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First, they came for TV stations daring to air an independent ad about Barack Obama and unrepentant Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers.

Next, they came for GOP donors.

Now, they are shamelessly attacking National Review investigative journalist Stanley Kurtz — one of conservatism’s most thoughtful and penetrating writers on academic and educational affairs. Kurtz has been at the forefront probing Obama’s relationships with left-wing ideologues. It was his public information request and public call for help that led to the University of Illinois – Chicago finally releasing tons of files that shed light on the Obama/Ayers working relationship. The Obama camp is condemning Kurtz in harsher terms than it ever condemned the terrorist Ayers. Kurtz has been attacked now as a “right-wing hatchet man” and “slimy character assassin.”

Here are the Kurtz-smearing talking points the Obama campaign sent to its worshipers.

It was “non-stop.” And: “Surreal, amusing, and chilling.”

As I reported yesterday, Kurtz spent two hours on legendary radio talk show host Milt Rosenberg’s Chicago program on WGN last night detailing his initial findings. The Obama campaign went ballistic — and in typical Chicago mafia-style, smeared Kurtz and tried to shut down the show.

Milt Rosenberg’s producer, Zack Christenson, wrote early this morning:

Hello-
Thanks to everyone for the attention, the show lit up the phone lines and the blogs. Here’s a link to our podcast (the full 2 hour show) which you can download: Link

It’s interesting to see what lengths the Obama campaign is willing to reach to stifle dissenting voices. Kurtz said it best at the end of the show- If a respected conservative who writes for mainstream conservative publications like the Weekly Standard and National Review can’t speak his mind, then what dissenting opinion can be voiced? Did we see a preview of the fairness doctrine tonight?

Yes, indeed. Feel the chill?

Reader Jeff in Chicago e-mailed me while listening in:

I’m listening to Stanley Kurtz on the Milt Rosenberg Show. Milt announced that in his 30 yrs of doing his show, he’s never had “the firestorm” (as he puts it) on his switchboard as he’s having tonight. His call screener found the root of the flood: An pro-Obama website that claims that Kurtz is trying to smear Obama and that the campaign won’t allow the “swiftboating” that happened to Kerry, so they gave the show info (call-in number, time, etc) and suggested that people flood the switchboard with negative calls. The callers claimed that everything Kurtz is stating is fabricated, so Kurtz then read verbatim from the documents! He read one of the staff presentation agendas where the agenda stated that Obama would welcome the guests with Ayers then briefing them on the update so clearly they were together more than casually (and these docs are just the tip of the iceberg).

In addition, Stanley read an example of what organization received money and which one’s were turned down. In the case he mentioned, $200K was given to an African-American South Side School for a celebration of Juneteenth (see here for explanation, http://www.cinnamonhearts.com/junteenth.htm ) whereas a school program focusing in Algebra expertise was turned down.

As this exploration unfolds it should get very interesting indeed……..

Andy McCarthy also gave some play-by-play last night:

In the last few minutes, two called to scald Milt for having Stanley on without having an Obama rep on to give the counterpoint. Milt explains, repeatedly, that he contacted the Obama campaign (he gave the name of the campaign official his producer spoke with) and the campaign — the HQ of which is about a quarter mile from the studio where the show airs — declined to come on. They were offered the opportunity to have someone there with Stanley for the entire two hours, and they said no.

Another pro-Obama woman called and, after accusing Stanley of slander but of course not citing anything he said that was slanderous, stated, “We want it to stop.” Milt asked what she wanted stopped, and she replied, “It’s just not what we believe as Americans.” Milt tried again, asking what she didn’t believe. She responded that it was someone saying bad things about Barack Obama and, again, we just want it to stop.

Very compelling.

Earth to Obama supporters: no one is claiming guilt by association — though willful association with an admitted terrorist would be worthy of noting in a presidential candidate. Obama and Bill Ayers had a working relationship. Yet, Obama claimed Ayers was just “a guy who lives in my neighborhood,” and has otherwise minimized the relationship. Aside from the fact that Obama is not telling the truth, which itself is important, the details of the relationship are important. If the press was doing its job, we’d have those details already. Finally, the media’s job is being done … by Stanley. He should be saluted, not smeared.

Who’s next?

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NRO warns: The Kommisar’s in town. Uh-uh-oh.

Instapundit round-up here.