155 Days Remaining!

Obama’s run of good fortune, as previously discussed, did not stop when he got into elite Punahou in Hawaii, or, when he found himself a student at Columbia University, then Harvard; or even when he was elected President of the Harvard Law Review, or approached as an unknown, to write a book and receive a $150,000 advance.  His good luck didn’t even stop when his campaign knocked all opposing Democrats off the State Senate ballot on a technicality.  Money and good fortune seemed to seek him out as his wife’s salary tripled, as he met his current Senior Advisor; and as sealed secrets about his rivals for the U.S. Senate, were suddenly Unsealed and exposed to the voting public.  With all his own Sealed records hidden from public view, how ironic that he should call for an America where “everybody plays by the same rules.”

Reason #7

Timing is Everything

According to author Michelle Malkin, Mrs. Obama’s salary tripled from $122,000 in 2004, to $317,000 in 2005 – timed well with Mr. Obama’s election to the U.S. Senate.  And, although Michelle Obama joined her husband’s campaign in 2008, the hospital still continued to pay her a salary of more than $60,000.^[i]

Valerie Jarrett, vice-chair of the Medical Center’s Board of Trustees when Mrs. Obama was named Executive Director of Community Affairs, moved on to become Obama’s Senior Advisor in 2009.  Meantime, Mrs. Obama’s position at the medical center – a position that did not exist before her appointment – was eliminated in 2009, when it was clear she would not be returning.^[ii]  It appears that the hospital was able to continue functioning reasonably well without this $300,000 plus position.

Looks like this was a “Win” for Everyone!

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Reason #8

Disappearing Candidates

When Obama decided to run for the U.S. Senate, it was not as simple as knocking people off the ballot by finding errors in their petitions.  There was still however, a serendipitous confluence of events to help him along.

David Axelrod, who became Obama’s campaign manager, was reportedly very well known in Chicago’s political and media circles; and each year, would hold a party, inviting members of both worlds.  As a highly sought after advisor, he was contacted by Democrat candidate Blair Hull in 2002, to assist him with his upcoming campaign for the U.S. Senate.  Hull, a former Las Vegas gambler and Wall Street Securities Trader, was ready to spend millions in the coming race.  His possible Achilles Heel was a sealed divorce record.

During their conversations, Axelrod questioned the circumstances of the divorce.  Hull had been married three times; twice to the same woman.  He admitted the past use of cocaine, treatment for alcohol abuse and that his ex-wife had made allegations of abuse.  When Axelrod pushed to know whether or not the abuse allegations were true, Hull reportedly stonewalled.^[iii]

Axelrod ultimately decided to represent Barack Obama and brought with him, a knowledge of Hull gained through his earlier conversations.  During the primary, as Hull continued to climb in the polls, two Chicago reporters – both attendees at Axelrod’s annual party – began pushing for the opening of Hull’s divorce records.

Ultimately “the Tribune and WLS-TV” filed suit and the divorce records were unsealed – not by court order but, incredibly, at the request of Hull and his ex-wife in an apparent attempt at damage control. The records revealed violent behavior on Hull’s part and subsequent interviews exposed his use of cocaine and abuse of alcohol. As Hull’s candidacy imploded, Obama’s political fortunes surged.^[iv]  But, it didn’t stop there.

Once the primary had passed, the next obstacle for Obama was Jack Ryan – a Republican who, like Blair Hull, brought a sealed divorce file to the campaign.  Once again, the Tribune and WLS-TV sued to open the file.  When a California judge ordered the files open, they exposed a husband who attempted to coerce his wife “into having sex in front of strangers.”^[v]

Ryan, who claimed to be the first politician forced to release sealed divorce records, finally withdrew from the campaign and once again, Obama’s fortunes soared.^[vi]

Did Obama’s campaign have anything to do with the opening of Blair Hull’s and Jack Ryan’s divorce files?

What can be said is that there was an extraordinary attrition rate among candidates opposing Obama for the State and U.S. Senates.

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Your Turn

Do you know a Reason why Barack Obama should not be elected President? Can you tie that Reason to something specific and document it with a credible source?  If so, share it in the Reply box at the end of this page.  Working together, let’s set a goal of 10,000 Reasons – and when we have them, let’s share them with the GOP!!!  Make your voice heard.  And while you’re at it, who do you think Mitt Romney will select as his running mate?  Vote here!!!