Michelle Malkin » Obama threatens TV stations airing Ayers ad

Obama threatens TV stations airing Ayers ad

By Michelle Malkin • August 25, 2008 11:57 PM

The Obama campaign is giving a glimpse of the future for conservative free speech. They’re trying to sic the Justice Department on TV stations, many of them Sinclair Broadcasting stations, that are airing the independent ad on Obama and Bill Ayers.

Feel the chill in the air?

Barack Obama is striking back fiercely and swiftly to stamp out an ad that links him to a 1960s radical, eager to demonstrate a far more aggressive response to attacks than John Kerry did when faced with the 2004 “Swift Boat” campaign.

Obama not only aired a response ad to the spot linking him to William Ayers, but he sought to block stations the commercial by warning station managers and asking the Justice Department to intervene. The campaign also planned to compel advertisers to pressure stations that continue to air the anti-Obama commercial.

It’s the type of going-for-the-jugular approach to politics many Democrats complain that Kerry lacked and that Republicans exploit.

Obama’s target is an ad by the conservative American Issues Project, a nonprofit group that questions Obama’s ties to Ayers, a founder of the Weather Underground organization that took credit for a series of bombings, including nonfatal explosions at the Pentagon and U.S. Capitol four decades ago. ..

… Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said Obama supporters have inundated stations that are airing the ad, many of them owned by Sinclair Communications, with 93,000 e-mails. He called the ad false, despicable and outrageous.

“Other stations that follow Sinclair’s lead should expect a similar response from people who don’t want the political discourse cheapened with these false, negative attacks,” Vietor said.

Bullying You Can Believe In.

Related: “New Obama ad: Why is McCain trying to distract us with that unrepentant terrorist I’m friends with?”

Related: Obama responds to Ayers.

Posted in: Bill Ayers, Fairness Doctrine

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#422636

On August 26th, 2008 at 9:07 pm, navywife91 said:

On August 26th, 2008 at 5:03 pm, neocon527 said:
Yeah, I’ve noticed a real dip in conservative radio and grassroots movements since McCain-Feingold.

I know I’m late to the game, but even I know that he/she is talking about what will likely happen, if Dems get their way.
#422733

On August 26th, 2008 at 10:33 pm, CC said:

I heard someone on the O’Reilly’s radio show today, obviously not an Obama fan in the slightest, who said he was going to write in a vote for Duncan Hunter.

That’s not a vote. It’s absolutely useless and verges on stupidity. That’s the type of silly attitude that will cost us the election.
#423679

On August 27th, 2008 at 1:10 pm, Dexter Alarius said:

NeoCon, you appear to be using the “I’m rubber and you’re glue…” argument. It doesn’t follow. THe ‘6-degrees’ construct doesn’t apply because there is a DIRECT connection between Ayers and Obama, whereas there is no direct connection between Ayers and Sanford. You may as well say there is a relationship between them because both men drive Lincolns.

Also, McCain’s celebrity derives from his accomplishments. Obama’s celebrity, as Paris Hilton’s, derives from his… celebrity. THey are famous for being famous. There is no substance.

Each of your points can similarly be disputed by highlighting important distinctions. If you can’t see the difference… I’m sorry.