Letterman V. McCain

Anybody else think this fight is more interesting than the actual election?

What went down last night? I was at my local car club meeting and couldnt watch.

This

well played Mr Letterman

That was great!

OK, for those of us stuck with dialup can we get a cliff-notes version of what happened?

Ayers bombed the Pentagon, a New York City police station and the Capitol Building. He did no jail time.

Liddy ran the White House Plumbers during Nixon's administration and, as McCain said, did time for that.

Let's put that aside for a moment.

Hmmm. I think Letterman was miffed that he was rebuffed originally and responded in a rather infantile manner, abusing his 'power' as a talk show host. I wonder if he would have done the same to Obama had there been a similar incident.

Quite amazing that McCain has been reamed by Stewart and Letterman during the same campain and is still in the mix.

MrJoshua wrote: Quite amazing that McCain has been reamed by Stewart and Letterman during the same campain and is still in the mix.

What's really amazing is that Stewart, who's had McCain on his show countless times, would sell McCain down the river so quickly...

Wait, it's not.

Jensenman wrote: Ayers bombed the Pentagon, a New York City police station and the Capitol Building. He did no jail time. Liddy ran the White House Plumbers during Nixon's administration and, as McCain said, did time for that. Let's put that aside for a moment. Hmmm. I think Letterman was miffed that he was rebuffed originally and responded in a rather infantile manner, abusing his 'power' as a talk show host. I wonder if he would have done the same to Obama had there been a similar incident.

Wow, you put quite a spin on that! His point was that Obama was 8 when Ayers was involved with WU. The link between Ayers and Obama is very weak. And that McCain had "pal-ed around with" Liddy who could also be called a terrorist using the same logic.

Ayers held Obama's first political 'coming out party' in his living room and has served on different boards with him. That's fact. Look it up. Ayers has allegedly turned over a new leaf. What possible difference could it make how old Obama was when Ayers was doing his damndest to kill and maim people?

McCain has autographed pictures taken of him with Liddy. They have been at political functions together. That's fact. You can look it up as well. Liddy has allegedly turned over a new leaf. What difference does it make how old McCain was when Liddy oversaw the Watergate burglary?

For some reason, it matters about McCain but not Obama hanging around with an infamous public figure, right? That's bullE36 M3.

I still think Letterman was just being a petulant ass.

Jensenman wrote: Ayers bombed the Pentagon, a New York City police station and the Capitol Building. He did no jail time. Liddy ran the White House Plumbers during Nixon's administration and, as McCain said, did time for that.

That's an interesting comparison. While no reasonable person would condone Ayers' Weather Underground activities, his bombing caused property damage only. Additionally, Ayers didn't go to prison because the FBI had engaged in illegal surveillance activity against him, precisely the same kind of criminal activity that Liddy was perpetrating for Nixon.

Liddy, on the other hand, was basically trying to illegally affect the outcome of a United States presidential election. Further, in his book, "Will," he has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary"; plotting to murder journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a "gangland figure" to murder Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 Republican National Convention.

Meanwhile, the Republicans' attempt at linking Obama with Ayers was a desperate stretch that has not borne up to examination of the facts (or opinion polls): Obama was a child while Ayers was involved in radical activities, and any interaction they have since had as colleagues was for the administration of an education grant in Chicago, which incidentally, was funded in large part by life-long Republican Walter Annenberg.

Even if the Democrats were dumb enough to similarly attempt to play the guilt-by-association card with McCain and Liddy, they'd have a more compelling case...

Ayers' bombing activities and those of his associates led to the deaths of three people in Greenwich Village in 1970. Found in the wreckage were items which led the investigators to believe that some of the bombs being built included nails held to the bombs with electrical tape. That hardly sounds like they were planning 'property damage only' bombs.

When the bombs were placed, how could they KNOW FOR SURE that no one would be injured? They didn't but were willing to take that chance.

Doesn't sound real innocent to me. So I reiterate: Obama gets a free pass for knowing William Ayers, but McCain gets kicked in the slats for knowing Liddy?

Yeah, right.

Although I don't agree with him politically on most issues, I have to admit that G. Gordon Liddy has to be one of the most entertaining talkers out there. The guy has been to law school, was an FBI Agent and was in prison and had interesting stories to tell from all of those experiences.

You gotta love a guy who goes head to head with a truck full of guys trying to rip off his house, who also publishes a 'babes in bikinis holding guns' calendar every year.

Jensenman wrote: Ayers' bombing activities and those of his associates led to the deaths of three people in Greenwich Village in 1970. Found in the wreckage were items which led the investigators to believe that some of the bombs being built included nails held to the bombs with electrical tape. That hardly sounds like they were planning 'property damage only' bombs. When the bombs were placed, how could they KNOW FOR SURE that no one would be injured? They didn't but were willing to take that chance. Doesn't sound real innocent to me. So I reiterate: Obama gets a free pass for knowing William Ayers, but McCain gets kicked in the slats for knowing Liddy? Yeah, right.

Liddy's criminal activity was far and above beyond anything Ayers was involved with. The deaths were not "innocent bystanders" -- they were Weather Underground members. But that is not the point. The point is that Liddy's criminal activity on behalf of Nixon was beyond the pale; he was a central player during some of the country's darkest political moments. The moral indignation that McCain expresses about Ayers' activity in the '60s rings completely hollow when compared to the fact that McCain has received money and has more than tenuous ties with Liddy, a man whose behavior and political views are arguably more fringe than Ayers used to be.

The democrats have been wise to hush up on the guilt-by-association attacks. The logic just isn't there. To the dismay of the Republicans, their attempt has failed, and even back-fired, as recent polls reflect dissatisfaction with McCain's negative campaign tactics.

The Republican party is asthmatic and heaving beside the track. Conservative pundit, David Brooks, recently wrote, "The Republicans have alienated whole professions. Lawyers now donate to the Democratic Party over the Republican Party at 4-to-1 rates. With doctors, it’s 2-to-1. With tech executives, it’s 5-to-1. With investment bankers, it’s 2-to-1. It took talent for Republicans to lose the banking community." Obama's fund-raising efforts are breaking records week after week. He just garnered General Powell's endorsement, a huge boost and sure to bring many moderate/undecided voters into the fold. He is ahead in opinion polls with higher favorable percentages and lower unfavorable percentages than McCain. Venerable red states are now battleground states, e.g., West Virginia.

McCain was locked up and brainwashed by Communists for 5 years! Look out!!!, if he gets to be president he will get "activated"

ring, ring, "hello"... "...the woods are lonely dark and deep and I have miles to go before I sleep..."

Is that relevant?

Y'all miss the point that I keep making: Ayers and Liddy are both lawbreakers of the highest order.

If McCain can't get a free ride for his association with Liddy, then Obama shouldn't get a free ride for his association with Ayers.

Jensenman wrote: I still think Letterman was just being a petulant ass.

Of course he was, he always is.

Jensenman, You say that as if the Obama association was brought up in response to McCain's associations, and not the other way around.

I think the point of the matter is that Obama has been getting his chops busted left and right (ok, more right than left) about the whole Ayers thing, when McCain is obviously equally associated with similarly shady figures. I haven't been quite asleep at the wheel, and Letterman was only the second person I ever heard pushing the Liddy connection.

McCain brought up Ayers, I think it's fair to bring up Liddy as a counterpoint, which is what Letterman did. And good for him.

midknight wrote: Jensenman, You say that as if the Obama association was brought up in response to McCain's associations, and not the other way around.

Sorry, I didn't get that inference. How did you?

Those who question McCain's associations with Liddy cannot disregard Obama's associations with Ayers. Maybe both men need to "man-up" and offer full disclosure!

We all need to know who received jobs, paychecks, donations and political support from their despicable allies.

And if an autographed photo counts as ammunition, the bar has been lowered. JMHO, of course.

Jensenman wrote: Y'all miss the point that I keep making: Ayers and Liddy are both lawbreakers of the highest order. If McCain can't get a free ride for his association with Liddy, then Obama shouldn't get a free ride for his association with Ayers.

McCain IS getting a free ride. This video was the first time I had even heard of the Liddy/McCain association. Yet the Ayers association has been the hot topic in the "Liberal" media for weeks now, to the point I feel I know more about William Ayers life than I do about Obama or McCain.

And yes, Letterman is an Ass, that's part of his schtick.