The Khalidi Interview

[texaspackerbacker]

Nobody tells good Jew jokes like a good Jew.

Unfortunately, I doubt many good Jews were there for that tribute to Khalidi--just BHO and a few close friends--a lot of Muslims and other terrorists (William Ayres and Bernadette Dorn were there too).

[packinpatland]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/29/is-columbia-professor-khalidi-a-political-ally-of-barack-obama/

The Statement: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, speaking on Oct. 29 in Bowling Green, Ohio, said Barack Obama "spent a lot of time with" Rashid Khalidi. "Rashid Khalidi, he, in addition to being a political ally of Barack Obama, he's a former spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization," she said.

Get the facts!


The Facts: Rashid Khalidi is a scholar at Columbia University in New York, where he is director of the Middle East Institute.

His university profile says he specializes in the "history of Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt; the growth of nation-state; nationalism in the Arab World; problems of modern Middle East historiography and and an expert on Palestinian issues."

He has authored scholarly works on Palestinian issues, has been an activist for Palestinian causes, and has been a critic of U.S. foreign policy toward Israel.

In a 2004 Washington Times story, he denied ever being a spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Sen. Obama, on his Web site, described Khalidi as "a former neighbor and university colleague." But their relationship has sparked questions about Obama's stance on Israel and what Obama calls "ugly insinuations." Obama has said he has been a "clear and consistent" supporter of Israel and doesn't share Khalidi's views.

ABC News on May 22 aired comments Obama made at a Boca Raton, Florida, synagogue, where Obama faced questions from Jewish voters and addressed the issue. He said he knew Khalidi and had conversations with him in Chicago, where both men taught at the University of Chicago. And, he said, their children went to the same school.

"He is not one of my advisers; he's not one of my foreign policy people," Obama said. "He is a respected scholar, although he vehemently disagrees with a lot of Israel's policy."

"To pluck out one person who I know and who I've had a conversation with who has very different views than 900 of my friends and then to suggest that somehow that shows that maybe I'm not sufficiently pro-Israel, I think, is a very problematic stand to take," Obama said. "So we gotta be careful about guilt by association."

An April 10 Los Angeles Times story that explored the Khalidi-Obama relationship said Khalidi and his wife lived near the Obamas in Chicago and "the families became friends and dinner companions."

"In 2000, the Khalidis held a fund-raiser for Obama's unsuccessful congressional bid. The next year, a social service group whose board was headed by Mona Khalidi (Khalidi's wife), received a $40,000 grant from a local charity, the Woods Fund of Chicago, when Obama served on the fund's board of directors. At Khalidi's going-away party in 2003, the scholar lavished praise on Obama, telling the mostly Palestinian-American crowd that the state senator deserved their help in winning a U.S. Senate seat," the Times reported.

When asked about these details, the Obama campaign pointed to the May 22 comments aired by ABC News. Khalidi, asked by CNN to respond to Palin's assertions, declined to comment.

In a New York Daily News story published March 6, 2007, Khalidi said he hosted the fund-raiser because he had been friends with Obama in Chicago. "He never came to us and said he would do anything in terms of Palestinians," Khalidi is quoted as saying.

The Los Angeles Times report said, "though Khalidi has seen little of Sen. Obama in recent years, Michelle Obama attended a party several months ago celebrating the marriage of the Khalidis' daughter."

The Verdict: Misleading. While Khalidi eight years ago hosted a political fund-raiser for Obama, the two men strongly disagree over the Israeli-Palestinian issue and there's no evidence of a continuing political relationship.

[MJZiggy]

Nope, Tex, no negative campaigning here...Hell, it isn't even true and the McCain campaign is pushing it. I can so see why he bought some TV time.

[HowardRoark]

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/29/is-columbia-professor-khalidi-a-political-ally-of-barack-obama/

The Statement: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, speaking on Oct. 29 in Bowling Green, Ohio, said Barack Obama "spent a lot of time with" Rashid Khalidi. "Rashid Khalidi, he, in addition to being a political ally of Barack Obama, he's a former spokesperson for the Palestinian Liberation Organization," she said.

Get the facts!


The Facts: Rashid Khalidi is a scholar at Columbia University in New York, where he is director of the Middle East Institute.

His university profile says he specializes in the "history of Syria, Palestine, Lebanon and Egypt; the growth of nation-state; nationalism in the Arab World; problems of modern Middle East historiography and and an expert on Palestinian issues."

He has authored scholarly works on Palestinian issues, has been an activist for Palestinian causes, and has been a critic of U.S. foreign policy toward Israel.

In a 2004 Washington Times story, he denied ever being a spokesman for the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Sen. Obama, on his Web site, described Khalidi as "a former neighbor and university colleague." But their relationship has sparked questions about Obama's stance on Israel and what Obama calls "ugly insinuations." Obama has said he has been a "clear and consistent" supporter of Israel and doesn't share Khalidi's views.

ABC News on May 22 aired comments Obama made at a Boca Raton, Florida, synagogue, where Obama faced questions from Jewish voters and addressed the issue. He said he knew Khalidi and had conversations with him in Chicago, where both men taught at the University of Chicago. And, he said, their children went to the same school.

"He is not one of my advisers; he's not one of my foreign policy people," Obama said. "He is a respected scholar, although he vehemently disagrees with a lot of Israel's policy."

"To pluck out one person who I know and who I've had a conversation with who has very different views than 900 of my friends and then to suggest that somehow that shows that maybe I'm not sufficiently pro-Israel, I think, is a very problematic stand to take," Obama said. "So we gotta be careful about guilt by association."

An April 10 Los Angeles Times story that explored the Khalidi-Obama relationship said Khalidi and his wife lived near the Obamas in Chicago and "the families became friends and dinner companions."

"In 2000, the Khalidis held a fund-raiser for Obama's unsuccessful congressional bid. The next year, a social service group whose board was headed by Mona Khalidi (Khalidi's wife), received a $40,000 grant from a local charity, the Woods Fund of Chicago, when Obama served on the fund's board of directors. At Khalidi's going-away party in 2003, the scholar lavished praise on Obama, telling the mostly Palestinian-American crowd that the state senator deserved their help in winning a U.S. Senate seat," the Times reported.

When asked about these details, the Obama campaign pointed to the May 22 comments aired by ABC News. Khalidi, asked by CNN to respond to Palin's assertions, declined to comment.

In a New York Daily News story published March 6, 2007, Khalidi said he hosted the fund-raiser because he had been friends with Obama in Chicago. "He never came to us and said he would do anything in terms of Palestinians," Khalidi is quoted as saying.

The Los Angeles Times report said, "though Khalidi has seen little of Sen. Obama in recent years, Michelle Obama attended a party several months ago celebrating the marriage of the Khalidis' daughter."

The Verdict: Misleading. While Khalidi eight years ago hosted a political fund-raiser for Obama, the two men strongly disagree over the Israeli-Palestinian issue and there's no evidence of a continuing political relationship.

Excellent!! Then let's see the tape.

[Bossman641]

Nope, Tex, no negative campaigning here...Hell, it isn't even true and the McCain campaign is pushing it. I can so see why he bought some TV time.

It's not true because they say so??

[MJZiggy]

Ok, I'll play. Show me any actual evidence of a lasting political relationship or any quote from Obama that indicates his agreement with the man's position. For all I know they made up any kind of association at all and just named him because they happened to work at the same university.

[HowardRoark]

Ok, I'll play. Show me any actual evidence of a lasting political relationship or any quote from Obama that indicates his agreement with the man's position. For all I know they made up any kind of association at all and just named him because they happened to work at the same university.

Excellent!! Then let's see the tape.

[MJZiggy]

There is no tape.

[texaspackerbacker]

Nope, Tex, no negative campaigning here...Hell, it isn't even true and the McCain campaign is pushing it. I can so see why he bought some TV time.

Are you implying that Obama put on his half hour extravaganza to counter the discussion of this tape and his involvement with Khalidi? That would be kind of incredible, considering that the Khalidi thing only surfaced a day or two ago, and they were promoting the Obama thing at least a week ago.

What is it you're saying isn't true? The idea of Obama being likeminded with terrorists, anti-Semites, and America-haters? Or merely the fact that he has a long history of associating with scum like that?

I would concede that the mere association and comfort level he has with that kind of trash is not directly relevant to his performance as president. However, Obama's RECORD of votes and of public statements is extremely relevant. And that RECORD says he is a very high risk to ruin America as we know it in any number of ways--terrorist hits at the top of the list, but also trying to tear down our free enterprise capitalist economy, and appointing activist judges who will try to further destroy the basic culture and Judeo-Christian values and heritage of America.

Thus, ANYTHING, including exposing Obama's left wing extremist past, that contributes to defeating the bastard becomes very relevant--for the survival of our way of life.

[HowardRoark]

Obama's RECORD of votes ....

PRESENT!!!!!!

[HowardRoark]

There is no tape.

SSshhhhh......

[packinpatland]

"and appointing activist judges who will try to further destroy the basic culture and Judeo-Christian values and heritage of America. "

I didn't know that having Judeo-Christian values was a requirment to citizenship.

"Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.

"Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!" cries she
with silent lips. "Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!""

[MJZiggy]

Nope, Tex, no negative campaigning here...Hell, it isn't even true and the McCain campaign is pushing it. I can so see why he bought some TV time.

Are you implying that Obama put on his half hour extravaganza to counter the discussion of this tape and his involvement with Khalidi? That would be kind of incredible, considering that the Khalidi thing only surfaced a day or two ago, and they were promoting the Obama thing at least a week ago.

What is it you're saying isn't true? The idea of Obama being likeminded with terrorists, anti-Semites, and America-haters? Or merely the fact that he has a long history of associating with scum like that?

I would concede that the mere association and comfort level he has with that kind of trash is not directly relevant to his performance as president. However, Obama's RECORD of votes and of public statement is extremely relevant. And that RECORD says he is a very high risk to ruin America as we know it in any number of ways--terrorist hits at the top of the list, but trying to tear down our free enterprise capitalist economy, and appointing activist judges who will try to further destroy the basic culture and Judeo-Christian values and heritage of America.

Thus, ANYTHING, including exposing Obama's left wing extremist past, that contributes to defeating the bastard becomes very relevant--for the survival of our way of life.

Obama's votes are relevant, but why have McCain ads referred to him (like half this forum does) as Hussein? Do we even know McCain's middle name? Wait, right. It can't be used in an attempt to bias the public and make the untrue insinuation that he's Muslim.

I know that you fear a terrorist strike above all, but have you ever thought that the people you fear might be (especially after this campaign) to identify and listen to Obama than some old fart white guy? Obama's said over and over that his main focus overseas is to secure nuclear materials. I haven't heard any such suggestion out of McCain. Instead of telling me what his focus is, he says Obama would talk to Iran without preconditions. So? Talking is better than demanding and not talking--see Cuba and see how far we got with them.

Find me a McCain ad that doesn't attack. Much of it attacking with insinuation and half truths. If I were him and had the money, I'd buy a chance to clear the record too.

By the way, congratulations to Sarah on having the Anchorage newspaper endorse Obama. Way to win over your own state. Yes, I know. I've already told you I don't like that woman.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Conservatives...please address this point from a Ben Smith blog (the same blog that Drudge linked yesterday to "break" the Khalidi story):

"I emailed Rahid Khalidi earlier about McCain's suggestion that going to his going-away party was like attending a neo-Nazi event, and he emailed back just now that while he's not talking to the press himself, Harpers writer Scott Horton had today rebutted "a few of the stupider and more outrageous things said about me."

He referred me to Horton's defense
http://harpers.org/archive/2008/10/hbc-90003779.

Horton goes after Khalidi's National Review critics, whom McCain is following, on several specific points -- that he was a PLO spokesman, founder of a Chicago social service group, or Obama child babysitter -- and concludes:

Rashid Khalidi is an American academic of extraordinary ability and sharp insights. He is also deeply committed to stemming violence in the Middle East, promoting a culture that embraces human rights as a fundamental notion, and building democratic societies. In a sense, Khalidi’s formula for solving the Middle East crisis has not been radically different from George W. Bush’s: both believe in American values and approaches. However, whereas Bush believes these values can be introduced in the wake of bombs and at the barrel of a gun, Khalidi disagrees. He sees education and civic activism as the path to success, and he argues that pervasive military interventionism has historically undermined the Middle East and will continue to do so. Khalidi has also been one of the most articulate critics of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority—calling them repeatedly on their anti-democratic tendencies and their betrayals of their own principles. Khalidi is also a Palestinian American. There is no doubt in my mind that it is solely that last fact that informs McCarthy’s ignorant and malicious rants.

Of course, Khalidi has been involved in Palestinian causes. McCarthy ought to ask John McCain about that, because McCain and Khalidi appear to have some joint interests, and that fact speaks very well of both of them. Indeed, the McCain–Khalidi connections are more substantial than the phony Obama–Khalidi connections McCarthy gussies up for his article. The Republican party’s congressionally funded international-networking organization, the International Republican Institute–long and ably chaired by John McCain and headed by McCain’s close friend, the capable Lorne Craner–has taken an interest in West Bank matters. IRI funded an ambitious project, called the Palestine Center, that Khalidi helped to support. Khalidi served on the Center’s board of directors. The goal of that project, shared by Khalidi and McCain, was the promotion of civic consciousness and engagement and the development of democratic values in the West Bank. Of course, McCarthy is not interested in looking too closely into the facts, because they would not serve his shrill partisan objectives.

I have a suggestion for Andy McCarthy and his Hyde Park project. If he really digs down deep enough, he will come up with a Hyde Park figure who stood in constant close contact with Barack Obama and who, unlike Ayers and Khalidi, really did influence Obama’s thinking about law, government, and policy. He is to my way of thinking a genuine radical. His name is Richard Posner, and he appears to be the most frequently and positively cited judge and legal academic in… National Review.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Obama's RECORD of votes ....

PRESENT!!!!!!

A person of intelligence should understand what present means.