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Invoking 9/11 Attacks, Conservative Group Links Obama to 70s Radical

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August 21, 2008 5:52 PM

ABC News' Tahman Bradley Reports: A conservative group called the American Issues Project will tonight begin running a TV ad in Ohio and Michigan highlighting Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., ties to Bill Ayres, a member of the 1970s radical group, Weather Underground.

Using images of the U.S. Capitol on 9/11, and then rewinding to images of it 30 years ago, the ad reminds viewers of Weather Underground's effort to strike the Capitol, Pentagon and police stations. A narrator then notes the Obama/Ayers friendship and that Obama is on the record defending Ayers as "mainstream."

"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," a narrators says.

American Issues Project spokesman Christian Pinkston says the initial ad buy is $2.8 million, and that this is the first of what will be a series of things the group will do to target Obama during the election. Pinkston would not disclose what issues American Issues Project will be focusing on as it targets Obama, but did indicate that the group has other provocative material that was not included in the ad.

Pinkston said Obama has been surrounding himself with "people who hate America." "If you look at the record there is a relationship here and a defense and a respect for a guy that is disturbing."

Mr. Pinkson's media and consulting firm, The Pinkston Group, did work for the anti-John Kerry group, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, in 2004.

Setup as an independent 501(c)4, American Issues Project is not required by law to disclose its donors like a regular Political PAC does, and by law, they cannot coordinate with the campaign Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

The Obama campaign disputed the idea that the group is acting on its own. "The fact that John McCain dispatched his paid consultant to launch this despicable ad from a so-called ‘independent’ committee shows how desperate he is to change the subject from his shocking disconnect with the economic struggles of the American people, said spokesman Tommy Vietor, in a statement.

"He knows that Barack Obama has denounced the detestable crimes that Bill Ayers committed forty years ago. Instead of invoking Paris, Britney and obscure sixties radicals, Senator McCain should take the day off at one of his seven homes to consider whether his support for outsourcing, tax breaks for companies who ship jobs overseas and continued spending of ten billion a month in Iraq is really putting ‘country first.’ To us, it sounds like just more of the same."

There is a less than direct connection to McCain, One of American Issues Project's backers, Ed Failor Jr. worked for the senator's presidential campaign last year in Iowa.  He was let go during a summer shake up after months of poor fundraising and media coverage.   

View the ad on the group's website by clicking HERE.

Below is a script.

NARRATOR: Beyond the speeches, how much do you know about Barack Obama? What does he really believe?

Consider this: United 93 never hit the Capitol on 9/11. But the Capitol was bombed thirty years before - By an American terrorist group called Weather Underground that declared 'war' on the U.S. - Targeting the Capitol, the Pentagon, police stations and more.

One of the group's leaders, William Ayers, admits to the bombings, proudly saying later: 'We didn't do enough.' Some members of the group Ayers founded even went on to kill police.

But Barack Obama is friends with Ayers, defending him as, quote, 'Respectable' and 'Mainstream.'

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?

American Issues Project is responsible for the content of this ad.

August 21, 2008 in Kucinich, Dennis | Permalink | User Comments (86)

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And you people wondered WHY Obama would forego public financing!

Posted by: Llama in Pajama's | Aug 21, 2008 5:54:42 PM

Exactly, Llama. And I remember the media pundits tut-tutting at the time that there were no 527s on the horizon to "swiftboat" Obama.

Yeah, right. How naive do they think we are?

Posted by: Lisa | Aug 21, 2008 5:57:54 PM

So glad Obama's JUDGEMENT will constantly be called into account. He does have a thing for "America Haters". The rootless cosmopolitan needs to never run again...when he loses this election.
McCain '08/Hillary '12

Posted by: Debra | Aug 21, 2008 6:00:50 PM

You didn't mention that an ex McCain Campaign aid was with this group also. This and Rezko was given a good go over during the democratic primaries.

It's old news and will not have any traction.

What is disturbing is McCain's lack of understanding and ,inability to come to the correct decision. Where is he going to go Iran, Syria, Poland, Russia, Ukrain, Georgia, or Afganistan? Perhaps he will maintain that Iraq is wrong and we have to stay there.

I know, I know, Mc Cain was a POW and Cindy owns the houses.

Posted by: Thinking | Aug 21, 2008 6:03:27 PM

That's going to leave a mark. All the money in the world can't hind the truth.

Posted by: Mack | Aug 21, 2008 6:03:38 PM

Well of course this is coming. John McCain couldn't put together a DECENT campaign if his life depended on it. Too bad its our country's future that is depending upon it!

Posted by: hang | Aug 21, 2008 6:03:41 PM

sounds fair to me.

Posted by: Boneheaded, from Chicago | Aug 21, 2008 6:10:53 PM

I was recently at a party and a guy there was a total boozer and I knew him from a few years back because we were in this youth group together. I drove him home and he gave me five dollars. I'm guilty by association! I must be a boozer too! I'd cryfor forgiveness but I don't want to mess up my mascara. This is silly. This is like a girl wearing red pumps with a pink dress, there's no reason behind it.

Posted by: Tiff | Aug 21, 2008 6:14:54 PM

If this Ayers guy is what these people claim, why is he living an open life as a free citizen? Why hasn't the Bush administration moved to put him on trial or arrest him? Why this catastophic failure of the Bush administration to protect America against Bill Ayers? And what is the connection with Obama? They both served on some board together? With a lot of other otherwise unrelated people?

Posted by: Sean | Aug 21, 2008 6:15:46 PM

Hah! This is hilarious. McCainites hate being on the defensive. "I can't count how many homes I have"-gate must be killing them. So let's attack him about someone criminal from the 60s. Is that the best they could do? How about old voting records like voting against MLK Jr's Holiday?

Posted by: awmahn | Aug 21, 2008 6:17:07 PM

See why Obama did not fail for the public financing trap? Now you see why he flip-floped? He knows with what kind of people McCain sorrounds himself with.

Obama '08
Hillary will be waiting for you anything, to defeat you!!!! Hillary will never be president. This year the anti-Hillary candidate was Obama, next time it will be a white, southern man, most probable Mark Warner. Bet on that "horse" for he will be shower with money from Obama nation. Why do you think Obama gave him the keynote speech? Well...just in case baby!!!

Obama '08, Warner '12...Hillary never will be!!!!!

Posted by: carl29 | Aug 21, 2008 6:17:30 PM

With all the unfair press and media support for Obama, his campaign spending at least 3-1 on advertising, a “World Tour” with photo opts, huge crowds, superstar treatment, Obama should be trouncing John McCain by now. So why isn’t he?

Respectfully, the polls are dropping for Obama because the people are questioning his leadership’s skills. Obama says John McCain is too old to be President. Mr. Obama, American’s have “loved and trusted” many older Presidents like Ronald Reagan who was age 71-79 while President. Obama stated that “John Mc Cain wants to serve his country, the same as I want to do”---correction again Mr. Obama, John McCain HAS served his country far and beyond the call of duty, and wants to continue this endeavor---never question his patriotism. The reason people are questioning your patriotism is not that you have a funny name (as you have repeatedly stated) they question your past and the people that have been your mentors for the last 20 years. They question legal documents (Illinois Supreme Court form for example) that you stated you have never gone by a different name. In Indonesia attending school your name was Barry Soetoro, holding citizenship in Indonesia and was listed as a Muslim (as your religion) on the paperwork. Has document been falsified by the Catholic Church? Most Americans do not care where you have lived, what school you have attended but they do want the truth---they do not want to be deceived. You said “do not question my patriotism”. Well Mr. Obama it is the “duty and responsibility” of each citizen in this country to question your leadership and patriotism and actually much more.

Posted by: Mike | Aug 21, 2008 6:17:42 PM

Barack Obama has denounced the detestable crimes that Bill Ayers committed forty years ago. ... Senator McCain should take the day off at one of his seven homes ... Zero-bama Campaign
----

A criminal is a criminal, forty years ago, or today.

Having his political career pumped up in the criminal house, financed by the criminal Ayers, and having rigorously defended his good friend, the criminal Ayers, 0-bama has demonstrated his wrong, not wright, judgment in terrorist issues.

Posted by: Boneheaded, from Chicago | Aug 21, 2008 6:17:50 PM

Rove is alive and well.

Posted by: JR | Aug 21, 2008 6:20:02 PM

"If this Ayers guy is what these people claim, why is he living an open life as a free citizen?"

Same reason OJ is..a lot of money and high priced lawyers.

Posted by: Mack | Aug 21, 2008 6:21:35 PM

"A criminal is a criminal, forty years ago, or today"

Ever heard of the Keaton Savings and Loan scandal?

Posted by: Jake | Aug 21, 2008 6:21:38 PM

Lets try again:

"A criminal is a criminal, forty years ago, or today"

Ever heard of the Keating Five Savings and Loan scandal?

Posted by: Jake | Aug 21, 2008 6:22:33 PM

It is time for the media to provide a detailed report of how "Foreclosure" Phil Gram, McCain's friend of 26 yrs and financial adviser helped destroy our economy

Ayres was never convicted of anything and has contributed to charitable organizations.

Let's bring out the long list of slime individuals that McCain associates with.

Posted by: Jim | Aug 21, 2008 6:23:24 PM

Have you noticed that EVERY TIME that the Obama campaign has to defend itself, it says something like "same old politics". What a tired silly statement. What does that mean? Obama is using the same political strategies that has been used for decades, so at the very least it proves to America that he is a hypocrite and a liar, for denouncing strategies that he uses himself?

it is all fair game. And this is not just guilt by association, Obama worked with Ayers, served on the same committee with him, and sent funds his way. Just another example of Obama's ridiculous history of poor judgement.

And why oh why is that college library not releasing the records that relate to this? What is he trying to hide? Oh, this is so juicy, and it will be great to reveal Obama as the dangerous fraud.

Obama...no experience, no judgement, no way.

The country will soon learn the Wrights and Ayers of his ways.

Posted by: decentAmerican | Aug 21, 2008 6:24:47 PM

Obama linked McCain with Reed -- this makes all the coming association-based attack ads legitimate and acceptable. How this ad is smear when everything is well documented and Obama was saying those words himself? That McCain-Reed ad, on the other hand, is pretty stretchy though.

Posted by: amy | Aug 21, 2008 6:24:52 PM

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