Comparing Keating 5 to Ayers
Find a Conversation
Comparing Keating 5 to Ayers
| Mon, 10-06-2008 - 10:41am |
Yes, this is from a right leaning source, however there are many, many great links included in the article.
http://www.patterico.com/2008/10/06/mccain-keating-obama-ayers/
BTW, I'm going out of town for a few days, but I'll try to respond to any posts when I get back.






Pages
Personally, I don't want to hear any of it. I think McCain's involvement with the Keating Five showed truly poor judgment but, at least until 2000, he made efforts to make u for that association. As for Obama, I see nothing even close to wrong with what appears to be an extremely limited association with Ayers (who is a professor at the University of Illinois), particularly given that he has called Ayer's acts despicable and their interactions have been extremely limited. I wish both candidates and the public would stick to the issues.
As for the Annenberg Challenge grant, Obama chaired the board on which Ayers was a member with many other people including representatives from several (extremely non-radical) foundations. To claim that that the almost 150 million dollars raised should have somehow turned around Chicago's public education system and that Obama as chair of the board failed in his executive leadership is completely ridiculous. I have a PhD in education and work with philanthropic foundations to evaluate such efforts and can tell you that the Annenberg grants produced some great things. The problems with most urban school systems are wide ranging and ingrained and will require long-term investments in changing multiple related systems - housing, job availability, public safety, teacher training, etc. - to profoundly affect the education system. These are complex issues which Obama's proposed education policies go further toward addressing, demonstrating he learned from his Chicago experience: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/10/us/politics/10educate.html
I'd also simply like to draw attention to a quote in the NYTimes article (cited in the blog) by a supporter of McCain's from the Bush administration:
“I saw no evidence of a radical streak, either overt or covert, when we were together at Harvard Law School,” said Bradford A. Berenson, who worked on the Harvard Law Review with Mr. Obama and who served as associate White House counsel under President Bush. Mr. Berenson, who is backing Mr. McCain, described his fellow student as “a pragmatic liberal” whose moderation frustrated others at the law review whose views were much farther to the left.
I wish we could drop this nonsensical smearing on both sides.
yes i do too. but like that game of Steal the Bacon, I will continue to say Keating every time i hear Ayers. i don't really give a fig about Keating, but i know the Republicans won't drop Ayers - so I won't drop Keating.
and then I'll say: you started it.
(just to be clear - not "you" Bella but "you" who wants to use Ayers as a smear.)
or I could just go for the really salacious story about the Brazilian woman.
Bea
Sorry, but this is nothing more than a hit job.
I think Obama ended up rejected by many Chicago politicians who felt he was too moderate.
this is a deliberate distraction from the issues that should be discussed by the candidates - mainly the economy.
in addition, a deliberate smear. a distortion of the truth in order to create a negative impression.
but since Palin seems to be unleashed as the Pit Bull she claims to be, *sigh* I'm off the read about the other smear that Obama has to confront - again - and get cozy with Hagee. so i can put his bobble head doll right next to Keating.
sadly, instead of reading about healthcare and job creation and foreign policy - some of the real issues.
Bea
I don't think it is a distraction to discuss associations within the confines of their potential influence on an administration or a candidate's position.
If I could compell them to answer anything, it would be "who will you appoint to your cabinet, and other key appointments, if elected?"
I disagree with you, but I'm pretty sure
Pages