Ever since the first sound bites of the execrable Reverend Wright hit the airwaves, it has been obvious that Barack Obama is a less than candid human being. It was impossible to believe that a man who had spent twenty years in Wright’s pews did not have a pretty good idea of the minister’s vile views. You would have had to have been deaf and dumb not to. And Wright was the inspiration of Obama’s books!
Yet when the candidate was confronted by the press about this, he denied knowing about Wright’s excesses and made a speech that was hailed by the media as a monument in race relations equal, some said, to Dr. King.
It was at that precise moment I knew we were living in a media-constructed lunatic asylum. That didn’t take a rocket scientist, I can assure you, only someone with a modicum of common sense. But it only got worse. When Wright predictably “acted out” and let loose with one of his racist screeds of the very type Obama pretended never to have heard, the candidate blithely pushed the minister under the bus with barely a peep from the compliant press.
About that time I learned of his putative relationship with William Ayers, the unrepentant Weatherman. I was assured by the New York Times and others that this was of no consequence, that Ayers was, in Obama’s words, just “some guy in the neighborhood.”
Another lie.
The more we learn of Obama’s ties to Ayers the more complex and disturbing they become. It is unlikely that we will ever know the extent of them, certainly not before the election. Most of what we do know does not come from the Times or the Washington Post of vaunted Woodward & Bernstein fame, but from Stanley Kurtz of the National Review, who has been following this story of the Ayers-Obama whitewash for months. Under orders or not, the normally voluble Mr. Ayers himself has kept his yap shut.
And now we learn of yet another strange obfuscation or omission. In 1996, Obama was apparently a member of the Chicago “New Party,” a now defunct socialist political party of some stripe or other.
There’s nothing wrong with being a socialist. I called myself one for the better part of twenty years. Millions of people have and many still do. But there is something very wrong with hiding who you are or who you were from the electorate—especially if you want to be President of the United States. Yet that seems to be a habit of Mr. Obama’s, with the collusion of the press. To my knowledge, no one in the mainstream media has begun to inquire into the details of Obama’s curiously unreported years at Columbia and Harvard, although much could be relatively easily ascertained. Obama himself has not been remotely forthcoming about them.
The inescapable conclusion is that Barack Obama is a highly deceptive, often dishonest individual. Again, many would say this is standard operating procedure for politicians in our culture (and most others too). But Obama presents himself as something different, a new kind of post-modern politician above the conventional dirty dealings of backroom politics.
Of course, by now that is something of a joke—yet the press is loath to admit it or to do much to balance the investigative reporting equation. They don’t even begin. What is the explanation for this? The most obvious reasons are bias and the desire to defeat the opposing candidate. But beneath these obvious explanations, I sense something more complex and pathological. Deeper fears are perhaps at play - the loss of self-image and personality disintegration, also a desperate need to conform to a fragile peer group. And in these times more than ever, a yet more potent terror – job loss.
UPDATE: Two related articles of note have appeared this morning. In the New York Post, Ron Radosh explores Ayers’ educational theories as they relate to Obama . In the American Thinker, Jack Cashill makes the rather extroardinary allegation, using various linguistic study methods, that Ayers may have ghost written Obama’s first book. As a memoirist myself, I found this jaw-dropping.
MORE from neo-neocon: Ayers and Obama in synch on education
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233 Comments
1. David Thomson:“In 1996, Obama was apparently a member of the Chicago “New Party,” a now defunct socialist political party of some stripe or other.”
Please note that Barack Obama was not an immature teenager twelve years ago. No, he was thirty-five years old! Obama was a full grown adult. This new information, if accurate, is very disturbing. May God help us if Obama gets into the White House. Will the middle of the road voters learn the truth in time?
Oct 8, 2008 - 10:37 pm 2. Edan Naud:Roger isn’t this the plot of your first book “The Big Fix”. Liberal politician for high office is linked to a former radical. I believe you were on the other side of the barricades back then. One other item. If Obama is elected will you all stand behind your predictions of gulags and stormtroopers. What I hate about political discussions is that both sides feel they have to demonize the other. So if Obama is elected we will all be wearing our Mao jackets holding up our little red copies of “The Audacity of Hope” and if McCain is elected it will be Nazi jackboots at our throats. So when the Left and the Right’s predicted mess doesn’t happen I would like someone to say gee I got it wrong. Are you all that honest?
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:02 pm 3. Roger L. Simon:I would be pleased to see I was wrong. But Edan, you will note my problem with Obama is NOT his left wing past (to whatever degree he has it), but that he tries to hide it. It’s the dishonesty that bothers me.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:04 pm 4. jim Rhoads aka vnjagvet:This fills in the blanks between two links that have been in play for a while. The first is the Ayers/Obama connection. In 1996, socialist terrorist Ayers, his weatherwoman-socialist wife, and (we now know) the socialist front New Party pushed Obama for state senate. That same year, Obama was selected by Ayers and his CAC collaborative to run the CAC grant recipient. That is either a big coincidence or evidence that Obama and Ayers are more than casual acquaintances.
The second is Obama’s strong affinity with far-left socialist political policies. Without that strong affinity, he never would have accepted the endorsement of the New Party, nor would he have invited its members to take his training courses funded by (we now know) ACORN.
This is not a pretty picture for a future President of the US. While it will appeal to the ANSWER nutjobs (some of whom anonymously post here), it will turn off those OH, PA, TN, CO, VA, FL voters who will simply not vote for a socialist.
The Obama troops know this, and will stop at nothing to keep this information from wide distribution.
They well know how toxic this is even if some of the astroturfing posters here would have you believe they don’t.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:19 pm 5. jim Rhoads aka vnjagvet:And the other piece of uncontested evidence is the story of the mentors of BHO’s youth which included his socialist mother, his socialist father, his lefty grandparents, their friend the communist who became his most influential mentor.
The inference I draw from all of these facts is not helpful to the Chosen One. He is Chosen allright. By the socialist wing of the democrat party. Bernie Sanders would be real proud.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:25 pm 6. jim Rhoads aka vnjagvet:The latter uncontested evidence comes from his memoirs, in case anyone missed it.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:26 pm 7. Edan Naud:Roger I agree dishonesty is not good, but doesn’t this particular sin also fall on McCain. Bushes tax cuts whose “…benefits go to the most fortunate among us.” McCain said and now he feels differently. Does he really think something different or was it calculated to win him the nomination? I don’t know but I feel it is our own fault because we (the voting public) won’t let our politicians ever say “I was WRONG.” Clinton never said it. George Bush sure never said it. At least McCain did say it about the S&L scandal. Last I might suggest the case of Themistocles who lied to the people of Athens to convince them to pay for a fleet of ships to defeat the Persians. Was he justified?
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:33 pm 8. David Thomson:PS I loved your early books.
“So if Obama is elected we will all be wearing our Mao jackets holding up our little red copies of “The Audacity of Hope”
Yes, that is exactly what I fear—and my suspicion is based on the available evidence concerning Barack Obama. He is a non-violent radical who adhered to the ideological mindset of Saul Alinsky. We know for sure that Obama was a leader in the ACORN organization. He is therefore definitely not a political moderate. John McCain’s past, however, does not reflect whatsoever any tendencies to justify suspicions of his wanting to place “Nazi jackboots at our throats.” He is indeed a center-right sort of individual.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:34 pm 9. heather:Roger’s final remark,
“Deeper fears are perhaps at play - the loss of self-image and personality disintegration, also a desperate need to conform to a fragile peer group. And in these times more than ever, a yet more potent terror – job loss.”
Back in the day, America produced a very great philosopher, Eric Hoffer. His famous book (pub 1951) is “The True Believer.” However, in another collection, “The Ordeal of Change,” he notes that because we can never be ‘fit and ready for that which is wholly new’: change results in a population of misfits, people who lack confidence in themselves and their new world. To deal with that lack and fear, this population of misfits “live and breathe in an atmosphere of passion.” Further, “The substitute for self-confidence is faith; the substitute for self-esteem is pride; and the substitute for individual balance is fusion with others into a compact group.”
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:38 pm 10. Edan Naud:And the media, working within a dying industry, facing loss of status, let alone wages … have decided that Obama provides their own “Hope and Change.” Unfortunately, they are dragging the US along for their sad little ride.
David I hope you aren’t right because Obama is probably going to win and if he does and your predictions come true I will tap out in Morse code through the walls of my cell in the gulag “You were right David, I was wrong.” if on the other hand you are wrong you tap out on your key board “I was wrong Edan, you were right. Obama didn’t change a Damn thing.” Because that is my prediction, nothing will change the rich will get richer and the rest of us will continue to hang on by our finger nails. Good Luck America.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:48 pm 11. Jay:“In 1996, Obama was apparently a member of the Chicago ‘New Party…’ ”
Apparently, apparently! What a weasel word, and that is all you have! You are a joke, Mr. Simon, an absolute joke, and your blog is readable only because it is an accurate barometer of where the American Right is headed. You all have no new ideas, just inneundo.
Keep stirring this crap, but look at the scoreboard, champ. Your candidate is taking a dive, and in a month, you will, too.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:52 pm 12. David Thomson:“Apparently, apparently! What a weasel word, and that is all you have!”
Roger L. Simon is not employing a “weasel word.” He is simply being cautious with the available evidence. Have you clicked onto the link provided by him? To say the least, the following should get your attention:
“Illinois: The first NP member heads to Congress, as Danny Davis wins an overwhelming 85% victory yesterday (he got a higher percentage of the vote in that district than the President). NP member and State Senate candidate Barack Obama won uncontested.”
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:11 am 13. Gary Rosen:Jay,
No longer “apparently”:
http://tinyurl.com/49uxec
So sad, too bad.
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:27 am 14. jo:For a while, I though Obama was honest. But as time went on and more stuff came out ‘long’ after the Jeremiah incident, I changed views.
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:35 am 15. Edan Naud:Jay is proof that there is lots of anger out there. My question remains will either Jay or David ever say I’m wrong? To paraphrase Churchill I’ve often had to eat my words and found them to be a healthy meal. I believe you both are so frighten by the propaganda of this election that you are ready to believe the worst in your enemy.
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:36 am 16. srlucado:And in these times more than ever, a yet more potent terror – job loss.
Reporters are afraid of losing their jobs, so they’ll help elect a guy who’ll cost millions of Americans their jobs. Thanks a lot, guys. And they call corporate CEOs ruthless and indifferent to the suffering of others.
Why haven’t people already figured out that Obama is a socialist? He consistently makes comments pointing to the idea that everything comes from the government: money belongs to the government and is doled out not to those who earn it but to those the government deems appropriate; innovation is the result of government action, not free enterprise; businesses are inherently corrupt and require extensive regulation; people need to be controlled, not empowered; etc. etc.
Ronald Reagan he ain’t. Karl Marx, maybe.
Scott
Oct 9, 2008 - 2:10 am 17. Letalis Maximus, Esq.:Hope is not a method. Neither is enthusiasm.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:15 am 18. Michael Kitchen:“It is an indictment of a person’s character, who wants to be a politician.”
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:16 am 19. Dan Collins:-MB Kitchen
Well said, Roger.
But, c’mon, he couldn’t even come clean about having filled out the gun survey. He did tell us the truth once, though: Dreams From My African Socialist Alcoholic Megalomaniac Narcissist Metal-Legged Father.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:16 am 20. Robbins Mitchell:Yea,I understand what you mean about calling yourself a socialist,Roger….there was a period of about 5 years when I thought of myself as a socialist….but then,of course,I learned how to read and write.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:22 am 21. glenn:Of course Obama is lying about his background, it’s the only way he can get elected. And of course the press is covering for him, most of them share his background.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:38 am 22. 49erDweet:Through this extraordinarily long campaign has Senator Obama ever copped out to being wrong - in the past - about anything? Ever?
His answer to that question scares me. “Deceptive”, Roger, is too nice a term. I’d call it Narcissistic.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:47 am 23. Barack:My fellow Americans,
What you are witnessing is CHANGE. It makes reactionary neanderthal conservatives like yourselves a little uncomfortable, I know. That’s why, when I am elected Grand High Ruler, I will create a Department of Conservative Reeducation to help folks like you secure a nice government job.
And I wouldn’t term what the press is doing “hiding lies.” It’s more like “worshipping me.” Which they indeed should.
Your Inevitable Leader,
Barry
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:47 am 24. scot:Deeper fears are perhaps at play - the loss of self-image and personality disintegration, also a desperate need to conform to a fragile peer group. And in these times more than ever, a yet more potent terror – job loss.
I live in DC and this is sort of true but there is another factor: history. The press corp. here has become an institution that grew up hearing “war stories” from reporters who covered JKF, brought down Nixon, investigated Iran-Contra and these reporters are idolized as heroes. Current reporters want to have similar stories starting with “I covered Obama during his historic run for President and I can say…” It isn’t enough to report history, they want to be remebered as the people who reported it.
Becoming that involved with the subject of coverage leads to a “Stockholm Syndrome” type of mindset where the reporter becomes invested in the subject and starts to support them regardless. They are with the candidates almost all the time and rely on them for their stories (and extension - job) and a too-friendly relationship results.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:49 am 25. JinnyB:Not even the most basic thing has been vetted on Barack Obama - including whether or not he is even a US Citizen. And, NO, this is NOT an old, already debunked issue. This is an ONGOING court case that Obama and the DNC keep piling increasingly more expensive lawyers onto. It is a court case, brought by a Democrat and supposedly instituted by Hillary herself - a case that just keeps getting stranger and stranger - and is being 100% blacked out by the media.
When “being debunked” consists of the Annenberg Project’s factcheck.org claiming to have seen the (already proven fake) COLB - well, something just is NOT clicking here. A Hawaiian COLB is NOT the same as a birth certificate, and so far as I know, is NOT considered as valid proof of citizenship to get obtain a drivers license. The copy of Obamas COLB that was posted on dKos as “proof” of his citizenship was shown to be fake, yet it’s being quoted as the document that “debunked” all of this. Now granted, it’s quite possible there isn’t anything to this - all Barack Hussein Obama needs to do is present a Certified copy of his birth certificate in court and it all just evaporates.
But rather than simply producing the document, Obama and the DNC are doing everything they can to delay discovery until after the election. If Obama is elected, he will be the first POTUS that has absolutely refused to prove that he is a citizen, opening the door to a Constitutional crisis of unprecedented proportions - one that will completely shred what’s left of the Constitution.
Atlas Shrugged has lots more on this - link below. The DNC is piling on motions to delay - as I understand it, the last last motion the DNC filed was a motion to delay discovery, filed on Tuesday Oct 6th, until after other motions they’ve filed have been ruled on…
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/08/obamas-citzensh.html
So, some questions for everyone here - WHO VETTED THIS GUY? Who wrote the letter of introduction that got him into Harvard, who paid the bill, and why and how exactly, were his rumored substandard grades overlooked during that admission? Where are Obama’s medical records? Where is ANY INFORMATION about his past, other than a few selected “media moments”? So many questions - so few answers…
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:50 am 26. jetski:Barack Obama is a radical Muslim extremist. If he’s elected, he’ll surrender both wars and return our troops home, and then he and the rest of the Democrat Party will set about systematically disarming our military and filling it with recruits from San Francisco (if you know what I mean, and I think that you do.)
Unfortunately, even though this warning is true, it’s not likely to change anything. This country doesn’t act until it knows a thing; so we’re going to elect Obama, surrender, become weak and then get attacked.
At that point, and only at that point, will patriots prune the tree of liberty of these folks. That’s just human nature and history proves it.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:01 am 27. Fred:What I’m curious about is what hasn’t been uncovered yet…I suspect there may be several other shoes yet to drop.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:06 am 28. David Thomson:“I believe you both are so frighten by the propaganda of this election that you are ready to believe the worst in your enemy.”
Frightened by the propaganda? Nothing could be further from the truth. I have done considerable—and very careful studying concerning the past of Barack Obama.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:08 am 29. Oremus:As matter of fact, I was among the very first people to describe the rumors of Obama being a secret Muslim as utterly ridiculous. The same thing holds true with the attempts claiming that he is not an American citizen. Moreover, I find no evidence suggesting that Obama is a violent man. Nobody among center-right thinkers argues that the Democratic Party presidential candidate is a terrorist. We are, though, appalled by Obama continued willingness to partner with this vile man.
With all due respect all of the concerns about
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:08 am 30. ajacksonian:Obama’s hidden past, it probably wont’ make
any difference because, if he’s elected, does
anyone really believe that Harry Reid, and Pelosi
and all of the other Congressional Dems are
going to actually let the Chosen One lead them
anywhere or get any credit for anything? His
administration will be a Carter second term,
will all the sterling accomplishments of Carter’s
first term, when his own party threw him under
the bus.
Hope is many things, including a town in Arkansas. It is not, however, a strategy, save by those losing a war as they have no other means to sustain themselves.
From the records Sen. Obama was a member of the NP, did work with Bill Ayers on projects in the 1980’s, did hae contacts with Tony Rezko in 1990 and onwards, did head up Ayer’s CAC work with its tens of millions funneled to Ayers groups and those of his political cohort, did work on the Joyce grant on gun control, did work at the Woods Fund with Ayers and handed out grants to ex-PLO members and people associated with Tony Rezko, has worked with Pfleger for over a decade and with had Wright as his mentor for two decades, has been in deep contact with Raila Odinga in Kenya even while on the campaign trail and swiped Odinga’s ‘Hope & Change’ mantra. The records demonstrate Obama’s deep contacts with PACs and support from the Rezko organization and those who financially benefitted from Rezko’s activities. Obama was against the war before Alsammarae and Rezko presented a contract that they would work on with Auchi and Obama swung political contacts in the Daley administration to bring Iraqis over for ’security training’ while Alsammarae took funds from his ministry and supported the insurgency. He then went to being against the war once Alsammarae had escaped from his prison sentence in Iraq.
These contacts indicate that Sen. Obama is not being forthcoming with his past and that others are covering for him in the MSM and New Media. If he would talk about these things and why he did them I would listen to the man and consider his reasoning behind these moves and actions. Deceit, deflection of questions and denying the record are not things that will impress me on character and judgement with Sen. Obama said were the main things he brings to the table.
He could impress the hell out of me by doing just *that* and telling what his motivations and thoughts were behind these activities and how he has learned from them.
He can’t do that.
His campaign won’t do that.
Those who cover for him deny the record, attack those asking the questions and act in an authoritarian manner in the very area that Sen. Obama claims to be the main reason he is running: character and judgment.
By not doing those he has forfeited his own reason for being a candidate in my eyes, and attacks on those continuing to bring this up serve to bolster the idea that he has no character or judgment and depends upon deceit, dishonesty and attacks using the various ‘cards’ against critics. That is not ‘hope & change’ but ’same old, same old’ with a pretty face and vile attacks.
I can, have and will vote for people who are honest about their past and show some modicum of integrity. The ‘cards’ don’t play on my table because I have done those things, without regard to race, gender, ethnicity or religion. I have deep and abiding problems with Sen. McCain, too… and have stated those time and again.
Those on the Left need to remember their mantra about Watergate: it isn’t the action that gets you, but the cover-up.
That applies to Sen. Obama as well.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:09 am 31. MarkJ:Jay,
Apparently, apparently! What a weasel word, and that is all you have! You are a joke, Mr. Simon, an absolute joke, and your blog is readable only because it is an accurate barometer of where the American Right is headed. You all have no new ideas, just inneundo.
As opposed to Obama’s allegedly “new ideas?” Try doing a little research on positions publicly stated by your own candidate: many of them are straight out of the 1930’s. Protectionism? Check. Raising taxes during a recession? Check. De facto forced membership in unions? Check. Talks “without preconditions” with authoritarian, ideologically-driven regimes? Check. &c., &c., &c.
Keep stirring this crap, but look at the scoreboard, champ. Your candidate is taking a dive, and in a month, you will, too.
Ooooh, that’s a threat. As in “When the Fuehrer comes to power, we’ll be settling accounts.” I’ll bet this is your favorite show tune:
The sun on the meadow is summery warm
The stag in the forest runs free
But gathered together to greet the storm
Tomorrow belongs to me
The branch on the linden is leafy and green
The Rhine gives its gold to the sea
But somewhere a glory awaits unseen
Tomorrow belongs to me
Now Fatherland, Fatherland, show us the sign
Your children have waited to see
The morning will come
When the world is mine
Tomorrow belongs to me
Tomorrow belongs to me
Tomorrow belongs to me
Tomorrow belongs to me
The babe in his cradle is closing his eyes
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:12 am 32. JinnyB:The blossom embraces the bee
But soon says the whisper, arise, arise
Tomorrow belongs to me
Tomorrow belongs to me
Citizen Wells has the timeline on the ongoing lawsuit versus Obama and the DNC. It goes back to August, and does a better job of pointing to the applicable links. The last couple of links there point to the current motion to delay discovery filed by the DNC on October 6th.
Note that Berg is very liberal Democrat bringing this suit on behalf of Democrat voters, who he thinks are owed the truth about Obama. It was originally filed in support of Hillary’s cantidacy, but has been delayed way past the point it can be of any use to Hillary.
http://citizenwells.wordpress.com/philip-j-berg-lawsuit/
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:18 am 33. David Thomson:“Barack Obama is a radical Muslim extremist”
This is pure bovine excrement! There is no evidence to support these allegations. On the contrary, Barack Obama seems to be a secular man who takes religion with a huge grain of salt. Stay with the well established facts. We know for sure that Obama is far to the left of center and contemptuous towards our First Amendment rights. Also, we can take it for granted that the majority of voters will reject him if they know the truth before Election Day.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:18 am 34. mk:what Jay in his shrill comments misses are two things: 1) no one here is saying that there will be gulags: that’s a pathetic straw man argument; and 2) what people ARE worried about is the loss of free speech. It is a demonstrable fact that the Democrats want to re-enact the Fairness Doctrine. It is also a demonstrable fact that Obama, through his proxies, uses intimidation to stifle free speech, as in the example of the Jerome Corsi and Stanley Kurtz interviews on WGN in Chicago, Obama’s home base. Lastly, Obama and ACORN are synonomous. ACORN has been in the news for a week for inflating voter rolls. These things, Jay, are the symptoms of what is and the signs of what is to come. Not gulags, but imposed mandates and limitations of the first and second amendments is what everyone fears with an Obama administration.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:19 am 35. somercet:It’s not the past stupidity (to me, a conservative/libertarian), it’s the cover-up. An Obama administration will make Slick Willie look compulsively honest.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:28 am 36. Brett:“There’s nothing wrong with being a socialist.”
There’s plenty wrong with it.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:31 am 37. Tom W.:Today is the first day of the shitestorm that will envelope Obama on every front and bring him down:
a) McCain goes whole hog on Ayers;
b) Cindy McCain remarks that Obama voted to cut off funds for her son, who was in combat in Iraq at the time;
c) ACORN gets hit by a RICO charge, led by Patrick Fitzgerald, alleging massive, nationwide voter fraud to benefit Obama;
d) Rezko is singing like a canary;
e) the Republicans hit back hard on Obama’s involvement with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
f) the MSM is starting to report on Obama’s questionable donations, from Mr. Doo Dah and Ms. Ftgjhurth Njjkdiwhdfbhcf.
g) Jerome Corsi will talk to Hannity about what he discovered in Kenya.
All happening today, and for the rest of the campaign.
And Limbaugh and other pundits are chuckling slyly about what they know is yet to come.
I didn’t think Obama was stupid, but now I do. His stupidity comes from his arrogance, his sense of entitlement, and his sense of superiority. He underestimated his opponents, and he decided the rules didn’t apply to him.
Those qualities cost al Qaeda Iraq, and they’ll cost Obama the presidency.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:36 am 38. K T Cat:Back to the original issue. I’d suggest that the press is covering for him because they have no problems at all with socialism.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:38 am 39. Assistant Village Idiot:Jetski is a sock puppet.
I am convinced that Obama was a radical, but the weakness of his personality suggests that he re-invents himself as needed. Bill Clinton was able to do that somewhat, but to Obama it is second nature. He can blandly deny the past because in each reincarnation of himself, the previous selves don’t “count.”
There is greater variability on the problems this might cause than what a simple leftist would do. We might become directionless, poll-driven, as we were under Clinton - limited damage. Or it could be catastrophic if the next shedding of snakeskin reveals something unexpectedly worse. Obama is a Rorschach test for progressives - they see what they want.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:40 am 40. Peg C.:Roger, Mark Steyn seemed to nail it yesterday on The Corner when he wrote, “Obama, by contrast, is all future - which is understandable, given his past.” Dean Reynolds of CBS made note of the smell on the Obama campaign plane (this has made news all over). My guess is the stench is that of the unsavory past of the candidate wedded to aggressive press cover-up of same. You know, if you lie continuously you might be covered in the sweat of fear.
Obama’s entire campaign and the media’s total collusion with it stinks to high heaven.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:41 am 41. Alysse Finegold:Obama is the one. That is all you need to know if you are in need of a cause du jour. He is the chosen one to defeat the evildoers who have laid waste to Gaia over lo these many years. Bow down before the one, give him your money and your guns, give us the country to make his wife proud, Lord Barry heal the bitter ones.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:43 am 42. w3bgrrl:The sad irony? If the LA Times is any indication, journalists will be seeing their jobs going away anyway. Only those who distinguish themselves as true investigators will survive the extinction of the dinosaur media.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:43 am 43. Ken Nelson » Blog Archive » I wish libertarians would take note:[...] Simon (reformed socialist) writes that it is Obama’s lying about his socialist past that disturbs him: There’s nothing wrong with [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:45 am 44. Conservativa » Obama - Questions Unanswered:[...] And why if this is so serious, aren’t you hearing more about it? Many reasons. Here are some, from Roger L. Simon. [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:50 am 45. asdf:Thank God we still have the second amendment in which to right our country if Obama is elected and enacts his twisted world view.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:53 am 46. Right Angles » Blog Archive » Why is the press running interference for Obama?:[...] Simon thinks he knows: The most obvious reasons are bias and the desire to defeat the opposing candidate. But beneath [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:55 am 47. Richard Noiret:Personally I think with the legacy media’s large financial problems and reduced readership they hope Obama will nationalize them a la Pravda. The newsrooms have been on edge with all the layoffs and having the government bail them out would be a godsend. It wouldn’t take much with the excuse being “we must save the free press” or some such nonsense. Of course any competition or opposition (talk radio, the internet, blogs) would have to be suppressed in such a bailout to guarantee a full monopoly. The media has always had a left bias but it seems that in this election they’re all in for some big payoff down the road. I don’t believe in some overt conspiracy, more like some underlying hope by many editors and journalists thinking “Obama will save us”.
Another issue here is the fear that many in the media have about appearing racist. Newsrooms are notorious PC havens.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:55 am 48. mk:As a further note, I’m sure it’s been mentioned before by many people, but has there ever been a more perfect “Manchurian Candidate” running for office? Barack Obama is a likable person whose core belief is the metaphysic of power and whose methodology is “By any means necessary.” Here’s a quote from his book:
“To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The Chicanos. The Marxist Professors and structural feminists and punk-rock performance poets.”
Again, to echo Roger, it’s not /who/ his friends were, and not /just/ that he seeks to disguise that fact, but rather it’s /how/ he makes decisions: “carefully” in the pursuit of self-aggrandizement at whatever cost.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:58 am 49. Cascajun » Hiding from his past:[...] Simon explores the incongruent reality of Barack Obama. The inescapable conclusion is that Barack Obama is a highly deceptive, often dishonest individual. [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:01 am 50. Dick Stanley:Big Media’s coverup of Barry’s past seems to me rather more a logical outcome of the multiculturalism that journalism professors brought to newsrooms in the late 80s and early 90s. In essence, it decreed that women and minorities would henceforth get a pass on their most egregious transgressions simply because of society’s history of oppressing them.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:03 am 51. Boston Patriot:Among the reasons McCain-Palin will win this election is a media-inspired backlash. “The public” such as it is, is more than aware that what passes for “reporting” today is nothing more than agenda-driven (liberal) partisanship. Given the ongoing disintegration (irreversible) of the traditional media business model, many of these so-called journalists will pass into well-deserved oblivion. And good riddance.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:04 am 52. Bob Tarone:Obama is probably too clever to have been a dues paying member of the New Party, but David Fredosso documents in his book the fact that Obama sought out New Party support for his state senate candidacy. He has been very careful never to offend far left organizations, but I would be surprised if his name shows up on any membership lists. This does not change the fact that Obama’s entire presidential candidacy is based on a lie. Obama has never been involved in any major changes or reforms of corrupt political systems, and in fact, was a stumbling block to reform of the corrupt Daley machine on numerous occasions (again, as well documented by Fredosso).
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:04 am 53. K T Cat:Roger, do you feel that your explanation for the press cover-up of Obama also applies to their disinterest in Iraq once the narrative turned towards success? It seems to me that this is one and the same thing.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:05 am 54. aloysiusmiller:Ayers and Obama may be closer than we think:
Check this out
http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/10/who_wrote_dreams_from_my_fathe_1.html
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:05 am 55. Stayout:As Milton Friedman said, “[t]here’s no such thing as a free lunch.” The press’ covering for Obama shall become a debt which the press must eventually pay. My guess is that will come when the American people come to realize that they were never warned (by the press) of just how much a Marxist ideologue Obama is. After he socializes medicine, housing, and other things, the American people will be shocked — and then look at the press (finally) and wonder, “[w]hy didn’t you tell us?” At that point I believe the newspaper industry will experience a complete collapse.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:07 am 56. WJ:Mr. Simon:
In my opinion you really don’t even come close to answering the question in the title of your piece. Most of what you write is about Obama being deceptive, which is fine and accurate, but maybe you should have titled your piece “Obama Continually Deceptive”.
If you have any insight beyond the obvious of media bias, please do answer the question in your title. My (obvious) theory is that since the media is definitely left-wing/socialist, that when their socialist candidate is in power, they will be part of “Obama’s Court”, and sharing in the power.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:08 am 57. Mister Snitch!:“There’s nothing wrong with being a socialist.”
Well, yeah, there IS. It’s the sort of thing you believe when you’re not yet ready to handle the truth.
“I called myself one for the better part of twenty years.”
See above.
“Millions of people have and many still do.”
And THIS proves…?
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:08 am 58. Israel:Last week (?) Rasmussen ran a poll on throwing the bums out of congress. Something like 65% of Reps were in favor of the idea. Only 40% of Dems thought the same. I must conclude that the Dems are essentially satisfied with their party as it is and have accepted the story version of Barack as sold to them by the media. Dems that I know as friends are not bothered by Jeremiah Wright or Bill Ayers; indeed they agree with some of what those two believe about America.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:11 am 59. JD:I believe in what I call the Laws of the Universe. One of those is: That which goes around, comes around. The hatred that the Left let loose on Bush and their fellow Repub Americans this last eight years will came back full circle upon them. As the Dems impose their vision of what this country should be like people will engage in low level resistance in various acts of civil disobedience. I won’t rule out Timothy McVeigh-like acts being committed by the angriest. Polarization between Americans will widen even further. Black American will begin to perceive a thinly disguised animosity from their fellow American that saw them voting as a block for on other reason than race identity. It is not going to be pretty.
I hope that I am wrong but I live by this credo: Hope for the best, plan for the worst. This includes human nature. I find that my fellow humans rarely disappoint me in this way.
Eden,
I’m not worried about becoming a full-on Communist state in the next 4 years. I’m worried that Obama, being the socialist that he is, will push us significantly in that direction. There is no doubt that he’ll push socialized medicine, forced “community service”, progressive taxation, etc. on us.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:12 am 60. kiwikit:As more people are reliant on the government, more people will want more socialist policies, more socialist policies make more people reliant on gov’t, and round and round we go.
Try to look past the end of your nose.
Columbia and Harvard are big schools with at least a few conservatives in their alumni. Is there noone who can tell us the truth about his years there? How can years of activities in open society be so secret?
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:14 am 61. Bill S.:When the One declared war on the capitalists,
I sent money to ACORN & MoveOn.org;
War is Peace.
When the One called on us to shout down his critics,
I followed his commands blindly flooding the media with protests;
Freedom is Slavery.
When the One promised to meet with America’s enemies (without preconditions),
I was proud of my country for the first time in my life;
Ignorance is Strength.
When the One came for me,
it was all right, everything was all right, the struggle was finished;
I loved Big Brother.
WAR IS PEACE
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:15 am 62. MarkO:FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
So, if The One were equally acquainted with O. J., would he get a pass? Would we not wonder about his “judgment?”
Let’s face it: The One did not expect to be the nominee.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:16 am 63. Jose:Obama’s cultish supporters scare me more than he does. He certainly displays a characteristic trait among liberals of seeing no bad guys to the left of him but he is also a naked opportunist who is cognizant of what others project onto him.
It is a little creepy how he energizes these emotional infants who do his bidding but it is ultimately unsustainable. Whether it comes before the election or not is the million dollar question but Obama is going to crash and burn eventually. He’s simply not a mainstream American any more than the moonbats who worship him are.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:18 am 64. peter jackson:The entire “left” comprises just under a third of the population in the US. Look at any poll question in any poll regarding any topic that provides a leftist answer and you’ll see about 25-30% choosing that answer every time.
The left understands that they are in the minority in the US. Their candidates are almost never elected. They don’t really understand why this is the case, mostly chalking it up to the American electorate being too stupid to vote for their own interests. Therefore the left long ago accepted that to actually get into power, their candidates were going to have to misrepresent themselves to voters. That is what Obama is doing. He is lying. He is trying to fool just enough people for just enough of the time to get elected. His campaign has invested enormous energy into stymying any enquiry into his past, where his far left associations are abundant and sufficient to identify Obama as a leftist.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:19 am 65. Willys:Obama is nothing more than a Chicago machine hootie boy. So we’ll be living a Chicagoland lifestyle for -up to- the next four years. Congress should enjoy it.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:22 am 66. Dan Collins:Yeah, Mark. It’s rough to be tapped for the job while you’re still busy burying the corpses: You want me to start . . . now?
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:24 am 67. Mister Snitch!:“I am convinced that Obama was a radical, but the weakness of his personality suggests that he re-invents himself as needed. Bill Clinton was able to do that somewhat, but to Obama it is second nature. He can blandly deny the past because in each reincarnation of himself, the previous selves don’t “count.””
As usual, I find that AVI has pretty much nailed it.
Obama is a man constantly running from himself. You can see it in his body language as he, for example, bowls or bikes (check YouTube). He’s uncomfortable in his own skin, he constantly fears being held to account for anything he’s done/said/been in his life.
That’s why he lashes out so violently at anyone who DOES attempt to hold him to account - and that understanding, by the way, is the key to attacking him. Were I in charge of McCain’s message, I would heavily portray Obama as a man made out of Silly Putty, assuming any shape. This would disturb Obama greatly and create some unforced errors.
Obama ISN’T anything, he stands for nothing. He strives to be a blank slate for what anyone wants to write, and therefore he must constantly erase himself. He’s erased Wright and others like him for the benefit of the moderate masses, yet you can be certain that, behind closed doors and whenever it’s ’safe’ to do so, he allows Wright’s racist sycophants to see themselves in him all over again.
There’s no there there.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:25 am 68. cottus:Of primary interest to me is why the press holds on so dearly to the left. Simon gets part of it, but I might add that, like all private enterprise, their goal is to make money. This they do by attracting readers with ‘news’ to the advertising. And to make money, the advertising must actually work. It must actually bend minds to get people to make decisions they would not otherwise make, primarily purchasing decisions. Like so many cute mice of large size deserting a sinking ship, the newspaper folks who intuitively get this have already left, so what remains is the residue of clueless lefties trying desperately to demonstrate their mind - bending skills and prove their worth.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:29 am 69. WR Jonas:If anyone isn’t concerned about the deception or the purpose of deceivers then please explain how justice , fairness and decency springs from liars and lying .What is in ones heart is what you are . If someone hides their inner self , it is still there ,just unseen .
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:31 am 70. Conrad:But don’t be fooled, the time comes when evil reveals itself.
Roger and Edan: I think what Obama is doing goes beyond the occasional dishonest statements people tolerate from politicians.
First, he’s not just lying about a particular fact concerning his background, or a particular policy position. He’s misrepresenting his fundamental political beliefs and outlook. He’s lying about who he is as a political leader.
Second, he’s going out of his way to make sure nobody finds out who he really is. He has conveniently lost, or simply failed to produce, records that would help shed light on his background. He denies his prior assocations with radical individuals and organizations. And when people come up with information pointing out his questionable past, he says they’re just playing dirty politics.
Running for president is a very serious thing. Anyone worthy of holding the office would recognize that the people are entitled to know who they’re voting for. If he would own up to his radical, racialist past and then explain how he no longer holds those kinds of views, that would be one thing. Simply stonewalling and white-washing one past is quite another, especially where the presidency is concerned.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:32 am 71. John:“Edan Naud:
David I hope you aren’t right because Obama is probably going to win and if he does and your predictions come true I will tap out in Morse code through the walls of my cell in the gulag “You were right David, I was wrong.” if on the other hand you are wrong you tap out on your key board “I was wrong Edan, you were right. Obama didn’t change a Damn thing.” Because that is my prediction, nothing will change the rich will get richer and the rest of us will continue to hang on by our finger nails. Good Luck America.
Oct 8, 2008 - 11:48 pm”
Edan, you have a very peculaliar, self-constructed, view of what is happening in America. The vast majority of people in this country are not “hanging on by their fingernails.” But the left like to paint these little pictures of a largely destitute America living as if it was still 1900 and everyone was living in some tenament in New York. And they do this because it is the left that is stuck in 1900, not the real America.
Americans are the most prosperous people in the world and even a modicum of research would show that. Even the “poor” in America live as well or better than most people in the world. Are there people who are not doing well? Of course there are, but they are not all poor blacks in New Orleans. And we do have a responsibility to help them, regardless of the color of their skin — provided the make a reasonable effort to help themselves first. And this is because, unlike the left, most Americans do see themselves as their brother’s keeper, provided their ‘brother’ isn’t “demanding” help. Which is why the flyover part of this country has the highest per capita level of personal charitable contributions, far higher than the coastal liberal enclaves. It’s a sad state of affairs when people of Mississippi, the state with the lowest per capita income, gives a higher percentage of their income to charity than Massachusetts or Califonia.
But of course the lefists here will object that I am living in some Republican dream world because it serves their little socialist “hearts” to see America as wrong and the perpetuator of evil in the world. And to see the little “people of color,” as the left likes to call them, as downtrodden and oppressed and in need of ever more help and assistance. Because at the end of the day it is the left who is biased and does not believe them capable of progress unless “aided” by the more enlightened, the left, among us.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:33 am 72. LSD:On the other hand, we could take Obama at his word and accept the argument that he did not know about Ayers, (or Wright.) The fact that he was unable to see what is made plain to anyone within hearing distance of either of these guys, does not exactly recommend him for the job. Do we really want to send an innocent abroad to represent us when the stakes are high? Will he muster heightened powers of perception when he sits down with Ahmedinejad?
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:34 am 73. fred:The Old Media and some in the New Media will not vet this guy thoroughly, accurately, and without bias because they agree with Obama’s secret ideological predilections. I honestly do not think it is any more complicated than that. Is there fear of being ostracized by their peers or even losing their jobs? Yes, and yes. As for media being led by a nose ring, the reach of the puppet master (Soros)is very long. And Soros is part of a network of billionaires and millionaires who share his aspirations of turning the United States into a Euro-socialist wannabe.
In fact, they actually did vet Barack Obama properly. His backers have all agreed, and I will assume that Howard Dean, Democratic Party Chairperson, that Obama is exactly who they want. But they don’t want you, the general public to know the criteria by which he was selected. They know that if you know their criteria that it will horrify most of the general public and will likely result in his losing the general election.
Like Mr. Simon, I too at one time, for about ten years of my life, considered myself a socialist. Specifically, I was plugging myself into the intellectual currents of revisionist Marxism (Frankfurt School thinkers). This was during my undergraduate years, and then afterwards during my seminary years. In my spare time I also joined a group that was part of the fledgling International Solidarity Movement (a Communist front organization)called CISPES (Committee in Solidarity With The People of El Salvador). During meetings and before the occasional protest events I would participate in I was told to never discuss Marxism or to identify myself with it or with socialism. This dictum came from the leader of the group, who himself was a Communist Party member - an Israeli graduate student.
Folks, deception is a critical element in their overall strategy of implementing their political goals. I was never comfortable with it, and I did get run afoul with them on a few occasions when I broke the rule of omerta with respect to talking about socialism. These people are terrified of being found out. It really blows up their plans for the rest of us.
Part of the post-modernist, Marxist ethics they practice is the shocking “the ends ALWAYS justify the means.”
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:38 am 74. lahru:Well, you people have built quite a case against Mr. Obama. All of these associations with the likes of ACORN,RICO,Al QUEDA,LIBERALS,DNC,MSM,NP,ODINGA,McCAIN,REZKO,AYER,ANNENBURG,DALEY,TERRORIST,COLB,SOCIALIST,CAC,NAZ,JACKBOOTED,COVERUP,CORSI.
And you people actually believe all this stuff, hmmmm, what flavor is the Kool Aid today?
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:40 am 75. Amused Cynic » Blog Archive » “Living in a media-constructed lunatic asylum…”:[...] from Roger L. Simon, has to be the line of the day. That’s how we got where we are in this campaign, plain and [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:41 am 76. Lifeofthemind:@AVI,
If jetski is a sock puppet who is he a duplicate for? Did you mean “moby” instead? Just sounds like a paranoid Bircher to me.
As another sometime inhabitant of Hyde Park I know that Obama choose to be part of the Ayers/Wright sub-culture of radical conspiracy theorists and romantic academic moles. The difference for Obama is that the black community with its history of electing political extremists and the Daley machine with its cynical corruption combined to float this marginal character onto the national stage. The Democrats thought they had built a firewall against this by instituting the Super Delegate system. Thanks to Acorn and Axelrod’s ability to pack the caucuses in Iowa and Texas, Obama built up a head of steam and the party safeguards fell apart.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:42 am 77. Jimmy:So many skeletons, so little time…
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:46 am 78. tim maguire:FWIW, Edan, my fears about Obama are not that he’s evil, but that he will be tragically incompetant. What in his background would make you think he is up to the job? He is the most inexperienced and unfit major party nominee in the history of our country (and I don’t make “ever” claims lightly).
I keep wondering where FOX News fits into all this. Yes, the media is overwhelmingly liberal and actively trying to get Obama elected. But the liberals don’t have 100% saturation.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:53 am 79. Nate:Frankly, I thought that Rush had the most accurate take. Obama is a pragmatist, and he will do anything, look past anything, to further his political career.
I’m as scared as the next guy about the implications of Obama’s past, but I also think that he’s perceptive enough to pivot when necessary. That’s what he does. He used ACORN, Ayers, et al, to get into the Chicago liberal machine, and now furthers his ambitions though the DNC machinery.
My only hope if and when he is elected is that he will bow to centrist necessities, a la Clinton, and pivot to the center of the country to shore up his 2012 chances. That’s our only hope for anything resembling America as we know/knew it to continue.
I fear the worst, however.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:56 am 80. jblog:Describing Bill Ayers as merely “a guy in the neighborhood” is like describing Jeffrey Dahmer as having had “an eating disorder.”
Wright. Ayers. Rezko. Barack Obama is not who he claims he is.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:56 am 81. Rodger S.:I was watching O’Reilly last night and he accurately articulated how I felt. That, the underlying core of why Tom W’s. list of takedowns won’t work is simply because I didn’t during the debate or now feel any passion or anger from McCain.
I don’t need to hear the logic of why McCain had to sign onto the pork to get the bailout through. I need to hear him say something to the effect of he is going after these miscreants big time and name names. Criminal prosecutions for those involved. Run Barney Frank out on a rail after tar and feathering him, etc.
Fight with some passion and anger. Hit hard.
Call Obama a liar about his associations. Ayers an unrepentent terrorist. ACORN fradulent. Wright a racist hate monger.
Call out MSNBC as a bunch of con artists mascarading as journalists, being in the tank for Obama.
Kick butt and name names.
We do live in a media-constructed lunatic asylum. It’s time to change up to an Ultimate Fighting Match. Full-contact, hands, heads, and feet.
We are in the last round, don’t let us down McCain.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:58 am 82. Unfit, period | Cold Fury:[...] Read the rest of it. We simply cannot allow our country to be turned over to stolen from us by this lying son of a bitch. He must be stopped. Period. Category: The Culture Of Treason ♦ ♦ [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:01 am 83. Californio:The risk of Ob_ma, may his name be praised, is that he will create a state triumphant model of government operation. To his believers, this will allow Him to act on all that hope talk and “improve our lives” not “letting” us go back to being uninvolved. To the fascist past of me (which I acknowledge but do not celebrate) this is great. I do not think Ob_ma will be an autocrat - but he will set into motion the necessary mechanisms whereby America will “change” - and there shall be no tears from the Left when the full extent of the change results in co-opted institutions implimenting a right-wing agenda. (Can the “reality-based community” deny the modern voter preference on who is president tracks right?) Frankly whether Obama wins or McCain - I’ll do just fine, the economy is too damaged now for me to do poorly (for the forseeable future).
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:08 am 84. Michael Smith:PS - keep worshipping the man - I guess the whole America as a “nation of laws, not men” was a canard.
Roger wrote:
But beneath these obvious explanations, I sense something more complex and pathological.
Actually, it isn’t complex, but it is rather pathological: the press is covering for Obama for the same reason the left is in love with the guy: Obama is able to pitch socialism and pacifism with a completely straight face — as if these two doctrines do not have a near-perfect record of global-scale failure — as if the events of the twentieth century that saw socialism starve millions to death and pacifism invite the horrific aggressions of two world wars and countless regional conflicts as well never took place.
To so completely evade the disasters caused by socialism and pacifism — to so convincingly pretend that these ideas are somehow “new” and “hopeful” - requires a special ability to fake reality on an enormous scale. Obama has that ability — and that makes him priceless to the left and its puppets in the media.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:12 am 85. Obama’s latest Lie about who he is « I Think ^(Link) Therefore I Err:[...] yesterday, yet another “associate” of Obama’s came out. This time, it’s the entire Socialist Party! There’s nothing wrong with being a socialist. I called myself one for the better part of twenty [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:17 am 86. “What do they know about Obama that we don’t?” « PurpleSlog:[...] Jeez…now it turns out Obama was associated with the Socialist/Marxist New Party. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Was going to swimWho Says Obama Doesn’t [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:18 am 87. aloysiusmiller:The press doesn’t love Obama. White liberals do not like blacks anymore than Massa loved his darkies. He protected them as property, raped them when convenient, and traded them for his benefit. So it is today and so it is with Obama.
The press loves what’s behind Obama–slavery. Obama is the ultimate apologist for slavery. Not just African slavery but slavery of all sorts.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:24 am 88. Postliberal:I agree substantially with Fred’s post just above.
I would emphasize that the issue of the MSM’s relationship to the *voters* is actually more important than their relationship to Obama. What we are seeing is that the MSM takes it for granted that we voters cannot be entrusted to think and choose for ourselves. If we choose a president, we will choose wrongly, and we must be prevented from doing that for our own good.
Therefore, we will be told what the “real issues” are (lest we be distracted by “sideshows” etc.)and not exposed to any considerations that the MSM deem irrelevant. From the standpoint of the MSM, Ayers and Wright are irrelevant and not worthy of coverage; the role of the media (as the MSM sees it) is not to cover Obama’s relationship to these figures(not “fit to print”), but rather to convince voters that these matters are not news at all and do not merit coverage.
Anyone who works in a university will recognize that this presidential campaign has transferred the whole system of “diversity” speech and information control to the level of national politics. At most newspapers and broadcast media the internal environment probably differs little from that at a university. What the NY Times, and NPR, NBC, etc.,are doing for Obama, is not essentially different from what the NY Times did for its over-his-head employee Jayson Blair.
If Obama should actually win this election, from the moment it is over and McCain is out of the way Obama’s hold on political authority will be extremely tenuous–his honeymoon will be about as long as typical for a Dateline Hollywood marriage. Because Obama will be hostage to literally every individual liberal, in office or in the press, who has covered up for him and could instantly explode him just by breaking ranks and saying publicly what the MSM has so far decreed is unsayable. Reporters will be able to unmask Obama just by reporting on his *press coverage* and how it affected his election! Don’t bet they won’t: the minute Obama becomes president-elect, *he* will be the main story, and there won’t be an opponent to distract attention from him.
And Hillary Clinton will be among those with the most dirt to dish and the most desire to dish it. Count on it, HRC is planning to mount a primary challenge against Obama in 2012, she is expecting his presidency to fail, and she will exploit any signs of failure she sees. She won’t lack for opportunities.
This exposure to destruction has always been inherent in Obama’s inflated, puppet-like candidacy. It is a reason to think that his presidency, if it occurs, will be deeply unsuccessful even in the view of those who advocate the “policies” he espouses. It was irresponsible of Democrats to support Obama’s premature candidacy, and it would be irresponsible of any American for vote for him.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:24 am 89. Gandalf:Read Jack Cashill’s piece in American Thinker today and see a manchurian candidate organized by Ayers and the marxists amoung us. Somehow this needs to get fleshed out and delivered to the electorate very soon.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:25 am 90. Barry Dauphin:Last I might suggest the case of Themistocles who lied to the people of Athens to convince them to pay for a fleet of ships to defeat the Persians. Was he justified?
Are you trying to suggest that Obama is lying about Ayers, so that he can stop Iran (Persia) from getting the bomb and thus defeat Persia?
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:30 am 91. Ben Franklen:Hmmm… let’s see how this might work: Ayers used to make bombs. He bombed the Pentagon. Iran would like to bomb the Pentagon but doesn’t have the bomb. Obama worked with Ayers on education. Ayers wants to educate kids to become communisits. Communists think religion is the opiate of the people. Iran is run by religious zealots. The religious zealots control education in Iran. Obama can tell Iran that he used to be associated with a guy who made bombs and who bombed the Pentagon. He sends Ayers to Iran. Ayers convinces the youth to become commies. Iran doesn’t get the bomb. Yeah, yeah, I’m sure Obama’s lies must serve the greater good since he’s done so much good in the past. What exactly has he done in the past that makes us anticipate such wonderful things from him? I keep forgetting that part.
You lost me when you said, “There is nothing wrong with being a socialist.” Actually, there is that little bit about forcibly separating people from their possessions, empowering government tyranny and the poverty and misuse of resources that is the inevitable result of socialism. Other than that there isn’t a thing wrong with it I guess.
Part of the problem in this country is that we don’t take socialism (or progressivism as it is now called) seriously. We tend to think of it as being just another political view as worthy of respect as any other. That is a mistake. Socialists should be treated with the same contempt as pedophiles and made to feel as ostracized from civilized company as any other member of the criminal class. The fact that they advocate stealing from everyone doesn’t make them less of a criminal than the guy who mugs you on the street.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:30 am 92. Bob:One thing we ought to do in the meantime is keep referring to the Democrats as the Democratic Socialist Party. Keep pounding that home whenever possible. After a while, it might attract their attention, and then we can watch them explaining that they’re not socialists. Put’em on the defensive. Eventually, Joe and Mary Sixpack will prick up their ears and ask if there’s smoke beneath that fire.
We can do the FUD thing, too.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:31 am 93. TexEd:Obama is clearly being dishonest! He is hiding something(s), his thesis, his grades, his medical report, all things that, had Bush tried to hide his, the traitors and anti-Americans in the scumbag-media would have gone wild.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:43 am 94. PJ:The “nothing-will-change” advocates are nuts. Obama and his covert controllers will change a lot and quickly. All US attorneys will be replaced (just as Clinton did) by guys like Kwame Kilpatrick, Alcee Hastings and whoever Mayor Daley picks. All appointments to the federal bench including the top court, will be made by Bill Ayers or anti-Americans of his stripe.
If there is any significant resistance from the Congress, the US will be attacked again. In response, Obama will demand far more draconian legislation than did Bush. There will be all sorts of hate crime/speech/thought laws that will be sufficient to put many of us in “rehab centers.”
In fact, depending on how much under the control of evil puppet masters Obama is, 2008 could be the last national election this country might see for many, many years.
You may disagree. But, your disagreement is not based on any better “facts” than is my thesis. And, you haven’t begun to explain why he is still hiding an awful lot of information.
On Larry King last night, Michelle admitted that “Barack was on a board with him, the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.” Wow, amazing how their memories have improved!
Of course, Larry King didn’t follow up. He just drooled all over her and kept asking, “Doesn’t that bother you?” and showing her clips on what old mean Cindy and Sarah keep saying about the Messiah. But she kept her cool. They’re just not going to get dirty, doncha know. They will let the media and Acorn do it for them.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:47 am 95. Saltherring:I have long said that ignorance is curable, but stupid is permanent. I fear America has entered the realm of the latter, with no recipe for return. Public “schools” and “universities” have become leftist indoctrination centers, producing realms of non-thinking useful idiots. The media marches lockstep with empty-suited fools, proudly displaying the banners of socialism and pacifism. We, patriotic citizens of the United States watch, shake our heads profusely, and refuse to believe what is happening, as America prepares to take its place in line at the world’s soup kitchen.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:10 am 96. Steve White:I keep thinking of Senator Obama as the perfect ‘Seinfeld’ candidate: in the end it’s about nothing. Whatever he minimizes, obfuscates or hides, his candidacy now, with its emphasis on ‘the future’, is really about nothing.
I’ve read his campaign planks carefully on his website. It’s all boilerplate. Understandable in a way, the more specific you are, the more opportunities you provide the opposition to pick you apart (Senator McCain’s web site is certainly not sterling in this regard). Senator Obama’s townhall appearances and stump speech are no more specific. He stands for ‘hope’ and ‘change’, but for the life of me I see nothing other than a liberal Democrat.
Fine, if that’s what he is and how he wants to run. But let’s identify and judge him based on that, and let’s have the media review him on that basis.
Instead, we know little about his past other than what he wants to tell us. Investigators are stymied and beaten down in the press. I know more about Sarah Palin’s time at the University of Idaho than I do about Barack Obama’s time at Columbia and Harvard. It’s strange: if I had degrees from those two Ivy League schools, I’d be damned proud of them and I’d want people to know just how well I did there.
Mr. Obama became the chair, while very young and inexperienced, of a major NGO operation, the Annenberg Challenge. Good for him, he was up and coming and it was certainly a feather in his hat. But again, we know virtually nothing about what he did, and those who try to dig into it are blocked.
Mr. Simon thinks the press is lying. I just think they’re in the tank to the point where they’ve grown gills. It isn’t a lie per se, it’s a fatal flaw in the structure of the MSM: if the top three dozen or so editors in the country don’t want to know something, we’re not going to know it. The press doesn’t hide things so much as they’ve put boundaries on their curiosity. They just don’t want to know.
Now then, back to that ‘no trespassing’ sign on Sarah Palin’s home property …
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:10 am 97. C. Benson:Moreover I find no evidence he is a violent man.
I’ve seen no evidence of that either but what is your point. He doesn’t have to be violent to have violent men act on his behalf. I’m sure he wouldn’t dirty his well manicue nails with personal violence but a person who is so cold blooded as to insist a helpless infant born from a botched abortion be left to die alone with no support is capable of anything.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:23 am 98. Michael Smith:CB
Saltherring wrote:
Public “schools” and “universities” have become leftist indoctrination centers, producing realms of non-thinking useful idiots.
Exactly. The typical recent college graduate I encounter these days is fit only for regurgitating leftist talking points on cue — and is completely incapable of any independent critical thinking. You can’t change their minds because no one is home. Very sad and not a little frightening.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:31 am 99. fred:Interesting post, Steve White, which I don’t disagree with at all. But, as one who was trained in classical ethicists and Catholic theology, let me take the three monkeys of “see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil” a step further. Being deliberately incurious, or in denial, is a form of deception. Deliberate, I may add. Every thought of ours is in some way the end product of an act of the will.
When I read the hundreds of posts by Obamabots across the weblog world of discussions, when they insert themselves and their comments much of the time these read like unserious, lobbed grenades - dropped there by partisans who then run and hide from serious engagement at a rational level. They think that by creating noise and distraction that it somehow in their post-modernist universe it is all willed away. Truly bizarre.
As a veteran from a long time ago of the Left, having been exposed to its activist arm as a part time contribution to the political activity, I recognize the type. It is pointless to attempt to engage these people in a discussion, because that is something that goes against their default way of operating. They are quite at home carrying placards and shouting slogans. Get them to string together talking points, and throw in some training in the techniques of moral equivalency argument (tu quoque) and how to distract from the main topic, and you get the trained monkey doing what the master wants.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:34 am 100. BMoon:“So if Obama is elected we will all be wearing our Mao jackets holding up our little red copies of “The Audacity of Hope”
As common these days, your attempt at sarcasm is overtaken by reality. My son reports from his east coast private university that all students were required to read Obama’s banal, narcissistic screed, apart from being subjected to a constant barrage of pro-Obama speakers paid for by millions of dollars from our bloated tuition costs.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:47 am 101. Brian G.:I just laugh at many in the press and the commenters above who try to protect and lie for Obama. The fact is they know exactly what Obama is, and that is why they support him.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:51 am 102. Don’t let the psy-ops throw you | The Anchoress:[...] and things turn on a dime. The whole point of the big “landslide” story is the press helping Obama out some more; it is meant to make you despair and not go vote. It’s a game. While they’re saying [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:52 am 103. Edan Naud:Barry I was just referencing Themistocles lying as a tactic in politics. I meant no reference to Iran. He felt the Athenians wouldn’t pay for a fleet to defend the city so he lied about the threat to the city to effect change he felt was required (it was). Do you think politicians should ever lie or only in special circumstances? Did McCain shade the truth when he says we shouldn’t conduct cross border raids into Pakistan and then faults Obama for tipping our hand, meaning he would conduct cross border raids into Pakistan (of course we already conduct cross border raids so I don’t think it is a secret anymore).
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:02 am 104. Brian Dunn:The other point I was trying to make is the pundits never ever ever admits they were wrong about a prediction. I just want one of the many right or left wing scaremongers to admit they got it wrong. Rush, Sean, Keith etc…
On the bright side, should Iran get nukes, a President Obama could turn Iran into a glass parking lot and our press would lobby for a Nobel Peace Prize for him.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:06 am 105. jetski:To David Thompson:
Obama is a radical Muslim extremist. That is my view of the man, based on his actions, his own words, who he consorts with, the view of his wife, who his parents were, and who his heroes are.
It’s my opinion of the man.
* I believe that he is a radical.
* I believe he has been knowingly in business with a guy who he knews has bombed innocent civilians and our government institutions.
* I believe that he was a Muslim.
* I believe he is lying about being a Christian now and will announce his conversion to Islam only when it’s convenient for him to do so - just like Cassius Clay did when he was drafted.
I believe that Obama will surrender two wars. He’s said so himself.
I believe Obama will decimate our military, based on his own budget.
I believe he’ll fill the military with homosexuals, based on his stance on homosexuals.
Those are my opinions. And I’m entitled to them, and to the right to express them. They aren’t facts. But they’re my opinions based on what I see in the Obama campaign and the history of the man.
So please, piss off.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:13 am 106. jll:The web of evil surrounding Obama’s push to power is breathtaking. The very funding of the Annenberg grant, an obvious attempt to radicalize (and effectively destroy) our K12 school system by a convicted and unrepentent terrorist, speaks volumes about the sphere of influence of radical groups and ideas. The acceptance of Bill Ayers as a plausible “educator” in Illinois’ institutions of higher education as well as in Mayor Daly’s administration adds systemic momentum to the radical agenda - and to Obama’s credibility. If Clinton’s presidency created the political climate that allowed ACORN’s influence to metastasize to almost total control of Fannie and Freddie, think what an Obama administration will be able to do. Destruction of our finanacial and educational institutions is only the beginning.
This election is like the Jim Jones kool-aid horror, racially reversed and colossally scaled up.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:16 am 107. Edan Naud:Jetski if you are wrong about your opinions and predictions will you admit you were wrong? I predict nothing much will change with Obama or McCain. If I’m wrong I will mea culpa.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:20 am 108. jetski:Edan,
They are not predictions, they are my opinions, based on what Obama has said, who he has associated with in his political career (terrorists like Bill Ayers), his own released budget, the attitudes expressed by his wife, the political party that he belongs to that wants to surrender to the radical Muslims and return our troops home.
I believe that Barack uses a Muslim name … because he does. He didn’t always, but now does. He claims to be a Christian, but the evidence is that he prefers his former Muslim name, because that’s the one he uses. So, I think secretly, he’s a Muslim, but that he knows politically he can’t come out and say that.
Cassius Clay also claimed to be a Christian, until it became inconvenient to be a Christian when he got drafted. Suddenly, he announced that no, really he was a Muslim and couldn’t fight for America. It’s my opinion that Obama will do something similar to this, once it’s politically OK for him to do it.
So, these aren’t predictions. They’re my opinions. I’m free to express them, because so far, this is still America and not an Islamic Republic.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:28 am 109. franko:I’ve actually changed my mind about this election. Did you see the headline today, 30 states are in dire financial shape and want the federal government to help them out. The congress started the ball rolling by bailing out the banks, now everyone will have their hand out. Ford and GM, housing construction, the insurance industry, poverty programs in the big cities, health care, they will all need to be bailed out. There won’t be enough money to do it all.
And McCain’s no better. He wants us to take over peoples mortgages for them. Good grief. Hey fella, sorry for your troubles, but I don’t want to made to pay for your house! And why should McCain and the Republicans get the blame for the coming disaster? Just like the crash of 1929, our crash will come in 2009. The first year of a new administration always takes the big hit. Like 1932, its the 2012 election that will bring in the president that will be revered as the savior for a generation to come.
So now is a perfect time to put the democrats in charge. They got us into this mess, they can get us out of it. With the presidency and two houses of congress, they will get all the blame for failure. Sure, for the first year they can say they inherited the problems. Bush said that his first year too. But then the democrats will flounder. One, they are incompetent. Two, there is no money to do anything anyway. Three, their agenda will drive them to solutions that will appall moderates across the country. They’ll be so busy trying to extort campaign cash and kickbacks that the stench of corruption will rise to historic levels. The democrats will be discredited for a generation.
In 2012 people will look for a person with real competence. My thought is Giuliani, but perhaps Romney or someone else will have what people think we need.
Its too bad about the supreme court picks, but it will probably be the liberals that retire, replacing them with new liberals will just maintain the status quo.
I like McCain, but if he wins this time, the Republicans will take the blame for this whole mess for years to come. That’s what I don’t want to see happen above all else.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:28 am 110. mark l.:iamgine if obama wins by a small margin within states where illegal voting has occurred.
is the press going to do anything?
did they do anything when fannie/freddie were digging the grave for the US economy?
if you are looking for the ‘post-mortem’ of our financial system in the papers, you won’t find it…you will find the democratic talking point about a lack of deregulation on the part of republicans.
now the democrats are in the process of deregulating the vote, with the same complicity from the msm.
What 2008 has taught me:
the press can now select the president. this is absolutely orwellian.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:31 am 111. Edan Naud:OK, Jetski, opinions and if you are wrong about your opinions will you say I’m wrong? I hope you sometimes entertain the thought that maybe once in a great long while you just might be wrong. If you are right I promise to yell “Jetski was right and I was wrong.” just before the pinkos execute me.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:35 am 112. Xixi:Where is Michelle Obama? Has she been hiding since the Democrat Convention?
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:38 am 113. Alysse Finegold:Senator Obama is neither a Christian nor a Muslim. Senator Obama is himself The One, the Lord Messiah. He does not recognise those other usurpers, nor grant them the right to be worshiped. Faith in Lord Barry is the one true faith, all else is heresy.
Lord Barry heal the bitter ones
Still clinging to their faith and guns
Hope for the change of the hope of the change
Have you got your mind right with Lord Barry?
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:39 am 114. ketchikan:Now that we are learning more about Obama’s alliances and past go his website and read his plan for education. Remember the communist said the way to get to accomplish change in a society is thru education of the children.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:41 am 115. jetski:A person cannot be “wrong” about their opinions. Opinions aren’t “facts.” They’re subjective, not objective.
My opinion is that Barack Obama knew that Bill Ayers had bombed our Capital. That opinion is based on what Barack Obama has said, what newspapers have reported and the public record.
You might have a different opinion, and you’re free to have that opinion and express it. My opinion, and it’s not a fact, but my opinion, is that Barack Obama thinks it’s perfectly OK for a guy who has tried to murder Americans with bombs to be around our children in our schools.
That’s the same view that an Islamic terrorist has. Islamic terrorists believe that it’s OK to bomb civilians. And Barack Hussein Obama, a guy with a Muslim name, who was born to a Muslim father, works with a bomber named Bill Ayers. It’s my opinion that Barack Obama is a Muslim extremist.
He claims not to be, but then again, he would claim that wouldn’t he? Nevertheless, I am able to think on the subject and form my own opinion, based on what he’s said, what the NY Times has reported and what the public record shows.
This is still America, and I’ll never apologize for my opinion. I hope you wouldn’t either.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:43 am 116. Edan Naud:OK, Jetski, based on your opinions are you predicting that Obama will destroy society as we know it? And if your predictions are wrong will you or anyone admit they could possibly be wrong. If your predictions prove right I certainly will be man enough to admit it. Just my opinion.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:57 am 117. A. N. Pierson:Jetski, I sincerely doubt Obama is a Muslim. I equally doubt he is a Christian (of any depth). He seems to be a standard issue atheist/agnostic of his class. Like many politicians, he pretends to faith he doesn’t really have. Nothing new there. Ever watch Bill Clinton in church?
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:01 am 118. jetski:Edan,
Nope. My opinion is that Barack Obama thinks its OK for a guy who has bombed our Capital to be around our kids, teaching them in our schools.
Bill Ayers, Obama’s friend and coworker at the Annenberg Project, bombed our capital and is presently working in the Chicago school system. Obama thinks that’s OK.
It’s my opinion that when you bomb our Capitol, you shouldn’t be allowed around kids … just like we keep the pedophiles from being around our kids. This isn’t a radical idea. We don’t let perverts around our kids, and we shouldn’t let domestic terrorists around our kids.
But its my opinion, based on what Obama has said about his neighbor and coworker Bill Ayers that Obama thinks its OK for Bill Ayers to be around our kids.
That’s whacked, and I think it is further proof that Obama is a radical extremist himself.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:01 am 119. NJclosetconservative:Edan,
I agree that there is too much hyperbole about what Barry might do as president as indicated by his radical past.
I’m much more concerned about what he has specifically promised to do during his campaign.
I can assure you that there are many people in my neck of the woods (NJ suburbs of NYC) making between $90,000 and $250,000 per year who are definitely not rich (property taxes for a modest home are between $10,000 and $25,000 per year in this area) and will be seriously hurt by Obama’s promises to increase tax rates, lift the cap on payroll taxes, and raise the capital gains rate.
The first thing these people will cut will not be retirement and college savings but rather expenditures on child care, lawn and garden care, automotive repair, etc. not to mention less important things like dining out, entertainment, and consumer goods.
And all those cuts represent less revenue for industries in which lots of good people, neighbors, etc. are trying to make a living as well.
Also, if president Barry adds 20 million people to the health care rolls, where will the doctors come from to treat them?
Would you like lasik surgery? Sorry, we only offer that until age 50. Would you prefer a cutting edge cancer treatment? Sorry, that’s no longer covered. Would you like to see the famous Dr. Welby instead of Dr. Kildare who got a mail order MD from East Timor Technical University (their football team is the ETTU Brutes)? Sorry, you have to stand in line or accept the Doctor the government assigns.
Ask yourself if this kind of rationing is wild speculation or a real possibility under Obamacare? You don’t need to have taken Al Gore’s fuzzy math at Harvard to be concerned. Nor do you need to mention Bill Ayers, Rev Wright, Fr. Pleger, Tony Rezko et al.
In answer to your question, if Obama is elected and the things I’m afraid of don’t come to pass, I’ll be relieved and happy to say so.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:03 am 120. mark l.:“OK, Jetski, based on your opinions are you predicting that Obama will destroy society as we know it?”
the larger question is-’if Obama destroys soceity as we know it, will the press report it?”
presidents are at best 8 year excursions, the media is ageless.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:03 am 121. Edan Naud:Based on your opinions do you have any predictions about how Obama’s radical secret life will impact America. And if you do make a prediction and it is wrong will you confess your mistake? My prediction is nothing will change who ever we elect. If I’m wrong I will admit it.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:08 am 122. hermie:Obama is part of the Chicago Democrat party machine, there is no doubt about that.
He claims the mantle of ‘change’, but he has supported the corrupt and nepotistic Daley outfit…He has never attempted to go against the wishes of his party superiors.
His supposed legislative accomplishments, were nothing more than his taking the credit for the work of others within the State Senate. Emil Jones, Obama’s mentor (and whose son was selected to fill his seat without having to be elected by the voters) placed Obama’s name on pieces of legislation, despite the fact he did little or no work on these.
Obama supported Todd Stroger to take his father’s place as Chairman of the Cook County Board, even though he had no ualifications, and reformers were trying to fix the broken finances. Stroger then fired a number of healthcare professionals working for the county hospital system, and hired relatives at huge salaries. Obama said nothing.
Obama closely associated himself with Tony Rezko, who was a known slumloard. Rezko raised money for himself while wallowing in the corruption in Illinois. Obama the ‘change’ candidate never disassociated himself with Rezko.
Obama has done little in the Senate and has produced no significant legislation. However, he seems to take credit for every piece of legislation that he thinks would benefit politically. He claims that he was the architect of the bailout, but there is no indication that he actually wrote anything. Everything that ‘proves’ this is anecdotal.
He claims he ‘warned’ about Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, but he made no effort to offer legislation to do anything about it. Instead, the two main culprits in the Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae debacle, who got an obscene amount of money for their mismanagement and crooked bookkeeping, became Obama advisors and members of his campaign. Hardly someone who wants ‘change’.
He claims he ‘warned’ about the Russians in Georgia, but there was nothing to indicate that he treated this matter with any seriousness.
In short, Obama is a very good speechmaker, but his words have never matched his deeds, yet the MSM with the exception of John Kass of the Chicago Tribune, have ignored this in order to ‘change’ the POTUS to ‘their’ guy.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:10 am 123. Austin Avery:“We conservatives are sending a powerful, inadvertent message with this negative campaign against Barack Obama’s associations and former associations: that we lack a positive agenda of our own and that we don’t care about the economic issues that are worrying American voters.”
– David Frum
http://frum.nationalreview.com/post/?q=NmE5Njk3NDBlZGZhYWU4YTMyMGFkNjYyNjJmNzYwNTg=
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:12 am 124. Hang Right Politics » Judgment?:[...] Obama’s double standard may be lost on the rest of the media at large as they daily exploit it - but will it be lost on the public at large? Perhaps it’s Mr. [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:23 am 125. Sean Smith:Hey, Simon, why don’t you talk this way when you’re hanging out on MS-NBaraCk with Chris Matthews? Afraid they won’t invite you back? I am beyond disgusted. The media is committing malpractice.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:27 am 126. Sean Smith:Aww shit. I confused Roger Simon at politico for the mystery writer Roger Simon. My mistake. Roger Simon at politico is another guy and a total hack. My apologies.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:28 am 127. cfbleachers:Roger, here is my answer to the seminal question you raised:
1)The lie isn’t just his, it’s theirs as well.
2)Since they are complicit in telling the lies, they must have a common agenda.
3) Since they have a common agenda, they must have a strategy for advancing it.
4)Since they can’t tell the truth about their agenda, they must cover his lies as he advances it for them.
5)Fox News and talk radio and the blogosphere interrupted the agenda’s unfettered advancement.
6) They needed to change the dynamic and reverse those gains.
7) He is the change they’ve been waiting for.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:33 am 128. David Govett:An journalists wonder why they are being disintermediated. Without factual information, Americans are voting blind, so any slick salesman can put one over on the electorate. Now you know how Hitler fooled so many Germans.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:34 am 129. Mwalimu Daudi:There may be another reason that the MSM is in the tank for the Messiah beyond a rather obvious agreement with His extremist philosophy.
Democrats have promised to reinstate the so-called Fairness Doctrine, which was created to shut down conservative talk radio (the only major media entity not worshipping the Chosen One). In Missouri Democrat officeholders are openly threatening media outlets that tell “lies” about He Whose Middle Name Must Not Be Mentioned. Other examples of Democrat-led efforts aimed at intimidation of independent media abound.
Under an Obama administration the power of the MSM could grow as other media voices are shut down or even jailed. The prospect of a return to absolute domination of the news must be very appealing for the likes of Brokaw, Couric, Gibson and others who look with envy at how Walter Cronkite once told the nation what to think - and a majority meekly complied.
Thus the irony - a supposedly free and independent press is the loudest voice calling for fascism and censorship in America.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:34 am 130. 24AheadDotCom:1. The Frum quote above is correct. McCain needs to show what he’s going to do and explain why he thinks it’s the better plan. He can present the differences between his plans and BHO’s plans, but that should take a backseat to him highlighting his plans.
2. At the same time, Palin can continue the attacks.
3. Also at the same time, those unaffiliated with the McCain campaign can go to BHO’s appearances and ask him the questions the MSM won’t ask. Get his response on video and upload it to Youtube:
http://24ahead.com/blog/archives/008071.html
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:38 am 131. Orion:The Left has been looking for a Great White Hope (irony intended) ever since Ronald Reagan stomped Jimmy Carter in 1980. They thought they had one in Bill Clinton but then he let his libedo out of its room and they wound up defending his narcissm and sexual predatory nature for 8 years instead of bringing forth the Liberal Nirvana.
They’ve convinced themselves that they’ve found another Bill Clinton only w/o the libedo problem, who THIS TIME will lead them to paradise. That’s why none of Obama’s problems are allowed to interfere, that’s why they’re examining Palin with a microscope instead of Obama. They need him to win so badly andthey can’t bear the thought of failure - again.
Ironically, the worse punishment we could inflict on them would be to let Mr. Empty Suit win. He’d be so overwhelmed by the job that in 4 years the voting public would clammor for a Republican. Unfortunately there may not be an election in 4 years if we let him win because there may not be a country.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:51 am 132. More Of Obama’s Past Revealed « Tai-Chi Policy:[...] More Of Obama’s Past Revealed October 9, 2008 Posted by taoist in Democrats, Dishonesty, History, Obama, Politics, Socialism. trackback It turns out he was a member of the National Socialist Party. As opposed to Sarah Palin’s attending of a fringe political group’s meeting, once. Meanwhile, Gateway pundit is also putting a couple more pieces together about Obama’s past associations. Don’t expect the press to report on any of this. [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:52 am 133. Swamp Rabbit:OsamaHusseinIslamObama 08′ (D-World)
(the terrorist choice)
The only diffrence between Osama and Obama is a little bs.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:57 am 134. Mambo Bananapatch:Bush has lied. So has Cheney. Karl Rove has to look up the word “truth”. Partisan Republicans aren’t troubled, assuming they even realize it’s happening.
Obama has also lied. Repeatedly. Bill Clinton can’t open his mouth without lying. Hillary! is as dishonest and manipulative as any politician ever was. Self-blinded Democrats don’t notice or care.
Occasionally, thoughtful moderate voices try to make themselves heard, but are at once shouted down by the mindless: “Racist!” or “Traitor!”, depending on who’s doing the shouting.
You can lie to a partisan American as long as you’re wearing the right uniform, and they don’t seem to mind. But lie to an adherent from the other camp — or even tell them the truth! — and the resulting spew of righteous, sanctimonious outrage will turn the very air blue.
When partisan America — in particular the devoted press – begins to actually think, and holds all her leadership to the same standard, she will earn the leaders she deserves. Until then, slimy little frauds like Obama and withered old dinosaurs like McCain are the best she can hope for.
Can’t remember who said it: “Most people think they’re thinking, when all they’re doing is rearranging their prejudices.” Bloody right.
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:00 am 135. AA in California:Simon, first: congratulations, you’ve once again nailed it; bullseye on all points. I admire how you’ve exposed the New York Times’ motives for their own survival, as they have taken a “pass” on every chance to review Obama’s records, and associations. Cheers.
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:13 am 136. Lifeofthemind:BOSS:
Listen. You want to be reform mayor?
McGINTY:
Reform mayor?
BOSS:
That’s what I said.
McGINTY:
Well, what da ya mean “reform mayor”?
BOSS:
What do you think it means?! Don’t make me say everything twice, will you?
McGINTY:
Well–
BOSS:
I said, do you want to be reform mayor of this city? Mayor!
McGINTY:
Well, what YOU got to do with the reform party?
BOSS:
I am the reform party! Who do you think?
McGINTY:
You’re the reform party?
BOSS:
Why do you make me say everything twice?
McGINTY:
But since when?
BOSS:
Since a long time ago. In this town, I’m all the parties! You think I’m gonna starve every time they change administrations?
McGINTY:
But then, where does the reform party come in?
BOSS:
They come in the back door every Wednesday. I ask you if you want to be reform mayor. You give me a plain answer.
McGINTY:
Well, sure, I - guess so.
Script from, http://www.genericradio.com/show.php?id=1CLNGKGTC
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:35 am 137. AST:I have been writing for weeks that Obama was our first post-modern presidential candidate, by which I mean that he relies on constructed truth. I’ve never really understood what post-modernism was about, but recently I read an essay that explained deconstructionism, the process of breaking down one truth into constituents from which one reconstructs another truth. What it boils down to is an intellectual license for asserting as truth anything that sounds good to you.
Obama’s understanding of history is abominable, such as when he justifies his pledge to meet unconditionally with the worst dictators in the world by pointing to Kennedy’s first summit with Khrushchev as a positive precedent. He apparently doesn’t realize that that summit was a disaster for JFK and that Nikita came away convinced that Kennedy was weak and could be buffaloed, which may have contributed to the Cuban Missile Crisis. David Gelernter makes the same point in his recent piece in The Weekly Standard, “Obama in Leftland.”
I’m not a big believer in conspiracy theories, but I have read “Witness” by Whittaker Chambers and I don’t believe that enemies of freedom and democracy gave up just because of McCarthy and the Red Scare. If anything, they’ve become more entrenched in our educational establishment and in the large media centers of the nation. Until 2000, I believed that it would be impossible for any such movement to overthrow our constitution, but the Bush Derangement Syndrome and Obama’s improbable lead in the polls have shaken that belief.
Will Americans sit still for undoing the First Amendment in the name of Fairness, for having their children indoctrinated with theories to justify a supreme world government, for their military being defanged and their votes diluted through voter fraud and illegal funding of campaigns? As long as the change is slow enough, I’m afraid they will. After all, most of them have learned their logic skills from television.
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:51 am 138. jetski:“Obama’s radical secret life will impact America …”
Edan,
I disagree with the premise of your question. You presume that Obama has some secret radical life. I maintain that, based on what Obama has said, based on where Obama has worked, and based on who he works with and the projects that they worked on together … that Obama doesn’t have a secret radical life.
He has a public radical life.
Obama doesn’t call himself Barack in secret, but then call himself Barry in public. He doesn’t care who knows that he would prefer to use his Muslim name. It’s out in the open, it’s not a secret. It’s in your face.
Obama worked for years with Bill Ayers. He thinks, and he’ll tell you if you ask him, that its OK for domestic terrorists who have bombed the Capital building to be around our kids in our schools.
Teaching them.
It’s no “secret radical life” if Obama will tell you that himself. He’s quite open and honest about it. That’s how it’s been so easy for me to form my opinion about him.
I, on the other hand, think that Obama’s friend Bill Ayers should, like pedophiles and other threats to our children’s morals, be kept 1,000 yards away from all children and schools. Just like we treat the perverts.
Ayers should be on a terrorist list so we can all know exactly where he is at all times … just like we keep sex offender registry lists of the perverts.
If Obama wasn’t a radical Muslim extremist … which in my opinion he is … I think he would be against the terrorists and pedophiles.
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:51 am 139. Everyone14:Check out Obama’s plans for education already in the works:
Obama’s Revolutionary Positive Behavior for Effective Schools Act of 2007
http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/5402
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:52 am 140. Barry Dauphin:Edan Naud
Barry I was just referencing Themistocles lying as a tactic in politics. I meant no reference to Iran.
Yeah, I know you weren’t meaning Iran. I was jokingly questioning the association between Obama’s lying about a past association and a politician’s carefully worded statements about what he/she will do. it was satiric.
Look, Obama is lying about taxes. He will raise them on people he says he won’t once he’s in office. McCain could be making similar claims. Whatver I think about Obama saying he’ll cut taxes when he won’t is very different from totally misrepresenting his alliance (not association) with Ayers. Even if raising taxes will have a far larger effect on more people, the lies about Ayers are actually much sleazier and much more worrisome. Obama might even believe he’ll cut taxes (which will then make him “wrong” instead of lying).
Politicians (or anyone for that matter) might have to adjust to new circumstances they had not foreseen. If president McCain sends some troops into Pakistan, that does not mean he was lying when he said he wouldn’t. If President Obama doesn’t send troops into Pakistan, that doesn’t mean he was lying when he said he would. Ayers is a prior alliance. That has nothing to do with judging that 2 yrs. from now whether we’ll cross into Pakistan and pick up bin Laden as circumstances permit or a president will push for taxes when he pledges “read my lips”.
A reason why the Ayers alliance is important is not becuase Obama wants to make bombs, but because Obama might share Ayers’ philosophy of education but is not telling anyone that and that he allied himself with individuals who have different philosphies than he is running on today. History means something. Obama has accomplished nothing as a legislator. We should look at what he has actually done. What he has repeatedly done is ally himself with folks like Ayers (again more than an “association”).
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:08 pm 141. Cynical Observer:“Deeper fears are perhaps at play … also a desperate need to conform to a fragile peer group. And in these times more than ever, a yet more potent terror –- job loss.”
Yes, that’s it. For most of them, this is the last presidential race they’ll ever cover. And they know it. There’s hardly a week that goes by without a huge job cut at one newspaper or another, often just a few months after another major cut. Most of them know that they have maybe a year or two left where they are, after which, for most, there will be nothing comparable, or maybe nothing at all.
So they lie, they conceal, they ignore, they hector us with bizarre deconstructions of non-existent racism, they attack Sarah Palin in an absolutely unprecedentedly vicious way, they lash out like the dying dinosaurs that they are. I am so glad to see them die. Even a vacuum will be better than what they are. But they’re determined to take the US down with them. And so, Obama.
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:22 pm 142. Edan Naud:OK Barry you maybe right, unfortunately most Americans are too lazy to look too carefully at Obama or so angry at the Republicans for their incompetence they would vote for the proverbial yellow dog. Count me as both lazy and angry. Thank god they still let me vote.
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:44 pm 143. Ratatosk:The deal was the Republicans didn’t care about the little people but at least they were competent and wouldn’t screw up the economy or mess up our military. George Bush put the kibosh to that belief. The Dems care but are too fractious and incompetent too run things. So I’m voting for the lesser of two evils the one that cares and will do nothing instead of the party that doesn’t care and is incompetent.
If in a year or two we all find ourselves in reeducation camps I promise to look you up and mea culpa in person.
So… Obama is a socialist and he’ll lead us in the direction of socialism?
My Friends, we’re already on that road and it wasn’t the Dem’s driving or looking at the Map.. Of course, the Dems don’t seem to do much of anything… other than sit in the backseat and shout “He’s Touching Me!” which is just annoying unless they’re sitting next to Larry Craig.
700 Billion Dollars and more to come, the government buying stock in corporations, the government buying mortgages?!?! My Friends, that is NOT simply the idiotic Socialism of Universal Healthcare… its verging on Fascism.
Let the canard of small government and free markets die. It was a good idea, but its gone and no matter which of these dudes we put in office… they aren’t bringing it back. McCain and Obama will continue down the path of bigger government, more federal influence in private lives and… socialism. The GOP has done nothing to stop the spread and at this point has just taken us in the biggest jump away from capitalism that we’ve ever experienced.
So if repeating mantras helps you sleep at night. Good.
Just remember that, when Obama sweeps to power, armed with all of those convienent signing statements that GWB will leave in his lap. Held without a hearing… Army divisions deployed in your front yard… Extraordinary Rendition… all just to ‘help’ the President. Uh huh.
Here’s some fun questions to consider for next year:
What will stop the future president (or current one) from calling out the army to arrest Congress?
What will stop the future president (or current one) from calling out the army to arrest members of Fox News or any other media outlet… what will stop a future president (or current) from declaring an emergency, dropping your right to a fair trial and simply sweeping up the blogsphere?
And lets not forget those emergency wiretaps.
Yes, My Friends, we are right and proper fu**ed. Not because idiots are gonna vote for Obama, but because we abandoned our post, dove for cover and let Government do exactly what we always feared it would. Bush will leave the White House to someone with far more power than it had, power that could easily be abused (and may already have been). Socialism? We’re flying past it faster than the Dow flew past 10000.
Now Appraching Terminal 2009: Crippled Economies and Fascism. The connecting train to Dictatorship is across the terminal.
Whoops, looks like this is our stop! All Aboard!
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:50 pm 144. hermie:They expect that Obama will implement restrictions on non-traditional media, thus allowing the NYT WP and NBC/NBC-lite networks to regain what they believe is their right to control the news.
Those journalism students who were brainwashed into thinking that the news is a way to ‘make a difference’ will find out that they will not be making a difference, but actually working to keep the public ignorant of the facts.
When you decide to ignore the truth, then bend over and take it, you will be expected to do it again and again…or else.
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:51 pm 145. If Truth Matters, so does Integrity! « Get Clued:[...] Why the press hides Obama’s lies An idea of what Ayers has in mind for America’s schools was provided in his own words not 40 years ago when Obama was eight years old, but less than two years ago in November 2006 at the World Education Forum in Caracas hosted by dictator Hugo Chavez. [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 12:58 pm 146. steve m.:Austin. Query? Your heading down the highway, you take your eyes off the road for a moment and realize your heading for a bridge abutment. You steer your car away from danger. Did you: A) direct your car to greener pastures? or B) did you avoid dying in a flaming wreck? Sometimes it’s more important to vote against one thing, than to vote for another. With every old media effort towards electing “The One” we may have little choice but to go nuclear, how ever ugly it becomes.
Oct 9, 2008 - 1:03 pm 147. ic:“Jack Cashill makes the rather extroardinary allegation, using various linguistic study methods, that Ayers may have ghost written Obama’s first book.”
I always suspected that the book was ghost-written. U of Chicago hired him as a law professor, but he had no publications to warrant that position. U of Chicago gave him a grant to write a book about himself. He didn’t perform, four months over due. U of Chicago paid him to take a vacation in Hawaii(or Bali?) to finish the book. Then it was done. That’s why I always suspected Michelle actually wrote his book. I guess Ayers could have done that too.
Oct 9, 2008 - 1:08 pm 148. ctaylor:I vote its the money-Everyone can be bought-check out the donations from media corporations to Obamas campaign-opensecrets is a good start.
Barack Obama (D)
Top Contributors-2008 election cycle
______________________________ __
Goldman Sachs $739,521
University of California-$697,506
Google $487,355
Microsoft $429,656
TimeWarner $375,063
JPMorgan and chase $475,112
Lehman bros- $391,774
There are plenty more to look into. I figure in politics its all greasing the palms-if the media invests in Obama they must be trying to protect their investment. Whats the payback going to end up being for the media? Maybe you all can look into it. I dont like what I have found so far.
Oct 9, 2008 - 1:13 pm 149. North Carolina Dave:Cool, so hopefully Palin will honestly answer questions about her husband’s involvement with the America-hating AIP?
Didn’t think so.
Oct 9, 2008 - 1:27 pm 150. Barry Dauphin:If in a year or two we all find ourselves in reeducation camps I promise to look you up and mea culpa in person.
Won’t you be one of the educators? You’ll already have my name on the list of people who need re-education. You’ll have voted for Obama, so you’re in.
I can be concerned about Obama’s relationship with Ayers without being worried about re-education camps (and yes, I know you’re kidding). Just because we won’t have re-education camps, is not exactly a ringing endorsement of Obama (Vote for Obama, cuz there really won’t be re-education camps).
We disagree about the military actions taken by this Administration. I can respect that. But Bush & Republicans are to blame for the financial crisis? Wow, I knew Bush was uber-powerful but not that powerful. Maybe he’ll change the gravitational pull of the sun, and the earth will be swallowed up into it too. All part of his evil global warming plot.
Vote we should. Vote with open eyes. McCain has many flaws, and should he win, I’ll gnash my teeth from time to time. But I do not like the prospect of Obama in the oval office with a 60-Dem Senate. All the more reason to have one’s eyes open about Obama, because he will likely be voted in. I know there will be many rejoicing at the replacement of Bushitlerburton, but I won’t be surprised if Bush will be seen in a new, much more positive light in two years. I’ll sneak that into the re-education textbooks right after I set off a smoke bomb at chairman Ayers’ house.
Oct 9, 2008 - 1:48 pm 151. Edan Naud:I think Barry just came up with McCain’s winning strategy. Vote for McCain he will ride herd on that incompetent Congress (boy I like using that word). And when I think about it McCain is really a secular left of center populist so who knows Barry you just might change a vote. It is OK though because my girl friend is still voting for Obama and we live in Texas so it don’t matter if both of us vote Obama the state will go with McCain.
Oct 9, 2008 - 1:57 pm 152. Steve White:after I set off a smoke bomb at chairman Ayers’ house.
Barry, you won’t get within a hundred yards. Assuming you’re not in a re-education camp.
And it’s not ‘Chairman Ayers’: that’s so, so, .. Soviet.
Mr. Ayers will become the ‘permanent national security advisor’. Bonus points if you know the novel and author from which that comes. Barry will come and go but Mr. Ayers will remain.
Oct 9, 2008 - 2:03 pm 153. Barry Dauphin:Steve: Mr. Ayers will become the ‘permanent national security advisor’.
I thought Ayers would become Secretary of Mandatory Continuing Education, and that Hugo Chavez would become permanent national security advisor (unfortunately, I read too much nonfiction and not enough fiction, so you got me on the novel. I guess Bill Ayers will teach me what I need to know in the future).
Oct 9, 2008 - 3:15 pm 154. From Drama to Trauma Under Obama? « Doug Geivett’s Blog:[...] Roger L. Simon, “Why the Press Hides Obama’s Lies” [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 3:38 pm 155. Bryan Shelly:So, really, this is all you guys got? The Reverend and the Terrorist? You’re really that out of ideas to get the next President of the United States? You don’t really think this is going to work, do you?
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:06 pm 156. Obama - Questions Unanswered | Bearing Drift :: Virginia Politics and Podcasts:[...] And why if this is so serious, aren’t you hearing more about it? Many reasons. Here are some, from Roger L. Simon. [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:09 pm 157. greystonebabe:One of my observations of life is: If 98% of the people think it’s grand, I should examine it VERY carefully…..and I am being proving correct. We have become a culture of mindless celebrity worship, holding out our hands for another hand-out…….wanting teachers to baby-sit, governments to provide, and a nice life provided with no effort on our part. Health care is a “right”? Since when? Johh McCain is correct. It is a RESPONSIBILITY..for each of us to assume for ourselves if we are able-bodied and competent enough to work! It is a creed for every caring American that we aspire to love and care for our fellow man and help him when possible….. But, a right? Perhaps so, if he cannot take care of himself…..but not if he prefers a handout. Please……….. As a student of History, I am aware of the circumstances surrounding the fall of many empires and I am afraid I must say, “Watch out!”. Heaven help us as we go down the drain bowing and scraping to the candidate who promises all and does not have the wisdom ot the wherewithall to deliver. A Democratic president AND a Democratic Congress…Why vote? Just open the floodgates to disaster….and sit back and watch! How sad, to think that a “guilt” vote will power this election. Our country is better than that…………or, it used to be.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:29 pm 158. Mark M.:Good grief this is a place filled with whackos. You say Obama is presently a socialist intent on destroying capitalism? Why is Warren Buffett supporting him? Why would Wall Street firms support him? You all say the mainstream media - which is controlled by five multinational capitalist organizations - are all shilling for him. Why would they do this? Do you really think if the Republicans controlling GE and the other multinationals thought Obama was a socialist they would let their journalists be “in the tank” for him??? Are you the only enlightened folks around?
Are you aware of Bill Ayers’ ties to Reagan? Remember, the Annenbergs themselves, who obviously thought well of the reformed Ayers (like other Republicans who served on the same board as Obama), were close associates of Reagan. Are they dupes like everyone else, except you? You really need to get away from the wingnut websites and get some fresh air.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:30 pm 159. hendy:You guys are indeed serious pieces of work. Do you really think Obama is an Ayers disciple or something? Maybe Obama is somewhat of a politician. I personally think that he joined Wright’s church because it was the thing to do to get connected politically. I beleive he’s heard Wright before but I’m sure he wasn’t at church all the time and was not a disciple of Wright’s. The church did good work and it helped him politically. And don;t you think if there was something with Rezco, Clinton would have uncovered it? PLease quit with the guilt by association. Guess what? Obama is running somewhat of a different kind of campaign because he has not fought back with the tons of stuff that challenges the lie McCain calls his life. Take a look at the latest Rollingstones article and try to disprove all that stuff.(Make Beleive Maverick) Has Obama slammed either McCain or Palin? (she’s got tons of crap too) You know, I am a moderate and I was undecided voter. The fact of Ayers, Wright and Rezco and their tangential association with Obama does not bother me. Just like I am not against McCain because of the Keating crap, his fake heroism or that his simply dogged his wonderful wife who waited years for him. That does not matter with me. McCain is sick and the doctors say he may only live for 4 years. My goodness guys, Palin as our President? Good Grief - she has a witch doctor minister driving away demons! Is it that you guys just can’t see a guy of color with this power? I am white and I understand that we think we own everything. Read the Rollingstone article. McCain a dummy and has always been a dummy. Palin’s an airhead and hungry, hungry hungry. If Obama knows a few unsavories, so what! This guy has achieved more that most white folks with the disadvantage of being black in America. McCain scraped the bottom of his college class and always had his Daddy to bail him out. (I’m sure he is turning in his grave with what his son has become) McCain was a horrible navy pilot, he crashed 3 or 4 planes. He’s lead a privileged life and his Dad, who was likely a real man, fixed everything for him from day one. I stupidly voted for George Bush thinking that being smart was not that important - Boy was I wrong. McCain has no character as he left his crippled wife and went after the pretty rich girl (even the Reagans knew he was a piece of crap).He’s an angry, little man who suffers from post traumatic stress syndrome. You know I am right! Good grief guys- you don’t have to love Obama but the choice we have truly is a no brainer–eveything you speak of now is speculation–Please–read the Rollingstones article. I was leaning toward McCain at first–but once he recklessly and irresponsibly picked Palin– I was done. When I read this Rollingstones article–I learned alot about the guy I once supported and it made me understand the Palin pick–it is entirely consistent with who McCain is.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:39 pm 160. Today’s LOL Moment « Decidedly Right:[...] the media is so obviously in the tank for McCain! They’ve been incredibly detailed in their vetting of Barack Obama, haven’t they? And the way they’ve been striving for excellence in [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:48 pm 161. Mike S:Bryan,
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:53 pm 162. Cynthia:Seeing as you are an amoral leftist moonbat, I don’t expect you to understand. You, just like Obama, because you have no quality of character, don’t see that your friends and colleagues help define who you are. You imagine that somehow a person can remain pure, upright and individualistic in the midst of corruption and defilement. Now it may be true that wallowing in the mud with the swine doesn’t make you a pig, but do it long enough and you’ll be just as filthy.
Mike
Wow! What a nice board to display all your hate! Why not do an article on McCain and all the things he is involved with, including that idiot running mate he has. He has so many issues, and I don’t see not one. I don’t understand why any woman would want to vote for him, based on how he treated his first wife, and not to mention he has on own Ayers connection among other things.
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:56 pm 163. Right Trash:John McCain keeps company with criminals
http://www.236.com/news/2008/10/09/john_mccain_is_friends_with_th_9437.php
Oct 9, 2008 - 4:58 pm 164. Lightnin' Hopkins:The press is selectively incurious once again, in exactly the same way it didn’t see fit to cover Iraq once there was positive news to report. They slime the hell out of Gov. Palin as if *she* was the terrorist, not Ayers. Then they conveniently avoid reporting on this traitor’s personal and political connection to a presidential candidate - all because it might harm The Chosen One. Nuance, you see; it’s a J-School thing.
There’s no need for the MSM to dig through Ayers’ trash anyway, because his scandalous past is not imaginary - it’s all very real and (mostly) out in the open. His whole history is trash, after all, but that won’t stop the legacy media from suppressing and glossing over the story as much as they can before the election.
Here’s a brief post about Obama’s lawyerly, shell game approach to never giving a straight answer to the actual question being posed to him - just one example among dozens:
http://tinyurl.com/4gk4xp
p.s., Jay: stay classy!
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:05 pm 165. Right Trash:How awful! John McCain has been endorsed by the Annenberg Family who runs the foundation on which Ayers was a board member. So, I guess McCain is pals with a terrorist too. Poor Grampy-his time has come and gone. Can’t wait to see him + his day nurse vanish into obscurity.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:05 pm 166. Right Trash:Is it true? Larry Flynt has offered the guy that Sarah Palin screwed $1million to tell his story! Granted, it will be boring Republican sex but still, you have to love her family values.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:09 pm 167. John:We know there’s a lunatic fringe in right wing American politics. There are bookshelfs on the subject, but the net brings them into our living rooms even the ones threatening assassination. Dive in the gutter guys, incite violence and mayhem and much good may it do you. The ‘base’ love it but the rest of America is totally disgusted and it’s going to turn a convincing win for Obama into a landslide.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:17 pm 168. Right Trash:Sarah Palin is a terrorist and I am very afraid of her
http://www.jedreport.com/2008/10/sarah-palin-palling-around-wit.html
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:18 pm 169. Mike S:Why is it that what’s bad for America is good for Obama? When we were “losing” the war, the Democrats were cheering. Now that the economy is reeling, Obama is pulling away. I’m beginning to wonder if Democracy is all it’s cracked up to be. I think maybe there should be a requirement that a person have at least one rational thought before pulling the lever arm.
Oct 9, 2008 - 5:19 pm 170. Michelle:Mike
The most frustrating part of watching the media cover this election is the dishonesty and the power they have in forming the “truth”. Especially CNN since people around the world watch it. Think about the CNN coverage this election season. Its been HISTORIC (CNN’s favorite word) for their BIAS. Barack wasn’t even VETTED.Can you imagine any other politician being able to get away with so much? Howard Dean screams into a camera and his career is done, but obama has associations with multiple radicals/terrorists, has flip flopped on all the issues and its ok??
All this “no bias, no bull” CNN slogan is a bunch of bullshit. Its TOTALLY bias. All this fact-check crap is bull too. Supposedly Factcheck.org has connection with the annenberg challenge. Its all a smoke screen to make it seem like their being fair. Sarah Palin was more thoroughly vetted in the first 24 hours of her being announced as VP, then Barack Obama has been this whole election. And everytime Obama’s poll numbers are down, Larry King ALWAYS asks the same thing to his guests, “How much do you think race is a factor?” EVERY TIME. He can’t even imagine people voting against him or disagreeing with his views, or associations.
Race is always the exuse or “distraction.” Criticize Barack and your a racist! Im so sick of people mentioning it and making it more of an issue than it is. If their trying to convince the racists to feel guilty and vote for barack, their probably not watching CNN anyways.
THe media made some people believe Bill Clinton was a racist. Thats how much power they have. Its pure brainwashing. And during the primaries I remember one of the phony press conferences barack held and I swear one of the questions to him was, “Can you name something good about chicago politics?” And it wasn’t a sarcastic question either.
McCain needs to hold a press conference and just lay out everything barack has lied about all the shady stuff that only bloggers have been covering, and then at the end look into the camera and say “Fact check this CNN!” They wont do it. They’re not covering Acorns connections with Obama, they didn’t even mention all the voter fraud irregularities the clinton campaign released to the press during the primaries. They don’t care about anything else but electing barack obama. Period.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:00 pm 171. dougf:Actually I am much less concerned about Obama now than I was even a month ago.
Were I running for President at this historical moment I think I would find some way to tank my campaign. This economic meltdown is I fear going to be BAD. And it won’t be short and sweet according to the ‘experts’. It looks more as if it will be l-o-n-g and p-a-i-n-f-u-l.
The guy who ‘wins’ in November will end up ‘winning’ the prize of a contracting economy with no great financial capabilities remaining at precisely the time when the State most needs to be involved. He will be a prisoner of the ’system’. He will be widely perceived as ‘ineffective’. Even the ‘One’s’ demagoguery won’t get him out of that box.
The ‘winner’ won’t be ‘winning’ much of anything in November, and likely won’t be even ‘winning’ that much should he try to run again in 2012.
Who in his right mind would even want the job NOW when ALL the <Chickens really ARE apparently coming home to R-O-O-O-O-S-T ?
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:06 pm 172. Steve Bie:“Ayers might have written Obama’s first book.” That really is very funny, Roger. Rather than discussing the major issues of the campaign, you offer us wacko theories? Next you’ll probably allege that Obama was inspired by the ghost of Stalin when he wrote his books.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:10 pm 173. EYFF:Well Obama is doing his part for the economy!
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:26 pm 174. Barry Dauphin:By election day he would have injected $0.5 billions into the economy.
The major portion of the spending would be in advertising. The press sure love him!
It’s easy to tell when one hits a nerve– serial postings from trolls! And similar to fearless leader, humorless. The sequence of postings and the types of comments are such a cute example of orchestration.
Oct 9, 2008 - 6:46 pm 175. nniZy:Bryan Shelly: Is this just a fun contest for you. “Is that all you got?”. These posters have been eloquently presenting their views in response to the specific topic regarding Obama’s evasiveness about his past, and the media’s role in what appears to be deception.
From the brevity and content of your post, I assume that all that matters to you is an Obama win. Why? What will an Obama win do for you individually or as a fellow citizen of the greatest experiment in creating a nation of free people ever known to man?
The posters here have demonstrated great thoughtfulness that betrays a great love of this country and for civilization in general. This is not about hating your opponent and cheering for your side, this is about choosing your side and why you make that choice. I have voted for president too many times to mention, and yes, there was one election where, headstrong as I am, I changed my mind the weekend before the election. I sincerely ask you to reflect on why you choose your candidate, and urge you to quarantine any area that produces strong emotions as you examine your criteria. Pause to write down your thoughts about the emotion-creating topic and examine it with greater thought and perhaps even additional research.
Some of posts here may seem to have stepped over the emotional line, however the majorities are passionately stated rather than emotional. The writers have worked there way through most of the emotion with a great amount of thought, debate, research, and reading. It’s that important! It’s great that you care. Now please care enough to defend your conclusion and your vote.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:00 pm 176. nniZy:HENDY, Read the Rolling Stones article? Ok, I will, but have you read anything else? You obviously haven’t read most of these posts thoroughly. These folks are quoting countless sources and tying in ancient philisophical logic to complete their arguements. Which brings me to CYNTHIA. How is there hate on this board? Because many of them dare to question Obama’s past? Most of what’s been pointed to is documented and the remainder has not been offered up by the Obama campaign, such as school records. Um, that is the point of the article, along with…..wait for it…….the fact that if you DO question anything about Obama, you are a hater. Hey, that’s what you did. btw if you want to see an article critical of McCain, just dial up Yahoo, or Time, or The New York Times, or just about any of those high school level AP articles that pass for professional journalism.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:21 pm 177. Lightnin' Hopkins:Will you just look at all of the astroturfing Obamabots pouring in! This has to be a record of some kind. And such thoughtful comments at that…let’s see, witch doctors, assassination theories, incitement of violence claims, etc; What is this, a thread at HuffPo?
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:40 pm 178. Laughing@theLWLoons:Who is Barack Obama?
Where are his high-school buddies with glowing accolades for him?
Where are his Occidental College buddies with glowing accolades for him?
Where are his Columbia University buddies with glowing accolades for him?
Where are his Harvard University buddies with glowing accolades for him?
Where are his Chicago buddies with glowing accolades for him?
Opps - got that one..In Jail or will be or out blowing something up…
Where are his Il Senate buddies with glowing accolades for him?
Where?
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:45 pm 179. Curt B.:Look…how many times can Obama answer the same question. You don’t like his answer, so you say he hasn’t answered it. Why…because his answer doesn’t match what you already say you know. If you already know, stop asking him. As for his years at Columbia and Harvard,he was a student at Ivy League schools. How many students have public records unless they broke the law. Besides at Harvard he was president of the Law Review or something, a very prestigious position for high achieving students. Please stop with these Nixon era “smear” tactics. For once, Republicans, try to win an election…HONESTLY. If your issues are losers…refine them.
Oct 9, 2008 - 7:48 pm 180. Bob V:“Bill Ayers may have ghost-written Obama’s book”?? It’s little wonder that Senator Obama has an 11 point lead for the second day in the Gallup poll, or that his projected electoral vote margin on virtually all sites is now about 2 to 1. Our nation is in the midst of the most perilous economic meltdown since the Great Depression, and what the right is blathering on about is this kind of nonsense. What has happened to Ronald Reagan’s great conservative movement based on intellectual appeals to limited government, the free market and our Constitutional principles? Every focus group and poll of remaining undecided voters have shown how turned off they are by personal attacks. Well, please keep it up. Today, the first poll in West Virginia (by ARG) since the mid-Spetember now shows Obama up there by 8 points. West Virginia! We are now looking forward to a landslide victory on November 4th. Good work, guys.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:16 pm 181. Steve:The title of your post is “Why the press hides Obama’s lies.” Yet you offer no such explanation. What conspiracy have you unearthed? This post is no more than another rehash of the same old Obama-is-a-radical claptrap.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:21 pm 182. michaelat:I can’t believe how crazy and paranoid this article sounds. So much speculation, so few facts to back it up. Obama has worked with Ayres–how well do you get to know people with whom you work? Obama lives in the neighborhood with Ayres–what do you do when you run into someone you know from work at a coffee shop? I guess it’s fun to sit around and think about how Obama and Ayres are plotting the end of the US as we know it, but I think that it is much more likely that they are just two guys who have worked together giving out money from institutions that provide grants for community and education groups. What’s wrong, can’t you imagine a black politician who isn’t a “radical”? Get over it. Let’s forget the big conspiracy and get back to the economy.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:23 pm 183. BarryH:Let’s say the guy had an intimate relationship with Ayers. So what? We have all been affiliated with people whose views we don’t share, or outright condemn. Yet in a given situation, we find common ground & work towards a goal.
Should we discuss Palin’s husband’s membership in a group that seeks to abolish the US, by seceding Alaska? Should we discuss a 30-ish year-old relationship that McCain had with Keating, which caused another major financial crisis?
Come on, dude! Focus on the real issues! Economy, health care, unemployment, outsourcing of jobs, a $10 trillion deficit.
Wake the f-ck up!
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:26 pm 184. randy:The same people who worshipped Bush are now pointing fingers.
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:27 pm 185. Barry Dauphin:Given all the comments coming in criticizing the post and regulars, there must be something to this. The fly-by trolls have no idea what’s been talked about on this site over a long time. You guys really sound nervous about anyone digging in to this relationship. What’s your worry, guys? Your guys is up in the polls but you’re afraid of questions about Ayers?
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:49 pm 186. Dsmith2:Where is the outrage?
“My government is my worst enemy. I’m going to fight them with any means at hand.”
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:54 pm 187. Barry Dauphin:This was former revolutionary terrorist Bill Ayers back in his old Weather Underground days, right? Imagine what Sarah Palin is going to do with this incendiary quote as she tears into Barack Obama this week.
Only one problem. The quote is from Joe Vogler, the raging anti-American who founded the Alaska Independence Party. Inconveniently for Palin, that’s the very same secessionist party that her husband, Todd, belonged to for seven years and that she sent a shout-out to as Alaska governor earlier this year. (”Keep up the good work,” Palin told AIP members. “And God bless you.”)
Curiouser and curiouser. Why are the Obamabots so scared? Why are they trying to shut people up?
Oct 9, 2008 - 8:58 pm 188. Dsmith2:Just wondering where the outrage is? You like guild by association, why doesn’t this information about Sarah Palin bother you?
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:00 pm 189. Dsmith2:I guess inconvenient facts shut you up.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:03 pm 190. Lightnin' Hopkins:I agree with Barry, the swarm of trolls descending can’t possibly be coincidental. And yes, they seem to be really agitated in their defense of the guy in Barack’s neighborhood, whom-he-barely-knew-and-didn’t-work-with-or-get-supported-by-in-any-way, honest!
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:07 pm 191. Lightnin' Hopkins:Humorless zombies at that.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:09 pm 192. Dsmith2:Joe McArthy would have been proud of you guilt by association guys. You should be ashamed.
The McCainiacs still want an ugly street fight where the winner not only beats the opponent, but degrades him, his patriotism, his religious beliefs, and anything else they can destroy. The Era of the Ugly Republican is on the way down this year
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:11 pm 193. Dorothy Parker:Dsmith2, you’re my kind of guy. So witty! Didn’t we meet at the Algonquin?
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:17 pm 194. Markus:I think I still was a social democrat or socialist or Nation subscriber or whatever in those days, and I recall getting some kind of mailing for the New Party. If I recall correctly, they were a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) related outfit, and advocated for a nationwide system similar to New York State election law, where candidates run on different “fusion” tickets, and thus you have a bunch of small parties (Conservative, right to life, liberal, working families, etc.) that play a kind of kingmaker role. Anyway, they were fairly tame, to the right of the greens anyway, and I may have heard about them first in a Alexander Cockburn column making fun of them for not being radical or anti-Democratic Party enough.
I gotta admit though: the more I think about these issues - Ayers, Wright, New Party, his commie mentor in Hawaii - the more I also say to myself, damn this guy really was pretty far to left back in the day, its kind of amazing he’ll be in the White House!
So I understand why his opponents are bringing this up. But seriously, show me a swing voter who gives a shit. The stock market has lost trillions in the past couple weeks, and will lose trillions more in the near term. Obama is a clean, articulate black man working hard to sell an non-threatening, mildly center-left product to just enough scared-shitless white voters so that he can win. And they’re likely to take him up on this offer, especially after they check how their 401(k)’s have been doing over the last couple of months.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:18 pm 195. scolex:Hendy… Rolling Stone magazine?
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:19 pm 196. Paul:Dsmisth2, the point you are making is absurd, and if nobody comments on such a fart in the wind, it’s not because they’ve been “shut up” by it.
Did Joe Vogler bomb buildings? Attempt to kill law enforcement officers? Did he have a working relationship with either Sarah Palin or her husband, sit on boards with him or her, maneuver either of them into positions where they dispersed money for radical causes?
If we’re going to dredge up decades-old quotes from somebody connected to a political party affiliated, however loosely, with our presidential candidates–even though those individuals have no personal associations with the present candidates at all–then let’s start pinning on Barack Obama quotes from George Wallace, or that matter, Robert Byrd. And see what that gets us.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:21 pm 197. scolex:Curt, still with the pain of reality?
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:27 pm 198. Marcus:Could you just simply say “I’m not going to vote for a nigger!” and get it over with it. All of these bogus guilt by association theories are ridiculous.
Think about this: Obama has Ayers; Biden has plagiarism; McCain has Keating; and Palin has Troopergate. Whose scandal relates to governing?
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:29 pm 199. Jim:Todd Palin’s involvement with an anti-American group advocating the violent overthrow of the US government is not that big of an issue because **IF** John McCain actually manages to get himself elected, Sarah Palin will step down shortly after the Inauguration because of “family issues.” At that time, John McCain will do what he has wanted to do all along - choose Joe Lieberman as his Vice President.
Don’t believe it??? Check the transcript of the last debate. Palin is not mentioned at all - Lieberman is praised three times.
John McCain would rather lose his dignity than lose an election. If he makes it, we’ll all be shocked at what he does when he’s no longer accountable to his handlers.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:33 pm 200. Promoguy:Wow, seems like Nickelodeon must have been slow tonight.
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:38 pm 201. California Dreamer:++roll tape from Minnesota with the hot governor++
When the cloud of rhetoric has passed
When the roar of the crowd fades away
When the stadium lights go out
And those styrofoam Greek columns
are hauled back to some studio lot
When that happens
What exactly is our opponent’s plan?
What does he actually seek to accomplish?
after he’s done turning back the waters
and healing the planet?
++Voiceover muses “Yes, exactly what does The One plan?++
Oct 9, 2008 - 9:46 pm 202. Walt:Why don’t you bring up the names of some of the Republicans who sat on the same education board with Ayers and Obama, or the major McCain supporter Annenberg who funded the whole Ayers committee?
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:07 pm 203. Roger L. Simon » Dangerous times ahead: racism in the blogosphere:[...] A post I wrote yesterday about Barack Obama generated a certain amount of heat and close to 200 comments, maybe more at this point. A fair number of enraged supporters of the candidate started coming in Sunday night–whether by accident or design, it is unclear. But it’s not surprising. We’re nearing the end of a bloody political campaign. The atmosphere is certainly hot. Maybe it’s too hot. As anb example, one of the commenters, a certain Marcus, wrote: [...]
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:13 pm 204. Patriot:During one of the primary debates, Hillary told Obama, it’s so difficult to have a discussion with you, because you have three different answers to a question and you think they are all correct.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:25 pm 205. Brad:She also said, Obama’s resume was a speech he gave in 2002. And this is a man that has found the time to write 2 autobiographies and no time to write meaningful legislation.
In other words, her measure of Obama was an arrogant, lying empty suit.
To me obama is the Manchurian candidate.
My, oh my! The anger from the Left-leaners among the posters ceased to amaze me long ago since the rage began way back in 2000 when Al Gore was about to concede the election and, at the last minute advice of lawyers, decided to turn our nation from one where a close but, perhaps, questionable loss needed to be contested through a partisan Democrat Florida court and a narrowly split but conservative leaning Supreme Court. How I wish that Al Gore had’ve gone the way of Richard Nixon in 1960 in the even closer election with JFK (think before Watergate to all those who forgot that was all there was to his presidency) had told his lawyers thanks but no thanks. We now live in a country where Bush has morphed from a cowboy idiot into a malevolent Satan or Hitler who ingeniously planned the attacks on our country because one disagrees with his policies, a place where protecting our national interests is now considered imperialism, where enforcing UN resolutions calling for military action in Iraq is now tantamount to unilateralism, where calling attention to the obvious deceit of certain candidates is now called “Swiftboating”, that clever pejorative for telling inconvenient, documented truths about somebody. I guess the Republicans had it coming to them after Troopergate, Whitewater, Monica Lewinsky, Kenneth Starr, but if I remember that was tit for tat for Bedtime For Bonzo, Reagan is an idiot, “Star Wars”, Iran/Contra, Nancy is an addict, etc. The differences between Left and Right seem to grow as the tactics used by especially the Left grow ever nastier. From my perspective on the Right, the tack taken this election cycle has taken a decidedly nastier turn from those on the Left since any disagreement with their candidate is now classified as either racist or as a lie or smear. Obama is a rather well-spoken man but he has flaws and if you you choose to look objectively you can find them without resorting to ridiculous name-caliing or gloating about his impending coronation. Perhaps McCain will lose (I’m still not so sure) and we’ll be subject to an Obama administration. We’ll survive, just as we’ve survived the second coming of Hitler and the destruction of the Constitution that we were subjected to during this administration. Just an aside…since our rights have been taken away will a Preisdent Obama free Rosie O’Donnell, George Clooney, Michael Moore, Joy Behar, the makers of every anti-American movie of the last few years, Code Pink, ACT-UP, etc from the Gulag and allow them to speak again. We’ve heard so little from them since the jack-booted storm troopers raided the country. Maybe we can again get a little balance from the media who have seemed to be shouting paeans to Bush since his election. We’ve had 8 years of Fascism I guess that’s why officals in Missouri were told to arrest people who told lies about Obama. A little Fascism even grows on a messiah like Obama.
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:29 pm 206. Stan:Narcissism ? http://www.faithfreedom.org/obama.html
Someone said don’t think about why Obama needs/needed Ayers, reverse that and think why did Ayers pick Obama ? With that in mind, this was interesting - I’ve never heard of “The Cloward-Piven Strategy of Orchestrated Crisis” but then I don’t run in those circles I’m glad to say: http://www.americanthinker.com/2008/09/barack_obama_and_the_strategy.html
Oct 9, 2008 - 10:49 pm 207. Michael Redbourn:I think the MSM has changed its attitude in the last few days and Obama is starting to drop in some of the polls.
Obama was easy and a joy for the MSM to promote, mixed blood, Harvard, a senator, young and articulate etc.
Now it looks like he might win, they are now saying, “wow, we’d better check this guy out fast!”.
I just posted some articles relating to his past and his proposed economic reforms and the given URL.
Mike
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:49 pm 208. Richard S:The press, now called the media, is full Ayers, New Party, Wright and Rezco. Yet the right is complaining there isn’t enough. What would be enough? If those points crowded out the economy and the war? Those stories are everywhere, but the people have decided they are secondary concerns. Clinton tried it. Now McCain is trying it again. I know they are primary concerns for many, but they aren’t primary concerns to most. That’s why we call it an election.
Oct 9, 2008 - 11:53 pm 209. Mr. Ed:Roger, have you ever even been to church on a regular basis?
Oct 10, 2008 - 12:25 am 210. Sam:Wow what a strong allegation. A guy I’ve never heard of, at a paper no one’s ever heard of, uses methods of highly diputable accuracy, to prove that Ayers *may* have ghosted Obama’s book. There’s so many ifs there you might as well say that the government may have faked the moonlanding. It’s preposterous but its logically possible and some crackpot can always make a case for it and show us just how it *may* have happened.
Oct 10, 2008 - 12:57 am 211. jetski:I have to say Mr. Simon people like you make me sick on two levels. You went from being self-righteous, shrill, pampered, ill in formed socialist radicals to self-righteous, shrill, pampered, ill informed reactionaries (I wouldn’t sully the name of conservative, which belongs more with a Konrad Adenauer of Churchill than your type). And you still have the same idiotic paranoia. Back then it was the whole system out to get you, now its the so called MSM that’s out to get us.
Yea man … you guys should, like, you know man, read Rolling Stone more and chill out.
Now come on Cheech. Let’s go eat some more of these excellent brownies.
Oct 10, 2008 - 2:22 am 212. Pro-America:There way to many blind Americans. They are like sheep following their precious Messiah Barrak Hussein Obama.
They will finally see the light once this clown is elected POTUS, but it will be to late and we’ll have to wait four years to get him out of office unless he is thrown out!
Pray for this great nation if this unqualified unknown is the next President.
Oct 10, 2008 - 3:50 am 213. Obamabot:Get in their faces! Barack compels you to fight.
Oct 10, 2008 - 4:29 am 214. Mike in the Middle:Okay all you rabid Republicans. Enough is enough. You have no shame. You have no honor. So you’re losing? So the American people are rejecting you and your brand. So what do you do? You attack, attack, attack. Let’s call it:
OBAMA DERANGEMENT SYNDROME
Let me ask you a question about your candidates background:
After 5 1/2 years in the hands of vicious, inhuman, communists, how do you know your candidate isn’t ‘The Manchurian Candidate?’
MAVERICK!
Oct 10, 2008 - 4:34 am 215. Commentary » Blog Archive » Flotsam and Jetsam:[...] he never heard all that vile stuff from Reverend Wright and the MSM bought it? Hard to argue with this: “It was at that precise moment I knew we were living in a media-constructed lunatic [...]
Oct 10, 2008 - 5:10 am 216. Commentary » Blog Archive » Flotsam and Jetsam:[...] he never heard all that vile stuff from Reverend Wright and the MSM bought it? Hard to argue with this: “It was at that precise moment I knew we were living in a media-constructed lunatic [...]
Oct 10, 2008 - 5:10 am 217. Michael Smith:It will be ironic, won’t it, if an empty-headed liberal like Obama gets elected because of an economic mess caused by a liberal-inspired and liberal-backed affirmitive-action-for-deadbeats home loan program that resulted in pissing away billions of dollars in precious capital to Democratic voters that will never repay it.
Oct 10, 2008 - 5:22 am 218. Jim Aaron:I downloaded the Complete FBI Files of Frank Marshall Davis, a Communist and a Sexual Pervert. If you don’t look for the files at least Google this man. This was Obama’s Mentor in Hawaii, Obama’s Grandfather introduced him to Barry after he returned from spending his Formative Years in Indonesia, a Muslim Country. What kind of family is Obama from? Why do they even know this Communist? Everyone who has been in Obama’s life fit the mold of Frank Davis, they don’t like this Country, some would like to overthrow it. This is not what our Country needs.
Oct 10, 2008 - 5:22 am 219. Phil Strickland:It is interesting to read the responses of the respondents on the center/left of the road who still can’t decide which candidate to support. The left side folks don’t care what Barry says, what he did in the past, what he has to hide. They can sense, smell, know by instinct, he is more like them than anyone who has ever had any chance of becoming president.
Oct 10, 2008 - 5:33 am 220. B-Rob:But the folks in the middle are trying to decipher which one is enunciating what they believe to be the best policies. Folks, if he is a liar, if he is given to hiding what he has been, then it doesn’t matter what he promises you in the campaign.
Anyone willing to look at the cold hard facts, starts asking themselves questions.
1)Barry Obama, why do you, more than once, show up in the company of people who hate America and accuse us of crimes worthy of death and violent overthrow!?!
2) And of the press, who actually pursued every lead and tried to find info on Sarah Palin, “Why is it that you don’t find anything interesting enough to pursue in this story? Are your values that different than ours?
3) Why does Ayers, Dorn, Wright, and others like them, like Obama?
You guys on the left accuse us of racism and of shallow thinking, but you refuse to answer these questions with anything that approaches a serious answer.
This is not racism. These are questions of substance.
You guys are like a bunch of teenagers, winking and snickering at each other and congradulating each other on how you are so much smarter than the rest of the country. After all, we graduated from college in Idaho. Texas. Oklahoma. Kansas. Arkansas. Alaska. etc… So far, though, we still get to vote. Without answers to these questions, we will vote against anyone, no matter what color they are, with these problems.
I’ll bet that really embarrasses you!
You folks are being sold a bag of goods by Roger. I will use the Snopes.com method to point this out. Roger starts with the sentence that states “In 1996, Obama was apparently a member of the Chicago ‘New Party,’ a now defunct socialist political party of some stripe or other.”
He was “apparently”? What does THAT mean? Either he was or he wasn’t. That is like saying “LBJ was apparently involved with the Kennedy assassination.” It is a weak, hedging on something that should be metaphysically true or false. Another thing:I lived in Chicago from 1990 to 1993, in Hyde Park. I have never heard of the “New Party”. But enough with that, let’s look at what else Roger says: “a now defunct socialist party of some stripe or other.” W.t.f.? Is it a socialist party or not? What did it stand for? Did it do pamphlets we can read in pdf form? A newspaper article or two that can give us a flavor of what it was about? And where do they fit on the spectrum of the Socialist Workers Party (which published a bad newspaper in Chicago back then)? What did the party stand for? Why does Roger not give a single link to ANYTHING that would establish that this “New Party” actually existed, not to mention that Obama was amember? And what is the evidence that Obama “apparently” was a member? Did he attend meetings, like Palin did with the Alaska secessionists? When did he join?
This is some of the worst hack “journalism” I have seen in a long time. And with this b.s. filled campaign from the right, that is really saying something.
Oct 10, 2008 - 5:40 am 221. Roger L. Simon on Why Obama Gets a Pass From the MSM « The Foxhole:[...] http://pajamasmedia.com/rogerlsimon/2008/10/08/why-the-press-hides-obamas-lies/ [...]
Oct 10, 2008 - 6:24 am 222. Spurwing Plover:Not even READER DIGEST is telling us the real truth about BARACK OBAMA are the more i hear about him the less i desier him is the whitehouse he is a sinister man
Oct 10, 2008 - 7:20 am 223. Phil Strickland:B-Rob!
Oct 10, 2008 - 8:07 am 224. Beacon Street Journal » Blog Archive » The Media and Barack Obama: Don’t Confuse Us With The Facts, We’re Sticking With The Narrative:If you think Roger’s article is a hack-job for journalism, you ought to recognise what the press does to us in the Christian Right almost all the time. The other day, in San Diego, California, Palin and McCain spoke to 20,000+ with more turned away and the only thing of interest to ABC World News that afternoon was the 15 protesters out in front of the stadium. Your challenge is looking only toward a few details of Roger’s article and misses the point of the whole campaign. Suppose we throw this article under the bus. Let’s ask the questions a different way. Why is the press interested in the smallest (like a Black Cat Firecracker)details of Sarah Palin’s past relationships and church associations, but publishes Barak Obama’s campaign Talking Points in answer to the questions Roger asks that WE HAVE BEEN SCREAMING AT OUR TELEVISION SETS and getting no answers. These questions are the equivalent of nuclear bombs. Never mind what Roger didn’t put in this article. Why has nobody in the entire major press corp followed this liner out to WHATEVER conclusion it comes to and giove us the same things you are asking of Roger Simon?
Until they do, what choice do we have but to stick by the facts we know? We are asking and he is ducking the questions we ask, and then accusing us of racism for asking them.
[...] The same conspiracy of silence surrounds Obama’s long history of involvement with ACORN, the community organizing group that has been currently engaged in fraudulent voter registration drives around the country, and whose previous mission was agitating against banks to force them to give mortgages to low-income people who were bad credit risks. You would think that given the role of these organizations in helping to create the sub-prime mortgage crisis that is now engulfing the nation, it would raise the inquisitive eyebrows of inquiring journalists. Alas, like the Ayers story, the nefarious activities of ACORN has induced a collective yawn on the part of the media. Any interest on the part of the press in investigating reports that Obama, in 1996, was a member of the Chicago “New Party”, a socialist organization? [...]
Oct 10, 2008 - 9:32 am 225. Stephen R:Edan — The difference between this and accusations that Republicans = Nazis is that…. (drumroll please…)
*** The Nazis were Socialists ***
Oct 10, 2008 - 9:48 am 226. Dinocrat » Blog Archive » An indictment of the media:[...] Roger Simon has reached some conclusions on the media’s collusion with the campaign of Senator Obama that are particularly well stated: Ever since the first sound bites of the execrable Reverend Wright hit the airwaves, it has been obvious that Barack Obama is a less than candid human being. It was impossible to believe that a man who had spent twenty years in Wright’s pews did not have a pretty good idea of the minister’s vile views. You would have had to have been deaf and dumb not to. And Wright was the inspiration of Obama’s books! Yet when the candidate was confronted by the press about this, he denied knowing about Wright’s excesses and made a speech that was hailed by the media as a monument in race relations equal, some said, to Dr. King. [...]
Oct 10, 2008 - 10:03 am 227. Another Guy Named Brad:There are so MANY things about Obama that are disturbing on so many levels, one tends to lose track of them (Not one of them is race, by the way - I only Wish Thomas Sowell or Walter Williams would run for President). The thing I find most shocking is that in light of recent events, Democrats are still 100% willing to place the fox firmly in charge of the henhouse. Suffice it to say, if there is anything left of Wall Street come election day, an Obama victory will flush the economy irreparably down the proverbial toilet. Goodbye America - hello Depression. Consider the fact that it took Chris Dodd almost 30 years to become the number one recipient, in dollars, of Fannie Mae “contributions.” It only took Obama 2 years to climb to number 2 on the list. This speaks volumes, along with the dozens of video testimonies available on You Tube, of the gargantuan efforts to block oversight of a severely flawed organization (Fannie Mae) that represented such a huge danger to our economy. It’s one thing to argue about how it got that way (Democrats, by the way), but to then BLOCK any effort to repair it before it tanks the economy……..is an act of EGREGIOUS TREASON. SHAME on you, Democrats. And, SHAME ON YOU, Mr. Obama, for being so sociopathic as to have no shame. You should be running away and hiding right now. I’m appalled at what our nation has become.
Oct 10, 2008 - 10:05 am 228. Come Off The Ledge — New England Republican:[...] election, and things turn on a dime. The whole point of the big “landslide” story is the press helping Obama out some more; it is meant to make you despair and not go vote. It’s a game. While they’re saying [...]
Oct 10, 2008 - 11:02 am 229. California Dreamer:Indeed “Come on, dude! Focus on the real issues! Economy, health care, unemployment, outsourcing of jobs, a $10 trillion deficit.”
Everytime I focus on BO focusing on these issues I get a massive headache. His view of the economy is myopic at best. His tax policy is the exact wrong thing at the exact wrong time. His view of health care is perhaps even worse. He misrepresents the unemployment issue badly. We had 42 consecutive months of job growth in the middle of the Bush Administration and stable unemployment around 5.3%. The One never mentions that nor does he show any shame in badmouthing the economy which isn’t helping matters. Pure victimhood for personal gain. His idea to solve outsourcing of jobs is to unilaterally renegotiate trade agreements and kill new ones in the works. That reinforces the point that he doesn’t understand the economy. And the deficit (including the supplemental bills to pay for Iraq and Afghanistan) is within the 40 year running average as a percent of GDP. Very sad that the polls show the sheep have more confidence in him to “manage the economy”.
Oct 10, 2008 - 3:03 pm 230. mac:You know, one of the most interesting points of this election came in the Democratic primaries. As someone who was absolutely certain in 1992 that Bill Clinton was a criminal who should never have been allowed within rifleshot of the White House, it frustrated me to no end to see the Dems defend him to the knife. Whatever the problem, it was always someone else’s fault, not his, or a “personal matter,” and the people who brought up his criminal acts were “wingers, racists, bigots, fascists, homophobes” etc., etc.
Fast-forward to 2008. Now it’s a war to the knife between the Clintons and BO’s troops. What did I find myself reading on Dem websites? Things like “I hate Hillary Clinton. I defended her husband to Republicans even when I knew he was guilty but I’m not going to vote for them again.”
If I read sentiments like that once, I read them a hundred times. Despite their passionate denials at the time, the Dems later admitted having lied and slandered and played “the politics of personal destruction” as only they can in defense of a person THEY KNEW WAS GUILTY AS CHARGED.
For many Dems no tactic is off-limits if it will achieve victory. They will lie, cheat, defame, destroy, whatever it takes to win. I’ve more than once been amazed at the evil they’ve been willing to not only countenance but actively defend.
Obama is just the latest example of their complete lack of principle. They’ve put up a crooked machine pol from Chicago whose only qualification for the nomination was the color of his skin. They may well fool enough of the people this time to get him elected.
Nothing comes for free, however, and karma is inexorable. The lies will come back to haunt them and at the end of the day Dems will have to live with what they’ve done. Meanwhile, at some point the truth always comes out. When it does, they’ll have no reason to be surprised that decent people will recoil in disgust at their corruption and perversion and hold them in well-merited contempt.
Oct 10, 2008 - 6:17 pm 231. Ravalli County News » Blog Archive » “Barack Obama is a highly deceptive, often dishonest individual.”:[...] Three examples from an article by Roger L. Simon: [...]
Oct 10, 2008 - 10:28 pm 232. Jeff Weimer:The things with Ayers, Rezko, Wright, New Party, Acorn, etc. worries me in both of two ways. First, does all of this illuminate Obama’s core principles? Or is it evidence of his ambition? He’s used all of these people (and more) and thrown many away when inconvenient (Wright), all to further his political goals.
The question becomes, is it values or unbridled ambition that led him to these people? If, as President, Obama faces a crisis, will he govern by very leftist principles? Or by none at all?
Which one of those answers bothers you?
Oct 13, 2008 - 3:44 pm 233. Wil Jones:McCain & Obama are both liars. (McCain didn’t used to be, it’s been a shame to watch him sell out his principles in this election.) The problem is, McCain is the liar who belongs to the party that presided over a precipitous decline in many things that many Americans held dear about their country. (And picked an incompetent, divisive running mate, sealing his fate.)
Oct 31, 2008 - 2:23 am