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About East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current | View Entire Issue (July 23, 2015)
NATION/WORLD Thursday, July 23, 2015 East Oregonian Page 7A 2EDPDDQG.HQ\D¿UVWWULSWRIDWKHU¶VKRPHODQGDVSUHVLGHQW WASHINGTON (AP) — When Barack Obama visited .HQ\DIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHQHDUO\ 30 years ago, he was aston- ished that an airport worker recognized his last name. It was a striking experience for a young man — and future American president — strug- gling to understand how a country he had never seen and a Kenyan family he barely knew had shaped his identity. “My name belonged and so I belonged, drawn into a web of relationships, alliances, and grudges I did not yet understand,” Obama wrote in his memoir, “Dreams From My Father,” about the airport encounter. This week, Obama will PDNH KLV ¿UVW YLVLW WR .HQ\D as U.S. president, a trip that will bear little resemblance to the 1988 one, when he arrived DERDUGFRPPHUFLDOÀLJKWDQG his luggage got lost. Now, Air Force One will take Obama to a country where children, roads and schools now bear his name, and the world leader is seen as a local son. Yet traveling with the trappings of the presidency appears likely to diminish WKHIXO¿OOPHQWRIDWULSWRKLV father’s homeland. “I’ll be honest with you, visiting Kenya as a private citizen is probably more meaningful to me than visiting as president because I can actually get outside of a hotel room or a conference center,” he said last week, adding that his trip still would be “symbolically important.” Security concerns and the logistics of presidential travel will keep Obama at a distance from most Kenyans. He will skip a visit to Kogelo, the rural village in western Kenya where his father was born and buried, and where his step- grandmother and other family AP Photo/Ben Curtis A man walks away after leaning his bicycle against a mural of President Barack Obama, created by the Kenyan graffiti artist Bankslave, at the GoDown Arts Centre in Nairobi, Kenya on Wednesday. AP Photo A vendor selling flags, caps and t-shirts, and wearing a T-shirt showing President Barack Obama with words in Luo reading “Father has reached home,” sells his wares near Kisumu, in Kenya Saturday. members still live. Obama’s two days of HYHQWV ZLOO EH FRQ¿QHG WR Nairobi, the capital where he will meet with Kenyan Pres- ident Uhuru Kenyatta, attend the Global Entrepreneurship Summit, and speak to civil Contenders scramble to adjust to Trump Associated Press AIKEN, S.C. — Donald Trump is on his way to the Mexican border, the latest event in a presidential campaign some of his rivals would like to dismiss as a sideshow — a “carnival act,” as one puts it. But he’s been stealing their thunder for days and left them scrambling to adjust to a race dominated by a bombastic longshot. The billionaire developer and reality TV host will be in Laredo, Texas, on Thursday, highlighting his unyielding stance on immigration. The trip will revisit a topic that has stirred criticism that has now grown into open hostility from some Repub- lican contenders. From party heavyweights like Jeb Bush to recently announced candidates like Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the contenders are confronted by Trump’s hair-trigger habit of calling out his critics by name, vilifying the GOP establishment and roiling the debate over immigration and more. In Washington, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry was asked about Trump’s planned trip on to Laredo. He snapped, “I hope he can ¿QG WKH ERUGHU EHFDXVH ,¶P not sure he’s ever been there before.” This, after Perry denounced Trump’s campaign as a “cancer on conservatism” and “barking carnival act” in a speech that laced into “Trumpism: a toxic mix of demagoguery, mean-spiritedness and nonsense that will lead the Republican Party to perdition if pursued.” ,QGHHG WKH LQVXOWV À\LQJ between Trump and his critics have been caustic. Sen. Lindsey Graham called him a “jackass” and Trump responded by calling Graham an “idiot” and giving out the senator’s cellphone number, jamming his voice mail. 2WKHUV LQ WKH ¿HOG KDYH been more measured, though showing signs of growing exasperation. Bush, in partic- ular, has conspicuously tried to avoid alienating Trump’s supporters — “good people” with “legitimate concerns” — even while branding Trumps’ rhetoric “ugly.” The feud is unfolding as the candidates prepare for the ¿UVW*23GHEDWHDYHQXHWR which the top 10 in national AP Photo/Stephen B. Morton Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump speaks at his South Carolina campaign rally kickoff in Bluff- ton, S.C., Tuesday. “Trumpism: a toxic mix of dem- agoguery, mean-spiritedness and nonsense that will led the Republican Party to perdition.” — Rick Perry, Former Texas governor and current GOP candidate polling will be invited out of a swollen lineup of 16. Although they are all accom- plished, few are well known nationally, and “Trumpism” isn’t making it easier for them to get their messages out at a time when mere name recognition can drive popularity in polling. Trump, a longtime celeb- rity, is almost guaranteed a spot in the debate. Bush, in South Carolina on Wednesday, said he wasn’t approaching the debate thinking about Trump or any rival who might be on the stage. “My objective with this is to, wherever I can, share my record,” he said. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul addressed the Trump feud almost serenely, expressing FRQ¿GHQFH WKH SULPDU\ campaign would “get beyond the novelty of a reality TV star.” And Walker, campaigning in Tennessee, said he used to run track and “I realized there were some folks sprinting out ahead. I made sure I was ahead at the end of the race when it really mattered.” Florida Sen. Marco Rubio likened Trump to Barack Obama, a president with “no class” who Rubio said GHPHDQHGWKHRI¿FHZLWKKLV appearance on “The Daily Show.” On Fox News, Rubio said of Trump: “I don’t think the way he has behaved over the past few weeks is either GLJQL¿HG RU ZRUWK\ RI WKH society leaders. On Sunday, he will go to Ethiopia. Despite the limits on Obama’s movement and interactions with the Kenyan people, his visit is highly anticipated in the East African nation. Even as a U.S. senator, he was greeted by cheering crowds when he made his last visit to Kenya, in 2006. Ahead of Obama’s arrival Friday, some Kenyans have adopted a rousing segment of an Obama speech as their cellphone ringtone. U.S. and .HQ\DQ ÀDJV OLQHG WKH URDG leading from Nairobi’s main airport. Obama’s visit is like “a brother coming back,” said Nelly Ngugu, customer relations manager at a Nairobi cafe. Before Obama’s travel plans were announced, there had been some disappoint- ment that the U.S. president who has written and spoken emotionally of his Kenyan roots had not returned since WDNLQJ RI¿FH $QDO\VWV TXHV- WLRQHGZKHWKHU$PHULFD¶V¿UVW black president was missing an opportunity to give Africa more prominence in U.S. foreign policy. Much of Obama’s interna- WLRQDO IRFXV LQ KLV ¿UVW WHUP was on strengthening ties with Asia and trying to reset U.S. policy in the Middle East. His only visit to sub-Saharan $IULFD GXULQJ KLV ¿UVW IRXU \HDUV LQ RI¿FH ZDV D VKRUW stop in Ghana. At the time, there was persistent and inaccurate speculation that he was born in Kenya, not the United States. Some political oppo- nents tried to use the rumors to undercut Obama’s eligibility for president. As late as 2011, a CBS/New York Times poll VKRZHGWKDWRQHTXDUWHURIDOO Americans believed Obama was not born in the U.S. Obama’s re-election raised renewed hopes for a visit to Kenya, but the political situ- ation there complicated those plans. Kenyatta, the son of the FRXQWU\¶V ¿UVW SUHVLGHQW ZDV elected president in 2013, but faced charges in the International Criminal Court stemming from his alleged role in stoking ethnic violence following Kenya’s troubled 2007 election. “The timing was not right for me as the president of the United States to be visiting Kenya when those issues are still being worked on and, hopefully, at some point resolved,” Obama said of his decision to pass over Kenya in favor of South Africa, Tanzania and Senegal during a 2013 trip to Africa. The charges against Kenyatta were ultimately dropped, clearing the way IRU2EDPDWR¿QDOO\YLVLWKLV father’s home country as pres- ident. With his arrival now imminent, the disappointment appears to have faded, over- taken by anticipation and national pride. In Kogelo, the Obama family’s home village, the family’s aging matriarch said even she would not feel bad if the president did not visit her. Sarah Obama, who Obama referred to as “Granny” in his memoir, said the president was coming to Kenya “to discharge his duty. BRIEFLY Social Security disability fund to run dry next year Carolina, was motivated by racial hatred and a desire to commit a “notorious attack” when he opened ¿UHLQVLGHDKLVWRULFKRXVH WASHINGTON of worship last month, (AP) — The 11 million according to a federal grand Americans who receive jury indictment issued Social Security disability Wednesday that makes IDFHVWHHSEHQH¿WFXWV him eligible for the death next year, the government penalty. said Wednesday, handing The 33-count federal ODZPDNHUVD¿VFDODQG indictment charges Dylann political crisis in the middle Roof, 21, with hate crimes, of a presidential campaign. ¿UHDUPVYLRODWLRQVDQG The trustees who obstructing the practice oversee Social Security and of religion in the June Medicare said the disability 17 shootings at Emanuel trust fund will run out of African Methodist money in late 2016. That Episcopal Church. would trigger an automatic The charges announced SHUFHQWFXWLQEHQH¿WV Wednesday by Attorney unless Congress acts. General Loretta Lynch The average monthly are in addition to state EHQH¿WIRUGLVDEOHGZRUNHUV murder charges brought and their families is $1,017. against Roof days after the 7KHW\SLFDOEHQH¿FLDU\ shooting. would see a reduction of The Justice Department $193 a month. has not decided whether it In more bad news for will seek the death penalty EHQH¿FLDULHVWKHWUXVWHHV against Roof, nor whether project there will be no its prosecution will come cost-of-living increase in prior to the state’s case. EHQH¿WVDWWKHHQGRIWKH But in mounting a federal year. It would mark only case, Justice Department the third year without an prosecutors made clear that increase since automatic they consider the killings adjustments were adopted rooted in racial hatred and in 1975. the type of attack that their Separately, about hate-crime statutes are 7 million Medicare designed to cover. EHQH¿FLDULHVFRXOGIDFHD Because South Carolina monthly premium increase has no state hate-crime law, of at least $54 for outpatient federal charges were needed coverage, an increase of WRDGHTXDWHO\GHDOZLWKD more than 50 percent. defendant who “decided The annual report card to seek out and murder RQWKH¿QDQFLDOKHDOWK African-Americans because of Social Security and of their race,” Lynch said. Medicare shows that the The state’s case has so federal government’s largest far been sparse in its details, EHQH¿WSURJUDPVDUHIHHOLQJ but the federal grand jury the strain of aging baby indictment accuses Roof boomers. — who is white and had Medicare turns 50 at appeared in photos waving the end of the month and &RQIHGHUDWHÀDJV²RI Social Security turns 80 two setting his sights for months weeks later. Together, the programs accounted for more than 40 percent of federal spending. RI¿FHKHVHHNV´ Trump remains unbowed. “I’m called a jackass,” he said Wednesday on CNN. ³<RX KDYH WR ¿JKW EDFN ³7KH FRXQWU\ KDV WR ¿JKW back. Everyone’s pushing our country around. We can’t allow that.” Meanwhile, federal regu- lators made public records that show, as he has said, that he is rich. He has assets of at least $1.4 billion and debt of at least $240 million, the regulators said in a report with such broad categories that his wealth could well be much greater. His precise fortune isn’t pinpointed, but the disclosures underscore KLV¿QDQFLDOSRWHQWLDOVWD\LQJ power in the race and his IUHHGRP IURP WKH LQÀXHQFH — or muzzles — of the deep-pocketed Republicans who bankroll campaigns. On Thursday, he plans to hold a news conference at the U.S-Mexico border, Charges include meet members of the union hate crimes for that represents U.S. Customs accused shooter and Border Patrol agents and speak to law enforcement WASHINGTON RI¿FHUV KLV FDPSDLJQ (AP) — The man said. The border became accused of killing nine D ÀDVKSRLQW LQ WKH *23 black church members debate when Trump branded in Charleston, South Mexican immigrants rapists and drug-bearing criminals. After that episode came Final Days a broadside against Arizona Sen. John McCain, who Saager’s Shoe Shop earned Trump’s ire by saying his remarks about immigrants Milton-Freewater, OR had brought out “crazies.” Up to 50% Off on murderous attacks on blacks because of their race and of wanting to carry out violence in a black church. Ferguson hires black police commander as interim chief FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Ferguson leaders introduced a new interim police chief Wednesday, tasking the black police commander from Arizona with building trust between residents of the predominantly black St. Louis suburb and its mostly ZKLWHRI¿FHUVQHDUO\D\HDU since Michael Brown’s death roiled racial tensions. Andre Anderson, a \HDUROGZLWKDTXDUWHU century in law enforcement, starts in Ferguson on Thursday, essentially on six-month loan from the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Arizona. Anderson had an inside track for his new, albeit interim gig — Ed Beasley, a black man recently hired as Ferguson’s interim city manager — had been Glendale’s city manager. Touted for his knack for community outreach in policing, Anderson arrives in Ferguson as it is still working to get its law enforcement house in order after a scathing U.S. Department of Justice report in March. pressed for reforms. 7KDWFULWLTXHFLWHGUDFLDO ELDVDQGSUR¿OLQJLQ policing as well as a SUR¿WGULYHQPXQLFLSDO FRXUWV\VWHPWKDWIUHTXHQWO\ targeted blacks, who make up about two-thirds of Ferguson’s populace.
