[Vision2020] Questions for No. Weatherman

[Chasuk]

On Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 05:48, No Weatherman <no.weatherman at gmail.com> wrote:

> STOP RIGHT THERE BUSTER.

Your response is far more excited than is amenable to constructive
dialogue.  It also jumps to one hugely unwarranted -- and extremely
puzzling -- conclusion.  Because I assume political expediency, it
follows that Obama "still" holds their views?  This is averring that
he held their views in the first place.  Don't accuse others of
throwing spitballs until you have cleansed your own arsenal.

> If he disassociated from these men because he felt an internal ethical
> obligation to disassociate, then why doesn't he feel the same
> obligation to disassociate from Ayers?

Because his reasons are nuanced, as they frequently are in real life?

> However, if it was a mere matter of political expediency, as you
> assert without proof, then do not his actions compel us to conclude
> that he is a hypocrite who really does hold a racist, anti-American
> paradigm?

No.

I have friends, acquaintances and family members with some crazy
beliefs that I don't share.  If I ever ran for public office, I might
take the fainthearted route and publicly disavow their beliefs,  which
is what I suspect Obama has done.  I vote for political expediency,
you vote for internal ethical obligation.

> And if he is an anti-American racist, do Americans have a right to
> discuss his views before they vote for him?

Of course we have a right to discuss his views, but this right exists
without any provision that he is an anti-American racist.

> Tell me, Chas, what does Barack Obama really believe and how can we know it?

We can't know with absolute certainty what any man or woman sincerely
believes.  This is as true of McCain and Palin as it is of Obama and
Biden.

Two more questions:

1.  Have you read either of Obama's excellent books?

2.  You appear to demand a level of scrutiny for Obama that you don't
for the other candidates.  Why?

Chas