Thursday, August 28, 2008

Extra, Extra, Read All About It !

AP Lies about Obama’s Red Mentor

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

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Cross posted from Do the Right Thing
http://dotherightthing-cyberpastor.blogspot.com/2008/08/ap-lies-about-obamas-red-mentor.html
H/T to redhawk.

By Cliff Kincaid,
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Family Security Matters

The influential Associated Press (AP) wire service has belatedly run a story about Barack Obama’s Marxist mentor without mentioning the smoking-gun evidence that the mentor, Frank Marshall Davis, was a Communist Party member. The dishonest story, which represents damage control for the Obama campaign, was written by AP writer Sudhin Thanawala.

AP is one of the largest news agencies and serves thousands of print and electronic media outlets.

Under the innocuous headline, “Writer offered a young Barack Obama advice on life,” the story calls Davis, a member of the Communist Party USA (CPUSA) when it faithfully echoed the Stalinist line, merely a “left-leaning black journalist and poet” known for “leftist politics” and someone who might be accused by some of having “allegedly anti-American views.”

Davis was not a “journalist” in any real sense of the term. He was a propagandist and racial agitator for the CPUSA. He was also a recruiter for the communist cause.

Media Bias.
The slanted AP story features quotes only from supporters or friends of Davis and Obama. But those picked to defend Davis are themselves interesting.
Ah Quon McElrath, identified as merely “a friend” of Davis’s and quoted by AP, was actually an organizer for the communist-controlled International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU). The ILWU was led by Davis’s friend and associate, secret CPUSA member Harry Bridges. Davis wrote for a newspaper, the Honolulu Record, which was controlled by the CPUSA and subsidized by the ILWU.

McElrath is quoted by AP as saying, “You could get a lot of strength from a person like Frank who had suffered all the discrimination...that a black man goes through in America.”

Davis went to Hawaii in 1948 after consulting with Bridges and Paul Robeson, another secret CPUSA member. He was a mentor to Obama during the years 1975-1979 and died in 1987.

Obama supporter Dr. Kathryn Takara is quoted in the AP piece as saying that “Frank was part of a group of black vanguard intellectuals.” Takara was the associate producer of a program about Davis that, like the AP story, ignored his CPUSA affiliation. So while she knows a lot about Davis, she seems blind to the evidence of Davis’s service to the communist cause.

In fact, Davis was a hard-core but secret CPUSA member with a history of involvement in CPUSA fronts who was so much of a Stalinist that he opposed U.S. participation in World War II during the Hitler-Stalin Pact, but then supported U.S. involvement after Nazi Germany invaded Soviet Russia.

Strangely, the AP article quotes John Edgar Tidwell, a University of Kansas professor who edited Davis’s books, as declining by e-mail an interview request because Davis has allegedly become the victim of a “McCarthy-era strategy of smear tactics and condemnation by association.” Tidwell knows that Davis was a secret CPUSA member and cites evidence in one of his books, including from one of Davis’s private letters, to prove it. Davis refused to deny his CPUSA membership as late as 1956, when a congressional inquiry had named him as a member of the communist underground.

So “McCarthyism” has become telling the truth about communists? Why has Tidwell taken such a low-profile during the presidential campaign when he should have so much to offer about Davis - and possibly Obama? Why the silent treatment?

The Big Question
Not surprisingly, AP leaves many major questions unanswered. The wire service notes that Frank Marshall Davis is referred to in Obama’s book Dreams From My Father “only as Frank.”

But why? What does Obama have to say about this curious omission? Could it have something to do with the fact that, by the time Obama wrote his book, he knew that Davis was a Communist? And that he deliberately covered this up? Or did he know it earlier?

This is the key question: What did Obama know and when did he know it?
Why didn’t AP ask this question? Was it afraid of the answer? Or did the campaign not want to comment?

There are more questions: Other than what was reported in Obama’s book, and by Davis’s friends and associates, what was the nature of the relationship between the two of them? Did Davis ever try to recruit Obama into the communist cause? Did Obama leave this out of his book, too?

AP does note that Davis was “an important influence” on Obama but doesn‘t mention Davis‘s communist views and how he took the Stalinist line before, during, and after World War II.
AP even uses the term “mentor,” noting that Obama “struggled to find mentors in his search for a black identity.” But the failure to mention that Davis was a Communist means that AP deliberately ignored the newsworthy significance of the relationship.
Davis “published several volumes of poetry,” AP said, failing to note that they include poems praising the Soviet Red Army and mocking Christian missionaries.

Strange Silence
AP quotes John Edgar Tidwell in a book as saying about Davis, “He made his vision into a beacon, a light shedding understanding and enlightenment on the problems that denied people, regardless of race, national origin or economic status, their constitutional rights.”

But AP doesn’t quote Tidwell as confirming that Davis was a Communist, a member of a political party funded and controlled by Moscow. And AP doesn’t note the evidence that Davis and his comrades tried to take over the NAACP in order to transform its Honolulu branch into a front for the Stalinist line.

What’s more, AP doesn’t note that Davis accused prominent black author Richard Wright of “treason” for breaking with and exposing the CPUSA.

“In spite of his writings,” AP says, “Davis scholars dismiss the
idea that he was anti-American.”

Why not tell us what was in those writings? Like the private letter in the possession of Davis scholar Tidwell in which Davis tries to recruit a prominent poet to the CPUSA.

Which of course raises the disturbing questions that must be asked:
- Did Davis recruit Obama?

- Was Obama, like Davis, Bridges and Robeson, ever a secret CPUSA member?
- Could Obama’s possible secret relationship with the CPUSA help explain why the first person ever to publicly mention that “Frank” was Frank Marshall Davis, and that he had a relationship with Obama, was Gerald Horne, a writer for a CPUSA publication?

Interestingly, Horne made this disclosure or boast at a reception for the CPUSA archives at Tamiment Library at New York University. The interesting title of his talk was, “Rethinking the History and Future of the Communist Party.”

Horne referred to “Frank Marshall Davis, who was certainly in the orbit of the CP - if not a member…” Of course, we know he was a member.

So how and why was Horne in a position to disclose this blockbuster information about Davis and Obama? Did he have inside information?

Two things are clear: All of Davis’s personal papers should be immediately released in the name of the public’s right to know. And Davis’s FBI file, also in the possession of Tidwell, should be released as well (AIM has filed a Freedom of Information Act request for the same file).

These are questions that must be answered because, other than Obama’s recent Berlin speech, where do we find any solid evidence of his opposition to the communist philosophy?

The Delay
Coming more than five months after AIM ran its first story exposing Davis’s influence over Obama, there is no excuse for AP’s blatant dishonesty. It seems to represent another example of what Andrew Walden of the Hawaii Free Press has referred to as a campaign to create a CPUSA-free version of Hawaii history.
It is noteworthy that the AP writer, Sudhin Thanawala, who is based in Honolulu, wrote a previous story about Obama’s upbringing which began, “Growing up as a young man of mixed race, Barack Obama benefited from the spirit of tolerance that defined Hawaii’s racial climate.” Nothing about the CPUSA, which was a major influence in Hawaii, was in that story, either. This piece quoted Takara as well.
Some supporters of Davis and Obama, including Davis’s self-proclaimed son, have been waging a vigorous defense of Davis, even on Obama’s official website, and this pressure could have gotten to AP. But this alleged son, Mark Davis, has no credibility, having written erroneously that his father was not a CPUSA member and not Obama‘s mentor.

If the AP wire service were doing its job, it should have broken this story, rather than running something five months later trying to distort and obscure the truth.
AIM is urging its supporters to monitor where this dishonest AP story is appearing and protest to the appropriate editors that it deliberately ignores the truth about Davis‘s communist affiliations, which were documented in numerous congressional hearings and reports in addition to Tidwell-edited books. These editors can ask AP to correct the record and publish the truth.


Obama Campaign Influence?

The blatant fraud and deception in the AP story may reflect thinking at the highest levels of the Obama campaign that, if the complete truth about the Obama-Davis relationship were made known, the candidate would be sunk. They must understand that Obama’s baggage would prevent him from getting a security clearance in the U.S. Government (none is required for a presidential candidate).

After all, they must be asking themselves, what American in his or her right mind would vote for a candidate who took “advice about race and college” - to quote AP - from a Communist pawn of Moscow?

Viewed in a national security context, the Frank Marshall Davis scandal is far more serious than Obama and his wife and children hearing Jeremiah Wright’s anti-American and anti-white sermons. Indeed, the Davis influence on Obama may help explain why Obama would attend Wright’s church, take his children there, and be receptive to his message for many years. It also may explain why Obama would admittedly attend socialist conferences and pick Marxist professors as friends in college before launching his political career in the home of communist terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn.

But if you didn’t know that Davis was a Communist, this pattern of associations with unsavory characters cannot be traced back to Obama’s formative high-school years.
So the AP story looks like an attempt to put the best possible face on something that could fatally wound Obama and leave him in the position this November of being perceived as a fringe McGovern-style candidate without McGovern’s legislative credentials and war record.

Depths of Dishonesty
Let me explain how dishonest this AP story is.
AP called my public relations representative shortly after I held a May 22nd briefing through America’s Survival, Inc., releasing two reports that featured extensive documentation about Obama‘s communist connections. One, by Herbert Romerstein and myself, examined Davis and his influence on Obama in Hawaii. The other examined Obama’s communist and socialist connections in Chicago. This material was provided to the AP reporter and I personally followed up, offering any additional information which might be needed.
I didn’t hear back.

Now I know why. The reporter all along was carefully planning a piece designed to whitewash Davis and try to save Obama’s campaign from the biggest scandal of all - his association with an identified communist.

Who or what is the reporter scared of? Or is the reporter just blatantly dishonest? Whatever the motive, this is more evidence of a notorious pro-Obama media bias that we must quickly act to overcome.

Indeed, the AP story has to be understood in the context of media support for Obama becoming a major issue of the campaign. It should be remembered that Obama’s campaign strategist, David Axelrod, is a former Chicago Tribune reporter, and Obama’s press spokesperson is Linda Douglass, formerly of CBS News, ABC News, and the National Journal.

Was the AP’s Thanawala performing a free service for the campaign? Whatever the case, the story is itself a scandal and another low point for journalism. It also provides an opportunity for the truth to come out - about Obama and his lapdog press corps.

*AP’s main number in New York is: 1-212-621-1500. AP is run by a board of directors and its managing director for U.S. news is Michael Oreskes, a former New York Times journalist. The AP executive editor is Kathleen Carroll.
Family Security Matters Contributing Editor Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of Accuracy in Media, and can be contacted at cliff.kincaid@aim.org.

Posted by dean
------------------------------------------------------------------

A note from Radarsite: This could be, should be, would be a devasting blow to the Obama campaign. But unfortunately it's explosive impact has been, and will continue to be muffled by a sympathetic MSM, led by the media giant AP. As we have seen time and again Obama has been awarded some special place in our media's rarified elitist universe, inviolate and immune from even the most damaging facts. He has become a symbol and an idol, and as such has been virtually unassailable.
Until now.
Now, some chinks in his armor are beginning to appear. His vulnerability is becoming more and more problematic. He is actually losing ground among women and young voters -- something that would have been all but inconceivable just a few months ago. Truth will be our salvation. And articles such as this one will be our ammunition.
We simply must defeat Barack Obama. If he wins, we lose. We lose everything. - rg

JBlog:
Total Score 80
Radarsite: AP Lies about Obama’s Red Mentor
Cross posted from Do the Right Thinghttp://dotherightthing-cyberpastor.blogspot.com/2008/08/ap-lies-about-obamas-red-mentor.htmlH/T to redhawk. By Cliff Kincaid,Tuesday, August 5, 2008Family Security MattersThe influential Associated Press (AP) wire serv... Dateline: 2008-08-05 4:07pm PT (2190 words)

The views expressed in these blog posts are those of the author and not of the Sun-Times News Group.

16 comments:

  1. Two questions:

    1. Since a scandal and cover-up require wrongdoing, what wrongdoing is Obama accused of? Associating as a teenager with Davis?

    2. I did not see any of the "lies" Kincaid accuses AP of. Could someone list the "lies" please?

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  2. Thank you Norman. I was very surprised to see that Reuters actually posted that one. But I was happy about it all the same. lol

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous said...
    Two questions:

    1. Since a scandal and cover-up require wrongdoing, what wrongdoing is Obama accused of? Associating as a teenager with Davis?

    You apparently did not read the article. The wrongdoing is by the Associated Press a notoriously left-wing news organization that twists every story to suit their own political agenda (I've personally witnessed very often.)
    And, yes, Obama is guilty by association. Davis was an active member of the CPUSA and according to Gerald Horne an active current member of the CPUSA, Obama identifies Davis as "...being a decisive influence in helping him to find his present identity" (Note the words "decisive influence"...very incriminating)
    Obama is a Marxist-Socialist and anti-American...a student of Saul Alinsky (as are the Clintons). Before you ask more questions in this regard please study the Saul Alinsky school of thought, you'll get to know Obama really well.


    2. I did not see any of the "lies" Kincaid accuses AP of. Could someone list the "lies" please?

    The lies are clearly spelled out. It's the deception of the truth and the use of words that place Obama in a favorable light when in fact Obama has associated his entire life with left-wing radicals and gangsters such as Mr. Resko, et al. This comment forum lacks the space to give you an education. Put in a few thousand hours of study and then come back.

    ps Don't forget Alinsky!

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  4. Let's see, a child is mentored from youth by an admitted Communist and learns the tricks of the trade from protege's of another radical, Saul Alinsky. Then, teams up with another notorious left winged radical who frely cries he did not do enough when he set bombs in Government buildings during the 1960's.

    After that, this same youth, grown now and married, sits in the pews of a notorious White America hating pastor with ties to another White hater for nearly 20 years and somehow claims to have missed "Goddamn America" comments.

    Nope, nothing to worry about. No reason to have any doubts.

    ReplyDelete
  5. The AP has a long track record of "faux" reporting.
    One has merely to check in with LGF archives to discover it. There are other sources. LGF has been on AP's faux reporting like a bum on a bologna sandwich.

    Read the story carefully Anonymous and try to comprehend what is being conveyed. Remember reading is only 10% of the equation. The remaining 90% is comprehending what it is you read.

    For more on Nobama try this one on for size; http://dotherightthing-cyberpastor.blogspot.com/2008/08/ayers-obama-connection.html and then tell me where the media is on this?
    TIMES, AP, ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN are taking a powder for obvious reasons...that is obvious to those of us who are actually paying attention and can comprehend.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It is important to remember that history always repeats itself. Benito Mussolini was loved by the Italian People up until he fell in with Adolf Hitler, and we all know what happened to Mussolini when the folks caught up with him. This very same thing could happen to Obama if he ever gets in. Herbert Hoover was voted out of office and FDR took over. Anyone who is politically savvy, knows that Obama is a Marxist and a Socialist. It's funny but when you think about it, some of the Republicans are turning into Democrats, and most of the Democrats are turning into Marxists and Socialists. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out.

    ReplyDelete
  7. no amtter how well Benito Obama Speaks he cannot escape the fcat that Empty Oratory is .. well still empty.
    IE:
    Eliminate Programs that do not work.. WHICH ONES?
    " thjis election is not about me.. It is about you" Guess Again Masked man.. WHO Just In Hell are you?
    If you are without Health Insurance .. out of work.. or Unable to pay your mortgage.. Mc cain leaves you out.. UNANSWERED " BUT I WILL TAX THE REST TO GET YOUR VOTES"!
    Mc cainLacks experience.. YEAH! I have NONE!
    So after the "giddy" MSM gets their Rest and Stops Chewing their Undies.. The Empty suit actually has opened more Questions than Provided answers... and Now the FUN Begins.. GO MAC

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  8. The media have anointed B-HO. They are loathe to investigate anything that would prove he has feet of clay. The bigger question is, would bringing this information into the public arena for scrutiny and debate, change the support B-HO has from his faithful? I think not - they would see it as a resume enhancement.
    I trust the unwashed masses to see this fraud for what he is, and while I wish the MSM would have vetted this guy better, the result would have been Sir Hillary and Team Clinton as the adversary.

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  9. So teenage Obama was "wrong" for associating with someone he didn't even know was a communist?

    ReplyDelete
  10. Re:"Anonymous said...
    So teenage Obama was "wrong" for associating with someone he didn't even know was a communist?"

    Obama knew exactly who the Communist was...Obama complied with the Communist's recommendation about college and Obama's entire academic life was in pursuit of the Marxist/Alinsky school of thought...he learned well.

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  11. Thank you Norman and Dean and Lew and Liberty Card, Redhawk and Joe for your great defense of the truth of this article. If after everything that has been put out there about Obama's danger to America, some people still don't get it, forget it. They never will.

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  12. You forgot that Davis was a CLOSET Communist. He refused to confirm his membership. Do you seriously believe he announced his membership to teenage Obama? Please!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Re:"Do you seriously believe he announced his membership to teenage Obama? Please!"

    Do you honestly believe he didn't! Please!
    Whether he did or did not is immaterial. Most likely he did not. And he would have been foolish to do so.
    There is no denying Davis was a communist and his influence over Obama was manifested in many ways including the "decisive influence" mentioned avove. Obama may or may not have known the descriptive title ('Coummunist')of Davis' ideology but the indoctrination into it was what is important. Teachers of any subject don't go around to their students announcing, "I am a 'whatever' ", they simply teach the course to the students whether the students are gullible or not. Obama obviously was not simply gullible, he was very acute.
    Further, Obama knew Davis was identified as a communist when he wrote his book, 'Dreams of My Father'...if you don't believe that, you need help.
    Why don't you listen to every word Obama says and then see how many lies you can count...of course you have to know the truth first.


    ps: I gave up counting.

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  14. To Anonymous:
    Please read: http://www.constitution.org/col/cuddy_nwo.htm

    It will give you an insight as to what is going on in the world. It's just a beginning for you but it should give you enough incentive to research further. Come back after you have about 8,000 pages (as I do) of documentation that supports an argument.

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  15. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  16. Another for Anonymous:

    Go here:
    http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2001/No-Regrets/
    and look at the picture of one of Obama's best and closest friends.

    ReplyDelete