Guilt by Association?

Saturday New York Times printed an article about the association of Barack Obama and William Ayers, the leader of the now infamous "Weathermen" a group that in protest of the Vietnam War had participated in violent and contemptible deeds as enemies of our country. The article explains the details and does so candidly as well as ultimately showing that there is no connection that can be draw, other than a relationship involving community projects and like political affiliation...namely Democrat.

That same day the Governor of Alaska and Senator John McCain's running mate made some pretty explosive comments tying Obama with the former extremist and accused the Democratic Presidential Candidate of, "palling around with terrorists". After proving she cannot talk in her previous interviews, proving she cannot debate in her one opportunity to prove she has an intelligent mind, she now proves that on top of all this, she cannot read either. The article (which I happened to read…BEFORE she made her spurious comments) quite clearly points out no political affiliation, personal friendship and ideological resemblance between the two men.

There were so many thoughts in my head about it all that I am sure I will have to just add more to this as I organize them in my head. My first thought, however, was how this hockey mom that tries so hard to connect with the "average Joe Sixpack" really has no clue how community politics work. At the highest levels of politics (National) you have the luxury of picking your affiliates, the people you work with on projects. But at the community level it is not always that easy. Sometimes people you disagree with on some issues are people that you are forced, by necessity and by circumstances to work with them. You have to put aside your ideological views and find a way to get things done for the community. Obama and Ayers were in such a situation in which they were thrust together on projects and they made things work. These issues, such as education, are issues that are important to all of us and while we watch the mud fly we should question whether or not these people, if given the key to the White House, will even have the ability to reach across the aisle to work with people that have different ideological views and (*gasp*) bad decisions in their past. It also begs the question of whether or not people in Alaska, like small town Alaska where Palin was a Mayor, do these people make mistakes? Do they have different ideals, values and affiliations? Does this hockey mom that wants to be the President of the Senate, have the ability to make the necessary sacrifices to work with people of different races, creed and political ideology?

My next thought was the mantra Palin kept using during the Biden-Palin debate, as she tried to keep Biden off of McCain's past record by telling him he (Biden) was pointing to the past and that because of this he could not say they were going to do any change in the future. As a matter of fact she said, and I quote, "But for a ticket that wants to talk about change and looking into the future, there's just too much finger-pointing backwards to ever make us believe that that's where you're going." How much farther back can you go??? We are talking a person who committed his crimes when Obama was EIGHT years old, a child! We are pointing all the way back to the beginning of Obama's political career, when he did not have the luxury of choosing who was going to be on the panels he was a part of. The complete irony of Palin, to think that it is somehow "finger-pointing backward" to point at McCain's record of voting that aligns him with a very unpopular President is unacceptable, but pointing back to a casual affiliation with a person that committed their crimes when Obama was a child is somehow ok? Ludicrous!

Another thought that occurred to me was, does the McCain attack truly reflect on Obama? Does it truly reflect his character? Is it something we should be concerned about? That is a legitimate question, but as Hillary found out, it is a question that has been answered, and returning to a subject that has already been clearly explained and accounted for does nothing but insult the intelligence of the American public. Furthermore, stop for a moment and consider this: We have the leading intelligence system in the world, in a day and time when it is most active and is most on its guard. Our defensive capabilities, intelligence wise, is at its peak. Do the Republicans think we are stupid enough to think that if the leading Presidential candidate were a terrorist that he would even be alive to continue in the campaign? Please be serious! It is an insult to the average "Joe Sixpack's" intelligence and to the American system. We are not fools Palin and McCain. It is obvious that this is just like an argument between spouses, when all the issues have been laid out and there is no other defense to be made, and no other arguments to make a logical comeback it will deteriorate into, "yeah, well....your mom sucks too". It is painfully evident that McCain, the Man of Character, has ditched his last promise...He will not talk the issues, choosing to "turn the page" on the issue that means the most to the American people, and instead take the campaign from the issues...to the personal realm.

Coming from a man that is a warrior, a proud fighting man...it is both sad and pathetic...