Update, 4 p.m. ET: N. Kafi, the managing editor of the “Geeska Afrika” publication, tells Big Head DC that the publication produced the original report on Sen. Barack Obama’s travels in Kenya, and the Clinton camp had nothing to do with the circulation. The report includes the picture Matt Drudge indicated was circulated by the Clinton campaign. The report has been in worldwide circulation since August 2006:

http://www.geeskaafrika.com/ethiopia_31aug06.htm

Original report, 12:58 p.m. ET: While the Matt Drudge Web site tried desperately early Monday to convince readers that a picture of Sen. Barack Obama dressed in traditional Somali garb has been circulated by the Sen. Hillary Clinton campaign, Big Head DC can confirm that the Clinton camp did not release the photo.

In fact, the picture has appeared on the news site “Geeska Afrika” for several months.

What may have happened is Drudge found the picture on the Geeska Afrika Web site and then knowingly launched a fake story insisting the Clinton camp was behind the circulation of the picture. There may be evidence that Drudge even fabricated e-mails from Clinton staffers referring to the photo. The Internet publisher has long been well-known for his distaste for the Clinton family.

By now, the Drudge narrative has been picked up by several conservative-leaning publications, including the Politico. And the Obama camp has released a statement denouncing the Clinton camp for its imaginary ties to the photo, which shows Obama dressed as a Somali Elder during a 2006 visit to Kenya.

Of course, Big Head DC doesn’t yet have the reach of the Drudge Report, so good luck getting this message out there.