Alaska govenor Sarah Palin made a point to bring up the fact she reads the New York Times and used an article from the paper to ressurect Senator Obama’s “associations” with former Weather Underground leader Bill Ayers. Might I suggest the Govenor take a reading comprehension class as the article did a pretty good job of explaining how Obama and Ayers barely know each other and how Ayers does not shape Obama’s world view in any way.
But what this atack does do is open the door to re-examine past associations of the two members of the McCain-Palin ticket. Time to review Senator McCain’s role in the Keating 5 which cost American taxpayers a pretty penny when the scandal broke. And Palin’s husband was an active member of a group seeking the sucession of Alaska from the United States.Â
Let’s look at both of these associations, shall we?
Senator McCain was one of the “Keating Five,” congressmen investigated on ethics charges for bending over backwards to help convicted racketeer Charles Keating, after the Lincoln Savings and Loan CEO gave them large campaign contributions and mulitple vacation trips. Charles Keating was convicted of racketeering and fraud in both state and federal court after his Lincoln Savings & Loan collapsed, costing the taxpayers $3.4 billion. Senator McCain intervened on Keating’s behalf after Keating gave McCain at least $112,00 in contributions as well as nine trips on Keating’s airplanes, with three of those to Keating’s vacation home in the Bahamas. McCain’s wife and father-in-law also were the largest investors (at $350,000) in a Keating shopping center that the Phoenix New Times called a “sweetheart deal.” McCain got a slap on the wrist for his role in the scandal.Â
Palin, as a mayor, repeatedly courted a secessionist group called the Alaksa Independence Party (AIP), a group whose founder has openly professed hatred of the American government, cursed the flag, and led efforts to secede from the Union. Todd Palin, was a member of this group until 2002; documented by the Alaska department of elections.Â
While Sarah Palin was not a member of this group, she repeatedly courted this secessionist organization to the point of attending the group’s 1994 convention. The McCain campaign has confirmed she visited the group’s 2000 convention, and she addressed the group’s 2008 convention, even though she’s the Governor whose oath of office includes upholding the Constitution of the United States.
Joe Vogler, AIP founder, said in a 1991 interview: “The fires of hell are frozen glaciers compared to my hatred for the American government.”
Ironic coming from someone from the Party of Lincoln.
Is this worse then Bill Ayers or Reverend Wright? Tit for tat, if you ask me and a big distraction from the issue of which candidate is best suited to lead the nation through this period of mounting financial meltdowns.