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1. Obama's Chicago home is in the same neighborhood where Ayers and Dohrn live.
2. Ayers and Obama worked with the non-profit Chicago Annenberg Challenge on a huge school improvement project.
3. 1999 through 2001 both were board members on the Woods Fund, a charitable foundation
4. Ayers hosted a campaign event for Obama's initial run for Illinois state Senate.
As an identified '60s radical, I suspect (to the point of certainty) that Ayers hasn't made a truly private phone call since he resurfaced in 1980. I imagine FBI surveillance over the years would have turned up plenty of dirt on the Ayers/Obama relationship if there were any.
Keating/McCain:
1. McCain and Keating had become personal friends following their initial contacts in 1981, and McCain was the closest socially to Keating of the five senators.
2. Between 1982 and 1987, McCain had received $112,000 in political contributions from Keating and his associates. In addition, McCain's wife Cindy McCain and her father Jim Hensley had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators.
3. McCain, his family, and their baby-sitter had made nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard Keating's jet. Three of the trips were made during vacations to Keating's opulent Bahamas retreat at Cat Cay.
4. McCain did not pay Keating (in the amount of $13,433) for some of the trips until years after they were taken, when he learned that Keating was in trouble over Lincoln.
Because of these connections, Phoenix New Times in 1989 stated McCain was the "most reprehensible" of the five and had financial connections that the other Senators did not have to Keating.
Uhhhh, I think it's as clear as DAY which one is worse and will hurt whom. Bad mistake McCain.
1. Obama's Chicago home is in the same neighborhood where Ayers and Dohrn live.
2. Ayers and Obama worked with the non-profit Chicago Annenberg Challenge on a huge school improvement project.
3. 1999 through 2001 both were board members on the Woods Fund, a charitable foundation
4. Ayers hosted a campaign event for Obama's initial run for Illinois state Senate.
As an identified '60s radical, I suspect (to the point of certainty) that Ayers hasn't made a truly private phone call since he resurfaced in 1980. I imagine FBI surveillance over the years would have turned up plenty of dirt on the Ayers/Obama relationship if there were any.
Keating/McCain:
1. McCain and Keating had become personal friends following their initial contacts in 1981, and McCain was the closest socially to Keating of the five senators.
2. Between 1982 and 1987, McCain had received $112,000 in political contributions from Keating and his associates. In addition, McCain's wife Cindy McCain and her father Jim Hensley had invested $359,100 in a Keating shopping center in April 1986, a year before McCain met with the regulators.
3. McCain, his family, and their baby-sitter had made nine trips at Keating's expense, sometimes aboard Keating's jet. Three of the trips were made during vacations to Keating's opulent Bahamas retreat at Cat Cay.
4. McCain did not pay Keating (in the amount of $13,433) for some of the trips until years after they were taken, when he learned that Keating was in trouble over Lincoln.
Because of these connections, Phoenix New Times in 1989 stated McCain was the "most reprehensible" of the five and had financial connections that the other Senators did not have to Keating.
Uhhhh, I think it's as clear as DAY which one is worse and will hurt whom. Bad mistake McCain.
Not from what I am reading in this forum. Obama is being childish for bringing this up from what people are saying. Yeah right!
It really has me shaking my head...how can some posters on here not see that Obama has NOTHING to do with Ayers' past activities? Senator Obama has done nothing "shady"...John McCain has. How could anyone trust McCain in the White House, especially at this critical time in our history?
Everyone with a brain knows it's just a distraction, but the Republican strategists know that distractions work well on these folks - as long as they're based in fear and resentment - and they rely on the folks to never, ever think for themselves.
Think these people are suddenly going to change? It's worked this far and it'll keep working.
McCain was “in the middle of” the Keating Five case in the sense that he was “exonerated."
The Senate Ethics Committee lawyer, Robert Bennett (a Democrat) who investigated McCain, was a guest on “Hannity and Colmes” in February, 2008.
He stated:
“First, I should tell your listeners I’m a registered Democrat, so I’m not on (McCain’s) side of a lot of issues. But I investigated John McCain for a year and a half, at least, when I was special counsel to the Senate Ethics Committee in the Keating Five. ... And if there is one thing I am absolutely confident of, it is John McCain is an honest man. I recommended to the Senate Ethics Committee that he be cut out of the case, that there was no evidence against him.”
McCain was “in the middle of” the Keating Five case in the sense that he was “exonerated."
The Senate Ethics Committee lawyer, Robert Bennett (a Democrat) who investigated McCain, was a guest on “Hannity and Colmes” in February, 2008.
He stated:
“First, I should tell your listeners I’m a registered Democrat, so I’m not on (McCain’s) side of a lot of issues. But I investigated John McCain for a year and a half, at least, when I was special counsel to the Senate Ethics Committee in the Keating Five. ... And if there is one thing I am absolutely confident of, it is John McCain is an honest man. I recommended to the Senate Ethics Committee that he be cut out of the case, that there was no evidence against him.”
Just because he wasn't ruled "as bad" as the others by that particular committee doesnt make it right to try to pressure regulators to favor your "friend", whose favors you were happy to take for years. Of course Keating was flying the McCains around in his plane, etc. not for love but for political influence, which he was getting - until McCain got caught. But when the light was shined on the crooked congressmen and they all began scuttling for cover, McCain promptly abandoned Keating like the stand-up guy he is. He weaseled and spun and squirmed instead of standing up and defending his strictly-honorable actions as a strictly-honorable man - a war hero dontcha forget now - would never have thought twice about doing.
That business of "it was a learning experience," blinking like Bambi in dismay - how stupid does he think you are?
the ayers connection either way is not going to be the dealbreaker for obama, but the sum total of his past and present associations may be considered. having the most liberal record in the senate is more of an issue for most americans. the appointments that a president makes can make or break the direction of the country and having good judgement as a president is certainly to be considered. obama cannot keep saying, "that was a boneheaded mistake".
I ate lunch at a restaurant that was frequented by Ted Bundy in the 80s- does that make me an associate of a serial killer?
Only if you run for political office. Then you would be an accomplice.
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