Obama's Ayers Issue
Read more reactions from Huffington Post bloggers to ABC's Pennsylvania Democratic debate
Jeremiah Wright nontroversy? Not a problem.
Bitter clingy blue collar types, flag lapel pins? He can navigate those annoyances with ease.
But come November the Bill Ayers issue rushing up in Barack Obama's rear view mirror could be a real political problem.
A former member of the Weather Underground Organization -- a radical group responsible for a string of bombings in the early seventies - Ayers was a privileged kid turned domestic terrorist. Reformed and respectable Ayers is now an education professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, an informal advisor to Chicago's mayor and a past contributor to an Obama campaign. In Wednesday's debate Senator Clinton gave a preview of what to expect from conservatives come the general election should Obama take the nomination: accusations that Obama's cozy with radical liberals. There's not much the Clinton machine can do with the accusation seeing as President Clinton commuted the prison sentences of a couple of WUO members.
Conservatives will try to do considerably worse, and they'll have a lot to work with.
Back in the day Ayers was a radicalized liberal in the worst way. Not merely because he and his comrades turned to indiscriminate violence, but because of the reason they turned. Chiefly, their paternalistic belief that blacks could not secure civil rights without their helping, explosive hand to guide them. "Black people have been fighting almost alone for years," read the Declaration of War; the first communiqué of the WUO. "We've known that our job is to lead white kids into armed revolution."
Armed revolution.
Going metaphorically arm in arm with Dr. King -- as innumerable liberal minded folks of all persuasions did -- was not enough for the WUO. They had to blow stuff up. And they did it without regard for the fact that they were essentially spitting on the memory of a man who was committed to non-violence. Yes they were partially radicalized by the murder of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton at the hands of the Chicago police -- and Hampton was murdered. But many vented their very righteous anger without lighting fuses. But many, also, didn't fancy themselves modern John Browns leading otherwise helpless blacks to freedom.
The WUO claimed to want to avoid human suffering. But you can't express yourself with explosives without somebody getting hurt. Who got hurt were three of their own members. Blown up in an accident so tragic it's actually empty of irony.
But I'm sure at the time the WUO figured they were doing something noble.
And I'm sure Ted Kaczynski figured he was doing the same.
The issue, though, isn't what Ayers thought then, it's what he thinks now.
Read Ayers memoir Fugitive Days which was published -- in actual horrific irony - on September 10, 2001. Though I have to admit it's pretty well written, it's filled with more paternalism (A squad of cops in Cleveland had dragged Black men from a motel and shot them down in cold blood, and now we would, I thought, even the score.) and romanticism of what were ultimately terrorist acts. Ayers is also quoted after Sept. 11th saying that he has no regrets for his past actions, but rather he feels that "we didn't do enough." Take a gander at his website and see if you find contrition, or self-aggrandizement.
What someone did forty years ago -- within reason -- should not damn them forever. But that's assuming the offending individual pays their debt to society and repents. Ayers has done neither.
I genuinely hope Obama's got as much distance as humanly possible between himself and Ayers, and that Ayers is just, as Obama said in the debate, "a guy who lives in my neighborhood."
I do not in any way, shape or form want Obama's Willie Horton to be a former terrorist/current elitist who feels compelled to once again even the score for a black man.
Related:
Jason Linkins: Hannity Spoonfed Left-Field Debate Question To Stephanopoulos
Rick Ayers: Clinton's McCarthyism (and my Brother Bill Ayers)
Huffington Post: Ayers And Obama: What Is Their Relationship?
Jeffrey Feldman: Et Tu, ABC?
Marc Cooper: Hillary And The Commies
Read more reactions from Huffington Post bloggers to ABC's Pennsylvania Democratic debate
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After seeing you on Morning Joe this morning (4/25), i was surprised not to find your 'Rev. Wright - Pro Black - Pro America' posting that mentioned.
I'd like to point out, in all humility, that Ridley is one of three regular bloggers on HuffPo who seems to censor posted replies assiduously. I can only gather that when he is opposed to the truth, not only in his own writing, but in what he allows to be posted in response.
Ridley is a Republican
Isn't Don King a convicted murderer who campaigned for Bush, wears a lapel pin, and waves two American flags every time he shows up on Fox News. Believe he made a speech before the Publicans at their 2004 convention. Talk about hypocrisy!!!
Very good, but because he wears a flag pin he, of course, is a true patriot.
Except Dong King served his time for his crime and was renpented. Did Ayers?
Unfair, unfair, unfair.
Question for you, John----Do you hold Nelson Mandela to the same standard of unacceptability that you apply to Ayers? Both men belonged to organizations that planted bombs in government facilities, with the aim of changing a system that denied rights to black people. I've never met a person who considered Mandela reprehensible, and I'd be especially surprised to find a black person who holds that view.
Maybe I'm reading you wrong, but you seem to suggest that Ayers' activities were especially awful because he's a white guy-- therefore his efforts and motives in the civil rights struggle were paternalistic. Maybe so, but I don't know Ayers (and it seems you don't either), so I'd hesitate to jump to that particular conclusion. Even if it's true, are we gonna start ruling out candidates because they had a seemingly rather tenuous connection to someone whose motives and attitudes are not pure enough for John Ridley?
My personal impresion of Ayers is that he seems kinda like an arrogant jerk, but:
a) I could be wrong-- lots of good people seem perfectly comfortable hanging out with him, and
b) have we reached the point of rejecting a talented candidate because he hung out with an arrogant jerk? This is really getting pathetic.
Lanny Davis (Clinton supporter and fundraiser) was on hannitys amerika tonight.
Lanny said repeatedly that Ayers was a "murderer" and that he killed innocent people (which anyone who knows anything about the Weather Underground knows they went out of their way to make sure no one was injured, the only people killed were three of their own members when they accidently set off an explosion in their own apartment in Manhattan). Meanwhile he was also blowing the Obama connection out of proportion.
Clintons people really need to lay the f**k off. They are so vicious. And they are now siding with FOX News against Obama. Wow. You know things are really whacked when Clintonites make sense to sean hannity.
I guess the next thing they will connect Obama to are all the convicts that his church reached out to through their prison ministries. I guess they'll blame Obama for all the crimes the committed too.
Clinton needs to drop out... It is way past time.
She is actually leading in some of the Polls. So by what you say maybe Obama should drop out. it is like 48 % to 43% in one Poll Clinton Leading and 53% and 48% Obama leading. So would you drop out with that close. And yes the Weather Underground did kill people maybe that was not on Ayers Mission. But they did kill cops and a security guard and their own people which was pointed out. And you cannot say he didn't know of what the mission of the other terrorist were because he is actually guardian of one of their children while they are in jail. They committed crimes and he got off on a horrible error by the prosecutors. Rich kid gets off.. surprise.
Thanks for the in depth detail about the Weathermen and their activities. I do feel like I'm being educated by this knowledge. Buf, again, just what does this have to do with Obama?
I agree with you. I personally see the Ayers matter as a non issue. This guilt by association thing is ridiculous. What I want Obama to do is lash out and lash out hard. I'll forgive him. You've got John McCain, Bill and Hillary Clinton (don't forget Chelsea), ABC, NBC, MSNBC, especially Joe Scarborough in the morning attacking away on Obama with absolutely no end in sight. I hold special praise for the station with real money, Fox, that seems to have no other news except to beat down Obama. The connection to the Weatherman is obsurd and should be treated as such.
I agree, he should lash out. Maybe a speech is in order, like with the Wright thing. He should give a speech on the relevance, or lack thereof, of his casual friendship with people like Ayers. Then maybe people will get it and drop this thing.
Yes and I can see how Sentor Obama's life reflect how Mr Ayers had suck an influence on him...
Do you really and truly believe that the good people of America are that stupid?
That they cannot see how the same games are being waged for the past 8 years?
Let show the American people a bunch of shiny things, get them all caught up in that...The
And if by chance the good people of America are that stupid and votes in a Clinton or a McCain...t
If Obama wins what will we get? Government runned Health Care Governement runned Social Security governement runned programs for where the bodyable people get help from the government while our taxes go higher to pay for them to stay at home with false ailments. Where God will be out of the US government buildings and schools and men/men can get married and killing babies ok and the Consitution Second Amendment doesn't mean anything. He will cut the Homeland security if it has not been done already because of the MAJORITY BASED CONGRESS>> DEMOCRATIC PARTY didn't vote for it in time.. it laps a while back. So there will be MORE terrorist activity. It is so strange when Clinton was in office and it was Republican Majority and things got passed and done all saying Clinton great -while Bush is in off it is a Democratic Majority you saying alot of things aren't getting done and saying Bush horrible.
You complain about Homeland security that the government is too involved but want them running everything else and when it comes to the children and No Child Left Behind you say the government is too involved for wanting to hold teachers and schools responsible (which was a John Kennedy idea.. which Kennedy's and Bush's agreeing on something maybe that should of been a clue to all)
So taxes going up government more involved in every aspect except our security and schools then
taking money out of homeland security and military.
Okay, I get it, you're a republican. That description, and I read it all, was so far out there that I was reminding myself that that seemed more like George Bush's policies. Ending the Iraq war will be good enough for me.
Are there some letters missing on your keyboard?
Instead of taking five or six hundred words to warn us about how bad a man William Ayers is, maybe Mr. Ridley's time could have been better spent looking into whether Barack Obama has enough connection to this guy to make him at all relevant. On the libertaria
"It seems to me that Obama's serving on the board of the Woods Fund for a few years with [Ayers] is not fundamentally different from my serving for more than a decade on a law faculty with [Ayers' wife, Bernadine Dohrn]." http://vol
In other words, there's no "there" there.
With progressives too busy attacking each to debate, it's reassuring to know we can at least turn to a few honest conservatives for useful news.
So true, Leo. But if Ridley would have checked it out, all his innuendo would have gone down the drain. He might have actually had to think of a real issue to write about.
Did you go to their house when you were appointed Senator with just a small group of people too?
Then yes.
Gina, who cares what house Obama was at? Do you suggest that we vote for McCain who advocates a 100 year war in Iraq which would likely cost $12- $15 trillion because Obama happened to be at someone's house who lived nearby. You really buy into Republican thoughtless smear tactics.
You are really naive if you think it was just in passing. I only lived in his neighborhood. oops i forgot i went to his house when i was appointed Senator.. My mistake
He was not appointed senator. He was elected a senator. We do not have a kingdom where people are appointed to office.
Why don't you address the arguments in Lindgren's post? He's a Law Professor on the same faculty as Ayers' wife, he's posted blogs very critical of Obama on a libertaria
Drugs are a problem for those attracted or addicted to them. Alcohol is a problem for those attracted o addicted to it. Gambling is a problem for those attracted or addicted to it. For those people who do not have the propensity to do something, the existence of a drug, or alcohol or a gambling house is not a problem for them.
Somehow for you, what Ayers was doing when Obama was 8 years old, not living in this country, and unaware of Ayers existence anywhere in the world.
Now Obama has become responsible for the actions of this man by chance association. If people who disagree should not be around each other, then republicans and democrats could not exist in the same room with each other.
You have taken the republican smear mentality and applied it to Obama and somehow now Obama is responsible for the actions of this man. Under your logic Germans are responsible for Hitler, whites in the U.S. are all responsible for slavery and the massacre of the Native American.
Certainly there are people, like yourself who might feel Ayers is something significant to be concerned about. This returns us to the begging of this blog. Yes, some people are attracted to drugs, alcohol, or gambling. And there are some people for whom racism and hate is tasty. If that is your favorite dish, well that is up to you, but don't feed it to me.
That is not what this is all about. You are off on your thinking.
What this is about JUDGEMENT who you associate with. Ayers and his gang of terrorist bombed US buildings. Actually killed members of their own gang while making them and the group (not Ayers, he was not on that mission) but he/his wife are guardian of the child of the person that is in jail for killing cops and a security guard. WHAT the problem is = he is unremorseful !! he wrote a book seven years ago about how he is proud and wished he did more. It would be like in 40 years from now a presidential candidate (if when they first became sentor) had that announced at Adam Gadahn's house(who now is a model citiizen, but not sorry for what he did cough) who a U.S. Citizen but made the choice of joining Al-Qaeda bombed US buildings.
There where such things as peaceful protests. Bunch of rich kids trying to make a statement. Weather Undergound. Shows how extreme left he is by the company he keeps, including his Reverand Uncle. Knowing the man for that many years go to his church but didn't know his points of view never heard him say the comments he made on tapes they were selling to his congragation. How stupid does he think the US people are to believe that one, over the course of 20 years, married the couple, baptisted his children. NOT naive.
Let me guess. You have no one, no one, in your family that has ever said anything bad about the United States. If that is true then you are one of the group of Americans that live the charmed life. I, on the other hand, do not. I stopped waiving the flag when Bush invaded Iraq. I have been disappointed in my country many times. I have never attacked my country, because it is still, my country, but I have said things sometimes about it and its difficulty of treating my individual race negatively. Barack has only seen his real father, before he died, a couple of times. Can't you see that Barack feels for this man, making him a family member. We do that because we don't have the deep roots of our family lines. We bring in substitute family members to replace the ones we never had. I see no harm in that. As for Barack's association with Rev. Wright I can bet you money that that is the real relationship with Barak. So he sometimes hears him say what other people call "controversial things", as Barack's eighth cousin Dick Cheney would say, "So." Does that really reflect on Barack? I don't think so. It is blown so out of proportion this so-called indignation. Guilt by association. Let's really dig into Hillary's past.
AGAIN .. IT IS NOT WHAT HE DID IT IS WHAT HE SAID IN 2001. om goodness.. this is amazing that this just goes around and around. If i associated myself with mobsters and hookers and drug dealers what would that show as my character. If you go to a church where your Reverand Uncle is sprewing all this Anti American sentiment and keep going back and actually lying about not knowing because after 20 years there is no way especially them selling the tapes to the congregation and you are going to Unreformed terrorist leader's house when you are appointed to the Senate hmmm .. it goes to your character. Even the misspoken words of his wife and him. First time proud and him with that speech of small towns and "clinging to their beleifs". I understand the bitter of the economy that would of been enough in the speech to get his point across why bring religion, bigots(ant
Not saying that Clinton or McCain have associations that could hurt them too. But they have more substance then Obama for the people to debate about. NO ONE KNOWS OBAMA we have to go by what we are seeing and hearing. He was more of a blank slate but what is being filled on it is not what I want my President to be.
I painfully suggest that you look at some of Rev. Wright's dvd's of his services and then, and only then, post what you think about Rev. Wright. It is a great disservice what some people do to him. Going to an unreformed terrosts house, wow, after this man was never jailed and is a big mouthed but law abiding citizen who gives you a party because your predecessor introduced you to him and, by the way, sitting on a board of 20 members charity foundation somehow makes you evil is a real stretch. Barack never bombed anything..
Hallelujah.
Ridley's article, is a totally pathetic attempt at guilt by association, I once happened to shake the hand
of General Creighton Abrams, does that make me a supporter of the Viet Nam War? I also shook the
hand of the Tman that put Al Capone away, does that make me a supporter of the invasive techniques
that the government is currently using to spy on us? Find a better place to store your head when not
in use.
So right, one active in civic affairs such as Obama must meet thousands and thousands of people over a decade. Is he supposed to vet everyone? Ridley is shameless. I guess if he influences one person to vote for McCain, as opposed to Obama, it is worth it to him.
Ok, so Barack complains that he was 8 years old when Ayers was acting out. But in 2001 when he said he wished they had done more, how old was he? 8 1/2? Give me a break.
Obama was also not 8 years old in 1995 when he attended a fund raiser for his ILL states senate run at Ayers home.
Mr. Ridley comes across as nothing more than a contrarian - and a rather slow witted one, at that. . I'll take Hitchens over this lightweight anyday.
Scab! You really tote that barge and lift that bale for your conservative buddies.
Also, If I remember correctly, Bill Clinton pardoned a group of Porto Rican terrorist group from New York to help Hillary win the senate seat.
No only would Hillary be the first female President, but also the first female Richard Nixon. Enemies list and all.
She would be disaster, but it is going to take more than Obama's bumper sticker slogans. There are not enough liberal democrats to get elected. He needs other parts of the Political spectrum. It is these people he is either insulting or worrying.
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