Va. GOP Chief Compares Obama To Bin Laden

Washington Post: Virginia Party Leader Criticized, Including By McCain Team

(Washingtonpost.com)  This story was written by Tim Craig.

---

The chairman of the Virginia Republican Party has compared Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama to Osama bin Laden because of the Illinois senator's past association with Bill Ayers, who has confessed to domestic bombings as a member of the Vietnam War-era Weather Underground.

Virginia Democrats, and some Republicans, are outraged, saying these are the latest in a series of inflammatory statements that the GOP has made against Obama in Virginia, a state that has emerged as a crucial battleground in the election.

According to a report in this week's Time magazine, the Virginia party chairman, Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick (R-Prince William), told Virginia volunteers working for GOP nominee John McCain that Obama and bin Laden "both have friends that bombed the Pentagon."

"That is scary," Frederick said while providing talking points to GOP volunteers in western Prince William County as they prepared for a door-to-door canvass.

Several McCain surrogates have blasted Obama for his association with Ayers, but few, if any, have invoked bin Laden.

Yesterday, Frederick said he stood by the comparison, even though bin Laden planned the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Pentagon that killed 184 people and Obama was a child and hadn't met Ayers when the Weather Underground planted a bomb at the Pentagon in 1972. No one was hurt in that blast, in which a bomb exploded in a restroom and caused flooding and damage to computer tapes containing classified information.

Ayers did not participate in the bombing at the Pentagon but admitted to involvement in other blasts. He is now a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and a community activist who lives in Obama's Chicago neighborhood. Obama has said they have had cursory interactions over the years, including serving on the same board.

Clark Stevens, an Obama spokesman, said Frederick's attack on Obama's relationship with Ayers "has been discredited and debunked time and again."

"The Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia, like so many McCain supporters," Stevens said, "would rather lie about Barack Obama than make the case to the American people why Senator McCain's plans of continuing Bush's policies for another four years would be good for American families."

Gail Gitcho, a McCain spokeswoman, also denounced Frederick's remarks, calling them "not appropriate."

"While Barack Obama is associated with domestic terrorist William Ayers, the McCain campaign disagrees with the comparison that Jeff Frederick made," Gitcho said.

It was the third time in a little more than a week that Gitcho repudiated something said or written by someone affiliated with McCain's Virginia leadership team. Last week, the head of the McCain campaign in Buchanan County in southwest Virginia was forced to resign after a column surfaced in which he made disparaging remarks about Obama, African Americans and gay people. Last weekend, the McCain campaign distanced itself from McCain's brother, Joe McCain, after he referred to Alexandria and Arlington County as "communist country."

Joe McCain apologized, saying he was trying to make a joke. But Frederick is not sorry.

"It is just the hard facts. It's terrible that it can be said, but it can," Frederick said. "It's shocking. Here is a guy who is one step away from the presidency, who is one step away from being commander in chief, who has a friend who bombed the Pentagon. It's just shocking to me." He added, "And there is no denying that Osama bin Laden had a role in bombing the Pentagon."

Ayers once hosted a gathering for Obama when the candidate first ran for the Illinois state Senate in 1995. The two also served together on a nonprofit board that distributed educational grants in the city.

Obama has denounced Ayers's actions in the 1960s and 1970s and describes him as "a guy who lives in my neighborhood."

The independent group PolitiFact.com has called the GOP attacks on Obama for serving on the same board as Ayers "malicious."

"It unfairly tars not just Obama, but all the other prominent, well-respected Chicagoans who also volunteered their time to the foundation," PolitiFact wrote.

James E. Hyland, chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Committee, said he thinks that the GOP efforts to link Obama to Ayers could backfire.

"I don't think the associations with Ayers is going to work in Fairfax," Hyland said. "What we are looking for up here is answers on the economy, experience and impact of [McCain's and Obama's] policies on the federal workforce."

But Frederick said he will continue to speak about Obama's ties to Ayers. "This man simply is not ready to lead," Frederick said of Obama.

Read more news on the campaign in Virginia from CBS News and around the Web.

[kansas1946]

I lived in Northern Virginia for 18 long years and I can tell you for certain that Prince Wiliam County is a haven for little right wing neo-nazis like this guy. The good news, though, is that they are becoming marginalized. I can''''t wait to see them licking their wounds in November when VA goes BLUE. That will hurt themmroe than anything.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by hatesthecolt at 10:44 AM : Oct 14, 2008
******************************
Yes, these fringe groups are being marginalized and it is a relief. Because of that marginalization, even the most radical wouldn''t wear their white sheet in public, and if the Republicans don''t wake up and smell the roses, it will socially unacceptable to admit to being a Republican in public.

[Confidential416]

McCain may have the guts to bring up Ayers, but apparently doesn''t have the good sense not to.
FACTCHECK:McCain says Obama "lied" about his association with William Ayers, a former bomb-setting, anti-war radical from the 1960s and ''70s. WE FIND MCcAINS CLAIMS TO BE GROUNDLESS. New details have recently come to light, but nothing Obama said previously has been shown to be false.

[hatesthecolt]

Yo floridamom31, take a valium. Much as I may think someone like you is not particularly safe with a gun given that incoherent rant you posted, no one''s going to take your Winchester... but nice try to get the gun nuts fired up.

[floridamom31]

OBVIOUSLY THE GUN CONTROL LAWS HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED IN CHICAGO...WHAT OBAMA AND HIS CRONIES HAVE DONE WITH THE STATE OF ILLINOIS IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE.
Pull out of Iraq !
Perhaps the U.S. should pull out of Chicago ?
Body count:
In the last six months:
292killed (murdered) in Chicago ;
221killed in Iraq .
Chicago.... Who Runs it:
Senators: Barack Obama & *** Durbin
Rep: Jesse Jackson Jr.,
Illinois Gov: Rod Blogojevich,
Illinois House leader Mike Madigan,
Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan (daughter of Mike),
Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley (son of Mayor Richard J. Daley)
.....our leadership in Illinois .....all Democrats.
Thank you for the combat zone in Chicago .
Of course, they''re all blaming each other!
Can''t blame Republicans; they''re aren''t any!
State pension fund $44 Billion in debt, worst in country.
Cook County ( Chicago ) sales tax 10.25%highest in country. (Look ''em up if you want).
Chicago school system rated one of the worst in the country.
This is the political culture that Obama comes from in Illinois . And he''s gonna''fix'' Washington politics for us!
Wake Up America !

[hatesthecolt]

The white robes are illegal now. They can not hide like cowards, but once in a while one will spew out uncontrollably.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by Oldguy4truth


I lived in Northern Virginia for 18 long years and I can tell you for certain that Prince Wiliam County is a haven for little right wing neo-nazis like this guy. The good news, though, is that they are becoming marginalized. I can''t wait to see them licking their wounds in November when VA goes BLUE. That will hurt themmroe than anything.

[drevelyn]

Obama is a Man of Great Character and would not behave like the short list of Republicans listed below! ~~~~

2007 Report ~ Corrupted Republican Elected Officials (just a few) ~~ That seems like an awful lot of corruption, scandal, hypocrisy, impropriety, and jail-worthy crimes. One might say an entire %u201CCulture of Corruption%u201D. ~~ February 16, 2007: Major Republican donor Abdul Tawala Ibn Ali Alishtari, aka Michael Mixon, is indicted in federal court on charges of providing material support to terrorists.~~ April 18, 2007: The FBI raids the home of Republican Congressman John Doolittle, investigating his ties to Jack Abramoff ~~~ April 23, 2007: The FBI questions Republican Congressman Tom Feeney about his dealings with Jack Abramoff ~~ Election Violations: April 23, 2007: Federal auditors find repeat violations of federal election law from the 2004 Senate campaign of Republican Senator Mel Martinez ~~ Election Fraud: May 11, 2007: A field coordinator for Republican Congressman Patrick McHenry is indicted for voter fraud in North Carolina ~~~~ Election Fraud: May 21, 2007: Republican state Senate candidate Mark Tate is indicted on nine counts of perjury and two counts of election fraud by a grand jury ~~ McCain Friends:July 11, 2007: Republican state Representative and Florida co-Chairman of McCain for President Bob Allen is arrested for soliciting a male undercover police officer, offering to pay $20 to perform oral ***

[oldguy4truth]

Why dont all you repubs just put on your white robes and admit what you are??? RACIST; if your going to be one and spread lies and hate, why are you ashamed to admit it???

The white robes are illegal now. They can not hide like cowards, but once in a while one will spew out uncontrollably.

A desperate remark for desperate times. McCain is having to spend time in Virginia and North Carolina instead of battleground states. This is just a bleep on the radar on how far republicans have fallen.

[abbe91]

"It''''s not how you win. A win is a win. We need Virginia to secure victory, we can apologize later.
Posted by repub4you001 at 10:19 PM : Oct 13, 2008"

They agree with you at Diebold.

See also:

http://archives.cnn.com/2000/ALLPOLITICS/stories/04/19/mccain.sc/

COLUMBIA, South Carolina (CNN) -- Former GOP presidential candidate John McCain called for the removal of the Confederate battle flag from atop the South Carolina Statehouse on Wednesday, acknowledging that his refusal to take such a stance during his primary battle for the Palmetto State was a "sacrifice of principle for personal ambition."

[lottobee]

The way everyone is talking these days --- seems to me they just want to skip the election altogether and just install the Messiah in the White House based on the polls. He''s the phoniest piece of work and everyone falls for his line of BS. He''s a copycat and just today stole one of McCain''s ideas for the economy. And when he utters that idea everyone falls to their knees and worships the genius Messiah. Give me a break!!!! You''re probably the same gullible fools who voted for GW Bush and here we go again. You really believe all the promises of tax cuts you''re hearing from Obama -- and that''s why you''re going to elect him??? Well, here this --- the money isn''t there for all those tax cuts. Only an idiot would believe there''s money for that. This country will have to borrow money in order to provide more tax cuts. This nation is in dire straits and the last thing we need is a phony in the White House. But it looks as though that''s what we''re going to get. I bet that if you took a survey of all the fools who voted for GW Bush in 2000 and 2004 --- you''d find a huge majority of Obama voters. They fall for the new guy with the promises every time.

[toolmangler-2009]

So I say, continue the attacks.People are buying it so why not?
Posted by repub4you001 at 10:22 PM : Oct 13, 2008



Then that makes you as big a liar as as there is. You say you are willing to tell a lie even when you know different.

[hrsmith3]

I don''t condone remarks such as the one above; however, no one can deny the history of bad choices Obama has made in his associations and his lack of candor in addressing the associations and releasing revelant information about his past. First, there''s Bill Ayers and his wife; then, we have Rev. Wright and Father Flager; then, we have the radical Kenyan politician who has slaughtered non-Muslim opponents in the country; then, we have Tony Rezco and the Chicago political machine; then, we have Obama''s two Pakistian roommates at Occidental College in CA, and finally, his associations with PLO representatives. One too many poor choices to suit me! Obama has virtually no experience, and we have been asked to look at his judgements - My conclusion is that they are poor, very poor!

[repub4you001]

The only feelings we''re going to hurt are Obama and the Democrats. So I say, continue the attacks.People are buying it so why not?

[repub4you001]

With the elections just around the corner and Virginia being a battleground state I must say I agree with the GOP chief. It''s not how you win. A win is a win. We need Virginia to secure victory, we can apologize later.

[bm6005]

*******BREAKING NEWS *******
Clinics will be opening soon for all GOP Sect members who are thinking of doing the best thing for their country,...Call (GOP)PRE-JUMP ,..counseling available to all GOP sect members who are considering suicide on Nov. 5,..discounts available for ''''''''Early Jumpers''''''''
''''''''''''''''GOP Bridge Jumpers Inc.'''''''''''''''' will be opening branches near trailer parks across our country,..The South will have the most,..with extra posts opening near NASCAR tracks,........Stay tuned for details,.....
Posted by TrueBlueUSA

Noooooooo. Whatever you do don''t stop them, it''s like putting chlorine in their limited gene pool!

[Robert4229]

I read this article in disgust. As a lifelong Republican who switched to the Democratic party in 2004, I must question the true patriotism of John McCain. When Karl Rove and other White House officials leaked the name of undercover operative Valerie Plame (Wilson), I was hoping that McCain and other Republican patriots would come the the U.S. intelligence community''s aid. He didn''t, where as other Republicans did. Please view my Blog and scroll down to read the thoughts I wrote on the Plame affair- http://declassifiedsecrets.blogspot.com/ I would enjoy hearing your thoughts on the matter. Robert61

[stevex47]

Nutjobs are funny. Funny how not one of them has an issue with the boosh''s having 50 years of intimate history with the bin ladens.

How convenient their loss of memory, or hypocrisy.

[mcfinished]

Logansprings at 08:26 PM : Oct 13, 2008 wrote:

"But, like Barack Obama, Bill Ayers also seems to want to have it both ways, taking responsibility for daring acts in his youth, then deflecting it."

Are you so stupid that you believe that Obama, as an 8 year old kid not even living in Washington, was involved with Ayers?

Could you really be that stupid?

You Republicans really are pathetic.

McCain actually was involved in the leadership of an anti-communist, pro-nazi, anti-semitic group of Hitler worshipping morons called The U.S. Council for World Freedom.

McCain helped raise money to fund "death squads" that murdered tens of thousands of innocent people.

If you want to talk about terrorism - McCain''s name is right up there.

And then we have McCain''s friend, G Gordon Liddy, who stated on his radio show that if ATF officers come to your house, you should shoot them in the head, because they wore body armor.

Years later, McCain said that he was proud of him.

[dbaecht]

By the way, Bill Ayers did just a bit more than drop firecrackers in a toilet.

"But, like Barack Obama, Bill Ayers also seems to want to have it both ways, taking responsibility for daring acts in his youth, then deflecting it.

But, let''''''''s close this post with another Bill Ayers quote:

"Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents, that''''''''s where it''''''''s really at."

"Change we can believe in..."
Posted by Logansprings at 08:26 PM : Oct 13, 2008"

All you republithugs want to condem Obama because he was in close proximity to Ayres.
What is your relationship to christian domestic terrorist that bomb women''''s clinics and kill innocent people. Thats right your all repugs and christians, so you are pallin around with terrorist also.

[dbaecht]

By the way, Bill Ayers did just a bit more than drop firecrackers in a toilet.

"But, like Barack Obama, Bill Ayers also seems to want to have it both ways, taking responsibility for daring acts in his youth, then deflecting it.

But, let''''s close this post with another Bill Ayers quote:

"Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents, that''''s where it''''s really at."

"Change we can believe in..." "

All you republithugs want to condem Obama because he was in close proximity to Ayres.
What is your relationship to christian domestic terrorist that bomb women''s clinics and kill innocent people. Thats right your all repugs and christians, so you are pallin around with terrorist also.

Posted by Logansprings at 08:26 PM : Oct 13, 2008