Former 60's radical and Weather UnderGround member William Ayers went on Good Morning America for an interview with Chris Cuomo. Ayers kept a low profile during the campaign. Sarah Palin and John McCain constantly repeated the "guilt by association" slogan during their campaign and accused Barack Obama of "paling around with terrorists." Sarah Palin has also been linked to her share of extremists and seccionists. John McCain did admit on David Letterman that he too had a relationship with G. Gordon Liddy who is considered by many to be an "unrepentant terrorist" who idolized Adolf Hitler.
University of Illinois-Chicago professor Bill Ayers, the Vietnam War-era radical who was a campaign headache for Barack Obama, downplayed his relationship with the President-elect this morning on "Good Morning America." Ayers discussed his decision not to comment to the media as reports circulated about his association with Obama and became the focus of attacks from Sen. John McCain's campaign. "I felt that I was feeding a profoundly dishonest narrative," Ayers told GMA's Chris Cuomo. "I didn't want to participate in that."
Ayers criticized the media and the Republican party for making Obama "guilty by association" for what Ayers called their "professional relationship." "We came together in the civic community around the issue of school improvement ... that's the full extent of our relationship," said Ayers. Ayers called Obama's win in the Nov. 4 election a "great credit" to the American people that "politics of fear" were rejected. Ayers also disputed the notion that he had gone into hiding during Obama's campaign. "I was doing the things I always do," he said. source Watch the GMA video. It is important to note the Chris Cuomo sounds like Sarah Palin during this interview with his line of questioning.
Late Show w/David Letterman - Sen John McCain
John McCain kept his promise to stop by for his interview with David Letterman. The Republican presidential candidate lied to the Late Show host and canceled his appearance on the show to do an interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric. David Letterman bashed McCain on his program ever since the diss and even talked about his absent guest with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann. During Letterman's interview with John McCain he asked him why he lied about his reasons for canceling his interview last month. David Letterman also grilled McCain about his decision to choose hockey mom Sarah Palin for his running mate and his relationship with G. Gordon Liddy. McCain tried to play dumb and pretend he didn't know anything about Liddy or who he was. John McCain later admitted that G. Gordon Liddy was an "old friend" that he wasn't ashamed of who has donated to his campaign and served his time in jail. Read David Letterman's Top 10 List. Top 10 Messages Left On Joe The Plumber's Answering Machine
JOHN McCAIN, G. GORDON LIDDY & WATERGATE - video powered by Metacafe
Dave: Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy? McCain: Uh, I met him. I -- Dave: Did you attend a fundraiser at his house? McCain: Gordon Liddy's? Paul: I object, your honor. Dave: We will be right back here... (laughter)
G. Gordon Liddy was a former FBI agent who was a mastermind of the Watergate burglary. President Nixon resigned from the presidency after the Watergate scandal while G. Gordon Liddy served 4 years in jail.
G. Gordon Liddy could also be described by many as a terrorist who plotted the firebombing of the Brookings Institute, planned the murder of journalist Jack Anderson, believed Adolf Hitler was a political hero and advocated shooting federal agents in the head. John McCain has made the argument of guilt by association in his attempts to connect Barack Obama with the activites of William Ayers.
After weeks of hammering Barack Obama for having an association with a former Weather Undergound member, John McCain was asked Thursday afternoon about his own connections to a past felon: G. Gordon Liddy.
The question came, of all places, from late night comedian David Letterman, who pressed the Senator to explain why he was friendly with the man who was convicted in the Watergate scandal of conspiracy, burglary, and illegal wiretapping. McCain - according to an advanced report of the show - initially said that he "met" Liddy before adding, "He paid his debt, he went to prison, he paid his debt." source
Here are examples of some of G. Gordon Liddy's beliefs and inflammatory statements.
Hitler as an early political hero
The Fuhrer was G Gordon Liddy's first political hero.
When he listened to Hitler on the radio, it "made me feel a strength inside I had never known before," he explains. "Hitler's sheer animal confidence and power of will [entranced me]. He sent an electric current through my body."
G. Gordon Liddy admits at assemblies where the national anthem is played, I must suppress the urge to snap out my right arm." His beloved German nanny taught him that Hitler had -- through sheer will-power -- "dragged Germany from weakness to strength."
When he listened to Hitler on the radio, it "made me feel a strength inside I had never known before," he explains. "Hitler's sheer animal confidence and power of will [entranced me]. He sent an electric current through my body." source