Barack Obama's connection with domestic terrorist
By Ashley TolandReporter, The VOICE
Barack Obama's career crossed paths with William Ayers in Chicago between 1995 and 2005.
In 1969, Ayers was a leader and founder of the Vietnam-era Weather Underground group.
The Weathermen were launching a campaign of bombings that would target the Pentagon and United States Capitol. Although, Ayers was affiliated with this group, Obama does not acknowledge him to be part of disturbing association. Obama refers to Ayers as "a guy who lives in my neighborhood" and "somebody who worked on education issues in Chicago that I know."
Obama met Ayers, an education professor then, in 1995, during a meeting about school reform. Their paths have crossed from time to time since then, including when Ayers hosted Obama's first run for office, on projects for schools, and casual meetings at Hyde Park neighborhood.
Although, Ayers is presenting himself as a civilized, good man, Sen. John McCain says in an interview:
"How can you countenance aomeone who was engaged in bombings that could have or did kill innocent people?"
People, who know both men, claim that Obama has played down his contacts with William Ayers. However, the two men do not appear to be close.
When they met each other in 1995, at the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, they worked together on the school project. They do not speak by phone, e-mail or other means of communication.
Since more than a year ago, they haven't met while Obama was serving in the United States Senate in January 2005.
However, except for running into each other on the street in Hyde Park.
Obama has not expressed sympathy for the essential views and actions of Ayers, whom he has called "somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8."
In 1974, federal riot and bombing conspiracy charges against him were dropped according to illegal wiretaps and other prosecutorial misdemeanors. He was later welcomed back after years of hiding by his large and well-known family.
In 1987, he since then earned his doctorate at Columbia in education. He then became a professor of education at the University of Illinois in Chicago, became the author and editor of 15 books, and an activist of school reform.
Steve Chapman, a columnist for The Chicago Tribune expresses, "If you're in public life, you ought to say, 'I don't want to be associated with this guy,' " and "If John McCain had a long association with a guy who'd bombed abortion clinics, I don't think people would say, "that's ancient history.' "
Since then Ayers has joined two neighboring education activists to guide a broad, citywide effort that won practically $50 million for Chicago.
