BCT Editorial – 10/15/08

This page was last updated on October 18, 2008.

A house divided; Editorial; Beaver County Times; October 15, 2008.

The editorial subtitle is “In tonight’s debate, McCain will set tone for the next four years.”

The gist of the editorial is the current lefty talking point that enthusiasm shown at McCain/Palin rallies is a bad thing. The editorial also believes talking about Barack Obama’s alliance with domestic bomber William Ayers (and his equally guilty with Bernadine Dohrn) isn’t useful.

The editorial tells us, “The sheer demagoguery of McCain, Gov. Sarah Palin and their surrogates has gone beyond the pale. American politics has always been a blood sport, but to charge that Obama is ‘palling around with terrorists’ because of his loose association with 1960s radical William Ayers crosses the line. … At his campaign stops, McCain has promised to bring up Obama’s association with Ayers and other character issues in tonight’s debate.”

Of course, the Times is less than truthful about both Mr. Ayers and Mr. Obama’s association with him.

Let’s take a short look at the person the editorial calls simply a “1960s radical.” Mr. Ayers and his now-wife Bernadine Dohrn were leaders of the Weather Underground, a violent offshoot of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). FYI, the SDS was not for a “democratic society;” it was a procommunist group.” As a reminder, the Weathermen set bombs at government facilities like the Capitol and the Pentagon during the 1960s and bombed a statue in New York dedicated to slain policemen. “In addition, three members died when their bomb-making session at a New York City town house went awry in 1970, and several members were convicted in a botched 1981 Brink’s truck ambush during which two police officers and a guard died.” The bomb that killed the Weathermen was intended for a dance at Fort Dix, NJ. They also fire-bombed the house of a judge hearing a case involving Black Panther members on trial for plotting to bomb New York department stores and landmarks. In an interview coincidentally published on September 11, 2001, Mr. Ayers said, “I don’t regret setting bombs,” and “I feel we didn’t do enough.” Mr. Ayers and his wife escaped jail because of prosecutorial misconduct.

Now let’s look at what the editorial is a “loose association” between Messrs. Obama and Ayers. Michelle Obama worked at the same law firm as Mr. Ayers’ wife, Bernadine Dohrn. Mr. Obama launched his political career at a party hosted by Mr. Ayers in his home. Messrs. Obama and Ayers served on two committees (Woods Fund and Chicago Annenberg Challenge) together. During this time Mr. Obama also gave a favorable review in the Chicago Tribune for a book on juvenile crime written by Mr. Ayers. Keep in mind Mr. Obama originally told us Mr. Ayers was simply “a guy who lived in the neighborhood.”

Let’s also not forget Mr. Obama’s “loose associations” with people like Jeremiah Wright, ACORN, et cetera.

Now let’s use the WAYBAC machine and go to 1992. Remember how the press told us not to worry about the Clintons’ “loose associations” with shady characters and the stories of Bill Clinton’s serial philandering? Ignoring those stories got us Whitewater [at least 12 individuals were convicted for various felonies, including the Clintons’ business partners and the governor of Arkansas for fraud? Bill Clinton pardoned one of those business partners (Susan McDougal) on his last day in office.], Filegate, Travelgate, Monica Lewinsky, et cetera.

As for the some of the stories we’re hearing about “anger” at McCain/Palin rallies, it appears the reporters themselves fabricated at least some of the stories. You may recall a story claiming that during a Palin rally in Scranton, someone shouted, “Kill him!” when Mr. Obama’s name was mentioned. After an investigation, the Secret Service said the claim was unfounded and the only person they interviewed who heard the “kill him” comment was the reporter.