Palin Accuses Obama of Ayers Connection: Palling Around With Terrorists Shows Poor Judgment

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin today accused Obama of an example of the poor judgment used by the presidential candidate. Ayers was one of the founders of the Weather Underground in the 1960s which took credit for bombings, including a nonfatal explosion at the Pentagon and the U.S. Capitol. Federal charges for crossing state lines to incite riots and conspiracy against Ayers were dropped because of prosecutorial misconduct. After the death of three Weathermen when making bombs, Ayers remained in hiding for three years. Ayers is married to Bernardine Dohm, who was once on the FBI's most wanted list for inciting a riot and conspiracy. She is an associate law professor at Northwestern University.

Obama History of Ayers Relationship

Obama and Ayers friendship goes back many years. An article in USA, published on August 28, 2008, presented a time line of their association, claiming that both men traveled in the same circles in Chicago.

1995: Ayers hosted a brunch for Obama, who was running for the Illinois Senate, which is claimed to have started his political career.

1995-1999: Obama chaired the board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge which was founded by Ayers.

1997: Obama and Ayers were on a justice panel sponsored by the University of Chicago. At this time, the Chicago Tribune published a blurb from Obama about books he was reading. Obama said that he was reading Ayers "A Kind and Just Parent: The Children of the Juvenile Court.

1999-2002: Both men were on th board of the Woods Fund, a Chicago foundation that makes grants to arts and civic groups. Obama left the group in 2002; Ayers remains on it.

2001: In an interview with the Chicago Tribune on September 11, 2001, about his memories, Fugitive Days, Ayers was quoted as saying, "I don't regret setting the bombs....I feel we didn't do enough."

2002: They were also on a panel together in 2002 sponsored by the Chicago Public Library.

Obama Denies Ayers Connection

When the New American Issues began running ads about Obama's links to Ayers, his campaign released a letter sent to the Justice Department complaining about the ads that bar tax-exempt political groups from advocating a candidate's election or defeat. Meanwhile, Obama denies having more than a passing acquaintance with Ayers.

Palin brought up the subject of Ayers and the Weathermen and Chicago while speaking to a GOP fund raising group in Englewood, Colo. on October 4, 2008. It was evidence that Senator McCain had decided that that Ayers was fair game in the competition for the White House.

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Oct 5, 2008 12:12 PM

Guest :

No one can truly be mad at Govenor Palin for her remarks she is merely repeating what the Mccain campaign is feeding her to say. When Sarah is using her pitbull with lipstick persona she is much more capable of sounding informed. However, when she is asked about how she and Mccain are mavericks she is less informed. When it was time to deal with trooper gate wow she totally changed from her previous tune of working with the investigation to ignore the matter. The American people are down right sick of the current administration and with that being said the Mccain campaign cant afford to use negativity to get the Whitehouse this election. Instead they may acctually have to explain how they will reform washington and not just say because were mavericks...heck so was Tom Cruise in top gun so what should he run for office to???!!!!!

Oct 10, 2008 7:27 PM

Craig Sanders :

My math may be wrong, but wasn't Obama 8 years old when the Weather Underground was formed? If Ayers was such a current threat, he would be locked away in Gitmo. I believe that this is a non-issue at best, a desperate grasp at straws to hide a lack of solutions.