PolitiFact Tears Apart McCain's Ayers Claims

PolitiFact:

For most of the election, Sen. John McCain's campaign has been somewhat subtle about trying to tie Sen. Barack Obama to the former '60s radical William Ayers.

No longer. A 90-second Web ad released Oct. 8, 2008, features sinister music, side-by-side photographs of Obama and Ayers, and a series of dubious allegations about their past connections, including this one:

"Ayers and Obama ran a radical education foundation together."

Ayers was a founding member of the militant Vietnam-era anti-war group the Weathermen. He was investigated for his role in a series of domestic bombings, but the charges were dropped in 1974 due to prosecutorial misconduct. He is now an education professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and actively engaged in the city's civic life.

Read the whole story: PolitiFact

Comments

[sparafucilli]

Excellent piece. Now combine this with McCain-Liddy and McCain-Russia as well as Palin-Secessionist connections and any other extremist relationships and not only is there a staunch defense but a solid offense as well.

[lejman]

annenberg was not a lifelong republican, as this story asserts. he and his father, moses, were staunch democrats, who flipped when their perceived buddy, fdr, to whom they had donated beaucoup bucks, wouldn't call off the irs dogs. moses went down for some time, walter barely avoided the lockup and financial ruin, only to rebuild the family fortune via tv guide. they never forgave the democrats.

[Tubalcain]

That's all well and good, but that message needs to be on all news networks,not only some website. it really needs to spread in a simple straight to the point manner. Democrats consistently fail in doing this.Contact Obama's campaign, tell them to make a quick tv rebuttal commerical to all this ridiculous Bill Ayers mess. I tried but can't speak to anyone and would imagine them being extremely swamped.McCain is such a punk that he didn't mention this in the last debate but after pressure wants to bring it into this one?

[kjwhite]

It's a ridiculous claim, especially when one reads all the other people that served on that commitee and sponsored that program. Would McCain call them all dangerous, radical terrorists?

I wish the media would quit regurgitating this story and stop giving it any credence or coverage. McCain is leaving one terrible legacy for himself. If I were one of the individuals that had served on that commitee, I'd certainly have a thing or two to say to John McCain. He's not only pinning Obama with this label, but all of them as well. I have a strong notion that Mr. McCain is making himself a hefty list of enemies along the way in this race. Hope he can live with the consequences of all he has said and done. I'm afraid his glory days are over.

[krocklin]

So how long a news cycle is this Ayres story going to be?

Will it run its course, or will it continue to be revived along with all the other paper thin smears until the day of the vote?

My guess is that the Republicans have nothing else to run on.

[charon]

The Ayers lie is the Swiftboat Campaign of 2008. Not working as well this time.

[research]

Lies and deceit:

It's what the GOP does.

[bee82]

Do Some Americans Suffer From Stockholm Syndrome???

http://reportell.com/index.php?view=article&catid=35%3Apolitics&id=166&option=com_content&Itemid=61

[charon]

Yep, McCain's "fellow prisoners."

[janinei]

Hey everyone, spread the word, McCain hung out with North Viet Namese at a time when we were clearly at war with them!! Guilt by association, yes?

[BarackMan]

In Mc Shameland for sure.....

President Obama '08!

[Rileyb]

Rather than signing petitions cluing the McCain campaign in to the facts lets just let them continue to wallow in the Mud. Because they are wallowing now and they are wallowed in so deep they can't sling any more, they can only splash and the only mud that is sticking is sticking to the republican campaign.

[Barackaroo]

My thoughts precisely.

[dare2tryobama]

This is the most insane crap I have heard this far. It's ok for McCain to have a donor on his list that supports Ayers and has him on the board but it's down right criminal in the eyes of Conservatives and Republicans that Obama even knows who this man is. We all know if his skin was a different color as well as his name this would not have been brought up. Rick Davis and all the rest come on these talk shows and try to pretend like it is blown out of proportion but WE ALL KNOW the underline message here. Why else would the words "terrorist" "treason" "kill him" be yelled out at the rallies if it wasn't being pushed that Obama was a terrorist and muslim. This was calculated very well by McCain and Palin and they DIDN'T say anything about it until the seed had been planted and watered and when it started to sprout they decided to calm it down. Well it's about a week too late for that. Ms. Palin hasn't apologized NOR has she taken back her statements and I can't believe she is not being held to the fire for ABUSING HER POWER as Gov of Alaska. Another thing is I can't believe that the AIP which her husband was or is a member of is not being raised is amazing to me. They wanted Alaska to not be apart of the US anymore now that is treason and terriorist acts.

[dare2tryobama]

It's strange to me how they are trying to link Obama to Ayers, strictly him alone. There were conservatives that were there and Republicans that were there, and MOST of them were on the same board as Ayers along with Obama. So the question is why are the not being accused of palling around with terriorist? Rick Davis says it's because they are not running for President but I would say, if any AMERICAN is found to be or accused of being pals with terriorist should be investigated.

According to Rick Davis your associations matter. Well the family that sponsered the luncheon or whatever it was donated to McCain's campaign and are his supports. They invited Mr. Ayers to this function so therefore that would make them palling around with terriorist according to Rick Davis and his explanation. That means McCain has friends that pal around with terriorst so how do we know he is not in hoots with them to bring down America like they accuse Obama of doing?

[longlived]

Well said.

[duchessdorleans]

Haven't you learned by now that logic, reason, sensibility, and facts have no place in national elections?

[rblaquinta]

This should be all over the news, since no one reads anymore. This whole thing is just tragic...WAKE UP AMERICA...

[greggegregg]

Sign this petition if you think McCain should stop talking about Obama and William Ayers...and start talking about the economy instead:

http://www.McCainPetition.com

Gregg

[MsYellowDog]

I wouldn't sign anything related to McCainasaurus or his lousy campaign!! Joe McCarthy Lives Again in the current Rethuglican Party....they are trying again to succeed where Nixon failed...don't let them!

[dagnome27]

This is a sad commentary on the JM/SP campaign - bankrupt of ideas, other than the ones they conveniently steal from the BHO campaign, lies and smears are what they serve up. Woe is us.

[poco767c]

Funny thing about facts, they tend to help define wether and article is true or not. Maybe I should CC the McCain campaign.