McCain Trumpets Endorsement From Figure Of Foundation That Established Ayers Board

On Wednesday morning, John McCain's campaign released a list of 100 former ambassadors endorsing the GOP presidential nominee.

Second on the list, though her name is misspelled, is Leonore Annenberg, currently the president and chairman of the Annenberg Foundation and widow of ambassador and philanthropist Walter Annenberg. Ms. Annenberg was herself the "chief of protocol" at the State Department under President Reagan.

If the last name sounds familiar, it's because it also graces the name of the Chicago education board where Barack Obama and William Ayers sat in the room six times together.

In recent days, the McCain-Palin ticket (and particularly Palin) has faulted Obama for having served on that board with Ayers, who was a founding member of the radical 60's Weather Underground group when Obama was in grade school.

Since then, however, Ayers has been rehabilitated in Chicago society, carving out a niche in education circles. As a former Republican representative in Illinois told NPR on Monday, smearing Obama for his board association with Ayers is "nonsensical."

"It was never a concern by any of us in the Chicago school reform movement that he had led a fugitive life years earlier ... It's ridiculous," Republican Rep. Diana Nelson said. "There is no reason at all to smear Barack Obama with this association. It's nonsensical, and it just makes me crazy. It's so silly."

Separate calls to the Pennsylvania and California offices of the Annenberg Foundation were not immediately returned Wednesday morning.

UPDATE: An Annenberg official called the Huffington Post back on Wednesday afternoon. "You wanted to speak to Ms. Annenberg? She's very elderly; she doesn't do press interviews."

Comments

[raldopoo]

What seems to be the matter with us”repubicants” we elected a dumb candidate and then a dumber vice then try pinning the tail on a donkey.
We keep talking about Ayres… terror when in fact our dumb candidate is just as guilty, the had connection with Oliver North and the others and we try to make it look good the other is just as guilty with trooper gate, are we stooping so low or have the society of future republicans like morons.
The man educated himself and that’s good “Therefore let us do likewise and emancipate ourselves for mental slavery and thing as none but ourselves can free our minds”. The world and the country we are in are falling and all we do is tear down each other with gossips and idle talk…. Remember this

“Big people discuss Ideas.
Medium people discuss events
Small people discuss others
Where does each one of us fall?
Its time we respect each other despite there opinion and work together for a common good saving America …your campaign is downright nasty and that’s what we don’t like you talk conservative yet your views are socialistic… sorry no luck mad or insane and to your running mate Simple Pain
REPUBLICIAN who would never vote for Madorinsane/Simple pain

[irishgawdess]

Gee, ain't "Guilt by Association" a bee-otch Johnny?

[votethatone08]

Vote That One 08

MMM... well i guess McCant did it again in the debate last night with his "That One" comment and spawned another cottage industry.

With all profits to the Obama Campaign:
http://www.cafepress.com/votethatone08

[Waltb31]

That' so good!

[OurKoan]

Where does it say that all profits go to the Obama campaign?

[LAB11]

At this point McSame has nothing to lose so he will do and say anything to win. He is not honorable, not credible and not presidential. He is not even himself anymore. This is truly a sad state of affairs and just more of the same old Bush/Cheney/Rove politics.

[fumes]

those who spoke out against the vietnam war at the time history has proven prescient.

[oldugly]

Ain't that a fact. Wish I hadn't bought the bill of goods on this war though... ah well live and learn....again....

They had the buldge on us with 9-11 but we have to learn that when they wave the flag and you look around and see ignorant bigots in the crowd with you you really need to wonder....
There was one skinny Ivy fellow who got it right.

[sandpiper1]

So did we in Canada, personally I believed the UN rather than Bush, mainly because he derided the UN staff esp. Hans Blitz who oversaw the weapons and had been to Iraq many times to investigate the WMD lies. Bush, Cheney, McCain and the others will have to meet their maker on judgement day. They have a lot to answer for.

[criquet]

So McCain is endorsed by someone who not only associates with terrorist but provides money by way of a foundation so that terrorist or former terrorist can use it?
And Mccain has not come out and denounced and rejected this person but is boasting about her endorsement.
Gov Palin, where are you? Should you not be out campaigning against McCain on this?
Anyone want these two running anything far less the USA?

[sydney01]

Ayers was named CITIZEN OF THE YEAR in Chicago in 1987 for all of his work for education!

How come Fox News and the McCain campaign ignore this information ?

[morefromLA]

Because they are merchants of smear and balance be damned.

[rock2casbah]

Then it is the media's responsibility to convey this crucial information. Prominent people all over have denonced this smear and vouched for Obama's complete above board and innocence in his reassurances of only knowing Ayers as part of sitting on an education board.

[oldugly]

Fox news is past that... if you haven't as i did last night...you must sit in on one of their live blogs... Fox news has brought corporate support to bigotry and racism. Think I exagerate? Don't until you go see for yourself.

[DeeW]

I also think it's the job of ALL media to report this...which they're not. They should be saying something like ... Ayers member of radical group in the 60s who's now gone on to be a college professor in Chicago and has won citizen of the year in 1987 etc. Half the time the main stream media is just as bad at not adding all that other info in there.

[DeeW]

Oh, and also, in the same breath they should be mentioning that there were MANY who sat on boards with Ayers ... it wasn't just him and Barrack. Drives me crazy all this nonsense.

[Whinger]

Spilling the beans before someone spills them for him, what else will he come clean on?

[rock2casbah]

McCain has plenty to come clean on that is very detrimental to his campaign that is besides Keating.
What about? There are a ton of "strange acquaintances" in McCains own present and past. His whole damn campaign staff is filled with participants in this deregulation debacle.

Then the Dems would like to know why McCain sat on the board of the U.S. Council for World
Freedom with John Singlaub who was affilated with a group that were extremists, racists and
anti-semites.

McCain spent his 70th birthday partying on the yacht of convicted felon Rafaello Follieri. WITH
ACTUAL PHOTOS. Remember the actress Anee Hathaway's unscrupulous ex-boyfriend?

And so much more.

[HomerJFong]

So, I assume the honorable Senator McCain will both reject and denounce Mrs. Annenberg's endorsement...

...unless he figures it's appropriate to 'pal around' with those who pal around with terrorists, just so long as you're one pal removed from the actual (or not) terrorist.

[Bocado]

LOL!

[JamesInDenver]

So we find out the SECOND person on the list of "100 former ambassadors", didn't actually endorse McCain, because she's too elderly. Then we also find out this person wasn't even an ambassador, she was the ambassador's wife. (Titles are not inherited in this country.)

I wonder whether the FIRST person on the list actually endorses McCain?

When do the lies stop?

[rich misty]

You forgot to mention she is a terrorist sympathizer and supporter!!!!

[Seppuku]

The republicans again look stupid and hypocritical. This will likley be one of the leads on the major networks tonight, certainly the #2 story on Kieth Olberman and will end this round of smear. But, they'll find another.

Also, the Annenberg Foundation is very worthy organization ( http://www.annenbergfoundation.org/ ). No one should be questioned for serving its goals:

"The Annenberg Foundation exists to advance the public well-being through improved communication. As the principal means of achieving this goal, the Foundation encourages the development of more effective ways to share ideas and knowledge. "

The McCain campaign doesn't understand ANY of the above message.

[Cherlesq]

Imagine all the stupid decisions McCain has made during this short campaign. Now consider what level of stupidity he is capable of during the long four years of a presidency. No way, no how, no McCain.

[Kiabell04]

Ha, let's see McCain squirm his way outta his one.

[StillAmused]

Interesting how the right wing celebrates and warmly embraces ACTUAL former or pardoned criminals like G. Gordon Liddy, Elliott Abrams and Scooter Libby, yet slimes Obama for serving with one on an educational foundation board... whose namesake has endorsed McCain!

If rank hypocrisy were fatal, there would BE no Republicans.

[dadw5boys]

McCain talks about Obama so much because he has nothing to offer except more lies and bull$hit !!