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October 29, 2008 | 10:02 pm

LA Times accused of protecting Obama, concealing info

Posted by Brad A. Greenberg

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The Los Angeles Times was flooded with phone calls today. When I tried to reach Editor Russ Stanton, it seemed his phone had been left off the hook; it went straight to voicemail. His phone number had been listed on an incalculable number of conservative blogs, and angry readers were calling to demand that the paper release a videotape it mentioned in an April article titled, “Friends of Palestinians See a Friend in Obama.”

The article described a 2003 farewell dinner for scholar Rashid Khalidi, an at times harsh critic of Israel. The evening carried a few verbal assaults on Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians, and present for these protests was Khalidi’s friend, Barack Obama. The Times broke this story in April, but some folks have become convinced that because the paper refuses to release the video they must be covering up something (i.e. Obama drinking the blood of a Jewish child).

Yesterday the McCain campaign demanded the paper release the tape. Today John McCain, who likened an evening with Khalidi to a neo-Nazi rally, and Sarah Palin accused the Times of protecting Obama. Forget the fact that McCain once chaired an organization that gave $500,000 to Khalidi’s Center for Palestine Research and Studies. Meanwhile, the Internet has gone nuts.

The most ridiculous move has been the republishing, over and over, of a supposed scoop from the hitherto unknown Doug Ross, who claims to have been told from someone in the know just what Obama can be heard saying on the tape:

Saw a clip from the tape. Reason we can’t release it is because statements Obama said to rile audience up during toast. He congratulates Khalidi for his work saying “Israel has no God-given right to occupy Palestine” plus there’s been “genocide against the Palestinian people by Israelis.”

It would be really controversial if it got out. That’s why they will not even let a transcript get out.

If that was true it would be controversial—though anti-Zionist Jews agree with the first statement and Benny Morris with the latter. That is neither here nor there. The reality is this drama, like so many this year, play off the electorate’s most prejudicial fears.

After parroting Ross’ quotes, Little Green Footballs offered this:

“Caveat: I can’t vouch for the accuracy of this. However, it certainly would explain why the LA Times is suppressing the video.”

Talk about reaching a conclusion without establishing your premise.

I’m not saying the L.A. Times is being an exemplar of transparency here. I imagine the paper has its reasons; I just wish they explained it a bit more clearly—like why exactly they can’t release a transcript, which a spokeswoman told me there was no plan to do.

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Brad, It is so obvious it’s absurd. Dinners that a guy like Khalidi are guests of honor of invariably turn in to anti-semitic/ anti-Israel exercises. If it wasn’t they would have released the tape. But it was and they won’t. You could have a picture of Obama in a storm troopers uniform wearing a kaffiyeh at a testimonial for Samir Kuntar. And 75% of American Jews would still vote for the guy. Why, because he is a Democrat.

Comment by Bill Pearlman on 10/30/08 at 8:23 am

Mr. Pearlman—you are clearly anti-Obama (maybe you believe he is a secret Muslim??), but I would ask you how you then justify that John McCain’s organization (he was the chairman) gave Khalidi and his Palestinian studies organization several grants, including one of almost half a million dollars.  Is this qualitatively “better” than Obama attending a farewell dinner for Khalidi?

It just appears to me that a) some Jews are looking for excuses, no matter how weak, to justify not voting for Obama on grounds other than personal economic selfishness, and/or b) some Jews are so prejudiced against Muslims and Arabs to the degree that they can not tolerate any contact with them at all.  In either case, McCain’s huge financial contribution to Khaledi and the Center for Palestine Research and Studies certainly appears to more egregious than Obama’s merely attending a single rubber chicken dinner event.

Comment by Jeffrey Ellis on 10/30/08 at 12:44 pm

I haven’t heard anyone mention that perhaps the LA Times knows what it is doing. Ms. Sullivan’s response to the allegation that they (LA TIMES) had been in the tank for Obama in suppressing the tape, was that in fact they had been the paper to release the story, and she was going to let the story speak for itself.
Well, I suggest she really meant that, knowing that what we DON’T see in its fullness is far more damaging to Obama than the unknown.This way the LA Times is still alligned with the popular liberal candidate, but has effectively hobbled his reputation and effectiveness….not just in this campaign…but should he be elected. The Jewish population are all abuzz over this….you can be sure. And anything that touches our Jewish citizens….deeply influence the Christians which are not limited to the right.

Comment by Suze on 10/30/08 at 5:06 pm

Jeffrey Ellis
You have it backwards. McCain’s one-time grasping at straws allocation to Khalidi’s think-tank for research does not compare to the years-long personal and political and professional and financial realtionship Obama has had with Khalidi AND his wife, including multiple instances of major funding to their anti-Israel programs.

Comment by Ben Plonie on 10/31/08 at 2:13 am

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