It's a funny life: No JFK would have meant no Obama

[BeyondGeography]

The other Obama-Kennedy connection

How a Kenyan airlift that brought a young scholar named Obama to America in 1960 - where he met a wife and fathered a son - was saved by a young senator from Massachusetts

Elana Schor in Washington
Thursday January 10, 2008
Guardian Unlimited

In his command of the US political stage over the past year, Barack Obama has inspired many a comparison to John F Kennedy. Both young senators brought a lofty message, an appealing young family and a movie-star aura to the presidential race. But the two men forged a less known link - before Obama was even born.

The bond began with Kenyan labour leader Tom Mboya, an advocate for African nationalism who helped his country gain independence in 1963. In the late 1950s, Mboya was seeking support for a scholarship program that would send Kenyan students to US colleges - similar to other exchanges the US backed in developing nations during the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Mboya appealed to the state department. When that trail went cold, he turned to then-senator Kennedy.

Kennedy, who chaired the senate subcommittee on Africa, arranged a $100,000 grant through his family's foundation to help Mboya keep the program running. "It was not a matter in which we sought to be involved," Kennedy said in an August 1960 senate speech. "Nevertheless, Mr Mboya came to see us and asked for help, when none of the other foundations could give it, when the federal government had turned it down quite precisely. We felt something ought to be done."

One of the first students airlifted to America was Barack Obama Sr, who married a white Kansas native named Ann Dunham during his US studies. Their son, born in 1961 and named for his father, has only once mentioned his Kennedy connection on the campaign trail.

"he Kennedys decided: 'We're going to do an airlift,'" senator Obama said during a March speech in Selma, Alabama. "We're going to go to Africa and start bringing young Africans over to this country and give them scholarships to study so they can learn what a wonderful country America is. This young man named Barack Obama got one of those tickets and came over to this country."

Continued at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uselections08/barackobama/story/0,,2238701,00.html

[aquart]

1. That's so romantic. And clearly God's plan.

To take one chosen hero from us and replace him with another, even greater. Wow!

That's what I'm supposed to get from this, right?

[BeyondGeography]

2. The story is what it is, snarkette

As I said, funnny life.

[BootinUp]

3. heh.

I am starting not to recognoze this place, swear to crise. I definitely have the Democrat Disease.

[Occam Bandage]

4. I think with this post, the DU ratio of

mock Obama starry-eyed wonder to actual Obama starry-eyed wonder has eclipsed 1,000:1. Congratulations!

[FrenchieCat]

5. Well you should get from it what you will,

and in fact, you didn't have to read it at all.

and why are you asking others what you should get? :shrug:

[stillcool]

6. Next thing you know...

there going to be ripping on JFK. No democrats are safe around here anymore...well..except for ..