More on the question of "associations"

Matthew Yglesias of The Atlantic doesn't think the McCain campaign should tie Barack Obama to William Ayers:

"It’s wrongheaded because merely pointing out an association is lazy: it doesn’t do the harder work of establishing a connection between the relationship and Obama’s ability to govern. The McCain campaign has failed to do that. And it’s dangerous because guilt by association can apply to just about anyone, and heading down that slippery slope would have perverse consequences. I have no idea what the vast majority of my friends think about the Weather Underground. I hope they have sound views, but if I found out otherwise I'd hate to have to stop hanging out with them. And, indeed, it seems to me that it would be a bit perverse to do so—so perverse that I trust nobody has any intention of actually trying to apply a guilt-by-association doctrine in any rigorous way."

Really? Then why do you and your friends on the left flash the guilt-by-association card so often? Don't forget, folks: the left wanted to take Trent Lott down because he associated with Strom Thurmond (read: said nice things about his 1948 presidential run). And then it was said Lott "associated" with supposedly racist groups. Conservatives in general are ripped for "associating" with abortion clinic bombers. Sarah Palin and her husband were bashed for "associating" with the members of the Alaska Independent Party. Going back in history, Barry Goldwater was attacked again and again for "associating" with the John Birch Society.

Strange that, to our liberal friends, with whom you "associate" is so important for the Right, but suddenly it magically loses salience if you're on the left.

Obama pleads ignorance

His campaign claims that, when Obama met Bill Ayers, he didn't know who he was.
But note this:

"On the other hand, Obama's not that young. He started at Columbia University, for instance, in 1981, when their names were certainly in the New York tabloids, which haved always loved the story of upper-middle-class radical cop killers. Kathy Boudin's role in a botched, fatal 1981 Brinks roberry was huge news. Bernardine Dohrn was imprisoned in 1982 for refusing to testify against fellow Weather Underground members. And Ayers' past was hardly a secret in Chicago, where he was regularly quoted as an ex-radical and ex-fugitive."

Plus, Obama was an academic. He hung around with liberals. He had plenty of schooling. The 1960s weren't that long ago. He had to know something about '60s radicals like Ayers.

Associations

Sarah Palin keeps up her criticism of Barack Obama, concerning his associations both with Bill Ayers, and also Jeremiah Wright.

Don't let Democrats say such associations don't matter, or that they're ancient history, etc.
Remember something--Democrats LOVE to criticize Republicans for their "associations."
Remember Trent Lott? He said some nice things about Strom Thurmond, and gave a speech or two before a conservative group that Democrats claimed was "racist." Bingo! Because of those associations, liberals and Democrats demanded he be taken down. Remember Pastor John Hagee? He made some controversial statements about Jews--and endorsed John McCain.
McCain had only accepted his endorsement--he hadn't even associated with the guy.
But Democrats demanded he apologize, renounce the endorsement, etc.
To Democrats, associations matter.
Unless it's their own guy. Then suddenly they're ancient history.
Don't let them get away with this hypocrisy.

It's about time

The McCain campaign begins to attack Obama for some of his past questionable associations:

"The recent focus on the economy may have contributed to Barack Obama's boost -- but the McCain campaign is fighting back hard, launching a character assault that on Saturday tapped McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin, who accused Obama of "palling around with terrorists" because of his ties to '60s radical William Ayers."

Good. Because it's about judgment.
Look at it this way: suppose John McCain had associated for years with someone who, in 1975, had participated in a bombing of an abortion clinic AND was unrepentant about the act.
Do you think the Obama campaign would agree that such was all ancient history and could be forgotten? I don't think so...