Palin blasts Obama for ties to Palestinian professor
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/29/palin6.jpg caption=" Palin's criticized Obama's ties to Palestinian professor Rashid Khalidi."]
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (CNN) - Sarah Palin thrust Barack Obama’s relationship with a Palestinian academic into the national spotlight on Wednesday at a rally in Ohio - a tactic reminiscent of her repeated attempts to tie Obama to former radical William Ayers.
Palin kicked off her rally in Bowling Green by stressing, as she always does, that “it is not negative campaigning to call someone out on their record.” In recent weeks Palin has used that line to open up an attack on Obama’s tax plans. On Wednesday, she tried something different.
“It seems that there is yet another radical professor from the neighborhood who spent a lot of time with Barack Obama going back several years,” Palin said. “This is important because his associate, Rashid Khalidi, he, in addition to being a political ally of Barack Obama, he's a former spokesperson for the Paliestinian Liberation Organization.”
Khalidi - whose name Palin mispronounced - is currently a leading scholar of Middle Eastern Studies at Columbia University, and was a contemporary of Obama’s while on faculty at the University of Chicago.
Khalidi has been a stern critic of United States foreign policy towards Israel and has accused the country of “occupying” Palestinian territories, but he has denied acting as a spokesman for the PLO.
The Los Angeles Times reported in April that Obama praised Khalidi at a 2003 going-away party for the professor when he left Chicago. The McCain campaign has pressured the Times to publicly release a videotape of the event, but the newspaper has refused, citing the request of a source.
Palin said the public has a right to know what Obama said at the event.
“And the twist here is that there's a videotape of a party for this person, back in 2003, a celebration of him, and Barack was there, and we know some very derogatory things were said there about Israel and America's support for that great nation,” Palin said.
“And among other things, Israel was described there as the perpetrator of terrorism instead of the victim. What we don't know, what we don't know is how Barack Obama responded to these slurs on a country that he now professes to support, and the reason is the newspaper that has the tape, the Los Angeles Times, refuses to release it.”
Palin accused the Times of being Obama’s “pet newspaper” and said the paper would win a Pulitzer Prize for “excelling in cow-towing.”
The Republican vice presidential nominee was joined at her Ohio rally by Joe Wurzelbacher, known to the world as Joe the plumber. It was the first time the celebrated small business owner has appeared with Palin on the stump.
Palin described Wurzelbacher as “a fellow Alaskan” because he once lived near Fairbanks.
It's the ECONOMY, stupid! People are having money problems all accross America and all you talk about is old garbage. Palin is a joke and McCain is less than half the man he used to be.
Come on... Sarah Palin is a know nothing. She has little to no facts to go on and has probably never been in a lecture given by the professor that she is firing at. The Republicans are notorious for not fact checking and now their yippy little puppy has been handed another name for bark at. Careful republicans.... don't throw her chew toy off of an iceberg... she'd probably chase it right into the arctic sea
As I read these posts, I just can't get over with how blind this country is becoming. I miss both of my grandpas, but in a way I'm glad that they're not around to see what's becoming of their country that they both spilled blood for.
Seriously Senator McCain:
You have less than a well left in your campaign. After that, this campaign and how you conducted it will go down in the history books.
Looking at the numbers you have very little chance of winning. Is this how you you want your campaign to be remembered? Is this how you want your grandchildren to remember you?
Many of us used to think you were an honorable man. We like to think that honorable man is still there.
Please finish this race out with some shards of your dignity left.
The very thought of Sarah Palin as POTUS makes me want to throw up... she belongs on "the Price is Right" , she'd make a good gameshow host. As to Rashid Khaladi, read the whole article in Harper's, tells a completely different story, I'm surprised McCain would let Sarah even go there since he has his own ties to this man, It's all very innocent but they are trying to use the name Khaladi to paint Obama as the "terrorist" Sorry, not going to work. VOTE, VOTE early and make sure your vote is counted,
I take issue with both of those claims – the second is factually incorrect and the first is debatable.
McCain and Palin seem to be the only two celebrating this guy, the rest of us see him for the footnote he truly is.
My comment is awaiting moderation:
Sara Palin is a complete oxymoron of an American. It is ironic how
she spewed her venom and incited the most ugliest underbelly of
American society, and she herself abused her power while in office.
I wonder of the bigots some of which call themselves Cristians can look themselves in the mirror this morning?
The sad part is that they probably can. McCain may have saved a tiny
bit of any honor that he has left by defending his and Palin's lies about
Senator Obama, who worked his way up to become a worthy and
patriotic American, only to be told by his fellow American, that he is the
unamerican. This should wake America up to not judge a book by
its cover. The devil just may wear lipstick.
Palin is just an idiot. Pitbull she is, VP NOT! Please send the idiot home. She is lost in the real world....no offense to Alaska, but you did vote the village idiot as your governor.
Sarah can't help it... these are the comments that were "sent to her plane" and she has no choice but to recite them.
Palin is a regular C U Next Tuesday.
Research before you speak you back woods ninny.
Go home to the wilderness, raise your special needs child and stop trying to run with the big boys.
You will not win.
You will not even come close.
Sarah needs to blast herself back to Alaska! Wasn't she found guilty of abusing her powers? She's a JOKE that isn't funny. OBAMA supporters, STAY FOCUSED ON THE PRIZE! Six more days.......six more days........six more days........six more days........six more days.......
OBAMA/BIDEN -08!
This Republican garbage is getting more pathetic by the minute! So Rashid Khalidi was, at one time, a 'spokesman' for the PLO. So What? I suppose you will now say Obama is a member of the PLO or Hamas.
End the misery: Vote Obama/Biden on November 4 and send Palin back to Alaska.
Palin you are a stupid puppet, we are tired of you and Mcliar. Stick to the issues and tell americains what are your plan for the future. This election is over, go back to Alaska and send your old man to Arizona.
You are both desperated and you are acting very stupid.
"Khalidi — whose name Palin mispronounced"
Didn't she mispronounce an Afghan general's name during the debate as well?
What a lovely V.P. she'd make...!
WHAT ABOUT HER TIES TO ETHICS IN ALASKA. LA TIMES ISN'T TALKING ABOUT THAT. WHAT HIPOCRITE
Does anything really matter?
When you can talk pretty?
🙂
I won't waste my breath on Palin's ignorance and ridiculous desperate tactics. But, has anyone heard that voter fraud is alive and well, esp. in the swing states? I hope this isn't true, but I've heard that the voting machines are flipping Demo votes to McCain votes because of "calibration" issues, or so they are telling voters. Isn't this a Fed. crime? Get rid of these machines!! People, bring your cameras to the booths!!! We need to fight fraudulent tactics and the possibility of yet another stolen election by the GOP. Very scary.
. . . WHACK JOB!
oooo myyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy godddddddddd..now I am scared to death and cant leave my house........NO FEARMONGERING PLZZZZZZZZZZZZ..
People, have we forgotten that Sarah Palin's hubby is apart of the AIP, whose founder hates the lower 48 and our government? I know Obama is taking the high road, but for once I would lower the BOOM on McPalin's campaign and bring this to the attention in the upcoming interview with Jon Stewart, Charles Gibson, and MSNBC.
Let's get real Palin, Joe the Plumber and Sen. Mc.Cain , you need to look at reality of Life itself. Stop playing with people future by lying to them. Joe the Plumber was paid-off to do these things and the people is so blind sighted that they are wiling to beleive any and everything tyou say. I believe it is time for change and not more of the same by McClain, Palin and Joe the lynig Plumber sandbagger if the Bush mess. You say that you are a Christian, well the Bible speak fo these last days. Which God take care of His leadership for all nations. How can you be a leader and cause corruption in the nations. Let keep this election honorest andf fruitful. You will be Bless,
Florida
Palin: If Obama should win..., I promise to try and undo all his damage in 2012.
Dear Ms. Palin & fellow christian conservatives:
Have you not read in the Bible "do not bear a false witness" is one of the ten commandments. How many times has Proverbs talked about slander, gossip? How can the world trust christians when they resemble nothing like Christ in their coversation. If you did not see the tape, hear with your own ears, but just repeating such things because your aides told you so, then it is slander, hypocrisy, lying, false witness, gossip. And even if you did, the bible says go stright to your brother and confront him so he can be restored. Not broadcasting his sin, if he committed them, for political dain. I believe that you did not expect to see some viscious attacks against you duirng the election, but that should not have changed your core principles and beliefs. You had the awesome prevelege like Esther in the Bible to model a christian women leader but you chose to espouse the very things that you have been taught. Have you not read that it is God who sets up kings and puts them down. If you truly believed it, why then these labelling? You still have a few days to correct the wrong and present a christian women's perspective. After all everything uttered on this earth will be judged in heaven. Things said in secret will be broadcast over roof tops. You will be a VP or a P for 16 yrs but eternity is a long time.
It is scary how closed-minded someone is when they consider anyone who is not a White American to be "radical". Sarah Palin is a frightening human being who seems to live a life that is founded in fear.
Furthermore, I went to BG...get her out of my town!