**Update**
Interestingly, Dan Morain of the L.A. Times had discovered back in April that Barack Obama has a pretty thin resume prior to being elevated to the presidency. Between 1993 and '96, Obama, the much-ballyhooed "Constitutional scholar," had only an unusually low 3,723 billable hours of legal work accrued over a four-year stint with his law firm employer Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Gallard. Further, he seems to have worked on but few cases and made little impact commensurate with his reputation. Yet, just this month the Orlando Sentinel decides to re-print the Morain piece. The question I have, of course, is why is the Orlando Sentinel only NOW interested that Obama was "involved in relatively few cases before entering politics"? Where was this investigating before the election?
The Morain piece begins by recounting how Obama has so often made a big deal out of his days as a "civil-rights attorney" claiming it a key ingredient of his early, formative community development years. Yet, Morain finds that there isn't much record proving that Obama did a whole heck-of-a-lot back in those days. (bold mine)
Senior attorneys at the small firm where he worked say he was a strong writer and researcher, but was involved in relatively few cases before entering politics.
So, Obama, for all his claims of being involved in the lives of "churches and community groups" as a lawyer with the firm is... what? Blowing smoke? If the paper trail reveals he didn't work on many cases or have very many billable hours, how is it that he found this experience to be a monumental involvement in the community that shaped his career?
Morain doesn't directly ask these questions in his piece, wisely preferring to let the facts talk to the reader. But, a careful read of his L.A.Times piece cannot help but elicit the pertinent question: what the heck was Obama doing during those four years, anyway? After all, it sure doesn't look like he was doing much legal work!
Here's how Morain sums up Obama's paper trail:
30: The approximate number of legal cases Obama was involved in:
4: The number of years Obama was a full-time lawyer
70%: The amount of time Obama spent on voting rights, civil rights and employment, generally as a junior associate. (The rest of his time was spent on matters related to real-estate transactions, filing incorporation papers and defending clients against minor lawsuits.)
3,723: The number of billable hours Obama accrued while working at Davis, Miner, Barnhill & Gallard.
According to Morain, some of Obama's "big" cases were the case of a shortchanged babysitter, the case of a cold building tenant, and a lawsuit against a corporation that owned low-income housing on behalf of a guy that slipped and fell down. Additionally, Obama was involved in the enforcement of the federal Motor Voter law in Illinois -- at lest that one being a higher profile case.
So, it appears Obama has less billable hours during those four years than most young lawyers are expected to accrue (which is up to 2,000 hours a year according to some estimates), worked on but few cases, and only on one notable one. On top of that, he was rarely more than a "junior associate" the whole time.
This is the man that was praised for his extensive legal career? A slighted babysitter and a guy that fell down are the amazing legal challenges he faced as a young lawyer?
Of course, the biggest question is, why are we only now seeing this report from the L.A. Times? Where was this report two months ago or more?
Need I even ask?
** Update**
Apparently, this Morain story ran in the L.A.Times on Apr 6, 2008. But, for some reason the site I got it from, the Orlando Sentinel, just decided to put it up now, after the election. So, it is the Florida paper I direct my point to instead of the L.A. Times. Hence we've re-directed the question. Where was your reporting of this before the election, Orlando Sentinel? (Thanks Gary Hall for the update)
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Comments Policy
Still waiting for Barry's birth records to be revealed.
November 18, 2008 - 05:33 ET by JaykeLet me get this straight. Both his parents and now grandparents are deceased and he still refuses to release his birht records. In fact, Barry releases ZERO documents about his past and that's not a problem for the press?
What country am I living in?
Career in column inches
November 18, 2008 - 06:12 ET by DeskpilotAll print media just the final article size in column inches. It would seem that BHO's resume would fit into probably about 2 coulmn inches. If the LAT were to write a synopsis of his career, maybe a total of 6 coulmn inches. No leadership roles, no executive experience, save the botched CAC.
Wow! That obviously means that I'm more qualified to run for POTUS. 20 1/2 years of increasing responsibility in the Navy. Retail management for a not-for-profit operation that paid for all command social activities. Responsible stewadrship of taxpayer dollars managing several different local level programs, 179,112 billable hours to the taxpayers, direct foreign relations experience as an ambassador on 4 continents. Been in Newsweek, appeared on MSNBC (pre-Obama), numerous interviews on talk radio. My resume takes up 3 inches of paper in a file cabinet drawer and probably a measurable amount of ink.
Oh, wait a minute. Damn! Burst my bubble. I'm casucasian, I haven't been on Oprah, and I never quite managed to get the media to drool over themselves about my story, a U.S. birth certificate from 1963, meeting the "Natural Born Citizen" clause, Father American, Mother Irish (Citizenship 1973) bothof whom stayed in America. Everyone in my faily even remebers the name of the hospital in Missouri. UNQUALIFIED.
I've got 5 election cycles to consider before I'm 72. Who knows.
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can still read it in English, You're welcome
- Deskpilot, AM(H)1 (AW), USN (Ret)
Deskpilot
November 18, 2008 - 08:33 ET by littlemissmuffinWanted to thank you for your service to our country! My Dad is retired Army, and he instilled in me an appreciation for all servicemen/women. THANK YOU, Sir.
"If we conservatives moved to those seven non-existent States, the government couldn’t find us and tax us to death!"
Curiosity…
November 18, 2008 - 06:15 ET by Red JeepIt is said that curiosity killed the cat. This fate will never happened to today’s MSM.
the SCOTUS want's it before
November 18, 2008 - 10:52 ET by TruthMongerthe SCOTUS want's it before the inauguration - tough to get around that
Dominate education now
So when duh-Bama
November 19, 2008 - 09:08 ET by 10ksnookerIs a no show, who's army is going to go get him?
duh-Bama is just running out the clock.
Please SOMEONE reassure me that
November 18, 2008 - 19:59 ET by Cape Conservativehe will have a normal security vetting the same as those he is nominating for his cabinet.
PLEASE tell me he isn't going to be able to skirt this important investigation of who he really is! PLEASE!!!
Wish I could, but we both
November 18, 2008 - 20:02 ET by Clear thinkerWish I could, but we both know better don't we?
American Communist Education - Special Edition w/Video
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
If you want to see a
November 18, 2008 - 06:35 ET by motherbeltIf you want to see proof of the media's dereliction of duty in this election, check out this website:
howobamagotelected.com
and see the responses by Obama voters to questions regarding the campaign.
There is also a video of Zeigler's (he did the survey) appearance on Hannity & Colmes.
Let's hope Obama invests as
November 18, 2008 - 06:46 ET by islero47Let's hope Obama invests as much time in his position as President as he did as a junior ass ociate.
If that were the case the next four years might not be as bad as we thought.
Sarah Palin/Jason Lewis 2012
Obama, pathological nacissist: http://www.faithfree...
A gift
November 18, 2008 - 09:27 ET by VonuSend him a crack pipe to celebrate.
I am starting to think my anger was misplaced.
November 18, 2008 - 06:56 ET by JWFNo, not my anger at a man running for office on the premise of running away from a war we started and have nearly won. That is still there.
I was angry at the MSM. I am starting to think their bias was not that influential. Now I am angry at paynos.
We have far too many payno's in this country. People that pay no taxes and pay no attention to the news, civics or history. Their main source of information is SNL, Comedy Central & jokes from late night talk shows.
Look at the payno's in this video. http://www.howobamagotelected.com/
I think the LAT could have printed that 2 months ago and no one would have noticed.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
HEY NEWS MEDIA...
November 18, 2008 - 07:35 ET by AJBWhat is the big CHANGE Obama promises? Clinton hacks running his administration? Being beholden to the Clintons? Hillary didn't have to become president. They got EVERY other main position, including now, Secretary of State. YOU'VE BEEN PUNKED!!!
Now, please form a line and turn in your license to write or talk about news. You've all been decertified and will be replaced by monkeys and typewriters. A million monkeys typing a million words for a million years would give more accurate and unbiased news coverage than what you did when you sold us down the river.
"A million monkeys typing a
November 18, 2008 - 14:26 ET by celator"A million monkeys typing a million words for a million years...."
A research lab has recently completed that very experiment, it turns out. The results are interesting. Researchers found it took three monkeys 10 minutes to write more accurate news stories than the MSM.
Perhaps
November 18, 2008 - 20:04 ET by doug1950Obama could be the biggest scapegoat in history. The Clintons knew the economy was about to go into free fall and may have even had a hand in perpetuating it through the media. They knew whomever became the next President was walking into the biggest ****storm and not really in a very enviable position. What would be better than having someone else assume the mantle, keep your powder dry, step back from the nomination process but work out a deal to serve in some kind of extremely influencial capacity, with dozens of your old cronies filling key positions in the DNC and thereby being the logical choices to choose from to fill key cabinet and administrative positions. So when the anointed one falls on his sword, your resume will be thick and impressive, just waiting until the next election cycle to point out all the foibles, mistakes and failures of an inexperienced, inept President. Earlier this week many said Hillary would not be picked to be SoS. With the Clintons you must never, never take your eye off the ball. These two have more damn tricks than a monkey on a hundred yards of grapevine. Jimmy Carter was the exact same kind of lame duck President going into office. He did not get to pick his cabinet. He got told who he could pick. He got fill his aide jobs and such with his corn pone friends from Deliverance but little else. Jimmy was the perfect rube and I think Obama is too. Those of us old enough to remember the Carter years are experiencing Deja Vu all over again.
Doug... The difference
November 18, 2008 - 20:10 ET by Clear thinkerDoug...
The difference is... Obama could end up being a very dangerous rube!
American Communist Education - Special Edition w/Video
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
No doubt! Hope everyone here
November 18, 2008 - 20:16 ET by doug1950No doubt! Hope everyone here is a praying person.
a story
November 18, 2008 - 07:52 ET by jazzact13Reminds me of the story of the dog chasing a car, and when it finally caught it, it couldn't figure out what to do with it.
The media sold their souls to get Obama elected, now they're trying to figure out just what exactly have they done.
It would be so funny, except that those who have known what Obama is are not laughing.
"Thoroughly worldly people never understand even the world; they rely altogether on a few cynical maxims which are not true."
Chesterton, Orthodoxy
A thin resume beginning at birth
November 18, 2008 - 07:53 ET by BrightfameActually, the "thin resume" Obama and his media allies have presented to voters began with his birth. It's still an open question exactly where he was born, and no one outside of a few Hawaiian officials has acknowledged ever seeing the "vault" copy of his original birth certificate, which he appears quite reluctant to release publicly. WorldNetDaily does an excellent job of covering this issue and explaining why it's important to the American public. Just don't expect to find this story in the Obamedia anytime soon!
Most Presidential
November 18, 2008 - 08:11 ET by MidAmericaMost Presidential contenders show one thing, extreme ambition. Obama's life has shown none of that. He has gotten where he's at because the path was cleared for him. It will be very interesting to see what his work ethic is after a year. Perhaps we'll see stories about how obama is just a natural leader and he makes it looks 'effortless'. Meanwhile behind the scenes the real work will be done by anonymous underlings. Keep an eye on how much time obama has for photo-ops, dinners and other assorted social functions.
He could take up golf :)
November 18, 2008 - 18:46 ET by ahusser"...no civilization, no matter how rich, no matter how refined, can long survive once it loses the power to meet force with equal or superior force." - Bernard Knox
First, do no harm?
November 18, 2008 - 09:43 ET by Pilgrim1949I would agree with the expressed hope of minimal "damage" done --
Perhaps His Exalted O-ness will only deign to reign as much, percentage-wise, as he spent time working while a scrappy, young, and oh-so-industrious up-and-coming junior/deputy/assistant/underling/sidekick/understudy to his more senior lawyer coworkers. Only 3000-some billable work hours logged over 4 years? (Wonder how that compares with the "stellar" Shrillary's Rose Law Firm tenure?) The average "real" American worker bee typically puts in 2080 work hours every year, not counting overtime.
Like has been said about Congress -- in general, the less time it actually spends crafting and passing legislation, the less chance it has to actually cause damage to the rest of us.
Perhaps The Big O will be spending too much time fist-bumpin' with Her Royal Highness, Mrs. Big-O, to get into too much mischief himself.
One can at least hope...
This is The LA Times Right?
November 18, 2008 - 10:08 ET by mgindi26I think there is a calculation in this article. Quite simple no one cares what he did as a lawyer anymore. His experience is no longer an issue because he already is lected. The next time his experience comes up will be in 4 years when he will be in the big chair so it won't be an issue.
I think this is stagecraft on the part of the LA Times. They are making us look in one direction and trying to make us think they are doing their jobs. While hiding the FACT that they still have never released that video of him with his terorist friends. This tape is from 2003 so it's much more relevant that his years as a lawyer. It goes to his charachter and while he can say he gained experience, that tape will show that he has a bad charachter, vile associates, and piss-poor judgement.
We on the left have to bring that tape back onto center-stage before it vanishes and we all think it was a figment of our imagination.
LA TIMES RELEASE THE TAPE. THE PRESS CAN'T HIDE THE TRUTH!
Please, i am on the east coast and have no clout. Can someone please bring this issue to the national conciousness.
Obama's "experience"
November 18, 2008 - 11:00 ET by east tennessee johnThe die has been cast. The stealth Marxist, with practically no experience whatsoever, now has the codes, or will 1/20/09. But Barack gonna send you a check and American Idol, the tv show, not the President-elect, will still be on. BHO's election represents years of hard work by the hard left. Remember, from little ACORNS financial failures and corrupted elections grow.
You gotta give the MSM a break
November 18, 2008 - 11:32 ET by c5thenThey hardly had any time to do any real investigative journalism. I mean Barrack H. Obama was only running for President for a measly 21 months before the election. And before that, he'd only been a US Senator for about two years. You can hardly get any good tips to investigate in that short time frame.
Hey, I got the wrong "CHANGE"!
Alan Keyes / Sarah Palin - 2012
and according to all reports
November 18, 2008 - 19:52 ET by Cape Conservativehe was running for president the day AFTER he was sworn in as a U.S. Senator! We should get a REFUND of any salary paid during that time!
Hmm...
November 18, 2008 - 13:46 ET by jackie3Seems to me the LA Times is a day late and a dollar short. The story means nothing now. The damage is done.
Never under estimate the power of stupid people in large groups.
Warner - I don't see the story in the LA Times?
November 18, 2008 - 16:56 ET by Gary HallNo, I don't see it in the Times. Let's ask Blonde - she's in Florida!
Hey Warner, the link takes us to the Orlando Sentinel. I searched the LA Times site. Check me out, I don't see it. I looked in the print edition, yesterday's - today's??
Perhaps I missed it - and their search engine often does not pull up everything - they know it too. But - the LA Times does this. Stories they really don't want their readers to see, but sense that someone has the right to write them, so they find a place to put it away from home plate.
And for the record, it's not a particularly well written piece.
(;~> gary
PS - I found this odd piece on the LA Times Blogs, from Dan Morain:
An insider's story: Why Barack Obama was not Swift Boated
And why? Well, the bottom line seems to be that Republican donors don't like McCain that much. Seems to me like this should have been front-paged, above the fold - to follow the LA Times standards.
and, my question is...
November 18, 2008 - 19:50 ET by Cape Conservativewill we EVER get the real story on any of BHO's past?
Doesn't he have to be vetted, too?
Oh well......
Cape... Even if the whole
November 18, 2008 - 19:54 ET by Clear thinkerCape...
Even if the whole ugly truth were to come out about comrade Obama's past, his supporters would simply pooh-pooh it. They have been brainwashed. You should watch the video in... American Communist Education - Special Edition w/Video
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
The Clintons are always
November 18, 2008 - 20:26 ET by RR GOPThe Clintons are always going to make sure they get their piece of the pie. As far as owning Obama...maybe, but I doubt it. It looks to me like the first thing Obama did was to surround himself with politicos for the purpose of protecting himself from backstabbing within the party and, of course, from without. The Hillary thing seems cosmetic, or might even be a 'keep your enemies closer' deal.
I don't think the Clingons share his Marxist zeal anymore, so, in an odd way, they may turn out to be our best allies. Everything that they've done seems self-serving and centrist, not revolutionary.
The MSM (like Obama himself and other politicians) do just enough so they are free of accusation. I don't think it's more than that at this point...just their cosmetics.
One of the 24% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 89% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
Yes, it does and he is more
July 30, 2009 - 06:06 ET by AlexaYes, it does and he is more than ready.That would explain why he's leading in the battleground states, the polls, and the electoral.
slabire