UPDATED ON:
Sunday, October 05, 2008
08:46 Mecca time, 05:46 GMT
 
News Americas
Palin says Obama has terrorist ties

Obama has described Palin's accusation
as "desperate and false" [AFP]


The war of words between rival White House camps has escalated with Sarah Palin, the Republican vice- presidential candidate, accusing Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama of "palling around with terrorists".

 

The comment by Palin, whose running mate, John McCain, is battling Obama in the November 4 presidential election, was dismissed by the Obama campaign as "gutter politics" and came shortly after the McCain campaign called the US senator from Illinois a liar.

With polls showing McCain trailing Obama in many battleground states, including several won by Republicans in the 2004 election, Palin said: "There is a time when it's necessary to take the gloves off and that time is right now."

Palin speak

 

Speaking on Saturday at a fundraising event in Englewood, Colorado, Palin told supporters Obama "is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect that he's palling around with terrorists who would target their own country."

  

In focus

In-depth coverage of the US presidential election

She was referring to William Ayers, a member of the radical 1960s group, the Weathermen, who supported Obama's first run for public office in 1995. Members of the group had been accused of placing bombs at the Pentagon and the Capitol.

  

The Obama campaign described Palin's guilt-by-association attack as "desperate and false".

  

"Governor Palin's comments, while offensive, are not surprising, given the McCain campaign's statement this morning that they would be launching Swift boat-like attacks in hopes of deflecting attention from the nation's economic ills," Obama spokesman Hari Sevugan said.

 

Health care

  

The Illinois senator, meanwhile, said that McCain's healthcare plan was "radical."

 

"He taxes health care benefits for the first time in history; millions lose the health care they have; millions pay more for the health care they get; drug and insurance companies continue to make exorbitant profits; and middle-class families watch the system they rely on begin to unravel before their eyes," Obama said.

      

Addressing a rally of 18,000 people next to Virginia's naval shipbuilding yards, Obama noted that McCain proposed to give families a tax credit of $5,000 towards paying for rocketing health care costs.

  

"But like those ads for prescription drugs, you got to read the fine print to learn the rest of the story, to find out the side-effects," Obama, who is proposing subsidies and tax breaks to bring in near-universal health care, said.

  

McCain insists his health care plan would generate more competition and drive down costs, and that Obama's plan would deprive voters of their choice of doctor by creating a "vast new bureaucracy" run by the government.

 Source: Agencies
Feedback Number of comments : 70
 
Bigmel1981
Malaysia
05/10/2008
Palin says Obama has terrorist ties
They are all liars trying to lead us down a blind alley again.

Robert Shule
United States
05/10/2008
Mrs. Paulin
Mrs. Paulin is ridiculous. So, anyone who does not share her one narrow-minded view is unpatriotic, and certainly a terrorist to the notions in her mind. I suppose she is reaching out to those other small minds who are about to vote. Bless her heart. Hopefully one day she will find the help she really needs, and can discover that there is more to America beyond what her brain now holds.

Joe
Australia
05/10/2008
Playing on peoples fears
Once again we find desperate politicians playing on peoples fears in order to gain their vote. Its a shame that scaremongering does actual influence small minded people's decision at the time to cast their vote.

Kyon
Japan
05/10/2008
Ignorance is not a sin but...
I feel so scandalized at her words. Indeed I had thought that she would never be a good vice-president, but a good domestic governor. However, this speech proved that she nothing know about what her word would meant. The most fearful thing is that she seems not to be ashamed of her ignorance. She should be stay in her post, never climbing to the international career.

Cimber Pete
United States
05/10/2008
Palin and her ridiculous claim
The sad part is that when something like this happens, the McCain/Palin supporters start e-mail campaigns echoing the lies e-mails which ten get forwarded and re-forwarded to millions. Also, members of some of the discussion groups I monitor jump on board and write messages shouting how terrible the subject of the claim is. Sad.

jemsos
Ethiopia
05/10/2008
Palin Obama a terrorist ties
This is ignorance and small mindedness, how can smallminded person rule the Great America?

Malaysia4Peace
Malaysia
05/10/2008
One needs 1000 lies to counter a TRUTH
Where did the last pack of lies had led US and her allies to? Senseless war in Iraq, Unwinnable conflicts in Afghanistan & Pakistan... Another lie? They had also used the white powder, to evoke fears to voters during the last presidential election, and blame it on AlQaeda. Dont they ever learn, what kids were always told... it is sinful to tell a lie. And to frame somebody? Yr sins r worst than a rapist.

Edward
United States
05/10/2008
But she is right
What all you commentors fail to acknowledge is that she is correct. Ayers is an unrepentant terroist and close friend of Obama. There is no way to deny that.

Cliff
United States
05/10/2008
McCain has surrendered
Nobody except committed McCain supporters would take this seriously. So why did the McCain campaign raise it? They must be worried about their "base". When you're seven points behind in the polls, and having to shore up your base, you might as well throw in the towel. It's a big, bright white flag.

Stephen Smoliar
United States
05/10/2008
Kyons feedback
Ignorance may not be a sin, but demagoguery ought to be! The best way to fight distortion is with clarification. Since this takes more than 500 characters, I refer readers to http://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2008/10/palin-channels-joseph-mccarthy.html

MW
United Kingdom
05/10/2008
American election
It's quite obvious somebody's not telling the truth. Unfortunately, once an unprovable untruth is trumpeted, it never goes back into hiding but can be dragged up for ever. Gov Mrs Palin must be careful with her words - she's not been in "the business" more than 6 weeks yet. Too soon to be trying to destroy an opponent by grave misinformed allegations

Joe
United States
05/10/2008
Palin says Obama has terrorist ties
See, heres the deal.....Republicans only strategy is to invoke fear, fear is there friend, fear is there ally, fear is there religion. If you look at the political spectrum you will see that the Republican party is on the same wing as the NAZI party, so fear is the best wepon to create confusion and panic. There tools are Hate, fear, panic and fascism! Oh yeah and lieing

abdirahim
Afghanistan
05/10/2008
ow really
is that how low the republicans can go this just makes me lough. is McCain that desperate, he obviously cant stand a black man stealing his lead. really funny.

Raymond Reeve
United Kingdom
05/10/2008
Palin has Terrorist Ties
Balance of opinion here is that she lacks breadth and depth required for a bigger than own State presence . Increasingly Mc Cain and his advisers appear to have made a great error of judgement . We now see a possible Obama landslide .

David Vickery
Canada
05/10/2008
The word "terrorist".....
The words "terrorist" and "terrorism" have been used solely to inject fear into ignorant minds. Politicians and mainstream media have been complicit in this. I feel very sorry for the Muslim populations of western countries who are living through these very strange times.

hakeem
United States
05/10/2008
too sad
it so sad to see a great country like USA and some idiots folish wants to be president, who pays for this is the American people who dont nothing about the politic, and the world. the age of the barbarius was over and who is faithfull to be a barbarous better go live in jungle with monkies,leave the civil life and go fight woods,some they study to be wise , some to study to be rage and ignorants

Alexander
Norway
05/10/2008
The barbarians are coming.. God bless the barbarians. Being elected on the grounds of national security is the weakest foundation any leader could possibly have. Have mankind learnt nothing in the past 5000 years? The barbarian invasion has been cancelled.

John Shaplin
United States
05/10/2008
William Ayers
"once a terrorist always a terrorist". "Once a drunk always a drunk". Once a dopehead, once an adulteror, once a thief etc. etc... "I know you are but what am I" was the standard school -yard reply when I was a kid.

John
Sudan
05/10/2008
So ridiculous
How can a gov. in her capacity say such a thing? Is it how people who are so desperate and power hungery try to climb the power lader? Shame on you Palin

chris
United States
05/10/2008
terrorism
Does enyone else feel that terrorism is just a poor country/or exploited/or oppressed peoples military strategy? All militaries target civilians so really what is the difference. Rhetoric. In regards to calling terrorists cowards, what takes more bravery to inevitably harm yourself while harming others or sitting in a cockpit thousands of feet in the air pushing a botton? Hmmm.

Pradeep K Chadha
Ireland
05/10/2008
Mrs. Palin vs Mr.Obama
Mrs. Palin's words echo her own ignorance and probably lack of awareness. She is like a loose cannon ball. Hopefully, her words will shake up the voters and make it easier to decide to vote against her. Germany's foreign minister was correct when he stated that the US has lost its position as a world power. McCain and Palin will make sure it happens.

1984
United Kingdom
05/10/2008
Palins scaremongering
to me she appears a naive uneducated person completely out of her depth - her views have no substance and all she can come out with are "one liners", just like a comedian - hopefully the voters will show this in a months time !!

Ian Wilson
Ireland
05/10/2008
Everyone knows that Obama has terrorist ties. His middle name is Hussein. All he could think of saying is that it was "desperate and false". He probably couldn't believe that someone had actually found out.

Ed
United Kingdom
05/10/2008
Bush & Bin Ladin
What about Bush, he has friends called Bin Laden (the one who demolished wt centre). How about her self (Palin), it her who has a pregnant under-age daughter and a junky son, maybe she should spend time on how to save US economy instead of spreading stupid lies about Obama. Those republicans are bad losers, when they are losing they desperately use dirty and stupid tricks, yesterday it was Bush who was doing it and now them too (McCain & Palin)?!

Ed
United Kingdom
05/10/2008
where is freedom of speech?
"Palin told supporters Obama is someone who sees America, it seems, as being so imperfect" And now she is accusing him for having own opinion!?, wow is it me or is this woman (Palin) becoming stupider by the minute. Yes woman, America is not perfect, and it takes a good person to admit his/her nation problems.

Steve
United Kingdom
05/10/2008
Presidential terrorist links...not the first time!
Anyone remember George Bush Snr, and of his "pals".....the late Saddam Hussein? I admire Mr Obama's "water off a ducks back" approach, trying to stick to the issues while the McCain/Palin boat keep trying to torpedo him. Palin should concentrate on the topics in hand rather than scaremongering... ...and at least Obama has proved he's willing and ready to talk things out, rather than using up all the nepalm.

Jay
United States
05/10/2008
Keeping it clean
Gov Palin, needs to stop the false statements about Sen Obama and try to run a clean campaign. The voters are smarter than you think.

Bob A
United States
06/10/2008
Palin debate statements infantile
Governor Palin said Iran and others hate us because of our freedoms. I thought Iran hated us because we helped keep a dictator in power (The Shah), and supported the overthrow of the government before that to install his father as dictator. And there are plenty of people in Iraq and Afghanistan who hate us not not for our freedoms, but for our bombing strikes.

John Macassey
New Zealand (Aotearoa)
06/10/2008
Palins views
I find it difficult to comprehend that a respected political entity such as the US Republican Party comes up so short on its choice of vice presidential candidate. What a disaster were she actually elected!

Lin Pa
China
06/10/2008
Americans should look beyond their selfish needs
The Presidential Election is about choosing the best person to lead the country. As outsiders, we are pitting their strengths against other world leaders Europe, Russia, China etc. 6 months ago, I thought Mccain would be a better candidate given his experiences and perceptively more Presidential stature. I'm not so sure now after he picked Palin from Alaska as Vice President. When you're on the world stage, you cannot afford to fumble you don't want to start a war. Better judgements needed.

Tammie
Afghanistan
07/10/2008
Palin says Obama has terrorist ties
Sara Palin is ignorant. She cannot distinguish a working relationship from being "pals". What do you expect from someone that thinks sportsmanship is shooting wolves from aircraft? Or sued the federal gorvenment to take polar bears off the endangered species list so her precious pipelines can run through their territory? Or thinks talking to your enemies is nieve? Or thinks the war in Iraq is a mission from God? Shall I go on?

Ryan
United States
07/10/2008
"Country First" and the McClain/Palin ticket
Any person with a bit of intellegence will understand that the McCain slogan "Country First" is nothing more than a lie. How can he say "Country First" and then choose a VP candidate as idiotic as Palin. If McCain meant "country first" surely there was a more qualified candidate than Palin. But he chose her anyway with the sole intention of capturing a few female voters. McCain & Palin are an embarrassment to America and I worry that some people are actually dumber after listening to them speak.

Tommy
United States
07/10/2008
desperate
next time, she will bite Obama's ankle, simply, just a shame, it was the big mistake that Macain choose her

ahmed
United Kingdom
07/10/2008
Same old backward tactics.
This is exactly what you would expect from peopke who dont have answers to the real issues America is facing. Hopefully what she has said will serve as a nail in the coffin for the republicans campaign.

Byron
United States
07/10/2008
Obama as terrorist
Let's see...we can't accuse Obama of dubious ties to radicals like Ayers, The Rev. Right, the corrupt Chicago political machine, and his wife. Why must we treat this guy like he is some knight in shining armour? I hate being a Palin apologist, but I sure am not going to go blindly into the night following this straw man. Time for a real third party.

Peter Williams
United Kingdom
07/10/2008
Palin-Obama
Obama was never a member of the 1960's radical group that Ayers was associated with. Obama was 8 years old at that time. Ayers has played no role in Obama's career. The only interaction between then comprised their being co-members on a board of an anti-poverty foundation from 1999 to 2002. Investigations by the New York Times conclude that Obama does not have a close relationship with Ayers. Obama has repeatedly publicy condemned Ayers' past. Palin's lie is a disgrace to herself alone.

sapphire
United States
07/10/2008
McCain and Keating Bank Fraud exposed
All this talk from Palin has now backfired with the video exposing McCain's bank fraud involvement and his continued deregulatoin of criminal the banking schemes that rob the American working populations. See the Keating/Mcain video today!

Phil
United States
07/10/2008
Pathetic, ignorant people of the US
IT IS TIME for a CHANGE! The stock market needs to crash and take with it all of the scum that has gathered... Due to human greed, the stock market has been running at an inflated state for many years, only now is it starting to settle at a more realistic point. People in the US need to start figuring out what we can do for ourselves, rathering than relying upon the corrupt politicians who are in bed with the CEO's. We need to rise up and make examples of these CEO's and their alliances....

Dave
United States
08/10/2008
The word Terrorist is overused
I doubt Palin has any understanding of the Vietnam conflict and the literal ripping apart of the country that was occuring during that turbulent time. Is napalm not terrorism? Are cluster bombs not terrorism? Is the shooting of students at Kent State not terrorism? Look up Operation Northwoods if you want to read about a homegrown terrorism plan to influence public opinion for a Cuba invasion. The words should be politically motivated violence. And all sides should cease such actions.

Ed
United Kingdom
08/10/2008
The Weather Underground were awesome - check : "Weather Underground 1 of 9" From: "beeyo56" on You Tube, it's an incredible film. Bill Ayers was a real American hero, fighting for a just world. The fact that Obama had or has some association with him makes me think Obama may not sell out. But I'm not holding my breath.

Ayub
Afghanistan
08/10/2008
Palins accusations:
I just read the headline and i thought i was going to vomit:I am not even going to read the rest of the garbage and would like to say that women like Palin should stay home and take care of the curtains in the house and wash dishes and take care of her neglected daughter who is young and needs attention.Women like Palin is why the US family structure is breaking down because of women wanting careers and neglecting their kids and homes.The US needs to pray if this witch takes over the whitehouse.

PatRiot4190
United States
08/10/2008
Obama
Obama is a liar. He is the most unamerican person to run for president. The time for his politics was the 60's and guess what they failed then. Associates of Obama are Ayers, Farrakhan?, Wright, Al-Monsour? all who hate america. Al-Monsour? who called for cutting the noses and ears off white people and removing the flesh from their bones. He doesn't aknowledge the flag or the national anthem. Key character flaws to run the most powerful country. Let's not forget his illegal "Truth Squads"

Julie
United States
08/10/2008
Palin
@ Edward...get a grip, Obama was 8yrs old when Ayers was active. For nearly 40 years Ayers has served his community and has earned some respect for his efforts. What about McCain's lengthy friendship with G.Gordon Liddy? A convict who subverted the Constitution. What has Liddy done since Watergate and prison? Talk radio. His advice to listeners after Waco "...go for the head shot since ATF agents wear body armor" And just google his quotes on Hitler's effect on him.

Tamer Hosni
Canada
09/10/2008
She is disconnected!
I cannot believe millions of americans will vote for her! Her stupid attack on Obama prove how she is stupid and irrational! "you are with me or you are with the terrorist" She is simply disconnected of