Palin: Ayers link not 'racially tinged'

Posted: Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:23 PM by Carrie Dann
Filed Under: Sarah Palin

From NBC/NJ's Matthew Berger
LONG BEACH, Calif. – Sarah Palin told reporters Sunday that “the Associated Press is wrong” for saying her recent remarks tying Barack Obama to William Ayers are “racially tinged.”

“The comments are about an association that has been known but hasn’t been talked about,” Palin said before boarding a plane to San Francisco. “I think it’s fair to talk about where Barack Obama kicked off his political career, in the guy’s living room.”

Palin said Saturday that Obama was “palling around with terrorists” because of his association with Ayers, a founder of the 1960s terrorist group Weather Underground. The New York Times reported Saturday that Obama and Ayers served together on several charity boards in Chicago and Ayers, now a professor at the University of Illinois, held a fundraiser for Obama’s first race for state Senate. But the article also said the two men are not particularly close.

The AP said Sunday that Palin’s recent comments were “unsubstantiated and carried a racially tinged subject that John McCain himself may come to regret.” The article said Palin’s charge about Obama’s relationship with Ayers “was exaggerated at best if not outright false.”

Palin made the comments three times Saturday, as part of a new effort by the McCain campaign to move the focus towards Obama’s character.

“It’s important for Americans to know,” Palin said on the tarmac Sunday. “It’s really important for Americans to start knowing who the real Barack Obama is.”

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Comments

I think Americans already know who the "real" Barack Obama is. Now, we're beginning to see the real Sarah Palin.

Ian (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:39 PM)

this woman , who is out of brains and any moral standards, she is just lying mchine.
What is important - The Nation got it and her barking does not make any sense.
Pitbull is barking, but caravan is moving.
We are moving into direction of common sense with Obama and in a month we will rid of dirty Pitbull, angry Mcwar .
The change is coming.
Yes, we can

Linda,fl (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:41 PM)

Say it ain't fair, uh, Sarah, there you go again pointing backward. Now, doggone it, let's look ahead and tell Americans what we have to plan to do for them in the future.

Harry Governick, St. Louis, MO (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:41 PM)

Hey Palin haw about the fact that you are sleeping with a radical separatist who wants to break up the country and destroy America.

Your relationship with Todd a know and documented radial separatist is well documented. That is not the America i believe in Sarah.

nadeem (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:41 PM)

We know who the real Barack Obama is. Our future president. Now, we do not know who the real Sarah Palin is because she was put on that spot by the republicans, to distract everyone into trying to get information from far away alaska on someone so corrupt, that it has taken this long to get information out. But she should be careful about karma. Is going to come back and bite her really bad. Nothing remains hidden between heaven and earth. And by the way, does she really have to take her baby to the debate?. the other children, fine, old enough, but that poor child, at that time of the night, needs to be in bed, not being dragged around by his sisters!. And that latest picture of Piper Palin giving the finger to a little boy in front of her mother, does not speak well as to her homeschooling and upbringing, being left with teenage sisters while her mother is trotting around making an a@# of herself.

grace, san jose, california (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:42 PM)

They have nothing to say about how they screwed up the economy, the military, the environment and social inequities in the US. These R's just know to continue Bush's failed policies.

Mark Hope, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:42 PM)

Gov. Palin is spouting Republican attacks because McCain does not have any plans that he can set forth for the American people. Smears and lies like this anger me (which doesn't solve anything). The unfortunate part of all this is that there are so many people out there who will believe attacks like this. Sorry to say this includes one of my own sons who can't give a reason for not voting for Obama other than what he hears on the radio. He mentioned things said in Obama's books but he hasn't read them. This, sad to say, is not how anyone should decide on a candidate for the highest position in the United States.

Mary, Eugene, OR (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:43 PM)

30 years ago MY SON, had a relationship with a person who committed acts against the USA. 10 years later he joined a RADICAL CHURCH. He sat every Sunday, listened, called the minister his MENTOR. He was MARRIED in this church; his CHILDERN went to Sunday school. HE was a community organizer, helped ACORN with their platform of pressuring banks to provide ZERO BASE LOANS to people. I sat with tears in my eyes, total wonderment, what is he doing. This is NOT the American way - this is the way of a very SICK AND CONFUSED individual. His associates convinced him to run for State Legislator. As a Senator he voted present all the time, a YES vote. Now his relationships solidified with other radicals and soon the benefits of listening to his mentor was now evident in his specking style. The Holy Roller style, whipping up the crowd, telling them what they want to hear. This style propelled him onto the national scene and a seat in the US Senate. He has done very little, no solid votes, no legislation, just pandering and now running for US President. Many supporters, including Freddy and Fanny, 123,000 dollars in 3 years. No support for TROOPS, rebuked the recommendations of our GENERALS on the ground. My son called recently and asked for my advice and support. My only statement, I LOVE YOU but you must have the gene pool of your CRAZY great grand dad, NO, I cannot support your efforts as president, you have used everyone in your way, to get where you are today.

RA Thompson (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:43 PM)

Let the screaming on the left begin. It's ok for the rabid screed on the left to embrace ad hominem arguments, but talk about BAD JUDGMENT. I can't think of worse judgment. Oh wait a second, I just attacked Obama, I must be a racist too.

(Queue Scary Music.)

Bill H, Denver, CO (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:43 PM)

These daily stunts from the McCain campaign are starting to feel like the "Stupid Human Tricks" on Letterman's show.

We already know about this Ayers stuff, Sarah, and the evidence indicates that there's very little connection between the two men. Now tell me how you'll fix the economy. Please?

Rich, Athens, GA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:44 PM)

Here we go again! the racist, fear mongering train is never late!

Joe, CA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:44 PM)

If a major league baseball player had a batting average equal to Governor Palin's truth ratio, he would be sent to the minor leagues.

Gregory Peek, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:45 PM)

Since it is really evident that Sen McCain and Gov Palin have no platform to run on - they have evidently decided to lie and smear their way to the end of this campaign.

There are no words for how despicable, yet how predictable this duo has become. I sincerely hope that every American voter see through this lie - a lie that has been debunked not only by the NYT but by numerous other media publications.

But then again - McCain and Palin don't care if something is true if they can possibly score political points off of it.

Let's show them that stupidity and lying and smearing a good man will not be tolerated by the American voters - that we are smarter and more informed than they give us credit for.

ENOUGH!!!

Obama/Biden '08

Liz, NY (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:45 PM)

The best way to fight this line of negative addvertising is to contibute to Obamas campaign fund when you see or hear these kind of adds

wsm san diego (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:47 PM)

Say it ain't so Sarah! There you go pointing to the past. This election is about the future of the United States.

If you want to make it about the past then we will need to discuss the Keating 5, aides lobbying for Burmese junta, his 0% NARAL rating, his Derry - NH comments to stay in Iraq for 50 or 100 years, his 2006 endorsement of an Arizona ballot banning both gay marriages and civil unions. Should I continue..

"There's a place in Hell reserved for women who don't support other women." Wow, Sarah you did not even get Madeline Albright's quote right. It's "There's a place in Hell reserved for women who don't help other women."

Sarah this could have been written about you as mayor of Wasilla charging $1300 for medical service to rape victims. All I can say is shame on you.

And, you had 'STARBUCKS MOCHA' - kinda / sorta elitist in my book.

OBwan, IN (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:47 PM)

Setting semantics aside, if this man served along side Barack on several occasions, if this man hosted a fundraiser for him, does not that constitute some sort of closeness?
This sounds similar to sitting as a member of a church and not knowing what one's pastor believes. I'm just asking

justasking Cordova,TN (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:48 PM)

Well please say it ain't so Sarah?!!? With trooper gate, your own witch doctor and being a scared joe six pack hockey mom, did you really see the big bad wolf?? wink.wink!

John D, San Diego CA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:49 PM)

I can not believe anyone is listening to Sarah Palin. The media rejoice and fawn over her for NOT falling off the stage at the VP debate. Why are you taking what this woman says so seriously?

pam, birmingham, al (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:49 PM)

“It’s important for Americans to know,” Palin said on the tarmac Sunday. “It’s really important for Americans to start knowing who the real Barack Obama is.”

Gov. Palin, I completely agree with you for once. When Americans start knowing the real Barack Obama, they will have no choice but to VOTE FOR HIM!

Gail, TN (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:52 PM)

So when are we gonna peek into Sarah's closet and McCain's closet and see who THEY really are? I guarantee, it isn't pretty.

Don, Tampa, FL (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:53 PM)

desperate time calls for desperate measures

juan columbia missouri (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:54 PM)

SHE IS HORRIBLE. I LOST ALL RESPECT FOR THIS WOMEN AND WHAT SHE SAY'S SHE STANDS FOR. ALL I KEEP HEARING IS HOW WE SHOULD GIVE HER A BREAK AND LISEN TO THE NONSENSE THAT COMES OUT OF HER MOUTH. I AM DONE. SHE IS A HORRIBLE PERSON AND SO IS SEN. MCCAIN FOR SUPPORT SUCH BULL.

Rosa Torres Sadler - Philadelphia, PA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:56 PM)

Rhonda of North Carolina - This is so pit bully - Sarah Palin has no ideas about politics so she has to sling mud. This is why McCain chose her, to sling mud, wink, whine, etc. Don't you feel used by now, Mrs. Palin. Please go home to Alaska!

Rhonda of North Carolina (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:56 PM)

How do spell pathetic? P-A-L-I-N!

Gina, Seattle, WA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:56 PM)

Actually Sarah Palin's ties to the Alaska Independence Party are much more recent and a lot less tenuous.

That Ayers and the Weatherman sought to bring an end to the Vietnam War by harming government buildings with incendiary materials is true. That they killed no one other than accidentally one of their own is also true.

We can argue the domino theory and the consequences of pulling out of Vietnam when we did, however I believe most would agree that 56,000 dead rather than 100,000 dead soldiers was preferable. The Vietnam War ended when it did because the country, most especially our draft age citizens turned against that meatgrinder.

Now Timothy McVeigh, now that is a domestic terrorist who did seek to kill Americans & was quite successful at it.

citizen smith (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

And when wiil we get to know the "REAL" Sarah Palin?? I think we haven't even scratched the shiny veneer off of her hard icy coat and underneath is more ice and a scary self-serving center.

S. Rutledge Portland Oregon (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

I have a name for McCain and Palin... G. Gordon Liddy, convicted FELON and a constant advocate of criminal and terrorist activities on his talk show... He's also an admirer of Adolf Hitler - and a fundraiser and contributor to McCain's campaign.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/8/21/183632/631/407/572166
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-oped0504chapmanmay04,0,6238795.column
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/05/g-gordon-liddy-john-mccai_n_100134.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGRvo6LWuaY

I don't think Palin thinks AT ALL. If anything... McCain does her thinking for her. She's a snarky twat who, failing to have any abilities of her own, she seeks to tear down those around her to make herself seem better than she actually is.

Oh, wait. That's John McCain! Don't forget to read the Rolling Stone article that tells the REAL truth about how fake his "maverick" image really is...

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/coverstory/make_believe_maverick_the_real_john_mccain

MissouriMom (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

Perhaps it is time to bring up McCain's association with Keating and his voting for deregulation of the savings and loans that caused this downfall..Weezie

Louise Reed,Daytona Beach Florida (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

Unfortunately, linking the McCain (and particularly Caribou Barbie) to something racist isn't exactly an insult in their camp. These folks wear this kind of thing like a badge of honor.

kathy, charlotte nc (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:57 PM)

What about her husband belonging to a group that wants Alaska to secede from America?

Tim Weaver, Las Vegas, NV (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

WOW!!! The McCain Camp is pathetic! These are serious implications! To suggest that Barack Obama has no authentic love for this Country, and that he would possibly rather see unfathomable harm done to it is a major - MAJOR - offense to so many who love this Country. And I personally see it as a back handed racial smear... 'Because he's BLACK he doesn't have love for the Country as US WHITE FOLKS do'. This attempt will fall flat, and be seen for what it is, and McCain will find himself DONE at this point. There is no place in America for these accusations, especially against someone whose entire adult life has been dedicated to serving others... This is obviously an attempt to frighten the masses, but Obama as one man has proven himself smarter than the collective mind of the entire McCain camp, and he is without a doubt ready for this. 'But God don't like ugly', and we as a Nation will see this for what it truly is... A Racist, Desparate, Pathetic attempt do dissuade, and psychological manipulate the smarts of the American people. I am a Black man and I am wholely offended at this blatant attempt that is so obvious on the surface. One wouldn't think that the McCain camp could be this degenerate, and so apparently racially subliminal.

At this point McCain should have tried to embrace any bit of respect he might've still had left. But the proof is in the pudding, as reflected of him during the first debate when he couldn't even look at Obama. {THIS MAN IS OF THE OLD RACIST REGIME, WHO WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CONTINUE THE REGRESSION OF THIS GREAT NATION}

McCain's got to be shocked to find America drifting away from the racist culture that it was founded on. It's a new day old man. You and your kind are on the way out, for in as little as 30-40 years the Minority will have become the Majority. So it is safe to say, and so very refreshing to realize that Our Country's best days are ahead of us...

OBAMA/ BIDEN 08

Droppin' Science, Miami, Fl (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

More of the same from the McCain campaign: lies, half truths, distortion and desparation. While Palin is a puppet that will say anything to get ahead, I really expected more from John McCain. Even a hero can tarnish if he lets ambition and dishonor rule his head and his heart. Take gloves off if you want John, but fight fair, not dirty; because it will splatter back on you. Wouldn't you rather keep your honor than win the election?

Dan, Bloomington, IL (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

If that's the case, Little Miss Sarah, then let's talk some more about the affiliation of you and especially your husband with the Alaskan Separatist Party that wants to secede from the Union. That association of your's and your husband's is FAR less tenuous than Obama's with Ayers.

John McCain and Sarah Palin are desperate and beneath contempt.

Susan L., Redmond, WA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

The Gloves are officially OFF. The McCain/Palin ticket is demonstrating a frightening skill at forcibly changing the subject in order to obfuscate and orchestrate the focus of the election. They are desperate to win at all costs, while ignoring the facts and frightening white male voters. The Obama/Biden campaign must respond directly and completely. Our Nation ahs too much to lose.

Andrew P, Beaux Arts, WA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

Mrs. Palin - Racist you are! Politically motivated you're not.

rhonda Forest City, NC (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:58 PM)

No Sarah your lies and half truths will not work here any better than you winking,gushing manner at the debate where in my opinion you made a fool of yourself.What the American people want to know is how are you going to extract us from two wars,how are you going to deal with a looming depression,now I now you think "Joe six-pack" is stupid and its plain you think that you can wink,nod and con your way out of the fact that you simply lack the knowledge to answer these questions.Perhaps our loss will be Alaska's gain,go back to Alaska you have enough problems waiting for you there methinks....

Robert N.Y. (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:59 PM)

No, of course not Sarah Dahling....we all believe you didn't mean anything racist by those comments. Don't we everyone??? (Cough, cough).

Sarah Palin is an extremist, right-wing separatist (the Ruby Ridge type), who openly expresses contempt for minority civil rights, has little interest in helping those who need help the most, and fails to see the need for preserving the precious Establishment Clause of our Constitution. She and her husband are closely associated with the AIG Party in Alaska (which espouses secession from the Union), and she apparently needs something akin to a "witch doctor" to publically cast out the many demons which plague her existence. Reasonable people everywhere understand the fact she believes this nonesense is the most scary aspect of this -- not the mere presence of a so called demon. Well Sorry Sarah, your exorcism didn't work -- come back next Sunday and bring another big donation -- we'll try again then. Oh and let's not forget her involvement in a now revived, ongoing investigation into the misuse of her public office, which the RNC desperately tried to stall and cover up for political purposes. Destroying e-mails and refusing to honor subpoenas. Who are these people??? Crooks???

All this collectively speaks volumns about her questionable ethics and fundamental lack of understanding of what "fairness" means. This woman is a monster and is hardly qualified to be VP.

Joe, MN (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 2:59 PM)

The Ayers slurs pale in comparison to McCain's earlier charges of treason against Barack: "He would rather lose a war than not be elected."

I'm still upset that the Obama campaign didn't do some hard butt kicking over that outrageous claim.

Ron in GA (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 3:00 PM)

It shows McCain is desperate and will stop at nothing to win--even unfairly--even in lies. But if they want to play that game what about McCain and the Keating episode, Cindy McCain's drug use, Palin's Troopergate, Palin's husband dealings, Palin's choice to leave her children in a time of crisis: 4month old down syndrome and 17yr old daughter underage, unwed and pregnant. Go figure. I hope the Obama-Biden beat the pants off of them!

pam (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 3:00 PM)

This news is for losers, like MSNBC apparently. Thanks for upping the discourse!

cr (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 3:00 PM)

We are still waiting to see who the REAL Sarah Palin is? Will we ever know? I think the gloves are off and she is fair game now. Let her have it!

Susan (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 3:01 PM)

Fact check will show Palin is a Liar..it's sad. She won't abide by the debate rules, now she's telling lies. There's no direction or sense of honesty for the MCcain/Palin ticket..The American People won't fall for this.

Bill, Tampa, Fl (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 3:01 PM)

The ny times already said that Obama does not have a relationship with Ayers. Palin bringing this up makes no sense. This will backfire because McCain sat in a board of the U.S. Council of World Freedom. The group was runned by John Singlaub who had connections with Iran contra. The board had associations with a communist organizations that was racist, anti-semitic and extremist. McCain also was involved with keating 5. McCain was involved with shady connections and Palin's guilt by associations opened pandora's box.

voter (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 3:02 PM)

Maybe the IRS should be looking into Palin's wealth and how it came about. She has $300,000 to $800,000 socked away in savings and retirement accounts. How it is possible that she came about with so much money. She only had been making a $125,000 governor's salary for the past 18 months. Prior to that, her husband was the breadwinner making $50,000 as a old field worker and she made only $5000 in one year. Check out the recent financial releases of her tax returns. It is impossible for a couple with that kind of income and 3 kids to accumulate this much. She lives in a lakefront house that is value at $500,000 and she has a private plane. Alaskian politicians are known to be crookiest.

TammyFae for prez, San Francisco (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:17 PM)

We now know what Palin reads: her Starbucks cup!!! Man, this chick is deep!!! She misquotes Madeline Albright's quote from the cup to boot.

Liz (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:18 PM)

Sarah Palin serves two purposes: window dressing and attack dog for the McCain campaign. As long as she's beauty queen attractive, distracts attention from Grumpy McSame, and delivers hard punches, it doesn't matter that she's a completely unqualified airhead. You betcha, by golly, God bless 'er, say it ain't so, she's the Conservatives' dreamgirl, wink, wink.
It's time that McCain's liasons and sins of greed and corruption were exposed. He's used the POW story as a free pass. It's time Palin felt some payback, too. According to Georgetown U. constitutional law professor, Jeffrey Toobin, Palin is the first VP nominee in U.S. history to defy a state court subpeona during a presidential campaign. So now the "American values party" wants to convince us to vote for a governor who defies a subpeona issued by her own state court? It's time to put an end to this charade.

Carol A. (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:18 PM)

TammyFae for prez, San Francisco (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:19 PM)

The NY Times whitewashed the connection to Ayers. And no we don't already know about Ayers, that is not mainstream America. Of course the bloggers know about it and have been planning a defense for it since Hillary Clinton brought Ayers up as Obama's achiles heal in the primaries.

Tell me the truth, if you Obama supporters really believe the following:
- that you are ashamed of being an American
- that you think America is to blame for most of the world's problems
- that America deserves terrorist attacks such as the Trade Center in the 90s, the Trade Center on 911, the Pentagon etc etc etc
- that capitalism doesn't work and socialism is the only way, we could learn a lot from France and their superb economy and human rights record
- that small town people and christians are ignorant and unworthy of public office
- that small town America clings to guns and religion

Yoda, Tampa (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:19 PM)

Is anyone concerned about the liklihood that this woman could become president of the US? At least Barack has a plan. I haven't heard much regarding her comments on expanding the role of the VP position. Who does she think she is? Can America stand another Chainey?

K Lewis, Clearwater, FL (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:20 PM)

Where is Obama in all of this ... the steady refreshing figure. Here's to a brighter future with Obama /Biden in the face of chaos and confusion the so called maverick team is adding to.

Jane Friedman (Sent Sunday, October 05, 2008 5:22 PM)

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