Political Punch
Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper
Jake Tapper is ABC News' Senior White House Correspondent based in the network's Washington bureau. He writes about politics and popular culture and covers a range of national stories.
RECENT POSTS
- Team Obama on Pritzker
- Rahm Reaches Out to Republicans
- Reading Between the Lines
- Will Obama Make Cabinet Announcements Before Thanksgiving?
- Napolitano Likely to be First Female DHS Secretary
- Diversity: Obama Taps First-Ever Blogger for Cabinet
- Happy Birthday, Mr. Vice President-elect
- Bill Clinton on Secretary of State Hillary
- Obama 'Apocalyptic?'
- Clinton for State? -- New Yorkers Weigh In
MONTHLY ARCHIVES
« Previous | Main | Next »
In a Not-Remotely-Comic Strip, Bill Ayers Weighs In on What He Meant By 'We Didn't Do Enough' to End Vietnam War
September 09, 2008 11:06 AM
In a four-panel not-even-remotely-comic strip, William Ayers, the former member of the Weather Underground and associate of Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., weighs in on his blog on some of the controversy he's been causing.
It reads:
"From his Chicago home, Bill Ayers responds to the 'We didn't do enough,' statement, a soundbite echoing ad nauseam through the media."
Says the Ayers cartoon: "It's impossible to get to be my age and not have plenty of regrets. The one thing I don't regret is opposing the war in Vietnam with every ounce of my being.
"During the Vietnam war, the Weather Underground took credit for bombing several government installations as a dramatic form of armed propaganda. Action was taken against symbolic targets in order to declare a state of emergency. But warnings were always called in, and by design no one was ever hurt.
"When I say, 'We didn't do enough,' a lot of people rush to think, 'That must mean, "We didn't bomb enough s---."' But that's not the point at all. It's not a tactical statement, it's an obvious political and ethical statement. In this context, 'we' means 'everyone.'
"The war in Vietnam was not only illegal, it was profoundly immoral, millions of people were needlessly killed. Even though I worked hard to end the war, I feel to this day that I didn't do enough because the war dragged on for years after the majority of the American people came to oppose it. I don't think violent resistance is necessarily the answer, but I do think opposition and refusal is imperative."
I don't think violent resistance is NECESSARILY the answer?
- jpt
September 9, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (489)
CJ
We already have socialism--just isn't benefiting the masses. I understand people being upset over Ayers. He's a narcissistic pycho who should just keep quiet. What I can't understand is people not being upset over the bailout, the policies that have allowed corporations and banks to steal trillions of dollars from the American taxpayer and buying the notion that low taxes help anyone but the very wealthy. The only thing I can figure out is that the people screaming about "socialism" don't actually know what the term means (fyi--it is not a synonym for communism, as a basic West Civ course should have taught you). Our taxes go to support private industries when they get into trouble making it possible for the CEOs to 'earn' 100s of times what the average employee makes. At the same time we privatize their profit, we socialize their losses--making each of us as taxpayers responsible for covering the loss while we reap no benefit from the profit. Both parties are complicit in this system and it is getting worse. Bush has been the biggest offender of all, so if you wish to be alarmist, take a look at what your guy did for the past eight years (arguably closer to soviet-style communism than socialism with the secrecy and insistence on centralized power and party loyalty over loyalty to country) before you start making dire predictions about a presidency that hasn't even started yet.
Posted by: Michele | Nov 14, 2008 11:51:54 AM
It is rather amazing that the bombings back in the 1970's were telegraphed and that because of the warnings that no one was killed... Now what about the "SHOCK AND AWE" that formed the beginning of the Iraq WAR?? How many innocent people do you think were killed???? And for what purpose???Was it for OIL??? and the 70's actions were to stop the VIETMAM POLICE ACTION where innocent people and US FORCES were being killed for no reason!!!!!
Could someone answer that question for me???
Thanks SKIP
Posted by: Daryl Houle | Oct 18, 2008 12:02:12 PM
I thought this was a hit piece from one of Ayer's adversaries. Now I find that he actually put this tripe up on his own site?
Whatever message he was trying to send has been received loud and clear. No wonder Obama wants to disown the dude!
Posted by: unclesmrgol | Oct 15, 2008 11:04:26 PM
Would you be all that surprised to learn that Bill Ayers has connections to al Qaida? He had them with the brutal North Vietnam regime, he was on their side, the evil side - so wouldn't it make sense for him to want to effect the same outcome for our brave soldiers in Iraq the way he did for them in Vietnam? Bill Ayers is an ENEMY to my country and Obama's close friendship to him makes Obama either a complete fool or just another thug enemy - take your pick.
Posted by: Mike M | Oct 11, 2008 12:08:55 PM
No the money quote in this whole affair is:
"Guilty as sin, free as a bird, it's a great country"
Note also Bill's star on his t-shirt. now he wouldn't be doing a little dog whistle signalling here, would he?
Posted by: Pamela Grim | Oct 11, 2008 10:08:58 AM
Bill Ayers is a man who on 9/11 said the terrorists didn't do enough to this country. Obama sat in the same livingroom with him and talked to him and not once did he know - everyone knows about Bill Ayers.
And to the media ABC, NBC, CBS and others is the KGB following you around so that you don't say any thing bad about Obama since the Hamas, Bin Laden, Putin in Russia, Chevez in Mexico, and Castro and Castro's brother want Obama here. All Socialistic and Communistic.
Bill Ayers is a Socialistic bomber.
We should be frighten of the fact that the media also, for they are working for a socialistic cause by not reporting the facts.
And if Obama does get in and you Americans on here think your freedoms will not be taken away. Read up on people's blogs who came from Cuba however they could to America for our freedoms and see what it is like living in Socialistic Cuba. Go to those countries and see what it is like and why people from other countries come here for their health care and the real reason why they go back.
Obama like I said is a puppet for someone else and if he should get in office by Acorn who 4,000 died people in Texas were electing Obama, and my vote will not count, for it is stacked and the Liberals made sure we Americans are paying for them in the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bill for it is part of their pork. YOu will see immediately your life change from the better to worse.
I've read alot of books about Communism and Socialism and heard what the people living in those countries have said and you will not like it. For your hip-hop will be gone, your voice will not be heard or else you will be imprisoned, and the internet will be spied upon by the KGB or some socialistic group that will make sure your voice is squashed on here. The internet will no longer be a public place. You can bet your life on that one. The only people on here will be paying customers, and that will be the end of people being able to voice their opinion and when out in public if you march you will be herded like in China or killed. Believe it or not.
Have fun with Obama, I've learned my lessons on it from my great great grandparents on how Socialism, Nazism, Communism works and I will know what to do to survived and persevere. Do you?
Bill Ayers will come out of hiding and help Obama and Socialism will be here within afew months of his Presidency.
And you wonder why our government is getting shots ready for a suitcase bomb, that was on the internet this morning.
Posted by: CJ | Oct 11, 2008 9:32:05 AM
And all you sooo intelligent Repubs--you are the same people who told us Bush was a great President--so much for your credibility.
Posted by: David | Oct 10, 2008 3:23:43 PM
And another thing - this economy issue started with Clinton era, and ended with Pelosi, Frank, and Dodd, screwing America and their liberal hooligans in office. They wanted this just to happen just before the election, they are deceitful, nasty and should be fired for creating havoc on society.
The media is part of this too.
Posted by: CJ | Oct 10, 2008 1:39:19 PM
Obama knowing Ayers has everything to do with this election - he is a puppet for someone else and that my friends is the Socialist Party. He was learning from them and it is fact that the group in Illinois now in view Obama signed up to. It shows character and what the guy will do when in office.
He will ask his new found friends for advise and Ayers is now in hiding, but if Obama wins will come out and spew Socialistic ideas for America. It will not take guns and act of war on the United States just laws and do away with the Constitution that all Americans live by.
Mark my words, Obama is dangerous for this country and everyone living here. You may not believe what is going on, but those from other countries who are now American citizens know the type of government we will have and they are worried and frighten and have every right to be for they lived it in the countries they left. So be afraid and very afraid for your freedoms will not exist in a Socialistic or Communistic society.
And when I'm right - I'll be laughing at your ignorance.
Posted by: CJ | Oct 10, 2008 1:34:50 PM
this is exactly why McCain is loosing, You all sound like pit bulls and look what happens to them! society looks at them as dangerous! and what happens, they get put to sleep!!!! Sad!! Quit wasting time on garbage all you perfect people and stick to the issues that really count! Besides you are all naive if you put all you're faith and trust in either of them!! Obama for President!!!!!!!!
Posted by: maria | Oct 9, 2008 3:51:13 PM
First Obama claims that over a TWENTY YEAR period, he never heard a single anti-American racist sermon from Jeremiah Wright … never noticed the anti-American racist literature in the church’s lobby … never agreed to the ‘Black Values System’ that all the church members swore to … never subscribed to the Marxist ‘Black Separation Theology’ espoused on the church’s website … never knew anti-American racist Louis Farrakhan, who the church awarded a life time achievement award to … and, never knew unrepentant terrorist William Ayers, when Obama launched his campaign from Ayer’s living room, sat on a board together, and whose wives worked at the same law firm
. Obama also worked with Acorn, who has been caught in massive voter fraud, in behalf of Obama. Obama obviously shares an anti-American racist, and criminal philosophy with some very unsavory people, continues to lie about it, and does not have the character, or integrity to be President of the United States of America !!!
Posted by: Howard | Oct 9, 2008 12:12:24 PM
It simply amazes me that so many people think it's nothing to be gumbahs with a MAD BOMBER who killed people.
Of course Democrats have a history of being soft on MAD BOMBERS. We need look no further than Al Gore to find Brent Kimberlin (he tossed a stick of dynamite in a grade school playground).
These guys all need to check in for some serious psychiatric treatment.
Posted by: Muawiyah | Oct 7, 2008 6:47:56 PM
Obama has denounced this guy a long time ago. This is all McCain's GOT?
Arnold R. Weber is a Republican that sat on the SAME board of directors and a BIG contributor to the McCain campaign! People, you are being LIED TO.
People believe what they want to believe. Somone ASK John McCain why he accepts dirty campaign money from people that associate with BILL AYERS. If he finds the man so dispicable, why is he taking his blood money? Ask the other Republicans that hang with Ayers too because there are several. Ayers is the white Willie Horton of 2008.
Better yet, ask RICK DAVIS these questions. He is the lobbyist that is RUNNING the McCain smear machine.
Posted by: underdog | Oct 7, 2008 8:23:16 AM
why do we care about ayers at this point in time ?? America needs to start looking to move forward and the only way we will move forward is to elect Obama for president, ayers clearly did what he did because of his beliefs in communism and his beliefs that the Vietnam war was wrong , his actions were bad. Palin and McCain need to start telling us more about how they will push to country forward and less of lies. They think we(Americans) are stupid to vote for them because they say Obama is a terrorist???, well they thought wrong because he clearly is not and he has openly said that the actions of ayers and his group was wrong.
Posted by: Taiwo | Oct 6, 2008 10:58:55 PM
This stuff is really frightening. Oh, I'm not talking about Ayers, or even, to be balanced, McCain's scandalous record on the S&L debacle.
No, what I find most worrying is the level of debate (so low as to be almost as underground as Ayres' Weather), the uninformed, childish and partisan offerings from uninformed, partisan and childish posters (with apologies to the handful of level-headed responses) and the self-serving moral rectitude of a handful of idiots urging us to google more crap so as to regurgitate even less worthy material. I had a felling this was going to be bad reading the first post on Sep 9: Woody, do try to join up words that end up making a sentence. And if you can't, have the decency not to end your jibberish with five exclamation marks. It kind of sets the tone.
Thank you to the minority who posted sensible comments from either side. To the others: you'll get what you deserve in this electoral race, which is...not very much.
Posted by: Frightened | Oct 6, 2008 10:13:03 AM
"There you go again, looking into the past." (quote from Palin in VP debate) Biden was chided for looking into the past rather than the future in the debate. Seems McCain/Palin can't follow their own words. Ayers is old, old news. Living during the time that WUO was active, I didn't like their methods but I understood their reasoning. Still, the Ayers Obama has known as an aquantance, not a friend, is not that same radical. People do change as they age. There was also the Government propoganda to make the group seem even worse. Again, Obama sees the good in all people and wants to bring us all together. It's time to stop looking at what divides us and what we have in common. That's what Obama is about.
Posted by: Dragon | Oct 5, 2008 11:03:22 AM
Many people in this country are suffering from ignorance. You check very well you find out that it is the illiterates in this country that are talking about Ayers.
Posted by: Cole | Oct 5, 2008 5:12:27 AM
Thank you for helping to call Obama ans Ayres out. Now could you please do something about ABC News misinformation that "nobody was killed," by WUO. Three of their own members died in a bomb blast, an armor car guard and two NJ Troopers died during a botched robbery, and a SF police sergeant died at the hand of a Weatherman.
Posted by: Tom Darby | Oct 5, 2008 2:40:15 AM
Read/interpret news website comment sections with caution...some of these people are
astroturfing" (see Wikipedia definition below).
Astroturfing in American English is a neologism for formal public relations campaigns in politics and advertising which seek to create the impression of being spontaneous "grassroots" behavior, hence the reference to the artificial grass, AstroTurf.
The goal of such a campaign is to disguise the efforts of a political or commercial entity as an independent public reaction to some political entity—a politician, political group, product, service or event. Astroturfers attempt to orchestrate the actions of apparently diverse and geographically distributed individuals, by both overt ("outreach", "awareness", etc.) and covert (disinformation) means. Astroturfing may be undertaken by an individual pushing a personal agenda or highly organized professional groups with financial backing from large corporations, non-profits, or activist organizations. Very often the efforts are conducted by political consultants who also specialize in opposition research.
Posted by: D. | Oct 5, 2008 1:48:27 AM
this is nothing compared to obamas next new problem the facts on freddie and fannie are coming to roost fox has a new special i see a republican congress and president coming the truth is coming out
Posted by: david reyes | Oct 5, 2008 1:16:51 AM
Look, Obama and his\ wife are Socialists who hate America because they hate what America stands for. Grow up people...Obama will deepen all racial tensions, he will ruin the country and put us into a socialist spin we will not be able to recover from.
Posted by: Arilian Frazzini | Oct 5, 2008 12:18:11 AM
The efforts of the Press, and other invisible anti-US forces to protect Obama and make him (by hook or crook) the President, are plain SCARY!!
Obama has no experience, he talks non-sense and still people want him as their President (having another DUMB like Bush as President) - call it US's time of GLORY is over.
Posted by: JKan | Oct 4, 2008 11:20:12 PM
Obama is scum
Posted by: Rob | Oct 4, 2008 11:11:59 PM
McCain is scum of the earth. I think we would have been better off had he decided to off himself in that Hanoi jail cell like the coward he really is.
Posted by: Mark | Oct 4, 2008 10:04:54 PM
Really? you people give a squat about Alaska?
you really want to embrace it as an equal among all States?
All we've heard for the past month is what a backward cesspool breading ground it is that Palin needed to be banished back to.
Is the only reason you don't want Alaska to secede is that you'll need your own "Siberian Gulag" once the the Great Hope takes power?
Posted by: moose shooter | Oct 4, 2008 9:10:09 PM
Sarah the "pitbull" is all bark and no bite. Let her radical Alaska Independenace Party husband stay in Alaska and keep on fighting to secede from the union. Call them out for what they are. A couple of unpatriotic, dangerous idiots who are trying to sucker Americans for support. Apparently they've deceived a few of the ignorant.
Country first??? Try Alaska first, Alaska always. Wake up, America!
Posted by: Dave | Oct 4, 2008 8:55:29 PM
Yawn. Why are we discussing Ayers? I don't care about him.
What I do care about is a 6% unemployment rate. I care about high gas prices. I care about home foreclosures. I care that we as a country are struggling to get back on track due to a ruined economy thanks to Bush-McCain policies. THAT is worth discussing. THAT is why McCain-Palin will lose this election because they don't care about the things that matter to most Americans.
Posted by: Melissa | Oct 4, 2008 8:46:14 PM
“Say it ain’t so Joe” Obama just got a love bite from the pit bull. Monday she will sink her teeth in. this is getting good. Pop corn please.
Posted by: jim | Oct 4, 2008 8:16:11 PM
A total pass for Obama! Obama is either an idiot or a liar. This man's spiritual advisor and community oganizer mentor have serious radical views and made no secret of their positions. Obama should have had the ability to descern that over the last 20 years. If he cannot pick up on these issues, then what makes anyone think he could pick up on Putin's, Ahmadinejad, Kim Jong-Il, or Chavez? What information is he going to miss in his face to face meetings with them?
Posted by: ubu1991 | Oct 4, 2008 8:04:11 PM
Really? you people give a squat about Alaska?
you really want to embrace it as an equal among all States?
All we've heard for the past month is what a backward cesspool breading ground it is that Palin needed to be banished back to.
Is the only reason you don't want Alaska to secede is that you'll need your own "Siberian Gulag" once the the Great Hope takes power?
Posted by: lib-hypo | Oct 4, 2008 8:00:42 PM
Ridiculous crawfishing and furious back pedaling and spinning for Obama by Ayers. His controversial statement was a direct reply to the question did he have regrets about participating in acts of terrorism. That's when he said, and I paraphrase --No, we didn't do enough.
Posted by: Karen Otravez | Oct 4, 2008 7:25:55 PM
Dems know how to pick em.
Posted by: David | Oct 4, 2008 7:09:51 PM
POLLING ORGANIZATION = DATE - LEADER BY
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gallup Tracking = = = = = = = 10/03 - Obama/Biden +8
Rasmussen Tracking = = = = 10/03 - Obama/Biden +6
Hotline/FD Tracking = = = = =10/03 - Obama/Biden +7
GW/Battleground Tracking = =10/02 - Obama/Biden +3
Marist = = = = = = = = = = = = 09/30 - Obama/Biden +5
CBS News = = = = = = = = = 09/30 - Obama/Biden +9
Associated Press/GfK = = = 09/30 - Obama/Biden +7
ABC News/Wash Post = = = 09/29 - Obama/Biden +4
Pew Research = = = = = = = 09/29 - Obama/Biden +6
Ipsos/McClatchy = = = = = = 09/29 - Obama/Biden +3
Time = = = = = = = = = == = 09/29 - Obama/Biden +7
I guess when the polls show you (McSame) are down by 8-points and growing with less than a month to go, you go into your "Skunk Mode" and start spitting out garbage and vomit. This is what the "McSame/Joe-SixPack" liars are resorting to. They have lost on the issues so they go with the kitchen sink.
If Sarah had any creditability, I guess I would listen to this cr@p. But seeing that Sarah's husband Todd ("First Dude") once belong to an Alaskan separatist organization that was stock piling weapons in preparation to over throw the United States and secede from the 50-State Union, I find it extremely difficult to even listen to this idiot.
Posted by: Perusing-Through | Oct 4, 2008 7:05:49 PM
Ayers has NOTHING to do with Obama!
And ther is nothing that the LYING Palin can say that will make it so.
She should stop LYING about Barack and someone should start telling the truth about HER!
Barack is NOT a traitor - he is a TRUE AMERICAN hero. Ayers, however, refuses to admit he was wrong and to me that makes him a fool.
Posted by: Independant American Woman | Oct 4, 2008 6:45:25 PM
Well, it seems that Ayers may be regretting a few things now.
Posted by: mk | Oct 4, 2008 6:33:19 PM
Mr Bull Obama was against the war before he fully funded it.
Mr Bull Obama voted to continue the spying on Americans.
Can't stand bull artists.
Posted by: hhkeller | Oct 4, 2008 6:32:10 PM
Obama is a traitor.
Posted by: Jane | Oct 4, 2008 6:31:02 PM
I was beginning to feel sorry for Sarah Palin's naked ignorance as revealed in recent interviews. But she's just a typical name calling politician, hungry for power, desperate to win and unwilling to struggle for any meaningful or new solutions to the huge problems facing the US and the world. I am looking forward to watching her and McCain go down in defeat.
Posted by: Joel Miller | Oct 4, 2008 6:00:18 PM
This woman has little room to speak given her long association, and the association of her husband, with members of the AIP, who openly advocate the secession of Alaska from the United States. Also, the leader of this organization stated, and I quote: "the fires of hell are glaciers compared to my hatred for the United States of America." This sounds worse than anything Rev. Wright ever said about the United States. Of course, a big difference is that, while Sen. Obama has publicly condemned Rev. Wright for his hateful contents, Sarah Palin has never so much as criticized the leader of the AIP for his expressed hatred of our country. The more one gets to know this woman and her associates, the more one realizes what a danger she presents to the security of our nation and the freedom of its citizens. Johnny McSame is desperate and will say anything over the next month in an effort to derail the inevitable election of Sen. Barack Obama to be President of the United States. WE CAN STOP HIM!!! Obama/Biden 2008!!!
Posted by: caliguy55 | Oct 4, 2008 5:47:45 PM
Mrs. P: "It is despicably ironic that Ayers makes this statement only a couple days before the 7th year after 9/11!"
Don't forget Obama's Reverend Wright in his own words: "America deserves 9/11 attack! God d____ America!" OBAMA SAVORED HIS REVEREND"S WORDS, EEVERY ONE OF THEM.
Posted by: ablanche08 | Oct 4, 2008 5:42:39 PM
Obama is quoted as saying, "If the McCain campaign uses 'knives', then we'll use guns". I ask you readers...."Just how ghetto is that comment?"
Posted by: Mr. Republican | Oct 4, 2008 5:42:16 PM
Let's see you reckless liberal media mongels stop Gov. Palin now!! You go girl...go!
Posted by: Mr. Republican | Oct 4, 2008 5:39:38 PM
This guy should still be in jail.
Posted by: Gargoyle | Oct 4, 2008 5:26:31 PM
So is this how Obama plans to get things done? Threaten and intimidate? This is not what America needs. I can see it now that if there is another terrorist attach Obama imposes martial law and strips our civil liberties mouthing “for the greater good”. We should never become a socialist police state. Americans will come to the defense of our home turf; not government strongmen. We are the eyes, ears, and hands of our law enforcement and will let legal process fulfill its duty as long as it is capable and answers to the American people. We never surrender our liberty and safety this philosophy of fear and intimidation. It has a stronghold in the mid-east but should never take hold here.
Posted by: MBell_TX | Oct 4, 2008 4:52:21 PM
For an academic who specializes in education, it's a bit pathetic he can't spell "installation" correctly. (ABCNews generously corrected the spelling for him in the text below the "comic".)
Posted by: Matt | Oct 4, 2008 2:36:32 PM
Let's take a look at some OTHER connections?
McCain/Big Oil
McCain/Bush-Cheney (who have killed a million innocent Iraqis and displaced millions more)
Anyone in our government who had a meeting with Sadaam Hussein should be considered a terrorist
Please, people. It's not like Ayers was hiding out in a basement somewhere when Obama met him. He's a distinguished professor who DECIDED to work in Early Childhood Education - now, if he were working for Wall Street, we might have something to talk about.
Posted by: steve | Sep 24, 2008 9:37:45 AM
It is despicably ironic that Ayers makes this statement only a couple days before the 7th year after 9/11!
Posted by: Mrs. P | Sep 11, 2008 7:43:45 PM
The Vietnam War might have been hopeless, but it was never "immoral". The whole idea was to FIGHT COMMUNISM!
And YES, the Ayers terrorist acts DID KILL PEOPEL! Just a quick Google Search proves that. Even Wikipedia agress!
Bill Ayers is quite obiously a liar!!!
Posted by: Mrs. P | Sep 11, 2008 7:41:04 PM
LIAR!!!
If that's Ayers meant by "we didn't do enough", he would have said so long ago - not now, when Obama is running for President.
Posted by: Mrs. P | Sep 11, 2008 7:32:51 PM
Did Bush call the residents of Baghdad before he dropped the bunker buster?
If this is all the Right has got, bring it on.
Posted by: Randy | Sep 11, 2008 5:39:04 PM
Sorry Bill. I was present in the 70s. I believe you meant you didn't bomb enough. I was a MP in the US Army at the time and had to respond to some of your murderous threats. Whether a bomb was placed or not your created fear and panic in innocent people. You were a terrorist. I hope you're still sending thank you cards to Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, a coward and terrorist's best friends. They gave out too many pardons to you guys.
Posted by: Jim | Sep 11, 2008 5:09:55 PM
So Bomber Bill doesn't think "violence is necessarily the answer," huh?
Yeah, and Barrack Obama didn't mean that Sarah Palin was necessarily a pig, either.
Posted by: trentk269 | Sep 11, 2008 3:50:18 PM
Per Wikipedia - "William Charles "Bill" Ayers (born 1944) is Distinguished Professor in the College of Education at the University of Illinois at Chicago."
If this whack-job is so dang distinguished and smart why is it that he can't even spell correctly?!? His spelling of "instillations" is likely reflective of his great attention to detail. Hopefully, he had the right phone numbers when he was calling to inform people before he bombed them!
LOSERs associate with LOSERs
Posted by: Bob Thompson | Sep 11, 2008 3:41:56 PM
Ayers is a liar and a commie tool. He opposes the rule of law unless he's the one enforcing his type of law.
Posted by: Ken | Sep 11, 2008 2:27:47 PM
Obama was 8 when Charles Manson committed the murders - does that mean it's okay for Hussien Obama to be friends with Charles too?
Ayers is no better than Osama bin Laden! If Obama can be friends with Ayers then what will happen if Obama gets into the white house? Will he become friends with Osama Bin laden as say "Who cares, I was only 40 when the WTC was hit"
Posted by: adelyn | Sep 11, 2008 12:36:16 PM
It was Democrat Kennedy (who was paranoid of communist)who stepped up troops in Vietnam to the point of no return then Democrat Lyndon Johnson declared war. It was a republican that got us out!
All the anti-war people turned their backs to the millions of veitnamese who were slaughtered after we withdrew our troops. Funny how they call our troops murderers and defend the real murderers!
Posted by: Adelyn | Sep 11, 2008 12:31:02 PM
Nice try, but not buying it. By the way, Bill, it was a democrat president, Lyndon Johnson, who kept the Viet Nam war going when we could have won it quickly and ended it before more lives were lost.
Posted by: Louise | Sep 11, 2008 12:04:19 PM
Why isn't Jake Tapper letting readers know that people WERE killed as a result of Ayers' bombs? Why does that need to be pointed out by ordinary citizens?
Posted by: artgrrl | Sep 11, 2008 11:22:48 AM
Ayres talks as if the Vietnam war was just American aggressors attacking an innocent country. Communists in that country murdered millions of innocent people to achieve power from 1946 until 1972. He never mentions that. He says that the Vietnam war was "immoral". How about Communism itself, about as immoral a system of totalitarianism as one can get. It has been the scourge of the 20th century. Ayres is an unrepentant communist, just like Jane Fonda
Posted by: wilijoe | Sep 11, 2008 10:49:31 AM
Didn't hurt anyone huh? Tell that to you girfriend and the two other friends that blew themselves up making one of your bombs. A bomb they wanted to use to kill American sldiers attending a dance. And tell that to the Police Officers that your minions killed when they bombed a Police Station. Your nothing but a two bit Terrorist ayers. You and your wife both should have been sent to the electric chair decades ago.
Posted by: jrh9861 | Sep 11, 2008 10:35:16 AM
William Ayers is a liar and leader of a violent group of Socialists and Obama started his political career in this guys house!! Oh but Barry didn't know about his background. Yeah, sure
Posted by: Slinging the bull | Sep 11, 2008 7:35:37 AM
Simple answer... B.S.
Why I can't vote for Obama... he's a socialist.
I started life as a Pvt in the USMC. 20 years later and so many nights going to school I can't count, I retired with a masters degree and was a self-taught computer programmer. I've spent the last 20 years programming and now earn about $130K/year. That's not Bill Gates but it's what I've spent a lifetime building. I'm 61.
Obama says I make too much and wants to give some of what I earn to a 21 year-old waitress working for minimum wage and tips. Excuse me, but this waitress has 40 years to do exactly the same point that I am today. She probably doesn't expect or want my retirement. But that doesn't stop the socialists from wanting to play Robin Hood.
Country First!
Posted by: DougH | Sep 11, 2008 7:19:55 AM
i dont know where all of the "historians" and "intellectials" are in this country. the vietnam war was started under kennedy, promoted by johnson, to aide a corrupt government under the guise of stopping communism. the war literally went around hugh rubber plantations that were not touched by EITHER side. the owners of those plantations were in the rockerfeller and kennedy families. this is factual and you can actually look it up in history books. if you care to find the truth. the men and women who died over there deserve our respect and for us to find out the truth that the liberal media has been hiding all these years "protecting" the above families.
Posted by: jim | Sep 11, 2008 2:50:49 AM
Oh. It's okay to bomb stuff if you call ahead?
Hmmm. I wonder if Ayers is listed?
What a loser. (I know that's redundant with Obama supporters.)
And don't forget Kennedy started Vietnam. Nixon ended it.
Posted by: Anonymous | Sep 10, 2008 11:16:02 PM
This “piece of…work” [Ayers] and his cronies are no different then Timothy McViegh and those that schemed with him except on one point, McViegh and company were brought to justice while these “Weather Underground” criminals got off practically “Scott free”. This is a travesty that will probably never be remedied. I wonder what tune Ayers would sing if someone put a bomb on his doorstep? But of course good and decent people won’t stoop to that kind of low, unlike Ayers and associates not to mention McViegh, who’s simply another of Ayers ilk. I believe they’ll all burn eventually for what they’ve done, if not in this existence then in the next.
Posted by: glitchus | Sep 10, 2008 9:53:25 PM
There is no such thing as a "safe" explosion. If people are not hurt in that type of explosion it is simply luck. And even if you do manage to avoid injuring someone in the explosion - you put the clean-up crews in danger when they have to work in the areas. Ayers is the type of scum that used to spit and harass our soldiers after they returned from War. I have NO RESPECT for the man or anyone that attaches themselves to this type of person.
Posted by: thescoundrel | Sep 10, 2008 7:51:28 PM
Once a Chicago Democrat, alaways a Chicago Democrat.
Once a Chicago terrorist, always a Chicago terrorist.
Posted by: Just Call Me Donna Reed | Sep 10, 2008 7:49:26 PM
A vile, unrepentant terrorist bomber and an advisor to the democrat candidate. How's that for a "change"?
Posted by: SteveC | Sep 10, 2008 6:29:27 PM
Someone needs to ask Mr. Ayers about that planned bombing of the NCO dance at Ft.Dix. What would his reflections be, if the bomb had killed young American men and women?
At that time, millions of young American draftees were serving in the armed forces. Young women were invited to attend dances on base. Those who did were much respected and appreciated by the draftees.
Mr. Ayer's attempted terrorism against these young people is outside the spectrum of normal American politics.
A Ft.---- draftee.
Posted by: rbenjamin | Sep 10, 2008 3:59:51 PM
For some reason the Mainstream Media has been late in looking into the background of Sen Obama. But the New Media has been digging and looking into his shady associations for a long time. His associations with terrorists:
It is good that the MSM is catching up -- hopefully this will end Obama's presidential aspirations.
Posted by: David Hinz | Sep 10, 2008 3:05:09 PM
OK, so why was Ayers standing on the flag for his magazine picture? Was that to show his love for the country?
Posted by: Russ | Sep 10, 2008 11:05:41 AM
There is one good thing abut this electon cycle, it has got more people involved in their country's furture. The bad thing is how our media is tilting the information to acheive an end they desire. We hear things that have no bearing on what is happening but cannot get suitable answers to many important questions. We have heard more questions and innuendos about Palin in a short time and have got any answers than have been asked of Obama in 19 months. Can anyone explain this?
Posted by: 1post3 | Sep 10, 2008 10:24:33 AM
Hah! When will the average American wake up and look at this. I have been researching this for years. If Ayers had done this crap under an Obama administration I am sure he would be locked up tight!
Posted by: Michael Schrengohst | Sep 10, 2008 10:10:14 AM
There are some issues with Obama, most of which I will not get into. The two most stupid thngs that Obama has ever done: a) he is now personally attacking Palin. b) he chose Biden for his VP, who is even MORE Liberal than he is. All in all, this "cartoon" doesn't help the half-white, half-black man.
Posted by: Jack | Sep 10, 2008 9:46:30 AM
Note to the Obamachine and the Chicago gang:
The cartoon did not help. At all.
Ayers is rewriting his story, just like Obama is fabricating his.
Question:
What is the shortest book in history?
Answer:
"The Accomplishments of Barak Hussein Obama"
Posted by: hunter | Sep 10, 2008 8:32:39 AM
Who believes this one? Obama called him and told him to tonedown his message, that's all. It's just another Obama manipulation.
Posted by: Barbara | Sep 10, 2008 8:01:05 AM
Terrym
I just keep hoping that Pat Robertson comes out with a rant about how God will punish us if Sarah isn't elected.
You seem to think that the left owns all of the wing nuts. I'd say the last eight years are proof otherwise.
Posted by: Leonard Peltier | Sep 10, 2008 5:46:20 AM
Whoops -- correction -- the 1981 Brinks Bank Robber resulted in 3 deaths. A security guard and two police officers.
Posted by: athomedad | Sep 10, 2008 5:45:09 AM
Ayers statement is full of lies and half truths. People should do their own research. Wikipedia is a good place to start. There you will learn about Days of Rage, Weatherman's declaration of war against the U.S. Government, their intent to bomb an NCO dance at Ft. Dix and participation in a 1981 Brinks Bank Robbery. Wikipedia leaves out a bunch but gives you a flavor of what these terrorists were all about.
Obama is also connected to these people through Howard Gutman who was working on behalf of Susan Rosenburg when she got pardoned by Bill Clinton. She was involved in the Brinks Bank Robbery that ended in 2 deaths. The purpose of the robbery was to gain resources for more terrorist activity. She was apprehended 740 pounds of dynamite and weapons in New Jersey. Gutman is an Obama Campaign National Finance Committee Member.
These are bad people who look back nostalgically on bombing Government buildings the way most people look back at college keg parties. It is entirely proper that Obama's ties to these people are questioned, and to question why so many have been given good jobs at universities, all of which get d