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Reporting on McCain's Late Show appearance, MSNBC's Hall omitted Letterman's reference to Liddy-McCain link

During the October 17 edition of MSNBC Live, host Tamron Hall aired a clip of Sen. John McCain apologizing on CBS' Late Show for having canceled an earlier planned appearance and immediately afterwards reported on McCain's attack on Sen. Barack Obama for his association with former Weather Underground member William Ayers. But at no point did Hall note that Late Show host David Letterman questioned McCain on his association with G. Gordon Liddy, even though Letterman at one point asked McCain: "But you understand that the same case could be made of your relationship with him [Liddy] as is being made with William Ayers?" As Media Matters for America has noted, Liddy served four and a half years in prison in connection with his conviction for his role in the Watergate break-in and the break-in at the office of the psychiatrist of Daniel Ellsberg, the military analyst who leaked the Pentagon Papers. Liddy has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary"; plotting to kill journalist Jack Anderson; plotting with a "gangland figure" to kill Howard Hunt to stop him from cooperating with investigators; plotting to firebomb the Brookings Institution; and plotting to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 Republican National Convention -- a plan he outlined to the Nixon administration using terminology borrowed from the Nazis. (The murder, firebombing, and kidnapping plots were never carried out; the break-ins were.) During the 1990s, Liddy reportedly instructed his radio audience on multiple occasions on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents and also reportedly said he had named his shooting targets after Bill and Hillary Clinton. Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain's campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008. In addition, McCain has appeared on Liddy's radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May. Additionally, in 1998, Liddy reportedly held a fundraiser at his home for McCain. Liddy was reportedly scheduled to speak at another fundraiser for McCain in 2000, but the speech was reportedly canceled due to bad weather. Hall reported that McCain "got grilled by David Letterman just hours earlier for famously canceling his appearance back in late September. Well, Letterman brought it up, night after night, forcing, some say, Senator McCain to show up and take the heat in person." She then aired a clip of McCain and Letterman discussing his cancellation. Immediately after airing the clip, Hall said: "Well, don't be fooled into thinking either Obama or McCain would let humor get in the way of this tough campaign. McCain pushed Obama to explain his ties to '60s radical Bill Ayers back in the debate. Well, now, the McCain campaign is keeping the pressure on by placing robocalls like this one to voters in targeted states. Take a listen." She then aired the following segment of the robocall: "Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist, Bill Ayers." However, Hall did not note that after questioning McCain about his campaign's attacks on Obama for his association with Ayers, Letterman asked: "Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy?" Later, McCain stated: "You say I know Gordon Liddy. I -- he paid his debt. He went to prison. He paid his debt as people do. I'm not in any way embarrassed to know Gordon Liddy, and his son who is also a good friend and supporter of mine." Letterman responded: "But you understand that the same case could be made of your relationship with him as is being made with William Ayers?" To which McCain replied: "I -- everything about any relationship that I've ever had I will make completely open and give a complete accounting of." During a later segment in the 9 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live, before airing other portions of McCain's Late Show appearance, Hall said to stand-up comic Chuck Nice, "Give [McCain] props. He went on there despite the fact that he'd been skewered by Letterman leading up to it." Again, Hall did not note Letterman's inquiry regarding McCain's association with Liddy. From the October 16 edition of CBS' Late Show with David Letterman: LETTERMAN: Now, she's also -- I think she's the one who says that Barack Obama pals around with terrorists. Has she in fact said that at rallies and stuff? McCAIN: I don't -- yes -- and he did, and -- LETTERMAN: To terrorists -- like who did she -- McCAIN: -- and refused -- LETTERMAN: -- who did he -- McCAIN: -- and refused to acknowledge the fact -- LETTERMAN: Who did he pal around with other than -- McCAIN: William Ayers, who said on 9-11 that he wished he had bombed more, OK. His wife was on the top 10 of the most -- FBI most wanted list. LETTERMAN: Right, but this all took place when he was an active -- McCAIN: It didn't -- in 2000 -- LETTERMAN: -- with the Weathermen, when Barack Obama was 8 years old, isn't it? McCAIN: Eight years old, and Mr. Ayres on 2001 -- September 11, 2001 -- said I wish I had bombed more. OK. LETTERMAN: But what is the -- McCAIN: It's an unrepentant -- LETTERMAN: -- what is their relationship, John? What is their relationship? McCAIN: That's what -- that's all we need to know. LETTERMAN: No, no. But it -- McCAIN: That's what so -- Senator Clinton said. We need to know about the relationship. First he said he was just a guy in the neighborhood. And so, it's a matter of trusting the word of someone. LETTERMAN: I know -- McCAIN: That's all. LETTERMAN: -- but you will also admit that we cannot really control who we interact with in our lives 100 percent. I mean, you have -- you have -- McCAIN: For how long we interact with them and how we interact with them. LETTERMAN: But you have -- McCAIN: But the point is -- the point in this campaign is -- LETTERMAN: You had a -- McCAIN: -- the economy, and the economy, and the economy. LETTERMAN: Did you not have a relationship with Gordon Liddy? McCAIN: I've met him. You know, I mean, I never -- LETTERMAN: Did you attend a fundraiser at his house? McCAIN: Gordon Liddy's? PAUL SHAFFER (band leader): I object, your honor. LETTERMAN: We'll be right back here -- McCAIN: I know Gordon Liddy -- LETTERMAN: -- with Senator McCain [inaudible]. McCAIN: -- and his son -- and his son. [commercial break] LETTERMAN: How about that Tina Fey? McCAIN: You say I know Gordon Liddy. I -- he paid his debt. He went to prison. He paid his debt, as people do. I'm not in any way embarrassed to know Gordon Liddy, and his son who is also a good friend and supporter of mine. LETTERMAN: But you understand that the same case could be made of your relationship with him as is being made with William Ayers? McCAIN: I -- everything about any relationship that I've ever had I will make completely open and give a complete accounting of. LETTERMAN: Does she -- McCAIN: Senator Obama said he was a guy that lived in the neighborhood. OK. It was more than that. We all know that. Just like ACORN -- LETTERMAN: They served on a committee at one point. McCAIN: Yeah, that gave $230,000 to ACORN, which is now involved in what may be -- LETTERMAN: Yes, from -- and what Republican President Reagan's -- yes. McCAIN: -- one of the great -- one of the greatest voter frauds in history. It could be. We need to know. LETTERMAN: Are they -- McCAIN: The FBI announced there's an investigation today. LETTERMAN: Well, are they double-dating? Are they going to dinner? What are they doing? Are they driving cross-country? McCAIN: Maybe going to Denny's? Who knows? LETTERMAN: Denny's. McCAIN: The Grand Slam. LETTERMAN: The Grand Slam. McCAIN: There you go. LETTERMAN: Now, she said "pals around with terrorists." OK, so, that's -- let's say, all right, we'll give her William Ayers. They palled around -- he was 8 and William Ayers was 29, but they palled around. McCAIN: Look, there's millions of words said in a campaign. LETTERMAN: Yeah, well, but -- McCAIN: Come on, now. Come on, there's millions of words -- LETTERMAN: -- but that's where we live in politics, isn't it? McCAIN: -- there's millions of words -- yes, indeed. LETTERMAN: Let's -- McCAIN: And Senator -- look -- LETTERMAN: Let's talk about Tina Fey. Tremendous, tremendous talent. From the October 17 edition of MSNBC Live: HALL: For McCain, it may have been a bit of a break. He got grilled by David Letterman just hours earlier for famously canceling his appearance back in late September. Well, Letterman brought it up night after night, forcing, some say, Senator McCain to show up and take the heat in person. [begin video clip] McCAIN: I screwed up. What can I say? [...] LETTERMAN: Well -- McCAIN: That's all -- LETTERMAN: I'm willing to put -- McCAIN: -- donk. LETTERMAN: -- this behind us. McCAIN: Thank you. LETTERMAN: Yeah. McCAIN: Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. [end video clip] HALL: Well, don't be fooled into thinking either Obama or McCain would let humor get in the way of this tough campaign. McCain pushed Obama to explain his ties to '60s radical Bill Ayers back in the debate. Well, now, the McCain campaign is keeping the pressure on by placing robocalls like this one to voters in targeted states. Take a listen. UNIDENTIFIED MALE [audio clip]: Hello. I'm calling for John McCain and the RNC because you need to know that Barack Obama has worked closely with domestic terrorist, Bill Ayers. HALL: So, let's talk about that with our NBC News deputy political director Mark Murray for today's First Read. Mark, we'd planned to talk about the red states, and we'll get to that, but let's talk about these robocalls and what we're hearing about that tactic. [...] HALL: Let's talk about John McCain. He was on Late Night with David Letterman. NICE: Yes. HALL: Give him props. He went on there despite the fact that he'd been skewered -- NICE: Yes. HALL: -- by Letterman leading up to it. We've got that moment. Take a listen. [begin video clip] LETTERMAN: Can you stay? McCAIN: Yes, sir. Depends on how bad it gets. [...] McCAIN: It's been a tough campaign -- LETTERMAN: Sure. McCAIN: -- and I'm sure the next 19 days will be even tougher. LETTERMAN: It's pretty close now -- McCAIN: But think about all the material that it gives you -- LETTERMAN: What about the -- McCAIN: -- for the next 19 days. There's going to be kind of a -- LETTERMAN: Tell me about -- McCAIN: -- sad feeling around here when the election finally takes place. LETTERMAN: Oh, we're going off the air, John. [...] McCAIN: Look, now's not the time to raise anybody's taxes except yours, and I guarantee you, when I'm president, I'll do it. [end video clip] HALL: Before he went on, I said there's no way I would have gone on there. But he handled it well. NICE: I've got to tell you, I give McCain props. You know, he actually took it in stride, and Letterman has been roasting him. HALL: Oh, he has been the best -- NICE: Yeah. HALL: -- the best about just bringing in the campaign with his show, which it makes a great -- great comedian. NICE: I think the funniest thing he said was, "I haven't had this much fun since my last interrogation." That kind of brings it all together. That lets you know that John McCain is -- actually has a sense of humor. HALL: Well, that is true. NICE: You know, you spend many years in a tiger cage -- HALL: And you can joke about it. NICE: -- and then you can still joke about it, you're an OK guy. HALL: Yeah. You know, let's talk about Saturday Night Live.

Media Matters: The media's enduring pro-McCain double standard

It isn't surprising that the conventional wisdom is that the news media have turned on Sen. John McCain. After all, decades of attacks from conservatives have conditioned reporters to believe that they are biased against Republicans -- even when there is scant evidence in the reporting to support such claims. And the McCain campaign has launched an all-out assault on the media, complaining relentlessly about the coverage its candidate has gotten. On top of all that, McCain historically has been the recipient of the most favorable media coverage of any politician in modern American history. Reporters spent years all but offering to peel McCain a grape. So, just as the media judge a candidate to have "won" a debate if s/he "exceeds expectations," the fact that McCain's coverage hasn't been as hagiographic as expected has led many to conclude that it has actually been unfairly negative. The truth is that when John McCain says "jump," the media still ask, "How high?" Think about this: When was the last time McCain or his campaign has wanted the news media to focus on something, and they have refused? From "lipstick on a pig" to Bill Ayers, the media have scampered after whatever mud McCain has flung, like a puppy dog chasing a stick thrown by its master. Sure, sometimes they have pointed out that McCain is lying -- and that's tremendous progress for a profession that has spent a decade flatly asserting McCain's honesty. But -- as I've explained in the past -- even as they've debunked McCain's claims, they've too often privileged the lie by allowing those claims to drive their coverage. And, increasingly, they uncritically quote McCain campaign attacks on Sen. Barack Obama for things McCain himself has done. When a campaign does something like this, the media often point out the hypocrisy, and the attack backfires. But those rules don't apply to John McCain. So when John and Cindy McCain attack Barack Obama for what they describe as a vote to "cut off the funds for the troops," the news media dutifully repeat the charge -- without noting that, by the same logic, McCain also voted to cut off funds for the troops: Obama voted against a funding bill that did not include a timeline for withdrawal; McCain voted against a bill that did include a timeline for withdrawal. The funding vote has been the subject of some of McCain's nastiest attacks recently. Cindy McCain, for example, claimed Obama's "vote to not fund my son when he was serving sent a cold chill through my body" and lectured: "I would suggest that Senator Obama change shoes with me for just one day. ... I suggest he take a day and go watch our fine young men and women deploy." You would think, then, that media reporting Cindy McCain's purported indignation would note that John McCain also voted against funding. They haven't. Indeed, some have falsely stated the opposite -- that McCain did not cast such a vote. You might even think reporters would ask the McCain campaign if Cindy McCain got a "cold chill" when her husband voted "to not fund [her] son." But there is no indication that any reporter has done so. But the best indication that McCain has not yet truly "lost his 'base,' " as The Atlantic's Marc Ambinder put it this week, is the glaring media double standard in covering the two presidential candidates' controversial relationships. Let's start with Bill Ayers, since the news media have spent much of the week obliging McCain's efforts to make him the focus of the campaign. As an activist in the 1960s -- when Barack Obama was a young child -- Bill Ayers was a member of the Weathermen, a group of radical activists who launched a series of violent demonstrations and bombings in protest of the Vietnam War. Ayers is now a professor at the University of Illinois in Chicago and a school reform advocate. During Obama's first campaign, Ayers hosted a coffee for him, and the two men have served together on the board of a school reform effort funded by a foundation chaired by Leonore Annenberg, who has endorsed John McCain. The New York Times concluded that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close," and Obama has denounced Ayers' actions as a member of the Weathermen. A search* of the Nexis database found that more than 4,500 news reports so far this year have mentioned Obama and Ayers -- more than 1,800 this week alone. Now: G. Gordon Liddy. Liddy served four and a half years in prison for his role in the break-ins at the Watergate and at Daniel Ellsberg's psychologist's office. He has acknowledged preparing to kill someone during the Ellsberg break-in "if necessary." He plotted to kill journalist Jack Anderson. He plotted with a "gangland figure" to murder Howard Hunt in order to thwart an investigation. He plotted to firebomb the Brookings Institution. He used Nazi terminology to outline a plan to kidnap "leftist guerillas" at the 1972 GOP convention. And Liddy's bad acts were not confined to the early 1970s. In the 1990s, he instructed his radio audience on how to shoot Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents ("Go for a head shot; they're going to be wearing bulletproof vests." In case anyone missed the subtlety of his point, Liddy also insisted: "Kill the sons of bitches.") During Bill Clinton's presidency, Liddy boasted that he named his shooting targets after the Clintons. What does Liddy have to do with the presidential election? As Media Matters has noted: Liddy has donated $5,000 to McCain's campaigns since 1998, including $1,000 in February 2008. In addition, McCain has appeared on Liddy's radio show during the presidential campaign, including as recently as May. An online video labeled, "John McCain On The G. Gordon Liddy Show 11/8/07," includes a discussion between Liddy and McCain, whom Liddy described as an "old friend." During the segment, McCain praised Liddy's "adherence to the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great," said he was "proud" of Liddy, and said that "it's always a pleasure for me to come on your program." McCain even backed Liddy's son's congressional bid in 2000 -- a campaign that relied heavily on the elder Liddy's history. To sum up: John McCain is "proud" of his "old friend" Gordon Liddy -- an old friend who plotted to kill one of the most respected journalists in American history, and who urged listeners to kill federal agents and advised them on how to do so. McCain campaigned for Liddy's son, and Liddy has even hosted a fundraiser for McCain at his home. So McCain's relationship with Liddy is pretty much a direct parallel to Obama's relationship with Ayers. Except that McCain and Liddy have apparently spent time together more recently than Obama and Ayers. And Liddy's extremist activities continued well into the 1990s, at least. And Liddy says he and McCain are "old friends," while The New York Times says Obama and Ayers aren't close. And Obama has never said Ayers adheres to "the principles and philosophies that keep our nation great." Other than all that, it's a direct parallel. Yet even as they obsess over Barack Obama and Bill Ayers -- just as the McCain campaign tells them to -- the news media have all but ignored John McCain's close ties to Gordon Liddy. A Nexis search** finds fewer than 100 news reports that have mentioned McCain and Liddy this year. As Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman -- who has criticized Obama's relationship with Ayers -- has noted: Liddy, now a conservative radio host, has never expressed regret for this attempt to subvert the Constitution. Nor has he developed any respect for the law. ... Yet none of this bothers McCain. Liddy has contributed thousands of dollars to his campaigns, held a fundraiser for McCain at his home and hosted the senator on his radio show, where McCain said, "I'm proud of you." Exactly which part of Liddy's record is McCain proud of? While Obama has gotten lots of scrutiny for his connection to Ayers, McCain has never had to explain his association with Liddy. If he can't defend it, he should admit as much. And if he thinks he can defend it, let him. To repeat: 2008 news reports that mention Obama and Ayers: more than 4,500. 2008 news reports that mention McCain and Liddy: fewer than 100. Incredibly, The Atlantic's Ambinder today suggests that the media have not covered Ayers: "To truly drive Ayers into the public conversation, to trick what they consider an irredeemably biased press corps into biting, McCain has three vehicles gassed up and ready to go. ... So far, McCain has done none of those things." There are 1,800 Nexis hits for Barack Obama and Bill Ayers in the past week, and yet Marc Ambinder thinks the media have not bitten on the Ayers "story" -- and that McCain, who is running ads about Ayers, isn't "really serious" about pushing it, anyway. Even Steve Schmidt would likely be too embarrassed to try to claim that the media have not covered Bill Ayers. Incidentally, Ambinder doesn't seem to have ever mentioned McCain's relationship to Liddy. Not only have the media avoided stand-alone reports on McCain and Liddy, they consistently fail to bring up the connection when reporting on McCain's attacks on Obama's ties to Ayers, or in interviews with McCain staff who bring up Ayers. The McCain/Liddy relationship is such an obvious parallel -- except arguably much worse -- that it's hard to imagine how any evenhanded journalist could possibly justify ignoring it. Yet it happens again and again. And, needless to say, McCain aides do not get badgered about Liddy the way Time's Mark Halperin badgered Obama aide Robert Gibbs about Ayers. Just this morning, NBC's Chuck Todd said he is "sure" Ayers will come up during the final presidential debate next week, adding that moderator Bob Schieffer "may feel no choice but to bring it up" in light of the "TV ads" the McCain campaign and Republican National Committee are running. Setting aside the absurdity of the suggestion that a debate moderator is compelled to bring up a topic simply because John McCain is running ads about it, if Schieffer does ask about Ayers, basic fairness demands that he ask McCain about Liddy as well. OK ... moving on. How about controversial religious figures? Earlier this year, Media Matters showed that The New York Times and The Washington Post had published a total of 161 articles, editorials, and opinion pieces that mentioned Barack Obama and Jeremiah Wright -- and only 12 that mentioned John McCain and John Hagee. That disparity wasn't unique to the Times and the Post -- and it hasn't evened out over time. 161 to 12. Land deals? Barack Obama once bought a parcel of land from a controversial donor named Tony Rezko. Obama paid more than the land's assessed value -- but that hasn't stopped the news media from suggesting Obama had an improper relationship with Rezko. Comparatively little attention has been paid to John McCain's relationship with real estate developer Donald Diamond. Diamond, a co-chair of McCain's campaign finance committee, has raised more than $250,000 for McCain's presidential bid and is a "close personal friend" and longtime political patron. For his part, McCain has sponsored two bills sought by Diamond that helped the developer gain what The New York Times described as "millions of dollars and thousands of acres" of land. And McCain helped Diamond buy another parcel of land from the U.S. Army -- a deal that helped Diamond turn a $20 million profit. The Washington Post and USA Today have identified other land deals McCain has facilitated as senator that have benefited some of his biggest donors and fundraisers. Yet a Media Matters review last month found that five national newspapers had run a total of 39 articles, editorials, and opinion pieces that mentioned Obama and Rezko -- but only seven that mentioned McCain and his donors' land deals: [S]ince The New York Times' initial April 22 article [about McCain and Diamond], the land deals have been mentioned in only six additional news articles, editorials, or opinion pieces in the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, or The Washington Post, and have yet to be mentioned on any evening network news program. By contrast, during the same time period, 39 news articles, editorials, or opinion pieces in those papers have collectively mentioned Obama and Rezko; and the evening news broadcasts have collectively mentioned Obama and Rezko in five reports. 39 to 7. And, of course, there's always Charles Keating. The news media have done their best to ignore McCain's involvement in the Keating Five -- and, when they have mentioned it, they've done so by parroting the McCain-friendly storyline that the scandal turned the Arizona senator into the World's Greatest Reformer. Even this week, after the Obama campaign drew attention to McCain's involvement in the Keating Five with a Web page and a 13-minute documentary featuring one of the regulators McCain pressured on behalf of his political benefactor, the media have paid far more attention to Obama's relationship with Bill Ayers than to McCain's relationship with Keating. And when they have mentioned Keating, they have often questioned the propriety of the Obama campaign's decision to bring up the subject. Remember: Barack Obama didn't have anything to do with Bill Ayers' wrongdoing. He was a young child at the time. McCain did have something to do with Keating's wrongdoing -- without McCain, the scandal would have been called the Keating Four, not the Keating Five. And yet the media are quick to dismiss the Keating matter. When the topic came up on MSNBC earlier this week, Andrea Mitchell dismissed it as having occurred 20 years ago. Well, sure. But McCain was involved in it 20 years ago, unlike Bill Ayers' controversial activities, which occurred closer to 40 years ago, and which Barack Obama didn't have anything to do with. The American people have made clear that they think the most important consideration in deciding who to vote for is the economy. An astounding 52 percent of Americans call "the economy and jobs" the "most important" issue to them in this election, according to the latest CBS/New York Times poll. Terrorism and national security came in a distant second, with only 11 percent. John McCain and his campaign have made clear that they do not want the last few weeks of this campaign to be about the economy, the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, health care, the housing crisis, or the Constitution. They want it to be about personal associations. Incredibly, much of the news media have sided with John McCain in treating Bill Ayers and ACORN as the most important topic facing the nation. Even worse, they are scrutinizing only Obama's relationships, not McCain's. It's bad enough that they're letting McCain, rather than the American people, set the parameters of the debate. The fact that they aren't applying those parameters to both candidates equally is an inexcusable double-standard. And it's evidence that John McCain retains the support of his "base" -- the media. * Conducted 10/9/08 using the search terms Barack Obama and ((Bill or William) w/2 Ayers ** Conducted 10/9/08 using the search terms John McCain and Gordon Liddy

NY Times, AP repeat McCain falsehood that Obama said Ayers was "just" a guy in his neighborhood

In October 10 articles, The New York Times and The Associated Press uncritically reported Sen. John McCain saying of Sen. Barack Obama's relationship with William Ayers: "Senator Obama said he was just a guy in the neighborhood." The Times reported that McCain added, "We need to know that's not true," while the AP reported McCain added, "We know that's not true, we need to know the full extent of the relationship." In fact, contrary to McCain's claim, Obama did not use the word "just" when describing Ayers as "a guy who lives in my neighborhood." Indeed, during the April 16 Democratic primary debate, co-moderator George Stephanopoulos said to Obama: "An early organizing meeting for your State Senate campaign was held at his [Ayers'] house, and your campaign has said you are friendly. Can you explain that relationship for the voters and explain to Democrats why it won't be a problem." Obama said of Ayers: "This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in Chicago who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from." Obama added, "He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis," and went on to say that Ayers' Weather Underground actions were "detestable." From the April 16 Democratic primary debate: STEPHANOPOULOS: A gentleman named William Ayers, he was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol and other buildings. He's never apologized for that. And, in fact, on 9/11 he was quoted in The New York Times saying, "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel we didn't do enough." An early organizing meeting for your State Senate campaign was held at his house and your campaign has said you are "friendly." Can you explain that relationship for the voters and explain to Democrats why it won't be a problem? OBAMA: George, but this is an example of what I'm talking about. This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who's a professor of English in Chicago who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis. And the notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense, George. Additionally, neither the Times nor the AP noted their previous reporting that Obama and Ayers were not close. The Times reported on October 4 that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called 'somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8' "; the AP reported on October 5 that "there is no evidence that they [Obama and Ayers] ever palled around. And it's simply wrong to suggest that they were associated while Ayers was committing terrorist acts." By contrast, McClatchy reported McCain's quote but added that "Obama has condemned the violent 1960s activities of the Weather Underground. There is no evidence that Ayers is a close friend or an adviser to his campaign." From the October 10 New York Times article: Although Mr. McCain did not mention Mr. Ayers, a founder of the radical group the Weather Underground, by name, his intent was clear in his response to a question about Mr. Obama. A man told Mr. McCain that ''we're all wondering why Obama is where he's at'' in the polls and then asked, ''Is there not a way to get around this media and line up the people he has hung with?'' Mr. McCain responded, ''Well, sir, with your help and the people in this room, we will find out.'' He added: ''Look, we don't care about an old washed-up terrorist and his wife, who still, at least on Sept. 11, 2001, said he still wanted to bomb more. You know, but that's not the point here. The point is, Senator Obama said he was just a guy in the neighborhood. We need to know that's not true.'' Although Mr. McCain raised questions about Mr. Obama's ties to Mr. Ayers in a televised interview last spring, he has refrained from attacking Mr. Obama on the trail for his association with Mr. Ayers in the general election campaign. He had left those attacks to his campaign operatives and Ms. Palin. Mr. McCain's reference to Mr. Ayers's desire to carry out more bombings was from an article in The New York Times, published by chance on Sept. 11, 2001, about Mr. Ayers and his memoir, ''Fugitive Days.'' The article opened with a quotation: ''I don't regret setting bombs. I feel we didn't do enough.'' Three days later, Mr. Ayers wrote on his Web site that the meaning of his remarks had been distorted. Most of the bombings attributed to the Weathermen were meant to damage only property, but a 1970 pipe bombing in San Francisco attributed to the group killed a police officer and severely hurt another. Mr. Ayers is now a professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago and lives in Mr. Obama's neighborhood. He was named citizen of the year in Chicago in 1997, has worked with Mr. Obama on a schools project and a charitable board, and gave a house party when Mr. Obama was running for the State Senate. From the October 10 Associated Press article: McCain also referenced Obama's connection with 1960s radical William Ayers without mentioning him by name. "Sen. Obama said he was just a guy in the neighborhood. We know that's not true. We need to know the full extent of the relationship," McCain said. From the October 10 McClatchy article: Outspent by Obama on TV ads, McCain launched a new Web ad about his opponent's connections to Bill Ayers, the Chicago professor, in which the announcer describes Ayers as a "domestic terrorist" and concludes, "Barack Obama: Too risky for America." McCain told the Wisconsin crowd, "Look, we don't care about a washed-up terrorist and his wife who still, after Sept. 11, 2001, said he still wanted to bomb more. But that's not the point here. The point is Sen. Obama said he was just a guy in the neighborhood. We know that's not true, we need to know the full extent of the relationship, because of whether Sen. Obama is telling the truth to the American people or not." Obama has condemned the violent 1960s activities of the Weather Underground. There is no evidence that Ayers is a close friend or an adviser to his campaign.

MSNBC's Witt did not challenge RNC official's mischaracterization of NY Times article on Obama and Ayers

On the October 4 edition of MSNBC Live, Republican National Committee press secretary Alex Conant claimed that "The New York Times today has a 2,000-word story about Barack Obama's friendship with an unrepentant terrorist," referring to a front-page article about Obama's association with former Weather Underground member William Ayers. However, anchor Alex Witt did not challenge Conant's claim that the article was about their "friendship" by pointing out that the Times in fact reported that Obama and Ayers "do not appear to have been close." Nor did Witt note that Obama has condemned Ayers' actions. In the article, the Times reported that in 1969, Ayers helped found the Weathermen and "[t]wenty-six years later, at a lunchtime meeting about school reform in a Chicago skyscraper, Barack Obama met Mr. Ayers, by then an education professor. Their paths have crossed sporadically since then, at a coffee Mr. Ayers hosted for Mr. Obama's first run for office, on the schools project and a charitable board, and in casual encounters as Hyde Park neighbors." The Times further reported that "the two men do not appear to have been close. Nor has Mr. Obama ever expressed sympathy for the radical views and actions of Mr. Ayers, whom he has called 'somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8.' " From the 10 a.m. ET hour of MSNBC Live on October 4: WITT: What about what we hear from The Washington Post today? Because according to an article there, the McCain campaign is preparing a new, aggressive approach on Senator Obama, including some attacks on his judgment, his honesty, and his character. Does that mean the campaign hasn't been tough enough thus far? CONANT: Well, I think that while you and I have been following every up and down in this race for the last year, a lot of voters are just starting to tune in right now. We got a month to go. The New York Times today has a 2,000-word story about Barack Obama's friendship with an unrepentant terrorist. Barack Obama voted to raise taxes on people making as little as $42,000 a year. I don't think a lot of voters know that. That's what we want to be talking about. That's what people need to know more about over the next month. WITT: OK. Let's talk about some of the strategy right now, Alex, because we know that Senator McCain is pulling his staff, his advertising out of the battleground state of Michigan. Is that because he can't afford to compete there financially? And can he afford to lose that state's 17 Electoral College votes?

ABC falsely said McCain has never brought up Ayers, suggested McCain is separate from his campaign

An August 25 entry on ABCNews.com's Political Radar blog falsely asserted that an Obama campaign ad -- which includes an announcer saying, "With all our problems, why is [Sen.] John McCain talking about the '60s, trying to link [Sen.] Barack Obama to radical Bill Ayers?"-- "is incorrect in insinuating that John McCain himself has brought up Ayers." In fact, "McCain himself ... brought up Ayers," unprompted, during an April interview on ABC's This Week. The post also said: "[I]t is in fact McCain's campaign that has sought to use the Ayers association against Obama," suggesting that McCain is somehow not responsible for what his campaign says. Reporter Tahman Bradley gave no indication that McCain has repudiated or in any way distanced himself from his aides' comments linking Ayers to Obama. In the August 25 post, Bradley reported that "the Obama campaign is using a new television ad to take on the issue of Obama's association with a 1970s radical who bombed the Capitol and Pentagon" and that the ad is intended to "accuse Sen. McCain of raising the Ayers issue in the presidential campaign." Bradley then reported, "The spot is incorrect in insinuating that John McCain himself has brought up Ayers." But during an April 20 interview on This Week, after host George Stephanopoulos asked McCain whether Obama "shares your sense of patriotism," McCain replied, "I'm sure he's very patriotic, but his relationship with Mr. Ayers is open to question." McCain then persisted in criticizing Obama about Ayers during the interview. After falsely asserting that McCain has not "brought up Ayers," Bradley continued: "[I]t is in fact McCain's campaign that has sought to use the Ayers association against Obama, and McCain spokesman Brian Rogers did so again upon learning about the ad." Bradley quoted Rogers questioning Obama's judgment for associating with an "unrepentant terrorist," which is a recurring talking point from McCain's campaign. On August 20, Rogers referred, in a statement, to Obama's "relationship with the unrepentant terrorist William Ayers," and on May 18, spokesman Tucker Bounds commented that "when Barack Obama was beginning his career in politics he was launching it at the home of William Ayers, an unrepentant domestic terrorist." From the April 20 edition of ABC's This Week with George Stephanopoulos: STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you have any doubt that Barack Obama shares your sense of patriotism? McCAIN: I'm sure he's very patriotic, but his relationship with Mr. Ayers is open to question. And that -- STEPHANOPOULOS: Why? McCAIN: Because, if you're going to associate and have as a friend and serve on a board and have a guy kick off your campaign that says he's unrepentant, that he wished he'd bombed more. And then, the worst thing of all, that I think really indicates Senator Obama's attitude, is he had the incredible statement that he compared Mr. Ayers, an unrepentant terrorist -- an unrepentant terrorist, with Senator Tom Coburn. Senator Coburn, a physician who goes to Oklahoma on the weekends and brings babies into life. Comparing those two, I mean, that's not -- that's an attitude, frankly, that certainly isn't in keeping with the overall attitude of the American people -- STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Obama said -- McCAIN: -- and it's very insulting to a great man, a great doctor, a great humanitarian. To compare him with a guy who says in -- after 2001, I wish we had bombed more? I had a reconciliation with the anti-war movement. One of the great experiences of my life was to get to know and love David Ifshin. I had a reconciliation with the Vietnamese, when we normalized relations. But how can you countenance someone who was engaged in bombings, which could have or did kill innocent people? STEPHANOPOULOS: Senator Obama says he was eight years old when that was happening. McCAIN: But he became friends with him and spent time with him, while the guy was unrepentant over his activities as a member of a terrorist organization, the Weathermen. And then to compare him with Dr. Tom Coburn who spends so much of his life bringing babies into this world -- that in my view is really -- it borders on outrageous. STEPHANOPOULOS: He also pointed out that he and Mr. Ayers have a very loose relationship. They live in the same neighborhood; there was an organizing meeting many, many years ago, he says, in his house and he says, frankly, I don't agree with these comments that Mr. Ayers made. McCAIN: Doesn't agree with them? Does he condemn them? Does he -- would he condemn someone who says that they're unrepentant and wished that they had bombed more, and compare him to a doctor, one of the great humanitarian, in my view, one of the greatest spokesperson for the rights of the unborn in America? STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, you say he should condemn these comments. McCAIN: Sure.

Weathermen predict a brighter time ahead for lung conditions

SUFFERERS of lung conditions in the Lothians have received help for their condition from an unlikely source ? weather forecasters.