Sarah Hussein Obama, grandmother to U.S. President-elect Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), smiles during a news conference at her home in Nyangoma Kogelo village, 257 miles west of Kenya’s capital Nairobi, November 5, 2008. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya

This picture does not look real. Among the people in the background (fuzzy) is someone who looks like Obama, only his image is very large compared to the surrounding people. I also think he didn’t visit Kenya recently.

K.H.

The photo is real. The “fuzzy” image in the background is a cardboard cutout of Barack Obama, as you can see more clearly in this other photo from the same event: GBU Editor

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Obama declares love for Canada, banishes Bush era

As Obama left Parliament Hill on his way back to the airport, his armored limousine made an impromptu visit to Ottawa’s central Byward Market area where he bought some cookies, pausing afterward to wave to cheering bystanders

It says Obama bought a cookie. Other media say he bought a ‘beaver tail’ which is a pastry, not a cookie. A ‘beaver tail’ is a much more credible purchase, given it’s iconic nature in Ottawa at this time of year.

A.R.

We know for a fact that Obama bought cookies, because we got a photo of him doing it. Local media also reported the beavertail purchase, but as we couldn’t verify that, we went with the cookies: GBU Editor

President Barack Obama (L) poses with Adnan Ustun after shopping in his shop at the By Ward Market before departing Ottawa for Washington February 19, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing

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U.S. President Barack Obama greets wellwishers upon his arrival at MacDill Air Force Base in Fort Myers, Florida February 10, 2009. Obama travelled to Fort Myers to push his administration’s economic stimulus package. REUTERS/Jason Reed

The picture on the web states “Reuters – President Barack Obama greets wellwishers upon his arrival at MacDill Air Force Base in Fort Myers, Florida.”

MacDill is in Tampa - Southwest Florida Regional Airport is in Ft. Myers.

Art

We heard from a number of readers on this one: GBU Editor

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Israel retaliation likely as Obama envoy holds talks

Barak, in a statement, said he had told Mitchell Israel cannot accept any attack on its citizens and would act with determination against any attack by Hamas or its allies.

Referring to the President of the US by his first name is very inappropriate. This was done in the article “Israel retaliation likely as Obama envoy holds talks.”

We did not refer to Obama by his first name. The sentence to which you refer was about Defense Minister Ehud Barak. It shouldn’t be confusing, as one is Barak and one is Barack.

Israel’s Defense Minister Ehud Barak (L) gestures during his meeting with US Democratic presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) in Jerusalem July 23, 2008. REUTERS/Eliana Aponte

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Onama Mideast envoy in Cairo to push peace efforts

In the title, “Onama” is printed instead of “Obama”

Fix this one fast!

A.B.

Lots and lots of readers noticed this one: GBU Editor

REUTERS photo by Larry Downing

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Obama, daughters cause stir on Hawaii outing

HAWAII KAI, Hawaii,  Dec 26 (Reuters) - Barack Obama, trying to enjoy the last semblance of normal life before he becomes U.S. president on Jan. 20, caused a commotion when he took his daughters to a shopping mall in Hawaii on Friday.

It made for a surreal scene — the president-elect, daughters Malia, 7, and Sasha, 10 and family friends eating at a table at the mall watched by a crowd of onlookers and surrounded by anxious-looking Secret Service agents.

“At the risk of annoying everyone here…” is how Deborah Charles prefaced her question to Barack Obama this morning after his announcement of Tom Daschle as the new Sec of HHS.

Hers was the ONLY question relevant to the news conference, and her prefacing comment was brilliant in that it a) shamed the previous reporters for obsessing about Blagojevich and b) exhibited responsible reporting by actually questioning Obama’s plan and how he intended to pay for it.

I just wanted to say how much I appreciated that question. It wasn’t a ’softball’ and it elicited more information from President-elect Obama than we otherwise would have gotten.

Sean

Thank you: GBU Editor

REUTERS photo by Jeff Haynes

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Obama says he won’t be smoking in White House

Noting that the White House was a no-smoking zone, Brokaw asked Obama, “Have you stopped smoking?”

I have,” Obama replied, smiling broadly. “What I said was that there are times where I have fallen off the wagon.”

Your description of Obama smiling “broadly” stuck out like a sore thumb and rankles. “Smiling” would have sufficed, without the stereotypical adverb.

Holly M.

This was just a perfectly good adverb. Nothing more: GBU Editor

REUTERS photo by Jeff Haynes

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Obama says will confront economic woes head-on

CHICAGO (Reuters) - President-elect Barack Obama said on Friday the United States was facing one of its greatest economic challenges and vowed to confront the crisis head-on as soon as he takes office in January.

Why do you call a candidate “elect” when under US Constitution ONLY the Electoral Collage elects our president?

The Electoral College has NOT acted yet.

Curator

This is the proper term. The Presidential Transition Act of 1963 authorizes the Administrator of the General Services Administration to certify the apparent winner of the November general election as the President-elect, even before the December vote of the Electoral College. This is necessary to free up transition funding, office space, etc. prior to the January inauguration: GBU Editor

REUTERS photo by John Gress

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Your article should read “Post Cards to the President-Elect”. George W. Bush is still president, the last time I checked.

I was a bit confused when I clicked on the link and found the postcards were not to Bush.

Mr. X.

The idea is that we will send these to Barack Obama when he becomes president, but that concept should have been made clearer: GBU Editor

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