Palin questions Obama's ignorance of Ayers

Miami Herald:

Where else would you send the nation's most famous hockey mom to kneecap a Democratic rival, but a jam-packed ice rink in the Republican stronghold of Southwest Florida?

In a two-day tour aimed at stalling Democratic nominee Barack Obama's momentum in a pivotal state, Republican vice presidential contender Sarah Palin stepped up her attacks by portraying him as a left-wing zealot who got his start in politics with the help of a violent Vietnam War protester.

''Wait a minute, he didn't know that he had launched his political career in the living room of a domestic terrorist?'' Palin asked, referring to the Obama campaign's claim that he did not know of William Ayers' radical activities when he was a state senate candidate in 1995.

Addressing a raucous crowd of about 8,000 people, Palin added: ``This is about the truthfulness and judgment needed in our next president.''

...

During rallies at a Clearwater park and the Germain Arena in Estero, Palin seized on remarks made by Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod. He said Obama was unaware of Ayers' radical past when, as a state senate candidate, he attended a gathering at Ayers' home in 1995.

Ayers, who teaches education at the University of Illinois, has also crossed paths with Obama at meetings of an educational nonprofit and a charitable board in Chicago. But they are not close friends, according to published accounts, and Obama has assailed the violence that Ayers helped orchestrate at federal buildings in the 1960s as ``detestable.''

...

OK reporters here is your assignment for Tuesday. Ask the Obama campaign if Obama ever told Ayers that his prior conduct was "detestable." My speculation is that he did not, otherwise he would not have been invited into Ayers' living room to launch Obama's campaign.

Axelrod's suggestion that Obama was unaware of Ayers background doe snot pass the giggle test. It was often in the Chicago media and specifically mentioned in connection with the 96 Democrat convention in Chicago.

This sounds suspiciously like Obama may be the most unaware person in Chicago.

He had not idea that his minister of 20 years was a hate filled bigot and and had no idea that a man he served with in giving away other peoples money was an unrepentent terrorist. Can we really afford to trust someone who makes such poor judgments about his closest associates picking cabinet members and making judical appointments?