CNN

I sincerely hope that many of the currently undecided voters in America see this as one more attempt in a long line by the McCain campaign to steer our attention away from the real issues at hand: our crumbling economy, record levels of un-employment, the never ending war in Iraq with it's increasing losses to our brave soldiers. Come on America, in the next 29 days or so we need to stay focused on what really matters to us all!!!

Getting nasty isn't it? The McCain campaign staff's cocktail hour is called SCHADENFREUDE! Rove's apprentices are bearing down, fer sure. Yet; the Obama campaign isn't having any, they are not about to roll over and play 'tame'... McCAIN DIDN'T LEARN FROM THE KEATING 5 MISTAKE, DID HE? Now, that's an HONEST retort!

I just have to say how disappointed I am in this pathetic campaign. You guys should seriously consider changing your slogan to the Low Road Express.

You're bringing up stuff that everyone had already learned and thought about during the primaries. Old news, old man! It didn't work for the Clintons and it certainly will not work for you guys! Where's the substance? Where are the issues? Why are you guys trying to create a distraction? Everyone knows what you guys are doing, everyone knows that you guys don't have a chance to win this thing by sticking to the issues. Nobody with an IQ higher than 70 cares about what some former radical did 40 years ago. But then again, nobody with an IQ higher than 70 would still seriously even be considering voting for you clowns.

John McCain should have just given up last time around. Everyone would still believe that he was an honorable guy, but come November 5th, he'll just be known as a grumpy, bumbling old man that was just too out of touch and too cynical!

Hopefully the country will never have to hear from John McCain or Caribou Barbie again.

McCain is a joke. Look at the markets!

I serve on multiple non-profit boards...and I know very little, if anything, about the backgrounds of the people I sit next to on these boards.

To claim that Obama should have known - just shows the McCain campaign's ignorance on how non-profit boards are formed.

if we let fear mongering, once again take over all reason, we're done for.

I'd rather hear about what McCain has to say now about what he did for his buddy Charles Keating than the McCain campaign's baseless and biased speculation about Obama's one-time acquaintance Ayers. Why is it that the McCain campaign always has so little to say about McCain? It's like they have something to hide.

Did McCain know what Charles Keating did for a living? Ayers was a Chicago schools reformer when Obama first met him. Both Democrats and Republicans worked with Ayers for the improvement of schools in Chicago. On the other hand, the financial crisis we are now in, is a continuation of the bank failures due to the lack of regulations encouraged by McCain. Wasn't he one of the Keating 5 who sought government favors?

Of Obama and McSame....it is obvious which one America believes!

Obama for President
Palin for Dog Catcher
McSame for Posterboy: Retired Mavericks of America

No Way
No HOW
NO MCSAME !

McCain has said he doesn't think Obama's ties to Ayres are close and now his campaign is pushing it out there. He also distanced himself from the Rev. Wright comments earlier during the primaries, said Obama doesn't share the pastor's views, etc. and now his campaign is going after it again. John McCain needs to have a debate with his own team because they are not saying what McCain is saying. They are clearly swiftboating because all of these charges were brought up and discussed ad nauseum during the primaries. And the kind of negative attacks the McCain camp is using now is something John McCain himself called despicable back in 2000 after he lost the nomination under similar smears. So again McCain's people are not listening to their leader. If not that, then McCain will do anything and say anything to get elected. Either way, I have no respect for McCain.

And WE dismiss McWarmonger/Pain – totally.

Now obama want us to believe that he didn’t know his past. Remember Barack Obama kicked off his political career in the guy's living room . Lies , lies , lies and more lies .obama no experience to trust will destroy America like the terrorist want .this is a back door attack by the terrorist.

Senator McCain, Governor Palin: Wall Street is tumbling, world banks are crumbling, jobless numbers are up, foreclosures are up, so let me ask you, where is your plan to address these problems?

Wow, you guys are going so negative now, the tenor is sickening. I just had an independent buddy of mine tell me enough is enough. He was voting McCain, he told me he was voting for Barr.

There goes CNN again . . .Parroting debunked claims like they are gospel simply because they come from the McCain campaign. The NY Times and many other reputable news sources have already called this story for what it is . . .a non-story. Rather then calling them "friends" or repeating the words of people like Tucker Bounds with no critical analysis, reputable news outlets have called this a case of "crossed paths" or happenstance acquaintence. CNN-does no such thing in this post.

CNN, if you want to be the voice of McCain's slime at least make sure you take some money for being a 527 for McCain.

Otherwise, DO YOUR JOB! CALL TRUTH, TRUTH AND LIES, LIES.

America deserves better CNN. America deserves truth.

What I want to know is did Obama ever express agreement with Ayers about the tactics used in his past. Ayers is no longer the same person he was when he was a kid and I don't care if there was a casual friendship between Obama and Ayers if Obama never said he supported domestic terrorism. This is a pretty tenuous relationship to be pushing

I would rather a elect a guy who knows a guy who did something bad when he was a kid rather than elect a guy who actually did lots of bad things as a senator and as a husband!

Why is this important now? When your ship is sinking you grab on to whatever you can.

CNN this election is getting very ugly anytime you have a supporter at the palin rally today yelling "kill em" …….this is taking a turn for the worst…. and if anything happens to obama… enlight of palin invoking a false claim that obama "pals with terriost" blood will be on john mccains hands!!!

WE DONT' CARE IF OBAMA WANT'S TO RULE US, OR HIS FRIENDS WANT TO DESTROY THE COUNTRY..... We need something different.... WE NEED SOCIALISM IN THE USA !!!!!!!!!

OHIO FOR OBAMA'S SOCIALIAST PARTY.. Rule us.. just give us something for FREE !!!!!!!

Factcheck already declared this as FALSE, but I'm sure that it won't stop McCain from pushing it. Truth doesn't matter much to the republicans. Disgusting.

CNN, Stop spreading the lies!

Does John McCain truly expect the American people to believe he learned his lesson from the Keating 5 situation?
Pot calling kettle....MR Black oh Mr Black, you are running scared.

Because it's only logical that Obama WOULD know about all the bombings that happened when he was 8 years old.

This man is sounding more and more like a fool each day.

McCain appears to be a complete COWARD, thoroughly unable OR unwilling to reign in his handlers, decline to drag American Politics down to the level of a Banana Republic.

Appears he rather be a dictator, "WIN" at all or any cost, take down Democracy itself, just so he can be a King-pinhead.

The Republican party should be deathly ashamed of their unmitigated hatred of America and all who refuse to trust or believe them anymore.

What worries me isn't what Obama saw in Ayers. What worries me is what Ayers saw in Obama.

I don't care what is said about Barack Obama. At this late stage of the game, I know what kind of game the republicans are playing. All the negativity and swiftboating from the McCain/Palin camp is not going to sway people who can read, reason and think. I can't wait until this whole thing is over. All this mess does is confirm that McCain and Palin are wrong for this country. They are trying to peg Obama as risky and dangerous, but what they are doing confirms TO ME that Barack Obama is not the one we need to be afraid of.

It is reported in Newsweek that McCain has unsavoury connection with anti-Semitic, racist and neo-conservative groups.

But this is not about personal attacks, this about what the candidate will do to reverse the hardship that Americans are facing and the financial crisis that crippling the economy.

Obama/Biden 08/12.

YAWN!

DESPERATE ACTS BY AN ANGRY, BITTER OLD MAN.

Hellooo..knock, knock..

Earth to McCain/Palin orbiting Jupiter….

PEOPLE ARE LOSING THEIR JOBS, THEIR HOMES, THEIR HEALTHCARE AND EVEN THEIR CARS…

What do YOU plan to do about it?? Do YOU have any plans?

I am getting so sick of this... Even if Barack Obama did know about Ayers's past, that is no reason not to trust him now. He's a professor at UIC for goodness sake. I'm sure if this man was still a threat, he would not be teaching at a well-known public institution. The work they did together for their community was not harmful; rather, it was incredibly helpful. Obama was EIGHT YEARS OLD when Ayers (who never had to spend time in prison) was a radical... but yeah, McCain and Palin, I'm sure Obama was "palling around" with him.

McSame very very desperate, and becoming very very ugly

There you go McCain/Palin...play the "scary black man card" that Bush Sr. played in 1988. Problem is that people today aren't as rascist as your generation and you're just going to make them mad. I can't BELIVEVE these people have the nerve to call themselves Christians.

The slime that "honorable" Sen. McCain and his lamentable running mate are hurling serve as more evidence that they have no clear vision, no plan on where they want to take this country. Despicable and nasty, they turn personal when they have nothing productive to say. The idea that these 2 could be elected is truly alarming.

One would think they learned from watching the debates on CNN and see that meter go down as the candidates got too negative. Well 30 days to go and I guess hanging on after a punch in the stomach isn't doing it anymore, McCain has to start dancing and running around in the hopes that Obama will get dizzy and fall.

Obama you lied to American people and to America , my vote go to McCaine.

Here the Dow Jones hit below 10,000 and 60% of the people believe we are or are heading into a depression but John McCain, the Marvick and Sarah Palin, the pitbull with lipstick are bringing up issues that are not going to help the economy, war....

John and Sarah are speaking out in desperation which tells me what they won't do when the going gets tough! Darn it!!!

Does anyone want to know why Mccain will lose?

Simple, really.

Because the DOW is down 750 points and Mccain is talking about 1960's radicals.

We are not going to pretend our money is safe John McCain....a repeat of a similar time of the Keating 5.!!!!!!!!

What Ayers did, he did when Barack was 8 years old! They met because they were within the same academic circles. Ayers did his time. Not to mention he was acting out against a wildly unpopular and unwinnable war. Bush hangs out with McCain, do we call him a terrorist because of this? The facts have been wildly distorted by the Palin -McCain campaign. There is one thing that you can't distort about Palin though. 'You can't fix stupid.' – Ron White

I didn't know anything about the man before this campaign, and I bet the name meant nothing to most Americans in general. So why is it so hard to fathom that he knew nothing of the man's past when they initially met?

McCain = Bumbling Idiot

Who should someone believe? Someone from the McCain team who HAS LIED about Obama and Ayer. It's a fact that what the McCain team is saying about Obama is false. Or should one beleive Obama who has told the truth about Ayer.

People, McCain is lying because he doesn't know what else to do to try and save his campaign.

These are great comments coming from a person with "the Keating 5" past, marriage infidilities, and constant lies and misinterpetations that come from either his own mouth or that of his campaign croonies. His example is surely not one to follow.

Vote for a true change!!

Obama/Biden 08'

Desperate times call for desperate measures John McCain is DESPERATE. Didn’t all this got ash out in the primaries with Clinton. If you want to change my vote please come with something new because as of now I will vote for BARACK OBAMA Mr. calm cool and collective.

The farther McCain gets behind in the polls, the more pathetic his attacks get. McCain is only proving that he does not have what it takes to run this nation and especially to escort it out of the financial crisis which HE created.

What absurd nonsence! Is this all McCain has left? Attacks!

Obama didn't say he didn't know about Ayers past. He said, he hasn't been in contact with AYers since 2005. He acknowledged they were members on a Board in Chicago and Ayers donated to his Campaign. So what? Maybe McCain should put more attention to his affiliations and friends! He is looking like the Last Joke!

Keating 5 !

Didn't we already have this discussion in full several months ago? John McCain is desperate and it shows.

Plus, it is a real stretch coming from one of the Keating 5.

I'm sure he didn't know about Ayers past. Heck, I didn't know about some of my friends "pasts" when I met them. What was done forty years ago is in the past. People change. Forty years ago, McCain dumped his wife to marry Cindy. The Republicans don't hold that against him. Why should anyone hold Ayers against Obama.

Desperate and sad. All Angry Johnny and Ignorant Gomer Palin have left is sad negative lies. The Fact Checkers have already proved the Ayers allegations are blatantly False. But the vicious cult member Palin whose church practices withcraft excorcisms, does in Fact have a Husband who was a ten year member of a Radical Anti American Group in Alaska.

How desperate!

If people don't get a sense for who Obama is after being in your face through the media for the last 2 years, they are beyond hope. McCain is turning our system into a circus and I am ashamed of him. These personal attacks are a desperate attempt to distract people from the economy and other issues that McCain has no plan for.

If people fall for this fear mongering again then I shall truly be ashamed of my country.

I dunno about everyone else, but I also never heard of Ayers until it was brought up in the primaries.

Hmmm – but Obama met Ayers at Columbia – right? in the 80s – can Obama really be that clueless?

Let me get this straight, Ayers was a radical in the 60's and 70's and was later acquitted. Now he is trying to reform education and worked with Obama to do so and worked on charitable organizations and this is a bad thing. What ever happened to paying back society. He did apologize in 2001 for his actions and is trying to make ammends now. It might not be enough for what he has done but I thought that that was to whole idea of the Justice system, for that person to pay their debt to society....

Arizona seems to be the epicenter of corruption. By 1988 it was reported that John McCain had received more money from Keating than did any of the other Keating Five and also had had the most meetings with him. When asked in 1989 whether his financial support had influenced politicians, Keating famously declared ”I want to say in the most forceful way I can: I certainly hope so.” Keating had prominently funded McCain’s election to the US House of Representatives. Then, while a US representative, McCain co-sponsored a resolution to delay S&L regulations which would have curbed risky investments (made with taxpayer-insured deposits).

McPalin needs to check the latest Dow Jones numbers before going ahead with this. He would see a great metaphor for his plummeting election chances.

I'm so sick of this country.

This is ridiculous. I'm heading to the Supervisor's of Elections office and am going to vote early... FOR OBAMA!

McCain... you've lost me!

John McCain is getting more desperate, more panicky and more erratic by the minute!

Of course he knew, that's the oldest ploy in the book!

The dow dropped more than 700 points today – The world is facing the greatest financial depression in recent history – The news media talks about Ayers, Keating & Co.

McCain wants to turn the page – mission accomplished.

What a strange reality you people over the big pond live in.

I understand the need to address the lies from the McCain/Palin campaign but I hate that they take precious time away from talking about our economic future and the path the two campaigns would take us in the next 4 years.

Honestly McCain, if you can't talk about what YOU plan to do, just move aside so the leaders can lead.

Talk about TOUCHY!

John McCain is the most arrogant self serving person I've ever seen.

Notice I didn't say "man".... He isn't a man, he's a wraith seeking after power. From his own pen comes the admission of that. Read his book.

Keep digging your grave McCain.

If you've bothered to talk to anyone under 50, you'd find out that they have no idea about the Weathermen, Black Panthers, etc. who were active for a brief time in the late 60's-early 70's. I doubt that Obama did a background check on a college professor who joined him in a brief venture of good community work.....who would?

The McCain campaign has stooped to new lows. HE SHOULD BE DETAILING A PLAN TO GET US OUT OF THIS MESS. I have seen Obamas plan, but, I have yet to see McCain's plan on anything. This is a pathetic and desperate move by McCain and I do not approve of this message.

Ask McCain about the Keating 5, about his 1st wife, about Cindy making money on the Keating 5. Ask Palin about Trooper Gate and Ethics Violations.

But first ask them how what they are going to do to help the ecnomy. They don't have a clue.

If the man is a terrorist, why is he walking free and serving on boards of reputable companies?

No there is not any evidence to support McCain

The dow is down over 700 points and this is all John McCain and Sarah palin can talk about? This is purely disgusting!!!!!!!

So people are losing their homes all across this nation and McCain thinks the top story of the day is something that happened over 40 years ago? Way to stay on top of things old man!

It's gotten to the point where I don't really care what John McCain thinks, anymore. It's obvious that he will stop at nothing to win. It's obvious he's all about him. And after reading the cover story of Rolling Stone magazine, now I understand.

FELLOW REPUBLICANS, it is time for us to send a clear message. Our party needs new people, time to get rid of the likes of Carl Rove and McCain and stomp out any hope the Palin's of the world have in being part of our future. I have always voted Republican and have always been a great fan of John McCain. But this election has not been John McCain it has been Carl Rove and the behind the scene republicans of Bush. And Palin is making a joke out of our party. It is time to vote Democratic, time to send these people who have hurt our party packing, time to send a clear message. Lets get rid of this crew, over haul ourselves and be back to send this party and country in the right direction. God only help us if McCaina nd Palin won, next election we would not be a factor at any level of gov't. I still respect McCain although he is not in control. I have and never will respect Palin, she is the worse politician there ever has been. Oil rich Alaska is the only place she could have a future, she is ignorant, not near intelligent enough to represent our party, and her name is already slime.

Obama had no idea of William Ayers past? Please. Now I am starting to get suspicious.

I have an idea – let's tally up all the lies from both candidates about the other & the one that has told the most lies loses the election and agrees that their party will never ever hold office again – any takers on the Republican side – McCain are you out there, hello...............oh, I see.

I have yet to hear specifics on what McCain is going to do to address the issues we are concerned with. I do not want someone to be my President that feels that he has to tear down the opponent to win. I want someone who wants to win on their own merits.

Hillary already tried this and it didn't work. Not the same as McCain accepting gifts under the table from Charles Keating.

Translation: McCain is desperate and has no real plan for anything. If he did have a plan, certainly we would have heard about it by now right?

We have so many more important things to say here, so much to fix, and so much on the line. Instead of tearing things apart – why not , McCain say what you will do to make things better. You are just a grumpy man right now faced with losing your last chance at what you wanted, and selfishly, don't care what you do in the process of failing. The entire world is watching us make a joke out of the Democracy that we praise throughout countries, and make justification for wars – how sad McCain that you of all people, should come to this sad sad conclusion.

Blah, Blah, Blah. Didn't Sen Clinton bring this up to no avail in the primaries? This is not NEW, it is oldy, moldy information. Is that the best the McCain camp can do? Why can't they talk about what they are gonna do about the economy, the war, etc....mmmmm, sounds too much like what Bush has been doing!

Stick to the subject McCain, the economy... We ae more comfortable with Obama then we are with you running the country. This ayers issue all a ploy to change the subject and we are not falling for it this time.

Obama'll take the high road, McCain'll take the low road and Senator Obama will be in the White House before him!!
OBAMA/BIDEN '08 & '12 YES WE CAN!!!!

what about McCain's proud friendship with ex- 60's radical David Ifshin? Seriously, are Americans this naive? Didnt Bill Clinton pardon Ayers anyway?

As we can see McCain does background checks on everyone he has dealings with, Charles Keating, Sara Palin, so why should not everyone be held to the same low McCain standard.

Obama is covering up! He can't talk about his past because it ruins his rock star image and frankly in his case the TRUTH just hurst too much!

NoBama!!!!!

Oh, so now the McCain campaign are mind readers as well. America the world is watching us!!! And I don't believe the like what they see in Senator McCain's campaign. He can't discuss the current economic situation so he has to paint Obama as being scary. Really, that's all you got.

Economy, economy, economy.

"Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads you don't have much of a vision for the future or you're not ready to articulate it." – John McCain, 2000

The Dow just lost another 700 points today and this is what McCain is talking about. Disgusting and outrageous!

Pathetic and desperate fear-mongering from a dishonorable man with no more choices. Instead of ceding honorable, he takes the ultimate low-blow that defines his candidacy and party.

well – I am around Obama's age, well educated and did not know about the weathermen or Bill Ayers ... I guess we both were around 8, sorry we weren't paying attention – we were busy in 2nd grade.....

Mc Cain claims he didn't know about MLK, which is why he voted against his holiday. How old was he then? McCain has such a double standard. Obama was 8 when Ayers acted out and has been clean ever since...why should we hold that against Obama.

For people who preach Christianity, hate is the only thing the Republicans portray. They hate blacks, other minorities, the poor and the needy. What a world full of haters.

People: he met Ayers working on a non-profit committee to help schools...what ever Ayers past was, he seems to have redirected himself to the good of the community. I can believe Obama didn't know of Ayers past when they first met since Obama was a kid during the time.....CAN WE PLEASE FOCUS ON THE ISSUES, LIKE THE MELT DOWN OF THE AMERICAN ECONOMY....

BRING IT!!!!

Your negative ads didn't help you in the past and they won't help you now either...

Ignore the truth and LIE, LIE, LIE.

Yeah, that's the way to win over voters in a time of crisis.

I didn't know who that guy was, either. Let's focus on the ISSUES, please.

It's sad to see an honorable candidate cave under desperation.

Yes, I believe that Barack Obama had no idea about William Ayer's past – I certainly never heard of him. And, no evidence has been presented which can allow McCain's campaign to make the claim that he was 'his friend'.

The past? Here we are going into the past again........I remember Palin constantly saying that we shouldn't look to the past in the debate whenever Biden brought up Bush/McCain. What happened?

I guess its ok to go into the past only if it favors your team.

I want to know how much did McCain know about Sarah Palin's relationship with witch doctors and anti-Semitic preachers who think Israel is getting what it deserves because of their rejection of Jesus as their savior. How about Sarah Palin's husband's membership in a party who wished to have Alaska secede from the Union. That's what I'm interested in. Not their old debunked news about Obama.

I forgot , voted today for the next president of the USA, Barrack Obama.
Connie from "BLUE" Indiana

The McCain camp, dismissing the truth??? Tell me it isn't so....

Obama/Biden 08

I really could care less who is Ayers guy was back then everyone was against the Vietnam War during that time. But its important to note that he is a Professor now and if he was as bad (now) as they try to portray him then he wouldn't be there.
I mean really think about what you are being presented and then do some research for your own good.

The daw tanked more then 700 points today. Have some respect for my life savings and get back to the economy.

I dont about you John – but I dont know what most of my acquaintances/coworkers/peers were doing when I was EIGHT!!!!

whereas we know who McBush is and what he stands for...
McBush–just plain wrong

McCain is either a liar or he has lost it. I don't believe McCain is the one in control of his campaign. The two sides of McCain are contrasted on the subject of negative campaigning.

MCCAIN 2000: "Uh, I, I just have to rely on the good judgment of the voters not to buy into these negative attack ads. Sooner or later, people are going to figure out if all you run is negative attack ads you don't have much of a vision for the future or you're not ready to articulate it." [The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, 2/21/2000]

McCain 2008 … So according to McCain’s own words, he doesn’t have much of a vision for the future or he isn’t ready to articulate it, so he is going negative.

He has nothing left. He is a tired old man. He cannot face the economic wreck and devestation that he and his party has created.

This is pathetic. Obviously, the McCain campaign has nothing to say on the issues and can only attack Obama. These smears won't help Johnnie, the American people are looking for someone who can tackle our country's problems, and that is obviously not the GOP.

WHO CARES???!!!!! iT WAS FORTY YEARS AGO. What about the last EIGHT YEARS JOHN!!!?

Do you know the past of every single person at work, in PTA, in any organization you're in or of every other professor you teach with at a University? Should you be held accountable for their past?

It's been proven that they're little more than acquaintances

If someone has a different opinion than you (even if you highly object), does that mean everything they do is wrong or that you shouldn't speak to them? That would be un-Christian if you ask me.

Pathetic and Desperate by McCain...

McCain's camp has taken a whole new low road. Filthy pigs! I hope karma comes back to them!!!!

I am guessing that the McSenile camp believes that all the students that Ayers has taught at the university has ties to terrorist also.OBAMA/BIDEN
Connie from "BLUE" Indiana

Who else does the McCain campaign consider anti-American for knowing Ayers?

If you follow their logic, anyone else who served on that board, anyone who has worked with Ayers at the university, etc., are all terrorist-sympathizers.

Sounds like McCarthyism to me.

I have a question.
If William Ayers is so awful how come he is not
A. In jail
B. Able to hold a job at a school?

And what if ANYTHING does this have to do with the economy in 2008?

How is John McCain's relationship with Charles Keating related to today's economic crisis???

When the savings and loan industry collapsed, Keating's failed company put taxpayers on the hook for $3.4 billion and more than 20,000 Americans lost their savings. John McCain was reprimanded by the bipartisan Senate Ethics Committee, but the ultimate cost of the crisis to American taxpayers reached more than $120 billion.

The Keating scandal is eerily similar to today's credit crisis, where a lack of regulation and cozy relationships between the financial industry and Congress has allowed banks to make risky loans and profit by bending the rules. And in both cases, John McCain's judgment and values have placed him on the wrong side of history.

Of course, they did. When you are lying or distorting the facts anyway, what difference does it make!