Obama's Great-Uncle: Another Rightwing Non-Scandal Exposed

At the end of May, Barack Obama mentioned his great uncle's service in World War II and mistakenly said his relative was part of the U.S. forces that liberated Auschwitz.  Turns out (as the campaign quickly acknowledged), Great-uncle Charlie [Charles Payne] actually was a member of the infantry division that helped to liberate Ohrdruf, a subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp, in April 1945.

Obama simply had the name of the concentration camp wrong. But that didn't keep the crackpot investigative smear-mongers at bay.  Led by Steve Gilbert (aka Carnivorous Conservative), the wingers launched an all-out effort to impugn the war record of an 83-year-old veteran and even the Republican Party demanded an explanation.

Well, last week the Associated Press snagged an interview with the media-reticent great-uncle himself.  Payne, with an Obama button pinned to his shirt, told the AP he was "truly astonished" by the attention paid to Obama's error. 

Downplaying his role in the Ohrdruf liberation, Payne said, "I have no heroic story to tell.  I was just there.  (And indeed, military records show that he was indeed present).

After the war, Payne went to college in Kansas on the GI Bill and then to graduate school at the University of Chicago. He retired at age 70 as assistant director of the University of Chicago's library.

Oh, and by the way, reports AP, "Payne is proud of his great-nephew, who is prominently displayed in family photos."

Payne said of Obama: "He's truly an astounding young man and always has been."

Toss another bit of scurrilous wingnuttery onto its growing heap of nonsense.

Comments

[Disgusted with Both Parties]

Actually, he stated that it was his uncle, not great-uncle in the original speech. And considering his desire to court the Jewish vote, it's hardly likely that he simply made a mistake.

[xmarks]

What does it matter great uncle vs. uncle? Aren't they both uncles? I used to call my great uncle "Uncle Jo." Should that prevent me from becoming president?

[Andrew]

Yeah, and I'm sure Jews were also at the camp that he liberated. It's not like Auschwitz was the only liberated camp that contained Jews. I think it's just ridiculous how desperate the republicans are to find dirt on Obama. If they want to do something productive, they would step in and maybe tell McCain that his campaigning strategies aren't working. Because his campaign is just pitiful. And I say that because I actually feel pity. I almost feel sorry for the guy because the odds are stacked so high against him.

[Oxnard]

Republican = self interest
Democrat = compassion for all

What do you think this nation/world needs right now?

[OBAMA SUCKS]

OBAMA is a FRAUD - LIAR- SHADY ASS - WAKE UP ROBOTS!!