Wednesday, October 08, 2008

The Ayers Card is a Deuce, Not an Ace?   [Jonah Goldberg]

David Frum and Ross Douthat are underwhelmed with the Corner's enthusiasm for the Ayers card. On one level, I think they may be right politically, particularly if conservatives try to portray Obama as a Manchurian candidate. But I think they overstate their case. Frum thinks Obama is more vulnerable to the charge that he's a Chicago hack. He asks: "Does anybody really seriously believe that Barack Obama is a secret left-wing radical?"

Well, yes. Lots of people do. For me, it depends on what you mean by "radical." Do I think Obama sees the world through the same prism as Ayers? Almost surely not (though I would hardly be shocked if he gave Ayers that impression back in he day). But I do think Obama's prism is one that doesn't see anything wrong with someone like Ayers so long as he doesn't become a political liability. That might speak to Obama's Chicago-style opportunism more than his worldview but it is still ideologically damning too. It seems to me indisputably true that Obama is the most leftwing Democratic nominee in a generation.

And that's why I think the Ayers' card is not only legitimate but potentially effective. The American people have been sold a bill of goods on Obama. He is not the candidate he makes himself out to be with the record he claims to have. David would emphasize the sleaziness of his Chicago background. He writes: "Obama is not some wild-eyed radical. He's a normal Chicago politician. That's the problem." Okay, that's a fair take, even if I think Obama's leftwingery is more significant. But both the Chicago pol card and the Ayers card and the Wright card for that matter are part of the same (possibly) winning hand: Barack Obama isn't the man his slick campaign and media sycophants say he is.

These are scary and uncertain times with people looking for security. Pointing out or at least arguing that Obama's cool steady demeanor will not necessarily translate into the security people want seems not only fair but required.

Update: I agree with this reader:

Hi,

Don't you think the real worry about the Ayers thing is the projects they worked on together at Annenberg?  I sounds like they provided funding for political indoctrination under cover of "educational reform", which to me sheds light on how Obama might treat education through his appointees.  The fact that real education issues, such as improving math and science education, were deemphasized in favor of political education seems to me to speak volumes about Obama's attitudes.  I do think he is a stealth radical on a number of issues.  He may not be able to carry them all out right away, but the pressure in that direction will likely always be there.Of course, with a democratic congress, there may not be much to rein him in.

10/08 11:09 AMShare