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Obama’s half-sister stumps for Barack
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Maya Soetoro-Ng, left, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama’s sister, visited the Sunshine State Thursday to headline a “Women for Obama” reception in Tampa. She is set to meet with Pinellas-area educators Friday in Largo to discuss Obama’s education plan.
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As a child, Maya Soetoro-Ng never imagined her brother running for president.
Then again, said Soetoro-Ng, while growing up, Barack Obama was a regular kid with an amazing presence.
“I always knew he was extraordinary,” said Obama’s younger sister, adding her brother did the typical things kids do, such as hanging out with his friends, playing basketball and even bodysurfing.
In a phone interview Thursday, Soetoro-Ng said that it wasn’t until years later that the possibility of him running for president of the United States started to form in her mind.
“It’s interesting. ... I got the first sense that he might do something like this several years ago, when I went to his office and I said, ‘How you doing, bro?’ ” said Soetoro-Ng, 37.
His response, said Soetoro-Ng, was he was frustrated and he felt he wasn’t living up to his potential.
“I started to laugh at him. Here he was a state senator, a constitutional law professor and a civil rights lawyer, and he felt like he was underachieving,” said Soetoro-Ng, with a chuckle. “I really am glad that he is no longer underachieving.”
Since last year, Soetoro-Ng has been crisscrossing the country to campaign for the junior senator from Illinois — whom her daughter Suhaila, 4, affectionately calls “Uncle Rocky.”
On Thursday, Soetoro-Ng headlined a “Women for Obama” reception in Tampa, and Friday she planned to meet with Pinellas County-area educators in Largo, to discuss Obama’s education plan — which caused jeers from some teachers when it was unveiled last fall because of its inclusion of merit pay.
Education is an issue especially dear for Soetoro-Ng, a teacher at La Pietra, a high school for girls in Honolulu where she teaches world cultures, U.S. history and the Constitution. Soetoro-Ng is also a lecturer at University of Hawaii’s College of Education, where she teaches multicultural education and the history of education.
Soetoro-Ng admitted she had some serious reservations when her brother’s education plan was unveiled.
“At first, I had some knee-jerk reactions, too. I was like, ‘What’s up?’ ” said Soetoro-Ng. “Then I looked a little more carefully.”
Soetoro-Ng said the plan is not the typical test-driven merit base pay, but aims to recognize teachers as professionals by rewarding those who mentor and work in rural/inner city schools.
“It really isn’t a simplistic thing,” said Soetoro-Ng. “I want to help educators to take a deep breath and really see the various parts of the program for what they are.”
And yes, Soetoro-Ng said, her brother has taken her experiences and frustrations as a teacher into consideration.
“When we take a careful look at the platform and take a careful look at the man, there’s no question that every teacher is going to love it and love him,” she said.
For now, her time on the campaign is running short.
Soetoro-Ng said that with the start of the school year in mid-August, she has to return to work, but she hopes to rejoin the campaign in late October.
Demons next door? Your neighbor’s Great Dane took a nap in your flower bed and mistook the front lawn for a loo — and this was on a good day. The music next door may as well be under your bed. You’re wondering why the fruit is disappearing off your trees near someone else’s kitchen window. You have — or have had — neighbors from hell? Tell us about them. We’d like to know what neighbors drove you to the limits, and what — if it was possible with neighbors like that — solved the problem. You don’t need to give us your neighbor’s names, but we do want to hear your experiences for a story on the demons next door, and how to deal with them. Email 
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Barr 2008
#1 Posted by mt348 on July 17, 2008 at 11:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
A true family man will win this next election with the help of his half-sister, his wife, and his family.
He represents hopes and dreams, and I hope he wins this next election.
Go Barack and his half-sister and wife and kids, too!
Obama in 2008!
#2 Posted by beetlejuice on July 17, 2008 at 11:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Stumps? Is she a war veteran? Missing limbs?
#3 Posted by Jadip811 on July 17, 2008 at 11:33 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Answer!. NO. But don't forget who created those war veterans with missing limbs!.
#4 Posted by Naplesheart on July 18, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
#4 Posted by Naplesheart: "But don't forget who created those war veterans with missing limbs!."
Terrorists and enemies planting road-side bombs created those war veterans with missing limbs!
#5 Posted by NaplesCracker on July 18, 2008 at 9:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Jadip posts some cold, callous pun about veterans with war wounds?
#6 Posted by CutthroatLiberal on July 18, 2008 at 9:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
#4 The answer is Clinton.
#7 Posted by RockfordGrad on July 18, 2008 at 10:37 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Rock, get a grip.
Hey thanks for the support vs. Jadip on the post above yours. (sic)
Real vet advocate, huh?
#8 Posted by CutthroatLiberal on July 18, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
www.imvotingrepublican.com
#9 Posted by bicoastal on July 18, 2008 at 12:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Very informative Coastal.
I may change my mind eventually...
I just never thought about things that way.
#10 Posted by CutthroatLiberal on July 18, 2008 at 12:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)
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