Ayers Linked To GOP Governor Through University

The campaign season's hottest gotcha game -- six degrees of William Ayers -- has suddenly become a bit more complicated for John McCain and the Republican Party.

It turns out that Ayers, a 60s-era radical and former Weathermen member, is linked to GOP Gov. Mark Sanford through their work for the University of South Carolina.

Since 2005, Ayers has held the title of "distinguished scholar" at USC for participating in an education project. He has attended various university events, been praised highly by school administrators, even published columns on university's website. Meanwhile, Sanford holds the position of Ex-Officio Chairman of USC's Board of Trustees.

True, that "link" is basically meaningless; no one suggests that Sanford endorses anything that Ayers has said or done over the years.

But that's precisely the point, according to the Obama campaign, which is gearing up for another round of Ayers coverage on Tuesday, when records are released for an education group that Obama chaired and Ayers co-founded.

The formation of that group, the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, was considered a triumph for the city's schools, the first major shift of private funds into the public system. Moreover, the grant to create the organization came from the Annenberg Foundation, which was run by a prominent Republican, Walter Annenberg, who maintained close relationships with several GOP presidents dating back to Nixon.

Does Obama's work with Ayers on this education project really call into question "his judgment and readiness to be commander in chief," as the McCain campaign has charged? If so, maybe McCain needs to take another look at Gov. Sanford.

Comments

[kevingiampa]

I guess Sanford (R) is a terrorist.

Who knew? Besides that terrorist loving John McCain, I mean.

Ya know, I heard that McCain knows people I wouldn't like. Makes ya think, doesn't it?

[Grunty1]

"Who knew? "

I thought that, in the new era, that is what the R after his name stood for.

[aubrey8]

They won't let a Governor stand in the way of burning Obama at the state. They'll just throw him under the bus with Obama.

BTW Huffington it really wasn't very smart of you to confirm what the Republicans have been saying all along about Ayers.

[TovSquirrel]

You cannot be serious "...confirm what the Republicans have been saying all along about Ayers."

If anything, the above story exposes typical RNC hypocrisy on this non-issue.

[Grunty1]

That 6-degrees doesn't matter?

[TrumanHugh]

Can you read English?

[IconoclasticYouth]

Good, Obama attacking back. He needs to hit harder and faster

[Biracial1]

Hit ler was McCain's "old friend G. Gordon Liddy's first political hero.

[karela]

The Governor is as likely---or not---as is Obama to have a connection with Mr. Ayers. Forty years ago Ayers made some unwise decisions. Apparently for the past several decades he has done some very good work. He never was involved in causing physical harm to any person. During his involvement with the group the only thing that suffered any harm was small amounts of dry wall and masonry. Ayers is a very respected member of the community these days. John McCain crashed three U.S. jets while hot dogging (he crashed one flying so low that he hit the utility wires and another when he "borrowed" it to fly to an out of state Army Navy game), the jets cost a lot more than the masonry in the bathroom and the closet. Neither one of them hurt anyone else in their youthful errors. This is just smear. Obama served on a charity board that Ayers was on and once went to his house with an older politician who told him that he should because Ayers was active in politics in the area. SO WHAT?

[Destin]

Well, it's not like the GOP neocons have never let things like hypocricy, double standards and appearing two-faced, get in the way of any of their attacks. Just ask Reagan. ;)

[Biracial1]

This gave Liddy hope "for the first time in my life" that he too could overcome weakness. When he listened to Hitler on the radio, it "made me feel a strength inside I had never known before," he explains. "Hitler's sheer animal confidence and power of will [entranced me]. He sent an electric current through my body." He describes seeing the Nazis' doomed technological marvel the Hindenberg flying over New Jersey as an almost religious experience. "Ecstatic, I drank in its colossal power and felt myself grow. Fear evaporated and in its place came a sense of personal might and power."


McCain's old friend. Can we get an ad up with this?

[lvogt]

What a BS story all around. Just knowing someone is meaningless.

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Really? So how meaningless is knowing someone when you are 7?

[revko]

Childishly meaningless

[evekendall]

That's the whole point.

[Pupadup4oBama]

exactly the point of the story - the fact that Obama was 6-7 when this guy did his "terrerist" activities just goes to SHOW how stupid it is.

[08politicaljunkie]

Good job, Nico. I enjoy Buzzing you up. I Digg you too!

[evekendall]

In response to a poster below, getting out our waders and saying enuf! is not going to make the Repubs stop with this sh*t. The only effective thing Obama can do is to hit back and hit back hard. And I'm not talking about defense. . . I'm talking about offense. I mean hit John McCain where it hurts. . . punch him in the gut every day! Muhammed Ali did not win his boxing matches using defense. He went for the knock-out! It does not have to be done with lies, like the Republicans do, the truth is more than enough! But, for god's sake, stop being so nice!! Kerry proved that does not work! Attack, attack, attack! Throw this stuff right back at them!

1) Use Ayers against THEM. Make a tv ad about the Repub link with Ayers.
2) Make an ad about McCain's link with known terrorist G. Gordon Liddy who has contributed to his campaign and who has advocated shooting federal agents.
3) Make an ad about why McCain won't release his military records.
4. Etc, etc etc.

[heartsick]

Yeah! The fact that McCain won't release his military records (released only 17 pages out of 636 pages) should be reason enough for him to stop using his POW shield.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

You don't need a Weatherman to know how bad the GOP blows.

[CindyM2008]

haha, good one.

[estreya]

ROFL

[surfcitysteven]

There is only six degrees of Kevin Bacon in this world and everybody is connected. There is a guy in my high school class that I considered a friend, who is now doing life without parole for murder. I guess that makes me a bad person for knowing him in the eyes of a tool rightwinger.

[TrumanHugh]

It's okay Steven...were you a POW??

[FlyTheBlueSky]

Just thinking aloud: Why does the so-called "values" party lie so much?

[thegreatgiginthesky]

Surely by now you have to realize that the only value they have is lying.

[keepemhonest]

This is stupid. ANY & ALL politicians, GOP or Dem, have ALL got ties to Ayres if they've ever done anything to improve education, reduce poverty & reduce violence in cities.

This Ayres thing is clearly a Rove GOP-FEAR card ... Karl Rove is a Communist.

[mediamarv]

Actually, you have just besmirched communists everywhere!

[jOke]

oh oh Hannity... what now?