From The Guardian UK
By Eric Alterman

It’s hard to believe, I know, but the McCain campaign seems intent on delving further and further into the gutter in its desperate attempt to tar Barack Obama with something – anything – that will undermine the trust he’s earned from voters for the past two years. The most recent episode involves a full-court press in speeches and interviews by both candidates and their surrogates to inspire yet another McCarthyite panic, this one among Jews (especially those in Florida, no doubt).

To review, five years ago Barack Obama spoke at the same dinner as Rashid Khalidi, a noted scholar and current professor at Columbia University. There were some harsh things said by others at the dinner, but not by Khalidi or Obama. Obama “called for finding common ground” in his remarks and said that his commitment to Israel’s security is “nonnegotiable”, according to the Los Angeles Times, which wrote an extensive account of the dinner six months ago. The reporter, Peter Wallsten, based that story on a videotape of the dinner, which was provided to him by a source on the condition that it not be released.

Now right-wingers are demanding that the tape be released. “A major news organisation is intentionally suppressing information that could provide a clearer link between Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi,” said McCain campaign spokesman Michael Goldfarb. “The election is one week away, and it’s unfortunate that the press so obviously favours Barack Obama that this campaign must publicly request that the Los Angeles Times do its job – make information public.” Sarah Palin, on the stump in Ohio on Wednesday, said: “Among other things, Israel was described there as the perpetrator of terrorism rather than the victim. What we don’t know is how Barack Obama responded to these slurs on a country that he professes to support.” (Note: professes to support).

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