Chicago Trib: Ayers ‘Seems to Contradict’ Obama by Calling Him ‘a Family Friend’
Yeah, and the Chicago Cubs “seem” not to have won a World Series for 100 years.
A Thursday afternoon Chicago Tribune story (HTs to Ace and Say Anything) by Rex W. Huppke covers the appearance of a new afterword in a book by former Weather Underground leader William Ayers.
Let’s just roll the excerpt:
In a new afterword to his memoir, 1960s radical William Ayers describes himself as a “family friend” of President-elect Barack Obama and writes that the campaign controversy over their relationship was an effort by Obama’s political enemies to “deepen a dishonest narrative” about the candidate.
Ayers describes phone threats and hate e-mail he received during the campaign, and he bemoans Obama’s guilt by association.
During the campaign, Ayers’ friendship with Obama was a favorite subject of conservative bloggers and talk show hosts who insisted the two were closer than the candidate was admitting. Ayers’ new description of the relationship seems to contradict Obama’s statements.
Obama had dismissed Ayers as “a guy who lives in my neighborhood” and “somebody who worked on education issues in Chicago that I know.”
….. (Ayers will) appear Friday on “Good Morning America” to promote the re-issue of his book this week. The Tribune obtained a copy of the updated material.
For someone so opposed to the evils of capitalism, the guy sure is a savvy financial opportunist, isn’t he?
A guy whose organization was responsible for dozens of violent acts, including a murderous armed robbery, and who told the New York Times in a September 11, 2001 article that “I don’t regret setting bombs,” complains about crank phone calls and e-mails, apparently expects sympathy (of course I’m not defending those e-mailers and callers). You can’t make this stuff up.
There’s more dissembling by Ayers than can be addressed here at the Trib link, but one reportorial oversight demands notice. While citing criticism from John McCain during the presidential campaign, reporter Huppke failed to note that it was Hillary Rodham Clinton who was the first presidential candidate to bring up Ayers (as well as Obama’s radical pastor of nearly two decades, Jeremiah Wright), doing so in an April primary debate.
Cross-posted at NewsBusters.org.
I knew these guys were friends a long time ago.
Someone from the media just needed to ask me.
Sincerely,
Father Michael Pfleger
Comment by Gordon — November 14, 2008 @ 10:34 am
Election is over. No big deal about coming clean now. They know that bringing it up again in 2012 or whenever wont work.
Comment by Ben Keeler — November 14, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Obama, as president, will meet with many people, leaders of other countries, who have done, or believe things that obama, and our country as a whole do not agree with. But you have to be able to sit down and talk to someone and listen to someone whose opinions differ from yours. Most conservative republican americans lack that ability, which is why they will never understand or accept anyone unlike themselves. Like Ayers said, you have to be able to talk to people from all walks of life, and still see things for yourself. Obama is of a strong character and he is diplomatic. Whatever his relationship with Ayers, he is a man who will form his own opionions based on intelligence and his own brain.
Comment by Tiara — November 14, 2008 @ 6:22 pm
Tom….I listened to the interview….I was of the distinct impression that he said that his association with Obama was purely professional!!
Where did you get the “family friend” part out of that interview???
Stu
Comment by stuart hilbert — November 14, 2008 @ 9:06 pm
How come you guys aren’t raising a stink that Bill Ayers teaches at the U. of Illinois, Chicago!
He is quite a wonderful educator, and social justice advocate.
Shut Up!!!!
Comment by Linda — November 14, 2008 @ 9:34 pm
DEPORT THEM BOTH
Comment by lotzahair — November 14, 2008 @ 9:54 pm
#3, I assume you’d feel the same way if I struck up a “family friendship” with, oh, Eric Rudolph or Tim McVeigh?
#5, oh how tolerant. And no I won’t.
#4, Read the post. The quote is, as my post says, is from “a new afterword to his memoir” that is quoted in the ChiTrib excerpt.
It has nothing to do with any broadcast. I’m thinking you already knew that.
Comment by TBlumer — November 14, 2008 @ 10:40 pm