Mike Huckabee: Obama grew up in Kenya

Updated 5:36 p.m. Eastern Time

In a radio interview on Monday, potential 2012 presidential candidate Mike Huckabee repeatedly made false claims that President Obama grew up in Kenya.

A spokesman for Huckabee later told CBS News that the former Arkansas governor misspoke.

In an interview on WOR's "The Steve Malzberg Show," Huckabee made reference to Mr. Obama's "having grown up in Kenya" and spoke of him growing up "with a Kenyan father and grandfather" - despite the fact that Mr. Obama grew up largely in Hawaii and barely knew his father at all.

In responding to Malzberg's question about whether "we deserve to know more about this man" and his origins, Huckabee responded that "I would love to know more."

"What I know is troubling enough," Huckabee said of the president. "And one thing that I do know is his having grown up in Kenya, his view of the Brits, for example, very different than the average American." The exchange was circulated by liberal media watchdog Media Matters.

A spokesman for Huckabee later said the former governor "meant to say the President grew up in Indonesia."

"When the Governor mentioned he wanted to know more about the President, he wasn't talking about the President's place of birth - the Governor believes the President was born in Hawaii," Hogan Gidley said in a statement to CBS News. "The Governor would however like to know more about where President Obama's liberal policies come from and what else the President plans to do to this country - as do most Americans."

In the interview, Huckabee also pointed to the fact that Mr. Obama in 2009 returned a bust of Winston Churchill to the British Embassy, describing the act as "a great insult" to the British. (He did not mention that the bust had been on loan.)

"If you think about it, his perspective as growing up in Kenya with a Kenyan father and grandfather, their view of the Mau Mau Revolution in Kenya is very different than ours because he probably grew up hearing that the British were a bunch of imperialists who persecuted his grandfather," he said.

There is no evidence that the president grew up in Kenya, and various reports show he spent little time with his father over the course of his life. According to a New York Times report detailing the president's Kenyan roots, Mr. Obama has visited Kenya only three times, most recently in 2006. According to the president's 1995 memoir "Dreams from My Father," he visited Kenya for the first time in the late 1980s after his father was already dead.

Indeed, Mr. Obama was born in Hawaii and spent much of his childhood there with his mother and his mother's family. He also lived in Indonesia from 1967-1971. In  "Dreams From My Father," Mr. Obama writes about his experience coming to terms with the absence of a strong paternal presence in his life.

Nevertheless, a small faction of Americans known as "birthers" continue to dispute Mr. Obama's American citizenship, despite the fact that the claim has been repeatedly debunked.

When asked if he would bring up the "birther" issue with Mr. Obama in a presidential debate, Huckabee expressed doubts.

"The only reason I'm not as confident that there's something about the birth certificate, Steve, is because I know the Clintons," Huckabee said. "And believe me, they had lots of investigators out on him, and I'm convinced if there was anything that they could have found on that, they would have found it, and I promise they would have used it."

[MadeinAmerica]

Kenyan Minutes, 3/25/10: "How could a young man born here in Kenya, who is not even a native American, become the President of America?" (p. 31)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/29999972/Obama-Born-in-Kenya-March-25-2010

[san850]

This is a fairytale...rubbish.

[Birdman04]

And the conspiracy freak "Birthers" once again crawl out of the woodwork like cockroaches. What a bunch of no count lunatics.

[Funtimes123]

One of two things is true:

1. Huck really did not know the truth and is not ready to be president.
1. Huck knew the truth, but lied in order to confuse and disorient voters.

[Funtimes123]

One of two things "are" true:

1.
2.

(Trigger happy SUBMIT clicking)

[formrusmcsgt]

by jampalm March 3, 2011 8:13 PM EST
Please Please, You are seeing the scriptures with the natural eyes.
----
My bad.

Now where are those artificial eyes of mine?

[formrusmcsgt]

by JV1970 March 3, 2011 6:35 PM EST
There is something you're forgetting or ignoring! Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses when He hung on the cross.
----
That would be ignoring.

[formrusmcsgt]

by JV1970 March 3, 2011 5:43 PM EST
There's a little document called the US Constitution that gives us freedom of speech and freedom of religion! That means we can speak about our religion any place and any time we want to! If you don't like it then DON'T READ MY COMMENTS!
---
Don't flatter yourself, dogma drone.

What makes you think I was referring to your subserviant drivel?

I was referring to dogma drones in general.

[jampalm]

Mr Huckyoubeak, give it up. Act intelligently, Mr Obama is the president of the United Stata something you will never be. We Americans want to hear how we are going to fix this country from going under. Look, like it or not the man is too intelligent and that's the problem . Why dont you go back to school and try to be as smart. If not get on with the job the people elected for.

[slownewsdayomewannagohome]

by JV1970 March 3, 2011 6:35 PM EST
There is something you're forgetting or ignoring! Jesus fulfilled the law of Moses when He hung on the cross. He didn't do away with it but he fulfilled it. The scriptures that teach killing are all under the law of Moses. We now live under grace. However, there are scriptures in the New Testament, which is not under the law of Moses, that also teach against homosexuality.

========

Sure, there is one in 1 Corinthians.

ALSO in 1st Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 14:34-35
"Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says.
If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings."

1 Corinthians 11:5
"But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering."

1 Corinthians 11:10
"For this reason, and because the angels are watching, a woman should wear a covering on her head to show she is under authority."


So - do you follow THOSE rules, too, or is USA__is-Back right about your picking and choosing what you like to follow?


.

[slownewsdayomewannagohome]

I'm sure you'll look great in a burkha!

[JV1970]

Yes I do follow the one about a woman remaining silent in church meetings, the church business meetings, not the regular church services. I do believe that the business part of the church should be run by the men. I believe that it should be up to the men about how the church money is spent and who is appointed to what office. Women should not be a part of that.

Also apparently you are guilty of picking and choosing your scriptures too! If you weren't you'd read the whole eleventh chapter of I Corinthians, especially verses 2 - 16! Then you'd know why I believe the way I do!

[slownewsdayomewannagohome]

"by JV1970
slownewsdayomewannagohome You think everything doesn't apply to you when we're talking about something you're doing!"

What is it you think I am doing??


"You probably think the laws of this country don't apply to you too!"

I am a law-abiding citizen. Odd that you don't pay attention to the 14th amendment when it comes to gays - sounds you are the one who thinks the law doesn't apply to you.


"You probably think that you should be allowed to do completely as you please with no laws to control you! However, you have them whether you want them or not and they DO apply to you!"

Oh, laws apply to me. But your religious laws and your "sin" idiocy only applies to those who share your beliefs - they do NOT apply to me.


.

[kansas1946]

Misspoke? Hmmm, been an awful lot of Republican's "misspeaking" when it comes to President Obama. Lot of difference between Kenya and Indonesia, and he didn't exactly grow up in Indonesia either. He did spend a few years there. Republicans are just liars and unfortunately, most of their voting base are just to ignorant to know that.

[bobnjersey]

[A spokesman for Huckabee later said the former governor "meant to say the President grew up in Indonesia."]
---------------------------------------------
the spokesman was also quoted as saying 'governor huckabee meant to say something intelligent ... but when he opens his mouth only stupid flows out'.