http://www.thepostemail.com/2009/10/15/obama-concedes-hes-not-a-nbc-in-obama-vs-keyes-2004-debate/Obama concedes he's not a NBC, in Obama vs. Keyes 2004 Debate WITNESS COMES FORWARD, HISTORY OF INTERNET “RUMOUR” DOCUMENTED UPDATE: Oct. 21, 2009 — Second Witness Comes forward, gives testimony to The Post & Email by John Charlton (October 15, 2009) — It was a moment little noticed and soon forgotten; the import of it was not at that time understood; but the evidence that it [...]
WITNESS COMES FORWARD, HISTORY OF INTERNET “RUMOUR” DOCUMENTED
UPDATE: Oct. 21, 2009 — Second Witness Comes forward, gives testimony to The Post & Email
by John Charlton
(October 15, 2009) — It was a moment little noticed and soon forgotten; the import of it was not at that time understood; but the evidence that it did in fact occur is compelling. It occurred during the Obama vs. Alan Keyes debate shoot, when the actual video tape was being recorded by ABC’s Chicago Affiliate in the Fall of 2004. It was never aired in Chicago, because the affiliate only aired the final cut; the raw footage was, as far as The Post & Email knows, aired only twice by C-Span in April and May of 2005.
The content of the short exchange has become legendary. In a quick jab Keyes asserted definitively that Obama was not a natural born citizen, and Obama, manifestly caught off guard, conceded the fact.
This article will first, document the evidence still on the net regarding those individuals who claim to have witnessed the C-Span rebroadcast, and then will publish an email from one such witness, who is willing to swear an affidavit to the effect. Other witnesses, who wish to contact The Post & Email can do so, so that their testimony on these facts can be published also.
The Internet “Rumor” which turned out to be the truth
On Nov.17.2008 @ 3:11 pm, at Attorney Leo Donofrio’s Blogtext blog, entitled “Natural Born Citizen”, it was first mentioned that:
Also, Somebody from Chicago just contacted her and stated that during the Senatorial campaign there was a debate between Barack Obama and Dr. Keyes. This debate was videotaped. During the debate Dr. Keyes has stated :”You are not even a Natural born citizen” to which Barack Obama replied: “That’s OK, I am not running for president, I am only running for Senate.”
This same commenter posted again at Chicagoans Against Obama blog at 7:40 PM the same day.
On Nov. 25, 2008, at 6:42 PM, it is mentioned again at Stormfront:
In search of — Debate during the Senatorial Campaign between Dr. Keyes and Obama in which was stated : “You are not even a Natural born citizen” to which Obama replied:” That’s o’k, I am not running for President, I am only running for Senate” – If anyone knows where this tape is located, please e-mail thepowerhour@thepowerhour.com THANKS.
A thread on this was opened at Free Republic on Dec. 2, 6:12 PM:
// I was looking for a video that I ran across recently from the 2004 Keyes/Obama Senate race debates where Keyes stated :”You are not even a Natural born citizen” to which Barack Obama replied: “That’s OK, I am not running for president, I am only running for Senate.”
News of this exchange has since spread across the internet and been reported throughout the last year.
A Witness Steps Forward
Here is where the “rumor” is dispelled, and where the facts become real.
First the facts surrounding the case. This interested citizen began reading and researching about Obama the day after Obama’s 2008 Election win. He soon began reading the blog of Attorney Leo Donofrio, participating at the web-form which is now known as RestoreTheConstitutional
Republic.org, and listening in to Plains Radio, which was an internet radio program out of Texas.
This citizen read reports of others who had seen this exchange. And then remembered that he himself had seen it. This witness has now contacted The Post & Email and given his testimony, which is as follows:
First, let me say that I was not able to vote in the 2004 presidential elections, because I was overseas on work. So when I returned stateside in March of 2005, I wanted to inform myself as to what had been happening.
In mid April, finding myself with a lot of spare time, I started watching C-Span on cable tv, from my home in the mornings. When they announced that they were going to rebroadcast the Alan Keyes vs. Barack Obama debates, unedited, I was delighted, because I am an Alan Keyes fan.
In the introduction to the rebroadcast of the debates, the C-Span host noted that C-Span had decided to air them because of the growing interest in Washington, D.C., in Barack Obama. He also pointed out that C-Span was not airing the version seen in Chicago the previous fall, and which Keyes was to distribute in diverse media on his website; that C-Span had requested from the TV station in Chicago the unedited tapes of the debate, and that only on C-Span would they be aired.
I watched the entire first and second debates. I distinctly remember that I had never heard of Obama; my interest was in seeing what Keyes said about the pro-life issue and school vouchers.
At one point in the second debate, Keyes, accused Obama saying, “You are not even a natural born citizen!”
To which Obama immediately replied, “So what? I am running for Illinois Senator, not the presidency.”
At the end of the airing of the second debate, the C-Span host noted, as he read from a single sheet of paper, placed before him, that the Obama Campaign had contacted them and requested them to point out to their viewers that Obama’s response here should not be understood as a denial that he is a natural born citizen, only that Keyes’ accusation had nothing to do with the qualifications of office of a U.S. Senator.
I distinctly remember my dismay at Obama’s response, at that time, concerned why he called the office he was running for “Illinois” senator, but did not call the U.S. Presidency with any distinctive adjective.
I subsequently spoke with Alan Keyes, one evening, by phone, when he appeared on Plains Radio:, in January, I think. I asked him about this exchange; he said he did not remember it; but he did not deny it took place.
The Post & Email notes, that Obama’s response is more telling than it first appears; because you’d expect him to respond, affirming that he is a “natural born citizen”, or at least in saying, “I am running for U.S. Senator from Illinois, not the U.S. Presidency”. This seems to indicate that Obama was emotionally recoiling from this direct question; a question any natural born citizen ought never to have feared. It certainly seems that Obama knows he is not a natural born citizen, which qualification requires that one be “born in the country of parents who are citizens” of the same (de Vattel, The Law of Nations).
The witness also informs The Post & Email that he is willing to sign and swear to an affidavit regarding what he has communicated above.
