turds in some third world country
ReplyDeleteBarack Obama is involved in a vast conspiracy to take over the entire world and declare himself King Obama. His friends in the Illuminati - including the Rothschild's , the Bilderberg group , world bankers , the communists , and all of the other secret societies - going back hundreds of years , have played a huge role in making this happen. The people who actually believe this nonsense , are sad , pathetic human beings.
ReplyDeleteI never rely on Snopes to find the truth. I cannot believe how gullible people are, to think that if they read it on Snopes, it must be true. I am amazed that so many left wingers actually use Snopes as a reliable source.
ReplyDeleteHats of to Wayne Root.....A person who understands the world wide conspiracy to destroy the United States from within without firing a shot A very simple Strategy all you need is one person in the right position that will be the yes man for those who want and will get what they demand ,A man who wants power and money and fame and is willing to sacrifice millions of innocent people world wide to wallow in misery at the alter of Obama.We have no idea just how horrible this President is. We all know that he thinks nothing of lying to millions of his country men. A very dangerous and corrupt individual....WAKE UP AMERICA and GOD BLESS AMERICA
ReplyDelete