This item has been corrected. Obama sat with Ayers on the board of the Annenberg Challenge not on the board of the Annenberg Foundation as previously stated. The Annenberg Challenge is funded by the Annenberg Foundation.
One of the oddest aspects of last night's debate was the lack of any reference to Bill Ayers. If Obama's work alongside Ayers on an education project makes him as "dangerous" as the McCain campaign has been arguing, doesn't that mean McCain himself is obligated to inform the American people of this danger?
Since it's an empty, cynical ploy, no. But soon after sending out a press release from a man whose home was firebombed by Ayers' former group, the Weather Underground, the campaign sent out another press release with a list of endorsements. Unfortunately, the list included the name of Leonore Annenberg, the widow of Walter Annenberg, a former Ambassador appointed by Ronald Reagan and head of the Annenberg Foundation, which funded the Annenberg Challenge, on whose board Barack Obama sat with Ayers.
By his campaign's own metric, McCain is touting the endorsement of someone whose husband "associated with terrorists." Why is McCain "palling around" with Leonore Annenberg? Or maybe this whole thing is stupid and merely knowing someone doesn't mean you approve of their entire life and behavior. But that would be silly, wouldn't it? I mean, then I'd have to assume that John McCain shares the beliefs of white nationalist Richard Quinn.
--A. Serwer
