Introducing the Obama Statue

Nbcwashington · Dec 09, 2009 · 340 words · By Jim Iovino

Political Sarcasm Barack Obama's Childhood Indonesian Public Art

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What to know about Political Sarcasm

the birthers should have a field day with this.

Claims checked 7

Techniques found 4

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

4 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

the birthers should have a field day with this.

Why it matters

A statue of President Barack Obama as a 10-year-old wearing shorts and a T-shirt has been erected -- not in any of Washington, D.C.'s historic parks or traffic circles, but in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he lived as a boy.

Common ground

The statue was built at a park there to inspire children in the country, officials said Wednesday.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Doubt: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Political Sarcasm story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Money for the bronze statue, which cost more than $10,000, was donated by eight Indonesian patrons, a television station and a charity that helps Indonesia's urban poor?
How does this story connect Political Sarcasm with Barack Obama's Childhood over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/introducing-the-obama-statue/1862266…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 4 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 90% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Name Calling / Labeling 85% confidence

Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Doubt 80% confidence

Questioning the credibility of a source or claim without providing evidence.

Why it matters: Recognizing doubt helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Ad Hominem 70% confidence

Attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself.

Why it matters: Recognizing ad hominem helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5

info Single Source 2

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Claim 1: “Money for the bronze statue, which cost more than $10,000, was donated by eight Indonesian patrons, a television station and a charity that helps Indonesia's urban poor”

CORROBORATED

CNN, The Hindu, and another news source all confirm the cost was over $10,000 and was funded by eight Indonesian patrons, a television station, and a charity for the urban poor.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. Comprising over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, a…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesia

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local in…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is the official and national language of Indonesia. It is a standardized variety of Malay, an Austronesian language that has been used as a lingua franca in the multiling…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesian_language

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 2: “The park was previously an athletic field near Obama's elementary school.”

CORROBORATED

Wikipedia (Menteng Park) confirms the park was formerly occupied by Menteng Stadium, and The Hindu and another web source confirm it was an athletic field near Obama's school.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Menteng is a district (Indonesian: kecamatan) in the administrative city of Central Jakarta, Indonesia. Menteng is surrounded by the districts of Senen and Matraman to the east, Tebet and Setiabudi to…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menteng

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, was born on August 4, 1961, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Obama, Sr. (1936–1982; born in Oriang' Kogelo of Rachuonyo North District, Kenya) and …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_life_and_career_of_Barac…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The park was previously an athletic field near Obama’s former school. Lina Amelia brought her two children, who attend the school, to see the statue.
https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/Statue-of-Obama-…

+ 2 more evidence sources

info

Claim 3: “The almost life-sized bronze statue, to be unveiled Thursday by Jakarta's governor, shows the young Obama smiling at a butterfly that has landed on his upheld left thumb.”

SINGLE SOURCE

While the existence of the statue is corroborated, the specific detail about the butterfly on the thumb and the governor's unveiling is not explicitly detailed in the provided evidence snippets, though the general event is confirmed. The provided search results for this specific claim are mostly irrelevant (gaming/language forums).

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The family of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States, is a prominent American family active in law, education, activism and politics. Obama's immediate family circle was the first famil…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_of_Barack_Obama

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Stanley Ann Dunham (November 29, 1942 – November 7, 1995) was an American anthropologist who specialized in the economic anthropology and rural development of Indonesia. Born in Wichita, Kansas, she s…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ann_Dunham

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 4: “the chairman of the nonprofit Friends of Obama Foundation, Ron Mullers. The Indonesia-based foundation came up with the idea of the statue and found the donors.”

CORROBORATED

The Independent and NBC4 Washington both confirm the statue was the idea of the Jakarta-based nonprofit 'Friends of Obama Foundation'. The Hindu explicitly names Ron Mullers as the chairman of this foundation.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Obama also established the White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault through a government memorandum on January 22, 2014, with a broad mandate to advise him on issues relating to …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The Indonesia-based foundation came up with the idea of the statue and found the donors. Obama has described his Indonesian experience as both exotic and enlightening. He had a pet monkey, and baby cr…
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/politics/introducing-the-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The statue was erected with private funds raised by the Jakarta-based nonprofit group Friends of Obama Foundation, but Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo is paying for its relocation.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/obama-statue-r…

info

Claim 5: “The statue's pedestal carries an paraphrased quote from former U.S. first lady Eleanor Roosevelt reading, "The future belongs to those who believe in the power of their dreams."”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of general statue collecting forums and does not contain any information regarding the quote on the statue's pedestal.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Message Board about collecting and buying Statues, Busts, Props, Collectibles, and more. Also has forums for Comics, Video Games, Toys, and more!
https://www.statueforum.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Discover Prime 1 Studio statues and collectibles on the dedicated forum for discussions, reviews, and updates.
https://www.statueforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=177

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — General Statue & Collectible - Statue Forum HMO, Damtoys, McFarlane, Blitzway and others!
https://www.statueforum.com/forumdisplay.php?f=2

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Claim 6: “A statue of President Barack Obama as a 10-year-old wearing shorts and a T-shirt has been erected... in Jakarta, Indonesia”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent news sources (CNN, CBS News, NBC News) confirm that a bronze statue of a 10-year-old Barack Obama wearing shorts and a t-shirt was erected in a park in Jakarta, Indonesia.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Little Obama (Indonesian: Obama Anak Menteng, lit. Obama, the Menteng Kid) is a 2010 biopic drama film written and directed by Indonesian author Damien Dematra in collaboration with John de Rantau. Th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Obama

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+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 7: “It stands in Taman Menteng Park, near where Obama lived from 1967 until 1971 with his American mother, his Indonesian stepfather and his half-sister.”

CORROBORATED

HeraldNet and The Hindu both explicitly state the statue is in Taman Menteng Park and that Obama lived nearby from 1967 to 1971 with his mother, stepfather, and half-sister.

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travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Main article: Early life and career of Barack Obama. Photo of a young Obama sitting on grass with his grandfather, mother, and half-sister. Obama (right) with grandfather Stanley Armour Dunham, mother…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama

+ 2 more evidence sources

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.