Tuesday, October 28, 2008

THE KHALIDI CON

Barack Obama's friendship with Rashid Khalidi is no surprise, even though it is October. The frantic right wing of the GOP wants to turn that friendship into a last-play game changer that propels John McCain and Sarah Palin to a destiny that is not dusty.

Before Tuesday you will hear more than you ever thought possible about Khalidi and how he ties in to scoundrel William Ayers, the former bomber linked to Obama in a convoluted political version of Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon. Added bonus: Media cover-up! Stop the presses! Roll the breaking news animation! Newsteam, assemble!

The conservative media and its pundits are acting like they've hooked King Kahuna. They see Khalidi as the best way to turn niggling doubts about Barack Obama's unusual name and heritage into fear. To them, because Khalidi is pro-Palestinian and a critic of Israel, he's a scary bad man who might hurt you and everything you love, including your country, the flag, apple pie and that new song by Pink.

And right there with the terrorists/guys with weird names is the evil media, covering up the secret ties between Obama and Khalidi because reporters are having Obamagasms at the thought of a black Democrat in the White House.

Listen to the right's latest shout: The Los Angeles Times is trying to suppress proof that Obama and Khalidi are thisclose. The proof is a videotape of a dinner, five years ago, where Obama paid tribute to Khalidi and his wife.

The McCain camp says the Times is "intentionally suppressing information that could provide a clearer link between Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi."

National Review pants over the Times' "refusal" to hand over the tape.

The Times has a copy of the vid and won't hand it over to the demanders. That's absolutely true. But how does everyone know the Times has the tape? Because the newspaper already told us what's on it.

The Times published a long story about Obama's friendship with Khalidi. It's been out there since April. You can read it right here. It's true: Google can be your friend.

The lede on that newspaper story comes from the video. So does this description of what Obama said:
A special tribute came from Khalidi's friend and frequent dinner companion, the young state Sen. Barack Obama. Speaking to the crowd, Obama reminisced about meals prepared by Khalidi's wife, Mona, and conversations that had challenged his thinking.

His many talks with the Khalidis, Obama said, had been "consistent reminders to me of my own blind spots and my own biases. ... It's for that reason that I'm hoping that, for many years to come, we continue that conversation -- a conversation that is necessary not just around Mona and Rashid's dinner table," but around "this entire world."
So clear now, eh? Obama is the Antichrist. Damn the Times for trying to cover up the Khalidi scandal and refusing to give the American people what they need in these last hours of Vote 2008 -- red meat to rip, and more political ads with grainy images of Men You Should Fear.

Another distraction in what's supposed to be an election about ideas, not innuendo. Meanwhile, the Phil Spector retrial starts Wednesday, and Court TV is sorely missed. Trial coverage on the rebranded truTV ends at 2 p.m. in the Midwest. Any hope of seeing Spector in all his glory, dashed.

5 comments:

Chain Gang BBQ said...

Maybe some one can clear this up. Why does Barack Obama decide to enter into these "associations" throughout his life and it's somehow wrong to question them?

Ron, this association is no "con."

Conservatives want answers about these associations because we feel it says a lot about Obama. And the way the press and liberals jump to their feet to defend him, makes the associations even more suspect.

WFTV-TV anchor Barbara West, the journalist who interviewed Biden, appeared on CNN's Larry King. King quotes an article from the Orlando Sentinel where they claim that she's a registered Republican and that her husband serves as a Republican strategist.

Here we go again. She didn't treat Joe very nice so let's throw her in the Nixon-like shredder. Destroy her, her husband to show them who's boss.

Obama was 6 when big bad Bill was a wingnut bomber. It was 5 years ago when this dinner was held. Are we like trying to set up a statute of limitations claim? Or is it the, "I thought Khalidi had been rehabilitated" song-and-dance.

If there's nothing on the tape, release it. Who's the publisher of the LA Times, Richard Nixon?

Anonymous said...

What about McCain's association with the World Anti-communist League which has holcause deniers and anti-semtites amongst its memebership?

Anonymous said...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081007/ap_on_el_pr/mccain_iran_contra

Anonymous said...

Ot his assciation with the Keating Five:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20081006/pl_politico/14302

Anonymous said...

AmPat, how can you support McCain when he provided funding for Rashid Khalidi?

"During the 1990s, while he served as chairman of the International Republican Institute (IRI), McCain distributed several grants to the Palestinian research center co-founded by Khalidi, including one worth half a million dollars.

A 1998 tax filing for the McCain-led group shows a $448,873 grant to Khalidi's Center for Palestine Research and Studies for work in the West Bank. (See grant number 5180, "West Bank: CPRS" on page 14 of this PDF.)

The relationship extends back as far as 1993, when John McCain joined IRI as chairman in January. Foreign Affairs noted in September of that year that IRI had helped fund several extensive studies in Palestine run by Khalidi's group, including over 30 public opinion polls and a study of "sociopolitical attitudes.""

What about McCain's relationship with convicted serial bomber Eduardo Arocena? On July 20, while campaigning for McCain in Miami and just prior to speaking at a McCain event, Sen. Joe Lieberman met with Arocena's wife and promised to pursue a presidential pardon on his behalf.

Arocena is serving a life sentence in federal prison for terrorist activities. His targets included Madison Square Garden (he blew up an adjacent store); JFK airport where he tried to blow up a plane bound for Los Angeles; Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center; and a church.

Or how about McCain's relationship with convicted felon G. Gordon Liddy, who went to prison for burglary, conspiracy and illegal wiretapping, and has provided instructions on how to shoot ATF agents?

I want answers about these associations because I feel they say a lot about McCain.

Perhaps you should crawl back under your bed and hide while Obama is elected president. I'm sure you'll feel much safer there.