While the McCain campaign (mainly Saracuda) is now concentrating on Obama’s radical past associations, the opposition on the left sees William Ayers as a more harmless individual. One of them, as it were…
Ayers today is a tenured professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. In a statement, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley called him “a valued member of the Chicago community” who has “worked with me in shaping our now nationally renowned school reform program.” It’s said Ayers and Obama have few ties beyond living in the same Chicago neighborhood and having once served together on the board of two nonprofits. Ayers also hosted a fundraiser for Obama when he ran for the State Senate. In North Carolina, Obama dismissed the allegations as a desperate political ploy.
While Democracy Now!’s Amy Goodman believes Ayers is a meek, mild-mannered tenured professor, she’d probably be signing a different tune if he bombed her beloved Pacifica Radio and said he didn’t do enough. But as he’s still unrepentant, and got Barack Obama off to his political start, liberals like Goodman now have no choice but defend the indefensible.
Better her than me.
I also note that despite the fact that when Obama attended Columbia and lived only 1/4 mile from Bill Ayers who was attending Banks College which was only 4 blocks from Columbia few in NYC wish to look into that.
After Banks Ayers taught at Columbia while Obama did a short stint at a business intelligence newsletter company and community organizing for NY Public Interest Group.
It would be germane to the issue if their paths had crossed in this time frame as some suggest since they were nearly neighbors.
It would explain a lot of the later early support by Ayers that has dismissed by the Obama camp.
Such a longer term relationship would be damaging to the positions that many have taken on this issue.
Just recall — or google — what Ayers’ ole lady said about Sharon Tate at the time.
Maggot gaggin’
There’s one old fork that if Sarah mentions it, well, stick it in Obama, he’s done.