2012 Tuesday: ‘2016′ says we don’t know the president we elected in 2008
At a friend’s request, I went to the theater Sunday to see “2016: Obama’s America” (it’s true, I’m not the most political person I know). The movie, if you haven’t heard, is the work of Dinesh D’Souza, the Indian-born conservative commentator and college president whose 2010 book, “The Roots of Obama’s Rage,” argued the president’s world view was shaped heavily by his anti-colonialist Kenyan father.
I’m no movie critic, so I’ll spare you my thoughts on the cinematography (I’ll only note that D’Souza worked on the film with Hollywood veteran Gerald R. Molen, and it shows in the film’s production quality). The movie’s about our president’s past and what that means for our future, and I’ll focus on that.
D’Souza dispenses early on with any notions of birtherism, noting briefly, but pointedly, that Obama was born in Hawaii. Instead, he makes the far more interesting argument that what’s foreign is Obama’s ideology, shaped in absentia by a father he barely knew. His evidence for his claim is two-fold: Excerpts from Obama’s own autobiography, “Dreams From My Father” (the film liberally quotes from the audio version of the book, narrated by Obama himself), and footage from D’Souza’s travels to the places of Obama’s youth, Hawaii and Indonesia, as well as to Kenya. There are also phone conversations, videotaped on both ends, with sociologists such as Shelby Steele who try to explain what makes Obama tick.
What D’Souza turns up on his trips is often less than compelling: Brief doesn’t begin to describe what he gets from an interview with a retired Hawaii professor who knew Obama’s mother, Stanley Ann Dunham; a lengthier exchange with Obama’s half-brother, George, in Nairobi ultimately fails to land a blow on the president. But that’s not to say there’s no substance to the story.
Briefly, D’Souza’s narrative goes like this: The elder Obama was an anti-colonialist (this much is confirmed in interviews with a pair of his contemporaries; Obama Sr. of course died in a car wreck in 1982) whose antipathy toward Kenya’s British rulers was distinct from America’s earlier rebellion from the British in that it was also a rejection of the West and capitalism. Dunham (who died in 1995) fervently transferred these beliefs to a young Barack — and even sent him home to Hawaii from Indonesia when her second husband, Lolo Soetoro, took a job with a U.S. oil company and got a little too friendly with actual breathing capitalists. Back in Hawaii, her father arranged for young Barack to have a mentor named Frank Marshall Davis, a writer and card-carrying Communist who was on the FBI’s radar. From there, we hear of Obama’s adult associations with which we’re more familiar, including Bill Ayers and the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.
This is a vetting of Obama’s background that, D’Souza plausibly argues, was given short shrift in the 2008 campaign. For instance, D’Souza notes that Obama’s famous speech about race relations, to address the steady stream of Wright’s controversial statements (uncovered, let’s remember, while he was still contesting the Democratic primary against Hillary Clinton), was a deflection from the collectivist black liberation theology that laced Wright’s incendiary sermons. That, D’Souza claims, allowed Obama to keep his dealings with Marxists mostly out of the public eye on his way to the White House.
It is a vetting that is worthwhile for anyone interested in current U.S. politics, if only because it is so reliant on Obama’s own words. (Here, I must acknowledge I haven’t read “Dreams” and can’t say whether D’Souza is cherry-picking Obama’s quotes or taking them out of context; if he did, however, he has given his critics a huge tool to use in discrediting him.) As an immigrant from another former British colony who is the same age as Obama, D’Souza presents an intriguing figure with alternating sympathy for and critique of anti-colonialism.
That’s the first half of the movie. From there, D’Souza delves into purely political commentary and prognostication that most likely will resonate with you, or not, in close correlation with your own political leanings. I won’t spoil his conclusions, but I will say they err toward the most pessimistic, even conspiratorial end of the right side of the spectrum.
If there’s a tragic aspect of the film, it’s that the only people likely to see it are those who have already made up their minds against Barack Obama. It deserves as well an airing among his supporters and those precious few who are unsure about him, to point out where they think D’Souza is wrong and consider the ways he might be right.
– By Kyle Wingfield
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912 comments Add your comment
Don Abernethy
August 14th, 2012
10:56 am
You are correct. He came out of no where. Most people had never heard of him. Yet he beat a seasoned well know politician like Clinton and a highly decorated veteran like McCain. It has all been sort of weird and mysterious.It seems impossible to trace his past.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
10:57 am
Conservative definition of a true leader and great President:
leave office with the country in ruins and hanging financially by a thread.
Bravo!!!! Great job, Brownie!
Don Abernethy
August 14th, 2012
10:57 am
The AJC will not allow me to comment
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
August 14th, 2012
10:58 am
Did anyone else see the clip of Erskine Bowles, he of Simpson-Bowles, talking about how astute Ryan was and how his budget was the right way to go. Bowles is a Democrat, btw.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
10:58 am
I have your EBT card to pay for
Yes, Phil, get back to work.
JDW
August 14th, 2012
10:58 am
@Tiberius…”I’m resigned to the fact that the majority of the people in this country aren’t as intelligent or as self-sufficient as I am”
Ughhh…you left out narcissistic, myopic and egotistical.
Don Abernethy
August 14th, 2012
10:59 am
Guess I will stop commenting because I get the “duplicate statement” no matter what I say
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
August 14th, 2012
11:01 am
Don
We need you, one click and wait!
Aquagirl
August 14th, 2012
11:03 am
The AJC will not allow me to comment
Um, isn’t that a comment there?
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:03 am
“you left out narcissistic, myopic and egotistical.”
Didn’t think I needed to include them, JDW. (although your myopic comment is way off the mark)
Rafe Hollister, suffering through Oblamer's ineptocracy
August 14th, 2012
11:05 am
Liberal definition of a true leader and great President:
Free Bubble UP and Rainbow stew!
Will
August 14th, 2012
11:06 am
Shocked, shocked I tell you. I republican newspaper sriter apparently willing to throw anything up against the wall in hopes that it will stick and help his presidential candidate!
Let’s reduce this to what it is by using Congressman Ryan as an example. Ryan has read and espoused the teachings of the Russian atheist Ayn Rand. Be careful (using the republican newspaper writer’s reasoning) about what we know or thought we knew about Congressman Ryan and his adherence to Russian atheist thought! What’s that you say, Congressman Ryan has voiced both his support and his opposition to the thoughts of the Russian atheist?? Of course he has but that’s not the point – the point is to associate Ryan with “atheist” and “Russian” and hope this sticks with voters – just like the republican newspaper hopes that this movie will stick with voters!!
md
August 14th, 2012
11:07 am
Finn….the question that one should be asking is why are the feds skimming the kiddies? All the savings from this or that is fine, but the idea was to provide the kiddies money to go to college without having to pay a middle man……then uncle sugar steps in and does the exact same thing. Maybe not with as high a rate of return, but the gov’t is supposed to be us…….otherwise, leave it in the hands of the private sector.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:07 am
Tiberius, how many times have you impressed yourself today so far? 20-30 times?
JDW
August 14th, 2012
11:09 am
@Tiberius..”although your myopic comment is way off the mark”
Myopic… Lack of discernment or long-range perspective in thinking or planning….no I think I got it dead on. It is a condition that afflicts most of todays Right Wing thinkers who wish to turn the clock back to the “good ole days” or force the rest of us to kowtow to their interpretation of The Constitution.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:09 am
md, you just don’t get it.
Read the NYTimes link I provided. There are now multiple was to repay loans and the rate of repayment is based on income. THAT helps the kiddies.
all we were doing before was lining banker pockets while the government took ALL the risk. You liked that? You are a great American.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:09 am
Against you, Finn, I’m impressive every time I breathe . . . .
JDW
August 14th, 2012
11:10 am
BTW…some around here have made a large deal of this particular indicator in the past…
“Overall retail sales rose 0.8% in the month, according to a Commerce Department report released Tuesday. The increase was well above economists’ expectations for growth of 0.2%.”
http://money.cnn.com/2012/08/14/news/economy/retail-sales/index.htm?hpt=hp_t2
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:11 am
I’m impressive every time I breathe . . .
Oh, I stand in awe.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:12 am
” It is a condition that afflicts most of todays Right Wing thinkers who wish to turn the clock back to the “good ole days” or force the rest of us to kowtow to their interpretation of The Constitution.”
And yet YOUR myopic view of “Right Wingers” doesn’t take into consideration that there is a huge difference between Constitutionalists and the traditional right wing in this country, JDW.
Yet another epic fail on your part.
Aquagirl
August 14th, 2012
11:12 am
Against you, Finn, I’m impressive every time I breathe
I think Don’s posts were crowded out by Tiberius’ ego.
getalife
August 14th, 2012
11:13 am
Kyle,
You might want to tell your party Americans want high paying jobs not worrying about Medicare twenty years from now.
I have never seen a party so out of touch with the American people but that is what happens when you move to the radical right way out of the mainstream.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:14 am
md, you just don’t get it.
Actually, I take this back. md does get it. He just won’t allow himself to think such thoughts since it makes Democrats look good.
Banish the thought.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:14 am
“Ryan has read and espoused the teachings of the Russian atheist Ayn Rand.”
Which (except for the atheist part) are strikingly similar to the writings of our Founding Fathers, Will.
I’ll take that over the views of the left any day, and twice on Sundays.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:15 am
“I think Don’s posts were crowded out by Tiberius’ ego.
”
It’s a curse, Aquagirl, but I’ve learn to live with . . .
Glenn
August 14th, 2012
11:16 am
The economy is lousy . The outlook is grim . The president is a black socialist …..and Romney is down 10 points . Wow is the republican party pathetic .
Road Scholar
August 14th, 2012
11:18 am
Rafe: Isn’t it Congress’s responsibility to put forth a budget that can pass both the House and Senate? For both houses to compromise? If President Obama got involved, I can already anticipate the “Pres. Obama strong arms the budget!” comments.
I’ve seen him take responsibility. Have you seen how the cons expect the policies of Bush to not affect anything once Pres. Obama was sworn in. While I am disappointed that more has not been accomplished, who has helped? Do you really expect him to “turn the ship around” immediately when the problems don’t immediately change direction?
As for risk taking, isn’t every investment or decision a risk? Isn’t the rate of return based on risk? Or do you want something for nothing? How are the dividends from Capital gains different from “regular” money or wages? Many live on them. Their wages are paid to them through profits and revenue from their employer. Yes it is personal money which taxes had been paid on, but the revenue is still income.
You got my point from your last comment. Having lost my father when young, other people stepped in to educate me…to both good and bad decisions and directions..that shaped me and the people I had contact with. Both Ryan and Obama are honorable men with different views and beliefs.But not having a father, and having mentors that displayed good and bad information, heightened my decision making abilities, as it did for them.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:19 am
JDW. Re: your 11:10?
You DO know what the term “bubble” means, don’t you? When one out of four months is different, most people call that an aberration.
I’m sure you call it a trend.
md
August 14th, 2012
11:20 am
“md, you just don’t get it.
Read the NYTimes link I provided. There are now multiple was to repay loans and the rate of repayment is based on income. THAT helps the kiddies.
all we were doing before was lining banker pockets while the government took ALL the risk. You liked that? You are a great American.”
I don’t think it is me that doesn’t “get it”……..what I see is a gov’t getting bigger at every turn. In this instance, a regulation could have done the same thing and not lead to the feds taking over the industry. That is what you seem to be missing. And it doesn’t cost the feds as much as they charge to service the loans……that was my original point.
Looking at the bigger picture, as the fed gets bigger taking over this and that, the private sector must keep up and generate the capital needed to pay for all that gov’t……..that seems to be the part you really seem to not want to see……………
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:21 am
“I’ve seen him take responsibility.”
For his few successes, Road, never his many failures.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:24 am
i guess we should look forward and discuss the Republican 2016 P and VP picks?
This one is over…
Ryan may even cost the Repubs some congressional seats. How nice!
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin...
August 14th, 2012
11:27 am
If we make serious attempts to lower our debt and improve our economic outlook this would bring increased investment in our economy and create more jobs but I wouldn’t expect a liberal to understand this.
Aquagirl
August 14th, 2012
11:30 am
It’s a curse, Aquagirl, but I’ve learn to live with
Hey Tiberius, using your extra big head and manly-man chest is cheating.
http://news.yahoo.com/chinas-response-2012-olympics-american-physique-tough-beat-181215661.html
#chinesesorelosers
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:30 am
Have anything besides wishful thinking to back up your 11:24, Finn?
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:35 am
If we make serious attempts to lower our debt
“Deficits don’t matter.” ~ Dick Cheney
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:40 am
More frome the smearing and besmirching department:
“After initially struggling to find investors, Romney traveled to Miami in 1983 to win pledges of $9 million, 40 percent of Bain’s start-up money,” Democracy Now’s report began. “Some investors had extensive ties to the death squads responsible for the vast majority of the tens of thousands of deaths in El Salvador during the 1980s.”
http://www.democracynow.org/2012/8/10/romneys_death_squad_ties_bain_launched
Also, what’s the name of that white powder that was so popular in Miami in 1983???
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
August 14th, 2012
11:42 am
“Romney says Obama wants to take the work requirements out of welfare reform. As evidence, he cites the administration’s recent decision to let states apply for waivers on these requirements,” he writes. “Never mind that some Republican governors have been applying for them. Never mind that Romney himself applied for one when he was governor of Massachusetts. And never mind that to get this waiver, states must be able to show that they’ve recently moved at least 20 percent more of their welfare recipients into jobs than in previous years. No, facts don’t matter.”
http://progressive.org/romney-goes-racist-on-welfare
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:43 am
“Deficits don’t matter.”
When discussing electoral politics in the 1980’s, Finn.
In 2012, they DO.
getalife
August 14th, 2012
11:43 am
robme ryan, the great white hope for change.
The new messiah’s are coming.
Too funny.
JDW
August 14th, 2012
11:45 am
@Tiberius…”You DO know what the term “bubble” means, don’t you? When one out of four months is different, most people call that an aberration.”
Yep got all that down…we had a four month bubble and now should resume the established trend…provided of course the Republicans don’t do something else harmful…like say force a near default again.
Don't Tread
August 14th, 2012
11:46 am
I knew enough about 0bama in 2008 to compel me to vote against him. Looks like I was right.
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
August 14th, 2012
11:47 am
“The Roots of Obama’s Rage,” argued the president’s world view was shaped heavily by his anti-colonialist Kenyan father.
I stopped reading right there.
And you guys wonder why you are losing and dont have better nominees than Cheesy Grits, Palin or Newt ?
What a circus the Republican party has become.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:49 am
That 11:45 is in the running for your dumbest post ever, JDW.
BS Aplenty
August 14th, 2012
11:49 am
Couldn’t agree more, Kyle. I think McCain’s blunder, other than picking the charming but polarizing Mrs. Palin, was that he did not effectively bring to light the clear disconnect between traditional American values, political and otherwise, and Obama’s values. As you point out, the Obama campaign tossed Wright under the political bus as certainly as the Trinity United Church of Christ tossed black liberation theology and James Cone’s under the bus. Both were gross acts of political cynicism and political expediency. In this case, just because the duck doesn’t quack all the time doesn’t mean he isn’t a duck all the time.
If Romney makes a similar strategy error by not putting ObamaCare front and center and making this election a REFERENDUM on it then he will not win. Romney does not have the communication skills to differentiate why his economic proposals are better than Obama’s. Keep it simple, Mitt, and focus on what is clearly a weak spot for the president (whom I could take in a one-on-one matchup on the basketball courts even though he’s a couple of years my junior.)
I demand to see Cheesy Grits Birth Certificate- Long Form Please
August 14th, 2012
11:49 am
Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield and many others.
Great Americans and Republicans.
They would be ashamed of what their party has become.
JDW
August 14th, 2012
11:50 am
@Tiberius…”And yet YOUR myopic view of “Right Wingers” doesn’t take into consideration that there is a huge difference between Constitutionalists and the traditional right wing in this country,”
Reading not your strong suit I see…I clearly said TODAY’S Right Wingers…the traditional right wing and Republican Party started dying in 1994 and has no impact on today’s debate. TODAY’S Right Wingers and Constitutionalists are part and parcel of the same apple
md
August 14th, 2012
11:50 am
Wow Finn…….posting a link that proclaims Romney as a racist based solely on the fact the he disagrees with relaxing the welfare requirements is a bit much…………
One would think you could find one without the racist garbage……….
JDW
August 14th, 2012
11:52 am
@Tiberius…”That 11:45 is in the running for your dumbest post ever”
Glad you think so…it means I am damn close to dead on.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:53 am
“TODAY’S Right Wingers and Constitutionalists are part and parcel of the same apple”
Once again proving your myopic and incorrect view of all things political, JDW.
But nice try at spinning.
Tiberius - pulling the tail of the left AND right when needed
August 14th, 2012
11:54 am
All you have to know about how low the left will go to avoid the real issues facing this country today is encapsulated in Finn’s 11:40 post.