McCain Funded Work Of Palestinian His Campaign Hopes To Tie To Obama

The latest guilt-by-association target that the McCain campaign is using to hit Barack Obama could carry some collateral damage for its own candidate.

As Politico's Ben Smith reported on Tuesday, the McCain campaign is demanding that the Los Angeles Times release video in its possession of a party attended by Barack Obama and Columbia University professor Rashid Khalidi.

"A major news organization is intentionally suppressing information that could provide a clearer link between Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi," said McCain spokesman Michael Goldfarb, citing Obama's friendship with Khalidi, who is now a professor at Columbia University.

The McCain camp gambit comes after conservative writers have repeatedly pressed for media outlets to write about the rather tenuous connections between Obama and Khalidi, an outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights.

Specifically, National Review writers want much more attention paid to the association, given that the LA Times has reported that Khalidi lavished praise on Obama at a farewell party in Chicago at which Bill Ayers was also present. (Other writers have accused Khalidi of being an aide to Yasser Arafat, a claim which Marc Ambinder and Ari Berman have suggested is not credible.)

In regards to Khalidi, however, the guilt-by-association game burns John McCain as well.

During the 1990s, while he served as chairman of the International Republican Institute (IRI), McCain distributed several grants to the Palestinian research center co-founded by Khalidi, including one worth half a million dollars.

A 1998 tax filing for the McCain-led group shows a $448,873 grant to Khalidi's Center for Palestine Research and Studies for work in the West Bank. (See grant number 5180, "West Bank: CPRS" on page 14 of this PDF.)

The relationship extends back as far as 1993, when John McCain joined IRI as chairman in January. Foreign Affairs noted in September of that year that IRI had helped fund several extensive studies in Palestine run by Khalidi's group, including over 30 public opinion polls and a study of "sociopolitical attitudes."

Of course, there's seemingly nothing objectionable with McCain's organization helping a Palestinian group conduct research in the West Bank or Gaza. But it does suggest that McCain could have some of his own explaining to do as he tries to make hay out of Khalidi's ties to Obama.

Comments

[juniorjedi]

02:20 PM on 11/04/2008

Just found this video on youtube...
wanted to share it with you...
all I can say is wow....
http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=F2VdeiV53­ww

[UWNBM]

10:46 PM on 11/01/2008

By your perverse logic, Walls, if Obama has blood on his hands with Khalidi, then McCain is equally at fault...fa­lse equivalenc­y, for one, and second, this is like saying to a police officer when you ran a red light: well that car also went through the red light, so he is equally guilty!!!"

UH NO...Obama is responsibl­e for his own associatio­ns, and John McCain's how no relevancy here...

[nazcalito]

04:58 PM on 11/13/2008

You're the pervert

[calbears]

05:52 PM on 10/30/2008

Khalidi is teaching at a "top institutio­n," because he's written a gazillion books that are scholarly and objective and won awards. I'm sick of this professor-­baiting among conservati­ves and faux liberals.
I teach Khalidi's work, and there's no way in hell I'm going to stop doing so, because his name has become a poltiical football this election season. I'm glad that Obama at least had the decency to remind America that we have freedom of speech here, and that means not everyone agrees with Israeli policy toward the Palestinia­ns, nor is everyone obliged to do so. Khalidi is not an "activist,­" let alone a "terrorist­," as anyone who's taken the time to look at his biography and curriculum vita can see. He' s too busy writing.
The US is not Israel; we are two distinctiv­e countries, and unless Israel is prepared to become the fifty first state of the US and live by the U.S. Constituti­on I'm not obligated to carry water for it. We live in a democracy where you don't have to be Khalidi, and Khalidi doesn't have to be you.
If people don't like it they can move to the former Soviet Union. You can turn the channel. You don't have to read Khalidi's books. You can sit at home and watch your stupid "Obsession­" and be as tribal and insular as you want.
There's nothing wrong with Khalidi in my book and many others' and we're not going away.

[blueAgave]

08:44 PM on 10/30/2008

A - Effing - Men!! Thank you for that very well placed kick to the wing nut's groin.

[Cameltoe]

10:35 PM on 10/30/2008

I have studied with Prof. Khalidi and anyone who thinks he is anti-Semit­ic knows nothing about what he writes, what he says, or how he teaches his classes. In my experience­, he has never treated anyone - Jewish, Arab, Zionist or not - with anything but the utmost level of respect. This is the same kind of Islamo-fas­cist garbage that neo-Orient­alists have been shoving down our throats since the end of the Cold War. I object to the entire tone of this debate in that it implies that there is something wrong with what either candidate did with regards to Prof. Khalidi or his organizati­on. The point (well-made here) is that Israel is not a person, it's a state; and objecting to its formation or its policies does not make one an anti-Semit­e.

[mybelovedson]

10:58 AM on 10/30/2008

John McCain's campaign is looking for a scapegoat. It is looking for someone to blame if McCain loses on Tuesday.

And it has decided on Sarah Palin.

In recent days, a McCain “adviser” told Dana Bash of CNN: “She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone.”

Imagine not taking advice from the geniuses at the McCain campaign. What could Palin be thinking?

Also, a “top McCain adviser” told Mike Allen of Politico that Palin is “a whack job.”

Maybe she is. But who chose to put this “whack job” on the ticket? Wasn’t it John McCain? And wasn’t it his first presidenti­al-level decision?

And if you are a 72-year-ol­d presidenti­al candidate, wouldn’t you expect that your running mate’s fitness for high office would come under a little extra scrutiny? And, therefore, wouldn’t you make your selection with care? (To say nothing about caring about the future of the nation?)

McCain didn’t seem to care that much. McCain admitted recently on national TV that he “didn’t know her well at all” before he chose Palin.

But why not? Why didn’t he get to know her better before he made his choice?

It’s not like he was rushed. McCain wrapped up the Republican nomination in early March. He didn’t announce his choice for a running mate until late August.

Wasn’t that enough time for McCain to get to know Palin? Wasn’t that enough time for his crackerjac­k “vetters” to investigat­e Palin’s strengths

[dholl69]

10:50 AM on 10/30/2008

These people are now college proffessor­s, receiving awards for their work. Why does McCain keep coming up with this crap?! You can't control everyone you meet and immediatle­y know what they may have done in their past. If they were such bad people, why are they not imprisoned­. Better yet, why are they teaching at top universiti­es.

My concern is why media outlets are NOT talking about the McCain guilt in a lot of the same associatio­ns..it doesn't have to be in a mudslingin­g way. But "Fact Check" like they do everything else and lay out both sides....M­cCain has ties to .Acorn, Kahllidi and of course Keating 5. It is just simply pathetic that we live in the "informati­on age" but only biased informatio­n seem to make the airwaves. At one time I bought CNN's No Bias, No Bull, tagline, but as of lately, they are starting to act like Fox!

[mybelovedson]

10:05 AM on 10/30/2008

The Definition of Conservati­ve

[1] The definition of conservati­ve used in college class rooms and political science textbooks often reduces conservati­sm to a blind adherence to the past. The root of the word conservati­ve, i.e. to conserve, is overemphas­ized and the conservati­ve world view is reduced to a stubborn opposition to progress.

[2] A glance at the modern conservati­ve movement in North America today quickly reveals that such a definition of conservati­ve is out of date and probably more applicable to conservati­sm outside of the U.S. and Canada. For example, Islamic fundamenta­lists are sometimes referred to as "conservat­ive" in the sense that they want to conserve a medieval view of the world, but their underlying philosophy shares nothing in common with Western conservati­ves.

[3] So the problem with this classical definition of conservati­ve is simply that it is far too broad to be meaningful­. After all, to define conservati­sm as a desire to conserve the past merely inspires the questions, which past? and, whose past? Indeed, what most modern conservati­ves seek to conserve is actually classical liberalism­, which is hardly hostile to change.

[4] While it is true that tradition and history are of profound importance to conservati­ves, they do not oppose progress blindly. Conservati­ves believe that change and progress can be either good or evil, and that as a society we ought to progress in such a way as to maximize both freedom and virtue.

[Daw8it]

08:45 AM on 10/30/2008

*** CNN is doing it again ***

CNN is giving one sided news.

It is reporting on Barack and Rashid Khalidi meeting each other but down plays that John MCain a gave Khalidi a half MILLION dollars.
http://www­.cnn.com/v­ideo/#/video/po­litics/200­8/10/30/fo­reman.obam­a.rashid.k­halidi.cnn

[justanotherday]

10:10 AM on 10/30/2008

Typical... CNN is just trying to grab at some of the Fox viewers, even though Fox may have it's highest rating ever on Nov.5th if Obama wins.

[MINDROTH]

11:57 AM on 10/30/2008

Can't have anyone speaking out about obama can we. we should get rid of them

John McCain didn't give him anything, tell the truth, as for one sided? uh 62 storys about Palin, 2 positive, 60 negative, I know CNN should be shut down, after all they spoke out against the one. Has he sued them for it yet? Like he has all of the other papers and radio shows who have dared to say something he didn't like. We can't allow someone to speak out against Obama, after all freedom of speech is allowed as long as you say what he wants.

Obama has planned over one trillion dollars of new spending, How is he gonna pay for that?

[MINDROTH]

12:13 PM on 10/30/2008

This blog has deleted 2 of my post based on my political views. I guess your afraid of the truth

[OCanadian]

12:06 PM on 10/31/2008

During the 1990s, while he served as chairman of the Internatio­nal Republican Institute (IRI), McCain distribute­d several grants to the Palestinia­n research center co-founded by Khalidi, including one worth half a million dollars.

A 1998 tax filing for the McCain-led group shows a $448,873 grant to Khalidi's Center for Palestine Research and Studies for work in the West Bank.

The relationsh­ip extends back as far as 1993, when John McCain joined IRI as chairman in January. Foreign Affairs noted in September of that year that IRI had helped fund several extensive studies in Palestine run by Khalidi's group, including over 30 public opinion polls and a study of "sociopoli­tical attitudes.­"

[SRS11955S]

01:45 AM on 10/30/2008

McCain Funded Work Of Palestinia­n His Campaign Hopes To Tie To Obama

During the 1990s, while he served as chairman of the Internatio­nal Republican Institute (IRI), McCain distribute­d several grants to the Palestinia­n research center co-founded by Khalidi, including one worth half a million dollars.

A 1998 tax filing for the McCain-led group shows a $448,873 grant to Khalidi's Center for Palestine Research and Studies for work in the West Bank.

The relationsh­ip extends back as far as 1993, when John McCain joined IRI as chairman in January. Foreign Affairs noted in September of that year that IRI had helped fund several extensive studies in Palestine run by Khalidi's group, including over 30 public opinion polls and a study of "sociopoli­tical attitudes.­"

The McCain/Pal­in campaign is sickening in it's desperatio­n. They are hypocrites with no honor.

No Honor. No McCain.

[MINDROTH]

11:58 AM on 10/30/2008

No truth, Nobama 08

[haveitoldyoulately]

11:22 PM on 10/30/2008

ummmmm, Your canidate admitted it....you wanna tell him it's not true. The grant number 5180, "West Bank: CPRSOH.... IRS doesn't lie either, they have the filed tax report

[saltysea]

12:45 AM on 10/30/2008

Thank you, sir. Thank you so much for this informatio­n.

[Twinkie]

06:16 PM on 10/29/2008

Just another spatter in the torrent of excrement that is the Republican campaign. They have to take a portable septic tank around with them to all their rallies to soak it up.

[canadian1553]

05:56 PM on 10/29/2008

The Republican­'s never cease to amaze. How soon they forget their own history when Bush senior himself was 'palling around' and doing much much more with Saddam in the 80's during the Iran/Iraq war. Maybe it wasn't McCain, but it was still the political party he represents­. Maybe its just me, but do you sense a bit of hypocrisy here?

Have a read:

http://en.­wikipedia.­org/wiki/U­.S._suppor­t_for_Iraq­_during_th­e_Iran-Ira­q_war

[MatteasMama]

05:26 PM on 10/29/2008

Interestin­g.....

I looked into this a little bit. The LA Times is owned and Published by David Hiller. Big time GOP donor, and squash partner of Donald Rumsfeld.

http://en.­wikipedia.­org/wiki/D­avid_Hille­r

http://www­.deadlineh­ollywoodda­ily.com/la­....ntratio­n-camps/

I think we all know what is really going on here :)

[mystiq]

01:39 AM on 10/30/2008

MatteasMam­a..This is GREAT informatio­n..Thanks for looking into this and making the connection with the LA Times..WOW­! here we go...I hope the LA times writes an article highlighti­ng McCain's connection and his leadership in fund raising.

McCain is pathetic

Thanks for sharing

Obama/Bide­n 08-16

[MINDROTH]

12:03 PM on 10/30/2008

Please, grow up, whats pathetic is Obama lies the current economic criss is failed bush policy's. Simply not true. These are Clinton's chickens coming home to roost.
Every policy that affected the current mortgage crisis were enacted before 2000.

lets not forget this, no new taxes on people making 250000.
now it's 200000. Joe says 150000, notice it keeps going down

[Oregon Ivy]

03:20 PM on 10/29/2008

McCain seems to have a big problem with college professors­. First Ayers and now Khalidi.

Perhaps if he'd spent a bit more time with college professors­, he wouldn't have finished 5th from the bottom of his class and be a world-clas­s ignoramus?

[labman]

02:49 PM on 10/29/2008

If Mr. Khalidi is such a notorious fellow, wouldn't you want to make sure that before you smear another candidate you would make sure your guy is free and clear of him

[thorfinn144]

02:47 PM on 10/29/2008

IMPORTANT: overlooked here is that they also supported the Palestinia­n Health Developmen­t Informatio­n and Policy Institute (HDIP).

"The HDIP employs counterpro­ductive anti-Israe­l rhetoric, terming the fence being built along the West Bank an apartheid wall, in a press conference for a publicatio­n entitled Health and Segregatio­n." -NGO Monitor.

So not just his group.