My friend Bill Ayers (Article from the Wall Street Journal)

[Supergirl]

OCTOBER 15, 2008

My Friend Bill Ayers
Once wanted by the FBI, he's since become a model citizen.
By THOMAS FRANK
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1224...googlenews_wsj

"Waving the bloody shirt" was the phrase once used to describe the standard demagogic tactic of the late 19th century, when memories of the Civil War were still vivid and loyalists of both parties could be moved to "vote as they shot." As the years passed and the memories faded, the shirt got gorier, the waving more frantic.

In 1896 the Democrats chose William Jennings Bryan as their leader, a man who was born in 1860 and had thus missed the Civil War, but who seemed to threaten the consensus politics of the time. In response, Republican campaign masterminds organized a speaking tour of the Midwest by a handful of surviving Union generals. The veterans advanced through the battleground states in a special train adorned with patriotic bunting, pictures of their candidate, William McKinley, and a sign declaring, "We are Opposed to Anarchy and Repudiation."

The culture wars are the familiar demagogic tactic of our own time, building monstrous offenses out of the tiniest slights. The fading rancor that each grievance is meant to revive, of course, dates to the 1960s and the antiwar protests, urban riots and annoying youth culture that originally triggered our great turn to the right.

This year the Democrats chose Barack Obama as their leader, a man who was born in 1961 and who largely missed our cultural civil war. In response, Republican campaign masterminds have sought to plunge him back into it in the most desperate and grotesque manner yet.

For days on end, the Republican presidential campaign has put nearly all of its remaining political capital on emphasizing Mr. Obama's time on various foundation boards with Bill Ayers, a former member of the Weathermen, which planted bombs and issued preposterous statements in the Vietnam era. Some on the right seem to believe Mr. Ayers is Mr. Obama's puppet-master, while others are content merely to insist that the association proves Mr. Obama to be soft on terrorism. Maybe he's soft on anarchy and repudiation, too.

I can personally attest to the idiocy of it all because I am a friend of Mr. Ayers. In fact, I met him in the same way Mr. Obama says he did: 10 years ago, Mr. Ayers was a guy in my neighborhood in Chicago who knew something about fundraising. I knew nothing about it, I needed to learn, and a friend referred me to Bill.

Bill's got lots of friends, and that's because he is today a dedicated servant of those less fortunate than himself; because he is unfailingly generous to people who ask for his help; and because he is kind and affable and even humble. Moral qualities which, by the way, were celebrated boisterously on day one of the GOP convention in September.

Mr. Ayers is a professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), where his work is esteemed by colleagues of different political viewpoints. Herbert Walberg, an advocate of school vouchers who is a visiting fellow at the Hoover Ins ution, told me he remembers Mr. Ayers as "a responsible colleague, in the professional sense of the word." Bill Schubert, who served as the chairman of UIC's Department of Curriculum and Instruction for many years, thinks so highly of Mr. Ayers that, in response to the current allegations, he compiled a lengthy résumé of the man's books, journal articles, guest lectures and keynote speeches. Mr. Ayers has been involved with countless foundation efforts and has received various awards. He volunteers for everything. He may once have been wanted by the FBI, but in the intervening years the man has become such a good citizen he ought to be an honorary Eagle Scout.

I do not defend the things Mr. Ayers did in his Weatherman days. Nor will I quibble with those who find Mr. Ayers wanting in contrition. His 2001 memoir is shot through with regret, but it lacks the abject style our culture prefers.

Instead I want to note that, in its haste to convict a man merely for associating with Mr. Ayers, the GOP is effectively proposing to make the upcoming election into the largest mass trial in history, with all those professors and all those do-gooders on the hook for someone else's deeds four decades ago. Also in the dock: the demonic city (Chicago) that once named Mr. Ayers its "Citizen of the Year." Fire up Hurricane Katrina and point it toward Lake Michigan!

The McCain campaign has made much of its leader's honor and bravery, but now it has chosen to mount its greatest attack against a man who poses no conceivable threat to the country, who has nothing to do with this year's issues, and who cannot or will not defend himself. Apparently this makes him an irresistible target.

There are a lot of things to call this tactic, but "country first" isn't one of them. The nation wants its hope and confidence restored, and Republican leaders have chosen instead to wave the bloody shirt. This is their vilest hour.

Write to [email protected]

[boutons_]

There was NEVER anything in the Ayers story, just slime from McNasty amplified by the media.

There was NEVER anything in the Wright story, just racist slime from Hillary amplified by the media.

Like McNasty, McNasty's campaign is impotent, firing blanks.

Now, there IS something in the McNasty-Gordon Liddy story. McNasty adoring his good friend, praising Liddy's "philosophy", RECENTLY, a remorseless terrorist and ex-con giving advice on the radio where to shoot federal agents to avoid their body armor, a practical "God-damning America".

Apart from HUSSEIN not playing McNasty's sliming game, is the difference that Ayers was a left-wing terrorist while Gordon Liddy is a hate-radio jock and right-wing terrorist?

[TheMadHatter]

There was never anything of substance in the Ayers attack. Yes Obama worked with him and likely knew him as more than a random acquaintance.....but by the time Obama met him he was a reformed citizen working to help the less privileged. I find it awfully hypocritical how the followers of Christ who preached passion and forgiveness can be so unforgiving.

[Anti.Hero]

If it was no big deal why did the different politician Robin'hood have to lie about it?

[RandomGuy]

This whole thing and the complete villification of ACORN just really ended what little respect for McCain I had left, and completely disgusted me with the Republican party.

The Republican party has now become the "win-at-all-costs" party. They will say anything, do anything, and become anything to win elections.

They will sue to nullify hundreds of thousands of valid voter registrations for the sins of a few greedy canvassers.

They will attempt to paint centrists as "left-wing radicals".

The will fling the most vapid of charges, and forward the most vile emails endlessly with a cynical view that there will be somebody gullible enough to believe in the mindless lies they contain.

They will start wispered rumors that attempt to intimidate or confuse whole populations of voters that might not vote their way.

They will go on partisan which hunts using the Justice Department, and fire prosecutors who do not come up with the goods against Democrats or have the temerity to prosecute Republicans.

I used to think that the rot was mostly contained in the Bush administration, but clearly see that it is rife throughout the Republican party.

[Anti.Hero]

Funny how many times you guys have your "I just lost all respect for McCain" moments.

Just stfu and admit you hate Amerika.

[Extra Stout]

Really, the problem with Ayers is not that he was part of the Weathermen. It is his known association with Islamic terrorist Barack Hussein Obama.

[Findog]

Really, the problem with Ayers is not that he was part of the Weathermen. It is his known association with Islamic terrorist Barack Hussein Obama.

I can't believe the media isn't making more of Obama's past as the 8-year-old Boy King of the Weathermen Underground. While most kids at his age were playing with their GI Dolls, Obama was having sexual Muslim abortion parties with Bill Ayers.

[Oh, Gee!!]

Really, the problem with Ayers is not that he was part of the Weathermen. It is his known association with Islamic terrorist Barack Hussein Obama.

that argument is too nuanced to register with Joe Six-Pack

[RandomGuy]

Funny how many times you guys have your "I just lost all respect for McCain" moments.

Just stfu and admit you hate Amerika.

Hmm. I may have had more than one of those moments.

Each time he does something ethically questionable and disgustingly partisan, my opinion of him reaches a new low. As a former McCain backer that makes me very sad.

As for "hating America":

you, you sack of .

I love this country arguably more than you do.