The Mystery of Obama’s Birth

We know for sure that Barack Obama was born in Honolulu, because it was announced in a local newspaper. But we also now know that for sixteen years, his literary agent circulated a bio that said he was born in Kenya. That statement must have come from Obama himself; or, at a bare minimum, it certainly was known to him. So: why? Why would Obama put it out that he was born in Kenya if he was actually born in Hawaii?

Over at PJ Media, CEO Roger Simon, a mystery writer by trade, put his mind to the puzzle and came up with an intriguing theory. Perhaps Obama had a tangible incentive to pass himself off as African, rather than merely African-American. Perhaps the explanation goes back to his college and law school days, which remain weirdly shrouded in mystery, deemed off-limits by liberal reporters and editors. Perhaps Obama took advantage of a scholarship–or, I would add, an affirmative action opportunity–that was available only to those born in Africa. Perhaps, in other words, Obama was like Elizabeth Warren, dishonestly checking a diversity box to get ahead. There would be no down-side at all, up until the moment when Obama decided he might run for president.

Check out Roger’s piece. It is, at a minimum, a thought-provoking theory.

STEVE adds: Darn, you have to get up pretty early in the morning–and I was up at 4:30 am local time out here in Los Angeles to catch an early flight–to beat John to a story.  As Abbott once said to Costello–“That’s a great idea–I was just about to think it myself!”  I also was going to flag Roger Simon’s piece, which I am sure has the bead on the real story.  So the question is: will the mainstream media follow up on this with the same fervor they did over Mitt Romney’s high school bullying?  Even Mister Magoo could spot this story.  But I suspect even hard-of-hearing Magoo won’t need a hearing aid to hear the media crickets chirping on this one.

P.S. Fabulous time last night at the California Club at the second annual Friends of Ronald Reagan dinner, featuring former Governor Pete Wilson, Chris Cox, and . . . moi.

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