Palin repeats Ayers line in CA
Posted: Sunday, October 05, 2008 9:28 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
Sarah Palin
From NBC/NJ's Matthew E. Berger
CARSON, Calif. -- Last night, Palin reiterated her claims that Obama “sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who target their own country.”
“Turns out one of his earliest supporters is a man, who according to the New York Times, was a domestic terrorist,” Palin told about 10,000 supporters at a rally at the Home Depot Center. She was referring to William Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground in the 1960s, which sought to bomb the Pentagon and US Capitol.
“No, this is not a man who sees America as you and I see America,” she said of Obama. “We see Americas as a force for good in this world. We see an America of exceptionalism.
“Our opponent is someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists who target their own country."
Palin used the recent questions of what she reads to her advantage, saying she read the Times and citing an article on Saturday’s front page that profiled Obama’s ties to Ayers and noted the former terrorist leader served on several charity boards with Obama. Ayers, now a professor at the University of Illinois, also supported Obama’s first state Senate campaign.
Palin’s choice of California for a rally was surprising, considering Obama is leading by 10 points or more in recent polls, and the state’s 55 electoral votes are considered a lock for the Democrats. She is predominantly in the state for fundraising.
“Our opponents take this state and all of you for granted. But I’ve got some news for Sens. Obama and Biden,” Palin said. “For millions of Californians, this is still Reagan country and we’re here to take it back.”
Palin was introduced by Shelly Mandell, the Los Angeles chapter of the National Organization for Women. Mandell said she was supporting Palin as an individual; NOW’s national political action committee has backed Obama.
“Hey, she's gonna work on persuading John McCain on ANWR, I'm gonna work on persuading her on things of my own,” Mandel said of Palin. “I know Sarah Palin cares about women’s rights, she cares about equality, she cares about equal pay.”
Palin also cited Democratic secretary of state Madeleine Albright, whose words she read on the cup of her morning Starbucks coffee.
“She said, ‘there’s a place in hell reserved for women who don’t support other women.’” Palin said. “OK now thank you so much for receiving well. I didn’t know how that was going to go over. And now California, let’s see what a comment that I just made how that is turned into whatever it’ll be turned into tomorrow in the newspaper.”
