Monday, October 27, 2008
We're too busy covering Sarah Palin
Some of you may have read (that is, if you aren't just limited to major city newspapers) about a tape held by the LA Times of a 2003 bash where Barack Obama – he of the excellent temperament – was apparently singing the praises of Rashid Khalidi. A brief synopsis on the Columbia professor (as if that description alone doesn’t tell you there’s a good chance he’s no fiend of America):
“But when Columbia academic officials made this choice they knew they were getting a Palestinian political activist. From 1976 to 1982, Mr. Khalidi was a director in Beirut of the official Palestinian press agency, WAFA. Later he served on the PLO "guidance committee" at the Madrid peace conference….The message sent by Columbia University officials by this choice was that they were determined to honor the memory of Edward Said by continuing to have radical Palestinian activism on campus.” The New York Sun, February 4, 2005 as quoted by TalkLeft - the politics of crime
Gateway Pundit has been a lead blogger on the matter and Andy McCarthy over at NRO has a pretty good run-down on all of this.
Side Notes I: Andy McCarthy reminds us of the flap over Trent Lott’s comments about Strom Thurmond at a birthday bash in 2002. Anyone remember Mr. Lott’s defense at the time?
“The first run through about Lott's opinions about Strom Thurmond's 1948 candidacy?
"Having said that, you know, I see -- I was 7 years old when, you know, Strom first ran for president. I don't really remember anything about the campaign." Talking Points Memo
Side Notes II: Also, mentioned in that New York Sun article:
“A big farewell dinner was held in their honor by AAAN with a commemorative book filled with testimonials from their friends and political allies. These included the left wing anti-war group Not In My Name, the Electronic Intifada, and the ex-Weatherman domestic terrorists Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers. (There were also testimonials from then-state Senator Barack Obama and the mayor of Chicago.)”
I know, I know – he was only forty years old at the time…
(I couldn’t find the commemorative book on Amazon but if anyone has a lead on a copy...)
“But when Columbia academic officials made this choice they knew they were getting a Palestinian political activist. From 1976 to 1982, Mr. Khalidi was a director in Beirut of the official Palestinian press agency, WAFA. Later he served on the PLO "guidance committee" at the Madrid peace conference….The message sent by Columbia University officials by this choice was that they were determined to honor the memory of Edward Said by continuing to have radical Palestinian activism on campus.” The New York Sun, February 4, 2005 as quoted by TalkLeft - the politics of crime
Gateway Pundit has been a lead blogger on the matter and Andy McCarthy over at NRO has a pretty good run-down on all of this.
Side Notes I: Andy McCarthy reminds us of the flap over Trent Lott’s comments about Strom Thurmond at a birthday bash in 2002. Anyone remember Mr. Lott’s defense at the time?
“The first run through about Lott's opinions about Strom Thurmond's 1948 candidacy?
"Having said that, you know, I see -- I was 7 years old when, you know, Strom first ran for president. I don't really remember anything about the campaign." Talking Points Memo
Side Notes II: Also, mentioned in that New York Sun article:
“A big farewell dinner was held in their honor by AAAN with a commemorative book filled with testimonials from their friends and political allies. These included the left wing anti-war group Not In My Name, the Electronic Intifada, and the ex-Weatherman domestic terrorists Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers. (There were also testimonials from then-state Senator Barack Obama and the mayor of Chicago.)”
I know, I know – he was only forty years old at the time…
(I couldn’t find the commemorative book on Amazon but if anyone has a lead on a copy...)
