Heads-up! AP "gotcha" story: "Obama awarded Illinois grants to relative's group"

[ClarkUSA]

The relative in question is Michelle's cousin once-removed, who happens to be a well-known black rabbi. This story is a blessing
in disguise, as it highlights Obama's commitment to faith-based social initiatives and his ties to the Jewish community. The grant to Blue Gargoyle was also a piddling $75K out of $6M awarded by Obama and "other legislators":

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - As a state senator, Democrat Barack Obama awarded $75,000 in government grants to a Chicago social service organization led by a rabbi who is also his wife's cousin, records show.

In 1999, Obama arranged for $50,000 for adult literacy and counseling services offered on Chicago's South Side by a group called Blue Gargoyle. A $25,000 grant for the group's youth services followed the next year.

The group's executive director when the grants were awarded was Capers Funnye, a South Side rabbi and Michelle Obama's first cousin once removed.

Funnye (pronounced fun-NAY) said Monday there was nothing improper about the way Blue Gargoyle obtained the grants. Obama did not encourage him to apply for the money, he said, and Funnye denied using family connections to pressure Obama to approve the application.

Obama's presidential campaign said the grants supported valuable services... Funnye noted that Blue Gargoyle got similar grants from another state legislator who had no family ties to the group... Obama awarded about $6 million for everything from literacy programs and park improvements to drill team uniforms and jazz appreciation events.

Founded in 1968, Blue Gargoyle provides job training and placement, tutoring, counseling and an alternative high school for dropouts. It's name refers to gargoyles on buildings at the University of Chicago, where the founders started their charitable work, Funnye said.

Funnye said he was executive director from late 1997 until summer 2002. Obama would have been familiar with the organization's work even before his wife's cousin took over, he added.

No doubt this was fed to the AP reporter by an enterprising GOP operative hoping to change the narrative from the economy and
McCain's upcoming lousy debate performance. What a stupid, desperate, lame-assed move.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. I hope everyone reads about the Rabbi in Michele's family..

especially in Florida....
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[ClarkUSA]

11. True... this story could singlehandedly put Florida away for good.

Heh.

[Cha]

15. Mazel Tov! To

Rabbi Capers Funnye:toast:

[frogcycle]

2. omigod! We're doomed!

Doomed, I say!

[mediaman007]

3. Really? How does one senator award grants?

[ClarkUSA]

4. From the AP story...

"State Sen. Obama joined other legislators in securing funding for a well-established social services agency in his district that provided job training, employment counseling, and alternative education programs to approximately 1,200 Chicago residents each year," campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt said.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

7. Wy the nerve of those BASTARDS!!!

Securing social services for their constituents??! I'm shocked, SHOCKED I tells ya...

[ClarkUSA]

8. Right.

Only a Republican would think this would be a scandalous story that would bring down Obama...

:rofl:

[Blasphemer]

17. Seriously... when I saw the Yahoo headline I couldn't believe it

I would have thought it was part of an SNL skit

[ClarkUSA]

19. It must kill Steve Schmidt that Obama is so squeaky clean. I mean, is this the best oppo they have?

:eyes:

Republicans live in a truly Bizarro world. I can't wait until we put them in permanent minority status.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

36. BREAKING: Obama Once Didn't Clean His Plate!

Required by regulators to forego dessert.

[renate]

33. it's the kind of filthy stunt only a community organizer would pull

I suppose I'd better do this :sarcasm:

[mzmolly]

5. Uh oh. There goes the "relationship to anti-Israeli terrorists" meme.

:P

[ClarkUSA]

9. Yup. Steve Schmidt must be going nuts! Obama's truly Teflon-coated.

:toast:

[mzmolly]

28. I hope so

ClarkUSA. :hi:

[ClarkUSA]

30. Sure he is...

Have no doubts, mzmolly. :hi:

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

6. His wife's first cousin once removed?

Ummm. I think you can read Conflict-of-Interest statutes until your eyes bleed, but you're not going to find that term. I've met people on the bus who I know better than the children of one of my wife's cousins.

Move along now...

[XOKCowboy]

12. LOL Good point..

Wife's first cousin ONCE REMOVED? Do we still use that term? What the hell does it even mean??

Ya this is damning stuff here.

[barack the house]

10. I think Michelle's Jewish family connections give Obama his appreciation of the faith.

[Median Democrat]

13. I Wonder Whether The GOP Is Trying To Suggest That Obama Is Jewish?

According to GOP logic, the facts of the story that make Obama jewish. I guess we now have to deal with anti-semetic attacks. Afterall, given that Obama knows Ayers, who engaged in radical acts when Obama was 8 years old, is enough to make Obama a sympathizer in the eyes of the weak minded, then Obama's wife's first counsin, once removed makes Obama Jewish, because that is a closer relationship then there is with Ayers.

So, I guess we will be seeing Swastikas and readings of Meim Kampf at the next Palin rally?

[ClarkUSA]

18. Oy, how can a man be a Muslim Manchurian Candidate AND a Jew at the same time?

I can see freepers' heads exploding now.

[obiden]

29. from the terrorist to -> hawaian jew supporter from kansas

the elite harvardian off food stamps....these repubs are totally stumped with this guy i tell ya

[ClarkUSA]

31. McCain has the most disorganized, schitzo, mean-spirited campaign tactics, don't they?

Reminds me of what Obama had to go through during the primaries, only worse.

[Retrograde]

34. he's very talented?

multi-tasks? Super-intelligent and organized? Don't forget he attends a radical Christian church and hobnobs with 60s activists at the same time - when does he sleep? :)

[Rosa Luxemburg]

26. what are the GOP going to do - he is Jewish!

:evilgrin:

[FrenchieCat]

14. I found the article in a publication where I could comment.....

so I left this:

Boy! I bet those Non Profit Organizations and church groups who help poor people really profited on those big Dollars, nearly 10 years ago! Wow. Look at the big time figures! Guess that representing your District of 600,000+ people in the 5th most populous state in the Nation while in the State senate for 8 years means that improving Parks, and workshop for children and reading literacy programs is really, really What, exactly? Geeze! Is this for real or is this a joke? After the lynchmobs gathered to hear the McCain-Palin Ticket of Hate and Fear, this is a great human story to read. Thanks!

Left it here.... http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/829466.html#recent_comm

[ClarkUSA]

16. ROFL! You show an excellent mastery of mockery, m'dear.

You should send that comment preemptively to MSNBC and CNN. :thumbsup:

[Honeycombe8]

20. This is REALLY a story about earmarks, isn't it? nt

[IsItJustMe]

21. It's a non starter and going to sink like a rock. McNasty will try to make something out of it.

[ClarkUSA]

23. There are many millions of Americans who benefit from such social grants, too.

I'll bet they vote, too. :)

[mucifer]

22. This is a REAALLY funny story! The worst earmarks they can find are for a literacy program?

Hmmm literacy program... Keating 5.... Keating 5.... Literacy program.


Who should I vote for??

They are so much alike it doesn't really matter does it?

[ClarkUSA]

27. Yup...

It's absurd to the point of parody that the AP thinks this is gonna get Obama in trouble.

[malik flavors]

24. I'm not seeing any there, there. What exactly did he do wrong? It's just a bogus claim.

[FrenchieCat]

25. Pssst! Great story dressed up as something else, is all.

Brings out Obama's Jewish connection and great work done via Not for Profit and charitable organizations...with dollar amounts too small for it to be seen as anything nefarious.

[Qutzupalotl]

32. Anyone else besides me think the rabbi's name

sounds made up? I know it's real, but come on. "Capers Funnye"? Surely there are shenanigans afoot. It's pronounced fun-NAY? Even better!

I know there are people who won't get beyond that point. Me, I'm trying, but...
:spank:

[firedupdem]

35. Wow...a grant that helped children! Nice! Do you mean that he

never took anybody out on his yacht? Did he let anybody use one of his many mansions for the weekend? Did anybody take him and his family on a trip and take pictures? Wow...what a feel good story!

Fuck off McCain and company!

[Vinca]

37. Oh no . . . an adult literacy program. The horror of it all.

Put this up against Republicans who steer megabucks directly toward their spouse's bank account.

[frogcycle]

38. Meet the Rabbi

http://www.bethshalombz.org/about.html




http://www.bethshalombz.org/Biography_Funnye.pdf