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Thomas Sowell: The Real Obama (“past associations”)
National Review Online ^ | October 07, 2008 | Thomas Sowell

Posted on 10/07/2008 5:59:04 AM PDT by kellynla

Critics of Senator Barack Obama make a strategic mistake when they talk about his “past associations.” That just gives his many defenders in the media an opportunity to counter-attack against “guilt by association.”

We all have associations, whether at the office, in our neighborhood, or in various recreational activities. Most of us neither know nor care what our associates believe or say about politics.

Associations are very different from alliances. Allies are not just people who happen to be where you are or who happen to be doing the same things you do. You choose allies deliberately for a reason. The kind of allies you choose says something about you.

Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger, William Ayers, and Antoin Rezko are not just people who happened to be at the same place at the same time as Barack Obama. They are people with whom he chose to ally himself for years, and with some of whom some serious money changed hands.

Some gave political support, and some gave financial support, to Obama’s election campaigns, and Obama in turn contributed either his own money or the taxpayers’ money to some of them. That is a familiar political alliance — but an alliance is not just an “association” from being at the same place at the same time.

Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time and again, he allied himself with people who openly expressed their hatred of America. No amount of flags on his campaign platforms this election year can change that.

Unfortunately, all that most people know about Barack Obama is his own rhetoric and that of his critics. Moreover, some of his more irresponsible critics have made wild accusations — that he is not an American citizen or that he is a Muslim

(Excerpt) Read more at article.nationalreview.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; antoinrezko; ayers; barackobama; democrats; elections; fatherpfleger; jeremiahwright; michaelpfleger; nobama08; obama; rezko; sowell; thomassowell; williamayers; wright
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"Jeremiah Wright, Father Michael Pfleger, William Ayers, and Antoin Rezko are not just people who happened to be at the same place at the same time as Barack Obama. They are people with whom he chose to ally himself for years, and with some of whom some serious money changed hands."


1 posted on 10/07/2008 5:59:05 AM PDT by kellynla
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To: kellynla

Racist!!! Oh ...


2 posted on 10/07/2008 6:03:14 AM PDT by sono (If paying more taxes is patriotic, is it ok now to question Rangel's patriotism?)
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To: kellynla

bttt


3 posted on 10/07/2008 6:04:12 AM PDT by aberaussie
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To: kellynla

Sowell nails it again, using the Rush Rule: Words mean things — in this case, association vs. ally. Good post, always love to read Dr. Sowell.


4 posted on 10/07/2008 6:06:14 AM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't.)
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To: kellynla
The new rumor is that English prof Ayers ghost-wrote Obama’s books. There is some early forensic/style evidence pointing strongly in this direction. If this can be nailed down by comparing other Ayers work to Obama’s (?) books, Obama is finished.

(Obama was noted for NOT writing, neither as editor of the Harvard law review, nor as a lecturer on con-law. The man just didn't write, in positions where most folks write like crazy.)

Then he pops out with two fantastically well written books that become best sellers? And this has nothing to do with his freindship with political mentor and English prof Bill Ayers?

The forensic work has to be done super fast to have any effect on the election.

5 posted on 10/07/2008 6:06:22 AM PDT by Travis McGee (--- www.EnemiesForeignAndDomestic.com ---)
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To: kellynla

Has not a publication of the US Communist Party endorsed Mr. Obama?

If so, why on earth would you want to vote for man with an endorsement like that?

It seems a lot of American voters are just sick and tired of Mr. Bush and the war, etc., and will vote for anyone who isn’t him or sounds like him.

Before I leave, allow me to say, “Viva Palin!”

Hmmm. That’s how we got Jimmy Carter.


6 posted on 10/07/2008 6:06:38 AM PDT by RexBeach
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To: kellynla
Giving this a BIG BUMP before I even finish reading it
7 posted on 10/07/2008 6:11:10 AM PDT by nuconvert (Obama - Preferred by 4 out of 5 Dictators & Terrorists// Rove>Biden is a Big,Blowhard Dufus)
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To: kellynla

If Obama had been different from those people he was hanging out with, he would have been destroyed. He would have never been allowed to survive. They would have not tolerated him in their presence. The fact that he hung out with them and still was able to go on with his political career shows that he thinks like they do. They would have never tolerated him if he was nothing like them. So it is a crock of bull that he is nothing like them. He is exactly like them. Birds of a feather flock together. That’s just the way it is. Sorry, I know the media would like everyone to buy their load of bull, but unfortunately, some of us can still think for themselves. That must be very disturbing to the left-wing, which is why they are so dangerous.


8 posted on 10/07/2008 6:17:38 AM PDT by rodeo-mamma
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To: kellynla

“Obama could have allied himself with all sorts of other people. But, time and again, he allied himself with people who openly expressed their hatred of America. No amount of flags on his campaign platforms this election year can change that. “

“Alinsky condemned the New Left for alienating the general public by its demonstrations and outlandish appearance. The revolution had to be carried out through stealth and deception. Its proponents had to cultivate an image of centrism and pragmatism.

Obama gets an “A” on his deceptive image.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2097930/posts


9 posted on 10/07/2008 6:18:47 AM PDT by nuconvert (Obama - Preferred by 4 out of 5 Dictators & Terrorists// Rove>Biden is a Big,Blowhard Dufus)
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To: Travis McGee

THere is software out there that can analyze text - surely McCain or the NRC or even Hilary has explored this?


10 posted on 10/07/2008 6:32:25 AM PDT by bjc (Check the data!!)
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To: nuconvert

Can we say - altogether now:

NO TO TAXES!

NO TO TERRORISTS!!

NO TO TYRANNY!!!

NO TO OBAMA!!!!


11 posted on 10/07/2008 6:35:44 AM PDT by wubjo (Flies in the MI ointment)
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To: Travis McGee

We need to start calling him “Milli Vanilli”, or however you spell it.


12 posted on 10/07/2008 6:51:54 AM PDT by Terry Mross
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To: rodeo-mamma
Obama is the poster boy for Liberal tyranny in the U.S.
13 posted on 10/07/2008 7:07:05 AM PDT by SMARTY ('At some point you get tired of swatting flies, and you have to go for the manure heap' Gen. LeMay)
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To: kellynla

Let’s also not forget Bill Ayer’s wife, Bernardine Dohrn, also a terrorist and member of Weathermen. They lived several blocks from the Obamas in Chicago. Dohrn was employed by the prestigious Chicago law firm Sidley Austin. She was hired by Howard Trienens, the head of the firm at that time and someone who knew Thomas G. Ayers, the father of Dohrn’s husband. Barack met his wife at Sidley Austin in Chicago, Dohrn was not working there at the time, she worked at New York branch of Sidley Austin during the time her Husband was going to school in New York City.
Bernardine Dohrn still refuses to stand up for our National Anthem, maybe she taught Barrack not to put his hand over his heart.
The questions I want answered: Did Barrack Obama meet Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn in NYC when he was going to Columbia? Were they friends in NYC between 1981-1985? Is this the reason Obama went to Chicago in 1985. Who recommended Obama to intern at Sidley Austin?


14 posted on 10/07/2008 7:34:44 AM PDT by Paratrooper
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To: T-Bird45

Thomas Sowell, true conservative and true patriot, scores again!


15 posted on 10/07/2008 8:05:27 AM PDT by princeofdarkness (Ronald Reagan- "Trust But Verify" MSM- "Report, Lie, Then Crucify")
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To: kellynla

bttt


16 posted on 10/07/2008 8:14:51 AM PDT by aculeus
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Corsi got lucky as this is How Odinga normally treats his guests......


Angry Odinga supporters went on the rampage in Nairobi and across the country, looting and burning.


Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting


17 posted on 10/07/2008 8:25:22 AM PDT by ncfool ("Obama been lying. "Get it? Sounds Like "Osama bin Laden"?)
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To: kellynla; kristinn
Mr. Sowell, please consider writing about his "current associations" as well. Thanks for the great article.

Top Obama Campaign Member Met With Ahmadinejad in New York Tonight
Wednesday, September 24, 2008 | Kristinn

A founding member of the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois met in New York City tonight with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Jodie Evans, who co-hosted Obama's first major fundraiser in Hollywood in February 2007...

[Jodie] Evans met with Obama in Beverly Hills last week at an exclusive $28,500 per person fundraiser. As a bundler for Obama, [Jodie] Evans is granted regular briefings with top Obama staff members...

[Jodie] Evans is co-founder of the pro-terrorist group Code Pink and works with state sponsors of terrorism to undermine America in the war on terror. She also has publicly announced her support for the terrorists in Iraq, her sympathy for Osama bin Laden and her "love" of Hugo Chavez.

Obama recently put his seal of approval on [Jodie] Evans' attempt to storm the stage during the acceptance speech of Republican vice presidential nominee Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska when he welcomed her to his two Hollywood fundraisers last week...

[Jodie] Evans, Right and Medea Benjamin, Left: Jodie and Medea
[Jodie] Evans storming stage at RNC Convention:
Obama bundler

Evans and Benjamin with their boy toy, Chavez:
Chavez and his American Traitors

18 posted on 10/07/2008 8:50:40 AM PDT by Just A Nobody (PISSANT for President '08 - NEVER AGAIN...Support our Troops! Beware the ENEMEDIA)
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To: kellynla

MaCain should come out onto the stage and when all is quiet he should place his hand over his heart and pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands...


19 posted on 10/07/2008 9:25:51 AM PDT by killermosquito (Buffalo (and eventually France) is what you get when liberalism runs its course.)
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To: kellynla

As a curious side-note, if you go to William Ayers’ main website

http://billayers.org/

you will notice a very prominent name in the middle of the page: ABU-ZAYD. For those of you who are not familiar with Islamic culture, the name means “FATHER OF ZAYD” and it is Ayers OTHER name. As you may have noticed above, Ayers has two children which he raised as Muslims (Malik and Zayd), a fact that he openly exalts by applying to himself an honorary Muslim name.


20 posted on 10/07/2008 9:26:44 AM PDT by petercooper (IQ tests for all voters!)
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