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Politics | 10/06/2008 12:00 am

Palin Defends Claims That Obama 'Pals Around With Terrorists'

By The Staff at wowOwow.com
© Shutterstock

Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin defended her claim that Democrat Barack Obama "pals around with terrorists," saying his association with a Vietnam-era radical is an issue that is "fair to talk about."

The Associated Press reports that Obama has denounced the radical views and actions of Bill Ayers, a founder of the 1960s violent Weather Underground group. On Sunday, the presidential hopeful tossed aside the criticism from the McCain-Palin campaign as "smears" meant to distract voters from real problems.

Palin lobbed the verbal attack several times over the weekend.

"The comments are about an association that has been known but hasn’t been talked about," Palin said. "I think it’s fair to talk about where Barack Obama kicked off his political career, in the guy’s living room."

Later, at an Omaha rally in which Palin helped raise $2.5 million for the campaign, the Alaska governor claimed one of Obama’s advisers had described Obama and Ayers as "friendly."

Obama and Ayers both have volunteered for the same Chicago charity and live near each other in Chicago. Ayers held an Obama event at his home when the candidate first ran for office in the mid-1990s.

During a North Carolina rally, Obama described the criticism as "Swiftboat-style attacks" on him.

In an interview with Weekly Standard editor and New York Times columnist Bill Kristol, Palin also said the media should not have let go Obama’s association with his former firebrand pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"I don’t know why that association isn’t discussed more, because those were appalling things that that pastor had said about our great country, and to have sat in the pews for 20 years and listened to that — with, I don’t know, a sense of condoning it, I guess, because he didn’t get up and leave — to me, that does say something about character," Palin told Kristol in a phone interview. "But, you know, I guess that would be a John McCain call on whether he wants to bring that up.”

181 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

Wake Up and Hear  The Fear In your Childs Voice
ty I AM DIGGING AS DEEP AS I CAN I WANT AS MUCH FIRE POWER AS I CAN GET …Bang Bang your comin down Palin Its a shame we have to convince People to see the truth! I want Obama to win so Bad!
M. Starr
I am so upset at the McCain campaign for allowing Palin to incite the crowds as she criss crosses America. The idea that some bozo would scream out “Kill him” when she implies that Obama is a terrorist is beyond the pale. Does anyone remember Adolph Hitler’s inciteful rants ? Why didn’t they boot this guy out of the audience? I can’t sleep. My stomach is in knots. How did we get here? Please wake me when it’s over.
By M. Starr on 10/09/2008 9:10 pm
Sara Warren
Ladies, There is a very interesting, unbiased, article on RollingStone.com right now that I hope anyone thinking about voting for McCain will read. Much of the information contained in the article comes from McCain’s own book: ” Faith of My Fathers”, as well as a former Navy comrade and fellow P.O.W. The article is titled: Make-Believe Maverick; A closer look at the life and career of John McCain reveals a disturbing record of recklessness and dishonesty ” I am asking that all of you reading this to PLEASE read this article. The history will sound familiar to any of us who remember Viet Nam. The question arises if McCain doesn’t suffer from outward long term effects of PTSD I’ve been wondering the same thing for awhile now, or maybe even some kind of Dementia. Regardless, McCain’s past will clearly show that he lives in an extremely fragile glass house and should not be throwing the huge boulders at the Obama campaign that he and Palin are heaving. http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_re…
By Sara Warren on 10/10/2008 12:02 am
rita gregory
Even more interesting is Barrack Hussein Obama’s book - talk about reckless and dishonest!!! I’ve heard that it’s not demetia BO suffers from but a narcissistic personality disorder!
By rita gregory on 10/11/2008 3:23 pm
Zera Lee
First, there is only one ‘r’ in Barack. If you are going to demonize someone, at least spell his name correctly. There are far too many people on the TSA no-fly list that do not belong there, they are innocent victums of a system that operates with irresponsible imprecision and an arrogant distain for self-correction. Second, John McCain has asked people not to use Obama’s middle name when refering to him - it feeds too many unfounded prejudices. I saw him take a microphone away from a woman who called Obama an Arab during a town hall meeting just this weekend. The vigilante mentality and hostility coming from his supporters has him worried. His relentlessly negative campaigning has widened division in America, and it is growing beyond his ability to control. Third, have you actually read his book? If so, which one? Fourth, in McCain’s book, “Worth the Fighting For”, he states: “I don’t torture myself over decisions. I make them as quickly as I can, quicker than the other fellow, if I can. Often my haste is a mistake, but I live with the consequences without complaint.” This is fine when he is picking out what to wear, but as Commander-in-Chief, it would be negligent and irresponsible. The next President will face critical choices from the very beginning, and this country simply cannot afford to pay any more for the mistakes of the unrepentant. Fifth, there has never been any signs of dementia from Obama. Sixth, giving up a lucrative career as a lawyer to work as a community organizer is not the sign of someone focused exclusively on himself. Last, I suspect that what you’ve “heard” is the propaganda of right-wing extremism, not solid facts.
By Zera Lee on 10/12/2008 4:43 pm
pam kugler
Mr Ayers I going to assume was a terrorist back in the 1960’s but he is now a professor. Mr McCain was a traitor ‘songbird’ in the 1960’s now he is a senator. I know you all will say he was tortured but so was his’fellow prisoners’, they did not talk. So McCain was a ‘traitor. Now, are we going to hold it against Barack Obama for working with McCain ‘a traitor’. Are people that racist? One other thing the ‘myth of the surge’, do the American people know that we ‘U.S.’ are paying over 80,000 iraqis $10/day $300/mth not to fight and they have stated if we pull the money the fighting will begin again, so how did it work? This was not the definition of the ‘surge’. Please Americans wake-up
By pam kugler on 10/10/2008 5:17 pm
Linda Mason
It is up to US to respond to these toxic attacks. They go beyond attacks on Sen. Obama, as an individual — they divide us as a country, as a people. The GOP actively creates an “Us” v. “Them” mentality to win elections, that divides Americans. Small town v. “urban elite” (whatever that means). In the depiction of “small town” American portrayed in Palin’s Convention speech, inhabitants of small towns exclusively know and exhibit the virtues of hard work, faith, and family values. It goes unsaid, of course, that people from big cities, like Obama, are “NOT LIKE US”, and are corrupted with the vices of the big cities (i.e, “the flesh!”) We must not allow this type of fear-mongering, divisive, and hateful speech by ANY candidate for POTUS/VPOTUS. How to stop it? Weigh in with your thoughts — we must address the GOP/McCain Campaigns and DEMAND that they stop it NOW! After all, if McCain wins (gag!) he will be President of ALL of us, not just those who yell to “Kill” Barack Obama at his rallies! We must speak up and let them know that this type of activity is NOT ACCEPTABLE and that we are TAKING BACK AMERICA! We may be broke, but we will own America once again!
By Linda Mason on 10/10/2008 8:59 pm
rita gregory
And those Democrats wearing vulgar t-shirts against Palin and McCain aren’t trying to divide us!!!! Those two men arrested for throwing a molitov cocktail at a McCain sign in a homeowner’s yard are trying to bring us together right? It’s two parties with very different beliefs and very different clients so there is no hope that we will ever agree. And if Obama wins (double gag!) he won’t be my president!!!!
By rita gregory on 10/12/2008 9:20 pm
Kim Brown
Does 40 years and professorship at the U of Chicago erase 4 murders? Popular Obama “brush-offs” include: 1. “I was only eight years old” when these atrocities were committed by his “friend” and professional associate: Charlie Manson also murdered 7 people in his and Ayers’ “war” on the “pigs” when Obama was 7… does Obama really think it would be ok for Charlie to stage Obama’s Political debut in Charlie’s jail cell? Of course not… that’s absurd - that’s the point. It’s absurd that the DEMS & mainstream media failed to vet Obama who has a long standing relationship with a “Charlie Manson Class” Terrorist/murderer. The “Audacity” of Obama isn’t hope but rather the notion that an admitted terrorist and murderer can host Obama’s Political Debut and its viewed by the left wing as “normal”. 2. “I didn’t know he was a Terrorist when I met him”: FYI - William Ayers is a “RADICAL ROCK STAR” in Chicago - EVERYONE in Chicago knows he founded the radical TERRORIST organization - The Weather Underground. In addition, in 1995 Bill Ayers named Obama to CO-CHAIR with him a non-profit FOUNDED BY AYERS… The Chicago Annenberg Challenge. Obama chaired the business end of this organization while Ayers Chaired the “policy” side called the “Collaborative” - scarily similar to the term “collective” used by communist groups’ policy makers. TOGETHER & for 5 years they worked side by side distributing $50 million dollars to fellow Ayers’ 60’s radicals that now dominate the Chicago education scene with “educational” policy groups. 3. “he’s just a guy from the neighborhood”. Clearly, anyone capable of conscious thought should be able to see the DECEPTION in Obama’s answer from Geo. Stephanopolis’ question about Ayers during the DEM primaries which was “he’s just a guy from the neighborhood”. Interestingly Obama’s “neighborhood” includes the home of Louis Farrakhan right around the corner from Ayer’s townhome & Obama’s $2 million Georgian Revival Mansion. Another connection to Ayers is through Ayers’ Terrorist wife - Bernadine Doehrn & her connection to Michelle Obama. Michelle got her first job working in a top Chicago Law Firm with - Bernadine Doehrn! In fact, Obama met Michelle working as a summer intern at this same law firm & this is years before Obama has publically stated that he met Ayers. The Daley Political Machine - REALLY interesting is the revelation that Michelle’s father was DEM Precinct Boss on the south side in the Richard Daley Sr. Political machine. So the notion that Michelle Obama is some poor black kid who pulled herself up by the bootstrings is again what seems to be another calculated deception by the Obama’s. Michelle Obama is clearly wired into the Chicago Political Power Dynamic - since birth. Bill Ayers the Terrorist is also Chicago ROYALTY. His Father was counted as one of the top “captains” in the Richard Daley, SR. Political Machine, in fact he was considered one of the former Chicago Boss’ closest “friends”. Ayers’ father was also a DEM “precinct boss” for Daley sr. Ayers father was also Chairman of Commonwealth Edison one of most powerful companies in Chicago. Keep going to the Obama sites to get your answers, I will keep digging at the truth….there are too many questions unanswered.
By Kim Brown on 10/11/2008 12:40 pm
Linda Mason
Hey Kim — If Bill Ayers presented ANY terrorist threat at any time in recent memory, the Bush Administration would have wisked him away during the night, under the Patriot Act or some other claim of “authority,” held him in an illegal prison, and Dick Cheney would have personally supervised his waterboarding! Well, maybe the last statement is an exaggeration, but FACE IT! Bush/Cheney are not letting “domestic terrorists” walk around Hyde Park!
By Linda Mason on 10/11/2008 2:02 pm
True Taylor
Kim, you should really keep digging for the truth. 1. Are you actually claiming Manson and Ayers are connected? Or that Ayers murdered 4 people? Please provide some evidence, not just wild accusations. 2. The Annenberg Challenge is a non profit founded by Walter Annenberg - who was a Republican and whose widow contributes to John McCain’s campaign. You should take up your ridiculous claims with the Annenberg foundation. 3. That was NOT the Senator’s answer to Stephanopoulos’ question http://www.newsweek.com/id/163396 4. Michelle Obama joined the mega law firm of Sidley & Austin 3 years after Dohrn. The firm currently employs more than 500 lawyers and there is no evidence the two women ever met. http://www.newsweek.com/id/163396 using factcheck.org . Check it out, you could answer your questions with the truth!
By True Taylor on 10/11/2008 6:55 pm
Linda Mason
We should complain to the RNC and to the McCain campaign regarding Palin/McCain’s hate-baiting. Here is the contact info: Contact the Republican Nat’l Comm through the office of the Chair, Mike Duncan at 202-863-8700, or chairman@gop.com. Or contact the office of co-chair Jo Ann Davidson at info@gop.com, or both. Contact the McCain/Palin campaign at 703-418-2008, or e-mail it at info@johnmccain.com. It also has a “Contact Us” page to submit comments on its website, www.johnmccain.com, and a blog, of course, where you can rant to your heart’s content!
By Linda Mason on 10/11/2008 1:48 pm
rita gregory
We should also complain to the DNC and to the Obama campaign regarding Obama’s connection to ACORN - giving $800,000 to a subsidiary that ACORN profits from!!!!
By rita gregory on 10/11/2008 3:09 pm
Sarah Langer
Obama would have been 8 when this guy attempted to be a terrorist. Bill Ayers has been forgiven and forgotten by most (ask someone under 30 if they know what he did, really), and why this issue keeps coming up is a mystery to me. They are not BFF’s, and, since they are not, this is innapropriate, shameful, and rude for Mrs. Palin to keep bringing up.
By Sarah Langer on 10/14/2008 1:35 am
Susan Duffy
THESE ARE VALID ISSUES! Who do you trust? It is NOT guilt by association. It IS guilt by AFFILIATION. (1) The Ayers (D-IL) issue isn’t just what Ayers did “when Obama was 8 years old”. It is about Obama’s 7 year “mutual” participation on the boards of two foundations. That Obama, via corporate minutes you can see for yourself, “had” to regularly attend the board meetings to account for the 10’s of Millions in grant money he distributed. Obama LIED about his “neighbor” and his “level” of involvement when he apparently didn’t have to. Why? (2) Tony Rezko (D-IL) (Convict) is singing like a canary. He purchased Obama’s property “for him”, “as well as” an adjacent lot. The adjacent lot went for only a $100K in Hyde Park Chicago, IL. Sweeeet Deal! (3) Tony Rezko (D-IL) (convict) financed Obama’s Illinois campaign for state office long before the real estate deal. Sounds like Chicago “you scratch my back and i’ll scratch yours”. (4) Acorn employed Obama to litigate class action cases against banks (Citi) who would not lend to minorities (or anyone) who couldn’t pass the free market requirements for loan approval. These lawsuits “contributed” to the relaxed lending standards that ultimately ended up in Taxpayer backed Fannie & Freddie. (5) Acorn employed Obama to train their staff on “techniques” that would affect their agenda of low income voter registration and community activism. (6) Acorn received over $800k THIS YEAR from the Obama Campaign. (7) Acorn was slated to receive $400 million in THIS YEARS bailout package! NOW WE HAVE 5 TRILLION IN MORTGAGES AT FANNIE & FREDDIE WHERE 10’S OF THOUSANDS ARE MEARLY WORTHLESS PIECES OF PAPER THAT TAXPAYERS ARE ON THE HOOK FOR. NOW WE HAVE THOUSANDS OF CASES OF VOTER REGISTRATION FRAUD AND OUTRIGHTSAME DAY REGISTRATION SAME DAY VOTINGFRAUD. OBAMA’s real compaign slogan (and McCains Mantra) should be: “HOPE” (we don’t get caught) “CHANGE” (you will never see)
By Susan Duffy on 10/14/2008 1:55 am