Downplaying William Ayers came naturally in The Washington Post on Saturday. A picture on page A8 was captioned "John McCain has criticized his rival's ties to former radical William Ayers." Former bomber might be correct, but certainly not former radical.
It came in a story that mostly concerned how McCain isn't dwelling on Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, from Steven Holmes and Michael Shear. One unnamed GOP adviser said Wright was a better target and joked, "Most people these days think the Weather Underground is a band."
Ayers also came up in a different Shear story on A4 (but no picture). Shear Called Ayers "a Vietnam War-era radical" and explained the Weather Underground "bombed U.S. facilities in protest of the Vietnam War." The Pentagon and the Capitol went unmentioned.
Perhaps the most amusing Ayers mention in the Saturday Post came in the Saturday "Free for All" selection of letters to the editor. Several writers accused the Post of being a tool of the Obama campaign. But Andre Sauvageot of Reston defended Ayers as a professor and Chicago "citizen of the year." He found the terrorist associations inspiring:
It is precisely the rich, diverse associations in a tough neighborhood as a Chicago community organizer that prepared Obama to bridge themost bitter partisan divides. It is a tribute to his character that he could learn empathy from these associations, which did not subvert him but better prepared him to deal realistically with a tough, complex world.
UPDATE: Retired Army Colonel Sauvageot also thinks anyone who opposes Obama must be a racist. From a washingtonpost.com message board after Hillary's convention speech:
Hillary left such people with no factual or logical rationale. This suggests that the most common variable governing such people is what Bob Herbert described in his column "The Dog That Isn't Barking" (NYT, 26 August 2008) racism, even though it may be masked with concerns about Obama's putative "inexperience" blah, blah.
—Tim Graham is Director of Media Analysis at the Media Research Center.
Editor at Large
Comments Policy
WaPo
October 11, 2008 - 23:30 ET by well99Ayers is a terrorist.One suggestion for WaPo.Invest in knee pads.
It won't WashPo.
October 12, 2008 - 00:31 ET by Indiana JoeIt's pretty simple. <edit: I'm just going to repost what I linked to. I've since found a few more relevant facts, so it needs updating anyway.>
This might turn out to be easier than I thought. People are getting burned out on the "lies" charge. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't claiming that any charge against you is a "lie," and denigrating the messenger part of "old" politics, dating back to Boss Tweed, Tammany Hall, and, more recently, the Chicago Machine?
Check this out, what follows is from that link:
"It was at the Chicago home of Ayers and Dohrn that Obama, then an up-and-coming “community organizer,” had his political coming out party in 1995."
Some have claimed that the party wasn't "for" Obama, that he just "tagged along" with an invitee. Well, that's as may be, but doesn't seem likely when you consider this;
"In 1995 Ayers [...] founded a "school reform organization" called the Chicago Annenberg Challenge (CAC). He appointed Obama as the group's first chairman."
So, I really don't care who the "party" was for. Appointing Obama as chairman of Ayers' "million-dollar baby" says a lot more about their relationship than any "party."
Add in this:
"In his 2001 screed, Fugitive Days, Ayers recounts his life as a Sixties radical, his tenure as a Weatherman lieutenant, his terrorist campaign across America, and his enduring hatred for for the United States. "What a country," Ayers said in 2001. "It makes me want to puke."
AND this, (from the same link):
"'I don't regret setting bombs,' said Ayers in 2001, 'I feel we didn't do enough.'"
And, finally (for now), this, again from the same link:
"In 1999 Ayers joined the Woods Fund of Chicago, where he served as a director alongside Barack Obama until the latter left the Woods board in December 2002."
Put them all together, and they spell something. But it ain't "Mother." To sum up:
And Obama didn't know anything about his history?
Tell me again; who's lying? Or is the defense claiming that Obama is totally clueless?
Because, either way, he's not presidential material, that's for sure.
That about wraps it up. These are facts, so there's no "dirty politics" involved. End of story.
<edit: PS: It's been claimed that "at least Ayers never killed anyone." But, if true, it wasn't from not trying:
"In 1970, Ayers' then-girlfriend Diana Oughton, along with Weatherman members Terry Robbins and Ted Gold, were killed when a bomb they were constructing exploded unexpectedly. That bomb had been intended for detonation at a dance that was to be attended by army soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey. Hundreds of lives could have been lost had the plan been successfully executed. Ayers attested that the bomb would have done serious damage, 'tearing through windows and walls and, yes, people too.'">
"... smells like.... victory." - Robert Duvall as Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore
No kidding, Indy. I guess
October 12, 2008 - 07:36 ET by motherbeltNo kidding, Indy.
I guess Obama really believes in redemption....for his friends, at his hands, anyway.
What is this guy smoking?
October 12, 2008 - 00:06 ET by GBA"It is precisely the rich, diverse associations in a tough neighborhood as a Chicago community organizer that prepared Obama to bridge themost bitter partisan divides. It is a tribute to his character that he could learn empathy from these associations, which did not subvert him but better prepared him to deal realistically with a tough, complex world."
Where is the diversity in his associates? They are all radicals who want to completely destroy the American systems of governance, education and economics. Obama mouths platitudes about what a great country we live in while simultaneously talking about how he can't wait to change it. His friends don't even bother with the platitudes. As for a tribute to his character, I'm not at all sure where that comes from. His responses when confronted about these friends is to deny, minimize, claim he didn't know about their radical views/actions and finally to (unconvincingly) dissassociate himself from them. I will give him one point, bitterness is the prevalent tone of everything Obama and his friends stand for.
Obama = "smoking gun"
October 12, 2008 - 01:24 ET by wdhorningObama is himself a "smoking gun" of evidence of how he is basicially evil, through and through, IHMO.
OBAMA'S CHARACTER:
- he was really born in Kenya and his mother did not meet residency requirements, so the Hawaiian birth certificate she obtained for him makes him illegal to become president under the Constitution, and he is in fact an illegal alien, because he (knowingly) never applied to be a naturalized citizen
- at an early age he was educated at a Muslim terrorist style school
- attended an ultra-liberal, "hate-America" college
- attended a "hate-America" church for 20 years
- political career started in the home of a man who bombed the Capitol & Pentagon, who he had worked closely with for 4 years
- tens of millions in charitable donations designated for educational programs were used by him to bribe politicians instead
- funneled tens of millions into ACORN, currently under investigation for voter fraud conspiracy in 11 states, with 4 convictions already
- close association with the convicted felon Rezko, who got Obama a "sweetheart" house deal
- close association with the "crook" Raines, who screwed taxpayers in is connection to Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae
- gave a pep rally speech in Kenya for his Muslim cousin, who murdered about 500,000, raped and killed women and children, and even burned people alive in a church
- currently is receiving, illegally, millions from foreign donors to his campaign for president
CURRENT POLITICAL ISSUES:
- per 75% of CEOs polled, he will destroy the economy far worse than the current problems just by raising business taxes
- per CNN, McCain's medical plan is a superior plan
- Obama was 100% wrong about the Iraqi surge working, proving him to be worthless as a Commander-in-Chief
- if Obama had been president instead of Bush, a couple of small targets in Afghanistan might have been hit after 9-11, and right now Saddam would be spinning the 600 tons of yellowcake he had into 142 nuclear weapons, just as Iran is now doing, so Bush stopped WW III, but Obama would have let it happen
- tried to persuade Iraqis to get a delay on any US troop withdrawals, so if elected, he would get all the credit, not Pres Bush, contrary to his "get the troops out now" campaign
- voted for murdering babies, born alive, when abortion was botched
Obama is a "smoking gun". In fact, he is already impeachable, IMHO.
"One unnamed GOP adviser
October 12, 2008 - 00:34 ET by ckc1227"One unnamed GOP adviser said Wright was a better target and joked,
"Most people these days think the Weather Underground is a band."
If the media were doing it's job, everyone would know who the Weather Underground is/was. If McCain were doing his job, Wright would be a target too.
Obama's Economic plan: more taxes, more spending, more regulation. Prosperity here we come.
ckc... Don't you love it
October 12, 2008 - 00:39 ET by Clear thinkerckc...
Don't you love it when they use "unnamed" sources. For me, that's like saying "I just made this up".
Biggest Voter Fraud In History Of USA
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
Me too
October 12, 2008 - 01:00 ET by general companyMy next favorite is,,,,,person who is not authorized to speak on this subject.
That has always ment,, person with axe to grind ,,, too me
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
WaPo might as well say that bombings are OK by them.
October 12, 2008 - 01:18 ET by wdhorningAgain, if John McCain had associated himself so closely with a terrorist "animal" like Ayers, the WaPo would have run the story every day.
IMHO, the WaPo is now run by communist traitors. In fact, if it were 40 years in the future, the WaPo would probably be defending a Democrat candidate for president who had close ties with Mohammad Atta, one of the terrorist who flew a plane into the Twin Towers, and one of the main leaders.
It's almost scary to wonder
October 12, 2008 - 02:19 ET by mostlymoderateIt's almost scary to wonder how people like Ayers truly felt about September 11th, the bombing in Oklahoma City or the first attacks on the World Trade Center. The fact that this man is not in a federal prison, let alone a PROFESSOR, is an appalling assault on justice. The fact that the Oval Office might be occupied with a man that idolizes a man like Ayer's is beyond comprehension :(
Hi mm... For me it isn't
October 12, 2008 - 02:22 ET by bigtimerHi mm...
For me it isn't almost scary...it is petrifying.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
I know!! Nobody *really*
October 12, 2008 - 02:41 ET by mostlymoderateI know!! Nobody *really* knows who this joker Obama really is. Atleast with liberals like Bill Clinton, you know you are dealing with because he was a governer since 1978. Although we might disagree with Clinton, we KNOW who he is. As for Obama, he is still a mystery. The man has NO track record and there are TOO MANY UNANSWERED QUESTIONS.
I used to always wonder how the German's could find themselves supporting a man like Hitler but now I know. I think it sort of just creeps-up on you and then it is too late. For all we know, Obama is a 100% die-hard socialist that wants to eliminate the free-enterprise system.
Mostlymoderate
October 12, 2008 - 02:42 ET by RESTLESS 1We know he is half black. That is all that really matters.
(throwing up in disgust).
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
No kidding! The half-black
October 12, 2008 - 02:50 ET by mostlymoderateNo kidding! The half-black thing was very strategic of the Democrats. They KNEW that 90% of the black population would vote for Obama, even if he is a socialist, simply because he is somewhat "black". This is definitely NOT the Democratic party of yesteryear.
Not to sound racist,
October 12, 2008 - 02:57 ET by RESTLESS 1but the black population has been voting against it's best interests for decades now. Ever since they hitched their wagons to democratics, they have been in a downward spiral. Less own houses. Less born in wedlock. Less of their fathers in the home.
The liberals know how to run a plantation.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
You got it! What better
October 12, 2008 - 03:14 ET by mostlymoderateYou got it! What better way to slowly migrate into socialism than to keep the black man down by keeping him poor and in need of big government. Add to that 14,000,000+ (you know it is more) illegal aliens and before you know it, you have a country that would be willing to become socialist. How else do you explain punishing a person with taxes that makes over $250,000 a year? How else do you explain universal healthcare? If Obama gets elected, welcome to hell. Why even work hard and build a business if you have to give half of it back to the government in punishment-taxes?
MM
October 12, 2008 - 10:55 ET by TN Mom'Nobody *really* knows who this joker Obama really is. I used to always wonder how the German's could find themselves supporting a man like Hitler but now I know. I think it sort of just creeps-up on you and then it is too late.'
Obama is a friend to terrorist Bill Ayers, Rev Wright, ACORN, Farrakhan and other anti-American leftist goons. Obama defends them and lies about his *deep* connections with them. Hope the 'undecideds' wake up before it's too late....God help us all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"let alone a
October 12, 2008 - 02:40 ET by Carl Kolchak"let alone a PROFESSOR,"
Ken Burns did a WW2 special last year, and I believe he mentioned a quote as one of the reasons he did the show was because over 50% of graduating high school seniors believe that WW2 was the Americans teaming up with the Germans to fight the Soviets. How do graduating high school seniors get this impression? Also, I think most college students believe the United States and their allies were the bad guys in the Cold War. How do college students get this impression? Is anything being taught in colleges, or are students just being indocontrinated?
Ken Burns...
October 12, 2008 - 02:46 ET by RESTLESS 1F#$k him too.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
They are being
October 12, 2008 - 07:36 ET by motherbeltThey are being indoctrinated, not taught.
To this day, liberals, even well-educated one, believe that it was Mikhail Gorbachev who ended the Cold War, out of the goodness of his heart.
Where are the dead homosexuals
October 12, 2008 - 02:22 ET by Lame CherryWhat if John McCain's homosexual friend from his church had 5 slugs pumped into him?
Do you think the press and the FBI would be all over the case?
Obama has Donald Young who told another gay male that Obama and himself were having sex.
What if John McCain had a fundraiser friend indicted by the FBI?
Obama has Tony Rezko.
What if John McCain's house was bought with money which came from Saddam Hussein?
Obama has Nadhmi Auchi who gave Rezko money so Rezko could help Obama buy his mansion, and, Auchi was Saddam's bag man laundering money in France out of Iraq.
What if John McCain endorsed the Sec of Treasury of Arizona who just happened to be a banker who was loaning mafia people money?
Obama did just that with the current Illinois Sec. of Treasury.
What if John McCain had a gay man following him around saying they had oral sex and did coke?
Obama has Lawrence Sinclair who has never changed his account.
What if John McCain Sarah Palin, arrest the gay guy in DC on bogus charges her son filed in Alaska, kept him from his medications as he was an invalid and then dropped the charges to cover it all up?
That is exactly what Joe Biden did for Barack Obama with Lawrence Sinclair.
What if John McCain was caught in his econmic plan to have stolen it from reporters at the New York Times?
That is exactly what Joe Biden did in stealing his "Iraq Plan" from Arnaud de Borchgrave of the Washington Times.
What if John McCain's mother had set up a savings and loan pyramid scheme for the third world which was netting his benefactors huge parts of 3rd world lands?
That is exactly what Obama's mother did in her microfinance in Rothschilds are now seizing land in India from farmers who can not repay loans and those farmers are committing suicide.
What if John McCain was attending a church which said white power was the change America required.
Once again Obama with Jeremiah Wright promote black revolution.
What if Billy Graham told the world that when John McCain spoke it was the voice of the messiah.
Exactly what Obama has stated and exactly what Farrakhan stated.
What if the Pope announced that John McCain was their Irish son for the White House?
That is what Ghadaffi of Libya stated in Obama was a Muslim son of their's.
What if John McCain was nightly given free publicity on Letterman on CBS while bashing Obama and Biden?
Exactly the thing CBS has allowed for Obama.
What if John McCain's backer Charlie Gibson put glasses on the end of his nose and grilled Obama as that "stupid black man"?
That is exactly what Gibson did for Obama in smearing Sarah Palin as "unintelligent".
What if John McCain had taken in 250 million dollars from people named Adolf, Hans, Reinhardt, Wilhelm from Austria, Germany and other German areas from foreigners violating campaign laws.
That is exactly what Obama has done with foreign Muslims.
What if John McCain had informed a cousin of his in Scotland that when he was elected President that the Scots could overthrow the British government?
That is exactly what Barack Obama told his cousin Odinga in Kenya as uncovered by Jerome Corsi.
What if John McCain had told the Russians to hold off on withdrawing from Georgia until he was President?
That is exactly what Obama told the Iraqi government in not pushing withdrawal of US troops in Iraq.
What if the entire press was in the tank for John McCain, do you think that Barack Obama would be crying foul?
Exactly what Obama has had for 19 months and John McCain has not noted it.
This list can go on and on from what if John McCain's mentor was raping a 13 year old girl with his wife as Frank Davis did with his wife to what if John McCain's mentor Bill Ayers had had a Jewish girl held down and savagely raped by a skin head, exactly what Ayers had a black male do to a Jewish girl, but where it the reality in this?
The press thought Bill Clinton raping women was fine. They giggled at his lying. They thought it was nothing in his selling out America to Chinese blackmail.
I want to inform the press of something though as they live in their urban areas. America because of your Bill Clinton does not have a cushion any more.
China has ICBM's thanks to Bill Clinton which can take out Chicago. Russia has ICBM's that fly on their own that can take out all of America.
Thanks to Bill Clinton Iran has a supply of nuclear weapons they are just waiting to douse on urban America in retaliation and blame it all on bin Laden.
You of the press by scuttling the Truth are the ones who are going to wake up one day like on 9 11 and find a strange event you feel as you notice a dual mushroom cloud rising in some city.
You might that day have taken off work to sex somebody's spouse or the neighbor kid, but just like on 9 11 you are going to have full blame for it.
Now you mock George Bush was not ready. You already know where this is going in you know for a fact Obama is not ready for this.
You have a few weeks to actually do your job on the stories listed above. 3 weeks to hound Obama on his stinky plane to show what an empty suit he is, or, you are going to seal your own future and this time there will not be anyone to lead America out.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
Lame Cherry,
October 12, 2008 - 02:29 ET by RESTLESS 1What if we had a media that just didn't care? What if we had an electorate that just didn't care?
It looks like we're about to find out.
"This
liberal would be all about socialize -- uh, uh, would be about
basically taking over and the government running all of your companies."-Maxine Waters 2008
What is the difference between Ayers and Tookie?
October 12, 2008 - 08:23 ET by JWFThe left loves them both. No, that is not it.
The left played down their crimes. No, that is not it.
Tookie got caught. Ayers got off on a technicality. That's it!
This is a trend. The left keeps telling us not to talk about Ayers. Why? When your opponent in a debate does not want you to talk about something, you need to find out why.
It is because this can hurt. The Ayers thing is an albatross and can sink Obama and the left knows it.
The connections between Obama and Ayers is extensive. He ghostwrote one of Obama's books. That takes a lot of one on one time. A LOT.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
THe left does not want to
October 12, 2008 - 09:43 ET by BDTHe left does not want to discuss Bill Ayers because to dig too deeply would reveal the lefts complicity in anti-americanism for the past thrity years.
Where do you think all the guys who rioted in Chicago in '68 are? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
WHere do you think all the guys who spit and otherwise harrassed our troops returning from Vietnam are? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
Followers of the Brothers Berrigan? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
Weathermen Underground? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
Black Panthers? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
Communist Party USA? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
American Maoists? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
Idiots kids wearing Che shirts? They are hiding out in the Democrat Party.
THe left desires to look just as patriotic as the Republicans, but when you scratch the surface, it is quite obvious they are not.
...and the point was???
October 12, 2008 - 08:33 ET by flyingmonkeyPol Pot, Mao, Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, and Marx were all "former radicals" also. So what's their point?
Actually, the caption is honest and correct
October 12, 2008 - 08:39 ET by JohnMcGrewThere's little question that Ayers' politics have changed little in the last 40 years. But almost everything else has. It's the politics of the MSM that have evolved towards that of Ayers to the point to where there's little radical about it anymore. From viewpoint of the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, etc, he is a "former radical".
Ayers only mistake was unfortunate timing in being unrepentant about setting bombs in the post 911 age. If it weren’t for that, the MSM would likely be suggesting Ayers as our next attorney general.
As m uch as I want McCain
October 12, 2008 - 10:30 ET by gregfaheyAs much as I want McCain to keep hammering Obama on this Ayers issue, it's clear that it's going nowhere.
Why?
I repeat....why?
Doesn't McCain bring up the issue of gun rights and the 2nd Amendment? With crucial states like VA, OH, MI, AR and FL and others being decidely pro-gun, McCain is not using his most potent weapon (pun not intended).
Look, Gore lost because he lost TN, VA and AR. Since then, the Dems have smartened up and shut their collective pie-holes over this issue. Meanwhile, McCain is sitting on his hands and saying "Obama's a decent man...." Lewis is calling him a racist.
OK McCain, time to hammer Obama on guns. It's an ISSUE and you can WIN with it! Notice Obama's silence on this issue? I'm betting he can't believe McCain-Palin is silent on this. Palin is a candidate who appeals to us NRA members. Obama is anti-gun every step of the way.
Is there a way to email McCain's campaign? Why are they waffling and fiddling?
Bring it up to Obama on the next debate. Blindside him with it and watch him stumble.
Oh dear God why is he silent on this? Where is Charleton Heston and John Wayne now that we need them?
When is McCain going to stop saying "My friends" and start to say "People of America...."? Let Palin loose! Send her out and make guns THE ISSUE!!!!!!!!!
I think it is resonating.
October 12, 2008 - 10:56 ET by JWFThat is why the MSM keep going out of their way to tell us to stop bringing it up.
And people are getting torqued. That guy that stood up and told Sen. McCain how mad he is about socialists in this country. He is us. We are gettin angry and we want John McCain to be angry with us.
Sincerely,
a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.
If I hear McCain use the
October 12, 2008 - 12:02 ET by BDIf I hear McCain use the words "My friend..." "Working across party lines" or "Bipartisanship" one more time I am gonna come unglued and write in Palin instead of McCain for president.
Long ago McCain wrongly concluded that his path to the presidency was to stop being the Republican Senator from Arizona and to become the darling of the press. How to become darling of the press? Why, bad mouth all the Republicans who denied him the presidential nomination in 2000 of course.
And the press ate it up. In the reflected glow of this "Triumph," McCain then made the false assumption that that would be his path to success.
THus he would be willing to use this technicque to pull in a couple hundred thousand independants - but what he forgot was that he will lose about two million of us Conservatives who he has shafted over the years.
Former Murderer?
October 12, 2008 - 12:53 ET by ChasvsSo do the people he and his crew killed come back tp life now that's he's a Former Radical/Murderer?
Good thing, I thought what he had done had some permanent results.
Now I know that being a "Former Radical" makes everything OK!