From the NY Post:
WASHINGTON – Barack Obama’s top political adviser said today Obama “didn’t know the history” of unrepentant bomber William Ayers’ activities in the violent Weather Underground movement when the candidate attended a political event at Ayers’ home in 1995.
“When he went he certainly didn’t know the history,” chief Obama strategist David Axelrod told CNN – arguing for the first time since the story surfaced early this year that Obama was unaware of Ayers’ past.
“There’s no evidence that they’re close,” Axelrod added.
“There’s no evidence that Obama in any way subscribed to any of Ayers’ views. And Obama’s been very clear about condemning the despicable acts that Bill Ayers committed 40 years ago when Obama was 8 years old.”
I think this dovetails nicely with my post from last night. If true, apparently being a former leader of a terrorist group dedicated to the violent overthrow of the US isn’t remarkable in the political millieu Obama hails from. Though, I’d wager that voting for Ronald Reagan or opposing abortion would invite social ostracism.
Update: By the way, we’ve mentioned it in the Corner before, but I always liked this response to the Obama line that he was only 8 at the time.