# LA Times protecting Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 30, 2008, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218 "2008-10-30T05:18:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/101 "2008-10-31T01:03:16Z")
I think its rather simpler than all that. Ground premise\* numero uno\*: Obama is really, really smart. Ground premise\* numero two-o\*: Obama is a somewhat browner Bill Clinton: an enormously gifted politician of high intelligence and the ineffable moxie, who wants to be President with every fiber of his being. It is safe to say, then, that he has given this all considerable thought, for a pretty long time. No major national politician disfavors Israel. None. Zero, zip, zilch, nada. An ambitious politician who publicly associates himself with anti-Semitism might as well nail his pecker to a tree and set the tree ablaze. Anybody who has read the Big Golden Book of American Politics knows that, and I daresay this ain’t Obama’s first rodeo. He knows this shit _cold_. He is as sure-footed and cautious as a mountain goat in a mine field. There is no way - none whatsoever - that Obama knowingly and publicly associated himself with approving of anti-Semitism. It would be worse than just wrong, it would be\* stupid\*. I’m sure Obama has his faults, and the list may be long, but “stupid” ain’t on it. > [@](#): > > …Obama does not want to be associated publicly with Muslims (as an image thing)… Who does? See McCain chumming around with Muslims? Biden? Lieberman? Palin? Anybody? If Obama is precisely the same as all the others in this regard, why bother to bring it up? If you could be a little more forthcoming and distinct with your innuendo and inference, it might help. Are you suggesting something nefarious here? Or more like “Obama takes the newspaper with him when he takes a dump!” Lacks significance. Doesn’t mean shit. To a tree. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/102 "2008-10-31T01:09:13Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I’ll believe that when the “whitey” tape turns up. [Here ya go.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZi6U811hxE&feature=related) Don’t say I didn’t warn you. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/103 "2008-10-31T01:13:28Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > [Here ya go.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZi6U811hxE&feature=related) Don’t say I didn’t warn you. (Before clicking) We have rules about RickRolls, you know. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/104 "2008-10-31T01:33:20Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > **Magiver** , are you conceding that you have no evidence for thinking that Obama clapped for Anti-Israeli rants? Was that just, what, your personal bias? What’s the deal? I already said it was speculation in post 64. When you attend a farewell event for a friend there is the assumption that you are the company you keep. Khalidi is not exactly a supporter of Israel nor apparently are the people who came to his farewell party. **At Khalidi’s 2003 farewell party, for example, a young Palestinian American recited a poem accusing the Israeli government of terrorism in its treatment of Palestinians and sharply criticizing U.S. support of Israel** This video is an opportunity to see how Obama reacts to the situation. Given the nature of the event and the sentiment expressed it casts a poor light on Obama if it is deliberately withheld. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/105 "2008-10-31T01:35:55Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > This video is an opportunity to see how Obama reacts to the situation. Given the nature of the event and the sentiment expressed it casts a poor light on Obama if it is deliberately withheld. Because Obama, using his superpowers or God like abilities, should be able to force the LA Times to violate their promise? How do you get that it in any way that the non release reflects poorly on Obama? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/106 "2008-10-31T02:01:50Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I already said it was speculation in post 64. When you attend a farewell event for a friend there is the assumption that you are the company you keep. Khalidi is not exactly a supporter of Israel nor apparently are the people who came to his farewell party. > **At Khalidi’s 2003 farewell party, for example, a young Palestinian American recited a poem accusing the Israeli government of terrorism in its treatment of Palestinians and sharply criticizing U.S. support of Israel** > > This video is an opportunity to see how Obama reacts to the situation. Given the nature of the event and the sentiment expressed it casts a poor light on Obama if it is deliberately withheld. Holy crap! You didn’t tell me there were people at the party who criticized Israeli policy. And in a poem you say! What will they think of next? Well…now all of your unsupported paranoid innuendo makes perfect sense. We cannot allow a politician to associate with people who would dare question Israeli policy. I mean, even if this politician openly disagrees with those positions, to allow people to express opposing policy arguments is tantamount to condoning terrorism. We can’t have that. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/107 "2008-10-31T02:07:42Z")
Bad news dopers - no one here can ever run for president. You’ve all read opinions that someone will find offensive here at the SDMB. You may not have condoned them; you may have even spoken out against them. But you read them, and that’s enough. I’m so disillusioned. Now instead of preparing myself for a presidential run in 2016 I’m going to move to Ohio and wait for Sarah Palin to tour my neighborhood so I can ask her some smart ass questions. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/108 "2008-10-31T02:07:44Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Because Obama, using his superpowers or God like abilities, should be able to force the LA Times to violate their promise? How do you get that it in any way that the non release reflects poorly on Obama? I think the Times is hurting Obama, not Obama hurting himself. I guess I don’t understand the premise that someone gave a newspaper a video and told them not to show it to anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/109 "2008-10-31T02:10:00Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I think the Times is hurting Obama, not Obama hurting himself. I guess I don’t understand the premise that someone gave a newspaper a video and told them not to show it to anyone. Read this for an example of how it works: > **[Judith Miller | Contempt of court](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_Miller_(journalist)#Contempt_of_court)** > > On October 1, 2004, federal judge Thomas F. Hogan found Miller in contempt of court for refusing to appear before a federal grand jury, which was investigating who had leaked to reporters the fact that Valerie Plame was a CIA operative. Miller did not write an article about the subject at the time of the leak, but others did, notably Robert Novak, spurring the investigation. Judge Hogan sentenced her to 18 months in jail, but stayed the sentence while her appeal proceeded. On February 15, 2005, t... ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/110 "2008-10-31T02:17:32Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I think the Times is hurting Obama, not Obama hurting himself. I guess I don’t understand the premise that someone gave a newspaper a video and told them not to show it to anyone. The reasons people do stuff like this isn’t always clear from the outside, but it does happen, and a paper only hurts itself by going back on an agreement like that, even if it’s stupid. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/111 "2008-10-31T02:35:47Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I think the Times is hurting Obama, not Obama hurting himself. I guess I don’t understand the premise that someone gave a newspaper a video and told them not to show it to anyone. Since you’re still posting, we have been patiently waiting over [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10382312#post10382312) for a cite. /hijack ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/112 "2008-10-31T02:41:17Z")
I cannot even describe how much this pisses me off: SANCHEZ: Now, is the – I need to parse this out as best I can from you, Michael. The fact that John McCain’s organization gave $448,000 to this group that was founded by Mr. Khalidi, is there no reason for some to be critical of as well just as some might be critical of Barack Obama for being at a meeting with some girl read a poem for example? GOLDFARB: Look. You are missing the point again, Rick. Obama attends a dinner with Khalidi, and that’s a"dangerous association", McCain gives Khalidi hundreds of thousands of dollars to fund his organization and that’s “not the point”. My friggin head is going to 'splode. ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/113 "2008-10-31T03:13:36Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > 😕 OK, I’m stumped. Just who is this person Goldfarb is talking about but won’t name, who is not Khalidi or Ayers, and who is anti-semitic, and who is somehow associated with Obama? You know, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named… [Sotto voce] _Voldemort_ [/SV] ---
**Author:** ![waterj2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/858c86/32.png) [@waterj2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/waterj2)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/114 "2008-10-31T03:40:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > Who does? See McCain chumming around with Muslims? Biden? Lieberman? Palin? Anybody? If Obama is precisely the same as all the others in this regard, why bother to bring it up? If you could be a little more forthcoming and distinct with your innuendo and inference, it might help. Are you suggesting something nefarious here? Or more like “Obama takes the newspaper with him when he takes a dump!” Once again showing he’s a lightweight compared to Sarah Palin, who takes all the newspapers with her. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/115 "2008-10-31T03:41:11Z")
> [@waterj2](#): > > Once again showing he’s a lightweight compared to Sarah Palin, who takes all the newspapers with her. As much crap as comes out of her mouth, I’d take extra paper along, too… ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/116 "2008-10-31T04:03:37Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The reasons people do stuff like this isn’t always clear from the outside, but it does happen, and a paper only hurts itself by going back on an agreement like that, even if it’s stupid. Yes, but as I said, it can be reviewed and reported on. It’s now reached my local area news station. It’s getting traction that should have gone away. ---
**Author:** ![askeptic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb9ed0/32.png) [@askeptic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/askeptic)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/117 "2008-10-31T04:24:47Z")
> [@askeptic](#): > > Since you’re still posting, we have been patiently waiting over [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=10382312#post10382312) for a cite. > > /hijack still waiting for that cite… ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/118 "2008-10-31T04:35:06Z")
So why hasn’t Obama struck back with that little factoid about McCain’s contribution as loudly as he can? I assume he’s just waiting to see if this turns out to be a big deal outside the opposition faithful. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/119 "2008-10-31T05:54:03Z")
From wandering to and from upon the tubes, I gather this fellow is highly respected in the policy wonk community, a subset of the Church of Wonk of which Obama is a communicant. I suspect that this reluctance stems from a notion of common decency, such that he is reluctant to bring any more attention to this poor man than he has already suffered. On balance, I doubt that he believes this is a mortal threat to his ambitions. He might very well act differently if he believed it was. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2008, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218/120 "2008-10-31T08:34:58Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > This video is an opportunity to see how Obama reacts to the situation. Given the nature of the event and the sentiment expressed it casts a poor light on Obama if it is deliberately withheld. The video is also an opportunity to see what **McCain** does with it. And what he does is the same-old same-old “gosh look at that, is that a _terrorist?_” routine. He’s like my paternal grandfather, using the tip of his thumb to pretend to pull off the end of his own finger. Again. And again. Look, I know how the trick is done, Pop, and I ain’t impressed no more. As I’ve already said, it doesn’t **matter** if they review the tape. Release it. Publish it to the Internet. McCain would just say, “Where’s the _real_ tape? This isn’t the tape we were told about. Somebody edited the anti-Israeli rants off of this mystery video! We demand accountability!” If you cave in to McCain’s irrelevant shrieks about the tape, _you have let him control the conversation._ Just think of McCain as an alt.old.delusional.runningforpresident Usenet troll, and DNF him. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/la-times-protecting-obama/470218.md?page=7)