In a new afterword to his 2001 book, Bill Ayers, former leader of the 1960s radical group Weather Underground, describes President-elect Barack Obama as a “family friend” and denies he wished his group had set off more bombs in the 1960s.
Ayers, a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, adds few new details about his relationship with Obama in the afterword to Fugitive Days: Memoirs of an Anti-War Activist. The book is being reissued this month.
In a new afterword to his memoir, 1960s radical William Ayers writes that the campaign controversy over their relationship was an effort by Obama’s political enemies to “deepen a dishonest narrative” about the candidate.
“We had served together on the board of a foundation, knew one another as neighbors and family friends, held an initial fund-raiser at my house, where I’d made a small donation to his earliest political campaign,” he writes.
Obama supporters can try to argue that Comrade Obama’s close relationship with a terrorist is irrelevant, but I don’t see how they can defend his lying since he claimed to bring change to government.
Obama has betrayed America’s trust. He knowingly and intentionally lied about his attendance at Trinity Church and his relationship with a terrorist.
The videotape showing Barack Obama at a 2003 party Rashid Khalidi a former spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization (also attended by Bill Ayers) is being kept under wraps by the L.A. Times…
On Wednesday, McCain said 1960s radical Bill Ayers had attended the same party in 2003. McCain and Palin have criticized Obama for his ties to Ayers and questioned what the videotape of the party might show.
“Among other things, Israel was described there as the perpetrator of terrorism rather than the victim,” Palin said at a rally in Ohio. “What we don’t know is how Barack Obama responded to these slurs on a country that he professes to support.”
But all the makeup in the world can’t cover over this fact: The gleeful, personal attacks being waged by Democrats and pundits against Palin on this front are just the latest in a relentless and unprincipled season-long smear campaign against the Republican candidate for vice president. They are proof positive that because she is a conservative woman, Sarah Palin simply cannot win.
For months Palin has been mocked by the liberal elite as a hick from Alaska. Because she can’t explain the Bush Doctrine to Charlie Gibson’s satisfaction or otherwise gives less than perfectly crafted answers to questions, she’s an idiot. Her opponents have spent unparalleled amounts of time and energy trying to convince voters that she is not “just like you.” She’s even dumber.
But now, because the McCain campaign has budgeted some money for new clothes, questions about her intellect are shelved for another discussion, and her image takes center stage. Never mind that Republicans aren’t supposed to bring up William Ayers, Tony Rezko, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright or any other non “Issues” with a capital “I.” Now Democrats are hoping to make a serious issue out of Palin’s high heels, her glasses and her new suits.
I want to introduce Colin Powell to Nyack police Sgt. Edward O’Grady, Officer Waverly “Chipper” Brown, and Brinks security guard Peter Paige. Powell may want to downplay Bill Ayers’s relationship with Barack Obama, but he does so out of ignorance and expediency. Obama knew about Ayers when he befriended him and throughout their relationship right up until the time it became an issue a few months ago. And keep in mind, Ayers wishes he and his fellow Weather Underground terrorists could have done more damage than murdering these three men. I have no respect left for Powell. None.
There is something very defective in American politics where anyone who comes within a country mile of someone like Ayers could be elected dog catcher, let alone be a step away from President of the United States of America. But this is, also, the fruit of poisoned tree of liberalism - poisoned by the New Left back in the 1960’s.
We’ve allowed a lot of nonsense to seep into our political life - and given the amount of tax dollars we spend on colleges, universities and various public groups, the really sad thing is that we “Joe the Plumber” sorts of Americans have heavily subsidized the “Bill the Terrorist” sort of Americans. They are rich, entrenched in the heights of American culture and twisting our laws and customs into unrecognizable shape on our dime. And the final insult to this self-inflicted injury is that by allowing them to rise in our institutions, we have given them a patina of respectability. I won’t go as far as Levin on Obama - my view is that Obama simply didn’t know any better and was unequipped by training to even get curious about who was advising and supporting him in his rise to power - after all, people like Ayers, like all leftists throughout history, talk a great game of liberty and justice, and only someone well versed in leftwing thinking understands that they leave off the “for all” part of that.
For people like Ayers - and their pupils, like Obama - liberty means the freedom to be a leftists. Justice means leftists win, all the time. To accord liberty and justice to non-leftists is to give them something they don’t deserve, as they are the roadblocks on the path to utopia. This is why we’re seeing a renewed demand for the so-called “fairness doctrine”, which will be a tool to force conservatives off the radio; this is why we see attempts at using the courts to censor conservative criticism of Obama, because to criticize Obama is to be evil, because Obama is a good leftist; this is why we see stories about holding war crimes tribunals for President Bush and his Administration, because they are non-leftist, and are thus evil and must be punished. For Obama and his like, freedom means the freedom to praise Obama and his like in any manner we choose, and that’s all.
For Colin Powell to not recognize who Obama is or who those around him are is to reveal a stunning level of political blindness - Powell is essentially throwing his support to those who called him and his like “baby killers” in Vietnam. And before you think, “well, that was a long time ago”, remember that Obama, himself, opined that all we were doing in the war is bombing villages and killing civilians. Obama is the good student of his New Left teachers - he’s bought it all; and Powell - out of who knows what motivation - has decided to endorse the folly of Obama and the wickedness of Ayers.
FOX News is going to be airing a special report this weekend on Barack Obama’s background, associations, etc. I did a long taped interview for the show, and I expect that parts of it will be used. The report is scheduled to air today (Saturday) at 9PM ET, Sunday at 5AM ET, and again on Sunday at 2PM ET.
Kurtz, you might recall, is the guy who has been targeted by leftwing, Obamaniac-inspired thuggery for daring to express his opinions. This might be very much worth seeing.
Not exactly, but he does go a long way towards saying Obama and his campaign aren’t being truthful regarding the relationship between Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama and unrepentant domestic terrorist Bill Ayres. Here is the excellent report by CNN:
There’s been a lot of interest in what I read lately. Well, I was reading my copy of today’s New York Times and I was really interested to read about Barack’s friends from Chicago. Turns out, one of his earliest supporters is a man who, according to The New York Times was a domestic terrorist and part of a group that, quote, ‘launched a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol.’ These are the same guys who think patriotism is paying higher taxes. This is not a man who sees America as you and I do - as the greatest force for good in the world. This is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who targeted their own country. This, ladies and gentlemen, has nothing to do with the kind of change anyone can believe in - not my kids and not your kids.
Now, that New York Times article is actually a bit of a whitewash - seriously asking us to believe that Obama and Ayers aren’t close. This is akin to taking the word of Lucky Luciano that Al Capone had only a little to do with bootlegging. Be that as it may, it is way past time that McCain/Palin started hitting upon the very things which make Obama entirely unfit to be President. In Obama’s advocacy of wrong policies, in his advocacy of the most fanatic pro-abortion positions, in his associations with various racists and anti-Americans is all we need to know about Obama - and, if known widely enough, will suffice to end his chances of being elected. Obama has spent the last 18 months trying to project an image of a post-partisan healer…when he’s actually a ignorant, vindictive ultra-leftist who wants to impose Euro-socialism upon the United States of America.
The American people will have the sort of government they prefer - but it is our duty to ensure that our fellow Americans have the most complete set of facts possible when they render their judgement. If, after the people know that Obama’s allies caused the mortgage meltdown, called for US defeat in war, want to impose government control over larger and larger aspects of Americans life, engaged all manner of corrupt activies - if the people know all that and still prefer Obama to McCain, then so be it; we on our side will then rest content with the knowledge that we did our duty…but to hold fire because Obama and his minions will accuse us of racism or of being mean? Nonsense - time to bring a howitzer to Obama’s gun fight.
* Joe Biden, intentionally or not, insinuates that Sarah Palin doesn’t care about special needs kids because of conservative objections to stem cell research (and the objections of Biden’s own religion, natch).
* Biden asks a guy in a wheel chair to stand-up in front of a large crowd of people. An honest mistake and I actually feel bad for Biden on this one, but it’s not exactly the kind of campaign tableaux you’re aiming for.
* Long time Obama associate and unrepentant domestic terrorist William Ayers releases a bizarre statement via cartoon saying “I don’t violent resistance is NECESSARILY the answer.”
* Barack Obama (again, intentionally or not) compares the opposing female vice-presidential candidate to a pig, at a time when she’s become a figure of public sympathy because of scores of vile, baseless attacks on Palin and her family by Obama supporters.
Now that’s a finely tuned campaign! Keep up the good work guys!
One doesn’t want to get ahead of one’s self and I won’t be the first person to assert with certainty on a blog that the wheels are coming off the cart for Obama, but this is pretty grim.
And you also start to remember that Obama lost the big State primaries and really only secured a first-ballot nominating majority by grace of superdelegates who stampeded to Obama in a typical display of the liberal herd instinct.
Perhaps Obama isn’t as great a guy as people first thought?
Weapons and devices to disable buses - among other items - were found in searches in the Twin Cities last night and today by Ramsey County sheriff’s deputies.
Authorities said the items came from “key members of the RNC Welcoming Committee,” a self-described anarchist group.
Five people have been arrested and four properties have been searched, according to the sheriff’s office.
At 8 a.m. today, the sheriff’s office executed search warrants at three Minneapolis homes - 2301 23rd Ave. S., 3500 Harriet Ave. and 3240 17th Ave. S. They were assisted by the FBI, Minneapolis police and the Hennepin County sheriff’s office.
“The ‘Welcoming Committee’ is a criminal enterprise made up of 35 anarchists who are intent on committing criminal acts before and during the Republican National Convention,” said Sheriff Bob Fletcher in a statement. “These acts include tactics to blockade and disable delegate buses, breaching venue security and injuring police officers. They have recruited assistance in their criminal conspiracy from other anarchists groups throughout the country. Through their plans and actions they have exhibited a blatant disregard for the law and the safety of others.”
And this, my friends, is the result of years of leftwing lies about President Bush and the War on Terrorism. Plenty of screwball lefties really think that the 2000 and 2004 elections were stolen and that Iraq was cooked up to provide contracts for Bush/Cheney cronies and that we’re actually out there torturing people and deliberately killing innocent people. If you are really convinced about such things, then what would you do to stop them from happening? I said some years ago that the way the left is acting regarding President Bush is the stuff with which civil wars are made, and my prayer then was that no one would resort to violence…well, it looks like some were determined on violence, and there may be others out there, undiscovered.
Additionally, this is why we really need to get a full accounting of Obama’s friendship with unrepentant terrorist Bill Ayers, as well as Obama’s other connections to radical leftists. We need to know, with certainty, just what Obama has said and done when conferring with kook leftists, and whether or not Obama has or does subscribe to any of the insane leftwing theories about what happened on 9/11, in Iraq and throughout the Bush Administration. There is no place in American politics for the purveyors of paranoia and conspiracy theories, and all of those who in any way, shape or form subscribe to such things must be forced out of our politics, lest they poison it irretrievably.
Barack Obama has launched an all-out effort to block a Republican billionaire’s efforts to tie him to domestic and foreign terrorists in a wave of negative television ads.
Obama’s campaign has written the Department of Justice demanding a criminal investigation of the “American Issues Project,” the vehicle through which Dallas investor Harold Simmons is financing the advertisements. The Obama campaign — and tens of thousands of supporters — also is pressuring television networks and affiliates to reject the ads. The effort has met with some success: CNN and Fox News are not airing the attacks.
Obama has also launched his own response ad, directly addressing Simmons’ attempt to link him to domestic terror.
The project is “a knowing and willful attempt to violate the strictures of federal election law,” Obama general counsel Bob Bauer wrote to Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Keeney last week in a letter provided to Politico. Bauer argued that by advocating Obama’s defeat, the ad should be subject to the contribution limits of federal campaign law, not the anything-goes regime of issue advocacy.
Bauer’s letter called on the Justice Department to open “an investigation of the American Issues Project; its officers and directors; and its anonymous donors, whoever they may be.”
“This is a sad ploy to circumvent the First Amendment by a campaign who has no arguments with the merits of our ad. It’s the classic maneuver: If you can’t win on the merits, file a lawsuit,” said a spokesman for the American Issues Project, Christian Pinkston, who said his group’s non-profit status allowed it to participate in elections as long as it does a majority of policy work, which it plans to do.
A spokeswoman for Keeney, Laura Sweeney, declined to comment on Bauer’s letter.
The Obama campaign plans to punish the stations that air the ad financially, an Obama aide said, organizing his supporters to target the stations that air it and their advertisers.
You can see the ad here - its not terribly effective, but it does open up the can of worms Obama would rather keep closed: His ties to radical leftism. Its seems that Jeremiah Wright is just the tip of a kook left iceberg in Obama’s background.
Now, is Obama a wanna-be terrorist? Of course not - first off, he’s not of that generation. He’s of my generation, and we don’t tend to blow things up. If there were “60’s radicals”, we’re more “70’s stoners”, and didn’t have the oomph to go do much of anything. The downside to all this is that a lot of us also didn’t bestir ourselves to really learn about the past. I, on the other hand, did (there was a small upside to being bad at sports and a complete flop with chicks) - and even a cursory examination of 60’s radicals - like Ayers - convinces the knowing to steer clear of them. What profit is there is talking to a man who is unrepentant about the monumentally stupid idea of trying to change American policy via a terrorist bombing campaign? Obama isn’t a stupid man, so the presumption must be that he simply didn’t know, or at least didn’t know enough to draw the proper conclusions. To Obama, Ayers probably seemed well meaning - just as all too many dimbulb kids these days put on Che t-shirts because he seems romantic, and well meaning. As the kids today are unaware of Che’s brutal murders, so Obama is unaware (or only dimly aware) of just what Ayers and his cohorts were up to.
Why is this a problem? Because a man who hasn’t figured out that Ayers is persona-non-grata in decent society isn’t a man who can properly judge persons and proposals. If a screwball like Ayers can seem reasonable to Obama, then any kook out there can seem reasonable. While Obama has stepped out of the leftwing coocoon far enough to understand that people like Wright and Ayers have to be kept at arms length, he still hasn’t figured out that the whole leftwing project - ie, Obama’s whole worldview - is flawed and prone to such things as racist rants and terrorist bombs. Obama has some smarts, and our prayer should be that he’ll figure it out - but I don’t want him trying to figure it out while, during a tense moment with Iran, he’s got Sensible Advisor locked in battle with Nutty Leftist Advisor, and Obama unable to determine which one has it right.
