And the hits just keep coming. The story about the Ayres/Obama connection had already circulated during the primaries (can I give you some advice Rick Davis? If you are going to dig up dirt on your opponent, make sure it is something the American people haven’t heard about 5 million times already).
I guess if you have tea or coffee with someone you automatically take on their views. Should Have Obama associated himself with Ayres? Probably not a good idea in hindsight, but certainly not something I’m too worried about. Ayres has apologized for his actions and is regretful. The late 60’s were a turbulent time and there were several radical groups in circulation. Considering that Obama was only 8 years old at the time Ayres was up to his shananigans I doubt Barack knew half the stuff Ayres had did in his past when they first met.
But this concerns me a little more, and am surprised it took the Obama campaign this long to bring up this story. I have always felt that John got away with this with just a slap on the wrist.
I belive McCain was exonerated in the whole Keating Five thing, as was John Glenn.
Yes,
The Senate Ethics Committee ruled that the involvement of Glenn and McCain in the scheme was minimal, and the charges against him were dropped.He was only criticized by the Committee for “poor judgment.”
I suppose the same could be said about anyone who runs for office.
I think the bigger point is that McCain never learned a lesson from the Keating Five investigation. I would think that someone who was knee deep in this investigation and seeing his friend Charles Keating thrown in the slammer over it (something John reminds us everyday he has experience in) He could have seen this financial mess coming, or at least offer some solutions, that’s what people with experience do. Instead he talks about Obama having coffee with a former domestic terrorist who had already served his time by the time Obama met him. If I was McCain’s campaign, I would turn this whole thing on it’s head by saying he learned a lesson, but he can’t and won’t.