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Obama Addresses Relationship with Bill Ayers, former Weather Underground Terrorist, on Philadelphia Radio Talk Show
Barack Obama “addressed” his relationship with unrepentant former Weather Underground terrorist member Bill Ayers this morning during an interview on a Philadelphia talk radio show:
Talk Radio Host Micheal Smerconish: You will not be surprised to hear from me that my phone lines are burning up this week about Bill Ayers. I take you at your word that it he was an acquaintanceship and not a friendship. The question from listeners is this: why go to his house to begin with?
Obama: Well look, let me just spell out the story very clearly: I moved to Chicago. I didn’t grow up in Chicago. And, ah, after having gotten out of law school, I was involved in a bunch of civic activities. And the, ah, uh, gentleman in question, Bill Ayers, is a college professor, who teaches education at the University of Illinois. And that’s how I met him was working on a school reform project that was funded by an Ambassador and former close friend of Ronald Reagan’s. And I’m sitting on this board with a whole bunch of conservative businessmen and leaders, and he was one of the people who was on this board. And he lives in the same neighborhood. Ultimately I ended up learning about the fact that he had engaged in this reprehensible act forty years ago, ah, but, I was eight years ago at the time and I assumed that he had been rehabilitated. So the central point is, is just this: this is not somebody who advises my campaign. He’s not somebody who is part of my, ah, you know, inner circle in any way, this is somebody who I worked on some projects with. Ah, the latest, school reform. I strongly condemned his actions. The fact that Senator McCain wants to make this the center piece of his campaign, is pretty remarkable. We are going through an enormous challenge right now and surely Senator McCain doesn’t believe that I endorsed any of the actions that he’s (Ayers) taken. There’s no sense… nobody is suggesting in any way that I think ah, that the actions that this radical group back in the 60’s was the right thing to do. You know, this is just a political thing, and I think is disappointing because, you know, ah, I think, one of the problems with being in public life is you end up knowing “all sorts of people” and you’re not gonna do a “vet” or an investigation on every single one of them. The central thing that people need to know is this guy is not part of my inner circle, he doesn’t advise my campaign, he’s not going to advise me as President. This is a red herring because people don’t want to talk about the fact that the last 8 years have been mismanaged to the point where we’re teetering on a really, really bad situation.
DBKP decided to do a little “fisking” of the answer Obama gave in regards to his past relationship with Ayers.
Talk Radio Host Micheal Smerconish first question about Ayers: “The question from listeners is this: why go to his house to begin with?”
We assume that Smerconish is referring to the fact that the kickoff fundraiser held for Obama’s run for the Illinois Senate was held in the living room of Bill Ayers and his wife, Bernadette Dorn, another ex-member of the violent Vietnam War era terrorist group, the Weather Underground. It has also been recently discovered that Obama was a member of the Democratic Socialist Party of America.
Obama glosses over the “living room” question instead he gives a “narrative” on “meeting” Ayers:
Obama: “I moved to Chicago. I didn’t grow up in Chicago. And, ah, after having gotten out of law school, I was involved in a bunch of civic activities. Bill Ayers, is a college professor, a teaches education at the University of Illinois. And that’s how I met him was working on a school reform project that was funded by an Ambassador and former close friend of Ronald Reagan’s.”
Ayers is a college professor who teaches education at the University of Illinois. The “school reform project” Obama refers to was the Chicago Annenberg Challenge of the Annenberg Foundation. DBKP took a look at the role Obama and Ayers played in Obama, Bill Ayers, and FactCheck.Org, All Have Ties to Annenberg Foundation.
Stanley Kurtz of the National Review has been closely following Obama’s ties to Ayers as well as his association to ACORN .
While both the AP and the New York Times are reporting that there is no “truth” to the claims that Obama had “ties” to Ayers, Kurtz has uncovered a long standing association between the two men, one that leads straight to the Annenberg Foundation:
Ayers was a “key founder” of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.
In 1995 Obama was appointed Board Chairman and President of the Annenberg Chicago Challenge, a “branch of the Annenberg Foundation”.
Ayers co-chaired the Chicago Annenberg “Collaborative”, which set education policy for the “Challenge”.
Obama was “authorized to delegate to the Collaborative the development of collaborative projects and programs”.
Obama had to “obtain assistance of the Collaborative in the development of requests for proposals.”
Obama had to “seek advice from the Collaborative regarding the programmatic aspects of grant proposals.”
Ayers sat on the same board as Obama as an “ex officio member”.
Obama and Ayers sat together on the board’s Governance Committee.
Ayers and Obama were “part of a group of four instructed to draft the bylaws that would govern CAC”.
As Board Chair, Obama authorized the funding for Ayers educational projects, as well as projects of Ayers’ “radical” friends.
Obama and Ayers “guided” monies to ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now).
Kurtz also points out Obama’s tenure as Board Chair of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge in regards to the one and only “executive experience” of Obama which was rated as a bust:
“The Chicago Annenberg Challenge stands as Barack Obama’s most important executive experience to date. By its own account, CAC was a largely a failure. And a series of critical evaluations point to reasons for that failure, including a poor strategy, to which the foundation over-committed in 1995, and over-reliance on community organizers with insufficient education expertise. The failure of CAC thus raises entirely legitimate questions, both about Obama’s competence, his alliances with radical community organizers, and about Ayers’s continuing influence over CAC and its board, headed by Obama. Above all, by continuing to fund Ayers’s personal projects, and those of his political-educational allies, Obama was lending moral and material support to Ayers’s profoundly radical efforts. Ayers’s terrorist history aside, that makes the Ayers-Obama relationship a perfectly legitimate issue in this campaign.”
During the interview Obama doesn’t state just exactly when he “found” out Ayers was a member of the Weather Underground, a group that claims responsibility for bombing 30+ bombings, three of which were the Capital Building, the Pentagon, and the New York City Metro Police Department. Yet, during the interview Obama also stated that he “assumed” Ayers had been “rehabilitated”.
“Ultimately I ended up learning about the fact that he had engaged in this reprehensible act forty years ago, ah, but, I was eight years ago at the time and I assumed that he had been rehabilitated.”
This statement implies that Obama, at some point, learned of Ayers’ past and that, rather than asking Ayers about his ties to a terrorist group, Obama assumed the man had been “rehabilitated”.
Obama also stated that “one of problems with being in public life” is that you “end up knowing “all sorts of people” which Obama then stated “you’re not gonna do a vet or an investigation on every single one of them”.
“You know, this is just a political thing, and I think is disappointing because, you know, ah, I think, one of the problems with being in public life is you end up knowing “all sorts of people” and you’re not gonna do a “vet” or an investigation on every single one of them.”
Obama stated that once he “found out” Ayers was a former member of the Weather Underground–Obama still hasn’t mentioned when this occurred –let’s be very clear about this, Ayers is also a very “unrepentant” former member–Obama stated that he couldn’t possibly “vet” or investigate” Ayers because, well, it’s a matter of all those “sorts of people” a public figure comes into contact with. Obama funneled big bucks to Ayers’ pet projects during the Chicago Annenburg Challenge.
The key question Obama needs to answer is when did Obama “find out” Ayers was a former member of the Weather Underground?
Once again Obama used the “I was only 8 years old at the time” defense. A silly defense at best, one could argue that, hypothetically, a future Presidential candidate who became friends with Osama Bin Laden when he was in his 30’s could claim he was only 8 years old during 911.
So here’s Obama’s defense in a ‘nut’shell:
Obama “didn’t” know Ayers was a former unrepentent member of the Weather Underground, but when he did find out, (he won’t reveal when he did) he “assumed” this man with a violent anti-American past was “rehabilitated”.
Obama and Ayers served on a “board” together with “conservatives”. Nevermind that Ayers was a co-founder and Obama, the President and Chairman.
Obama has stated he “condemned” Ayers acts but also mitigated them by claiming they were “from the past” or “40 years ago” yet in 2001 Ayers released a memoir. Fate, or coincidence, stepped in because the New York Times published an article on Ayer’s memoir, Fugitive Days, on 911. The Times had interviewed Ayers about his book before 911, unfortunately, the Times had no inkling about what was about to occur the same day the Ayers piece was published. The day that over 3,000 innocent civilians, including little children, were murdered by foreign born terrorists, our own domestic terror diva, Bill Ayers, showed up in the Times. Not only did the Times write about Ayers’ memoir of those heady, golden years of bombing “capitalist” buildings in the guise of protesting the Vietnam War, Obama was still serving as President and Chairman alongside Ayers on the Chicago Annenberg Challenge board.
From the Times article titled: No Regrets for a Love Of Explosives; In a Memoir of Sorts, a War Protester Talks of Life With the Weathermen:
”I don’t regret setting bombs,” Bill Ayers said. ”I feel we didn’t do enough.” Mr. Ayers, who spent the 1970’s as a fugitive in the Weather Underground, was sitting in the kitchen of his big turn-of-the-19th-century stone house in the Hyde Park district of Chicago. The long curly locks in his Wanted poster are shorn, though he wears earrings. He still has tattooed on his neck the rainbow-and-lightning Weathermen logo that appeared on letters taking responsibility for bombings. And he still has the ebullient, ingratiating manner, the apparently intense interest in other people, that made him a charismatic figure in the radical student movement.”
Obama has yet to be asked about his own ties to the Democratic Socialist Party whom he was a member when he associated with Ayers.
As a candidate for President voters have a right to know this information about Obama’s ties to Ayers. Obama argued that he “assumed” Ayers, a former member of a group that claimed responsibility for over 30+ bombings here in America was “rehabilitated” once Obama “learned” of Ayers’ former life.
Will America elect a President who would merely make “assumptions” about people such as Ayers?
Will America elect a President who believes a former terrorist is “rehabilitated” when evidence shows to the contrary?
Obama stated that the “fact that Senator McCain wants to make this the center piece of his campaign is pretty remarkable”. We think it’s pretty “remarkable” that a candidate running for President would “assume” a former terrorist was “rehabilitated” without bothering to “investigate” whether this was true, especially after Ayers’ memoir, Fugitive Days, was published in the New York Times on 911.
By LBG
Source – The Michael Smerconish Morning Show
Image – Weather Underground
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DBKP: Excellent – keep the pressure on this one – it will turn out to be the critical factor when the historians sift the evidence of the 2008 election that put McCain in the WH.
Obama would in effect have me believe that he is a total idiot. No one accused him of knowing Ayers in the bombing days – a red herring if ever there was one.
When someone you hardly know hand picks you to chair a group intent on handing out 150 million dollars via the Annenberg Challenge in order to teach activism and anti-Americanism in the Chicago school system and then claims that Ayers is just a guy who lives in his “hood” in Chi town Hyde Park, something stinks.
I recently saw that BHO further claims that he has been out of touch with Ayers since 2005 – that is 4 years following the NYT story and photo of Ayers standing on the American flag – in an issue that came out on Sept 11, 2001!
This story has legs.
Reply
You’ve got to be kidding me. Our country is going to hell in a handbasket and you actually believe that Obama endorses the activities of 60’s radicals? The 60’s happened and they are over. Get real and let’s talk about the problems that are facing us. If you believe that Senator McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin are the better team for the challenges that face us then let us know why and what policies they will pursue instead of wasting your time and internet space with this BS garbage.
Reply
Steve said:
You’ve got to be kidding me. Our country is going to hell in a handbasket and you actually believe that Obama endorses the activities of 60’s radicals? The 60’s happened and they are over. Get real and let’s talk about the problems that are facing us. If you believe that Senator McCain and his running mate Sarah Palin are the better team for the challenges that face us then let us know why and what policies they will pursue instead of wasting your time and internet space with this BS garbage.
Well Steve,
I find it interesting that a candidate for President, who has NO RECORD of achieving anything other that running for President during his very short tenure in Congress, has ties to a member of a violent and unrepentant terrorist organization.
Perhaps, rather than claiming the sky is falling, you could be specific about any of Obama’s past achievements which tell you he’s the right man for President.
Reply
LBG,
That’s funny…. the sky is falling. Good one. I hope all of our pension plans, retirement accounts, mortgages, home values, etc are in good shape. I really do. The news from the stock market today indicates that Wall street likes the new rescue plan so let’s hope for the best. Our economy is not in great shape, and our deficit is so tremendously large that it boggles the mind. Who’s going to pay for that? China? Whoever wins the presidency will have to work hard at rebuilding our status so that we can reclaim the moral high ground of promoting freedom, democracy and justice throughout the world. We should be seen as the country that brings light to the world, not the country that condones torture. We have our work cut out for us. And we are starting to be overtaken in some areas such as science. Did you know that when scientists are out looking for jobs that China now has the wealth to outbid the US for top talent? China, the land that brings us poison in our milk. For the longest time we’ve benefitted from an awesome university system that drew the top scientific talent from around the world because we had the money to recruit and to pay for science. We’re still tops, but we’re losing serious ground. Top prospects are now taking jobs in Singapore, others in Beijing because those governments can offer more money, more resources and less red tape. Hard to believe. It is shocking that we are losing ground. If you look at classes entering graduate school to study sciences, and if you look at the people working in science laboratories here in the US they are chock full of chinese and asians. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I’d like to think that Americans are well prepared to compete if they want. But the American education system is failing to provide a world class education. American students finishing high school or college rank far below that of students in european and asian countries. Can we continue to lead the world if we offer second rate education?
So, I claim that the sky is falling? Sorry LBG, the facts speak for themselves. We’re better off not papering over serious problems, and we need to start on the serious work of improving our situation. Now.
As for Obama’s ties to “a violent and unrepentant terrorist organization”, you make it sound as if the weather underground are still carrying out their asinine, BS bombings, and are still putting you and I in danger. I think we can both agree that is hardly the case. Ayers turned himself in to the law in the early 80’s, and we’re all aware of what he’s been up to since then, and it hasn’t been terrorism. The connection with Ayers that you and the Republican party talking points are pushing is spurious. We, and I mean you and I, can both dig through McCain’s associates and acquaintances and find shady financial characters and violent figures, and unrepentant low-lifes. To quote Carl Bernstein: “During the same period that Bill Ayers was a member of the Weather Underground, Gordon Liddy was making plans to firebomb a Washington think tank, assassinate a prominent journalist, undertake the Watergate burglary, break into the office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist, and kidnap anti-war protesters at the 1972 Republican convention.” Liddy is unrepentant to this day and still advocates violence on his radio show, for example advising that opponents should be shot in the head. Shot in the head. On the radio. Is this democracy in action. Is this what America stands for? And what does McCain say about Liddy?: “Well, you know, I’m proud of you. I’m proud of your family. I’m proud to know your son, Tom, who’s a great and wonderful guy. And it’s always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon. And congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great.” Does McCain’s quote and continued appearances on Liddy’s show mean that McCain favors breaking and entering? Does that mean McCain advocates shooting political opponents in the head? Of course not. You know that. I know that. We also know that Obama is not a terrorist, and doesn’t pal around with low lifes. No way, no how. To try to taint him this way is the oldest and most common political scare tactic: If you can’t win on issues make the voters afraid of your opponent. No more no less.
Finally as for your opinion that Obama does not have the experience we want (actually need) for the next president, I couldn’t disagree more. But even if you and I were to agree that Obama does not have enough experience (and I don’t agree but just for the sake of argument) we can go back through US history and pinpoint numerous politicians who had minimal political experience prior to taking office but rose to the occasion. That’s the thing about people, competence gives you a tremendous advantage and allows you to tackle challenges. That’s true in all arenas of life, politics or business, and Obama is competent. More importantly I know exactly where he stands on issues that are important to me: education, health care, social security, energy, protecting our interests over big business. We need fair regulation in place to prevent the next Enron from creating fake energy crises as they did in California. We need fair regulation in the financial industry so that banking on derivatives is properly regulated and doesn’t create another financial crisis. Obama has already chosen a core group of financial advisors who are competent. Obama will fight for us, for you and I. And if you are concerned about terrorism, real terrorism, Obama will go after the REAL terrorists, wherever they are, and they are not in Chicago.
Best regards,
Steve
Reply
LBG,
That’s funny…. the sky is falling. Good one. I hope all of our pension plans, retirement accounts, mortgages, home values, etc are in good shape. I really do. The news from the stock market today indicates that Wall street likes the new rescue plan so let’s hope for the best. Our economy is not in great shape, and our deficit is so tremendously large that it boggles the mind. Who’s going to pay for that? China? Whoever wins the presidency will have to work hard at rebuilding our status so that we can reclaim the moral high ground of promoting freedom, democracy and justice throughout the world. We should be seen as the country that brings light to the world, not the country that condones torture. We have our work cut out for us. And we are starting to be overtaken in some areas such as science. Did you know that when scientists are out looking for jobs that China now has the wealth to outbid the US for top talent? China, the land that brings us poison in our milk. For the longest time we’ve benefitted from an awesome university system that drew the top scientific talent from around the world because we had the money to recruit and to pay for science. We’re still tops, but we’re losing serious ground. Top prospects are now taking jobs in Singapore, others in Beijing because those governments can offer more money, more resources and less red tape. Hard to believe. It is shocking that we are losing ground. If you look at classes entering graduate school to study sciences, and if you look at the people working in science laboratories here in the US they are chock full of chinese and asians. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but I’d like to think that Americans are well prepared to compete if they want. But the American education system is failing to provide a world class education. American students finishing high school or college rank far below that of students in european and asian countries. Can we continue to lead the world if we offer second rate education?
So, I claim that the sky is falling? Sorry LBG, the facts speak for themselves. We’re better off not papering over serious problems, and we need to start on the serious work of improving our situation. Now.
As for Obama’s ties to “a violent and unrepentant terrorist organization”, you make it sound as if the weather underground are still carrying out their asinine, BS bombings, and are still putting you and I in danger. I think we can both agree that is hardly the case. Ayers turned himself in to the law in the early 80’s, and we’re all aware of what he’s been up to since then, and it hasn’t been terrorism. The connection with Ayers that you and the Republican party talking points are pushing is spurious. We, and I mean you and I, can both dig through McCain’s associates and acquaintances and find shady financial characters and violent figures, and unrepentant low-lifes. To quote Carl Bernstein: “During the same period that Bill Ayers was a member of the Weather Underground, Gordon Liddy was making plans to firebomb a Washington think tank, assassinate a prominent journalist, undertake the Watergate burglary, break into the office of Daniel Ellsberg’s psychiatrist, and kidnap anti-war protesters at the 1972 Republican convention.” Liddy is unrepentant to this day and still advocates violence on his radio show, for example advising that opponents should be shot in the head. Shot in the head. On the radio. Is this democracy in action. Is this what America stands for? And what does McCain say about Liddy?: “Well, you know, I’m proud of you. I’m proud of your family. I’m proud to know your son, Tom, who’s a great and wonderful guy. And it’s always a pleasure for me to come on your program, Gordon. And congratulations on your continued success and adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great.” Does McCain’s quote and continued appearances on Liddy’s show mean that McCain favors breaking and entering? Does that mean McCain advocates shooting political opponents in the head? Of course not. You know that. I know that. We also know that Obama is not a terrorist, and doesn’t pal around with low lifes. No way, no how. To try to taint him this way is the oldest and most common political scare tactic: If you can’t win on issues make the voters afraid of your opponent. No more no less.
As for your concern that Obama may not have the experience we want (actually need) for the next president, I couldn’t disagree more. But even if you and I were to agree that Obama does not have enough experience (and I don’t agree but just for the sake of argument) we can go back through US history and pinpoint numerous politicians who had minimal political experience prior to taking office but rose to the occasion. On the other hand we have had presidents who, at least on paper, had executive experience as governor, business owner, etc that should have been relevant, but once in office were a complete and total disaster. Experience is important but in no way is it the only measure. That’s the thing about people, competence and common sense gives you a tremendous advantage and allows you to tackle challenges. That’s true in all arenas of life, politics or business, and Obama is competent. More importantly I know exactly where he stands on issues that are important to me: education, health care, social security, energy, protecting our interests over big business. We need fair regulation in place to prevent the next Enron from creating fake energy crises as they did in California. We need fair regulation in the financial industry so that banking on derivatives is properly regulated and doesn’t create another financial crisis. Obama has already chosen a core group of financial advisors who are competent. Obama will fight for us, for you and I.
And finally if you are concerned about terrorism, real terrorism, Obama will go after the REAL terrorists, wherever they are, and they are not in Chicago.
Best regards,
Steve
Reply