William Ayers: Funded by Republicans

[complain jane]

William Ayers: Funded by Republicans


The Annenbergs-- Republicans. Bankrolled William Ayers with $50 million

But Walter and Leonore weren't just giving money to educational foundations started by William Ayers. They were also giving hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Republican National Committee and various other Republican groups, as well as to a whole host of Republican candidates, including the following:

George W. Bush $4000
Mitt Romney $5000
Strom Thurmond $1000
Fred Thompson $500
Rick Santorum $3000
Rick Santorum-- former Republican Senator. Received $3000 from Ayers' backers.

Why would billionaire Republican philanthropists give millions of dollars to a program that was working with William Ayers? Why would George W., Mitt Romney, Fred Thompson and all those other Republicans accept money from the people who were funding this William Ayers-associated group? Why won't McCain discuss these connections between the Republican Party and Ayers?

Here's the icing on the cake: just yesterday, the McCain campaign put out a press release bragging about the fact that Leonore Annenberg has endorsed him for president. Yes, you heard it-- a McCain backer bankrolled William Ayers with millions of dollars.

More icing: You know that Republican Arnold Weber I mentioned earlier? The one that served on the board of the CAC with Barack? Not only did he work with William Ayers in the 90's, he has also donated at least $1000 to the McCain campaign. That's right-- McCain is accepting money from associates of William Ayers, and so far has not given the money back.

I'm feeling a little cheated. Months ago I was promised an October surprise. It's already October 9th, and all I've heard is that Barack knows a guy who's been working with McCain supporters and Republicans since the mid 90's.

More: http://www.republicansforobama.org/?q=node/3027

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. Oh! So the man Repukes said was "Obama's terrorist" is actually the Republican's "terrorist?"

My view today is this: I walked my dog this morning and what he left on an open field was a lot more attractive than any Republican.

[nichomachus]

2. I hope you picked it up and disposed of it properly. n/t

[Sarah Ibarruri]

4. hahahaha! Heck no. It's an abandoned field. I felt I was helping it by fertilizing it. :-) nt

[leveymg]

12. William Ayers may very well have been a COINTELPRO agent provocateur.

I concluded years ago that Dohrn, and possible Ayers, were COINTELPRO agents provocateur.

If the US Government really wanted to find them all those years they were on the lam -- like Abbie and Tim Leary -- they would have been found and would still be imprisoned.

I'm not the only one who's suspicions have been raised. See, http://badamerican.wordpress.com/2008/08/23/things-obama-isnt/

“One of the most militant members of the Weather Underground, ‘widely known for his skill in making bombs and fuses,’ had often criticized his comrades for limiting their bombing to property. He berated them, stating that ‘true revolutionaries had to be ready and anxious to kill people.’ It turned out that he was a paid informer and agent provocateur for the FBI,” writes Michael Linfield (Freedom Under Fire: U.S. Civil Liberties in Times of War, South End Press, 1990).

You can read the rest but my eyes always come to rest on text whenever Bernardine Dohrn is mentioned. Like here:

It is not clear if Bill Ayers and his wife, Bernardine Dohrn, were part of this widespread government manipulation of the more radical fringes of the antiwar movement in the 1960s and early 1970s, although their relationship with insider Obama should cast a hefty pall of suspicion over the duo.

I met Dohrn at a lecture of hers at Illinois State University about 10 years ago. I was well aware of her history and, in fact, as a member of the press (Peoria Journal-Star) asked her a question about the Weather Underground’s predilections toward violence.

She giggled. She thought it was funny and literally rolled her eyes pooh-poohing the question.

I knew then that whatever she had done back in the 1960s had been sanctioned by the US government and now all was ‘forgiven.’ She wouldn’t have been standing here being showered with attention, back in publishing and public speaking if she hadn’t been.

Because if she were a real radical she would have landed up like Karl Hess (if she was lucky), not a darling of academia. And don’t get me started about Jerry Rubin - always a phony. So many of the people that seemed so radical were all puppets in the grand game.

Of course most people don’t realize how many of the players in American history were puppets of the established order and that COINTELPRO never really died but has continued under different names and under different agencies.

I am convinced that the needless bloodshed at Kent State University on May 4, 1970 was such an operation - an embryonic false flag terror attack designed to forever discredit the anti-war movement and strike fear into the hearts of any future protesters. It accomplished its aims, bringing the era of student protesting to an end. Blaming the rank and file National Guard troops, in this case, was misplaced - they were pawns in the game too - children were enticed to kill children.

Everything from official infiltration of any movement advocating peace and freedom (such as the infiltration of the Quaker peace group outlined in Michael Moore’s film Fahrenheit 911) or the placement of agent provocateurs designed to incite violence (such as the cops caught red handed at Montebello trying to incite violence) this sort of thing has been going on for a long time. And, coming in Denver, is going on today. And many ‘red blooded ‘Murkans’ support these fascist measures, as long as they are directed against people they don’t like or have been taught to hate.

I wish people could accept the truth. But it’s hard to believe that what we apparently see is not real. But the inculcation of mythology and symbolism in American life and culture is so strong most people will cling to the paradigm against all evidence.

Barack Obama was vetted a long time ago. Wall Street hedge fund managers wouldn’t be throwing money at anyone who would overthrow their gravy train. These campaigns trying to paint him as some kind of radical, as Nimmo states, misses the point. I would much rather have Obama be connected to the true anti-war movement of the 1960s rather to cheerleaders of butchery like Madeleine Albright and Zbig or globalists like Richard Holbrooke.

[Jim Lane]

13. I disagree with your analogies

Abbie Hoffman stayed "on the lam" (living under an alias) for several years, and was never caught -- he voluntarily came forward and surrendered to authorities.

Timothy Leary spent almost no time hiding from the authorities in the United States. He was imprisoned in 1970, escaped several months later, and managed to get out of the country. He lived openly abroad, in countries that wouldn't extradite him to the U.S., until being arrested in Afghanistan.

Neither of these cases supports the hypothesis that, if the U.S. government had really wanted to catch Ayers, it could have. In fact, Hoffman's case is an example to the contrary.

[leveymg]

19. Abbie was in Montreal, moved to upper NY State in 1976, where he lived in

the house of his girlfriend. He drove back with her, crossing the border without incident. He wouldn't have been too hard to find, if the FBI had really been looking. Abbie had been arrested with "suitcases full" of cocaine (he claimed he was framed), and then fled on bail, so he was a wanted felony fugitive. See, http://books.google.com/books?id=ECYjlcF6QIcC&pg=PA278&lpg=PA278&dq=Abbie+Hoffman+sentenced+to+work+release+program&source=web&ots=MKMVo-ebdT&sig=VnakdatbPJyd2fYMYe_JXDGbEPE&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=5&ct=result#PPA264,M1

As for Tim, he was convicted for possession of small quantities of marijuana, but received a long sentence in California. He escaped a California minimum security prison with the help of the Weather Underground, and fled initially to Algeria, but disliked "being held prisoner" by the American radical community there, and soon moved to Switzerland. He lived comfortably in a villa. The American government knew he was there, and made a show of trying to extradite him, but the Swiss refused. He was allowed to move on to Austria, and then to Afghanistan, where the DEA grabbed him before he departed the American flag airliner he arrived on in 1973. Tim was pardoned by Gov. Jerry Brown in early 1976. Perhaps taking his clue from Leary, Hoffman then chose to return to America.

[Karenina]

16. The word on the street at that time

was that they were. The street I speak of is on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

[SteveM]

33. Annenberg funds GOP-founded, GOP-led Brady Center...

Isn't it strange how a GOP organization which seeks to restrict/ban guns is funded by a GOP foundation? And the Brady's have MORE than casual access to the pilot house of the Democratic Party.

Don't they call that a "win-win" situation?

[otherlander]

44. Very well said.

Ayers isn't even a sellout, because he never had any real radical ideas to sell in the first place. Abbie was for real, though. And he got killed for it. Yeah, I don't buy the suicide story. Sometimes I wonder about modern-day punks and anarchists: how many of them really believe what they're saying, and how many are infiltrators?

[Plucketeer]

39. I laud you and your dog's efforts

There's nothing wrong with Fido birthing another Republican. And do not dispose of those - they deserve the Right to life, dontchaknow!

[KaryninMiami]

3. How long before the Obama team launches a new website about this?

It deserves lots of attention- great talking points here- no wonder Obama has been waiting for the opportunity to discuss the Ayers relationship face to face with Mclame- I'm sure they have this little tidbit just waiting to be fired at the most opportune moment.

[progressoid]

5. But, but, but, he's Obama's neighbor!

:EYES:

[uponit7771]

6. knr

[asdjrocky]

7. This is goooood.

We should copy this and send it back to people that send us those dumb emails.

[eleny]

8. k

:kick:

[soccermomforobama]

9. Mrs. Annenberg contributed $2300 to John McCain

in May of this year.

Between Walter and Leonore Annenberg they have given $177,000 to the Republican Party, its candidates and PAC's. They have given $3000 to Democrats- Dianne Feinstein and a gentleman. (according to the fec.gov website)

[JimDandy]

10. The media has been spoon fed this info this past week and they still won't report it.

:shrug:

[SammyWinstonJack]

20. And the Obama *pals around with domestic terrorists* meme is already firmly implanted into the

morans' brains so this won't matter at all. They'll just say the librul media is lying. :silly:

[SteveM]

34. One reason is because the Annenberg Foundation funds anti-2A causes:

Specifically, the Brady Center (another GOP founded and led group with GREAT sway in the Democratic Party (go figure). And we all know by this time how the great bulk of MSM feels about gun-control; hence, little coverage.

Also, Barack has been on the board of Annenberg Foundation.

[JimDandy]

37. Yes, and Annenberg grants are also given directly to the media i.e. NPR

[SteveM]

43. Annenberg can certainly hedge; to the point of appealing to "both sides." ...

When appeals to "both sides" are successful, MSM tends to disallow controversial, even "this side/that side," coverage. But this anti 2-A stance is quite peculiar in that the Brady Camp has unusual say within the Democratic Party. Certainly, there are the various "Cease Fire (fill in the blank)" organizations which claim credit for the bathroom-wall-smear bans put back into the Platform, but I don't think these groups pull that much weight.

Despite ones position on gun control, I don't want it decided by a GOP-group who gets stage-passed into Party organization (they know full-well who among the far right is hostile to 2A; in bureau-jive, it's a "win-win"). BTW, the Joyce Foundation also contributes to PBS.

[Miss Chybil]

11. It's a shame that Ayers has obviously turned his life around, works

hard to further education in this country and is being dragged through his past by this bullshit. Not apologizing for what he did 40 years ago, but damn. He was never prosecuted and has been - what appears to be - a model citizen in his adult life. I hope he's tenured because I can see him out of a job real quick and without the ability to help any educational charity, or any charity, ever again.

Whatever. What he did back in the day was clearly wrong, but isn't weird he'd be punished now? It's a long chain, cause and effect. I guess you never know where the next link will come from.

[csziggy]

14. Leonore Annenberg donated $2300 to McCain this year

ANNENBERG, LEONORE THE HON
SAINT DAVIDS,PA 19087 HOMEMAKER/HOMEMAKER 5/21/08 $2,300 McCain, John (R)

http://www.opensecrets.org/indivs/donor_lookup.php?name=annenberg

[KathieG]

15. Good stuff!

[DeSwiss]

17. This is absolutely delish!!!!!

Right in the 'ol sweet spot!


- K&R!!!

[NewJeffCT]

18. It's okay, though, they are Republicans

so, anything they did before today can be called a youthful indiscretion.

Meanwhile, if Obama was rude in preschool one day, it is a major campaign issue.

[Zambero]

21. Geraldine Ferraro brought this up on Sean Hannity's TV show last night

Hannity was immediately dismissive and abruptly went to a commercial, after which he launched into another diatribe about "palling around with an unrepentnt terrorist" B.S.

This has the making of a 30-second TV ad -- Former Weather Underground member and community activist William Ayers has been sponsored and bankrolled by the conservative Annenberg Foundation, now supporting John McCain. This could be done without trashing Ayers, and indeed would put him square in the political mainstream to the extent that he could work within a foundation whose overseer generally favors Republican candidates. Another point -- Annenberg and NOT Obama selected the membership of its charitable committee in the 1990's.

[ann_american2004]

30. I agree this needs to be an ad. ASAP!

[Baby Snooks]

22. Poor William Ayers...

I've posted this a hundred places a hundred times before - Walter Annenberg would not fund an organization, particularly not one of the Challenge organizations, that was headed by a terrorist. Domestic or foreign. But Barack Obama apparently decided the easiest solution was to distance himself from William Ayers. Which made it worse. Maybe if he had defended William Ayers and really made an issue of the work of the Chicago Challenge, someone with the Annenberg Foundation might have come out and defended William Ayers. But, alas, why bother?

As for Lee Annenberg, did you think she would endorse a Democrat? Doesn't mean she'll vote for John McCain. But if she respects William Ayers and his work, which she probably does, she definitely won't vote for Barack Obama. She may not vote like a lot of Republicans, and a lot of Democrats, who are sick of all of it. Her endorsement probably has about as much emotion behind it as Nancy Reagan's did. It was expected and probably demanded by John McCain. The problem with Barack Obama is that if his association with someone becomes too politically uncomfortable then he dumps them. Not a good quality for a friend and, sadly, not a good quality for a president.

Someone should raise a stink about Arnold Weber. But they won't. He's not running for president.

[Submariner]

45. distance himself from William Ayers. Which made it worse.

I thought the same thing a few months ago when it came up in the primaries. This past month, after watching Palin and all the other character assassins in action, I can't see how Obama could have showed any kind of support for Ayers without having his words twisted in political ads everywhere, in essence, saying "Obama is indeed a friend of a terrorist".

Obama needs to shun Ayers to counteract the Rove affect imho, so I'm giving O a pass on this one..

[1corona4u]

23. Here is some other info I got about Ayers in an email yesterday...

Subject: Bill Ayers

Hi Everyone, I was curious about the facts on Bill Ayers, and all the
accusations made about his ties with Obama. So I found what I was looking
for and thought I'd share..I actually like this guy..

And just to add a few thoughts..Who wasn't a radical in the 60's and 70's
when it came to stopping the war in Vietnam. No one was hurt, that wasn't
the intention as with your typical "terrorist." Give me a break people,
seriously

10 things to know about Bill Ayers
Recommend (20) Comments

October 12, 2008

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH AND CHRIS FUSCO Staff Reporters
John McCain is hammering Barack Obama about his ties to Chicago educator
Bill Ayers, co-founder of the Weather Underground, a group that used
violence in the 1960s and 1970s to try to end the Vietnam War.

For a week now, the McCain-Palin ticket has been making Ayers an issue. And
the attacks continued Friday, with an ad that calls Ayers the "leader of a
terrorist group that bombed the U.S. Capitol." The ad also says "Obama's
first campaign was launched at a gathering at Mr. Ayers' home."


Bill Ayers has declined to comment to the Sun-Times or any other media since
Sen. Hillary Clinton first raised his name in the Democratic primary.
(Sun-Times files)


RELATED STORIES
Who is Bill Ayers?
Obama responds to ad tying him to '60s radical
What did Obama know about Ayers, when?
But is everything the Republicans are saying true? Here's a look at the
Obama-Ayers relationship.

1. Was Ayers the leader of a terrorist group?

The FBI labeled the Weather Underground "a domestic terrorist group" whose
members took credit for bombings of the U.S. Capitol, Pentagon and other
government buildings. The bombings were designed to cause property damage,
not hurt people. Ayers never has been accused of killing anybody.

But three Weather Underground members accidentally killed themselves while
making bombs in New York City in 1970. In 1981, two police officers and a
security guard were killed when other members of the group committed an
armed robbery.

2. How long was Ayers "underground"?

Ayers and his wife, Weather Underground member Bernardine Dohrn, were on the
lam 10 years before surrendering in 1980.

3. Were they ever convicted of "terrorism" charges?

No. Ayers faced federal riot and bombing-conspiracy charges, but those
charges were dropped because of illegal wiretaps, break-ins and mail
interceptions by authorities. Dohrn served less than a year behind bars for
non-bombing activities tied to the group.

4. How are Ayers and Dohrn viewed now?

At least before this campaign, they were mainly seen as respected college
professors. After getting his doctorate in education at Columbia University,
Ayers joined the University of Illinois, where he gained a national
reputation pushing innovative -- some say controversial -- approaches to
educating at-risk youth. Dohrn has a national reputation for pushing reforms
of the juvenile justice system. Ayers has published 15 books. He sits on
civic boards with Mayor Daley, who in 1997 awarded Ayers the city's "Citizen
of the Year" award. Ayers and Dohrn live in Hyde Park, not far from the
Obamas.

5. So how well do Ayers and Obama know each other?

Ayers and Obama served on separate boards associated with the Chicago
Annenberg Challenge, an education-reform group that Obama began chairing in
March 1995 and continued to work with through 2000. Ayers served on the
Chicago School Reform Collaborative, which made recommendations to the board
on grant awards during those years. Ayers and Obama occasionally would see
each other in those roles.

Also, Ayers served alongside Obama between December 1999 and December 2002
on the board of the not-for-profit Woods Fund of Chicago. That board met
four times a year, and members would see each other at dinners the group
hosted.

The RNC's statement that "Obama's first campaign was launched at a gathering
at Mr. Ayers' home" stems from a 1995 "meet-and-greet" coffee that Ayers and
Dohrn held for Obama at their home when Obama was making his first run for
the Illinois Senate. Obama's presidential campaign has described the event
as an opportunity for Ayers and Dohrn to introduce Obama to their neighbors.

In 2001, Ayers gave $200 to Obama's campaign. A year ago, the two met
walking through the neighborhood where they both live.

6. How does Ayers respond to the Republicans' charges?

He doesn't. He has declined to comment to the Sun-Times or any other media
since Sen. Hillary Clinton first raised him as a potential problem for Obama
in April during the Democratic primary.

7. What does Obama say about Ayers?

During a primary debate, Obama underplayed his relationship with Ayers:
"This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in
Chicago, who I know, and who I have not received some official endorsement
from," Obama said. "He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular
basis. The notion that somehow, as a consequence of me knowing somebody who
engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago when I was 8 years old somehow
reflects on me and my values, doesn't make much sense."

8. Is it fair for McCain to criticize Obama on this issue?

Factcheck.org has this take: "Voters may differ in how they see Ayers, or
how they see Obama's interactions with him. We're making no judgment calls
on those matters. What we object to are the McCain-Palin campaign's attempts
to sway voters -- in ads and on the stump -- with false and misleading
statements about the relationship, which was never very close. And Ayers is
more than a former 'terrorist,' he's also a well-known figure in the field
of education."

9. Has Ayers ever apologized for what he did with the Weather Underground?

Not exactly. In 2001, Ayers told the Sun-Times he regretted that "people
were hurt, that three of my dear friends were killed, that we were stupid,
immature, intolerant and unwise. I regret that I hurt people's feelings." He
did not regret "throwing myself as wholeheartedly as I could figure out into
opposition to war and to the system of racial injustice."

A review of Ayers' memoir Fugitive Days that appeared in the New York Times
on Sept. 11, 2001, quoted Ayers saying, "I don't regret setting bombs. I
feel we didn't do enough." Three days after the terrorist attacks, Ayers
clarified: "My memoir is, from start to finish, a condemnation of terrorism
. . ."

10. Are all former alleged terrorists/radicals shunned?

No. Former IRA bomber Gerry Adams is welcomed at the White House as a
peacemaker. Former PLO leader Yasser Arafat was too. Former Students for a
Democratic Society member and Ayers friend Tom Hayden was elected to the
California State Assembly. Former Black Panther Bobby Rush is a congressman
representing Chicago, as is former Puerto Rican independence activist Luis
Gutierrez.

[JDPriestly]

42. Do you have links to articles providing this information.

I would like to forward the links to friends and have them in my records.

[NBachers]

50. Best thing Ayers could do now is register Republican

Then it would be Republican Terrorist.

If Jane Q Public married Bill Ayers, she'd be Jane Q Public-Ayers.

[unpossibles]

24. why am I not surprised?

[rndmprsn]

25. k+R for the TRUTH to come out of this BS!

[FunMe]

26. Paling around with drug addicts

What does it say about McCain ... married to a woman who's a drug addict and burglar (she stole drugs from work). Oh, and she was LEGALLY convicted of all those crimes.

Why is McCain paling around with drug addicts?

And marrying them no less.

What does it say about him?

[bluesmail]

27. I like this October Surprise.

[Overseas]

28. K&R -- ask the RNC what the Annenbergs say about Ayers.

Ask them whether Rick Santorum and Fred Thompson have given back the money yet.

[beac]

29. Close your eyes........ Okay, now OPEN THEM!

SURPRISE!

Because I didn't want your whole month to be a total bore. ;)

[ann_american2004]

31. WHAT is Obama waiting for???

get this info out there in ads, talking points, EVERYWHERE possible. This is RIDICULOUS and disorganized if they dont have this out there already. good grief !

[DWilliamsamh]

32. Thanks for this... I am having this EXACT argument with a delusional con on another board.

BTW.... is that a Pic of Rachel Maddow? If it is where the heck did you get it? that is AWESOME!!

Love me some Rachel.

DWlliamsamh

[felinetta]

35. Repubs are always good at putting their foot in their mouths!

OK McCain, Palin, Sean Hannity etc.: we need you all to publicly question THESE people IMMEDIATELY!!

[Chevy05truck]

36. Why would Obama be friends and work with Ayers?

He's not exactly the most patriotic American. Killing NYC policemen and bombing the Pentagon isnt' my definition of patratism at least.

[ebdarcy]

38. What's your definition of patratism?

Oh, and welcome to DU.

[SoonerPride]

40. I'm not sure you are qualified to judge "patratism"

But that might be me.

[Forkboy]

41. LOL

:crazy:

[IronLionZion]

49. LOL and welcome to DU.

How carefully did you vet your friends and co-workers before you befriended them? Did you check through their pasts?

[chicagoexpat]

46. Ayer's dad, CEO of Commonwealth Edison -- made Bill a millionaire

[nc4bo]

47. Wow guys, this only has like 50 diggs. Please help push this story up, Digg it link inside

http://digg.com/2008_us_elections/William_Ayers_Funded_by_Republicans

[City Lights]

48. The Annenbergs also fund FactCheck.org

About FactCheck.org

Our Mission

We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit "consumer advocate" for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

The Annenberg Political Fact Check is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.

The APPC accepts NO funding from business corporations, labor unions, political parties, lobbying organizations or individuals. It is funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation.

http://www.factcheck.org/about/

typo edit