Michelle Obama “whitey” tape fails to materialise

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Evidence is rapidly mounting that there is little proof behind the widely reported story that a major news network is in possession of video featuring Michelle Obama, wife of presidential hopeful Barack Obama, railing against white people.

The internet was abuzz with rumours of a videotape which purported to show Michelle Obama sitting on a panel with Louis Farrakhan at the then Jeremiah Wright-helmed Trinity United Church of Christ making racist remarks about white Americans, liberally employing the derogatory term ‘whitey’ while doing so.

The story was reportedly substantially fuelled by Larry Johnson, the former intelligence official who previously broke the story that Karl Rove was about to be indicted over the Valerie Plame case.

Johnson, for the record, is also one of the blogosphere’s most pro-Hillary Clinton, anti-Obama contributors who has negatively linked Barack Obama to everyone from Hugo Chavez to Hezbollah in the past.

Originally, Johnson claimed to be in possession of the videotape in question, but now, according to most published reports, acknowledges only that he has seen the video, the supposed existence of which has been fodder for examination by conservative news outlets and Republican pundits like Rush Limbaugh alike.

As of today, after Johnson’s failure to produce the tape, even conservative outlets like the National Review Online are questioning the validity of the tape’s existence.

Even if there is a tape, there is at least one source that offers an explanation for Michelle Obama’s comments.

According to the blog Booman Tribune, Mrs. Obama’s enunciation may have been misunderstood.

So the blog’s theory goes, the phrase “why’d he” may sound like “whitey” on the tape. So instead of Michelle Obama referring to white America saying:

Whitey cut folks off Medicaid?
Whitey let New Orleans drown?
Whitey do nothing about Jena?
Whitey put us in Iraq for no reason?*

What she may have actually said in reference to President Bush is:

Why’d he cut folks off Medicaid?
Why’d he let New Orleans drown?
Why’d he do nothing about Jena?
Why’d he put us in Iraq for no reason?

But again, that’s if there is a video to even speak of.

Still, it’s curious that a liberal blog would offer an explanation of something that may or may not exist.

Which may explain why some Republican pundits have allegedly suggested that the Michelle Obama ‘Whitey’ tape does in fact exist but is now being held back until October in the hopes that the Democrats will nominate Barack Obama so that they can then use the video against him in the general election.

The fear, according to some conservative blogs, is that the tape could drive the Democrats to choose Hillary Clinton which some now perceive to be a stronger candidate against presumptive Republican nominee, Senator John McCain.

But then again, that’s just as speculative as the existence of the videotape in question itself.

© 2008 GayWired; All Rights Reserved.

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