Oct 27, 2008 6:34pm
Dept. Of Bad Company
EmailThe Center for Responsive Politics notes partners and employees at the law firm founded by Charles H. Keating, Jr., "who symbolized how political influence contributed to the collapse of savings and loans in the 1980s, have bundled at least $50,000 to John McCain’s presidential campaign since June…making the Cincinnati-based firm McCain’s sixth-largest contributor during that period."
Meanwhile, ABC News’ Investigative Czar Brian Ross tracks down education professor/former domestic terrorist William Ayers, whose relationship with Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has been an issue as well.
– jpt
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You know, Ayers has to answer nothing. Why is it that if you don’t play by the Reporter’s rules you are “hiding something.” Since when is your life anyone’s business. And I don’t expect a man like Ayers to trust the media. any response he gives could be spun by anyone to say anything. And this late in the game, you don’t need something that could spin out of control. Good for Ayers for keeping quiet. Do I think he’s involved in anything illegit with Obama? No. But he has his personal privacy too, and he’s now a respected member of society. Leave him alone.
Posted by: Jerome | October 27, 2008, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
Are you equating Bill Ayers the man with the partners and employees of a lawfirm founded by Charles Keating? Keating is no longer affiliated with the lawfirm.
I don’t get the comparison.
Posted by: MayBee | October 27, 2008, 6:40 pm 6:40 pm
The Keating scandal has destroyed the pensions and therefore the lives of many, many elderly Americans.
It has cost the American tax payers millions and millions of dollars.
And all his actions were based on greed.
Ayers was an ideological fighter against the war and the mass killings in Vietnam, as so many Americans at the time. He took the wrong road of violent protest, setting up some bombs. The only Americans killed by this BTW were Weathermen themselves, for they were hopeless amateurs.
Posted by: geevill | October 27, 2008, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm
Why are you reporting dirty this late in the campaign?
Posted by: rev wright | October 27, 2008, 6:46 pm 6:46 pm
I have to admit, Ayres has style. That was the best example of how to deal with the media I have ever seen.
Posted by: Mike | October 27, 2008, 6:52 pm 6:52 pm
Did McCain start up his political career in the living room of any of these doners? Did McCain have an association with anyone WHO KILLED PEOPLE with “dispicable acts”?
Sorry TERRIORIST AYERS, trumps the doners from a firm started by a guy WHO DID TIME FOR THE MONEY HE TOOK.
McCAIN/PALIN
Posted by: Hopey Uniter, is Dopey Divider | October 27, 2008, 6:55 pm 6:55 pm
Bill Ayers is not out on the national stage. He is not a public figure. He is not out making public statements or calling press conferences to draw attention to himself. He has given nobody permission to use him to further their political ambitions.
I think it was totally out of line for Brian Ross to harrass this man while he was trying to go about his business.
No, he does not owe anybody any answers to the absurd charges that McCain/and Palin are making about him and Senator Obama.
The two of them lie everytime they open their mouths. Why should anybody waste their time trying to defend themselves against fabricated charges?
Posted by: Truth Matters | October 27, 2008, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
Posted by: Jerome | Oct 27, 2008 6:40:09 PM
You know, Ayers has to answer nothing. Why is it that if you don’t play by the Reporter’s rules you are “hiding something.” Since when is your life anyone’s business. And I don’t expect a man like Ayers to trust the media. any response he gives could be spun by anyone to say anything. And this late in the game, you don’t need something that could spin out of control. Good for Ayers for keeping quiet. Do I think he’s involved in anything illegit with Obama? No. But he has his personal privacy too, and he’s now a respected member of society. Leave him alone.
________________________________________
I agree with you Jerome. Now, Jake I have learned a lot about the media, during the election. It seems that if there isn’t a story, then you dig up something and put a new spin on it. It angers me, so I had to put into some sort of perspective. So, I came up with THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE GOT TO PAY YOUR BILLS TOO!
Posted by: fempharoh08 | October 27, 2008, 6:56 pm 6:56 pm
So then, if Keating is not a partner in this firm, or even associated with it what is the point of the Keating portion of this article? Does Obama have someone or some firm that bundled 50K?
Posted by: smith | October 27, 2008, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
Why has Wright not been persued like this?
Rezko is behind bars, but where are the guys with the mic and the cameras in Jerimiah Wright’s face? Now THERE’S a story….and he’s going to try and sell it AFTER the election….too bad it won’t rake in nearly as much money then, no matter what the outcome!
Posted by: Hopey Uniter, is Dopey Divider | October 27, 2008, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
There is nothing there ewveryone knows it.
What was the purpose of the clip? What did we the viewer get from it? Any new information? Any enlightenment? What?
Posted by: Thinking | October 27, 2008, 6:57 pm 6:57 pm
“did mccain have dealing with people who killed people, with dispicable acts?”
not that we want to argue this again.
and i am sorry and honor him for his service.
but
did we really have any business in vietnam?
the media should just leave ayers alone.
Posted by: cheer up, smile, nertz! | October 27, 2008, 6:58 pm 6:58 pm
geevill: The Keating scandal has destroyed the pensions and therefore the lives of many, many elderly Americans.
It has cost the American tax payers millions and millions of dollars.
____________________________________
Well once the dems finish taxing (or removing tax credits) from 401k’s people won’t be able to retire this generation either.
Posted by: samhiguchi | October 27, 2008, 7:00 pm 7:00 pm
Why will Obama not answer a single question about Ayers. A lot has been learned since he said “Aryers was just a guy in the neighborhood”. Perhaps Brian should ask Obama.
Posted by: smith | October 27, 2008, 7:01 pm 7:01 pm
Well oh course Keating is donating heavily to McCain, it worked to pay him off before, think how much influence McCain could give him as president.
You never did accept that you did anything wrong, did you John? The other senators reprimanded you because they were just jealous of you and your hot new wife.
Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:02 pm 7:02 pm
Oh gosh, I forgot Cindy was in deep with Keating too, wasn’t she?
Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:03 pm 7:03 pm
Hey did you notice the body guards surrounding Ayers? Who’s tax dollars are paying for that, or is the Obama campaign paying for his posse?
Bet old Barack offered up some of his guys….as he has more secret service surrounding him than any candidate in history.
Posted by: Hopey Uniter, is Dopey Divider | October 27, 2008, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
Wow I never thought I would see the day when ABC news would turn into FOX NEWS and hunt people down like the Bill O’riley and Sean Hannity…
Well, then again I take that back.
Seeing as how this blog has been peddaling the same crap as Drudge, and George Stephanopolis got his talking points from Hannity during the Primary debate in PA with Hillary and Barack.
Posted by: just sad | Oct 27, 2008 6:59:37 PM
Ditto.
Posted by: Virginian Marine | October 27, 2008, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
brian,
obama was asked at the last debate,
he answered and then mccain said
“I don’t care anything about a washed up old domestic terroist” and that should have been the end of it.
but no, the only thing mccain has to offer his followers, and the only thing they want from mccain is bill ayers, birth certificates and such.
so to answer why not ask obama
they did and he answered on national tv.
Posted by: cheer up, smile, nertz! | October 27, 2008, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
Concerned, what’s a FEW years ago to you, the 60′s were 40 years ago and that ain’t no few.
Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:06 pm 7:06 pm
McCain doesn’t care about a washed up old terriorist, but he DOES care about Obama’s lying about how close his ties are to Ayers. McCain cares about Obama’s mistruths and witholding information. So do I.
NEVER OBAMA
Posted by: Hopey Uniter, is Dopey Divider | October 27, 2008, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
“did mccain have dealing with people who killed people, with dispicable acts?”
despicable depends on your view point, but killed people, NO, he NEVER killed anybody.
Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:08 pm 7:08 pm
In the 60′s a lot of people were busy with despicable acts:
*National Guard troops shooting students at Kent State
*Police using dogs, clubs, tear gas and water cannons on peace demonstrators
* The FBI wiretapping and spying on American citizens
*The Vietnam War itself
to name a “few”
Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:12 pm 7:12 pm
I’ll be interested in a new headline with “Joe the Plumber” who will be out on the campaign trail tomorrow in Ohio stumping for McCain. What wonderful timing that Obama would walk down Joe’s street in Ohio as Joe was throwing a football with his son, and he would ask a serious question that concerned him as a guy who wants to work his way up.
The answer turned this economic talk around and gives a clear picture of Obama’s taking my money and giving more of it to the poor already on welfare and not paying taxes (40%). His 95% number has been off from day one, because he never mentions the poorest in this country DON’T PAY TAXES. The top earners pay 60% or more. When will people get it?
Posted by: Hopey Uniter, is Dopey Divider | October 27, 2008, 7:14 pm 7:14 pm
“McCain doesn’t care about a washed up old terriorist”
No he knows that there’s no substance in the charge, he only makes it because stupid neo-cons will cling to any negative attack that he makes, no matter how silly.
Posted by: JR | October 27, 2008, 7:14 pm 7:14 pm
Hopey Uniter, is Dopey Divider
Change your name, our candidates don’t go around deciding which parts of the country are pro-American. All because Bill O, and Hannity says something doesn’t make it true. They are not serious news casters or reporters.
Posted by: MM | October 27, 2008, 7:17 pm 7:17 pm
I like Ayers ! I dont care what he did then he is a good human being now! ABC is sad for going after fox ratings !
Posted by: Mike NC | October 27, 2008, 7:18 pm 7:18 pm
This election is totally about Marxism. If you would like re-distribution of wealth to Obama plus a little bit for the many vote for Obama. If you would like re-distribution of wealth to the few, along with some smatterings of keep it in your own pocket, then McCain’s your man. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to vote for the pathetic brand Obama. He has been consistently Marxist for the longest time. Unfortunately for McCain he is just newly introduced to the Marxist philosophy that the Republican Party has been practicing for the longest. I don’t want a novice in office.
Posted by: WestCoastMessenger | October 27, 2008, 7:20 pm 7:20 pm
The Vietnam war was the real and HUGE scandal; the Weathermen were and are a tiny footnote to that.
Did people forget about everything that wrong about America’s war in Vietnam?
And about our President lying about it to us, Americans?
The Vietnam war is still one of the most despicable and destructive and criminal acts in our nation’s history, and may come second only to Nagasaki and Hiroshima.
Posted by: ghandi | October 27, 2008, 7:21 pm 7:21 pm
If you would like to continue the re-distribution of your wealth to Iraq and the rich then Mccain is your man!
If you want 95% of America to get tax cut and for the rich to pay the same rate they paid under Clinton then Obama is you man!
Posted by: Mike NC | October 27, 2008, 7:24 pm 7:24 pm
Ayers still considers himself a Marxist. Which he is certainly entitled to do in this country. What I’d like to know though…is how can he also owns property and not consider himself to be a hypocrite by his own terms?
(for those of you unfamiliar with Marxism…private property is theft from the people)
Posted by: Michelle | October 27, 2008, 7:29 pm 7:29 pm
Really embarassing for a major network. Not the attempt at the “get”, i.e. getting any interview. That’s in bounds. But the rhetorical and leading questions “what are you hiding”, “don’t the American people deserve to know about you and Obama”, “what can you tell us about Obama”…that crosses a line. I would not have expected it from Brian Ross.
It’s a shame he has lowered himself to this point in order to have the scoop, even if out of his own mouth.
Posted by: gail | October 27, 2008, 7:39 pm 7:39 pm
Michelle, the Marxist term property means the factories, the mills, the means of production. It does not mean your house, and it does not mean your toothbrush.
I love how everyone who has never read a word of Marx is suddenly an expert on him.
Posted by: Flash Override | October 27, 2008, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
“how can he also owns property and not consider himself to be a hypocrite by his own terms”
The same way Republicans will say they advocate family values while they cheat ibn their wives and molest children.
Or that people who support the war while claiming to be prolife.
OMG – Ayers is just like a right winger!
Posted by: Ryan C (the actual real one) | October 27, 2008, 7:42 pm 7:42 pm
“I love how everyone who has never read a word of Marx is suddenly an expert on him.”
Hey you can’t expect people to actually read Marx. Then the Bush admin would think they were a commie and poof there goes the Justice Dept job they had been gunning for ever since enrolling in Liberty University.
Posted by: Ryan C (the actual real one) | October 27, 2008, 7:44 pm 7:44 pm
Why are you reporting dirty this late in the campaign?
Do I actually hear complaining about negative reporting from a democrat??? Pleasae say it isn’t so. Obama has ducked Fox continuously since the camnpaign started. If he is the leader you think he is, he should be able to handle fox. After all he has to face the hatred of the middle east and others as president. Yeah, He is definately ready to lead the country.
Posted by: A Veteran | October 27, 2008, 7:46 pm 7:46 pm
I dont know if any of you caught the video of the staff of congressman Wolf of Virginia beating up two Feder for congress staffers today, but the treatment of Ayers by Ross was alot more harassing. Ayers would have probably been within his rights to give Ross a good right hook, but it seems he’s not as violent a man as he has been portrayed. Its not that I think he should have hit Ross, just that Wolf’s staffers who roughed up people asking fairly mild questions will probably get away with it, but I doubt Ayers would.
Posted by: Flash Override | October 27, 2008, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
Or people who claim to be pro life yet against condoms!
Posted by: Mike NC | October 27, 2008, 7:49 pm 7:49 pm
If you would like to continue the re-distribution of your wealth to Iraq and the rich then Mccain is your man!
He gave 25% of his income last year to chairty. Any figures for Obama. Pathertic at best. He wants to distribute everyone else wealth not his.
Posted by: A Veteran | October 27, 2008, 7:54 pm 7:54 pm
John McCain is an abysmal mediocrity who would never have made it on a level playing field. He was fifth from the bottom of his class at the Naval Academy. He racked up three life threatening “Dangerous Downs” at flight school — the last one for flying his aircraft into the sea while asleep — enough to get anyone without his political influence bounced down the back stairs.
As for his record as a senator, can anyone remember a single significant thing this man has accomplished in more than a dozen years as a member of that august body? Anything other than sell out the POWs and promote the interests of Communist Vietnam, that is.
To those who have recently determined that we just HAVE to have this man as our next president, I pose the following question: why?
Posted by: Vietnam Vet | October 27, 2008, 7:59 pm 7:59 pm
National Guard troops shooting students at Kent State.
Hey JR while they did shoot that guy laying on the walkway with the girl hovering over his body, they didn’t kill any students.
The guy and the girl (his girl friend) were at Kent State looking for a stash of Pot. They weren’t students, just more or less passing through at the wrong time. A piece of bad luck
This little bit of history got distorted along the way and dropped off the page.
Too bad it happened.
Posted by: BarsandStars | October 27, 2008, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
Who were the two muscle guys walking behind Ayers? Who pays for the bodyguards – the Obama campaign?
Ayers is total slime. Without Ayers there would be no Obama in politics.
Posted by: Will Stanton | October 27, 2008, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm
The four killed at Kent State were all students. Nine other students were injured.
Posted by: Liz | October 27, 2008, 8:22 pm 8:22 pm
because he never mentions the poorest in this country DON’T PAY TAXES. The top earners pay 60% or more. When will people get it?
=============================
And five of the top ten wealthiest corporations in the US didn’t pay taxes last year.
As a percentage, the middle class actually PAYS a higher tax rate then the wealthy. No, not the number on the tax table, in ACTUAL taxes paid.
When will YOU get it?
Posted by: Reality Check | October 27, 2008, 8:23 pm 8:23 pm
More Americans should have had the guts to do what Ayers did.
If it weren’t for ‘conservatives’ blindly supporting the war, Johnson or Nixon would have been forced to pull out earlier. This would have saved billions of $$$ and thousands of soldiers.
The only thing ‘conservatives’ are good for is blindly following crooked leaders who sacrifice our soldiers based on lies.
Conservatives would support Bush even if he tried to crash the planet into the sun.
Posted by: powmadeak47 | October 27, 2008, 8:31 pm 8:31 pm
“He gave 25% of his income last year to chairty”
That means so much for a man who lives off his wife’s fortune.
Posted by: Ryan C (the actual real one) | October 27, 2008, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm
Ayers is not talking now. You can bet he will start talking if Obama is elected. Ayers for the supreme court? Ayers for Secretary of Defense? Ayers for Homeland Security.
How is it possible Obama is getting away with this?
Posted by: David H | October 27, 2008, 8:43 pm 8:43 pm
Shouldn’t the fact that Obama’s known long-time associates refuse to be interviewed automatically disqualify Obama from the presidency? How can Obama get a security clearance unless the people know about his associates?
Isn’t anybody paying attention?
Posted by: David H | October 27, 2008, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
Obama was not with Ayers when he plotted bombings against the establishment he was only eight at the time and so he was not apart of that era,but McCain was very much a grownup that was in with the Keating Five when they bilked the elderly out of millions some of which did not come to good end.What people need to look at is do they want to go the way of the last eight yrs.a war that should not have been,banks closing,hundreds of thousands of jobs lost,families losing their homes and having to got to shelters,a widening of the division in the relations of the American people.This is becoming more evident when you you watched their rallies 2 weeks ago and also the girl from MCcains campaign.While he and Palin are pulling apart and McCain has the blah blahs people should consider the thought of having Palin should something happen to McCain.She is not ready to lead this country.We will be right back to the civil rights era.
Posted by: damehen | October 27, 2008, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm
McCain was badmouthing Obama behind his back about Ayers for weeks.
In the last presidential debate, Obama basically brought up Ayers, explained the board he and Ayers once sat on . . and basically said to McCain ‘bring it on’.
Well, as it turns out, McCain had nothing. He started to mumble into his shirt about how he had just felt Obama ‘should explain’. That’s what Obama had just done. And McCain had nothing more!
That’s it. McCain had nothing. Obama opened it up for McCain and he had nothing.
Sorry dude, if that’s the best you’ve got, the issue is over. You had your chance to get into it with Obama in front of the electorate – and you wimped out. Were you afraid Obama would bring up your connections to Keating (very strong connections!) or your palling around with Liddy?
Whatever the reasons McCain . .. you had nothing.
Posted by: pefros | October 27, 2008, 9:25 pm 9:25 pm
It’s a sad fact that the 9/11 attacks took place on the Bush/Cheney watch – and they had lots of advance intelligence. It did not happen on Clinton’s watch, and Clinton officials had warned Bush/Cheney about the situation.
That’s why head of security Richard Clarke went on record; to blow the whistle on Cheney and Bush blowing it.
Then Bush and Cheney and the neo-cons orchestrated an attack on a country that had nothing to do with 9/11 and killed thousands and thousands of people (for their own good, of course) and bankrupted the country with their arrogant neo-con war scheming.
Goodbye Republicans. The electorate is about to rightfully give you the boot.
Landslide Democratic win.
Posted by: pefros | October 27, 2008, 9:32 pm 9:32 pm
The best thing about putting William Ayers front and center is that the people that people will get to see that he’s a white guy. Many people from McCain/Palin’s base don’t know who he is and automatically and falsely assume that Ayers is a black muslim.
Obama/Biden 08!
Posted by: Common Sense | October 27, 2008, 9:43 pm 9:43 pm
If Ayers is such a terrorist and a threat to this country, why hasn’t the FBI or any other law enforcement agency arrested him? Are they oblivious to all of the daily accusations against him that are in every newspaper and electronic media–or could it be that the guy has cleaned up his act, become a well-respected college professor and specialist in the field of education?
Posted by: Gary | October 27, 2008, 10:05 pm 10:05 pm
Vietnam Vet
You sound like a draftee.
Posted by: A Veteran | October 27, 2008, 10:19 pm 10:19 pm
Why does this story say that Ayers won’t say anything, when he actually d responded in his own way. Did anyone read his shirt!
It said “This is ridiculous”…and
I agree because there has been absolutely no outrage that this “terrible washed up terrorist” has been teaching college students for years under the Republican Administration no less.There has been no concern about what influence that might have on the kids,(must be millions of little Ayers running around in Chicago by now ) but people are now deeply concerned about an improbable influence on an adult Harvard Graduate. Makes me go hmmm…
Posted by: Donna | October 27, 2008, 11:30 pm 11:30 pm
David, If you’re worried about security clearances I suggest you look up some of Sarah and Todd’s close friends in Wasilla. They have arsenals in their basements. That’s not looked upon kindly by people looking into security clearances. Coffee at someone’s house? $200? I just don’t think it’s in the same galaxy as those boys from the AIP who Sarah tired to get on her City Council. I guess they forgot to ask that in their vetting process, and I don’t blame them. “By the way, do happen to have any friends who have arsenals in their homes? You didn’t happen to recommend them to your city council, did you?” By the way Jake, when ARE you going to do a story on the Palin’s friends? By last count, you’ve done close to 35 on Obama’s.
Posted by: Mara | October 27, 2008, 11:32 pm 11:32 pm
Why should he talk? As soon as he opens his mouth, no matter what comes out, it will be twisted.
Posted by: fcdsv | October 28, 2008, 12:00 am 12:00 am
GO ABC!
Unbelievable.
Ayers is better than all of you, can’t you see that? That’s why even though he is an admitted bomber and a recognized cop killer (killing the first black cop in the jurisdiction) can be bestest buds with HRH Barack. He doesn’t have to answer you puny mortals.
Posted by: happy happy | October 28, 2008, 1:36 am 1:36 am
what’s amazing is that the same Repubs state the same lies no matter how many times they are proven wrong.
but that’s OK… it just insures a bigger loss on Nov 4th..
KEEP IT UP !!!
Posted by: Blue | October 28, 2008, 2:14 am 2:14 am
Why does Mr. Ross think that a private citizen, essentially a victim of right wing scare tactics, owes ABC anything that Mr. Ross did not receive from that citizen?
Posted by: westsidedavid | October 28, 2008, 3:18 am 3:18 am