Meet The New Bill Ayers
In a last, desperate attempt to pull out a victory on November 4, the McCain campaign and their conservative surrogates are highlighting the relationship between Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi. And they’re accusing the Los Angeles Times of “intentionally suppressing” videotape in its possession of a 2003 event where Obama praises Khalidi.
The Times first wrote of this in April, 2008, in a piece called “Allies of Palestinians See a Friend in Barack Obama”. Obama spoke of being a regular dinner companion of Khalidi and his wife.
His many talks with the Khalidis, Obama said, had been “consistent reminders to me of my own blind spots and my own biases. . . . It’s for that reason that I’m hoping that, for many years to come, we continue that conversation — a conversation that is necessary not just around Mona and Rashid’s dinner table,” but around “this entire world.”
The thrust of the article was that Obama was more sympathetic to the plight of Palestinians than many other American politicians. But Obama also showed great empathy for Israel, a part of all this that is being ignored by his detractors.
In 2002, as a rash of suicide bombings struck Israel, Obama sought out a Jewish colleague in the state Senate and asked whether he could sign onto a measure calling on Palestinian leaders to denounce violence. “He came to me and said, ‘I want to have my name next to yours,’ ” said his former state Senate colleague Ira Silverstein, an observant Jew.
The LA Times has issued a statement about why it won’t release the videotape:
“The Los Angeles Times did not publish the videotape because it was provided to us by a confidential source who did so on the condition that we not release it,” said the newspaper’s editor, Russ Stanton. “The Times keeps its promises to sources.”
For his part Khalidi is an American-born Yale-educated scholar who is now a professor of Arab Study at New York’s Columbia University. He has, in the past, acted as a spokesman for the PLO, and he is a moderate who has spoken out against suicide bombings against civilians, calling them “war crimes.” He has also been critical of Hamas and other, more extreme, Palestinian leaders.
Oh, yeah, one more thing. When the right wing goes after Obama for his association with Khalidi, it’s important to note that in 1998, Khalidi’s group, the Center for Palestine Research and Studies for work in the West Bank, received $448,873 from a group called the International Republican Institute. And guess who was chairman of that group and who agreed to the grant? John McCain.
The relationship extends back as far as 1993, when John McCain joined IRI as chairman in January. Foreign Affairs noted in September of that year that IRI had helped fund several extensive studies in Palestine run by Khalidi’s group, including over 30 public opinion polls and a study of “sociopolitical attitudes.”
So is it time to question some of John McCain’s questionable “radical” associations?
I wish you would look at things in the light of day and for what it is instead of always giving liberals the benefit of the doubt. I am a conservative but not always a republican. I would rather look at the person and what we know he stands for by his past actions and his future plans before making a decision on how to vote. I know you have a TV show but it would serve you well to be more open minded, more balanced if you will. Frankly as it stands I think even if we had conclusive proof that Obama has been lying about his friends and associations and his real feeling aqbout America and its people…….you would give him a pass just to get a liberal in the White House and for that you should be ashamed.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Alan, please give this issue some time on your radio show! The undecided voters who listen need your help in weeding out all theses falsehoods propagated by the RNC! After John McCain’s interview on the Spanish speaking radio in Florida please make some comments on his associations and views on Cuba. All of the Cuban Americans I know do not want violence as a way to change the government in Cuba! The want to empower the change with knowledge. Knowledge of democracy and freedom!(also how long will McCain keep his views when faced with so much oil so close to home, if McCain is elected I wont be surprised to either see a sate dinner for Mr.Raoul Castro OR a MAU visiting the Bay of Pigs)
October 29th, 2008 at 12:04 pm
ah
October 29th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
MCCAIN WAS FRIENDS WITH KHALIDI FOR YEARS! He was the chief board member for Khalidi’s organization from 1993-1996. McCain supported Khalidi DESPITE his anti-semitic rhetoric. He wants to accuse Obama of this but has hesitated to do so because his own connection to Khalidi is closer than Barack’s. This is FACT and not even being disputed today by McCain’s own campaign. So how can Sen.Obama being any closer than McCain. Is this the only way McCain can win this election because he hasn’t been clear on his message. And if McCain is elected their will be an fight in the White House with McCain/Palin on who will lead since Palin does not know the proper role of VP.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Tom,
It can equally be said:
Frankly as it stands I think even if we had conclusive proof that MCCAIN has been lying about his friends and associations and his real feeling about America and its people…….you would give him a pass just to KEEP a CONSERVATIVE in the White House and for that you should be ashamed.
Remember, you guys are the ones who said that McCain was a KGB agent, and had an “illegitimate black baby”, just to get Bush in the Whitehouse.
October 29th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Alan – how about going after YOUR OWN NETWORK who are the ones PUSHING THIS SO HARD.
October 29th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Again….WHAT ABOUT G GORDON LIDDY, who was a Plumber AND a terrorist?
(bah dump bah)
Get it? He was a Plumber–but not really, they called Liddy one of the Plumbers of Watergate? He was a metaphorical plumber….Like Sam “Joe” Wurzebachelinjerkoff.
October 29th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
This game the Republicans are playing of guilt by association is going to be the end of this phase of conservative politics. Our entire legal system and most religious beliefs in America are founded on the idea that anyone can change. If there is always a chance a person might find different views then being near to them or speaking with them is inherently dangerous in this atmosphere. Are cops who actually talk to the people they arrest a bunch of rotten criminals?
This story is some weak tea served up via McCain. Support for Palestine is not support for terrorism in some de facto connection. A person has to to actually advocate fro violence or condone it to be guilty of anything.
October 29th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
To say that you want to check into McCain’s “questionable radical associations” is like saying you want to check into Mother Teresa’s bona fides. Gimme a break!
It is Obama who is being dodgy here and to suggest that Obama doesn’t need to answer and doesn’t need to come clean unless McCain explains some bullshi!, cooked-up nth degree connection is not even a good smokescreen. It is an insult to the intelligence of your readers. McCain is so beyond reproach on an issue like this that your response makes me wonder if you’ve had a stroke.
October 29th, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Then Rocky7, what about G Gordon Liddy and how McCain called him a good friend? Liddy donated $8,000 to the McCain campaign.
What about Liddy? Can’t you rationalize it enough?
October 29th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Dodgy on what? Come clean on what?
You mean about knowing Rashid Khalidi? Yea, both Obama and McCain know him and have had dealings with him.
October 29th, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Why don’t we just cut to the chase, Sarah, etc.?
You say McCain cannot question anything about this new Messiah unless he is himself perfect. Since he isn’t, there can be no questioning of Obama and he doesn’t need to explain anything in his past which doesn’t fit with his rhetoric.
OKEEdokee.
October 29th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Hey, Rocky7.
I didn’t see anything about Liddy in your post, so I ain’t reading it.
Get back to me when you have an explanation for McCain’s dealings with a TRUE domestic terrorist who was employed by a Republican president and served time for a felony.
Of course, that just makes him qualified to have his own radio show, in your party’s eyes.
October 29th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Hey, welcome back Sarah. I have missed you, your one of the few people who post whose responses are worth the time it takes to read them…
October 29th, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Subject: Meet The New Bill Ayers
The “old Bill Ayers” was a sixties radical and when the Vietnam war ended his issue was over and he went mainstream.
“And they’re accusing the Los Angeles Times of “intentionally suppressing” videotape…”
Government officials like Sarah Palin attempt to “suppress” things and further trample the constitution. The LA Times is “withholding” the tape.
October 29th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Sean Hannity is responsible for that kind of tactics.
October 29th, 2008 at 4:10 pm
Sean will be blame for a Mccain lost.
October 29th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
it’s true
October 29th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Is the october surprise Khalidi?
October 29th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
i doubt it
October 29th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Will he go back to do interviews with black militants like Al, Khalid and others? So far his interviews with Sarah are platitude and bumpersticker.
October 29th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Hannity has to be the dumbest person on TV not because I disagree because of the process he goes through it makes no sense
None at all
Dennis
October 29th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
[...] response to the McCain campaign’s claims that the Los Angeles Times is “intentionally suppressing” a potentially damaging videotape of Barack Obama, the Times’ Jamie Gold makes a point that [...]
October 29th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Thanks, Kuvas! You’re a sweetie!
October 29th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Hannity is not dumb!He is the perfect pupil of Bob Grant.
October 29th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
[...] Alan dissects the McCain campaign’s latest efforts to smear Barack Obama. Posted in Radio Show by Joel leave a comment • [...]
October 29th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
Lopa,
Don’t you think with this many competing ideas that unity is not something that is doable. Socialisim and distribution of wealth is not a dirty word just different to you. To many such as myself, it is the total distortion of the beliefs our country was founded on. Individual Liberties. I don’t see much room for unity with such differing views.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:23 pm
Dear Alan
I was a libaral Democrat during Wether Under ground and Bill Ayers anarchy time. I also thought, Bill Ayres was Hot in his younger days. Same way Sen McCane was hot. Good old days of 60’s and 70’s. We did not liked American government and many social valus. We faught for new value. Jimmy Hendrix changed the “Star Spangle Bannar” in Rock and roll. We were against draft. We loved America in our own way. We promised to each other that” we will not get old.”
Contry was divided. I see the same thing in this election. Country is divided. No matter who win, Democrat or Republican——-they have to unify America. Socialism amd distribution of weath is not a dirty word just different.
Picture of Bill Ayers opened up the flood gate of memory. Sean and Obama are young. They probably heard about “anti social behavior from somwone.” McCane was part of us. McCane went to war but Mohammad Ali refused it.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Hey Derrick,
You are new around here, and seem like a good guy, so let me warn you… Lopa is not a real person, there is some poster on this site who posts under a bunch of different fake names, Lopa being one of them.
I really wouldn’t try having a conversation with ‘her’.
October 29th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Dear Derrick
Socialism and distibution of welth is not a competing idea hence, it is a way of life. We as young Americans faught for “equality.” We did grabed any idea that was around. Even the Bettles went for “Maha Risi Mahesh Yogi.” We were looking for equality in our great country. Anti establishment was a way of rebeling against our famiely and our government. We were very young and were looking for a solution.
It is 2008 and we are beyound that stage. I also brlieve in liberty and our Constitution. After WWII we had welfare and we helped Europe to recover. Sen Obama is our presidential candidate and I am educated woman because of our constitution.
Do I support Sen Obama? No. Why? I still do not trust him. He did hang out with weired people. But why? We had a reason but he did not.
October 29th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Lopa,
No socialism/distribution of wealth is a competing idea with a representative democracy, as outlined by our constitution. And I don’t see that the country can unite with 2 different competing ideas. I have no wish to keep any one down or deny anyone’s rights. But socialism demands that some of my rights must be taken away, so that others can have expanded rights.
October 29th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
The Obama campaign and their supporters can’t tell the truth, much less the whole truth.
The International Republican Institute isn’t a “McCain organization”. Under Reagan, Congress authorized the National Endowment for Democracy , which essentially disburses funds, more accurately our tax dollars, through four sub groups, one Republican, one Dem, one Labor, and one private enterprise. And yes, as a Republican legislator McCain has been involved with the IRI, and whether McCain made it or not, I might support the decision to “fund” Khalid’s group. They were hired to do polling in the West Bank. The fact that the Obama campaign doesn’t understand that, when polling in a nest of terrorists, you either deal with terrorist supporters or don’t do the polling. Same goes for distributing aid. Lots of bad guys cash our checks. That’s the real world, if you want Goldilocks you need Obamaland. In his double super secret plan to take out bin Ladin, who does the Senator think he’ll be dealing with, Nancy Pelosi?
Toasting the spokesman for a terrorist and wishing him well, perhaps validating his opinion that Israel shouldn’t exist, is quite another thing.
October 29th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
1993… Oslo Accord… IRI… McCain… I don’t feel like explaining the details but you all should be able to fill in the dots as it’s not that old in history. So, I don’t see anything wrong in that association.
Obama attended a farewell party in which it’s said there were numerous anti-semetic comments along with applauds. That’s what’s in the question. Not association alone, what was in that association.
Again open book with McCain association but not Obama’s.
October 29th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
hey ronl, well spoken!
October 30th, 2008 at 12:28 am
Comparison:
OBAMA: Celebrity, elitist, socialist, communist, Marxist, anati-semite, space alien.
McCAIN: Old
PALIN: Whack job!
October 30th, 2008 at 1:19 am
I really enjoy watching all of the Liberals squirm. When they replace Alan on the show with someone that is of the same caliber as Sean maybe he can get a job at CNN with the other sub-standard “jounalist”. It has been non-stop damage control for the liberal media.
October 30th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Chris,
What are you talking about?
What liberals are squirming?
October 30th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Hey! you mean Hannity is a journalist! Really! He declares himself as an opiniated, water- carrier pundit. But his bucket is full of holes.
October 30th, 2008 at 10:29 am
People,obama says carry your brother, His brother lives in a hut for$12. a year his aunt lives in a slum in Boston ! Take care of your brother? He can’t or won’t help his own family!! His grandmother is alive and fine in HW he went to court because of all the lawsuits all over the US declaring he is not a citizen ! He is Arab you idiots,he is not black Everything you have been told is a lie!! He has no resume criminal assoc. and congress is setting up right now to increase your taxes! He is or has been found out by an Acorn who testified he gave registratiuon info to Acorn and all its little subsidiaries on get out the regis. This is a federal offense He has broken camp finance law HEDOESN’T respect our LAWS His promises are LIES! He will own you and your money will be dictated by GOVERNMENT!! He is a socialist! His books say”" My allegiances are to my Muslim religion” His words Look at his books! Look at his record A BIG FAT ZERO! He is a dangerous Man to or wants to re-write our constitution so everyone has the same amount of money He is claa warfare HE is a Radical Liberal!!! He is a LIAR!! He has bought the election DO YOU WANT TO BE SOLD?
October 30th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
El Rush Limbo said the same thing.Stop listening to that idiot.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
[...] to paint Obama as a radical has conservatives criticize him because he’s had dinner with Rashid Khalidi, while ignoring that John McCain ran a Republican outfit that give almost half a million dollars to [...]
October 30th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Sean Hannity scares the H out of me. You can literally see his veins pop when he tries to out-yell his guests. Plus he changes the subject when he hears something he doesn’t like. It is laughable. It is unbelievable that he is allowed on the airwaves. He is not trying to inform the public, he is trying to intimidate them and scare them. Same ole “Republican” tactics. Same as 2000 and 2004. We are smarter than that.
October 31st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Open Letter to Sean Hannity
Your shameless display of your hypocrisy leaves me HOOKED to your program every night.Somewhat escapist of me,but somehow makes me feel better seeing a hypocrite like you give more evidence for it each night.
Please rationalize to me how:
1.You are so upset by people snooping in on Joe the plumber,violating his RIGHT to privacy, and then without pause for breath glowingly GLOAT about how you TRACKED down Ayers,Khalidi(people you had already DAMNED before talking to them,without obtaining their consent,knowing that given the way you painted them,they wouldnt want to talk to you,and KNOWING that you ANYWAY intend to paint them even more negatively after this “confrontation”.I guess right to privacy for a person exists as long as the person is on your side huh Sean?BLOODY HYPOCRITE You Are
2.I will have the following mock question session with you:
a.Me:Are you(Sean) proud to be an American?
Sean:YES I AM(reasonable answer?)
Me:America killed THOUSANDS of people in Vietnam,innocent civilians.America hasnt shown ANY sign of being sorry for that.America hasnt apologized to the people of Vietnam
Sean:(You can fill in ANY explanation you want here)
Me: Okay,America killed 1000s and 1000s,America didnt show any sign of being sorry for what they did in Vietnam(Or Iraq)…tell me this:If you believe you could be proud of America,proud of being American,without America apologizing for the above,and yet you believe Ayers needs to feel sorry for killing policemen in the 1960s-70s:you know what word iam leading to?You got it…BLOODY HYPOCRITE
3.The soldiers fighting in Iraq for the USA are brave:They are taking the ultimate risk(of their own individual lives):In return,they’re being told:This is for the safety of your countrymen,for freedom.
How do you respond?Everytime someone wants to talk about withdrawal from Iraq,you make fun of them with this “white flag of surrender” childish taunt. A TRULY brave man will be a WATCHDOG on the commander-in-chief,and ensure in his limited abilities that the commander-in-chief doesnt send OR leave these brave men and women in harm’s way WITHOUT sufficient cause.A truly brave man will OPPOSE the commander in chief with his fullest ability when the commander in chief abuses his power to send them in harm’s way without sufficient cause.A COWARD like you will HIDE behind THEIR bravery and like to pretend that THEIR bravery oozes on to you by your “white flag of surrender” talk. And worse, when someone actually has the COURAGE to oppose their commander-in-chief for sending the brave men and women of the armed forces into harm’s way without cause, AS AYERS ACTUALLY DID,you have the colossal nerve to call HIM a Coward On Air!!!Guess what Sean,that once again leaves you a HYPOCRITE
keep the venom coming,Sean Hannity fans absolutely love it!
Karthik
November 2nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm