GOP Blowback: AuntieGate

[vaberella]

Of course I've posted it's basically a non-issue that I know the media would "normally" pounce on and feed the GOP with. However what's interesting is the sudden blowback of this issue.

I don't know how many people were reminded of Valerie Plame issue, but AuntieGate is seen as a GOVERNMENT leak. Further more, enough evidence states that the Government was aware of where she was, or this information would never have been leaked. This actually makes me wonder how "illegal" she was. It's been said she was denied political asylum but that doesn't mean she wasn't in processing. When I say "in processing" it's to refer application for citizenship or resident alien which can be applied for. Political asylum is fairly special for certain people and under certain circumstances that doesn't stop the person from applying for a resident alien card which still has a long processing time.

In any event, this thing that had the capability to hurt Obama if spun properly is definitely something not only hurting the GOP but our Government system. It actually is a direct attack not only on supposed non-citizens but on citizens that our information is so easilly leaked. A named mentioned in a book is suddenly finds someone in the nation with the same name and living in section 8 housing. Have they even confirmed this is even Obama's aunt? How many people in Africa might have that name? (<---side question)

In any event, this is about leaking someone's information into the public. I also had to question that if the Government was aware of her location, then how was she here illegally? They were aware of her, and they could have told her to leave or sent her home (and this knowledge that they were aware was confirmed by AP and the CNN website). If that's the case then there was more to the situation and I find that doubly worse for McCain because her information was used to manipulate the election in his favor and I wonder how many people in his campaign new about it that they were planning on using this.

In the end, the media, surprisingly have focused on the fundamental problem of this situation. Not that it reflects in any way to Obama but actually what kind of Government system do we have that people's identies and situations are not protected and a law has actually been broken by this leak. Much like the Valerie Plame case, this one is just as prevalent and will result in massive backlash more so than advantages for McCain.

[GreenPoet64]

1. Excellent point! n/t

[vaberella]

2. .

[wildflower]

3. I thought of the Plame affair as soon as I heard this. Also...

I remember hearing here that McCain campaign had promised "fireworks" 72 hours before the election. That would be this morning. This promise, made a while back, ties in to what you wrote here:

"In any event, this is about leaking someone's information into the public. I also had to question that if the Government was aware of her location, then how was she here illegally? They were aware of her, and they could have told her to leave or sent her home (and this knowledge that they were aware was confirmed by AP and the CNN website). If that's the case then there was more to the situation and I find that doubly worse for McCain because her information was used to manipulate the election in his favor and I wonder how many people in his campaign new about it that they were planning on using this."

If they were aware, why wouldn't it be reported sooner?

Interestingly, last I heard, the McCain campaign had no comment on this.

[vaberella]

7. Of course they haven't, but also they're not using it.

Remember when Backward B-Girl came out they were going ballistic and sent out phonecalls and this was pushed on news agencies. This one is not even being touched mainly because of it being a Government leak in which someone's identity was compromised and they were possibly aware of it. What's even worse that it seems she MAY NOT have been "illegal" in the sense of a Mexican peach picker...she was in the Government system and was probably going through different levels of processing and they were fully aware of where she was. That being the case, the AP story for all it's hogwash also contradicted itself and the US Government is also compromised and it's reputation can be even more fucked.

I'm sure you remember the two shows Rachel Maddow had of the NSA taping phonecalls of Americans and those being distributed around that department. Privacy and protection are out the window.

[soccermomforobama]

9. It is interesting that the McCain campaign had no comment. . .

the last time they had no comment on something was when the Ashley Todd situation went from a story to a hoax.

[Starry Messenger]

4. John Conyers agrees with you.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/11/01/lawmaker-wants-to-know-source-of-leak-on-obamas-aunt/

"WASHINGTON (CNN) – A Democratic lawmaker on Saturday asked Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to investigate a leak to reporters regarding the immigration status of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama's aunt, suggesting the Bush administration may have been behind it.

"I was startled to read in today's Associated Press that a 'federal law enforcement official' has leaked information about an immigration case involving a relative of Senator Obama," said a letter sent to Chertoff by Rep. John Conyers, D-Michigan, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee.

"Even more troubling, the AP reports that it 'could not establish whether anyone at a political level in the Bush administration or in the McCain campaign had been involved,' a very disturbing (suggestion) indeed," the letter said."

Hey vaberella! :hi:

[vaberella]

10. Hiya...I noticed he did.

It's really scary. I had just recently read a court case on ethics problem with Choice Point a few years back. 2005, I believe for my Government Regulation class. When sealed files are breached this way this needs to be investigated in detail and the further attempt to use it to motivate election...well it turns Bushco and in some respect McCain's camp into Mafia thugs. They make the Yakuza look good since Yakuza is about honor.

[Starry Messenger]

13. I'm just amazed someone jumped on it so quick!

I guess that's a mark of how cynical I've become. And how criminal this administration has been. I can't wait for these Mafiosos to be out OUT out of the White House.

[tblue37]

17. And in in IN to the Big House. nt

[Window]

5. Well stated. K/R.

:kick:

[ben_meyers]

6. More like GOP pay back

Getting even for the GWB DUI 4 days before the 2000 election. I expect there will be calls for investigations and even impeachment hearings on Obama shortly after he is inaugurated. You can bet some screw loose winger will start in.

[Cha]

15. A journalist in Maine took credit for revealing

george fuckhead bush's DWI and this is not payback..they'd fucking do it anyway.

And, Obama can take care of himself.

Too bad the election was stolen in 2000 and we had to put up with that dry DRUNK for 8 fucking years.

[Overseas]

8. Very glad to see that the focus is where it belongs -- GOP law breaking.

This crop of New Republicans, ushered in by Newt Gingrich but really shaped by the likes of Karl Rove and his gang of fratboy cocktail party Country Club elites,

will do anything, including breaking the law and treason, to achieve their political objectives.

For them, The Ends Justify the Means.

COUNTRY CLUB FIRST.

[pdxmom]

11. And today, Cheney pokes his nose out of his undisclosed location to

endorse McCain. Coincidence? I think not.

[Kind of Blue]

12. I was actually glad to see the trecherous bastard today.

He just reminded me all over again about the Plame leak and his presence really drives Conyers' point home.

[Raven]

14. Interesting report of this on WBZ radio (Boston) this afternoon.

They interviewed Auntie's neighbors who were thrilled to be living next to someone related to Obama. None of them knew or had ever seen the woman.

[vaberella]

25. Aye...?! "never seen" you say....Hmmmm...

In another thread I was reading I had the impression this could also be a hoax. Check it out:

On story about Obama's aunt: "I think people are suspect about stories that surface in the last 72 hours of a national campaign" and think voters are going to put it in that context.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

We all know Axelrod is a smart person and always says things he means. In the statement above I actually was under the impression it could have been a hoax. And your statement about the Boston radio station actually amplifies my interest in that it might all be a hoax. There's no mention of the woman, no real proof she's in the country. There's no woman seen on television. It is all rumor and inuendo. Then your statement above. A woman, older Black woman living in section 8 housing never seen by neighbors. Impossible considering it's been said she was in this country for a few years. It's just interesting that's all.

[Meshuga]

16. The government can send a letter of deportation

Asking the person to leave on his/her own but the government does not go after the person and does not deport unless the person is detained by police for commiting some other crime. So it is possible that she is here illegaly because she ignored the request for her to leave the country.

The thing is, like you said, a lot of people overstay their visa and apply to become permanent residents. In the case of the aunt, she would have to wait here illegally to apply to be a resident because if she went back to Africa she would be unable to apply to legalize her situation since (once deported) she is banned from visiting the US for 10 years.

The bottom line is that the government leaked this information and this is the only crime commited thus far. I think that is why McCain is not touching the subject because this is an inside job to attack Obama that could backfire and hurt McCain.

[anneboleyn]

20. Great point!!! Repeat everywhere: "the govt. leaked this information and this is the only crime"

[anneboleyn]

18. Yes, this should be pushed hard by the campaign and media on Monday

I am worried that this will get one news cycle on Monday, but I can't imagine that it would make enough of a difference in the polls to keep Obama from winning. Obama needs people everywhere, on every possible news outlet Sunday and Monday, saying that this shows why we don't want four more years of McBush. But this angle needs to be pushed! The govt. trying to punish individual citizens and leaking personal information! That a high level official pushed this info.

[crossroads]

19. Well said... k&r

[anneboleyn]

21. Talking points: Govt. harassing old ladies with illegal leaks of information, how safe do you feel?

[Phx_Dem]

22. Plamegate was the first thing that came to my mind.

Bush & Co outed their own covert CIA agent and illegally spied on their own citizens, so outing some poor Kenyan woman for 'overstaying her welcome' is a nothing for them. Just one more example of how they use the Government for their own personal and political gain. No wonder Palin fits in so well with the Bush-McCain crime family.

I think McCain has clued in that this is gonna blowback on him and that's why they said, "We have no comment. This is a family matter." Now watch Palin 'go rogue' and scream she's an illegal alien who came here to steal your job!! Go ahead, bitch. I dare you.

[Essene]

26. and nobody really was punished for plamegate... so, not sure what we think will happen here

[mcg]

23. I don't just believe anything coming from the Bush administration,

they lied about weapons of mass destruction. They would feel no hesitation to lie about this. It does sound very fishy. If this supposed deportation order is real then the administration knew about it, otherwise they couldn't have leaked it. If they they felt it was so important, they could have forcibly deported her, but they didn't. Oh, but it's so important as to leak it to the press. Sure.

[vaberella]

24. That's the thing. There's been no talk of even a "supposed deportation".

I sincerely suspect that she's "in processing". I was an immigrant and it took me something like 6-7 years to get my citizenship. I know other people it took 10 years. Since 9/11 a lot of people have gotten "lost" in the system literally. I also worked for a Immigrant organization. There are people who are "in processing" for resident alien cards. So they are here "sort of illegally" but not really. If they were to leave they'd lose resident alien status, if they stay they're declared illegal, but in order to recieve the RA status you need to stay. The impression I'm given is that she is very much in the system and not necessarily illegal.

If it's true she lost the bid for political asylum which is hard to get for Africans or those from Latin America, she could have easily filled out regular resident alien card status. The thing is though, she'd be in for some serious wait time. She'd have to reapply and at that point she could have been in the US for several years, 2-3 years to be exact. Then during the 2-3 years of waiting for a response on her Political asylum bid she would apply for resident alien and that could take up to 5 or so years post 911 and this counts for ANYONE who applied for the status within 2-3 years BEFORE 911.

Everything at the INS is ridiculously backed up nation wide. So if I'm right she's not literally illegal, they would have or could have given her a form to sit around, but in the strictest definition then yes.

But again the issue isn't on deportation or citizenship or resident alien. The issue is the fact the Government leaked this information. That is the most dangerous that could happen to a citizen or non-citizen that this Government is either so corrupt or so unprotected that would-be protected people are not only political pawns but unworthy of honor.