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

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

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)

User Comments

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Ah, leftists...good dishing it out, whining sissies when on the receiving end.

Posted by: Joaquin B. | Aug 21, 2008 6:30:58 PM

McCain, Bush guilt by association.

McCain, Keating five guilt by association.

Posted by: Thinking | Aug 21, 2008 6:31:25 PM

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.
------------------------------
If a good investigative reporter(s) were to find out who the donors are and publish their names, this nonsense would stop immediately. The donors cannot stand the light of day.

Every ad that this group runs is a big lie. It is to our shame that negative ads like this do work to some extent.

No question that McCain knows of them and secretly approves of them.

Posted by: Beto | Aug 21, 2008 6:31:42 PM

911 happened on Bush-McCaint-REPUBLICAN WATCH!

Richard Clarke (a Republican) wrote of the INCOMPETENCE of Republicans leading up to 911.

Richard Clarke said, "Your government (REPUBLICAN) let you down" prior to 911!

Posted by: Patriot | Aug 21, 2008 6:34:59 PM

If Obama does not choose Hillary, there will be a mass exodus of democrats to the McCain side.

YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST!

Posted by: John | Aug 21, 2008 6:40:01 PM

**If a good investigative reporter(s) were to find out... **

That would assume there are any left.

The media is so sorely hurting our election process. If they would stop highlighting the nonsense and fluff, and maybe *gasp* tell us what these candidates stand for and how they propose to enact any of it, maybe we could have a real election.

As it is we have nothing but smear fest that gets us admins like the one we have now.

Tell us what these guys stand for and how they will make it work for us...PLEASE!

Posted by: G Davis | Aug 21, 2008 6:44:36 PM

Whew, the McCain campaign has become super desperate. McCain not knowing the number homes owned in his family shows him to be out of touch with economic realities; the damage control kicks in to change the subject. This is so apparent many will see the desperate nature of the attacks. Besides, the negative issues being projected are reruns, rehashes, like vomit. McCain is in a boat without a rudder and lacking a clear direction for his journey.

Posted by: Lou R | Aug 21, 2008 6:47:43 PM

"If Obama does not choose Hillary, there will be a mass exodus of democrats to the McCain side."

Don't worry because we will get even in 2012: say W-A-R-N-E-R!!!! Obama is 47
years of age, he can run again and again and again and again; however, Hillary is 60 and doesn't have that many runs. Read our lips: Obama nation says: A-N-Y-B-O-D-Y B-U-T H-I-L-L-A-R-Y

Posted by: carl29 | Aug 21, 2008 6:53:01 PM

Rudy's Keynote speech.

noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911,noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911noun-verb-911, noun-verb-POW, noun-verb-911

Posted by: SDindependent | Aug 21, 2008 6:56:05 PM

I'm amazed at the ignorance of most of the bloggers. Anyone that can make excuses for the McCain smearing I hope get exactly what they are asking for: a third world nation. I'm glad our greatest Americans that fought and died to make the USA the greatest nation in the world don't have to listen to you idiots. I spent over 25 years in the military fighting for this nation and I'm ashamed at the dispicable comments thown at Obama and McCain, but mostly Obama. You people ought to be ashamed to call yourselves Americans! I know I'm ashamed that you do!

Posted by: CMSgt Gary Preston | Aug 21, 2008 6:56:30 PM

The cover-up is more damaging than the deed.
The Chicago Annenberg Challenge Shutdown will not go away for Obama.
Blocking access to those documents may very well be the downfall of Obama's campaign.

Posted by: Donoke9-10 | Aug 21, 2008 6:57:01 PM

"McCain, Keating five guilt by association."

No one cares about the Keating five. It's a bore. News footage of a bunch of guys walking out of court. Now Ayers on the other hand is an unrepentant domestic terrorist that called for the destruction of America. With photos and footage of the actual destruction he was a part of. Which do you think will resonate more with the typical voters?

Posted by: Mack | Aug 21, 2008 7:09:42 PM

An ad revealing Obama's extreme abortion voting record is also circulating on line -- it may go to local eventually.
Now plus this. When the Obama-Wright ad comes out, a pattern will become so clear to viewers -- Obama is so extreme. He is absolutely un-electable. How many people are having buyers' remorse now?

Posted by: amy | Aug 21, 2008 7:10:20 PM

"2 threats with white poweder were sent to McCain offices (Denver and New Hampshire)....wonder what idiot Obot sent it? Scarey scarey Obama cult."

It was probably pure kool-aid straight out of the package.

Posted by: Mack | Aug 21, 2008 7:11:07 PM

This Ayers story is sooo old. It is a classic example of the kind of negative campaigning Republicans are so good at. "Patchwork" might be a fitting name for it. You take a lot of pieces of cloth that don't fit together in the least, apply needle and thread and voilà: A blanket. And to a Republican mind, if it looks like a blanket, it must be a blanket.

Posted by: El_Pajaro | Aug 21, 2008 7:15:17 PM

Obama cannot afford to have Hillary as his veep...she will outshine him and she will become exhausted just "changing" his crappy drawers every time there is a problem! Besides, his ugly wife does not want Hillary on the ticket!! that's o.k. tho, I don't want his ugly wife in the Whitehouse...can you imagine her as first lady...ugh!

Posted by: mfmros | Aug 21, 2008 7:17:19 PM

Barack Obama’s candidacy not withstanding, does a guy who acknowledges and tacitly approves of ads like these flimsy but devious Weather Underground and Resko slanders deserve our votes? We fell for this sleazy, low down and dirty, non-issue based campaigning several times already. Look where it has gotten us!

OK! I’m good with it – if enough Americans do not want Obama because he is young, or educated, or liberal, or black, or not HRC; I will respect your isms and idiosyncratic preferences. But do we really have to elect another person who is clearly shaming his past good works by putting his desire to become president before both his ethics and his country, while telling us he is doing just the opposite? Are we North Americans really as stupid as the assembly of ex-GWB minions behind John McCain believe us to be?

I’ll forgive GWB for his ineptitude. I’ll forgive John McCain for his obsession with the presidency, but I am not going to forgive us North Americans if we do this again, and I don’t think our children will either. We have all heard the adage before, “Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.” Well how about being fooled by the same group three times or four times or five times! Don’t you think it’s time to stand up to these people, to ask them to behave like Americans, rather than un-Americans, or to get their tails out of our politics?

Posted by: dmd | Aug 21, 2008 7:21:27 PM

CMSgt Gary Preston – thank you sir. My husband, a conservative Navy flight instructor, was at one time President of his university’s SDS chapter. Can we look at the candidates' policy positions?

Posted by: Idahogirl | Aug 21, 2008 7:22:11 PM

To paraphrase Ibama, Ibama has no idea who he is dealing with.

The press gave Ibama a free ride, but the Repubs and Independents are going to charge him full fare.

Get the popcorn ready, the Ibama vetting show is about to begin.

Posted by: Johnny | Aug 21, 2008 7:24:01 PM

"The press gave Ibama a free ride, but the Repubs and Independents are going to charge him full fare."

They cared more about reporting which designer's clothes he was wearing or which songs are on his ipod. They treat him like he is some kind of red carpet diva.

Posted by: Mack | Aug 21, 2008 7:32:58 PM

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