Hit Parade

Anyone who is not deeply naïve about American politics had to know it was coming: an intense assault on Barack Obama's character, his past, and his judgment. Now, as the previous fragments of rumor, innuendo, online reporting, and political gamesmanship are intersecting into a broader tale, we are about to see what Senator Obama -- and the United States of America -- are made of. We are about to move from "the silly season" to "the ugly season."

The sudden surfacing of a picture of Obama in traditional Somali dress; the charge that he had plagiarized his friend and advisor, Governor Patrick Deval; Senator Clinton's recent incensed discovery of leaflets circulating in Ohio exaggerating her support for NAFTA -- all of this is trivial in relation to the hit parade that is coming. Ties to Arab-American money and influence, Iraqi Baathist billionaire money, the PLO, domestic American terrorism... follow the money, connect the dots. This is now what is gaining traction (and detail) on the conservative blogs. It is just a matter of time (my guess is, a few days to a week) before it hits the mainstream press and the nightly news.

The timing is probably no coincidence. This week is probably Hillary Clinton's (and everyone else's) last chance to stop Obama from winning the Democratic nomination -- or at least from winning the primary elections and caucuses so decisively that the Democratic Party would be shattered if it then tried to deny him the nomination at its Denver convention on the strength of votes by "superdelegates." For weeks now, Senator Clinton's campaign has been trying to stimulate media interest in the story of Obama's Chicago past, to little effect. Now, finally, many of the threads have been picked up, extended, and woven together by conservative New York radio talk show host John Batchelor, in two extended blogs on the website, humanevents.com.

The implication of the story is that Obama got his start and rose to his heights in Illinois politics with the support of crooks, terrorists, and foes of Israel. Obama's early ties to Tony Rezko, a Syrian-American businessman about to go on trial next week for corruption (whom Hillary Clinton denounced in an earlier debate as a "slum landlord'), is the one part of the story that is more widely known. The idea here is that Rezko was a seminal figure in helping to fund Obama's political rise, and that he introduced Obama in 2003 to a shadowy Iraqi-born British billionaire, Nadhmi Auchi, who is allegedly implicated in financial wrongdoing or criminal activity on three continents. Other strands involve Senator Obama's associations with Professor Rashid Khalidi (then of the University of Chicago, now of Columbia University), who is alleged to have worked for the PLO in the late 1970s and is an outspoken critic of Israel, and his interaction with William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, former members of the revolutionary, terrorist organization of the late 1960s and early 70s, the Weather Underground, which was responsible for several bombings of government buildings.

Much of what hangs out there on the Internet now amounts to innuendo and guilt by association. No one is alleging that Obama has done anything illegal. Rather, the implication is that this is not the sort of man you would want to trust the future of your country to. And to the Jewish-American community: This is not the sort of man you would want to think about entrusting the security of the state of Israel to.

Many people (Jewish and otherwise) who have come to know Obama, watched him grow, and taken the measure of the man have come to feel differently. If every president (not to mention presidential candidate) had to agree with the views of or be held personally accountable for every individual he or she had met, served on a board or committee with, or taken a campaign contribution from, it is hard to imagine who we would have left to serve. I tried to think of a president in the post-World War II period who had not had to deal with a serious scandal in his administration. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon and on, they all had skeletons tumbling out of their presidential closet. For a moment I thought, well, there was Jimmy Carter, who promised the country "a government as good as the American people." And then I remembered his director of the Office of Management and Budget, Bert Lance, who was forced to resign over allegations of prior financial mismanagement.

There is a lesson in Carter's experience. There are no angels in politics, and aspirants to the presidency should not present themselves as such. Politics does not attract angels. It attracts people who want to get close to power to advance their interests (which often include getting richer than they already are), and it attracts people who want power for a variety of reasons (which often include making the country and the world a better place). In the mix, we get corruption, scandal, or sometimes simply bad judgment. It seduces even people who think of themselves as honest: witness Senator McCain's involvement in the Keating Five scandal, or the recent allegations in a New York Times article of his close relationship with a lobbyist. It is important that Barack Obama's avid followers not idealize him into something he is not, and that he not mislead his devoted following and the country into thinking he is something superhuman in a moral sense. He is fallible and imperfect, and so has been every president in American history. The questions are ones of scale and balance, of what is left when you account for the fallibility, and of how a president, or would-be president, acknowledges and learns from his mistakes.

As the multiple strands of the story are seized upon, worked, researched, and vetted by major media outlets, we will see what is left to it. My guess is we will find that Chicago machine politics remain afflicted with many of the problems that have plagued it for decades, and that a young aspiring politician without deep roots in the city made some errors in judgment in associating with Rezko, and with Auchi if that is established. There is another story to be explained: how a prominent member of a violent terrorist organization 4 decades ago, who was quoted only some years ago as having said, "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel we didn't do enough," became an influential professor and member of the Chicago social and political establishment. But that is hardly a story that Barack Obama has to answer for.

What Senator Obama will not be able to do is simply dismiss all of this as more "politics as usual" or "silly season." It may be politics as usual, but it is politics that can be deadly in a general election. Whether Obama used drugs as a young person is not really relevant to what kind of president he will be a generation later. But who he has worked with and depended on for his political advancement is not irrelevant. Barack Obama is not responsible for the views and associations of everyone he has ever associated with. But he would be wise to respond quickly and forthrightly as these questions come to the center stage. He must define in this context who he really is. If he does not do so, the Republican attack machine will be happy to do it for him. And we saw what they did four years ago to a war hero named John Kerry.

Comments

[TMAN]

The disturbing fact of all this is that John McCain has not a politically reasonable, logical leg to stand on. He’s no more conservative than I a liberal Democrat am. A quick tour of his historical votes and actions will authenticate that. Neither is he a liberal on the essential point of what the role of Government should be in an increasingly turbulent, downwardly spiraling, economic paradigm. The quick approach of the demise of our dearly held way of life doesn’t seem to register with those most effected, the working and middle class. Some will say well, if I can’t have the “first woman” president then I’ll lodge my protest by voting for that paragon of “leadership” McCain, or, I’ll just not vote. Or, even stupider, I’ll protest with a vote for that old principled standby, Nader.

We see with all this illusion, people casting about for reasons to rationalize his (the republican) agenda. How can this be after what we all have endured these last 8 years? The right, Conservatives are just enthralled with the Democratic penchant for narcissistic, self-indulged, self-destruction and subtly orchestrate it from various media platforms, from Russert to Fox noise, this site included. We, in the adolescent like state of mind rebel, against philosophically grounded thought processes (that takes too much energy and time) and like obedient drones of the corporate media will respond as directed come November against our collective good, unless we wake up to what is really going on in the media. Understand that the art, science of political psychology, how peoples motivational references were forever altered following the entrance into politics of so called media consultants, to our everlasting detriment.

What we are in the process of doing to ourselves now is firstly turning the young progressive voters off, come November. Secondly engaging in what could well be termed political, self-abuse by acting in a manner that negates and modifies the initial energy we all brought to the 2006 elections. We’re taking our collective eyes off the target.

[OSUMercutio]

I think your article has the right idea, but it's a bit unbalanced. You failed to mention the Clintons' reluctance to release their tax returns, the donor list for the Clinton library, and Hillary's record as first lady. The public also has the right to know these things.

[jp1949]

Hillary Clinton responded to Russert last night saying that their tax returns will be released as well as a record as first lady. The donor list for the Clinton library has already been disclosed.

[austinobserver]

The Obama campaign must do what the Gore campaign failed to do in 2000. Whenever a charge (almost always baseless) was made by the right against Gore's honesty and integrity, all the Gore campaign needed to do was level a similar charge against Bush's honesty and integrity. As David Corn documented in "The Lies of George W. Bush," there were already hundreds of well-documented lies and questionable acts by Bush by the beginning of the general election campaign. That would have made the honesty and integrity questions a wash, and Gore would have easily prevailed.

The NYT has just scratched the surface of McCain's improper activities, and the well-funded Obama team, and other Democratic partisans, should have no trouble finding a great number of questionable McCain acts and practices. So whenever the right throws a charge at Obama, then the Obama campaign, or other Democratic groups, need to counter-attack. That would prevent McCain from gaining any advantage on the integrity front, and the election would be about the issues and each man's ability to guide the nation for the next four years, as it should be.

[psfurlong356]

McCain wants to make nice because he has many skeletons to hide.

[starboymikey]

Sorry if I am spamming this idea to a lot of threads, but since the same topic keeps coming up again and again, thanks to the Clinton and McCain slime machines, I want to make sure that people see this article about Obama's meeting with representatives of Cleveland's Jewish community, where he answers a lot of tough questions very forthrightly.

I also want to say again what a bunch of hyporcritical bullshit this is on the part of Republicans. Both George W. Bush and John McCain were all to eager to kiss Jerry Fallwell's ring, and made no apologies for doing so. But thhis was the same Jerry Fallwell who once said that the Antichrist was now walking the earth, and that he was a Jew. And what about the Bushies deep connections to the Bin Laden family?

What the hell is up with that? Why no demands that Bush and McCain repudiate these people? Could it be, oh let me see ... a double standard? Crypto fascist-racism?

The best defense for Obama right now is a good offense. His campaign needs to answer these assinine charges by hitting right back with facts to show that the "saintly" neo-cons have far worse skeletons in their collective closet.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/02/26/obamas_ohio_grilling.html

[OSUMercutio]

Great post! I just emailed this link to my parents who are still undecided. We live in Columbus so I only have a few days left to make my case for Obama.

[classof77]

But don't forget that politicians will say anything to get elected; Obama is no exception. Unfortunately, the American populace has a habit of hearing what it wants to hear. That's one big reason we have Bush in the White House right now (besides Ralph Nader and Sandra Day O'Connor).

[LibraMan]

I have always thought that Senator Harry Truman was so effective in investigating war profiteering and corruption was because of his experience dealing with and/or working for Boss Pendergast in Kansas City. Truman was one of our most principled presidents despite the nature of his early political associates.

[grlpatriot]

Larry, you're correct about these stories come out soon. The Politico and New York Sun have done pieces on Obama and William (Bill) Ayers, a known domestic terrorist, who is the former leader of the violent left-wing activist group the Weather Underground.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8630.html
http://www.nysun.com/article/71421

Bloomberg has a piece - Obama's Ties Might Fuel 'Republican Attack Machine'
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a9cjxFxamhN0&refer=home

MSNBC has been kicking the Ayers story around on FirstRead starting last week.
FirstRead - Tuesday, February 19
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/19/679063.aspx

FirstRead - Friday, February 22
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/02/22/690994.aspx

I say, let's vet Obama. If Ayers is a non-story, let's air it, then move on. Let the American people decide if Obama has the good judgment to be president that he says he has. I personally think it's poor judgment for Obama to associate with a known terrorist, serve on the Woods Fund board for several years with a known terrorist, go to the home of a known terrorist, except a campaign contribution from a known terrorist. When you add in the layers of complexity regarding Obama's Middle East links, it's problematic. Makes me wonder how Obama will deal with the issue of global terrorism as president.

[sebocd]

Last week, I believe it was Saturday late afternoon into early evening, there appeared on this site, the Obama-Weathermen association story with old pictures of William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn from the seventies. The story was posted for a few hours then it mysteriously disappeared without a trace. Why was this? Does anyone else recall this incident? Or am I mistaken about where I read the story? I stand to be corrected if I'm wrong but I think I'm correct.

[grlpatriot]

I saw it on Politico on Friday.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0208/8630.html

[batgirl71]

I had a very nice dinner at Bill Ayers' and Bernardine Dohrn's home about 5 years ago. Dang, there goes my political career.
From your neighborhood terrorist-by-assocation.

[IMustKnow]

grlpatriot....Obama will just call his terrorist friends at home for the 411. :)

[independentrepublicrat]

LOL. You agree with Larry?! Birds of a feather flock together. That is exactly why you Clintonistas and repugs have lost by every measure of this election season. March 5th is the day you racist, xenophobic idiots will hopefully feel the cardiac arrest intensity of Obama's impending nomination.

[ChiMan1]

So we are not supposed to pay attention to the past of America's Worst Nightmare?

[whimsicalpig]

this is exactly what i have been talking about for the past month.

The democrats have shot themselves in the foot by attaching themselves to this dreamer.

His meassage is at the core of progressive ideology but...

that won't get you squat if:

1) he is elected without a majority of congressmen and senators willing to abandon their K-street sponsored agendas

2) he isn't eviscerated by the swiftboat attacks that are coming. and loses the general election.

You are correct, if they could derail a war hero imagine what they will come up with to scare the bejeezus out of john q citizen.

especially if there is a "terror alert" in the fall.

I can't believe, after 8 years in the wilderness, these 2 very flawed candidates are the best we can come up with.

we are just giving the right "easy pickins"

[Repubnomore]

Let's not give up quite so easily.

Would Edwards have been more bullet-proof? More inclusive? More electable?

This election is about the middle of the road - middle America. Middle America has been duped into 7 years of W. through irrational fear mongering. Smear tactics won't erase the fact that we're all fed up with the war, the economy, and our perception in the world.

Let's coin a new phrase for all of us, "we won't be feared again!"

[whimsicalpig]

I am not ready to give up, I just want a better candidate.

I can't believe that after all this time, our choices come down to these 2.

and no, edwards was not bullet proof, but jeeze loiuse, couldn't we find someone with a heftier resume, a little more of a statesmen on the world stage.

The MSM just disenfranchised dodd, biden and richardson summarily from the start.

granted a black man and a women as candidates gives the 24/7 news a little more to prattle about, but this isn't about ratings, this is about our future.

I am so un-inspired by these 2 that I will not be voting in november. I see chaos if obama gets in and more of the same or worse if mccain wins.

[TankerRat]

Why is it when ANY candidate speaks of serious issues facing the country the other side is so quick to label it fear-mongering. This ain't no dam Nintendo game people.

[flanardiente]

You wonder how these "2 very flawed candidates are the best we can come up with?"

Between a seriously fractured Democratic party, a Republican party dominated by thugs and Soviet-style apparatchiks, and MOSTLY by an electorate that has become smug in its own ignorance and more devoted to gossip and the trivial than it is to any sort of awareness of its own country, its own history, and its own government--I'm amazed that we can come up even two "very flawed candidates."

So what should we do? Sit around and wait for a couple of flawless candidates while the GOP rapes and plunders and isolates America further? Or, maybe, make a choice between the two flawed candidates? Which is, by the way, what we have been doing since this country was founded.

[hank48188]

All the things Larry writes about in this piece are now on FOX NEWS. They just had a radio host on talking about Obama's connection to Tony Rezko for the last 20 years and the connection to Nadhmi Auchi as well. He also talked about the fundraiser held for Obama by the Domestic WEATHERMEN TERRORISTS from the Chicago area, Bernardine Dohrn and William Ayres. Once all this stuff starts flowing at FOX all the others will have to cover it too, Obama is in for a tough week

[VOTER]

Then it seems Mr. Diamond, a learned man,

should get busy and print the truth.

Seeing as he is a Senior Fellow at the

Hoover Institution and with gingerliness has

taken after BushCo...................

[Opus007]

I'm sure that Obama is well aware that the "powers that be" will do anything to preserve the status quo. They will not go quietly.

This a fight that is long overdue and a fight we must have. I'm looking forward to it.

I don't think Obama should limit himself to public funds. He is going to need more money than that to fight the Republican Attack Machine.

[VOTER]

Interesting article.

Curious as to why you failed to mention

that Obama was mentored by the honorable

Paul Simon, who was the most squeaky clean

pol of the 20th Century.

And Obama's comments last night about his

Jewish friends and personal close ties to the

Jewish Community are absolutely true.

Also as a former resident of the southside

of Chicago, I know many of the families

he helped through his hard work.

So while the GOP far right begin lining up

their lies and distortions about Senator

Obama, perhaps you should do research about the TRUTH and begin

writing it.

[kirafa]

How ridiculous you sound, this is what a lot of supporters have been screaming about, the truth does not matter, all they have to do is insinuate and do it long enough and that is all people remember. Was John Kerry a war hero, after "swift boating" it did not matter. We know so very little. Get your head out of the clouds. We knew the dirt on Hillary, but not Obama and now the dust will start swirling.

[IMustKnow]

VOTER: How, in good conscience, could Obama be friends with Slumlord Tony Rezko, while supposedly trying to help the downtrodden?

Selective memory does not serve Obamatrons well.

[PLUMPLUM]

Thanks for the heads up! We will be like white on their rice!

[mommadona]

Here's something you can do - to pin those stinkin' chickens up and counter the "Rethuglican Machine"....

HELP TRACK FREEDOM'S WATCH:

http://www.freedomswatch.newsladder.net./

NEVER AGAIN.

ONWARD!

[slow2]

thanks for the link, md, and great words.

[GDliberal]

I understand what you are saying and mostly agree with you.
So far against the clinton/rove slime machine he's done very well. There's no videos of him ranting like an ex-wife or auditioning for the part of the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz. Its how you handle the scandal that can make all the difference in the world.

[jp1949]

I take exception to comment "clinton/rove slim machine". Clinton doesn't stoop to that and you know it. Shame on you just because you want Obama. She is heads above anything you say about her. Go Hillary.

[drbala]

What the ..? The Obmaniacs have no clue. I thought you are driven by deference and worship to your rock star candidate; it looks like it's more of a hate for Hillary than anything else.

Do you have to say clinton/rove slime machine? She has given punches only on Obama's records and the obvious all-inspiration-no-substance format.

This is a pillow fight compared to what the Republicans are capable of throwing.

[Rog49Thomas]

The key is understanding that the rumors don't have to be true. They just have to strike the right cord. Cause just enough doubt.

Brother Obama may have been walking on water so far in the campaign.

Let's see how he does walking on the molten lava attacks the Republicans will launch. And which our mindless MSM will pick up and regurgitate.

(1) Racism: Farrakhan endorsement. We are after all a nation known for its innate racial tolerance.

(2) Unfit to Lead: The "worse than a flip flopper" charge- this guy couldn't even flip or flop. 93 "I'm present votes"?

(3) Not Man Enough: "Do you want this man in charge when the next attack occurs?" And no doubt Osama will oblige with a threatening video or attack around election day.

(4) More Racism and Religious Tolerance: The Arab connection, the terrorist connection, secret Muslim fear (the religiously tolerant among us from what I know not a particularly large demographic).

(5) Anti Semitism: The anti Israel allegation versus Honest John's rock ribbed stance to support that country (fortified with a dose of Farrakhan).

Hopefully, he will not turn out to be the John Kerry of 2008. Chosen in haste and repented at leisure.

[hank48188]

a half-hour ago they had a radio host as a guest on FOX NEWS and he was talking about all the stories about Obama from the blogs. He talked about the upcoming Tony Rezko poltical Corruption trial next week, Rezko's 20 year connecetion to Obama and also the connection to Iraqi billionire and money-man Nadhmi Auchi. He was also talking about the fundraiser the WEATHERMEN TERRORISTS, Bernardine Dohrn and William Ayers held for Obama when he ran for State Senate. Also mentioned was Obama's connection to a Palistinian Terrorist from his area. Looks like Obama is going to have lots of explaining to do this week.