Free Republic

By Bill Lawson \ Staff Writer \ blawson@maumellemonitor.com Thursday, November 13, 2008 1:04 PM CST Virginia Goeldner of Maumelle said when her nephew was elected to the U.S. Senate, she knew he would someday run for president — she just didn’t expect it this soon. But on Jan. 20, 2009, Virginia or “Ginny” and her husband of 51 years, Cecil, will be in Washington D.C. for the inauguration of the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama. Both Goeldners said the reaction has been mixed when they tell people the next president is their nephew — her great-nephew to...

The first family is inching closer to finding the first dog. It's the nation's most hotly anticipated pet search as President-elect Barack Obama seeks to fulfill a key campaign promise to his daughters, Malia and Sasha. Egged on by the girls, George Stephanopoulos, host of ABC's "This Week," asked Mr. Obama about the soon-to-be White House pup during an interview taped Saturday in the network's studio in the Newseum and broadcast Sunday. "I got to tell you, you know, they're out touring the museum right now. I heard they were taken straight to the first-dog exhibit, and while you were...

It’s official: Marian Robinson, the 71-year-old mother-in-law of President-elect Barack Obama, will be moving into the White House, transition officials said on Friday. In fact, Mrs. Robinson is already in town, helping to smooth the family’s personal transition as Mr. Obama, his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters prepare for new lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

A new wave of excitement has gripped Kogelo village in Siaya District as relatives of the US President-elect Barack Obama prepare to fly to America for his historic inauguration as America's 44th President. The President-elect's grandmother, Sarah Obama, is set to lead the delegation to US and was in Nairobi just before Christmas. Sources say the US embassy has already given her a travel visa. Initial reports that Prime Minister Raila Odinga would lead the Kenyan delegation were refuted by an official in the PM's office. He said Raila would travel to the US in February. The Standard On Saturday...

President-elect Barack Obama's half-sister and niece are flying in from Kenya to see him sworn in as the 44th president Jan. 20, The Post has learned. Auma Obama, and her 10-year-old daughter, Akinyi, will be in Washington to take part in the family celebration, a spokesman for the inaugural committee confirmed. Auma's mother, Grace Kezia, was pregnant with her in Kenya when her husband, Barack Obama Sr., moved to Hawaii in 1959 to study. While there, Obama Sr. met and married Ann Dunham, the president-elect's mother. Auma and Barack Obama were born a year apart - she in 1960 and...

ABC News has learned that the future First Family has been denied a request to move in early to the Blair House –- the traditional temporary housing of President-elects in Washington, DC. Sources tell ABC News that the Obama Transition Team "explored the idea" of moving President-elect Obama and his family to the nation's capital earlier than normal for an incoming president because of the start of the school year for daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7. Students at Washington’s Sidwell Friends are slated to return to school after Winter break on Monday, January 5. Since the Bushes aren't leaving...