Smells like Republican Desperation
A fellow classmate marched into class today and shouted “Did you hear about Obama and the LA Times?”
Being part of the Elections class that is following his and McCain’s campaign, I was immediately interested. What had happened with Obama now?
My classmate, a staunch Republican (and pretty anti-Obama), said that it was reported that Obama was praising a known terrorist, and how can we (the rest of the class) be voting for a candidate that pals around with terrorists? She claimed she lost sleep over this “horrendous and shocking” news, and sitting there listening to my fellow journalism student—who, like me, is taught to fact check and double fact check—I was shocked. There had to be more to it than what she said.
Lo and behold, there was. Thanks, Google.
According to FOX NEWS (!!), the LA Times had video footage of Barack Obama “praising a terrorist.” That’s what the headline, subhed, and lead tell you.
Read the details and you’ll find that what REALLY happened was that Obama was recently at a farewell dinner for a respected Chicago professor. A FAREWELL DINNER. Obama gave a toast.
Personally, if someone came to my farewell dinner and DIDN’T praise me, I’d be…a little put out. And then get with the attitude and be like “If you’re not gonna join in on the Meha-praise, well, you can just LEAVE.”
This Chicago professor, according to the article, was an “alleged” mouthpiece for the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Now, the PLO is considered a “terrorist organization” ONLY by (and correct me PLEASE if I’m wrong) the USA and Israel. As far as the other rest-of-the-world United Nations members, they consider the PLO to be the voice and representation of the Palestinian people.
BTW—he was only the “alleged” mouthpiece back in the 70’s or 80’s.
What does this mean?
It means that a guy who may or may not have been a spokesperson 30-something years ago for what most of the world considers a legitimate organization is now a respected Chicago professor who had a farewell dinner that Barack Obama happened to give a toast at.
And so the headlines read: “Obama praises terrorist”
And my classmate will forever wear a smug smile and insist that Obama “pals” around with murderers.
All the ways the right wing have tried to connect Obama to persons of questionable morals have been so far-fetched and desperate, I actually kind of wish they had more legitimate ammunition. They need to regain their dignity.
3 years ago