Palin slams Obama/Ayers connection.

Cartoon by Jerry Breen.

I have been a critic for a long time of the contacts of Obama, and the degree to which those connections should disqualify him from any serious consideration for the Presidency. At best he seems to display lack of judgement as far as friends are concerned, at worst, well just what the hell is this guy playing at?

Some serious effort should have been made a long time ago to highlight this, as well as Resko, al- Mansour, Frank Marshall Davies, Farakan etc. The very rabid Reverend Wright, and Fr. We’ll snuff you out Phleiger, got him extensive coverage during the primaries. Having such people as spiritual mentors, especially over such an extended time has to raise questions as to the mindset of the candidate.

Now at last Sarah Palin has raised the issue, and not before time. The Guardian reports: -

Palin makes Obama terrorist claim

John McCain's running mate for the US presidency, Sarah Palin, yesterday accused Barack Obama of "palling around with terrorists".

Palin's comments were a reference to Obama's association with Bill Ayers, one of the founders of the leftwing Weather Underground group, which engaged in anti-establishment activities during the Vietnam war era.

The Obama campaign denounced the remarks as "desperate"; Obama himself did not respond directly but complained of "nasty" campaigning by Republicans.

The Weather Underground group sprung up in the late 1960s and claimed responsibility for bombings, including non-fatal explosions at the Pentagon and Capitol Hill. Obama, who was a child when the group was active, served on a charity board with Ayers several years ago but has denounced his radical views and activities.

Yesterday Palin told a group of donors to the Republican party: "Our opponent ... is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect, imperfect enough, that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country." She added: "This is not a man who sees America as you see America and as I see America."

The Alaska governor said donors had encouraged her and McCain to get tougher on Obama and an aide had subsequently advised her: "Sarah, the gloves are off, the heels are on, go get to them."

Obama has served on at least two boards with Ayers, and started his state Senate campaign at a function at his house. Ayers only regret over his terrorist past are that “We didn’t do enough.”

The issue of Ayers is played down in the press, note the Guardians reference to; “engaged in anti-establishment activities during the Vietnam war era.” Setting bombs and killing people is a bit past anti-establishment, even in these times.

Would the Guardian, if instead of setting a bomb which killed a police officer and wounded another, these terrorists had set one at their offices which killed one of their reporters and wounded another, just accept it as anti-establishment.

We need to see a lot more of Sarah out on the campaign.