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October 30, 2008 at 05:10:13
Promoted to Headline (H2) on 10/30/08: by Steven Leser Page 1 of 2 page(s) |
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The latest in embarrassing episodes about to explode on the McCain campaign is that the person he is criticizing Obama for associating with is someone McCain funded to the tune of half a million dollars through a group that he chaired. The Huffington Post broke the story, "McCain Funded Work Of Palestinian His Campaign Hopes To Tie To Obama" http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/28/mccain-funded-work-of-pal_n_138606.html explaining: During the 1990s, while he served as chairman of the International Republican Institute (IRI), McCain distributed several grants to the Palestinian research center co-founded by Khalidi, including one worth half a million dollars. A 1998 tax filing for the McCain-led group shows a $448,873 grant to Khalidi's Center for Palestine Research and Studies for work in the West Bank... The relationship extends back as far as 1993, when John McCain joined IRI as chairman in January. Foreign Affairs noted in September of that year that IRI had helped fund several extensive studies in Palestine run by Khalidi's group, including over 30 public opinion polls and a study of "sociopolitical attitudes."
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In its last minute desperation, the McCain campaign is trying to make a big deal of the fact that at a meeting in 2003, Khalidi lavished praise on Obama. So, McCain gave Khalidi money, but he is trying to say Obama is a bad guy because Khalidi said nice things about him. With the discovery that McCain funded him, either Khalidi is a bad guy and people should be more upset at the idea that McCain funded him as opposed to Khalidi saying nice things about Obama, or he isn't a bad guy and this whole episode is a non-issue other than the McCain campaign raising a red herring. The latter seems more likely.
While this seems obscenely stupid, contradictory and inept of the McCain campaign, if you have been following them as I have, it is no longer surprising. Less than a week ago, I reported how the McCain and RNC purchasing of $150,000 in clothes for Sarah Palin violated McCain's own McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform act, see http://www.opednews.com/articles/McCain-Campaign-Violated-M-by-Steven-Leser-081023-770.html .
One of the things about this clothing purchase I realized after I wrote this article is that Palin has only been the Vice Presidential nominee since late August. Between late August and November 4, there are around 75 days. McCain and the RNC bought Palin $150,000 worth of clothes to wear for 75 days and Palin happily accepted them. If that isn't out of touch and elitist, I don't know what is. Joe Six-packs, take note!
When historians look back at the McCain campaign, I am certain they will decide that the defining aspect of the McCain Campaign is the lies, contradictions and missteps concerning everything they do.
Want more proof?
You know the big deal that McCain and Palin are making of the phrase "Spread the Wealth around?" Not only is what McCain and Palin saying about Obama's utterance of that phrase misleading to the point of being lying, it turns out that Palin said just about the same thing only a month ago. As this http://thinkprogress.org/2008/10/27/palin-shares-wealth/ article in Think Progress reports, regarding Alaska's oil revenue wealth, Palin said:
And Alaska—we’re set up, unlike other states in the union, where it’s collectively Alaskans own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs. … It’s to maximize benefits for Alaskans, not an individual company, not some multinational somewhere, but for Alaskans.
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So, when Obama says 'spread the wealth’, it's 'Socialism' but when Palin says it, then it's OK? You betcha!
If you think that is bad, it gets better still. McCain is attacking the Obama tax plan because Obama concentrates his cuts on the middle class and offers no cuts for the wealthy. Obama knows that the engine of America's growth is and has always been the middle class. McCain offers less tax cuts for the middle class and more for the wealthy and says Obama not doing the same is more 'spreading the wealth' and 'socialism'. Here's the punch line, while McCain supported most of Bush's policies and tax cuts, when McCain was discussing the first round of Bush tax cuts on the senate floor in 2001, McCain said:
I cannot in good conscience support a tax cut in which so many of the benefits go to the most fortunate among us, at the expense of middle class Americans who most need tax relief.
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Mr. Leser (Steven)
Curious. And telling. To me you can look at it this way too. McCain and his string pullers know it isn't important to the masses, just more mud slinging before next tuesday that can't be spread too far and in time. Or, it's another point that ties Obama to McCain as the same string pullers of both of them laugh at us trying to figure the real differences which are mainly in waist, forehead and ring size and of course, life expectancy. Nevertheless, I am not surprised. Very not. peace by mikel paul (14 articles, 1 quicklinks, 11 diaries, 570 comments [13 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 3:04:00 PM  (0+)
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Spinning
The Obama campaign is lying about Khalidi and McCain's relation with him in order to direction attention away from another bad person in Obama's background. John McCain has done absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in his relationship with the CPRS and Obama knows it. It is pure scumbag politics to suggest otherwise. This has become a typical Obama/DNC tactic. Khalidi is listed as ONE of the founders of the CPRS. He did not run it, is not on the board and is not a staff member. It is not or was not a terrorist organization and a lot of respectable people and organizations support it. I did not see Khalidi's name mentioned in connection with the day to day operation of CPRS except as one of its founders. The spin the Obama and Democratic Party puts on this makes you think that John McCain personally went over to Palistine and handed Khalidi a check. That did not happen. From the organization's web site: The Center for Palestinian Research and Studies acts as an independent think tank" for Palestinian policy and strategy community. It seeks to produce research that is objective and based on rigorous and sound methodology. The Center does not adopt political positions other than advocating free, democratic exchange and expression. It is fully committed to information exchange and to publishing research according to professional standards. CPRS encourages outstanding scholars in Palestinian political, strategic, and economic issues to actively participate in the current dialogue regarding the formulation of Palestinian priorities and options and to gather a range of perspectives. Obama is developing a disgusting track record of lying about his relationships with unsavory people. The fact that the LA Times will not release the tape says volumes about how damaging Obama's relationship with Khalidi really is. If all Obama did was sit there while Khalidi said bad things about Isreal at a party and has not and will not distance himself from Khalidi and what was said at the party then the chips need to fall where they may and not be covered up and lied about. The American People need to know this. Character? Principles? by Mad Jayhawk (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments [56 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 3:58:53 PM (0+)
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Reply: You cannot spin-away McCain's Hypocrisy on this
Whatever it is that Obama said or Khalidi said about him will never equate to McCain providing funding for Khalidi. If one terms Khalidi 'bad' and a 'terrorist', then McCain's actions in providing him money are exponentially worse than Obama's. Moreover, in terms of patterns, this is yet another instance of a kneejerk attack reaction by McCain or Palin that turns out to be something in which he himself is involved. It's not a one-off, Mr. Jayhawk. This is now the fifth example of this. This is who McCain IS. Nice try... not! by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 4:15:52 PM (0+)
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Reply: Questions
What was Khalidi's exact role in the CPRS? How long did he hold any offices or sit on the organization's board? Did he have any fund raising responsibilities? Was this really "Khalidi's organization"? What brought Khalidi in contact with McCain? Was Khalidi at the time 'a bad guy' that McCain should have known about? Why did all the other foundations and organizations donate to CPRS? Is Khalidi still a member of the organization? If so in what capacity? Did McCain give his personal money to the organization? Was McCain directly responsible for giving the money to organizations like the CPRS or was it a board decision? Links please. Do you really think McCain is so stupid that he would bring Khalidi up if he had any long term meaningful relationship with the man in the past ....... wait --- don't answer that. I was reading an educated guess as to what the 'entertainment' for the party attended by Obama and his friend Khalidi consisted of. If that tape gets out and that was the 'entertainment' Obama is toast. Joe Sixpack would foam at the mouth on the way to the ballot box. by Mad Jayhawk (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments [56 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Saturday, Nov 1, 2008 at 3:25:13 AM (0+)
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Reply: Hmmm
No response? No links? No facts? A simple question: Did McCain personally give his own funds to Khalidi? Yes or No with a link. An organization McCain was a member of did give money to another organization that Khalidi once had connections with. It is the same as if you giving money to the Red Cross and served on its board and it gave money to rebuild a Katrina damaged shack somewhere in Mississippi that was once owned by the KKK. by Mad Jayhawk (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments [56 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Sunday, Nov 2, 2008 at 9:47:17 AM (0+)
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Reply: It was the Huffington Post that lied....
I have no doubts that Obama's campaign helped steer them into that report, but ultimately, like many of the News Agencies, their job it to help smooth the way for the anointed one to take power next Tuesday. The fact that there are many connections between Obama and McCain just goes to prove that we, the people of the United States, will be screwed by whomever wins on the 4th... All of these absurd spins and mud slings are designed to distract us all from the fact that BOTH McCain and Obama are going to prove that one of them will be the worst president the US has ever seen, and that is saying something! Steven Lesser is a TRUE BELIEVER, and nothing that is said or typed will change his mind, no matter what the FACTS prove... Ciao, CZ by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 4:18:12 PM (0+)
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Reply: Why, because YOU say so? LOL
Links? Facts? Backup? No? Thought so. by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 4:33:09 PM (0+)
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Reply: Well, my response was full of facts
what links would you like? Ask a REAL question, you will get a REAL answer. I do appreciate the smarminess you display whenever you are so desperately trying to defend the anointed one. Here are some facts.. 1. your candidate will have spent close to $750,000,000 on his campaign. 2. Your candidate has had so little negative press as to be statistically nonexistent. 3. your candidate has hired thousands of people to denounce articles that are critical of Obama, in the comment section of youtube and all news outlets. 4. evidence for this is the unbelievably massive scale of the investigation into an idiot living in Ohio who made the anointed one make a gaff in front of a camera... Regardless of anything else, Obama said what he believes in, and what he wants.. He added even more emphasis to that just last night if you were watching... (Oh what was I thinking, OF COURSE you were watching...) 5. With all of the money being spent destroying people like Sarah Palin and everyone else, all of the campaign ads, positive spinning of everything on the cable "analysis" shows, all of the NEGATIVE spinning of Palin (they seem to be ignoring McCain) Despite the fact that the republicans have spent 1/3rd of that in their campaign (probably because they believe McCain to be the loser) Obama is only ahead by 2 points in the polls... That is a lot of effort for 2 points ahead... There are some MORE facts for you my friend. Ciao, CZ by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 5:53:27 PM (0+)
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Reply: Let's see, scanning for any facts refuting my article points
... nope, none there. I'm not going to debate the entire campaign in the thread for this article. You want to talk about the article, lets do it. If you want to talk about other stuff, compose your own article and diary and lets do it there. I'm game. by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 8:08:43 PM (0+)
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Reply: Bush will have that honor for a very long time
You just come back from a cave somewhere? by tginmn (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 69 comments) on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 10:24:21 AM (0+)
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Sarah Palin's Clothes
Give-me-a-break. All the Democratic controlled news media can come up to write about is the clothes SP is using to campaign in. Any criticism is better than none or some thing remotely praiseworthy. Sarah Palin is a middle class American. She is not rich like McCain, Biden and Obama and cannot afford an extensive wardrobe. The clothes will be auctioned off for charity or given away or returned after the campaing ends. END OF STORY and GET-A-LIFE. If you are voting for Obama because of these clothes you should see a mental health professional. What happened to the Greek Temple Obama had constructed in his honor in Denver and where thousands bowed at his feet? And how much did that and the mock up of Air Force 1 cost? Did that bit of arrogrance bring in one vote? Instead of worrying about a few clothes that the RNC bought for Palin Democratic supporters should be worrying about how THEIR money was spent that night. It was YOUR donation dollars at work, not mine. by Mad Jayhawk (3 articles, 0 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 652 comments [56 recommended, 3 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 4:20:18 PM (0+)
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Reply: This is the problem with Republicans, selective reading
Interesting, you commented on another part/topic of my article in your first response, but in your second, you suggest that Palin's clothes was 'all I could come up with'. You realize that you are already contradicted by your first response, right? In fact, there are multiple things "that I came up with" in just this article. by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 4:34:51 PM (0+)
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Reply: Sarah's clothes
Steve, you switched in your article from McCain supporting the Palestinians to Sarah Palin's clothes, and you missed the story. When Sarah was hosting Pat Buchanin at her home, a girl with ties to Neo-Nazi's stood up during the dinner party and read a poem about how all Jews need to be killed. Sarah just sat there and went along with it. Perhaps she agrees. Uh-oh, it was actually Barak who was at a dinner party with Rashid, and a Palestinian girl stood up and read a peom about the need to kill all the Jews. Barak just sat there. He kind of has a tendency to go along with things that are reprehensible. And you know, Steve, I've hung out with Muslim guys in their twenties, the way Barak did, and I can tell you for a fact that you don't hang out with those guys and travel with them to Pakistan unless you share their anti-Semitism. There's just no other way. So you've got a guy in Barak who has no moral integrity, just like liberals want. McCain gave money to a Palestinian organization that conducts surveys and Obama is a bigot. Accept the reality. by ScottC 1676867503 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 5 comments) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 7:05:36 PM (0+)
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Reply: Links? Citations? Hello?
thanks by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 7:40:15 PM (0+)
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FYI: CNN Factchecking has confirmed my story on this
The IRI, in an October 29 press release, said it "gave grants" to the Center for Palestinian Research and Studies for polling in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and Gaza... "We understand that Rashid Khalidi was one of the many founders of CPRS, and we understand that he was for some (unclear) amount of time a board member," the IRI said. The Verdict: True. There was a relationship in the 1990, between the IRI, chaired by McCain, and the CPRS, co-founded by Khalidi, which received IRI funding. by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 7:52:57 PM (0+)
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Reply: Funny
how there is no evidence linking McCain directly with Khalidi other than the fact that he was co-founder of an orgainzation he hand nothing to do with beyond that... Funny how there IS evidence of Obama being VERY involved with Khalidi on a personal level, NOW.. as in RIGHT NOW... Khalidi, a Yasser Arafat toady, got $75,000 through Obama and Weather Underground terrorist William Ayers from the Woods Foundation, and later Khalidi returned the favor by hosting a fundraiser for Obama. Obama “lavished praise” on Khalidi in 2003 when the former PLO functionary took a job at Columbia University, according to an LA Times article last year. It’s hardly ancient history, and Khalidi is hardly an acquaintance. Funny how there IS evidence of obama being VERY involved with a number of people he says he was not involved with... It is not difficult to find.. took about half a second on Google... However, it is my experience that you will keep ignoring the facts... Instead, you get your news from the Huffington Post which has been known to mis-represent quotes and facts while calling those reports "news" Ciao, CZ by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 9:16:49 PM (0+)
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Reply: An "Arafat toady"? Right now? Arafat is dead!
Priceless. by Steven Leser (255 articles, 58 quicklinks, 38 diaries, 2147 comments [63 recommended, 2 rejected]) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 11:09:29 PM (0+)
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Reply: You are kidding, right?
Or can't people be compared to dead figures from history now? It is called Metaphor... Obviously you do not understand metaphor. Ciao, CZ by steve scheetz (4 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 829 comments [52 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 10:41:46 AM (0+)
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Conservatives Ignoring the Point as Usual
The bottom line is that it is all crap! You failed to say it so bluntly Steven, but that is ultimately the point. Whether any of it is true or not, the child aged addage of 'I'm rubber. You're glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks on you!' could not be more clearly demonstrated by the McCain campaign. It's crap. Crap. CRAP! They can't run on the issues because they can't win on them. by Kip Anderson (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 10 comments) on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008 at 9:17:30 PM (0+)
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Beyond the hype and hoopla, take a close, realistic look
It's an illusion, folks. A necessary ruse in the grand scheme to solidfy the masses in the belief that we live in a representative democracy. Any sensible, in-depth examination of the process reveals that the two "finalists" were maneuvered into position during the primaries through myriad processes - with the media as the whore of our overlords. I'm not a rabid Ron Paul fan, but his neutralizing by the MSM was stunning, and is an ideal example. Another example, much easier to assess - as a matter of record, is the extent by which our congressional representatives voted contrary to the will of the constituency the vast majority of the time. The decision has been made, the "vote count" will support it. We the bewildered herd just haven't been informed yet. That all important selection will have to wait until early on November 5th. And if this isn't enough to get a bit of gander up - to entice folks to take an objective, meaningful look at what is happening - I'll toss in another provocation: The United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate are, by all practical purposes and through deliberate cunning, Israeli occupied territory. Want an example? Here's one: by Michael McCoy (7 articles, 1 quicklinks, 2 diaries, 487 comments [26 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 12:28:15 AM (0+)
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Reply: Realistically
McCain and Palin just scare people with one man with strange name connected to another one with strange name, playing on stupidity and fear. As for the Israeli influence-the current politics of the US administration is harmful to Israelis as people ( not the mafia in power). So we need to know that. We are next. by Mark Sashine (72 articles, 19 quicklinks, 269 diaries, 4101 comments [131 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Oct 31, 2008 at 10:36:58 AM (0+)
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