The mayor of Chicago also spoke this...sm
Posted By: oldtimer on 2008-11-13
In Reply to: Yes, I think there is a depression coming if it isn't already here. sm - MT and worn out
morning explaining the need for city employee layoffs.
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Couldn't ask for a better mayor....
Ditto on the Katrina and Rita chapter. Mayor Bill is top of the line. Wish he could stay forever.
I lived out West before moving back in...the commute to see friends and family was too much for me. That area experienced some of the same evolution as Sharpstown did in terms of mixed populations of ethnic populations, but without the benefit of the Super Neighborhood designation, at least as far as I know. It really has made a difference and that was the point I was trying to drive home about the proactive, inclusive approach. That progressive attitude is another thing that makes me really proud call Houston my home.
She was the mayor of W. fcol
You seriously think that folks didn't tell her about the people her children "associated" with? Really?????
I agree with the poster that this was poor judgement on Palin's part and on the part of the McC campaign for not vetting her better. She used her children as political fodder and put them out there for discussion.
She was mayor, constituents had asked her...
about some questionable books in the library. In a meeting with the council she brought up that concern. According to that same Alaskan (Kilkenny, a Democrat, go figure), the same one who wrote the email cutting her to ribbons and one of the points was "She has hated me since 1992"....the first time she described the issue it was "I remember she brought up something about some books in the library but she never took it anywhere." Now, since she is running for VP, it has become "She tried to ban books!" Typical political crap. She was doing her job. Constituents brought her concerns and she brought those concerns to the council.
I saw the military head of the Alaska National Guard last night on TV, and the sitting mayor of Wasilla. Both had nothing but good things to say about her. The National Guard gentleman was really PO'ed that people so minimized the role of the governor as commander in chief of the National Guard. She was involved last weekend in deploying Alaska National Guard assets to Louisiana to help with Gustav.
You would think these folks would spend more time talking about what there #1 is doing than trying to crucify the other side #2. But, that is the way of the left. Politics of personal destruction and the bloodier the better...and enjoying every minute of it. McCain has more character in his pinkie.
She also served in city council and mayor...
and on term as a governor gives her one year more governing experience obama has. And she DOES mean change from Washington politics...she is fAR removed from that. She has a reputation for reform, took on the good ol'boys in her own party and won. Those wanting change should be happy to see her.
She has an 80% approval rating in her state. That is unheard of. SHe must be doing something right, because not only Republicans live in alaska.
She is pro life. That is true. But you on this board have told me repeatedly I should not be a one-issue voter. So, lead by example.
How does this relate to the mayor of Salt Lake City??
nm
I suppose the meth labs just sprung up after she was Mayor, eh? (nm)
:p
Gee...they left out the Mayor of Detroit whining for money. What's up with that? sm
Detroit is just one of many with their hands out to the feds. Detroit has been a drain on the rest of Michigan for years. The best thing that can happen to Detroit is to cut it loose and float it up the St. Lawrence Seaway and then the rest of the state can get back to business...if there is any left that is.
Great speech by the mayor of Salt Lake City. sm
Speech by Mayor Rocky Anderson, democrat, on 10/27/07. They should bump Hillary and put this guy out there.
Salt Lake City, Utah --
Today, as we come together once again in this great city, we raise our voices in unison to say to President Bush, to Vice President Cheney, to other members of the Bush Administration (past and present), to a majority of Congress, including Utah’s entire congressional delegation, and to much of the mainstream media: “You have failed us miserably and we won’t take it any more.”
“While we had every reason to expect far more of you, you have been pompous, greedy, cruel, and incompetent as you have led this great nation to a moral, military, and national security abyss.”
“You have breached trust with the American people in the most egregious ways. You have utterly failed in the performance of your jobs. You have undermined our Constitution, permitted the violation of the most fundamental treaty obligations, and betrayed the rule of law.”
“You have engaged in, or permitted, heinous human rights abuses of the sort never before countenanced in our nation’s history as a matter of official policy. You have sent American men and women to kill and be killed on the basis of lies, on the basis of shifting justifications, without competent leadership, and without even a coherent plan for this monumental blunder.”
“We are here to tell you: We won’t take it any more!”
“You have acted in direct contravention of values that we, as Americans who love our country, hold dear. You have deceived us in the most cynical, outrageous ways. You have undermined, or allowed the undermining of, our constitutional system of checks and balances among the three presumed co-equal branches of government. You have helped lead our nation to the brink of fascism, of a dictatorship contemptuous of our nation’s treaty obligations, federal statutory law, our Constitution, and the rule of law.”
“Because of you, and because of your jingoistic false ‘patriotism,’ our world is far more dangerous, our nation is far more despised, and the threat of terrorism is far greater than ever before.
It has been absolutely astounding how you have committed the most horrendous acts, causing such needless tragedy in the lives of millions of people, yet you wear your so-called religion on your sleeves, asserting your God-is-on-my-side nonsense – when what you have done flies in the face of any religious or humanitarian tradition. Your hypocrisy is mind-boggling – and disgraceful. What part of “Thou shalt not kill” do you not understand? What part of the “Golden rule” do you not understand? What part of “be honest,” “be responsible,” and “be accountable” don’t you understand? What part of “Blessed are the peacekeepers” do you not understand?
Because of you, hundreds of thousands of people have been killed, many thousands of people have suffered horrendous lifetime injuries, and millions have been run off from their homes. For the sake of our nation, for the sake of our children, and for the sake of our brothers and sisters around the world, we are morally compelled to say, as loudly as we can, ‘We won’t take it any more!’ ”
“As United States agents kidnap, disappear, and torture human beings around the world, you justify, you deceive, and you cover up. We find what you have done to men, women and children, and to the good name and reputation of the United States, so appalling, so unconscionable, and so outrageous as to compel us to call upon you to step aside and allow other men and women who are competent, true to our nation’s values, and with high moral principles to stand in your places – for the good of our nation, for the good of our children, and for the good of our world.”
In the case of the President and Vice President, this means impeachment and removal from office, without any further delay from a complacent, complicit Congress, the Democratic majority of which cares more about political gain in 2008 than it does about the vindication of our Constitution, the rule of law, and democratic accountability.
It means the election of people as President and Vice President who, unlike most of the presidential candidates from both major parties, have not aided and abetted in the perpetration of the illegal, tragic, devastating invasion and occupation of Iraq. And it means the election of people as President and Vice President who will commit to return our nation to the moral and strategic imperative of refraining from torturing human beings.
In the case of the majority of Congress, it means electing people who are diligent enough to learn the facts, including reading available National Intelligence Estimates, before voting to go to war. It means electing to Congress men and women who will jealously guard Congress’s sole prerogative to declare war. It means electing to Congress men and women who will not submit like vapid lap dogs to presidential requests for blank checks to engage in so-called preemptive wars, for legislation permitting warrantless wiretapping of communications involving US citizens, and for dangerous, irresponsible, saber-rattling legislation like the recent Kyl-Lieberman amendment.
We must avoid the trap of focusing the blame solely upon President Bush and Vice-President Cheney. This is not just about a few people who have wronged our country – and the world. They were enabled by members of both parties in Congress, they were enabled by the pathetic mainstream news media, and, ultimately, they have been enabled by the American people – 40% of whom are so ill-informed they still think Iraq was behind the 9/11 attacks – a people who know and care more about baseball statistics and which drunken starlets are wearing underwear than they know and care about the atrocities being committed every single day in our name by a government for which we need to take responsibility.
As loyal Americans, without regard to political partisanship -- as veterans, as teachers, as religious leaders, as working men and women, as students, as professionals, as businesspeople, as public servants, as retirees, as people of all ages, races, ethnic origins, sexual orientations, and faiths -- we are here to say to the Bush administration, to the majority of Congress, and to the mainstream media: “You have violated your solemn responsibilities. You have undermined our democracy, spat upon our Constitution, and engaged in outrageous, despicable acts. You have brought our nation to a point of immorality, inhumanity, and illegality of immense, tragic, unprecedented proportions.”
“But we will live up to our responsibilities as citizens, as brothers and sisters of those who have suffered as a result of the imperial bullying of the United States government, and as moral actors who must take a stand: And we will, and must, mean it when we say ‘We won’t take it any more.’”
If we want principled, courageous elected officials, we need to be principled, courageous, and tenacious ourselves. History has demonstrated that our elected officials are not the leaders – the leadership has to come from us. If we don’t insist, if we don’t persist, then we are not living up to our responsibilities as citizens in a democracy – and our responsibilities as moral human beings. If we remain silent, we signal to Congress and the Bush administration – and to candidates running for office – and to the world – that we support the status quo.
Silence is complicity. Only by standing up for what’s right and never letting down can we say we are doing our part.
Our government, on the basis of a campaign we now know was entirely fraudulent, attacked and militarily occupied a nation that posed no danger to the United States. Our government, acting in our name, has caused immense, unjustified death and destruction.
It all started five years ago, yet where have we, the American people, been? At this point, we are responsible. We get together once in a while at demonstrations and complain about Bush and Cheney, about Congress, and about the pathetic news media. We point fingers and yell a lot. Then most people politely go away until another demonstration a few months later.
How many people can honestly say they have spent as much time learning about and opposing the outrages of the Bush administration as they have spent watching sports or mindless television programs during the past five years? Escapist, time-sapping sports and insipid entertainment have indeed become the opiate of the masses.
Why is this country so sound asleep? Why do we abide what is happening to our nation, to our Constitution, to the cause of peace and international law and order? Why are we not doing all in our power to put an end to this madness?
We should be in the streets regularly and students should be raising heck on our campuses. We should be making it clear in every way possible that apologies or convoluted, disingenuous explanations just don’t cut it when presidential candidates and so many others voted to authorize George Bush and his neo-con buddies to send American men and women to attack and occupy Iraq.
Let’s awaken, and wake up the country by committing here and now to do all each of us can to take our nation back. Let them hear us across the country, as we ask others to join us: “We won’t take it any more!”
I implore you: Draw a line. Figure out exactly where your own moral breaking point is. How much will you put up with before you say “No more” and mean it?
I have drawn my line as a matter of simple personal morality: I cannot, and will not, support any candidate who has voted to fund the atrocities in Iraq. I cannot, and will not, support any candidate who will not commit to remove all US troops, as soon as possible, from Iraq. I cannot, and will not, support any candidate who has supported legislation that takes us one step closer to attacking Iran. I cannot, and will not, support any candidate who has not fought to stop the kidnapping, disappearances, and torture being carried on in our name.
If we expect our nation’s elected officials to take us seriously, let us send a powerful message they cannot misunderstand. Let them know we really do have our moral breaking point. Let them know we have drawn a bright line. Let them know they cannot take our support for granted – that, regardless of their party and regardless of other political considerations, they will not have our support if they cannot provide, and have not provided, principled leadership.
The people of this nation may have been far too quiet for five years, but let us pledge that we won’t let it go on one more day – that we will do all we can to put an end to the illegalities, the moral degradation, and the disintegration of our nation’s reputation in the world.
Let us be unified in drawing the line – in declaring that we do have a moral breaking point. Let us insist, together, in supporting our troops and in gratitude for the freedoms for which our veterans gave so much, that we bring our troops home from Iraq, that we return our government to a constitutional democracy, and that we commit to honoring the fundamental principles of human rights.
In defense of our country, in defense of our Constitution, in defense of our shared values as Americans – and as moral human beings – we declare today that we will fight in every way possible to stop the insanity, stop the continued military occupation of Iraq, and stop the moral depravity reflected by the kidnapping, disappearing, and torture of people around the world.
In fact, the number of labs increased after Palin became mayor nm
read
He also spoke of h-e-ll
and the repercussions of not accepting him as Christ. He also flat out told the pharisees that they were going to h-e-ll for what they were doing. He didn't just preach love. He told people how it was. He warned us that there is a h-e-ll and people go there. You can't teach the good without the bad.
Huckabee spoke about this the other day
He said a very astute financial guy with decades of eperience had noticed a very unusual trend in the market last week; that every day at the same time late in the day, the market would begin selling off huge volumes, just in time where it could not rebound and then this would start again the next day, with no rebound gain. He questioned economic terrorism then.
And it did make us wonder then if this thing was being manipulated. When the government over the weekend began singing how they were going to put money in the banks that was a big sign for me that there may be something to the suspicions. This gave governments an exception to buy into banks, thereby starting the ball of socialism. Government should never ever be involved in banks like this.
I don't think for a moment this has anything to do with not paying China off because China has been hacking into the World Trade Bank in Europe for over a year.... a year! And their people can't keep them out. So, that tells me China has been involved in this manipulation for a long time. They managed to get very private financial documents with loan information and procurements on them that would allow them to really manipulation behind the scenes with all that information they have.
I don't doubt China has EVERYTHING to do with this. But if we keep buying more of their junk and refuse to buy anything but their junk, then we have no one to blame but ourselves. We should start demanding our government NOT import any more goods from China and that our companies going over there to save taxes be given tax exemptions ONLY if they bring all their business back to this country.
When I was growing up, my great aunts always said keep us out of the United Nations and don't do business with communist countries or we would regret it one day. They were right!
Obama spoke himself about
x
The people spoke
The Supreme Court over-ruled their decision. They were given another opportunity to make their voices heard and rejected the legality of gay marriage a second time.
This is the democratic process at work: the majority rules. Funny how quickly that goes by the wayside when the liberal shoe is on the other foot.
I'm glad you spoke your mind.
You've got more guts than I do. They would have definitely gotten a dirty look from me, but I wouldn't have had the courage to say what I felt.
I hope they weren't able to "snare" too many impressionable young people with false promises and other lies.
Did you hear that they're even telling would-be recruits how to pass drug screen tests so that they can still get into the military even if they're on drugs? I don't think there's anything they WON'T do or say to meet recruitment quotas.
seems to me thousands spoke this weekend
Seems to me most of the country takes Cindy Sheehan seriously and are behind her 100%. This weekends protests in DC, CA, NY, Ohio and other states prove it..When you look at the anti war protests compared to the pro war protests, tells you what the majority of the country wants..ending of the Iraq war.
A Kaydie clone just spoke!
nm
someplace where they spoke English
x
The people spoke with their vote.
Changes should happen slowly to ensure we really want those changes to be put into place and to give time for any and all actions to be ordered.
It was voted on. It was a legitimate vote.
I think it sends a clear message that everyone is not ready for this type of change yet.
It's our (those who support Prop 8) country, too.
Well, if they spoke, that means I drop
everything and bow to people who do not have the last word on what the administration does.
From the way Fitzgerald spoke in the press conference...sm
S. Libby has A LOT to be worried about. It seems he's a bald face liar, and I think what would be interesting to find out is why would he lie and say he didn't even know who Plame was under oath having been briefed on her at least 4 times before coming to court. I smell smoke...
Exactly. After Galloway spoke out they tied him to al Qaeda. sm
Of course, the man must be a terrorist sympathizer because he has the guts to tell it like it is. Just like they call you an antisemite when you say anything about Israel, conspiracy theorist and nut bag, etc., if you speak out against Bush. See the pattern?
McCain has spoke ad nauseam about Keating 5
Get over it already!
The corrupt ACORN bunch are still at it and Obama is backing them every inch of the way. They are his push into office don't ya know?
You're going to be blasted..you spoke against Obama
sad but true
Um no, Palin spoke and did herself in.... didn't you hear her? sm
No media, even intelligent media, could make up what she said. She said ignorant statements out of her own mouth, rallying the crowds and saying Obama pals around with terrorists. She ruined any chances McGeezer had, not that he had much of a chance but you MUST know that she has hurt the republican party, except for the most ignorant of them.
Color me blind but name a case in which a republican spoke out...sm
and liberals started calling and threatening his life. I'm sure it happens but can you think of a case right off hand?
BTW, if you post it on the conservative board I'll read it there.
the moral majority spoke in CA but that isnt good enough
They banned it, voted against it. The state of CA spoke but the gays are not happy with that and have to march. They will push and push till they get their way. Whether it is against God or not. what a shame. 
Bill Ayers spoke at Millersville University in PA
Yesterday. This is a college that prepares students for teaching jobs. You can see part of his speech here:
http://www.wgal.com/video/18971823/index.html
There was a one-on-one interview with him at:
http://www.wgal.com/video/18971823/index.html
chicago offered help
Chicago offered help as early as last SUNDAY...Bush
says No Thanks
Daley 'shocked' as feds reject aid
September 3, 2005
BY STEPHANIE ZIMMERMANN AND SCOTT FORNEK Staff
Reporters
A visibly angry Mayor Daley said the city had offered
emergency, medical and technical help to the federal
government as early as Sunday to assist people in the
areas stricken by Hurricane Katrina, but as of Friday,
the only things the feds said they wanted was a single
tank truck.
That truck, which the Federal Emergency Management
Agency requested to support an Illinois-based medical
team, was en route Friday.
We are ready to provide more help than they have
requested. We are just waiting for their call, said
Daley, adding that he was shocked that no one seemed
to want the help.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) said he
would call for congressional hearings into the federal
government's preparations and response.
The response was achingly slow, and that, I think, is
a view shared by Democrats, Republicans, wealthy and
poor, black and white, the freshman senator said. I
have not met anybody who has watched this crisis
evolve over the last several days who is not just
furious at how poorly prepared we appeared to be.
Response 'baffling'
The South Side Democrat called FEMA's slow response
baffling.
I don't understand how you could have a situation
where you've got several days' notice of an enormous
hurricane building in the Gulf Coast, you know that
New Orleans is 6 feet below sea level. ... The notion
that you don't have good plans in place just does not
make sense, Obama said.
Obama said he expects his counterparts in Louisiana,
Mississippi or Alabama will call for congressional
hearings, but he is ready if they do not. It's
heartbreaking and infuriating and, I think, is
embarrassing to the American people.''
Daley said the city offered 36 members of the
firefighters' technical rescue teams, eight emergency
medical technicians, search-and-rescue equipment, more
than 100 police officers as well as police vehicles
and two boats, 29 clinical and 117 non-clinical health
workers, a mobile clinic and eight trained personnel,
140 Streets and Sanitation workers and 29 trucks, plus
other supplies. City personnel are willing to operate
self-sufficiently and would not depend on local
authorities for food, water, shelter and other
supplies, he said.
Flanked at a Friday press conference by a who's who
from city government, religious organizations and
business, the mayor also announced formation of the
Chicago Helps Fund for storm victims.
I'm calling upon every resident of Chicago to donate
what they can afford, whether it's 50 cents or 50
dollars, the mayor said.
People can make tax-deductible cash or check donations
at any of Bank One's 330 Chicago area branches or by
check at Chicago Helps, c/o Bank One, 38891 Eagle Way,
Chicago 60678-1388. A phone line to take credit card
donations will be set up.
Churches were urged to take up collections this
Sunday, and firefighters are planning to collect at
major intersections this weekend.
In addition, donations will be taken at this weekend's
Jazz Fest in Grant Park, and $2 of every ticket
purchased through Ticketmaster for the Chicago Classic
football game at Soldier Field today will go to
hurricane relief. The Shedd Aquarium announced it will
donate $1 from every ticket sold this holiday weekend
to relief efforts and has set up donation stations
at the aquarium.
Homeless shelters enlisted
By midday Friday, Inner Voice, a private agency that
runs 27 homeless shelters for the city, had rounded up
space in unused facilities for about 2,000 storm
refugees, should they need it, said president Brady
Harden.
Ed Shurna, executive director of the Chicago Coalition
for the Homeless, suggested the city tap recently
vacated units at Cabrini-Green and Lathrop Homes that
were slated for demolition but still have heat and
electricity available.
Daley reiterated that students from stricken areas are
welcome to enroll in the Chicago Public Schools and in
the City Colleges. Cardinal Francis George on Friday
asked that Catholic schools in the archdiocese waive
tuition for displaced children.
More than 400 students have applied to Loyola
University Chicago, most coming from its sister Jesuit
school, Loyola University New Orleans. Half had been
admitted as of late afternoon Friday. Spokeswoman
Maeve Kiley said the school will honor their tuition
that they already paid.''
University of Illinois campuses in Urbana-Champaign
and Chicago have admitted more than 100 students,
including two foreign students who had Fulbright
scholarships to attend Tulane.
Northeastern said it would waive tuition and fees for
Illinois residents who already paid another school,
and would grant in-state tuition to out-of-state
students. Northwestern plans to let students pay what
they would have at their original school and forward
the money to that school.
Contributing: Andrew Herrmann, Dave Newbart
Why do any of you think Obama and his Chicago
nm
Who knows with Chicago politics.........sm
I had heard that the Rev. Jesse Jackson was interested in Obama's seat but I don't know if he was tied up in this particular fiasco or not.
I would imagine Obama might have something else for Ms. Jarr to do in his administration. Time will tell on that.
Chicago politics
It's no secret how corrupt Chicago politics are (& Illinois as a whole). They have the highest tax in the nation--10.25%! My sister lives there, and earns an excellent salary, yet gets taxed to death. Chicago is also quite fond of nepotism as well. We're talking dead voters and also taxes for all kinds of environmental stuff. Let us now forget the state tax as well.
Totally militant politics!
Chicago is no different that any other big city...sm
New York, Miami, LA and many others.
chicago rally
Maybe Oprah will show up.
Chicago crooks
right after the major Texas crooks.
No, not making it up...watched him as he spoke, no tele, no speech prepared.
Stock Market diving since Obama spoke today.
nm
Janeane Garofalo spoke today. Glad she represents
nm
She can drop the messiah off in Chicago along the way...
//
Here's hoping Chicago workers' sit-in and
good things to come. As Bank of America acquires Merrill-Lynch (whose CEO has the utter gall to request a $10 million bonus pay-out after the ML sell-out) they are refusing credit to Republic Windows and Doors out of Chicago after receiving $15 billion in TARP funds. The workers are fighting back to recover the pay and benefits they have already earned and their governor is backing them up. Now that's what I'm talkin' about !
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=aw5QzWC86Vl8&refer=home
Change - Chicago Style
This is an e-mail my uncle, who lives in Illinois, sent.
Subject: Chicago
CHANGE - CHICAGO STYLE
Body count.
In the last six months 292 killed (murdered) in Chicago ,
221 killed in Iraq
The leadership in Illinois ....all Democrats.
Sens. Barack Obama & D*ick Durbin
Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.
Gov. Rod Blogojevich
House leader Mike Madigan
Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike)
Mayor Richard M. Daley (son of former Mayor Richard J.
Daley).....
Chicago is a combat zone. Of course they're all blaming each
other.
Can't blame Republicans; there aren't any!
(Look them up if you want).
State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in country.
Cook Co unty ( Chicago ) sales tax 10.25% highest in country.
Chicago school system, one of the worst in country.
This is the political culture that Obama comes from in
Illinois .
And he's gonna 'fix' Washington politics?
Am more concerned about ALL the Chicago crooks!
nm
They should probably hurry before Barry from Chicago...
gets his national "security" police force going....
Obama's Chicago thugs, one after another, proves
nm
what possible advange to the Chicago political machine
Where's the logic in this warning?
Chicago Annenberg Challenge Shutdown...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/23/AR2008102302081.html?hpid=opinionsbox1
If you are fine with the Chicago political machine...
that explains it. His entrenchment with them and his considering Richard Daley among his mentors tells me all I need to know about Rahm Emanuel, and it also tells me that Obama was being less than truthful about his Chicago connections and trying to distance himself from the very people he is now bringing into his inner circle.
Does that help explain my concern?
And Chicago Citizen of the Year in 1997
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.
Obama goes sandwich shopping in Chicago
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No joke! And no, I doubt they have any friends in Chicago, either.
But apparently they have some friends in Detroit. What I meant by my post was to get a little more background into some of these people that are begging for money - our money - without any kind of strings attached. We didn't really get to do that with the banking thing - happend too fast - and now look where that got us? Where is it going to end? I joke with my husband that he should start his trek to DC to get his bail-out because ever since the real estate business went to the crapper, his business is hurting - he does web pages and virtual tours for realtors. Why not? Everyone else is lining up, may as well get there early!
Obama comes from the group of Chicago crooks.
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Crooks? No, look at Chicago and Obama's friends.
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