Help for Obama's Shack-Living Brother

It was only a matter of time: A website has been created to provide donations to Sen. Barack Obama's half brother, who lives on $12 a year in a shack in Kenya. Called Help Obama's Brother, the site draws attention to George Hussein Onyango Obama, living in a hut in the "tough" town of Huruma on the outskirts of Nairobi. "If Barack Obama won't send his brother a few bucks for rent, we can step up and help a brother out," headlines the site. Of course, the site is a jab at Obama by his critics, but it's surprising that the Republican Party didn't do this as soon as the original story appeared. There were indications that a GOP move was afoot, but no one within the party acted.

The man behind this site is Tim Anderson, who lives in Minneapolis. He tells me that he got the idea to set up a nonprofit charity during last week's Republican National Convention, when he read about the plight of George Obama. "I thought, wow, he's got to be helping him out. But he's not," says Anderson. He conceded that "I'm not a huge Obama supporter" but added that "I have good intentions." His plan is this: Raise enough money, and fast, to buy Obama's brother an apartment or house, a car, food, and maybe some auto mechanic classes. "And if he wants to come to America, we'll help with that, too," says Anderson. He's hoping to generate media attention because Anderson fears that if Obama loses the presidential election, donations will dry up, and he'd like to have enough money to prepay three years' worth of rent or mortgage. Anderson says he is not being backed by Republicans and hasn't received any donations of note yet. "I just set up the charity," he says. He plans to videotape his efforts and purchases as well as a trip to Africa to deliver the goods. "I want it on the up and up," he told Whispers. He compared his efforts to the popular TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.