Rahsid Khalidi studies nationalism in the Arab world -- a topic that ought to be of interest to any future American president. It would be surprising if Khalidi did not have strong sympathies for the plight of the Palestinians."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 at an event in Bowling Green, Ohio.
"This is important because his associate, Rashid Khalidi ... in addition to being a political ally of Barack Obama, he's a former spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization."
Sarah Palin, on the other hand, has a degree in sports journalism. Perhaps college life never afforded Sarah Palin the opportunities Obama had at Columbia to make friends with people from other countries with backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives markedly different from her own. Far more likely, Palin simply chose not to take advantages of such opportunities when they came along. Otherwise, she would know better than to smear Obama on the basis of his friendship with Khalidi.
Not only that but the worst smear ever (unless we conclude Palin is really running for the nomination in 4 years from now and is throwing McCain under the bus) because-
ReplyDeleteMcCain also has ties to Khalidi through a group that Khalidi helped found 15 years ago. The Center for Palestine Research and Studies has received more than $800,000 from an organization that McCain chairs.
The Center for Palestine Research and Studies conducted regular public opinion surveys in the West Bank and Gaza with financial support from various foundations and from the International Republican Institute, McCain's organization for promoting democracy around the world.
Under McCain's leadership, the IRI gave at least $838,494 to Khalidi's group in 1988 and 1999, according to the IRI's tax returns.
Ynet
Hi Rick,
ReplyDeleteSo whereas Obama knows him, McCain funds him.
I think the bus comes into play here. If the McCain campaign thought this was a smear they could use, they would have used it against Obama a long time ago. But they probably knew they couldn't for the reason you bring up.
So either they approved use of the smear by Palin in the last week when they hoped Obama might not have time to launch a major counter-attack, or the media might turn a blind eye (generally a safe assumption).
Or Palin added the smear to her speech without the campaign's approval -- either an indication she's mainly out for herself now, or that she is over-confident in her own judgment.
Leaks from the McCain campaign (from senior advisors) say clearly that Palin is BOTH mainly out for herself AND that she is over-confident of her own judgment.
ReplyDelete-J.