Summary & Rebuttal for A Promised Land by Barack Obama

By Campbell Scott

Warning! This is a summary, intended to rebut A Promised Land, the top-selling non-fiction book in 2020, not to replace it. Obama's time in prep school showed more passion for his jump-shot and partying than studying. We experience his college years under the admitted influence of Marxism, and into Harvard Law and the alleged arrangement to become the President of the Law Review-- which would launch his political career via The NY Times. We sample his rapid rise to the Senate, and then the Presidency, under the tutelage of Chicago's Deep State professionals like David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett. Favored candidates, even incumbents, step aside or hand him their campaign, and dirt leaked from sealed court documents buries his opponents. His path to the Presidency miraculously cleared, he finds the keynote tossed at his feet by John Kerry at the DNC to make him famous. John Kerry’s staff infuses his campaign. John McCain ensures Obama’s success. Obama spends more than all other previous Presidents combined, and harms America in doing so.
Obama reveals compromising situations and connections, arousing more suspicion. Brief and interspersed negative comments, clearly marked in Section One, catalyze a full-throttle rebuttal in Section Two. Obama not only left out key facts, like that his family had strong communist ties, or that he governed under the influence of Zbigniew Brzezinski, Iranian Islamist Valerie Jarrett, and Jesse Jackson. Obama, according to Pulitzer-prize-winning author Seymore Hersh, lied about his alleged killing of Osama bin Laden for a boost in the polls. The Rebuttal proves itself to be well-documented and bulletproof. Obama, and his arranged mate and children, proved not to be what they seem. 




 

• Language: English
• Publisher: S. Campbell
• Release date: Jan 7, 2021
• ISBN: 9791220247900

Campbell Scott

Best Seller Summaries offer an easy, painless, and affordable way to keep up with the world and its hottest non-fiction topics. Choose from ebook, printed, and audio formats. The main author and editor earned a Biology degree, Summa Cum Laude, a physiology degree, and a doctorate from prestigious universities. Tops among his signature skills is his ability to recognize intricate patterns that oversee various fields: technology, politics, behavioral psychology, ideologies, especially religions, social studies, evolution, philosophy, financial markets, and government.

Book preview

SECTION ONE: SUMMARY OF A PROMISED LAND

Scott Campbell

BEST SELLER SUMMARY SERIES

ABOUT THE BEST SELLER SUMMARY SERIES

A summary should not substitute for its parent manuscript. The Best Sellers Summary series provides a harmonizing simplification of Best Sellers. Main points in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost, efficiently infuse the reader with vital facts and themes.

Option #1: Buy both books. Explore a section from the parent book, and then the accompanying summary, or vice-versa.

Option #2: Buy the summary book, then dive into the parent book with a built-in framework.

Take advantage of summary books to:

#1 Decide if the original text is essential for you. Hint: it is, or there would not be a summary book about it.

#2 Get chapter-by-chapter main points and takeaways.

#3 Gain in-depth understanding,

#4 Learn in a fraction of the time.

#5 Refresh your memory.

#6 Explore occasional editorial epilogues and expansions.

SECTION ONE: SUMMARY

PREFACE

Obama begins his preface by recalling how bitter he felt after his Presidency.

Trump’s win disturbed him because Trump represented diametrical opposition to all that Obama stood for in his long progressive career. Obama, nevertheless, claimed that the country changed into something better while he sat in the White House. (His record and the polls would suggest otherwise.)

The Obamas relaxed for a month before planning for their immediate political future . A memoir to further promote his legacy and reveal the economic, cultural, and political nuances that arose challenges for decision-making seemed reasonable. An insider’s perspective on what happened with all those important national and global politicians and events should earn a large audience . Obama vowed to share what it might be like to be President, a position he considers not unlike most of our jobs in terms of daily responsibilities and emotions.

As always, the Obamas wished to enlist more of the world’s youth for the Democrat agenda.

He summarizes the health and economic ravages associated with the Chinese coronavirus and the social unrest centered on Black Lives Matter . The result: a divided nation full of mistrust, a disdain for norms, and the casting aside of standard procedures for safety.

Obama draws upon history to remind us that in a land where all were to be equal, Black slaves measured up as only three-fifths of a man. after a veritable genocide, the Native Americans found themselves in impossible courtroom situations where all seemed stacked against them.

A review of American ideals comes next: Individual freedom, a form of self-government, equal opportunity, and equality for all.

Obama claims to confirm that our nation’s ideals fell second to acts of subjugation, conquest, racial castes, and the wickedness of greedy capitalism.

PART ONE: THE BET

CHAPTER 1

Obama fell in love with the West Colonnade and its brief presentation, for better or for worse of the local, and sometimes extreme, weather. The Colonnade served as a preparatory waystation for the day’s immediate tasks. By sight and beauty of the Colonnade. or by its illustrious history of Presidential strolls—Obama became invigorated in its presence.

His memory shifts to Oahu for his childhood, pointing out that politics did not dominate his family.

(Comment: I researched the Obamas for years. Through the FOIA, the FBI admitted it destroyed Stanley Dunham’s, Obama’s maternal grandfather, file. ¹ His grandfather appeared to be a CIA man and went to Hawaii to recruit agents. ² ³ Obama’s father, Barack Obama Senior, who looks nothing like Barack, Junior, allegedly had been one recruit from Kenya. ⁴ Obama’s father on record is unlikely his birth father. ⁵ Destroying a file is one thing, or at least hiding it, but admitting it is another for the FBI. Obama’s mentor carried a Communist Party USA card in his wallet and instructed Obama relentlessly on how to be a good little Communist bent on taking over the world. ⁶ Obama’s mother, who reeked of liberalism, worked for CIA front companies. She worked for a bank that charged high rates of interest on poor people for microloans, that it became usury. ⁷ World Bank, come to mind? Leftist politics not only dominated Obama’s family, but his family ties likely guided him to a starting relationship with the CIA. He started as an accountant for a CIA front company out of college called Business International Corporation in 1983, likely placed by his grandfather. ⁸ ⁹ To say that politics did not dominate his family is quite a lie, and it comes only after a few paragraphs, but hides a colossal can of Obama worms from the reader.)

FAMILY

Obama’s father on record, a v isiting student to Hawaii , originally from Kenya, allegedly met Obama’s mother at the University of Hawaii.

(Comment: The two had no ¹⁰ relationship but had a baby, and then the father left, and they filed for divorce after he was bribed to marry her in return for a trip to study at Harvard. He showed up for a photoshoot with Barack when age ten and stayed a month-- the only period the two would interact.)

Barry would make a fine architect, his father told everyone , validating his mother’s opinion.

(Comment: for Obama to have this mother and father, they had to have his mother, Stanley Ann Durham, pregnant within five weeks of their meeting in a Russian class at the University of Hawaii. ¹¹ Who takes Russian in the early 1960s, if they are from America and Kenya—oh, that’s right, spies. Stanley’s father’s name was also Stanley, I guess he wanted a son.)

Somehow, Obama’s mother’s state of near indigence did not hamper Mr. Smiley going off to the nearly all-White and very pricey Punahou college prep school. He hints that his grandmother, Toot , helped financially. Obama claims they sent him to a prep school for college but had not thought about him sending him to college. He said no one suggested politics as a career—that would not come until after his experiences in college.

Obama described himself at prep school age, rather than a potential world leader, as a drug-us er who showed more passion for his jump-shot, bodysurfing, and drugs and partying than studying.

(Comment: Obama ran with the notorious and well-documented Shroom Gang, complete with a stereotypical VW Van. Gay Ray proved to be the gang’s drug dealer and supplier and would be beaten to death by a fellow gang member. ¹² )

Obama wants the reader to believe that he pondered questions about racism against Blacks globally back then in Hawaii, where there were very few Blacks. Hence, he had little interaction with any Black community. He expands this line into comments about class struggles between masses steeped in poverty, slaving away for the elite and wealthy.

(Comment: this is so phony. Obama didn’t grow up on the South Side or in Harlem. He lived in Hawaii and Indonesia. To say that Obama thought about global racial issues when he is high, bodysurfing, or playing basketball, is a stretch. However, Frank Marshall Davis might have discussed racism with him because Communists use it as a tool for power—which Obama became adept at for his party’s gain.) ¹³

Obama questioned his mother’s advice about being a straight shooter when he witnesses ideal citizens struggling and drug-dealers, bullies, and those agreeable with cheating prospe ring.

He thought he might have to go it alone through life and found solace in reading books—a habit he picked up from his mother, who would ask him what he learned.

COLLEGE #1

Southern California’s Occidental College became infected with Obama’s presence in 1979. Obama claims he studied Communist and revolutionary writers like Marcuse, Karl Marx, Brooks, Fanon, Woolf, and Foucault to converse intelligently with young Leftist women and a bisexual who constantly dressed in black. Obama admitted he adopted a form of Marxism for his worldview.

(Comment: After spending eight years with his Communist mentor, Frank Marshall Davis, an accomplished Communist writer, and his stint at Occidental, and his admission of an emotional and continuous fondness for Marxism, we cannot fully understand Obama and the modern Democrats without fully understanding the history, theory, and techniques of Communism. See Section Two for a mini treatise. We will observe that his network of power frequently included Communists.)

His friends and associates formed a mix of Whites from lower-class backgrounds, inner-city Blacks, Latinos, Indians, Pakistanis, and Africans—people politically oppressed, he claimed.

Obama stipulates that he wanted no part in the double-speak and hypocrisy of big-money politics. He gravitated towards social movements to manufacture change and suppor t the movement. With the adoption of communism, Obama now held purpose and an automatic support netwo rk , an exciting identity of the oppressed with a clear enemy— an elite replete with a history of slavery and Indian genocide.

Obama found himself coached, mentored, and molded into a political activist .

Obama morphed quickly into chatting about helping the movement. He buddied up with Marxist professors and students. He aimed to organize communities in the classic vein of a Marcuse or an Alinsky, who had taught Hillary Clinton. His mother agreed that rather than slamming others, lifting them up became a more efficient path to power. Obama could unite and urge people to act through communism—what he called real democracy.

COLLEGE #2

Columbia University attracted Obama in his sophomore year for a new start. Obama says he rarely bothered with college partie s and holed up in his apartments, seeing very few people. Obama wants us to believe that he thought about what made some social movements succeed over others. He admits his lofty ideals to change the world, but also his penchant for laziness.

As Obama acknowledges the Black slaves and American Indians’ plights, he latches on to the promise of America that all are to be considered equal under the law—a promised land.

WORK

Upon alleged graduation, Obama gets an offer from Chicago. Obama’s assignment: work for the unions to deal with the effects of steel manufacturing plants' closures.

Obama became an organizer patterned after Marcuse or Saul Alinsky right off the bat for the Black working-class. He learned how to identify with the community in return for the promise of vote s. He noted that the power to alter the flow of money and policy’s nature did not come from community organizing. It came from political and business heavyweights. He wanted to be one.

Obama also noted the grassroots C ampaign, with a front of Black activists and local business leaders, that came out of nowhere for one Harold Washington for Mayor of Chicago. This group made the central theme one of oppressive racism to motivate the Chicago people against Daley. A grassroots movement succeeded with surprising organization, structure, and skill equivalent to professionals. Born: Hope and Change. Obama says he decided to run for office to make more of a difference. Many Black Activists, like Jesse Jackson and Julian Bond, led themselves to the same conclusion.

After establishing himself as someone who had helped the poor, he found himself at Harvard Law to be elected as the President of the Law Review. This publicity launched his political career in his sophomore year.

As head of the Law Review, his backers landed him a substantial write-up in the New York Times and a convenient book-offer for self-promotion. More strategic positions would follow Supreme Court clerk and a job with the United States Attorney, all grooming him for a campaign.

Obama informs the reader that his rise to more power, unlike his previous endeavors, proved to be smooth and lucrative.

CHAPTER 2:

COURTSHIP AND MARRIAGE

Obama states that he and Michelle became friends—and lovers—and discussed binding for life. They met at Sidley Austin, where she drew the assignment to mentor him . They were instructed to lunch together as part of the process. Michelle stands impressed by how Obama injected hope into a group of unwed welfare mothers on the South Side.

Obama contemplated marriage. Her brother, who called her Miche, pronounced Mitch, thought Michelle seemed too tough to marry. Obama said he welcomed the challenge, and she kept him honest.

Strife and conflict engulf the Obamas as new parents. Michelle complains that Obama is way too busy as a Senator and career man and way too lazy and absent as a father. Michelle asked him if sacrificing time with her and Malia for the St ate Senate is worth it-- spurs him to run for US Congress so he can make more of a difference.

RUN FOR CONGRESS

Former Black Panther and Rep. Bobby Rush failed miserably in challenging Daley in the last election for Mayor, and Obama thought he could beat him for Congress. Obama took a 30% spanking in losing to Rush. An outsider backed; by White folk, an elitist from Harvard, not one of us, and maybe not even Black -- referring to the possibility that Obama had a non-Black father--became Rush’s main attack lines.

Obama finds himself invited to the 2000 Democrat Convention to see Al Gore nominated from the bleachers—the entire trip an embarrassing fiasco.

Obama, so far, had succeeded in becoming an unsuccessful politician.

CHAPTER 3

June 10, 2001: Sasha Obama comes into the world. Obama enjoys fatherhood and considers post-politics careers: writing and teaching, practicing law, or working for charity like his mother.

Change:

A change in districting laws levels the playing field for Illinois Democrats, providing a better opportunity for Obama-desired change.

Obama changes his location temporarily with a road trip with his chief senate aid to visit colleagues in their home districts . His name, Dan Shomon. Obama visits numerous families and get-togethers and sees common values across appearances and ethnic identities and ponders the origins and nature of divides that become exploited.

Obama thought shifting government money to the inner city seemed to be the answer to White and Black racial problems.

Obama ponders entering the DC Senate race as an unknown Black like a Carol Moseley Braun. He garners support and confers with Terry Link, Larry Walsh, and Denny Jacobs.

RUN FOR THE SENATE: ENTER THE AXE

Obama meets with a famous Leftist media consultant and political candidate promotor with an excellent track record: David Axe Axelrod.

The Axe worked for Harold Washington and Bill Clinton, and with Rahm Emanuel. He would follow Obama into the White House as a member of his staff.

Axelrod advised him to give up on the Senate and, after Daley retired, run for Chicago Mayor.

Axelrod appreciated Obama’s Leftist idealism but said he needed to back it up with $5 million for ads and his Campaign, or no one would hear about it.

Obama consults with Michelle, who suggests meeting with one of her old—and politically powerful—bosses, Valerie Jarret. The three of them meet at Jarret’s apartment to confirm plans for a Senate race.

Michelle allegedly complains about finances, win, or lose, and Obama reassures her that he can take advantage of being the only Black in the Senate to land another book deal.

Michelle said he could not count on her vote.

Obama’s former senior aide, Dan Shomon, joined his campaign staff.

PATH IS CLEARED

Obama’s path to the Senate becomes miraculously cleared. Republican Senator Fitzgerald with draws, as does Democrat incumbent, and favorite, Carol Mosely Braun , who withdraws saying she will run for President.

Axelrod orders Obama to take a strong and exact position against the Iraq war if he wants to win.

Obama speaks at an anti-war rally, probably via Axelrod’s speech, calling the Iraq war a dumb war that he could not possibly support.

Finishing-off Al-Qaeda made more sense if a war had to be fought.

As more and more Americans turned against the war, Obama’s speech, from just a few months prior, served as a focus for the Leftist media and brought in volunteers and donations. Obama did not understand Myspace or internet blogs, but his team did.

Obama’s Campaign centered on relaying the poor and middle-class problems and needs into the voters’ ears.

Axelrod writes the TV ad ending in Yes, we can! They release the ad and another just about a month before the primaries, doubling his support.

The support of the five largest newspapers in Illinois does not hurt. Axelrod has an excellent track record of marketing Black candidates to White voters and explains that the newspaper endorsement is enormous for a Black candidate, a form of validation to be respected.

The media helps even more. Amazingly, the news leaks from sealed court documents about his Democrat rival’s alleged domestic abuse of his wife. Obama wins the election with 53% of the vote.

Axelrod boasts that they won all the majority White wards .

Obama’s team picks up Robert Gibbs, a Kerry campaign staffer.

They come up against Republican Jack Ryan and have a 20 point—but uncomfortable—lead. The press attacks him for a misguided slide show about big spending.

Miraculously, again, sealed records find themselves escaped and leaked to the media, this time revealing how Ryan pressured his wife to frequent sex clubs for sex with strangers. Ryan withdrew a week later, leaving an Obama team with literally no opponent who could win if Obama stayed alive.

Kerry’s staff invites Obama to give the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. Axelrod begins concocting a speech, but Obama claims he is on it himself. He remembers a phrase he liked from Jeremiah Wright, The audacity of hope. Axelrod and his partner John Kupper edit Obama’s draft of the speech, which Obama admits improved it.

Obama practices on the teleprompter.

Obama delivers a rousing and famous speech to catapult himself to fame—and loves the whole experience.

His crowds of followers swelled to five times their standard size. Axelrod, a media savant, had earned his paycheck. John Kerry made it all happen with his invitation to give the keynote. Kerry would lose the Presidency, but Obama would take it himself four years later.

For Obama, his election win arose from a partisan effort with a favored candidate bowing out ahead of the race, an avalanche of backing or attacking by the media, and the leaking of embarrassing and re pulsive life events for subsequent opposing candidates from sealed court documents.

Obama mentions that he beat his none-opponent by forty points—an Illinois record.

E LECTION WIN AFTERMATH

The Obamas lament about how tight money is but spend Christmas in Hawaii, a habit they would continue for much of his Presidency.

Obama’s win knocked his first book off the loser’s shelf onto the best seller’s list, for the New York Times, of course. A fat advance now greeted him for his next book.

As a new Senator, many reporters inquired about a run for the Presidency.

He grabs Pete Rouse as his chief of staff as a Senator. Rouse served for Tom Daschle as his chief of staff. Rouse enlists the rest of Obama’s prearranged team, including John Kerry’s chief staffers, Alyssa Mastromonaco. John Kerry’s speechwriter, Jon Favreau, would also write for Obama.

Obama works with the other Senator from Illinois, Dick Durbin, and Harry Reid, the Democrat leader.

Obama uses his book money to scale up his lifestyle and make things easier for Michelle and their kids.

They buy a big house. Obama and his family must deal with sometimes unwanted fame, like at the zoo.

FOREIGN POLICY

Obama wants to work on issues that he could not as a state Senator, like those that deal with nuclear armament. He notices that 7,500 atomic warheads were to be deactivated starting in 1991 over 20 years, but in 2005 al Qaeda and similar groups were bent on securing enough remnants to make something of their own. Obama visits old nuclear sites and new upgraded ones.

KATRINA

Hurricane Katrina hits, and hard and New Orleans falls into alarming chaos and suffering, especially for the poor and middle-class. Without insurance or savings, many Blacks lost their homes. Obama pounces on the incident to make his national political debut. He blamed the lack of preparedness in New Orleans on the Republicans and hinted about underlying racism as the cause. Intergenerational poverty sprang from neglect from the Republican Party, he claimed.

IRAQ

Obama visits Iraq and addresses the fact that the Iraqi army found itself dispersed by the American invasion, which permitted the Shiites to oust the Sunnis from the government, resulting in even more violence and chaos. Obama blamed Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney, and their peers. More than one-half of Democrats signed on the bottom line for the invasion, a genuine bipartisan effort that would result in plenty of oil in US companies’ hands. Answer to Katrina and Iraq: Change.

CHAPTER 4

RUN FOR THE PRESIDENCY

Obama had served two years and had accomplished nothing, but his fame made people ponder the question about running for President in 2008. Pete Rouse suggested arranging things to meet with wealthy donors and Democrat influencers, supporting more fellow Democrats in the midterms, and perfecting his style of speaking with the teleprompter. Obama expands his travel network to all 50 states, and especially to swing districts and states. Buckets and truckloads of money could only support this kind of expansion.

Harry Reid calls in Obama and tells him to run because he inspired young people, minorities, independents, and the White middle class, offering America something new and different. He says Charles Schumer agreed, and Dick Durbin. Obama is told to seek counsel with Ted Kennedy, who decides that the timing is right for one so capable of inspiring. Michelle, who hates politics anyway, is against it, saying it will require too many sacrifices if he wins. Obama compares himself to MLK, saying th e applications of his gift should more than compensate for their sacrifices

AFRICA

Obama spends almost a month in Africa, meeting with Desmond Tutu, visiting with some of the South African Supreme Court, and doctors working on the AIDS epidemic. Tutu, excited, says that Obama is going to be the first African President of America. Obama gets an overwhelming show of support in his home country of Kenya. Wherever he goes, he is asked for money, heavy American funding.

Obama’s team gets his book out, and arrange promotional tours, just before midterms, a book, his second, that he labored on all year but failed to mention any of it in this book. His book is to prove itself as his campaign manifesto. The media continues to favor Obama, and Time Magazine runs an article about why he could be—and should be--the next President.

The poor outcomes of the Iraq war buried Bush and the Republicans and propelled the Democrats to control both the House and the Senate.

Valerie Jarret, who would become Obama’s chief of staff and shadow him for eight years, convinced Michelle to support Obama’s running. Obama admitted that the most significant thing he could offer as President would be inspiration from a minority identity, who had historically experienced the horrors and degradation of slavery. Obama’s minority identity arose not from culture, experience, oppression, or accent but almost solely from skin color.

PART TWO: YES, WE CAN!

CHAPTER 5

ANNOUNCEMENT: FEBRUARY 2007

In front of the Old State Capitol in Springfield, Obama formally announces his candidacy for President of the United States in front of a crowd of 15,000 despite freezing weather. Cable TV runs it for him. Obama points out that many signs looked handmade, suggesting that, unlike the public at this convention speech, he spoke to grassroots fervor

Obama demanded:

F undamental Change.

Healing partisan divides.

Healthcare reform.

Addressing climate change.

Citizen engagement and activism.

The Obama team headed off to Iowa, where they needed that critical early victory. No less than 50 reporters showed up for some events, which proved to be quite unusual. It meant the press had his back 100%.

Unlike most campaigns, Obama is startled with bright lights in the center ring and the clown, at times, seemed inexperienced. The team feared what could destroy a candidate overnight: a blunder in a particular town. Every word took on added significance as it became amplified and recorded and scrutinized. He once said that the 3,000 deaths of American troops in Iraq were wasted, insulting the men and women who lost their lives, they thought, fighting for freedom and their country, not to mention their families.

Obama had to temper his wordiness in favor of pithy brevity that proved to be much more likely to earn votes.

Regarding the campaign trail, he gives the details of his sixteen-hour days after five hours of sleep, sometimes after a long flight:

A quick, often makeshift workout.

Pack.

Eat something.

Dial fundraising calls while commuting to the meeting or speech location.

Grant interviews

Meet with the party or local leaders.

Eat something and shake hands at a restaurant.

Commute, dial, repeat.

Talk to Michelle and the kids.

Sleep for five hours.

John Kerry’s 6’ 8" previous bodyguard took the job for Obama to ensure that he had everything he needed to survive and function. He even served as a travel planner and agent—his name: Marvin Nicholson.

Reggie Love, a former Duke athlete at 6’4," became one of Obama’s main assistants in his Senate office, and eventually took over, after training, from Marvin. They both sometimes joined Obama in some form o f basketball pick-up game when they had a break.

Obama understood issues and problems but did not have solutions. One headline claimed he showed style but no substance—his primary opponents: Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. Hillary seemed vulnerable because of what Bill did in the White House, p ut many young Democrats in jail and pulled the rug out for more regarding healthcare in certain circumstances. Hillary meant Bill all over again.

He tended to get bogged down in attempting a complete answer in too little time to debate questions and would come across as unprepared or without an answer at all. Axelrod advised him that it was more about expressing his message than answering the question. Please give them a cursory explanation, make everyone think you answered it, and then talk about your message. Show emotional support for their side, something they could grab onto as commitment and like-mindedness. A l ittle emotion trumped facts.

Chicago’s Penny Pritzker, of Hilton Hotels fame and fortune, served as national finance chair, bringing in connections and-- lots of money. Obama credits Star Buck’s cash from small donations through their internet campaign .

CHAPTER 6

Obama credits Minnesota ’s Paul Tawse for raising funds beyond the call of duty.

Targeted became people of color and independents to build more of an army of supporters. He continued to campaign hard in Iowa--a must-win. Obama listened to people’s gripes, problems, and stories, including about unaffordable healthcare.

Obama stood out in policy as well as appearance. He shared that he would meet with North Korea, Iran, and Cuba to advance US interests.

However, Joe Biden and John McCain said Obama proved not to be ready to be President. He would enter Pakistan, our ally, to pursue Osman bin Laden when he spoke.

Nevertheless, the Obama team seized a narrow lead in Iowa in the polls, as Hillary flubbed a question about whether undocumented aliens should have drivers’ licenses available to them.

Obama admits that Favs, Plouffe, and Axelrod wrote many of his key speeches, including the one at the JJ Dinner.

Hillary goes on the attack. But it backfires. She claims Obama hid behind blind ambition as evidenced by an exercise in--kindergarten! The negative publicity hurts Clinton tremendously.

An accusation about expanding Obama’s history of youthful drug abuse into allegations of drug dealing also backfired, thanks to the press.

The race carved itself into one between Obama and Hillary, and a personal rivalry, inevitable, developed quickly. Obama built up a 3% lead.

Obama leans on the shoulder of Oprah for more support.

Obama won Iowa by 8 points, a seismic and stunning victory according to the media, who seemed to always be on his side.

The Campaign hits a snag with a loss in New Hampshire, but the corny Yes we can chant helps.

John Kerry supports Obama publicly for the first time. Obama says he had not committed himself before, but what about giving Obama the keynote at the DNC, providing staff, and even his old bodyguard

Obama bounces back from the loss in New Hampshire to win Nevada--and Obama brags about his ability to hold his composure steady when in crisis. He first credits the laid-back lifestyle of Hawaii, and then he states that he channels his grandmother, Toot, born in Peru, Kansas, in 1922. She found herself as a bank vice-president in Hawaii after decades of dedicated work despite rampant sex discrimination. She paid for expensive schools for Obama. Other than Frank Marshall Davis, Toot became her central parental figure in her life.

Obama became embraced by Blacks the world over just because his skin is Black--he had, according to Bobby Rush, no cultural Blackness at all-- but called himself one of their own. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton joined the bandwagon to support Obama because of his skin color.

FAMOUS RACE STATEMENT

From the 2004 keynote at the DNC: no White America, no Black America, no Asian America, and no Latino America. Only the United States of America.

Far more essential than dwelling on differences, stressing common humanity became the top priority. Valerie Jarret wanted more people of color in high-level campaign positions with increased visibility.

Obama claimed to transcend racial divides by demanding education for every kid and healthcare for all Americans. Rather than an obstruction to progressive change, Obama worked to make White Americans his allies and view Blacks’ struggle as representative of a broader battle for a just, fair, and compassionate society.

REVEREND JEREMIAH A. WRIGHT, JR.

Black theologist Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr met Obama when Obama worked at organizing Black communities. Wright ran the Trinity United Church of Christ, one of the biggest in all of Chicago. A stint at Howard University in the late 1960s doused him with the strong words, emotions, and revenge of Leftist Black Power. Wright attended a seminary to study James Cone’s Black liberation theology, which claims oppression led to the Blacks being closer to God.

His church grew to a membership of over 6,000. Obama intended him to say a prayer before he announced his candidacy, but Axelrod called it off after the nature of Wright’s sermons leaked to the press.

OTIS MOSS

A prehistoric fixture in the Civil Rights movement, a peer of MLK’s, a Cleveland pastor of a thriving and sprawling church, and one of Jimmy Carter’s advisors, contacted Obama about Wright. He told Obama to brush off the Wright issue and move on, that he represented Joshua, as he and King had represented Moses.

SELMA

Obama attended the annual Selma bridge march in 2007, as did Hillary Clinton, both vying for Black approval and votes. In his eighties, an elderly Reverend Lowery entertained the crowd and supported Obama by saying that he harbored that good crazy needed to make change for Blacks.

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Obama team holds Black voters in their pockets but trailed for the same from Whites. Hillary steps up the number and potency of her attacks on Obama in the media and the debates, and she tags her philandering husband to jump in on the onslaught.

No experience, naivete about Iraq, and no match for a seasoned Republican Congress said Clinton about Obama.

Obama realizes that Hillary is not as much an obstacle in the South as America’s fatalistic past and expectations about a Black in the White House. However, most Whites seemed more concerned about his position regarding Iraq, his inexperience, and healthcare than his skin color.

Black ministers, accustomed to cash payments for securing votes, raised their eyebrows at a grassroots approach-- which dented their income.

Axelrod claims no South Carolina, no Presidency--as Obama only holds 10% of the White vote.

The voting surprised everyone, Obama netted 80% of Blacks, and 24% of Whites, to beat Hillary by 2:1.

CHAPTER 7

In January 2007, after winning South Carolina, the New York Times continued what it started in the spring of 1990, some 17 years prior--making Obama President. In 1990, it was an article about the young Black President of the Harvard Law Review who had US President potential. In 2007, the New York Times ran an op-ed about Caroline Kennedy’s endorsement of Obama, claiming that he had made her understand--for the first time, no less--how her father had inspired young Americans. Ted Kennedy chimed in the next day, preparation for Super Tuesday on February 5, and appeared as a cheerleader with Obama at American University.

Obama speaks of grassroots organizing as the heavyweights of the Democrat machine, their millions in support, and their professionals lurk in