McCain, the guy that would have you believe he's against lobbyists and earmarks has surrounded himself in his campaign with lobbyists and ex-lobbyists. Seven top McCain officials were lobbyists, though the campaign stresses that none is currently registered to lobby Congress. Campaign manager Rick Davis is a major telecommunications lobbyist (CNN). The Obama Campaign even started a website just to present these facts, if you'd like to read them: McLobbyist.com
Of course, it's important to note that ANY politician in Washington is going to have some ties to Lobbyists... including Obama. However, Obama's campaign team isn't the NFL Football Team of Lobbyists as is McCains. I think it's certainly easier to claim you plan to fight the corruption of D.C., and actually have it be believable, when your quarterback isn't identified as a major telecommunications lobbyist.
Let's also talk about the Keating 5. Yes, it was a long time ago, during a period in history eerily similar to what is happening now. It was the Savings and Loan crisis of 1989 when banks were collapsing. Guess who got his hands dirty during this moment in History? That would be your friend and mine, John McCain.
Irrelevant you say? Too long ago? I'll give it to you that it was almost 20 years ago. However, the difference between this and the William Ayers story is this: McCain was a U.S. Senator at the time, and though he was cleared of criminal charges, the Senate slapped him on the wrist and found his judgement to be poor. Should he deny today that it bares little relevance during a political campaign of 2008, during a time when banks are collapsing and corruption issues are being raised, or should he minimize his participation by calling it a democratic smear job, then he also readily admits he's learned nothing of his own errors at the time. When you ignore the mistakes of the past you are bound to repeat them in the future. Want more info? Visit KeatingEconomics.com
Obama was eight years old when Ayers was out practicing his radical protesting of the 60s (and pardon me, but weren't many protests of the 60s quite radical?)... and since then has become a distinguished college professor, a man who has worked to legitimately reform education, and an anti-poverty philanthropist.
Don't misunderstand me. I don't condone his violent actions of the 60s when he was out protesting the Vietnam War. Nor does Obama. However, Obama was an young child during that time, and has only crossed paths with him many year later at events that could only be called good causes for the local community. To paraphrase something recently said by Whoopi Goldberg: To believe this man is a terrorist is to believe that every student who has learned from him, every college administrator who decides to let him continue to teach and every parent that pays for their very child to attend his classes are all a part of the axis of evil. I simply say, this is ridiculous thinking.
Plus, while McCain today is saying he doesn't want to talk about Ayers anymore out of one side of his mouth, while going on a TV interview and talking out the other side repeating more Ayers distortions, the Wallstreet Journal, Keith Olberman, and other media sources have their own interesting stories about McCain's ties to Radical Protestors -- including tidbits of interest including links to organizations with their own shady past -- though this probably serves as only more fodder for the right-wing fanatics since they seem to be anti-semite, anti-gay and anti-abortion connections (including violence and bombing).
Ultimately though, if we really want to get into the "Guilt by Association" argument, there is only one that truly matters in this election cycle, best illustrated through pictures...
1 comment:
Ayers wouldn't be the issue to keep me from voting for Obama any more than Keating would keep me from voting for McCai. There are serious differences though that cannot be pushed under the rug in the name of politics.
Keating was a fraud and a crook. He didn't kill anyone and McCain was not found to be very involved with him. Moreover, McCain doesn't continue to protect his relationship with him, and Keating isn't raising money for McCain now.
Ayers on the other hand, may be all the wonderful things you say, but he is not reformed. He and his wife Bernadine Dohrn have both said, given the same situation (the Vietnam War) they would do it(bomb the Pentagon, build other bombs and try to bomb innocent service men and their dates at a USO Party) again. Hence for Ayers, the end justified the means.(Sounds oddly like Bush.)
Obama allowed Ayers and Dohrn to raise money for him as late as last year. That Obama was a kid matters not at all.I was a kid and I remember these names.
A lot of protests were radical, but few were homicidal. Ayers' fiance was blown up by one of their bombs!! Even so the man would do it again... How freaking self centered... I wonder how his former future in-laws would feel about that? Ayers was not a "crazy college kid" when this stuff happened. He was already out of school. And Dorhn was already a lawyer.
Obama should have said that he is 1. not taking their money, 2. Not going to deal with them until they make a full disavowel of their terroristic ways and 3. apologize to the people they helped others to kill.
As for the argument that because Ayers taught others, that these students share his view is of course BS. I am not saying he is not scholastic. I am however saying he is unrepentent. His views matter more than the views of others ELECTED to power. That makes him a danger to have around the seat of power.
Finally, I didn't see anyone complain when Hillary Clinton raised this issue originally last spring. Why complain now???
Why is it that people cannot recognize their candidate isn't perfect and go on from there? Do you really think that Obama supporters will leave him because of Ayers. Do you think uncommitted will not vote for him because of Ayers? Just admit it, your guy used bad judgment and he is sorry. Then hope your candidate won't further embarrass his supporters or his nation if he wins by allowing Bill Ayers and company to be invited to the White House or to a state dinner or even get a phone call from our new President until the conditions above are met.
Ideologues would have a lot more cred if they would just admit they are occasionally wrong... It's not like the rest of us don't already know it...Then again that would mean they aren't Ideologues anymore.
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