Looks like another story slipped through TPTB scrubber (Obama born in Indonesia)

Originally posted by BaronVonGodzilla
Great catch!
Unfortunately the evidence is fast piling up.

Even though we have the original, I wouldn't lend this one too much credence. It wouldn't be the first time a "fluff" reporter for a small newspaper got their facts wrong.

Will Hoover explanation: he found an anti-Obama site in January 2006 (magical memory!)

A January 2006 article from Honolulu Advertiser writer (and Obama defender) Will Hoover claimed that Barack Obama was born in Indonesia. This page has copies of a couple emails Will Hoover sent them about this issue. As he did for the Politifact article, he seems to have an explanation for everything:

The story in question was written on deadline more nearly four years ago. The story was not about Obama, but Tammy Duckworth. I knew little about Obama at the time, other than that he had lived in Honolulu and graduated from High School here. With time running out, I Googled “Obama (and) birthplace,” (or something similar) – and incredibly the first thing I found said Obama was born in Indonesia! Hey, it looked factual (apparently it was from a site trying to discredit Obama’s Hawaiii origins – so much for trusting Google). Anyhow, that’s what wound up in the story. I quickly, and sheepishly, learned otherwise after the story appeared. I believe a correction soon followed... [from his followup email:] I checked our online archives to find the original Tammy Duckworth article. I was surprised to see the article didn’t include the correction I thought would be there. I recall getting calls and emails after the story ran from readers who wanted me to know Obama had been born in Hawaii. Plus, I remember an editor telling me about the error.

As noted at the link, it would have probably been difficult to find a site in January 2006 trying to undercut Obama's presidential aspirations. In March 2006, Mark Halperin of ABC News offered "ABC News Political Unit's 2008 Presidential Invisible Primary Ratings, Vol. 1" (link), listing eleven 2008 Democratic contenders. Obama was not on the list. Those on the list were: Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Mark Warner, John Edwards, Evan Bayh, Tom Daschle, Joe Biden, Russ Feingold, Bill Richardson, Wesley Clark, and Tom Vilsack. On the other hand, in February 2006, Eric Zorn of the Chicago Tribune raised the possibility of Obama running, referencing a December 2005 article from Ryan Lizza (link).

Our first mention of Obama was in July 2004, in relation to the Illinois senate seat race. A few other posts followed, including one in September 2005. Obama wasn't mentioned again until April 2006 (just on a list of Senators attending a Bush meeting) and then in relation to the May 1 2006 illegal immigration marches.

Now, that doesn't mean that in January 2006 someone somewhere wasn't working to undercut someone who wasn't even on my or ABC's radar as a potential nominee, but I suspect this is more a case of Hoover's "magical memory" in action.

24ahead.com...

For a trip down the rabbit hole
laotze.blogspot.com...

www.therightsideoflife.com...

Wow, I was looking at this last yesterday and seeing the developments I'm amazed. I have never given much thought to the birther movement, honestly still don't know if there is any truth in it. That being said, to see blatant censorship at work is amazing to me. Granted I hang out on ATS and seek alternative news sources on my own, and it is undeniable that certain bits of information do not seem to make there way to me by traditional outlets, but to actually see the elimination of part of a 3 year old article really solidifies the belief that if the truth is out there it will not be found in a publication and reaffirms my belief that I need to keep hard copies of the originals, especially considering I'm still getting my feet wet in this realm. It also proves to me that going completely digital is a horrible idea, and will only make it easier to change bits of history. Oh, and how is it logical that by changing the article it will discredit those that are pursuing the Obama birth movement. To me, I see it as giving them slightly more credit, they should have left the original alone and printed a retraction or a follow up, to alter the article seems they have something to hide.

[edit on 16-10-2009 by searching4truth]

During Bush's administration I woke up. When I started seeing important articles, and videos just plain vanish, especially ones related to 9/11, I knew things were not as they seemed.

I feel that now the information clampdown is even more severe. With the wholesale B.S. that is going on at youtube, we really do live in 1984 right now.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by downtown436
The only evidence left, is the quote I pasted earlier! Those of you who read it know!!

This is a real conspiracy!!

I happened to still have the page open in another browser window, and captured a near-full page version for posterity.

honoluluadvertiser.jpg

Enjoy.

[edit on 16-10-2009 by SkepticOverlord]

Excellent!

It's good to catch these things!

It opens a window to reality.

Originally posted by SkepticOverlord

Originally posted by BaronVonGodzilla
Great catch!
Unfortunately the evidence is fast piling up.

Even though we have the original, I wouldn't lend this one too much credence. It wouldn't be the first time a "fluff" reporter for a small newspaper got their facts wrong.

I'm glad you saved the original...and it's still on the wayback machine.

I agree this is probably just another article where the reporter got the facts wrong, however, I find it shocking that they would go back and edit an article dated in 2006 and not put in any editorial note after making the changes or corrections to show readers that they had changed the article!

I find this very suspicious and it makes me wonder what else "they" have changed that we haven't noticed! And I don't mean just the Honolulu advertiser, I mean ANY online media.

The Honolulu Advertiser changing the story with no editorial note is a bigger story than the OP about the reporter's Indonesia-born statement (and probable error). This is the kind of stuff that fuels conspiracy theories!

Great find and fascinating development after it was posted! star and flag!

reply to post by downtown436


OMG! He was born in the US, Kenya and Indonesia! All at the same time! He must be the Holy Trinity manifest in the flesh! OMG! OMFG!!