why is there so much controversy/speculation regarding Barack Obama?

Obama's father was an English resident. His mother was a US resident. They weren't married, but some people clain that gives him a duel citizenship. The supreme court struck it down.

Bill Ayers was a sixties radical who was eventually cleared by lack of evidence. He started teaching and got involved in fund raising for Illinois children. Because he was listed as a terrorist in the sixties, some people consider that this means Obama is consorting with terrorists, even though the only time he know Ayers was when Ayers was a teacher.

He hasn't even taken office, so he hasn't backed on his word to anything yet.

Obama has failed to do his current job in my opinion. He is paid to pass laws but he fails to vote on most issues. If he is being paid to make law then in my opinion it is his duty to vote either for or against legislation.

He has a pretty long list of terrorist that he has been associated with. There are enough connections to at least give reason to question his motives/ judgment. He has proved connections with the Black Panthers, William Aires, Tony Rezco, and through him to the banker for Saddam's oil for food program. He is also connected to a church that is rather radical. It is possible that these are all innocent relationships but this brings to question the soundness of his judgment.

He has not provided a long form birth certificate and supposedly he has citizenship in Kenya. If this is true (which at this point is hard to tell) then he may not meet the requirements of US president.

Glenn - welcome to the club

we, on this side of the pond, know very little of him either

some of us had issues with his past associations

but that did not seem to matter to the majority of the electorate

now the Governor of his state where he has vacated his Senate seat

has been arrested for trying to 'sell' the honor of the nomination

amusingly, Barack is angering his very liberal backers by nominating

centrist and some right side conservatives to his Cabinet -

along with keep one from the previous administration - so much for change

the more things change - the more they stay the same (LOL)

all the best to you and yours for a Merry Christmas

stay safe on the Holiday and have a Happy New Year

Edit< OBEY is young and artsy hip whatever, but Obama had bumper stickers and art work that is appealing, i am in Denver we have a good art scene as well as hosting the democratic convention and yes OBEY is common from the artists and copycats in the city.

Bush in 2004 had W04 bumper stickers and were successful, Kerry had little street advertising, but there were tons of liberal stickers denouncing torture, anti war, and pro earth.

Google bush street art in Google pictures bush graffiti or bush stencils or Obamagram.

obama is not republican and republicans will attack anything that is not republican and call them all sorts of nasty things or make Dem's and liberals out to be the bad guys.

They like to fight everyone and will consume All of our energy.

that is victory to them.

Just like what our teacher said "When Joseph Estrada (our former president in the Philippines) was just a senator, there were no rumors about him, nor bothering his privacy. But when he was elected President, many rumors spread, questions if he do this, do that.

Maybe it's because they want to take him down, but why? Why hate him when they voted him.

My opinion only :)

The United States is going to pot! They voted with what I call the "Britney Spears" mentality. Something new and young and different. They voted blindly, especially the Christian vote. They were looking at the economy issue and that alone. First bill he is going to sign is for "pro choice" and then for the gays. I figure if we would have voted in a "Christian" mannor, which was what ideals this nation was founded upon, then God could have fixed the economy.

Republicans consider themselves to be the natural party of rule. they have taken the us to the right in a mean selfish way. Being ideologues they can not understand nor accept any other way of thinking, consequently they are trying to avoid losing power. It should be noted that most of these allegations are so lacking in credibility , that is isn't the republican party who is alleging this but nutcases who think Bush was too Liberal

Some people don't like the fact that he is black period.

His father is of kenyan origins, but Obama was born in Honolulu Hawaii, so he is american.

Basically their all just lies and you have a bunch of sore losers spreading some BS propaganda. If they come up with one substantial complaint against him (not impossible) i would be surprised.

Theirs also the fact he's black. But id rather think these people are just tools than racists.

Many people are insane. Many others are deeply ignorant. That's basically it.