Ayers Supply
Said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., to St. Louis radio station KMOX, "I was astonished to hear him say that he was surprised that I didn’t have the guts to bring up Ayers" at the last presidential debate. "I think he is probably ensured that it will come up this time."
Ayers, himself, rears his head in this morning’s Chicago Tribune, saying, "What could I possibly add? Life happens."
The Trib reports that the door to Ayers’ office is decorated with pictures of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Che Guevara, Malcolm X, children, bills of rights for students and parents, a rainbow-hued greeting card advising "How to Be Really Alive," and a New Yorker cartoon of job interviewer telling a man, "I’m trying to find a way to balance your strengths against your felonies."
- jpt
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Ayers is a relic. Like McCain, he’s basically irrelevant to America today. The sixties are over, folks. What a relief.
The federal prosecutor who tried and convicted members of the weather underground has unequivocally stated that attempts to smear Obama with this guy are completely ridiculous.
Posted by: Tungsten | October 15, 2008, 10:28 am 10:28 am
If all McCain has left is Ayers, then it’s over.
Posted by: thoughts ... | October 15, 2008, 10:30 am 10:30 am
I think the new yorker cartoon is FUNNY
Posted by: world | October 15, 2008, 10:35 am 10:35 am
Ayers and Obama have been doling out millions to socialist causes.
Posted by: geevill | October 15, 2008, 10:36 am 10:36 am
Why isn’t McCain transition chief lobbying for Saddam a story?
Posted by: brian in nc | October 15, 2008, 10:41 am 10:41 am
please, tungsten,
you are talking to the “Kill him” hand.
they are not listening.
the mccain mob wants blood.
i agree, since ayers is all the mccains have-they are toast.
colbert said of mccain now POW stands for Prisoner of W
Posted by: world | October 15, 2008, 10:41 am 10:41 am
McCAIN = McCARTHY 2.0
“I think we should tell him that he has in his law firm a young man, who has been for a number of years a member of an organization, which, many years ago, was named as the legal arm of the Communist Party.”
Sen. Joe McCarthy –1954
“I think people should know that Sen Obama has associated with a man, that 40 years ago, was a member of an organization that advocated domestic terrorism.”
Sen. John McCain – 2008
“Senator. You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?”
Special Counsel for the Army Joseph N. Welch – 1954
Posted by: Truth Hurts the GOP | October 15, 2008, 10:53 am 10:53 am
McCain is more pathetic each day. Why is he boasting about how he is going to whup Obama in the debate tonight? That is just silly. Second rate football players do that during the week, and then get their rear-end handed to them on Sunday. Barack actually prepares for these debates, unlike McCain. Does McCain really think Barack will not be able to handle it if the guilt-by-association theme comes up at the debate? McCain=McClueless.
Posted by: JofOH | October 15, 2008, 10:53 am 10:53 am
The ONLY association that really matters in this election:
TIM RUSSERT: The fact is you are different than George Bush.
SEN. McCAIN: No. No. The fact is that I have agreed with President Bush far more than I have disagreed. And on the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I’ve been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.
Posted by: Words of a "Maverick" | October 15, 2008, 10:55 am 10:55 am
With America facing very serious challenges at home and abroad should McCain bring up Ayers in the debate, there will be a backfire so loud you’ll be able to hear it from NY to LA. It’s an embarrassment that with the country going down the tubes this is what McCain thinks the American people want to hear about. This is why the GOP is going to get clobbered this year — because this is what they consider a great issue of our times. The GOP is as bankrupt as the national treasury.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | October 15, 2008, 10:59 am 10:59 am
I happen to be from the St. Louis area. KMOX has become nothing more than a right wing lie machine. I used to be a listener until they removed ALL liberal talk hosts and replaced them with nut jobs like Mark Reardon, who can’t tell the truth to save his soul, and the king idiot of them all – Lush Slimeball. Of course McLame doesn’t have the guts. It is really easy to slander someone behind their back but a whole different story when you have to be face to face. McLame can’t stand to look at Obama or even touch him!
Posted by: Sharon | October 15, 2008, 11:00 am 11:00 am
I think the Ayer has come out of the Ayers Smear.
If McCain uses it he will come out looking like the fool that he is.
Posted by: Thinking | October 15, 2008, 11:01 am 11:01 am
The New McCain/Palin, the Mavericky Mavericks that promise to Maverickfy and promote Maverickfication, doggone it, you betcha! Remember, what we say today is not what we said yesterday or the day before or what we will say tomorrow, how much more of a Maverckinator can you get than that?
Posted by: Uncle Sam | October 15, 2008, 11:05 am 11:05 am
Just remember when you get the change… you may not like what you get. Fidel Castro promised change and look at Cuba now. Do you want that? A virtual nobody coming up and thinking they can do the job of president after not standing on any issue in congress. Voting present but not really making a commitment. Would you want that for a nation. I don’t. I want a man that has experience and can prove his devotion to the country. What can a man that won’t salute our flag prove except that he is a muslim that is against american principles. Remember to pray before you mark that ballot. Your future and your children’s future depend on it. Vote McCain/Palin for the good and future of America… not for Obama’s Post American world.
Posted by: democrat4mccain | October 15, 2008, 11:08 am 11:08 am
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
…the Washington lobbyist who JOHN McCAIN has named to HEAD HIS PRESIDENTIAL TRANSITION TEAM, aided an influence effort on BEHALF of IRAQI DICTATOR SADDAM HUSSEIN !!!!!
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
William Timmons
Posted by: Joe6Pack | October 15, 2008, 11:10 am 11:10 am
Ayers matters on two fronts.
One: It demonstrates what happens when a bunch of otherwise intelligent people don’t do their research and throw hundreds of millions at a problem, trusting a bunch of smooth-talking “intellectuals” to actually make it work. Ayers and his ilk do not represent “mainstream” educational philosophy, that’s a bunch of crock.
It reminds me of my kids’ primary grade teachers a decade ago trying to convince me that it “waz betr for kidz to lern whol langwich than to spel wurds rite.” Just silly. Or even “New Math.” Uh huh.
Chicago schools still suck, and now 15 more years have gone by.
Two: associations matter. Add Ayers to the long list of people that Obama somehow has to try and explain to Americans who are not of the far-left thinking mentality.
Posted by: Kristen182 | October 15, 2008, 11:13 am 11:13 am
With Ayers it’s not so much the stuff he did forty years ago, but rather the words he spoke eight years ago. There was an article published on 9/11/01 where he said stuff like he wished he bombed more.
Of course, we all know what happened that day. A freaky coincidence, but still it should be something he should have apologized for.
In a day and age where people constantly get skewered for saying insensitive things, he is being rightfully skewered.
After 9/11 had he come out and said something to the effect of the views he held in the past are not consistent with the views he has now, then this would be a non-issue.
Since he has not said this, he is rightfully labeled an unrepentant terrorist.
Posted by: Jerry | October 15, 2008, 11:18 am 11:18 am
Jerry,
One simple question:
WHY ISN’T HE IN PRISON FOR LIFE?
Aren’t terrorists imprisoned and/or given the death penalty in this country?
Admit it…….YOU HAVE NOTHING
Grasshoppa, face reality. Resistance is futile. Whining is not an effective tool in winning presidential elections.
POTUS OBAMA – IT’S A LOCK!
Posted by: Nat Turner | October 15, 2008, 11:20 am 11:20 am
There’s a great article on CNN.com about Palin refusing to talk to the press. Roland Martin writes: “Tina Fey has done more interviews about playing Sarah Palin than Sarah Palin has done about BEING Sarah Palin.”
McCain can bring up Ayers if he wants. But Palin should have the ability to talk to the press about her husband’s membership in a secessionist party, her abuse of power and her subsequent lies about it, her lies about the bridge to nowhere, and her budgetary wizardry that left Wasilla 20 million dollars in debt.
Posted by: jon in maryland | October 15, 2008, 11:22 am 11:22 am
Kristen182, Sounds like you have a problem with educated people (i.e. “Intellectuals”) and educators in general. That sounds more like a personal issue than a political argument.
Posted by: huh? | October 15, 2008, 11:23 am 11:23 am
Take the bait Johnny… take the bait.
Posted by: Deep Release | October 15, 2008, 11:24 am 11:24 am
I hope McCain does bring it up, since Obama is prepared to explain (for the umpteenth time!!)that he does not “pal around” with Ayers. They were colleagues at a University, they served on a Board together, they live in the same neighborhood. They don’t golf together, play basketball, go to the movies, out to dinner. That would constitute “palling around” most reasonable people would agree. Obama has never endorsed this man’s actions from nearly 40 years ago. This guy is at least 15 years older than Barack. And to those of you who think Obama is a “socialist”, there is no way that form of government could work in our society. We have too many checks and balances (or at least we did before Bush/Cheney decided to gut the Constitution!!)
Posted by: geecee | October 15, 2008, 11:29 am 11:29 am
Why is McCain being Deceitful about the fact that William Ayers’ educational foundation was funded by Republicans, not Democrats, Republicans, who are now endorsing him?
The Annenbergs who are Republicans, Bankrolled William Ayers with $50 million dollars. However, Walter and Leonore Annenberg weren’t just giving money to the educational foundation started by William Ayers, they were also giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Republican National Committee and various other Republican groups, as well as to a whole host of Republican candidates, including the following:
George W. Bush $4000 – Mitt Romney $5000
Strom Thurmond $1000 – Fred Thompson $500
Rick Santorum $3000
There are questions that are not being asked or answered such as –why would billionaire Republican philanthropists give millions of dollars to a program that was started by William Ayers, if he is such a scary figure and unrepentant? Why would George W., Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and all those other Republicans accept money from the people who were funding this William Ayers-associated group? And, why won’t McCain discuss these connections between the Republican Party and Ayers?”
Recently, McCain campaign put out a press release bragging about the fact that Leonore Annenberg has endorsed him for president. The very Leonore Annenberg who bankrolled William Ayers with millions of dollars is now backing McCain!
Lastly, Republican Arnold Weber who served on the board of the CAC with Barack, who worked with William Ayers in the 90’s, has also donated at least $1000 to the McCain campaign. So you see, McCain is accepting money from associates of William Ayers, and so far has not given the money back. Why won’t McCain come clean about these facts? Why is he being deceitful about this?
Posted by: Angellight | October 15, 2008, 11:30 am 11:30 am
The Ayers spin is interesting as it’s another example of an answer developing over time. “He’s a guy in my neighborhood…I was 8 yrs old…He’s a respected education reformer…”
Barack, Michelle, Mayor Daley…they’re falling all over themselves to tell people about the inocuous nature of Ayers’ past considering the great value of his present value.
Given the spin, 2 relevant questions need to be answered by the campaign and the mayor.
1 – List the ROI for the $50M+ spent on the CAC. Where have Chicago schools benefitted from the pilot programs and philosophies sponsored by this project?
2 – If Ayers value as a reformer is so great, why hasn’t Daley appointed him as the superintendant of schools?
The championing of Ayers is the equivalent of the business associate recommending their ‘great employee’ to join your team. (e.g. if they’re so great, why would you let them go.)
As the saying goes, “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.”
Posted by: FishMonger | October 15, 2008, 11:37 am 11:37 am
geevill that wasn’t Obama or Ayers dolling out millions to socialist causes that would have been Annenburgh who created the board that Obama and Ayers sat on and who contributes to John McCain’s campaign..
Furthermore since when are educational projects socialist causes or healthcare for that matter, the party of family values who bashes a man for wanting to educate children and provide them with healthcare!
Posted by: nicky | October 15, 2008, 11:40 am 11:40 am
Concerned in OH, Obama is an educated man he doesn’t speak like that. That would be Mrs. Sarah Palin, you darn right, joe six pack, you betcha, language!
Posted by: Nicky | October 15, 2008, 11:42 am 11:42 am
Ayers is old news…. and its sad to see that ABC is the only major network to keep bringing it up.
But if thats what helps your ratings.. keep going at it.
Posted by: lmg | October 15, 2008, 11:45 am 11:45 am
Now that’s nuts.
Posted by: Blip | October 15, 2008, 11:46 am 11:46 am
Ayers is the tip of the iceberg. Ayers himself has friends…let’s see, Barack Obama, Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro…and a laundry list of socialist/marxists.
Posted by: Captain America | October 15, 2008, 11:52 am 11:52 am
Captain America…
The head of McCain’s transition team was a lobbyist for Saddam Hussein.
Guilt by association is a dangerous game to play.
Posted by: Blip | October 15, 2008, 11:55 am 11:55 am
The Obama campaign has so much advertising money that they can craft whatever message they want at this point. I am so tired of seeing the millions of dollars spent on this campaign. When people are hurting financially, we have to sit and watch millions of dollars of t.v. advertisements. What a waste of money when elections could be so simple and full of integrity.
May the best man win.
Posted by: rafraf | October 15, 2008, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Bill Ayers worried his group didn’t bomb enough. His wife claimed credit for bombings. People got hurt – both physically and emotionally. But who cares – except for the victims and their families.
Welcome to the new O world where it’s OK to associate with people who literally supported killing others because of political views. Nothing wrong with that.
Posted by: Ono | October 15, 2008, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
“Ayers Supply” nicely turned phrase sir.
I think voters are about “All Out of Love” for McCain.
Posted by: Brasky | October 15, 2008, 2:32 pm 2:32 pm
Indeed guilt by association is a dangerous game and one McCain should be smarter than to engage in.
McCain’s transition team head was a lobbyist for Saddam Husain.
McCain was part of a group funding “anti communist” groups, one of which was a group of afghan rebel fighters that eventually became the taliban.
McCain has taken 50k in bundling from Keating for this election.
McCain and his VP candidate are the only candidates IN HISTORY to both be found guilty of ethics violations before they ran for the White House.
Guilt by association is a VERY dangerous game, especially to McCain. As previously and often demonstrated, he didn’t bother to think about that. If he can’t have the foresight to realize the ramifications and consequences of this line of attack alone, then he does not have the judgment he brags so much of having.
Posted by: landlocked | October 15, 2008, 2:42 pm 2:42 pm
landlocked -
“McCain’s transition team head was a lobbyist for Saddam Husain.” – FALSE — the two people who were lobbyists and who were convicted alleged that he was involved, but investigations turned up nothing and there was no prosecution.
McCain was part of a group funding “anti communist” groups, one of which was a group of afghan rebel fighters that eventually became the taliban. ??? – the “anti communist” group was the rebels fighting off Russian invasion of Afghanistan Should the US not have done that?
Posted by: TTL | October 15, 2008, 3:01 pm 3:01 pm
Obama is going to get a nice November suprise from Pennsylvania on election day. The “bitter, gun clinging” people of Pa will not vote for this arrogant, self serving LIAR.
Pa is NOW A RED STATE.
Posted by: ml | October 15, 2008, 3:19 pm 3:19 pm
TTL:
Apparently you have better sources than Time Magazine and several other publications… Interesting. I doubt it’s true, but interesting nonetheless.
Yes those were the fighters fighting off Russian aggression. Very good. However, they still became the Taliban, and John McCain belonged to a group that helped fund them. That fact remains.
You see, this is exactly what I meant when I said that guilt by association is a very dangerous game for John McCain to be playing. When McCain is painted with the same brush he has been using, he comes out looking far, far worse. Thus proving that he lacked the foresight to see this coming, or the honesty to check his own closet before launching attacks of this nature. If someone displays such a lack of foresight or personal insight, why should anyone trust that they will show any better qualities leading a nation?
Posted by: landlocked | October 15, 2008, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
That’s kinda funny ml, every map I find has PA as solidly blue…. Maybe you’re still looking at Karl Rove’s map…
Posted by: Solid Blue | October 15, 2008, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm
That Obama felt so highly of Ayers that he launched his political career in his living room is bad…
But the fact that Ayers thought so highly of Obama that he invited him to do so is far worse.
What do Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright, Fr. Pfleger, and Tony Rezko see in Barack Obama that they think is so wonderful?
Posted by: marylou | October 15, 2008, 5:04 pm 5:04 pm
Huh? says, “Kristen182, Sounds like you have a problem with educated people (i.e. “Intellectuals”) and educators in general. That sounds more like a personal issue than a political argument.”
I AM an educator and, actually, I have a Masters in Education so I kind of know a little about the topic. I’m tired of hearing the argument for Ayers’ “social justice teaching” as being “it’s well-respected, it’s mainstream, everyone agrees on this….etc.” IT IS NOT and not everyone agrees, actually very few do.
Chicago schools are worse off now than they were 15 years ago. That’s a fact. And that’s after Obama and Ayers and their friends threw gazillions of dollars at the problems. Look at the grants, specifically, for crying out loud. They’re online, accessible. Most of organizations who received the money are far-left supporters of social justice teaching philosophy or outright friends of board members; or in the case of Ayers and Hallett, their own businesses or groups.
Posted by: Kristen182 | October 15, 2008, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
marylou
Obama did not chose Ayers house to start his political career. The person in charge of organizing campaign fundraisers is not the candidate it is the campaign manager. The candidate is too busy talking about the issues in most campaigns to do all the scheduling.
Posted by: Josh | October 15, 2008, 5:43 pm 5:43 pm
Marylou,
What about Todd Palin’s political associations. Being a member of the AIP is far more troubling than any relationship Obama had with Ayers. The AIP is closely aligned with paramilitary militia groups who hate America, and they call Sarah Palin one of their own. She welcomed their convention to the State of Alaska. If Todd Palin wanted clearance for a government job, he would be denied. And that’s a fact based on Standard Form 86. So let’s talk more about shady associations. I’d love for you to elaborate on that!
Posted by: Nelson | October 15, 2008, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
There is just one question I hope is asked of Obama,”WHY DID YOU ALLIGNED YOURSELF WITH AYERS, WRIGHT, REZKO AND ACRON TO START YOUR POLITICAL CAREER?” Don’t state I had no idea they were this bad, your not that naive, neither are we.
Posted by: jpmichigan | October 15, 2008, 6:41 pm 6:41 pm
To JpMichigan
I hope McCain does ask those questions of Obama. That way he can answer why he alligned himself with Keating, Bush, Cheney etc. He can also answer why he decided to lay with a younger, prettier, richer women when he was already married.
Posted by: Lori | October 15, 2008, 6:45 pm 6:45 pm
Dear Tribune: Next time you talk with Prof Ayers, ask him about Diana Oughten.
Dear McCain: Quit distracting us with irrelevant 40yr old diversions from the issues. No one that I know would condone Ayers actions in the 1960/70s but they just don’t have a bearing on the 2008 election. So stop dodging the issues that make a difference.
Dear Obama: Maybe if you didnt get involved with trying to improve things, you wouldnt get entangled with folks with objectionable pasts.
Posted by: OneObservation | October 16, 2008, 6:18 pm 6:18 pm