McCain campaign lobbyist Ed Rogers’ transparent spin

On Hardball with Chris Matthews today, right-wing spinster Ed Rogers made baseless claim after baseless claim while exonerating the McCain campaign for stoking the fires of racism and antipathy toward any opposing viewpoint. Not only is this extremely dangerous, but it completely goes against the free exchange of ideas upon which America’s strength is built. What woke me from my half-napping state was his first ludicrous claim, that “Obama has never done a hard thing in his life!” This got me to thinking, what has Ed Rogers’ life been like?

Well, his lobbying firm Barbour, Griffith and Rogers represents the Republic of China. He’s tied to a private contractor whose profits and purpose exist only because of the Iraq War and the greed cesspool it has created within the already perverse military-industrial complex. This contractor, Diligence, LLC’s chairman Richard Burt had this to say about the current business climate in the Middle East: “The opportunity for business growth in the Middle East has never been better.” Rogers has also served as a deputy assistant to President George H. W. Bush, of “it’s the economy, stupid” fame.

I’m not going to go through all of the examples of Senator Obama overcoming adversity to get to where he is today, but a white bread warmonger and advisor to another president is found wanting on credibility with this attack. He went on to flop around like a fish out of water on the “hate rally” nature of this weeks McCain-Palin rallies. I will say now that if anything should happen to Senator Obama, the McCain campaign will certainly be partly culpable. With cringe reactions to shouts of “terrorist!” and “traitor!” evident on McCain’s face, he has no excuse for not standing up for civilized society, and absolutely no integrity left in his hate-filled campaign.

Rogers claimed that the hate and anger are “distractions” and that “people should behave”, as if threatening to “kill him!” or saying “off with his head” are simply Klansmen rally attendees misbehaving. They are threatening a legitimate candidate for the highest office in this land in a public forum and the McCain campaign doesn’t even have the class to respond as a leader of a free society. All the while Rogers continues to say that Bill Ayers and Reverend Wright are fair game. These are the “associations” which are stoking the hate-crowd fire. The truth is, these are not real associations that bear any significance on this election, but since the 5-week-old national politician Sarah Palin says we must have an explanation for the, I’ll simply repeat everything Obama has said in public about the relationships.

When Barack Obama was 8 years old, a radical anti-war activist was a member of a group that planted bombs at the Pentagon and the US Capital. These caused property damage but no deaths. Today, 40 years later, that reformed “domestic terrorist” is a professor of education at the University of Illinois. He is a contributing member of society whose cause is to improve the state of the education system in that state. His life has been far from perfect, but also far from the life of Obama. In fact, their paths crossed as members of a charitable board working in education, the Annenberg Foundation. The media has rightly pointed out that this foundation is comprised of conservatives and liberals and was founded by a former Ambassador in the Reagan administration. He did not meet this former radical under any radical circumstances.

Obama also did not know everything about this man’s past before meeting him. On the campaign trail, Governor Palin recently stated that she’s known about Ayers “since forever”, even way up there in Alaska as she likes to say. Palin should stop patronizing people, she’s not familiar with the Bush Doctrine, which is responsible for the mission her son is now carrying out in a country that had NOTHING to do with the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. She certainly didn’t learn better than the rest of the American people, whom she claims “must be exposed to Obama’s radical associations” about an obscure anti-war group during the Vietnam War. Sarah Palin told a good lie, because there’s no way of proving this, unless her high school history teachers and college professors care to share her “intellectual curiosities”.

I’ve already written about Reverend Wright at length, and will just sum him up by giving one piece of advice. Watch the entire 18 minutes worth of sermons where the “un-American” 30-second sound clips were taken from. If you have any understanding of free speech in this country, you’ll realize there’s nothing un-American about speaking your mind — including criticizing the actions and policies of this government (which should be of the people, by the people and for the people).

I’ll also say that Pastor Thomas Muthee is much more extreme and un-American in a sense of respecting the 1st Amendment and both the establishment clause and the free exercise clause. It is clear, Muthee wants to “infiltrate” our political and economic systems with his 17th Century Salem-style beliefs. If you take Wright in context, he isn’t nearly as abrasive. If you take Muthee in context, he’s even more extreme than any short clip could portray.

So as the McCain-Palin campaign stokes the fires of hatred and violence, they should recognize that they will be individually responsible should any of their extremist followers “misbehave” as Ed Rogers says. Here’s an idea, if you must have distractions like Ayers and Wright take time from discussing the economic crisis, how about doing it only to Senator Obama’s face at the debate. Don’t tell your Klan-inspired crowds about Obama’s association with a college professor that it was an association with a “domestic terrorist”, unless you have pictures of an 8-year old Obama with Weather Underground member William Ayers. Unless, of course, you think the FBI should be notified about Obama’s — and the University of Illinois’ — terrorist connections.

Concerning connections that may be worth a quick look-see by the FBI, perhaps they should start with a secessionist group led by people who reject the title of “American” and host a website with the tagline “Alaska First – Alaska Always”. A group with the “First Dude” of Alaska formerly on it’s membership list. A group Governor Palin addressed as recently as March of this year, telling them to “Keep up the good work!” I don’t know about you, but I don’t believe my state is above my country. I’m certainly not standing behind a sign that says “Country First” with ties and supporters like this. I think it’s time Sarah Palin answered for her own radical ties, and the McCain campaign stop lying to the American people about Senator Obama.

I want to note that McCain faced boos and harsh backlash today for his defense of Senator Obama as a “decent man”, which is exactly what McCain should have said but it is a bit late. This video also shows that, clearly Senator McCain and Governor Palin must do more.