Why Is the L.A. Times Burying the Obama/Khalidi Tape?

Pajamas Media ^ | April 21st, 2010 | Roger L Simon

[opentalk]

Given the extraordinary sudden turnabout in US policy toward Israel under the Obama Administration, I have become obsessed by the repressed 2003 videotape of Rashid Khalidi and Barack Obama. That tape — or so we are told — is ensconced in a safe at the Los Angeles Times building. In the current situation, its release by the paper is more important and newsworthy than ever.

The Khalidi tape could be of tremendous significance in revealing the provenance of Obama’s views on the Middle East and the degree to which the public was misled on those views during the presidential campaign.

I am writing to solicit the help and ideas of Pajamas Media readers for seeking the release of the tape to the public. But first a little background, if your memories are as foggy as mine can be.

Rashid Khalidi — a Palestinian-American historian known for his strong pro-Palestinian opinions — is currently the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia and director of that university’s Middle East Institute. After Khalidi received this Columbia appointment in 2003, a farewell dinner party was held in his honor in Chicago. A videotape was made of that party where many good things were said about the Palestinian cause and many bad things about Israel. Then Illinois state Sen. Barack Obama was in attendance, as were, some say, William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn.

[opentalk]

Earlier obama was very effective with propaganda, as people catch on not so much. The MSM is losing viewers. The Republicans were late realizing part of the fight is with the message. Soros and the left organizations are well funded and good at this. Obama will lie and manipulate.

Even if the tape is not released, still good to remind people. Helps with countering this and O's approval ratings.

[penelopesire]

I agree and would also add that the republican leaders/politicos should NEVER have abandoned President Bush when his poll numbers went down. It hurt them more by giving the dems ammunition.