Ohio woman addresses Obama rumors

DENVER (AP) -- An Ohio woman who was one of the everyday Americans invited to speak at the Democratic convention sought to debunk rumors circulating on the Internet about Sen. Barack Obama.

Monica Early, of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, said in January that someone sent her an e-mail that painted a scary picture of Obama. She said it questioned Obama's faith and patriotism, which led her to do some fact-checking.

"What I discovered is that Barack Obama is a man of faith, a man of values and a man of action, someone who has shown his love for America by fighting for our people, helping communities left behind on Chicago's South Side, fighting today for working families and the tax breaks we need to purchase a home, pay for college and save for retirement," Early said in her speech Thursday night.

She said the e-mail had empowered her to get involved with Obama's campaign.

Throughout Obama's campaign, rumors have circulated about his background. The Obama campaign was seeking to tamp down the rumor by having a speaker address them, a person many viewers might relate to. It was, nevertheless, a rare sort of presentation in this setting. Convention platform speakers haven't been known for addressing rumors at the podium, although the Internet wasn't a factor until just the last few years.

Obama's campaign invited several non-politicians to speak at the convention.