Hillary's campaign floated this story:
Clinton, Obama Spar on Ties to Radicals
By JUSTIN ROOD
Feb. 22, 2008
The Hillary Clinton campaign pushed to reporters today stories about Barack Obama and his ties to former members of a radical domestic terrorist group -- but did not note that as president, Clinton's husband pardoned more than a dozen convicted violent radicals, including a member of the same group mentioned in the Obama stories.
"Wonder what the Republicans will do with this issue," mused Clinton spokesman Phil Singer in one e-mail to the media, containing a New York Sun article reporting a $200 contribution from William Ayers, a founding member of the 1970s group Weather Underground, to Obama in 2001.
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And in 1999, President Clinton also pardoned 16 violent Puerto Rican nationalists responsible for more than 100 bombings of U.S. political and military installations, after they promised to renounce violence. The attacks reportedly killed six people and wounded dozens more. In justifying the pardons, President Clinton noted none of the men had been convicted of crimes that resulted in death or injuries.
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Contacted by phone Friday morning, spokesman Singer declined to comment for the record for this article.
"If the Clinton campaign is truly concerned about the exploitation of the Weather Underground issue by the Republican attack machine, perhaps they should focus on the pardon of some of its members in the waning days of the Clinton administration," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton.
moreHillary's shill Taylor Marsh ran with story, producing this despicable piece:
Barack Obama's Willie Horton, but also failing to mention the Clintons' connection to the group.
Monday, Feb. 26, 2001
In eight years as President, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton each issued roughly 400 pardons. But in their final days, just 10 trickled out of Reagan's White House, while 177 flooded out of Clinton's. And Marc Rich's pardon isn't the only one that appalled federal prosecutors. While most of the 177 were for minor drug and fraud offenses, roughly a third raise serious questions. A TIME analysis of the pardon fever--the symptoms included well-connected lawyers and pols pulling strings, bypassing the Justice Department and sending petitions directly to the White House, often at the last minute--turned up these eye-popping remissions of sin.
The Big Apple Gang
U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White is furious at Clinton for several New York cases. In 1993 and '94, Harvey Weinig, 53, helped launder at least $19 million for the Cali drug cartel. Justice strongly opposed his petition, but Clinton commuted Weinig's 11-year sentence--cutting it in half--and now he is scheduled to be set free. Last week White released documents showing Weinig was also involved in a kidnapping plot. Former White House aide David Dreyer, a relative of Weinig's, told TIME he asked Clinton chief of staff John Podesta and former White House counsel Beth Nolan for the commutation "as an act of mercy."
Edward Downe Jr., a publishing and financial executive, pleaded guilty to insider trading in 1993. He was sentenced to three years' probation, and paid $11 million in fines. Downe has contributed $21,500 to Democrats since 1991, including $1,000 to Hillary Clinton's Senate campaign. His application went straight to Clinton, and White's office learned about it only the night before his pardon.
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The Radicals
White is also upset about the commutation Clinton gave to Susan Rosenberg, who was convicted in 1984 of carrying explosives and weapons for the Weather Underground. One of Rosenberg's guns was bought with fake ID by Linda Sue Evans, who also took part in the 1983 bombing of an empty room at the U.S. Capitol to protest the invasion of Grenada. Clinton's order freed both from prison.
moreSen.
Chuck Schumer was among the critics of Susan Rosenberg's pardon.
The story floated by Hillary's campaign and her surrogates Taylor Marsh and
Larry Johnson is so bizarre and disgusting and loaded with hypocrisy:
By Cernig
What kind of world is it when
Democratic partisans are attacking John Podhoretz for his defense of a Democratic candidate? A topsy-turvey born out of a win-at-all-costs mentality where smearing your current rival is more important than party unity, that's where.
But Larry Johnson asks the question of news that Obama once visited Weather Undergrounder William Ayers: "What politician in their right mind would visit a known terrorist?...Is there anyone else other than Obama?"
But Larry Johnson asks the question of news that Obama once visited Weather Undergrounder William Ayers: "What politician in their right mind would visit a known terrorist?...Is there anyone else other than Obama?"
Well, Larry and Taylor, there's this:
http://bp3.blogger.com/_cHfiC-1_5uk/R7-jBVvtnWI/AAAAAAAAAMk/yupQjjrfMpk/s400/Paisley+Clinton+McGuiness.jpgThe
accompanying London Times article - from December 8th 2007 not years ago - reads:
When the puckered lips of Martin McGuinness made contact with Hillary Clinton’s soft white cheek yesterday, a loud “Mmm-wwakk” noise could be heard across the hotel lobby – and, perhaps, beyond if American voters were listening closely enough.
Mrs Clinton had briefly stepped off the presidential campaign trail to meet the Rev Ian Paisley, the Northern Ireland First Minister, and his deputy, Mr McGuinness, who were in Washington on a week-long American charm offensive.
The two men, once sworn enemies, were later heading over to the White House for their first joint meeting with President Bush, where they were expected to ask for help in attracting investment to Northern Ireland.
The guy on the right is Mr McGuiness, who on one occasion was labelled the "IRA godfather of godfathers". McGuiness was
certainly more than "some college kid spray painting railroad bridges with graffitti". He was tried and convicted of belonging to that terrorist organisation after after being caught with a car containing 250 lb (113 kg) of explosives and nearly 5,000 rounds of ammunition and at the time said he was "very, very proud" of his membership of the IRA.
(
The guy on the left, by the way, was never a terrorist but is widely regarded as an odious bigot as well as funder and enabler of the opposite side's terrorists and as such has
almost as undesirable a past.)
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So what's it to be, Larry and Taylor? Were Hillary and Bill wrong to share a podium with unrepentant foreign former terrorists or is it that you think American lives count more than, say, Irish ones? Or is it just that in your zeal to smear your favorite's rival you've lost all sense?
I suspect the latter.
more Terrorist convictionIn 1971, it is thought he became the 21-year-old commander of "Free Derry" and appeared at a Provisional IRA press conference where the new leadership offered to talk peace.
In May 2001 he became the most important member of the modern Republican movement to reveal his role when he confirmed that he would be telling the Bloody Sunday inquiry that he was second-in-command of the IRA in the city at the time of the tragedy.
During the 1970s he avoided internment - but not trial for terrorism related offences in the Republic.
At his 1973 conviction, Martin McGuinness said: "We have fought against the killing of our people. I am a member of Oglaigh na Eireann (IRA) and very, very proud of it."
Since then, Mr McGuinness has remained at the forefront of the republican movement.
His first meeting with British politicians came in July 1972 when the Provisional leadership was secretly taken to London for what would turn out to be failed talks with the government.
link Now Taylor Marsh, who knows no shame. In January 2007, before she became a
the paid hack (see below), Taylor Marsh smacked down Hillary:
(be sure to check out the queen been image)
Read the
Raw Story piece. It dovetails nicely on my
piece last night. More on that story in a minute.
But seriously, this is getting pretty ridiculous very fast. Evidently, Clinton's people believe she can get elected by dissing progressive radio, while simultaneously sticking a finger in small business blogs. Hey, but when you're as big as Hillary you don't need your grass roots peeps. She can do it all by herself... with the help of those right-wing bloggers whose sites she advertised her live web chat.
Ed Schultz isn't taking this malarkey either.
Many of you have requested hearing from Hillary on progressive talk especially The Ed Schultz Show. I want you to know our producer James Holm tirelessly works the contacts and has repeatedly tried to connect with Clinton's people.
Cutting to the chase, Hillary's people treat us like "dirt." We are constantly disregarded, told things that aren't true, and given speculation an interview might happen someday.Quite frankly, I'm sick of it. This morning I watched Hillary Clinton tell CNN she is accessible. What? To the TV cameras yes, to the base of loyal listeners on progressive talk radio, absolutely not!
Reaching over 2.5 million listeners who are engaged in changing the country I believe qualifies us for some attention. I realize Hillary is an international figure and star but this pattern of treatment to The Ed Schultz Show has been an on-going pattern which tells me all they care about is her mug on TV.
The conservatives have done wonders with audio continually talking to and solidifying their base. It's apparent to me radio is minor to the people surrounding this leading candidate. ...
Liberal talk show host trashes Clinton's staff, sends out photo with Obama emphasis addedEd, I feel your annoyance. It's fitting that the above story appears next to Clinton's web chat BlogAd, isn't it? (heh-he.)
I've been writing about this for years. The fact that the DC Democrats just don't understand progressive radio, nor do they care one whit about it. This story about Hillary treating Schultz like "dirt" is emblematic of her campaign so far, but symbolic of DC Democrats. Can you imagine anyone in the Republican Party treating their right-wing hosts like this? Not. Going. To. Happen.
I really had no feelings whatsoever about Hillary one way or the other from the start. I was excited she was the first woman with a chance to win who was actually running. But I have to tell you that after the last few days or so I've moved into the camp that is not impressed at all with Clinton and the team she has around her, who seem not only arrogant, but possessing a queen fetish.
My conversations with someone I always considered an ally didn't help either. Evidently, Hotline was interested in the small business post I did last night and called Clinton's office to check it out. Someone in that office told Hotline that my story was inaccurate. Leaving aside some of the judgments I made in the piece that could be construed as subjective, there is nothing inaccurate about my piece. In fact, Peter Daou, someone whom I have been friendly with and have good relations with because he has been very forthcoming with me and even generous once, said in a conversation I had with him this morning that he didn't care about the criticisms in my post, but that I needed to make a correction about the ad buy part of my post. A correction of what? I asked. That went nowhere. Then he told me in a long explanation that I was included in the ad buy but the ad was rejected because my ad strips were full. Excuse me and with all due respect to Peter, because the ad buy was supposedly placed through someone else in the Clinton camp, but that just isn't credible. However, I am checking it out (see update below).
It's time to move on from this ad buy bs. However, I'm filing it under PROGRESSIVES BEWARE. Radio hosts, fuhghettaboutit.
Call the Clinton camp anytime for a clarification if you need one, I was told. Well, I've got a phone and they can reach out to me as well. But they won't. Ask Ed Schultz.
It's the Queen Bee syndrome. The people must go to Hillary's hive. Because she's not coming to us. Clinton's inevitability campaign has already gone to her head.More from Marsh:
Blog P.I., Peter Daou and More HRC Ad Buy BullMore on the incident that ticked Marsh off: "
Why do people like HRC, no matter how often it becomes clear that wingnuts hate us, seek approval from wingnuts?"
After the paycheck, Taylor Marsh resorts to swiftboating anyone who represents an obstacle to "Queen Bee" Hillary's "inevitability" campaign:
Ted Kennedy endorses Obama so what does Hillary hack Taylor Marsh do: Write a post about how JFK would have voted on Iraq
Taylor Marsh's despicable dishonesty in smearing Obama
Lying Clinton hack, Taylor Marsh, exposed by Las Vegas Sun
Taylor Marsh's own words contradict her current swiftboating lies
Taylor Marsh smears Obama, praises McCain's character