CHAPTER 1

How He Did It

A team of NEWSWEEK reporters reveals the secret battles and private fears behind an epic election.

NEWSWEEK
Published Nov 5, 2008 | Updated: 5:01  a.m. ET Nov 5, 2008
From the magazine issue dated Nov 17, 2008

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  • Posted By: hawkeye77 @ 01/27/2009 3:02:46 PM

    Sure, Obama has a gift. If he could fool very smart and very accomplished people he is a gifted politician. He iconsumate con artist. His rhetoric masked his dubious character. He is not an honest person. The most intriguing thing about this guy is his refusal to release his "vaulted" birth certificate. It's appalling how he gets a pass on this issue. Until we know for sure that Obama is really a natural born US citizen, I'd say he is a fraud. OBAMA, PLEASE RELEASE YOUR "VAULTED" BIRTH CERTIFICATE, AND PUT ANY DOUBT ABOUT YOUR CITIZENSHIP TO REST..

  • Posted By: Debunked! @ 01/26/2009 4:32:36 PM

    How Obama did it? If I had to guess, I would say................um.....perhaps VOTER FRAUD and ACORN had alot to do with it. It seems a bit too coincidental that Obama won just about ALL of the states that ACORN was under investigation for voter fraud and it is even more strange that all of this simply went away after he was presumed the winner. George Bush was willing to win by any means necessary and so was Obama!

    Bush has been disgraced to no end, even to the point of having shoes thrown at him!!! He was even booed and disrespected at the inaugaration. As much as I disapproved of Bush's methods of getting the presidency, by the end of his term, I ended up feeling bad for the man!

    Even though I think Obama is a HUGE fraud! I can't do anything but wish him success. At this point, it is no longer about Obama---------it is about a black person or should I say a person of color running this country. If Obama fails, that could detrimentally effect future Americans of color of being President of this country. Obama, the candidate of color, has set a presidence and failure is NOT an option!

    John McCain was the PERFECT candidate to run against Obama or any democrat! I FULLY understand why many conservatives didn't want him! I now wonder if Obama is going to be the perfect person of color to be made an example of and make it so that Americans won't trust voting for another black person or person of color again for President?

    My gut is giving me an answer and I surely hope it is wrong!

  • Posted By: hawkeye77 @ 01/25/2009 7:35:20 PM

    How he did it? Well, as any consumate politician would do, tell the people what they want to hear. But he didn't do it alone. The liberal news media have a lot to do about it. They(media) gave him a pass on almost any mistake and/or misgiving. The sounds of FOX News was no match to the drumbeats of MSNBC, CBS, ABC, and CNN. Newspapars and magazines were in the act, too. The liberal news media gave him pass on his associartion with Rev, Wright, Ayers, Rizko, Fr,Flager, Farrakhan, and some otjher sleazebags. When Palin was vetted as VP, a drove of reporters went to Alaska to dig dirt. Was there a similar action on Obama? LA Times wont' release any info about Obama and Khalidi. But the most signficant pass Obama had is about his refusal to release his "vaulted" birth certificate. Do youi hear MSNBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, clamor about this issue?

    Obama and the liberal news media didn't do it all. The voters, THE KIND OF VOTERS, did it. If you 'll analyze the kind of voters who put Obama "OVER THE TOP", you'll begin to realize that this country is run by the choice of people who do not fund the government. With 40% of Americans who don't pay incomes taxes, we,, taxpayers, who fund this government no llonger has the say on who will run the government. Until we Americans wise up, I'm afraid that the Democrats with their penchant for generous entitlement programs will rule this country until its demise..

  • Posted By: Getitout @ 12/26/2008 5:38:40 PM

    I can tell how he did it. He went on top of a mountain, gather everyone around him, fed them all with only one fish, and one bread, gave them all promises, they were amazed and realized that he was the one that eveyone was waiting for.Not me , I don't expect anything from him, or anything different that George Bush didn't accomplished during his eight years in the White House. The only change he was talking about is that he is the first African-American president elected .

    • Posted By: 40YearR @ 12/26/2008 10:10:24 PM

      "I can tell how he did it. He went on top of a mountain, gather everyone around him, fed them all with only one fish, and one bread, gave them all promises, they were amazed and realized that he was the one that eveyone was waiting for."

      That isn't how it happened for me, although your interpretation might be an indication why this election was lost. The smear emails led me to read Obama's books. They display brilliance. McC sold out and hired the Bush machine and the lobbyists he'd promised to root out. It became clear to me that Obama was the best leader to be in charge dealing with the problems that exist.

      "The only change he was talking about is that he is the first African-American president elected ."

      Not at all, but for this country to elect a mixed race person to be the president, is the most remarkable thing I have ever seen our electorate do. It says much about our community regarding the amount of biggotry that is in some of the posts here. I would never make a choice due to color or gender, but I am very proud that we had the freedom from prejudices it took to look past skin color.

      A 40 year republican

  • Posted By: LivinginSD @ 12/24/2008 4:59:44 PM

    Beautifully written. While I was and still am a Hillary supporter, I firmly believe that President-Elect Obama was the perfect choice for the world we face today. He gained my support the right way, by being intelligent, open and facing the hard questions head on. As bad as most Americans see the current state of affairs, I'm actually daring to hope and only recently realized that this sensation feels new to me if only because it's been missing from inside of me for so long.

  • Posted By: Babyboi4u @ 12/20/2008 10:36:39 PM

    Congrats to Barack and Michelle along with the kids. Take time to enjoy the freedom, each other, and family while you can because on Jan 20, 2009 your life is no longer yours its the American People's. Be clear I wish you and Michelle and the kids the best of what this life will bring all of you. I will be keeping up with you Barack because your the President of the United States. The leader of the free world and with that comes a responsibility that cannot be matched by anyone else in this world. I expect you to govern from the middle left and not get too caught up on the middle right politics which will only play into the Republicans hand to force you into decisions your not willing to make. I do expect you to follow through with some of the campaign wishes you made not all of them simply because the country is off in the wrong direction thanks to a poor, poor and stupid man name George Bush. He is just like his father the only difference the father has brains. How unfortunate the American people voted for him twice bad enough once. Well with the stock market,. and financial markets and insurance markets going south we now know that Bush was sleep at the wheel. The problems we will have to endure because America voted for the wrong man in Bush. This will be very challenging for you Barack. However, I am praying for you and Michelle to get through your first of (4) years and get through the problems you will have with the people in Congress and Senate. I will be watching you as well because I will hold you accountable just like any other voter. Since am a Independent we watch what is really happening as opposed to what the media tells us. Be prayerful and understand that God will take you through and bring you out.

  • Posted By: eileencm @ 12/20/2008 2:44:01 PM

    I would like a copy to save for it's historical value. This was fantastic.
    How do i order a copy.

    Eileencm@charter.net

  • Posted By: claraflamengo @ 12/20/2008 10:26:04 AM

    I am alson interested in the Nov17 issue, Is there anyway to buy this issue of the magazine
    please let me know
    claraflamengo@hotmail.com

  • Posted By: jgankney @ 12/03/2008 4:56:57 PM

    I would like reprints of the Nov 17 issue. How can I go about getting these.. Please give specifics
    I want to give several copies as gifts.
    Thanks you

  • Posted By: jgankney @ 12/03/2008 4:54:41 PM

    Is it possible to buy the Nov 17, 2008 issue, and if so how to do so, either online or by phone.
    Please give specifics. I want to give several of these issues as gifts.
    thank you.

  • Posted By: Bobsr1 @ 11/30/2008 6:01:25 PM

    10 out of 10. Reporting as good as it gets.

  • Posted By: patmil @ 11/30/2008 2:19:03 PM

    Comment: Please send me an email telling me how I can get another copy of the 11/17/08 issue. It is so special and I need a replacement copy.

  • Posted By: paulifisher @ 11/21/2008 1:59:16 PM

    I would like to obtain reprints of the November 17,2008 issue of Newsweek. What a brilliant concept to imbed reporters within the respective campaigns to give us this rare insight. Thank you so very much.

  • Posted By: paulifisher @ 11/21/2008 1:51:15 PM

    How can I obtaain reprints of the November 17, 2008 Newsweek Issue. I need to be able to share this fantastic Issue with those I care about. motox1019@cox.net

  • Posted By: naamone @ 11/20/2008 2:06:42 PM

    Thank you for this informative collection of information.
    E Naamon

  • Posted By: amybates @ 11/19/2008 9:38:58 PM

    I can't tell you how much I enjoyed reading "How He Did It" in the 11/17/08 issue. Reading about the private conversations, battles and strategies only confirmed the suspicions and assumptions I had during the course of the campaign. It was your best issue yet. The reporters did a fantastic job of making it read like a novel I couldn't put down. Amy B.

  • Posted By: Forty4 @ 11/13/2008 12:23:43 PM

    Bush "screwed up the whole world?" lol. You're probably one of the people that thinks Bush had his wind machines set up in New Orleans in 2005....

    • Posted By: buddhistMonkey @ 11/16/2008 10:14:50 PM

      No, no wind machines.

      What Bush did do, though, was to pack FEMA with unqualified cronies like Michael Brown; demote the agency from a cabinet-level position; absorb it into the Department of Homeland Security, where it languished; and officially designate that FEMA lose its disaster preparedness function.

      That's why New Orleans drowned, and why Democrats will be in charge of the country for at least the next 16 years.

      • Posted By: Forty4 @ 11/19/2008 8:10:27 AM

        That is not why New Orleans drowned. Place the blame anywhere but where it lies. People were warned for years about deteriorating levees collapsing with a cat 5 storm. Many wouldn't leave when they knew the storm was coming. Then there's the terribly inept Mayor Ray Nagin and the corrupt Louisiana government's pathetic response.... but, it's just easier to lay the whole thing off on Bush, right?

        16 years? Lol!!!

  • Posted By: rcmercer @ 11/16/2008 6:03:16 PM

    I have spent a week searching every store in nashville for the nov 17 issue and there are none to be found. Is there any way to order a copy?

    rcm76@comcast.net

  • Posted By: DStep42 @ 11/16/2008 4:02:08 PM

    Please tell me how I might order a few copies of the 11/14 issue. I've been to or called almost every place in Louisville, KY, and there are none!

  • Posted By: RICamel23 @ 11/16/2008 1:56:10 PM

    Could you please send me a copy of this issue with the Special Commemorative Edition I just purchased? If not, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE print like a billion more so the stores can have them again!!!

    GREGORY SOWA gregory.sowa@gmail.com

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