NPR Demolishes Ayers Non-Story
By: Lowell
Published On: 10/6/2008 5:32:44 PM
NPR "All Things Considered" just aired a fact check story on the Bill Ayers non-issue "issue" (or is it "non-story story?"). They basically demolished it, interviewed a Republican (can't remember her name) who said that Ayers - a Distinguished Professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago - had worked with both Republicans and Democrats over the years (on boards, charities, etc.) and that nobody had ever raised his past activities as an issue before. Basically, the conclusion was that the McCain campaign attacks on Obama regarding Ayers are just "silly" or "ridiculous" (can't remember which word the person being interviewed used).
UPDATE: NPR has the story online. Here's part of it:
Regardless of his background, it was never a problem for anyone - including Republicans and Chicago's most powerful business leaders - to work with Ayers on Chicago's public schools. In fact, Ayers is widely respected in the field of urban education.
"It was never a concern by any of us in the Chicago school reform movement that he had led a fugitive life years earlier," said former Illinois state Republican Rep. Diana Nelson, who worked with both Obama and Ayers over the years. "It's ridiculous. There is no reason at all to smear Barack Obama with this association. It's nonsensical, and it just makes me crazy. It's so silly."
Nelson says her fellow Republicans "might snort when they hear the name Bill Ayers, because they know he comes from a wealthy family, they know he became a radical activist early in his life ... but beyond just snorting, I don't think anyone gives it another thought."
"I don't remember ever hearing anyone raise concerns or questions or concerns about [Ayers'] background," says Anne Hallett, who has worked closely with Ayers on the Annenberg Challenge grant and with Obama on education and other community and legislative matters. "And that included everybody I was engaged with," including prominent Republicans, and corporate and civic leaders in Chicago, Hallett adds.
Hallett calls this attack on Obama's association with Ayers and the Annenberg Challenge by further association, "a smear campaign. It's a political diatribe that has no basis in fact. The Chicago Annenberg Challenge was an extremely positive initiative. It was well-vetted, thorough, and the fact that it is now is being used for political purposes is, in my opinion, outrageous."
Comments
The McCain Campaign has already shown (Glant - 10/6/2008 5:37:39 PM)
that it will not let the facts get in the way of a good smear line.
Lots of conservatives/Republicans (Lowell - 10/6/2008 5:39:58 PM)
associated with Ayers too, so I'm not sure this is a particularly effective smear.
It is VERY effective with the older crowd, (Jim White - 10/6/2008 5:51:00 PM)
those people that do not have/do not use computers. One to one conversations, telling only the facts is the only way to counter McPains smear tactics. Write letters to the editor of your local newspaper, talk to your neighbors. Do WHATEVER it takes to spread the truth!!!
Keep Fighting! (IBelieveInHenryHowell - 10/6/2008 6:09:45 PM)
The GOPers are going to throw everything including the kitchen sink at Obama and see what sticks. Ayers, Wright, Resko, what ever they can make up just to try it out. This is nothing new for them. The difference this time is Obama appears to be ready for this blizzard of slime and prepared to fight back.
Implosion (bamboo - 10/6/2008 8:22:39 PM)
Can we finally say that the McCain-Palin campaign is imploding? Unless there's a miraculous turnaround at tomorrow night's debate, I'd say their election prospects have gone up in smoke. It's sad for our democracy that it's come to this, but after reading the Rolling Stone's devastating 12,000 word profile of McCain in its latest issue, I'd say we're being saved from a fate even worse than Bush II.
It Also Smears an Innocent Bystander (AnonymousIsAWoman - 10/6/2008 9:14:22 PM)
Let's face it, William Ayres in the 1960s and early 70s is not somebody many of us would have agreed with. Granted. But he turned his life around and became a useful, contributing member of society who has done a lot of good. He's worked with both Republicans and Democrats to further some sound educational goals that benefit everybody's children.
So, McCain in his insane attempt to throw everything, true or not, at Obama is now dragging an innocent person who is not even involved in the political campaign through the mud.
Isn't there a special ring in hell for this?
The Big Lie (Lee Diamond - 10/6/2008 11:33:26 PM)
What is the allegation? Obama was in his 30s when he met Ayers. That would be over 20 years after Ayers committed his criminal acts. When they encountered one another, it was because of interest in furthering educational opportunities for young people.
The American people have been lied to far too much for anyone to be fooled.
We deserve a mandate. We will win a mandate.
Only those looking for an excuse (Teddy - 10/7/2008 1:33:27 AM)
not to vote for an African American (whether they realize it or not) appear to be buying into this whole Muslim-Commie-hate-America-secret-Chicago-crime-gang-member mishmash of a smear. They seem to be the only ones who are ranting about it. Oh, and also the square-jawed ultra-military "patriots." Most everyone else sees the smears for exactly what they are, and are disgusted; it is even turning off most of the moderate old-time Republicans.
Of course, we are not yet through the final assaults, including the inevitable bin Laden video (maybe even an attack of some sort, since we know bin Laden has influenced American elections deliberately in the past). I expect questions about Obama's place of birth (he's not really an American!), more ties to Islam (he meets secretly with terrorists! He has a Koran!), ties to organized crime, to the credit meltdown---- all delivered at high decibel over and over. I only hope that the mass media do not obsess about the garbage in an effort to be "fair" and that they are not intimidated by the Republican machine into dignifying the smears by pretending there is serious content involved. I expect the moderator at the next debate to bring the junk up repeaatedly by steering the debate, given his ties to Fox.