From The Road
October 29, 2008 1:28 PM

Palin Questions Obama's Support Of Israel

By
Scott Conroy
Topics
Sarah Palin
(CBS)
From CBS News' Scott Conroy:

(BOWLING GREEN, OHIO) Over the course of her two months on the campaign trail, Sarah Palin has accused Barack Obama of "palling around with a terrorist," wanting to "wave the white flag of surrender to the terrorists" and has suggested that he doesn't want to win the wars the United States is fighting. At a rally here this afternoon, she upped the ante even further by wondering aloud whether the Democratic nominee really supports Israel in the way he has repeatedly affirmed he does.

Palin's impetus was a story published in the Los Angeles Times in April about a 2003 banquet, in which the then Illinois state senator spoke about his friendship with Rashid Khalidi, a former PLO spokesman and current Columbia University professor, who has a history of espousing views on Israel that many consider incendiary.

"And the twist here is that there's a videotape of a party for this person, back in 2003, a celebration of him, and Barack was there, and we know some very derogatory things were said there about Israel and America's support for that great nation," Palin said. "And among other things, Israel was described there as the perpetrator of terrorism instead of the victim."

Palin then insinuated that Obama might not support Israel in the way he says he does.

"What we don't know is how Barack Obama responded to these slurs on a country that he now professes to support," Palin said.

Over the chorus of loud boos from the crowd, Palin pointed out that the Los Angeles Times has refused to release the videotape of the banquet, which was explained in detail in the story that the newspaper published over six months ago.

"Maybe some politicians would love to have a pet newspaper of their very own," she said. "In this case, we have a newspaper willing to throw aside even the public's right to know in order to protect a candidate that its own editorial board has endorsed."

Palin, who majored in journalism in college, went on to mock the LA Times and question its integrity.

"And if there's a Pulitzer Prize category for excelling in kowtowing, then the LA Times, you're winning," she said.

After the controversy first started brewing on Tuesday, the newspaper issued a statement about its decision not to release the tape to the public.

"The Los Angeles Times did not publish the videotape because it was provided to us by a confidential source who did so on the condition that we not release it," Russ Stanton, the paper's editor, said. "The Times keeps its promises to sources."

Clearly, Palin was not satisfied with the newspaper's explanation that it is ethically required not to release the tape.

"It's not too late, and if there is an ounce of credibility there, if the newspaper wants to keep that shred of credibility, let alone its dignity, than I say the public has a right to know," Palin said. "Let's go to the videotape, LA Times."

  • Scott Conroy

    Scott Conroy is a National Political Reporter for RealClearPolitics and a contributor for CBS News.

Add a Comment See all 36 Comments
by montezar October 31, 2008 1:44 AM EDT
Smoothstone, the US has sponsored state terrorism. The Taliban were funded by the US until May 2001, the Saudi''s are mates of Bush and co. and it was Saudi''s who blew up the world trade centre.

Bill Ayers is a national treasure who saved the lives of thousands of young Americans with his anti-war activities.

Will you little cretinous, racist *** get your facts straight instead of simply spewing out bile?
Reply to this comment
by montezar October 31, 2008 1:41 AM EDT
Nosocialism, registering voters is not fraud, how many times do you have to be told you imbecile.
Reply to this comment
by montezar October 31, 2008 1:40 AM EDT
Why do the CBS news report that Khalidi was a part of the PLO, he was anti-the PLO and Rice has been dealing with the head of the PLO all year.

What sort of ridiculous nonsense is this story being peddled now by this completely ignorant woman?

Rashidi is an American scholar, respected and known all over the world for his peace making with the Israeli''s.

Stupid, ignorant, vacuous clown of a woman.
Reply to this comment
by smoothstone5 October 30, 2008 3:43 PM EDT
PALINE AND McCain can''t win on their policies, because it''s the same as Bush.They have ran only on lies and extreme exaggerations.Paline and McCain have showed that they can bring division and fear.They have lost integrity,if they had any to start with.VOTE FOR TRUE INTEGRITY VOTE OBAMA!
Reply to this comment
by pubpub-2009 October 30, 2008 5:56 AM EDT
Rev. Wright said, "We have sponsored state terrorism against the Palestinians," calling the Israelis terrorists.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2FCJ7zWEQ

Obama''s church also published the Hamas Charter which calls for Israel to be wiped out.

His friend, Bill Ayers, dedicated a book to Sirhan Sirhan, the Palestinian that murdered Robert Kennedy.
http://www.zombietime.com/prairie_fire/

HIs friend ,Edward Said, was a Palestinian supporter than once attacked IDF soliders with rocks.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2049229/posts

And you can''t leave out Khalidi. It''s only a matter of time that we find the truth about the disgusting Khalid al-Mansour that Percy Sutton claimed funded Obama''s Harvard education. You can''t imagine how much al-Mansour hates white people and Jews.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s81P8T4UX40

In the meantime, the Palestinians have shot almost 2000 rockets on Sredot, Israel, attack Israelis with bulldozers and throw acid in IDF soldiers'' faces at checkpoints. Yes, those peaceful Palestinians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmSP_4L-ivI

Americans have gone completely nuts. What are the odds of having this many anti-American, anti-Isrealis surrounding you? I have lost all faith in the American people, media and individuals.
Reply to this comment
by jaybird248 October 30, 2008 12:11 AM EDT
Obama''s style is to let anyone around him say anything. Then when he''s gathered everyone''s viewpoint, he formulates his own, based on their info and his moral compass.
Khalidi, Wright, Ayers, anyone has no influence on him. He is, always has been, his own man. And once he gives his bond, as he has with Israel, you can take it to the bank.(or the government, these days.)

And by the way, let''s not hear about Israel from a member of a church that hosted Jews for Jesus and whose members think the Jews will be damned in the End of Days.
Reply to this comment
by intankinated October 29, 2008 10:11 PM EDT
So it''s a crime to criticize Israel? Diplomacy is a two-way street, as taught by Rashid Khalidi, professor of Arab Studies/Columbia University. This man serves on the National Advisory Committee of the U.S. Interreligious Committee for Peace in the Middle East, which describes itself as "a national organization of Jews, Christians and Muslims dedicated to dialogue, education and advocacy for peace based on the deepest teachings of the three religious traditions." ( "Sourcewatch". Center for Media and Democracy. Retrieved on 2008-10-28.)

Funny how diplomacy works in the Palim camp....fire first, ask questions later. Trigger-happy Palin told Amb. Sallai Meridor of Israel that Israel could fire the first shot at Iran and the US wouldn''t "second-guess them".
Might want to check with McCain on that, Sarah.
So Obama''s a terrorist by the old Republican campaign tactic of "guilt by association" theory. Same song, different day.

BTW...President Bush had dinner and solicited campaign funds from Sami Al-Arian and Hassan Al-Turabi back in 2000. They certainly weren''t Columbia professors. Both had known ties to bin-Laden and the PLO (Bush claims ignorance of that). Al-Arian met with Bush to question "secret evidence" being used against suspected accused terror cells in the US. Bush even debated Gore on the topic....so he took their money, got the Muslim vote in Florida, won the presidency, and they bombed us a year later. Good job with that, W.
Reply to this comment
by nosocialism1 October 29, 2008 8:42 PM EDT
Another Disturbing Unreported Barack Obama Association: a Terrorist Fundraiser

Politics | Wed, Oct 29, 2008 at 12:32:47 pm PDT

Back in April, we reported on a page at the Barack Obama website belonging to a fundraiser named Hatem Elhady, former chairman of the Hamas-linked Islamic charity %u201CKindhearts.%u201D One of the friends listed on Elhady%u2019s page was none other than Michelle Obama, and we have the screenshots to prove it. When this page was exposed at LGF, the Obama campaign first erased Michelle Obama%u2019s name from the page, then shortly afterward, the entire page disappeared.

I%u2019m reposting these LGF articles below, because they got virtually no attention at the time.

***

Another big Barack Obama supporter: Hatem El-Hady, former chairman of the Toledo-based Islamic charity Kindhearts, closed by the US government in 2006 for terrorist fundraising: Terrorist Fundraisers for Obama.

El-Hady has now devoted himself to raising money for Barack Obama; he has a page at the official Obama campaign web site, with three %u201Cfriends%u201D listed on it: %u201CRick,%u201D %u201CFatima from Toledo, Ohio,%u201D and ... Michelle Obama.

Note: when someone is listed as a %u201Cfriend,%u201D it means they specifically chose it. In other words, Michelle Obama%u2019s name isn%u2019t there because El-Hady put it there %u2014 it%u2019s there because she chose to be listed as his friend.
Reply to this comment
by nosocialism1 October 29, 2008 8:40 PM EDT
From a poster on The Confluence.

%u201CDid anyone already post the breaking news that a former ACORN employee testified in PA today, exposing rampant fraud, non-existent quality control, and on-going communications with the Obama campaign? The AP has picked the story up, and Frank Lund of the WSJ spent an extensive amount of time with her. He will be putting out an article asap. She was fired for using an ACORN credit card for expenses, so they will try to discredit her, but apparently it was powerful testimony and it could reveal that the Obama Campaign has been actively working with ACORN and lying about it.%u201D
Reply to this comment
by nosocialism1 October 29, 2008 8:37 PM EDT
From a poster on The Confluence.

%u201CDid anyone already post the breaking news that a former ACORN employee testified in PA today, exposing rampant fraud, non-existent quality control, and on-going communications with the Obama campaign? The AP has picked the story up, and Frank Lund of the WSJ spent an extensive amount of time with her. He will be putting out an article asap. She was fired for using an ACORN credit card for expenses, so they will try to discredit her, but apparently it was powerful testimony and it could reveal that the Obama Campaign has been actively working with ACORN and lying about it.%u201D
Reply to this comment
See all 36 Comments
.

Follow From The Road

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...