Obama seeks to silence ad tying him to 60s radical

[metta 0]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Contact: Jessica Robinson, 573-751-0290

Gov. Blunt Statement on Obama Campaign's Abusive Use of Missouri Law Enforcement

JEFFERSON CITY - Gov. Matt Blunt today issued the following statement on news reports that have exposed plans by U.S. Senator Barack Obama to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics.

"St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Bob McCulloch, St. Louis City Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer, and Obama and the leader of his Missouri campaign Senator Claire McCaskill have attached the stench of police state tactics to the Obama-Biden campaign.

"What Senator Obama and his helpers are doing is scandalous beyond words, the party that claims to be the party of Thomas Jefferson is abusing the justice system and offices of public trust to silence political criticism with threats of prosecution and criminal punishment.

"This abuse of the law for intimidation insults the most sacred principles and ideals of Jefferson. I can think of nothing more offensive to Jefferson's thinking than using the power of the state to deprive Americans of their civil rights. The only conceivable purpose of Messrs. McCulloch, Obama and the others is to frighten people away from expressing themselves, to chill free and open debate, to suppress support and donations to conservative organizations targeted by this anti-civil rights, to strangle criticism of Mr. Obama, to suppress ads about his support of higher taxes, and to choke out criticism on television, radio, the Internet, blogs, e-mail and daily conversation about the election.

"Barack Obama needs to grow up. Leftist blogs and others in the press constantly say false things about me and my family. Usually, we ignore false and scurrilous accusations because the purveyors have no credibility. When necessary, we refute them. Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society."

Governor's Office Home Page | State Government Home Page

Obama seeks to silence ad tying him to 60s radical

DENVER (AP) - Barack Obama is striking back fiercely and swiftly to stamp out an ad that links him to a 1960s radical, eager to demonstrate a far more aggressive response to attacks than John Kerry did when faced with the 2004 "Swift Boat" campaign. Obama not only aired a response ad to the spot linking him to William Ayers, but he sought to block stations the commercial by warning station managers and asking the Justice Department to intervene. The campaign also planned to compel advertisers to pressure stations that continue to air the anti-Obama commercial.

It's the type of going-for-the-jugular approach to politics many Democrats complain that Kerry lacked and that Republicans exploit.

Obama's target is an ad by the conservative American Issues Project, a nonprofit group that questions Obama's ties to Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground organization that took credit for a series of bombings, including nonfatal explosions at the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol four decades ago.

The lone financier of the anti-Obama ad, Texas billionaire Harold Simmons, was also one of the main funders of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who targeted Kerry. Simmons, a McCain fundraiser, contributed nearly $2.9 million to the American Issues Project, according to documents filed by the group with the Federal Election Commission.

Fox News and CNN have declined to air the anti-Obama ad. But by Monday afternoon, the ad had run about 150 times in local markets in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and Michigan, according to Evan Tracey, head of TNS Media Intelligence/Campaign Media Analysis Group, an ad tracking firm.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said Obama supporters have inundated stations that are airing the ad, many of them owned by Sinclair Communications, with 93,000 e-mails. He called the ad false, despicable and outrageous.

"Other stations that follow Sinclair's lead should expect a similar response from people who don't want the political discourse cheapened with these false, negative attacks," Vietor said.

Sinclair offices were closed late Monday and officials there could not be immediately contacted.

"It seems they protest a bit too much," American Issues Project spokesman Christian Pinkston said. "They're going all of these routes—through threats, intimation—to try to thwart the First Amendment here because they don't have an argument on merit."

Ayers is now a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He and Obama live in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood and served together on the board of the Woods Fund, a Chicago-based charity that develops community groups to help the poor. Obama left the board in December 2002.

Obama also was the first chairman of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a school reform group of which Ayers was a founder. Ayers also held a meet-the-candidate event at his home for Obama when Obama first ran for office in the mid-1990s.

Obama has denounced Ayers' past activities.

"Barack Obama is friends with Ayers, defending him as, quote, 'Respectable' and 'Mainstream,'" the group's ad states. "Obama's political career was launched in Ayers' home. And the two served together on a left-wing board. Why would Barack Obama be friends with someone who bombed the Capitol and is proud of it? Do you know enough to elect Barack Obama?"

In a letter to station managers, Obama campaign lawyer Robert Bauer wrote: "Your station is committed to operating in the public interest, an objective that cannot be satisfied by accepting for compensation material of such malicious falsity."

Bauer also wrote to Deputy Assistant Attorney General John C. Keeney, noting that the ad is a "knowing and willful attempt to evade the strictures of federal election law."

The campaign's aggressive tactics could draw more attention to a subject the campaign wants to go away. On Tuesday, the University of Illinois at Chicago will make available records of Obama's service on the board of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge. The group was set up to improve the city's schools. The documents could shed further light on whether Obama and Ayers had a relationship.

The American Issues Project is a 501©4 nonprofit corporation. It is permitted by law to air a political ad provided that the majority of its spending is nonpolitical. It cannot accept money from corporations and it must identify the donors that finance its ads in reports to the Federal Election Commission. Pinkston said the group has set aside money to carry out non-election related work to meet the legal requirements. It filed a report identifying Simmons as its sole donor for the ad last week.

In the Obama campaign's own response ad, an announcer states: "With all our problems, why is John McCain talking about the 60s, trying to link Barack Obama to radical Bill Ayers. McCain knows Obama denounced Ayers' crimes, committed when Obama was just 8 years old."

The McCain campaign cannot coordinate efforts with outside groups. But the campaign took advantage of being the target of the response ad.

"The fact that Barack Obama chose to launch his political career at the home of an unrepentant terrorist raises more questions about Senator Obama's judgment than any TV ad ever could," said McCain spokesman Brian Rogers.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Edited September 28, 2008 by metta

[PlatyPius 5]

Really..... who gives a sh!t?

I'll vote for the person least likely to lead us into the dark ages. That's all I care about. I don't care if Obama has fellated poodles in the past. I don't care if McCain is addicted to Pop Rocks and Coke. I only care about their policies and plans for the country.

[IAMX 3,055]

Was Bill Ayers participating in Weather Underground bombings in the 90s when he associated with Obama? There's an obvious answer here.

So what relevance does this have with Obama, other than some politically-contrived bullshit much akin to making Obama responsible for the past actions of every single person he's ever corresponded with? Ah, that's right, none.

Edited September 28, 2008 by SRVT

[metta 0]

Was Bill Ayers participating in Weather Underground bombings in the 90s when he associated with Obama? There's an obvious answer here.

So what relevance does this have with Obama, other than some politically-contrived bullshit much akin to making Obama responsible for the past actions of every single person he's ever corresponded with? Ah, that's right, none.

"This abuse of the law for intimidation insults the most sacred principles and ideals of Jefferson. I can think of nothing more offensive to Jefferson's thinking than using the power of the state to deprive Americans of their civil rights. The only conceivable purpose of Messrs. McCulloch, Obama and the others is to frighten people away from expressing themselves, to chill free and open debate, to suppress support and donations to conservative organizations targeted by this anti-civil rights, to strangle criticism of Mr. Obama, to suppress ads about his support of higher taxes, and to choke out criticism on television, radio, the Internet, blogs, e-mail and daily conversation about the election.

"Barack Obama needs to grow up. Leftist blogs and others in the press constantly say false things about me and my family. Usually, we ignore false and scurrilous accusations because the purveyors have no credibility. When necessary, we refute them. Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society."

[IAMX 3,055]

He's not associated with the bombings. What exactly is there to debate? It said in the article:

Obama has denounced Ayers' past activities.

End of story.

[luckytxn 2,265]

This is big time politics and everything is open for attack. If Obama can't stand the heat then get out. Obamas sheep have no problem airing everyones else dirty laundry but air their Socialists dirty laundry then they cry foul. Welcome to the big leagues.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

A candidate actually fights smear and slander. How shocking!

I say good for him. Shut these liars up!

[rebeccajo 14]

I think it speaks volumes if the ad is so far 'out there' that even Fox News won't air it.

[metta 0]

If somebody in Missouri does an Ad that Barack Obama deems “A Lie,” then the sheriff and the State Prosecutor are coming for you. And as we all know, when it comes to Barack Obama, EVERYTHING ANYBODY says is “A Lie,” even if it’s true.

Yeah, yeah .. A throwback to communist regimes like Honecker and emulating "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il.

Watch out for the truth squads folks. If it comes to VJ, I can see many here going to the slammer he he he

Starting with poster of the Alaskan Independence Party clip....

[britty 1]

I don't know what is so shocking. We know Obama has strapped himself to a whole host of undesirables - the guy is dodgy at best.

[alienlovechild 75]

Yeah, yeah .. A throwback to communist regimes like Honecker and emulating "Dear Leader" Kim Jong Il.

Watch out for the truth squads folks. If it comes to VJ, I can see many here going to the slammer he he he

Starting with poster of the Alaskan Independence Party clip....

Better speak up now before Obama and his followers bring back the Un(Fairness Doctrine). With most of the media under his sway already it shouldn't be difficult to sue, fine and harass the few unbelievers out there.

[IAMX 3,055]

I think it speaks volumes if the ad is so far 'out there' that even Fox News won't air it.

There's lots of conservatives here conveniently ignoring that part.

I doubt FOX news, with all of it's Muslim and pastor ####### is going to skip on a chance to slam Obama. However, some of us have learned from the Bush Swiftboater ads that attacking the issues and attacking the person are two different things. Some of us have our head way too far up the Republican's #######. Oh, look, some also happen to post in this thread. B)

Edited September 28, 2008 by SRVT

[alienlovechild 75]

I think it speaks volumes if the ad is so far 'out there' that even Fox News won't air it.

There's lots of conservatives here conveniently ignoring that part.

I doubt FOX news, with all of it's Muslim and pastor ####### is going to skip on a chance to slam Obama. However, some of us have learned from the Bush Swiftboater ads that attacking the issues and attacking the person are two different things. Some of us have our head way too far up the Republican's #######. Oh, look, some also happen to post in this thread. B)

The Ayers angle has been on Fox a long time ago. Still haven't seen the Obama is a Muslim spot at least not since Hillary's friends were put out of action. Bush didn't sponsor the handful of swiftboat ads- the media did by repeating the charges that Kerry didn't refute.

My favorite "swiftboat" ad this time is the one where a guy who was with McCain in the Hanoi Hilton says McCain was too angry as a POW so we can't trust him 35 years later in the White House. Most POWs are happy with captivity and toture so why was McCain so grouchy?

[IAMX 3,055]

I think it speaks volumes if the ad is so far 'out there' that even Fox News won't air it.

There's lots of conservatives here conveniently ignoring that part.

I doubt FOX news, with all of it's Muslim and pastor ####### is going to skip on a chance to slam Obama. However, some of us have learned from the Bush Swiftboater ads that attacking the issues and attacking the person are two different things. Some of us have our head way too far up the Republican's #######. Oh, look, some also happen to post in this thread. B)

The Ayers angle has been on Fox a long time ago. Still haven't seen the Obama is a Muslim spot at least not since Hillary's friends were put out of action. Bush didn't sponsor the handful of swiftboat ads- the media did by repeating the charges that Kerry didn't refute.

My favorite "swiftboat" ad this time is the one where a guy who was with McCain in the Hanoi Hilton says McCain was too angry as a POW so we can't trust him 35 years later in the White House. Most POWs are happy with captivity and toture so why was McCain so grouchy?

Indeed, this is where politics have gone, as Karl Rove tactics and smear campaigns have become the norm now of both parties as sadly it's become successful. Of course, you don't bother denouncing these campaigns. Just make excuses and point the finger at the political side you don't represent. Way to help not fixing things.

[alienlovechild 75]

Of course, you don't bother denouncing these campaigns. Just make excuses and point the finger at the political side you don't represent.

It's the American way and there are plenty of people on VJ ready to refute anti-Obama ads. Must we all chant in unison?

Way to help not fixing things.

Your not doing much yourself. Sitting at a computer on website on K visas isn't the most wise or productive thing you could do if you're trying to save the nation.

If you vote you'll be voting to some third party candidate or write in Mickey Mouse so your vote is irrelevant anyway.