by Frank James
When you're questioning someone's honesty you might want to be truthful about what you're doing when you're called on it. It would just seem to be the less hypocritical path.
But that's evidently not what happened when Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin came back in her campaign plane last night to take questions from reporters, the first time she's done so in a month.
ABC News' "Political Radar" blog reports that Palin continued the line of attack she has used in recent days on the campaign trail, raising questions about Sen. Barack Obama's association with William Ayers, the former leader of the 1960s radical Weathermen group.
Specifically, she questioned Obama's truthfulness about his tie to Ayers, then denied she was doing so, which it seems would seem to automatically raise questions about her adherence to truth.
Here's an excerpt from the Political Radar post:
"It is pertinent, it's important because when you consider Barack Obama's reaction to and explanation to his association there, and without him being clear at all on what he knew and when he knew it, that I think kinda peaks (sic) into his ability to tell us the truth on, not only on association but perhaps other things also," Palin said.
"I think it just makes us ask the question that, if there's not forthrightness there, with that association and what was known and when it was known, does that lead us to ask, is there forthrightness with the plans Barack Obama has on say tax cuts, or spending increases?" Palin added. "It makes you wonder about the forthrightness, the truthfulness of the plans that he is telling America in regards to the economic recovery because that is first and foremost on American's minds."
When questioned directly whether she thought Obama was being dishonest, Palin denied the charge, while raising more questions about whether Obama has associated with Ayers recently.
"I'm not saying that he's dishonest, but in terms of judgment, in terms of being able to answer a question forthrightly, it has two different parts to this. The judgment and the truthfulness..." Palin said. "Is there still -- has there been an association with him since '02 and '05. We've heard a couple of different stories. I think it is relevant."
When she said "I think it kinda peeks into his ability to tell us the truth on, not only on association but perhaps other things also" is that not questioning his honesty?
Why she couldn't just admit that she was questioning Obama's truthfulness only she knows.
But it's obvious that when you suggest that someone's lying, as she clearly did, that's a moment when you might want to be scrupulously honest yourself.
Comments
Axelrod has admitted he and Obama lied when they said that Obama and Ayers were "just" neighbors.
Who did Bill Ayers pick to lead an attempt at radicalizing Chicago school children? Obama spent $160 million, in a failed attempt to "improve" Chicago schools.
Poof! All that money is gone and the school system isn't any better for it. The bulk of the money went to radical community organizers like ACORN.
This was Obama's only "executive experience."
Imagine how he could misues your tax dollars as president. Governor Palin has nothing to apologize for in her statements. She is NOT being dishonest.
Posted by: Fallon | October 8, 2008 10:57 AM
Why is no one questioning her association with the Alaskan Independence Party?
Posted by: Renee Michelle | October 8, 2008 10:59 AM
It's simply proof that they don't actually believe their attacks on Obama. If they did they would have no problem standing by them at all times. But they know that it is simply an attempt to stop the free fall of their poll numbers. They know that it is an attempt to defelect from discussion of the grave issues facing this country today. They're grasping any straw they can find to try and stay afloat, no matter how flimsy. But when cornered even they have to admit its a straw, not a boat.
Posted by: Mel | October 8, 2008 11:06 AM
Renee, you and your fellow Obama trolls keep bringing up this or that Alaska issue that no one cares about because there's no truth to any of the lies spread about Palin. People do care, however, about the truth concerning the head of your ticket - Barack Obama. They do care that he seems to constantly change his story. Whether it's changing from a hard left Senator to steal the primary, to being a champion of reform and then endorsing some of the biggest crooks in Illinois. Obama did change his story on Ayers. He never mentioned this one example of executive experience (being chairman of a board that doled out $100 million). Now, why would he fail to bring that up? Hmmm. He kept saying the Republicans were trying to inject race into the race, but he was the only one doing it - then he denied he was race baiting. He said last night he would commit US troops to fight genocide, but continues to crow how he was opposed to toppling Sadaam Hussein who gassed 200,000 ethnic Kurds. Obama is a complete fraud and imposter. And the Swamp is a completely in the tank joke. Another Democrat for McCain/Palin...
Posted by: Bemused | October 8, 2008 11:24 AM
Reading her unscripted words is painful. Just spit it out.
Posted by: mark marx | October 8, 2008 11:24 AM
Obam has been very dishonest on sujects,just wait till Resko starts spilling-
Posted by: LOAM | October 8, 2008 11:34 AM
I question Frank James' veracity in this report. How can you call William Ayers the "former leader" of the Weather Underground when he has never once renounced the terrorism he engaged in during the '60s and '70s? Doesn't "former" imply that his radicalism is over and he would never do such despicable acts again? Yet in every article and interview he's done Ayers continues to say he'd do it all again, including the op-ed he wrote the day before 9-11.
Posted by: Jeff | October 8, 2008 11:51 AM
The snobbish, small town elitist is being dishonest? You betcha!
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Frank, Mark,
We need to hear more about her separatist sympathies.
Posted by: C.Morris | October 8, 2008 11:54 AM
If Ayers is a terrorist, why don't we throw him in jail?
We know where he lives right?
Have Sara call the FBI and get that terrorist thrown in jail.
Posted by: Joe seven pack | October 8, 2008 11:58 AM
Jeff,
Are you implying Ayers had a hand in 9/11??? I question the veracity of your reporting. Ayers had no idea attacks were being planned, carried out or whatever when the Times published his story. You and your pals keep bringing up 9/11 to create some kind of impression that Obama has friends were involved with 9/11. I'll ask you straight up. Do YOU believe Barack Obama knew of plans or is friends with anyone who knew of plans of the 9/11 attacks?
Posted by: jackson | October 8, 2008 12:30 PM
What about Trooper-gate? What's with that?
Posted by: Mike | October 8, 2008 12:37 PM
Palin rambles incomprehensibly! How in the world did she ever get a degree in journalism/communication. Her statements make less sense than a "Joe six-pack" who's had several 6-packs. Maybe someone needs to give her a field sobriety test.
Posted by: reality | October 8, 2008 12:58 PM
Just remember; Col. Duyet has endorsed McCain.
The 'Manchurian Candidate' indeed!
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7459946.stm
Posted by: C.Morris | October 8, 2008 1:09 PM
ANY ONE WHO WILL GIVE SARA THE TIME OF DAY IS OUT OF TOUCH WITH WHAT WE AS AMERICANS BELIEVE, AND THAT IS TO SAY WE CAN GO WITH MCCAIN AND GET SO MUCH DEEPER INTO THE TOILET THAT WE WILL NEVER RECOVER OR WE CAN GIVE SOMEONE ELSE A CHANCE TO GET US OUT OF THE MESS WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW. LOOK AROUND YOU PEOPLE DO YOU LIKE WHAT YOU SEE. BUSH AND MCCAIN HAVE DONE ZERO TO HELP OUR ECONOMIC STATE AND IF YOU THINK HE WILL GET US OUT OF THIS THEN VOTE FOR HIM AND THEN GET READY TO SUFFER FOR 4 MORE YEARS BECAUSE MY FRIENDS HE WILL NOT CHANGE ANYTHING. JUST THINK IF HE GETS IN AND SHOULD PASS AWAY THEN WE ARE STUCK WITH SOMEONE WHO I THINK WE CAN ALL AGREE KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT HOW TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THE BUSH/MCCAIN MESS OF THE LAST 8 YEARS. WE SHOULD TAKE THE GLOVES OFF AND SEE WHO PALIN IS. I KNOW SHE IS A TALKING HEAD WITH NOTHING TO SAY.
Posted by: Rae | October 8, 2008 1:25 PM
Bemused: "there's no truth to any of the lies spread about Palin." You are absolutely right. Let's stick to the provable FACTS! Fact #1-Todd Palin was a registered member of the Alaska Independence Party from 1995 to 2002. Fact#2-the Alaska Independence Party espouses among other things, Alaska becoming a separate nation or commonwealth state. Fact #3-Sarah Palin has known for at least 13 years that she was cohabitating with a secessionist sympathizer and has never repudiated or even attempted to sever their relationship.
Posted by: Kenneth Janowski | October 8, 2008 1:29 PM
Character assasination and flimsy guilt by association tactics will do nothing to bail out the sinking McCain/Palin Campaign. Ayers did NOT pick Obama for any of the boards they both served on. Obama was eight when Ayers was an active revolutionary. Ayers will play no role whatsoever in an Obama Administration. These attacks are equivalent to saying that you share in the guilt of a drunk driver with whom you once served on the PTA, assinine and utterly irrelevant to the salient and pressing issues that face our country in this mess of the final days of the Bush/Cheney disaster. Unable to put forth a reasonable and compelling plan for Americans to decide to vote for their Republican ticket, they have shifted tactically from one desperate ploy to another. The Palin VP pick displays McCain lack of sound judgement and disdain for the voting public's desire for sound leadership after Bush/Cheney, the worst administration ever. What other know nothing, backward looking relics would he surround himself with in the unlikely event he is elected? Obama's leadership and calm reasoned judgement look better everyday when compared to McCain.
Posted by: fact v. lies | October 8, 2008 2:02 PM
'Ya, say it isn't so, Kenneth, der ya go lookin' back again, doggone it.'
Posted by: C.Morris | October 8, 2008 2:12 PM
Posted by: Kenneth Janowski | October 8, 2008 1:29 PM
Kenneth, you forgot the worst part. Earlier this year Palin, acting in her official role as Governor of the State, chose to record a message for this radical group's convention, in which she told them to "Keep up the good work." This isn't guilt by association, it is guilt by her own action. She wasn't just associated with these radicals, she officially encouraged them from the Governors office. Giving these anti-American separatists the notion that the highest officer of the State supports their efforts to divide this nation shows her complete lack of judgement.
Posted by: Mel | October 8, 2008 2:12 PM
Excellent column from the NY Times about this dangerous neophyte.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/08/opinion/08friedman.html?ref=opinion
Posted by: Ann | October 8, 2008 3:38 PM
In the Tank Frank dishonesty about how much he salivates over Obama. Hint: it's measured in buckets.
p.s. Jackson, I'm not implying that Ayers had anything to do with 9/11, I'm just saying he's never disowned the tactics and methods that both he himself and Al Qaeda used to get their messages out (bombing buildings).
Posted by: Jeff | October 8, 2008 6:07 PM