Are We Still Playing Guilt By Association?

Given that Sen. McCain has all but said that he intends to raise the issue of Bill Ayers during tonight's final Presidential debate, it seems appropriate to take one more brief look at Sen. McCain's associations.

First, it is worth noting that both CNN and MSNBC have finally began to look into the Alaska Independence Party and Gov. Palin's relationship (hint, hint: she shares a bed with a former member) to that secessionist organization (and why do I doubt that FOX will have much to say...?). I'm short on time again today (I get to go see Beverly Hills Chihuahua with my kids this afternoon to celebrate their 9th birthday; I'm so excited, I can barely stand it [dripping sarcasm for those unsure]) so I'll just post the videos:





(The CNN clip ends before the segment ends; below is another version of the same segment that includes the ending:)



More information about some of the people and the story and be found in the article "Meet Sarah Palin's radical right-wing pals" on Salon. The strange (frightening?) thing about the CNN video is that it appears that neither the video nor the story is still available on CNN. If you watch the video, you will hear the CNN anchor talk about efforts to have the McCain campaign appear on the program to discuss the issue, but no McCain representative ever appears. Instead, the campaign simply issues a statement attacking the media for investigating the AIP.

Next, please read the article "McCain Transition Chief Aided Saddam In Lobbying Effort". Go ahead. I'll wait.... Back? OK. Yes, that's right, the lobbyist that Sen. McCain has chosen to lead his transition team (should he be elected) has ties to lobbying efforts for Saddam Hussein. I guess that I'm more troubled by the links to Saddam than I am to the fact that the head of the transition team is also a lobbyist, but in any event, if Sen. McCain really wants to play guilt by association, his side of the ledger keeps getting longer and longer and longer. But then I guess that the liberal media and left wing bloggers (like me?) forced him to create those associations and trash his own honor, right?

Oh, one more thing, but I'll make this a bit of a game. You've undoubtedly heard a lot of talk about voter fraud and ACORN lately (and, if I have time, I have a lot to say on that issue; here's a hint: ACORN is the victim of the fraud and it won't impact the election nearly to the extent that Republican voter suppression efforts might). Well, if you search around online you just might find that Sen. McCain hasn't always said such bad things about ACORN...