MSNBC's Witt did not challenge
RNC official's mischaracterization of
NY Times article on Obama and Ayers
SUMMARY: On MSNBC Live, RNC press secretary Alex Conant claimed that "The New York Times today has a 2,000-word story about Barack Obama's friendship with an unrepentant terrorist." However, Alex Witt did not challenge Conant's claim that the article was about their "friendship" by pointing out that the Times in fact reported that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close."
On the October 4 edition of MSNBC Live, Republican National Committee press secretary Alex Conant claimed that "The New York Times today has a 2,000-word story about Barack Obama's friendship with an unrepentant terrorist," referring to a front-page article about Obama's association with former Weather Underground member William Ayers. However, anchor Alex Witt did not challenge Conant's claim that the article was about their "friendship" by pointing out that the Times in fact reported that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close." Nor did Witt note that Obama has condemned Ayers' actions.
In the article, the Times reported that in 1969, Ayers helped found the Weathermen and "[t]wenty-six years later, at a lunchtime meeting about school reform in a Chicago skyscraper, Barack Obama met Mr. Ayers, by then an education professor. Their paths have crossed sporadically since then, at a coffee Mr. Ayers hosted for Mr. Obama's first run for office, on the schools project and a charitable board, and in casual encounters as Hyde Park neighbors."
The Times further reported that "the two men do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called 'somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8.' "
From the 10 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on October 4:
WITT: What about what we hear from The Washington Post today? Because according to an article there, the McCain campaign is preparing a new, aggressive approach on Senator Obama, including some attacks on his judgment, his honesty, and his character. Does that mean the campaign hasn't been tough enough thus far?
CONANT: Well, I think that while you and I have been following every up and down in this race for the last year, a lot of voters are just starting to tune in right now. We got a month to go. The New York Times today has a 2,000-word story about Barack Obama's friendship with an unrepentant terrorist. Barack Obama voted to raise taxes on people making as little as $42,000 a year. I don't think a lot of voters know that. That's what we want to be talking about. That's what people need to know more about over the next month.
WITT: OK. Let's talk about some of the strategy right now, Alex, because we know that Senator McCain is pulling his staff, his advertising out of the battleground state of Michigan. Is that because he can't afford to compete there financially? And can he afford to lose that state's 17 Electoral College votes?
I thought Republicans hated the NYT?
Well put.
It's all falling apart for McCain. Palin is now a detriment to the ticket. The Ayers thing is a last resort for someone who has nothing whatsoever to offer to Americans. Fear won in 2004, but this time fear strikes out.
Get used to it people. We're going to be hearing this from McInsane's campaign (such as it is) from now on until Nov. 4 and perhaps beyond that. When you can't speak to the issues, when you can't offer a viable alternative to the last eight years, when you are so detached from reality that you think that the economy is strong, when you employ an advisor who tells the American People "quit whining" and the American People see through your charade then all you have left is fear. It won't work this time.
McCain/Palin:Intellectually amd Morally Bankrupt. Unfit and and Unqualified to lead!
jim359, Yes, it is going to get RovianUgly. But the mask is off the devil and people do see it. Here in Pa., despite the underlying thread of racism, the support for Obama is growing only because of the issues at hand. Thanks to Fox News for SwiftBoating Sen. Kerry last election, people have the eyes and ears open. Sure, the fall for certain headline stories but then another side appears. The Obama campaign is willing and able to fight back.
John McCain has now become someone that will do anything to become President, even destroy his own legacy. To be honest, he may have won in 2000, with the help of Democrats if his present staff did destroy him back then. Sen. McCain for your own sake, just run an issues-based campaign or you will become a fool made from within.
That's the amazing thing: John McSame, willing to hire the very people who smeared him and his family so viciously.
There's a great article in Rolling Stone about grampy, which reveals pretty well his "legacy" of being a make-believe maverick.
Yeah, I saw that Prince. that is excatly what we're going to see. I agree with you. People are listening and watching this. It is a change from the last two elections. I live in Colorado and I can tell you it is a different enviroment this time. I think Obama is going to win here as well as Udall.
There's a common theme lately. Obama raised taxes 94 times...by the same standard, McCain raised taxes 477 times. Obama voted against funding the troops, well then so did McCain.
As listed on another thread, if Ayers is a problem for Obama, then Liddy is a problem for McCain. And a terrorist who has turned himself in and mainstreamed himself into society is no longer a "terrorist". That would be a "radical" at worst. So Palin isn't one to talk, having associated herself with a group of secessionists as recently as this year.
If the McCain campaign sets standards for criticism so that Obama is vulnerable, then the same standard makes themselves look bad as well.
While Witt's witless work wouldn't worry one one wit, Conant's contestationless claim clearly kills credibility.
"Good Golly geepers, why can't I learn some of those bigs words. Heck, bein' a country girl don't mean I should talk stupid"..this was a quote by guess who? Or I'm just funnin'.
I wonder what the RNC lackey thinks of George W. Bush having more than just a "friendship" with terrorists, he holds their hands and kisses them, and allows himself to be photographed doing so, so that those saudis can then show those pictures to their own people, proving to them that yes, they are powerful enough to murder thousands of Americans in a single attack, and get away with it... they are well connected enough politically, and well vested enough in the privately owned American media companies News Corp and Disney and Time-Warner, to get away with September 11 2001... those terrorists are George W. Bush's "good friends" and business partners... I wonder what this RNC waterboy thinks of that?
Does anyone really believe that this election is going to have ANYTHING to do with who someone's has associated with, who their friends are or what someone they know did 40 years ago?? LOL!
Well its worked so well before.
Its not going to change. For the second time in this campaign, McMulkie is threatening to get mean. Smoke, mirrors, and bile is all they got.
Currently it doesn't seem to be working. I don't see them suddenly producing good issue points, intelligent courses of action and honest evaluations.
Corporate news, with a few exceptions, will be producing more vacuous talking heads telling us that Micky and Sarah are jut so great and Obama is at least and understudy for the anti christ.
The credibility gap of the sixties has become a chasm that they insist is the level playing field.
Why the extra "L" in your name? Did someone get banned, perhaps?
And banned again, probably. Thank you moderators, it is very much appreciated.
AND SHE WON'T AND NEITHER WILL OTHER NEWSREPORTERS BECAUSE THEY ARE RUNNING SCARED NOW THAT OBAMA IS UP IN THE POLLS. AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THEY ARE RUNNING SCARED MCCAIN IS GOING TOO WIN. I LOVE WATCHING MCCAIN SLEEPING WITH THE DEVILS WHO BROUGHT HIM DOWN IN 2000 JUST TOO WIN. ROVE, BUSH, RNC, AND FOX NEWS. HE IS TELLING LIES ABOUT OBAMA WITH THE HELP OF THE SAME PEOPLE WHO TOLD LIES ON HIM TOO WIN!!!!
RightWinger, May I suggest that you eliminate the ue of punctuation also. Then, if a far-distant future, your posts will become a literary work of art. But not in this century. CAPITALISM does not mean having all caps.
OK, I'll call it "Be Nice to a Republican Week". Think it will catch on with the Republicans. I am sure that "Mac" and "Say Cheese" will consider it.