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McCain Campaign Palling Around with Terrorists in Miami?
Governor Sarah Palin's denunciations of Senator Barack Obama's alleged links to former Weather Underground member and self-identified -- but never convicted -- bomber, William Ayers, make Cuban-American exile Max Lesnik's 76 year-old body shiver in anger. Palin's claim that Obama "pals around with terrorists" reminds him, he says, of the many bombings, drive-by shootings and other terrorist acts perpetrated against him and his family in Miami over the course of many years. "Her [Palin's] declarations make me think about how very contradictory it is that a Presidential candidate and his political party have direct links to known terrorists and terrorist supporters" said Lesnik, a commentator on the popular Radio Miami morning show. "I don't understand how Mr. McCain and the Republicans can talk about Obama and 'terrorism' when they themselves embrace terrorists here in Little Havana."
Lesnik and other Miami residents hear a double standard in the renewed attacks against Obama for his affiliation with Ayers. As the home to a constellation of GOP-linked, anti-Castro Cuban American organizations and individuals known to advocate and use violence to advance their cause like the Ayers and the Weathermen did, South Florida is not, Lesnik and other critics say, the best place for Republicans to talk tough on terrorism. "It's interesting to see how Governor Palin avoided Miami during her visit to Florida on Tuesday," said Lesnik whose experience of domestic terrorism began after he criticized the U.S. embargo against the island where he fought alongside Fidel Castro, who he has also criticized. "She was probably asked by some South Florida Republicans like the Diaz-Balarts (two brothers in very tight Congressional re-election bids this year) not to come here because it might cause them -- and Mr. McCain -- problems. They don't want Palin to come here screaming about 'terrorism' right now"
Lesnik and other observers point, for example, to McCain and his supporter's affiliations with long-time anti-Castro activists like Roberto Martin Perez. Perez, a member of numerous Cuban exile groups who appears in a recent McCain campaign ad, is one of the chief sponsors of a campaign to free Eduardo Arocena, the Cuban exile leader of the alleged terrorist group, Omega 7. Arocena was convicted on 25 counts and is serving a mandatory life sentence for his role in several terrorist incidents including 32 bombings and 2 politically-motivated murders. In his summary of the Omega 7 case, New York Appeals Court Judge Lombard declared, "From 1975 to 1982, Omega 7 conducted a series of bombings in the New York metropolitan area that injured bystanders and damaged homes, businesses, and a church. The bombsites included Avery Fisher Hall, Madison Square Garden, JFK Airport, the ticket office of Aeroflot (the Soviet airline), and the Cuban Mission to the United Nations." Arocena supporter Perez was recently seen hugging the GOP presidential candidate at a recent campaign event. In addition to Perez, supporters of Arocena, whose victims include Eulalio José Negrin, a New Jersey man who died in his 13 year-old son's arms, include one of John McCain's closest allies, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman. As recently as last July, Lieberman promised Arocena's wife that "I will carry it [the pardon request] back. I will carry it back. Yeah. I feel...I think of you like you were my family."
Other McCain supporters in South Florida have also drawn fire for their connections to persons critics say are not designated as terrorists precisely because they are connected to powerful Republicans. "The GOP is the same party that is giving safe harbor to terrorists living on our midst, but these terrorists have powerful friends" says Silvia Wilhelm, Executive Director of the Cuban American Commission for Family Rights, a non-partisan not-for-profit organization that advocates for looser travel restrictions between the United States and Cuba. "What moral authority do they [Republicans] have to denounce links to terrorists? None," states Wilhelm, who has had to call the FBI after receiving bomb threats for her work around the travel restrictions. "Many of McCain's main supporters here in Miami -- Lincoln and Mario Diaz Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen -- back Luis Posada Carriles, a known, convicted terrorist, who is walking around here with complete impunity."
Though they have been silent about the Posada case since the election campaign started, the Diaz-Balarts and Ros-Lehtinen lobbied the Panamanian government to pardon Posada and three other exiles caught with explosives in Panama during an assassination attempt targeting Cuban leader Fidel Castro in 2000. In a signed letter to the Panamanian written in 2003 on Congressional stationary the 3 Cuban American Congress members from South Florida stated, "We ask respectfully that you pardon Luis Posada Carriles, Guillermo Novo Sampol, Pedro Crispin Remon and Gaspar Jimenez Escobedo.'' Posada was convicted by civilian courts in Panama for his involvement in the 1976 bombing of a Cuban airliner that killed 73 people, most of whom were teenage and twenty-something members of the Cuban fencing team. A declassified FBI report states that "[a confidential source] all but admitted that Posada and [Orlando] Bosch had engineered the bombing of the airline." McCain appointed Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart as his campaign's chief adviser and spokesman Latin American issues.
For his part, Lesnik hopes that the Ayers controversy will lead to a wider definition of who is a domestic terrorist in the United States. "He [Ayers] didn't kill or injure anyone, but these Cuban terrorists have killed many - and killed them inside the borders of the United States," said Lesnik, his voice screeching with decades of anger. "The Cuban terrorists were convicted and still get support from McCain's backers. It's unjust not to designate people who commit terrorist acts as 'terrorists'" he lamented, adding "It shouldn't matter that they're friends of some politicians."
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Oh snap! I hope Paul Begala brings up this story on primetime talk shows, maybe Keith Olberman and Rachel Maddow will touch on it. The MSM doesn't have the guts to talk about it - too much fear of Republican retribution.
Senator McCain, have you no sense of decency? Does that sound familiar? You and your campaign are walking a razor thin line that has the potential to destabilize our social system when coupled with the problems in our financial system. The McCain camp may enjoy whipping their base into a fit of rage, but they should be very very careful. If violent words become violent action, when does this action become a type terrorism of its own? Who is going to be held accountable? You Mr. McCain? Your campaign manager or the Rep. Party? Winning at any cost is not an option. This is America, home of the brave and the land of the free. Free to speak your mind but not free to incite potential violence. If the GOP were smart, cooler heads would prevail tamping down this inflammatory rhetoric. Simply put, it is not helping your campaign and it could cost someone their life. Now that "my friends" would be one helluva legacy. You Betcha!
It is time for the Media to stand-up to the Palin BLOCK. The Media has an obligation, it uses many of our public resources ( e.g. Frequency spectra, public right-of ways, …), to try and provide facts and the opinions of public candidates running for office. Most of the Mainline Media is frustrated because of Palin’s refusal to stand for questions. As a result Joe Biden, often, does not get the exposure he deserves. Why doesn’t the media invite both VP candidates to more interviews and on-air news shows. If Palin doesn’t participate, then free air time for Biden. Obama and Biden have nothing to hide. Let’s show Palin for the NO_SHOW she is! Bob Landis
He has a history of it ...read this commentary from Off the Bus on the Huff Post...I hope he brings up Ayers because his deep friendship with G Gordon Liddy is just screaming to come out of the shadows and be explained Mr. MCain....
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-k-wilson/john-mccains-terrorist-co_b_133326.html
I hope Obama himself brings up Ayers in the debate that would be the best thing and talk about it on HIS terms.
Go Obama/Biden - we love you both!
A letter to John McCain,
Mr. McCain, you have been weighed in the balances and your time is up. The decisions you have made regarding your campaign have been without regard to the American people. You have put yourself first and country last. Your once respected campaign rallies have now become hate rallies. You have allowed Sarah Palin to hi-jack your campaign rallies and turn them into forums for hate. This has opened the old wounds of racism and fear that continues to plaque the south. The south is one part of the country where you are above 50% in the polls. You nor your running mate are talking about real issues for the American people. The more you push division and hate you will be pushed down in the polls. The hands of God will not let you pass. The American people in this time of our history are not looking for messages filled with hate. Since you are not willing to take back the control you have given to Sarah Palin, you are heading for a political disaster that will be in the history books. Your time is up.
And when he finally took the gloves off......his hands were FILTHY DIRTY!
What is AIP to Sarah Palin and why did they have 1st class access to her office as mayor and governor;
did she not only pal around with members of the group, but did she also hire them in government positions; did they help her get elected and was one video tape from their convention saying she was a member until she sought the office of governor and didn't they seek the counsel or help of the government of Iran?
Do Americans deserve to know? Who are Mr. Chryson and Mr. Stoll and what are they to Sarah Palin?
Well don't forget the Palin connection to the America hating Secessionist Party of Alaska in which husband Todd has been a long time member.... .
McCain is doing a good job at replacing Joe McCarthy in history. Selective guilt by association has been lowered further than ever before. After the election, both mccain and palin can be investigated - mccain for consorting with terrorists and palin for abuse of power and tax evasion.
Lincoln Diaz-Balart has a curious political history. In his college days (New College of Florida, Sarasota), he backed Jimmy Carter in the 1976 primary -- even gave a fiery speech introducing Carter when he spoke at New College during a campaign stop. He ran for the Florida Legislature as a Democrat and lost, and then saw the light during the Reagan years, changed to a Republican, and won. You can find his photo in "The Practical Guide to Politics" under the heading "opportunist."
The McCain appears to have moved from campaigning on issues to character assassination to – dare I say it? – possibly inciting violence against Barack Obama. If you believe that my last sentence is too far out, I encourage you to listen to and watch some of the rallies of the last few days.
It is illegal to shout “fire” in a crowded hall. It should also be illegal to incite violence against a political figure. (Oh wait a minute, it is illegal!!!) When is the Secret Service going to step in and either rein in the McCain campaign or hold them responsible for their irresponsible actions?
McCain/Palin have gone over the cliff -- they have taken the plunge and there is no return.
one of the most lethal and deadly political strategies has been writ large and is playing out before your eyes
the republicans know well that in harsh economic times one of the most successful tactics is to employ fear and racism
on the first three days that Palin and McCain employed their strategy to foment racial unrest the bigots at the McCAin/Palin rallies were plants and were scripted just as the sheriff was scripted
the questions by McCAin and Palin were never meant to be rethorical or left unanswered both Palin and McCain made very obvious pauses to allow for the plants to shout out their hateful comments and McCain and Palin both followed up with smiles of acknowledgement and head nods
this is an old strategy for inciting hatred and violence from neo-nazi, KKK anti-immigrant, anti-desegregation, anti-Gay and anti-semetic playbooks
Too bad for them that people are more afraid of losing everything they own!!! And just the fact that Obama has won the democratic nomination. Fortunately, he wouldn't have gotten it if it were only black people voting for him. Good American people are able to see Obama for who he is! No one cares about his skin color, but for a few republican bi gots! They are hoping that Americans are only saying that they will vote for him, so they won't look like rac ists! WTF?
Those bi gots at their rallies don't care if people see them for what they are! And Obama being the the democratic candidate is proof enough that everyone is voting for Obama!!! No one cares about their stupid accusations. When McHateful brings up Ayers at the debate, I have no fear that Obama will make him look like the small man he is when he finally puts this to rest and shows that Mc is only bringing this up at a diversion and doesn't want to talk about the economy because he has nothing to say! This stupid mortgage scheme he came up with has already changed three times. Once Obama points out how it works against taxpayers, they change it, and they change it daily, to try to make it seem like "he knows how to fix this economy, my friends" but it just proves that he doesn't!
If you asked Sarah Palin about Omega-7 she would first get the moose in headlights look on her face and then maybe start talking about good things in your diet to reduce heart disease. God help us if she ever holds ANY national office.
I'M HOPING THE MEDIA STARTS TALKING
ABOUT THIS.
I agree, we need to start posting about it on news blogs and bring this to their attention.
It's worth mentioning that five brave Cuban men, who came to the United States to stop the right-wing terrorists in Miami, have just spend ten years (and counting) in U.S. prisons with no prospect of emerging any time soon (in the case of two of them, ever, because they have life sentences, and the federal prison system doesn't allow parole which means they will die in prison). The Cuban Five - counter-terrorists prosecuted first by the Clinton Administration and continuing to be persecuted by the Bush Administration. Two of their wives have not been allowed into the country to see them for 8 and 10 years!!
Learn more about the Cuban Five and get involved in the struggle for their freedom:
http://www.freethefive.org
So the Weather Underground, which took care to only damage property, never kill anyone (except for three of their own members who were bomb making.....) is somehow worse than this group Omega 7 which actually hurt many people????
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