September 14, 2008
Obama's missing years
Now that we've had full field MRIs of Palin, her family and their pets, perhaps the media could focus on the many missing aspects of Obama's bio.
Tom Maguire noted that we know virtually nothing about his time in NYC when he was attending Columbia (where no classmates seem to remember him and we have no transcripts or other records of his attendance there).
Dan Riehl notes why we should be especially concerning about those missing years.
Dan Riehl notes why we should be especially concerning about those missing years.
By 1980 at Occidental Obama ran partly with a circle of wealthy, drug using Pakistani friends. He traveled to Pakistan between Occidental and Columbia in 1981. That was during the Second Military Era (1977-1988) - Pakistan was under Sharia Law and not the most welcoming to foreign visitors, especially without some graft or connections.
Based upon documented accounts, Obama seems to have also travelled the country-side, not just in the cities. By 1981 Pakistan had become the world's number one supplier of Heroin. Upon his return Obama took up residence with one of the drug using Pakistanis in a run down, presumably drug infested part of NYC in an apartment they couldn't qualify for based on income.
For a college kid out of California via Hawaii who ends up in a NYC slum via Pakistan partying with admitted drug users - using well beyond what Obama has ever admitted to, especially given the particular era, that Pakistan voyage is one very curious trip no matter how you slice it. And I don't mean for any possible Muslim/terror related reasons.
For example, if they had to lie about income to get the apartment cited below - how is it they paid for it seems a fair question? Did he deal drugs at Columbia? He certainly seems to have had the location and friends for it and the Obama campaign has gone to great lengths to cover up that period of his life . Frankly, I want to know why and I think America deserves to know, as well.
In 1981, Obama transferred from Occidental to Columbia. In between, he traveled to Pakistan.
"He was clearly shocked by the economic disparity he saw in Pakistan. He couldn't get over the sight of rural peasants bowing to the wealthy landowners they worked for as they passed," says Mifflin, who makes a brief appearance in Obama's memoir.
When Obama arrived in New York, he already knew Siddiqi -- a friend of Chandoo's and Hamid's from Karachi who had visited Los Angeles.
The Obama campaign declined to discuss Obama's time at Columbia and his friendships in general.
In about 1982, Siddiqi and Obama got an apartment at a sixth-floor walk-up on East 94th Street. Siddiqi managed to get the apartment thanks to subterfuge.
"We didn't have a chance in hell of getting this apartment unless we fabricated the lease application," Siddiqi said.
Siddiqi fudged his credentials, saying he had a high-paying job at a catering company, ....
While Obama has acknowledged using marijuana and cocaine during high school in Hawaii, he writes in the memoir that he stopped using soon after his arrival in New York. His roommate had no such scruples.
But thay obviously hung out together crusing clubs and such? What's next? Obama going to put designated driver on his resume right below community organizer? Is anyone buying that? Come on, Barry - what are you hiding from us? Fess up!
"We were always competing," he said. "You know how it is. You go to a bar and you try hitting on the girls. He had a lot more success."
.... The two, along with others, went out for nights on the town. "He wasn't entirely a hermit," Siddiqi said.
Siddiqi said his female friends thought Obama was "a hunk."