The Nearly Smoking Letters

Steve Diamond continues to plug away at the Obama cover-up swirling around Obama's association with Bill Ayers and the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.

One issue is this - how did Barack Obama, a young lawyer with no background in education, become chairman of the highly visible (and highly funded) Chicago Annenberg Challenge?  Even the Times coverage noted raised eyebrows:

Several board members, including two university presidents, far outranked Mr. Obama in education experience.

“Let me say the room had no shortage of egos, including my own,” said Stanley O. Ikenberry, a board member who at the time was president of the University of Illinois. “It was unusual: here you had a person trained in the law chairing a board on school reform.” Still, he said, Mr. Obama won his colleagues’ respect.

The obvious answer, suggested by Steve Diamond (and seconded by yours truly), is that Bill Ayers, who had led the founding of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, lobbied on Barack's behalf.  And why would Bill Ayers do that?  There was an earlier effort at school reform in Chicago in 1988; one major player was the ABCs Coalition coordinated by Bill Ayers.  One member of the coalition was Barack Obama's Developing Communities Project, so it is entirely possible that these two met in 1988 and were simply resuming their collaboration in 1995.

The Obama campaign denies that:

Ayers had nothing to do with Obama’s recruitment to the Board. Barack Obama was encouraged to run for Chair by Deborah Leff, with whom he served on another board, recommended by Pat Graham, and elected by the bipartisan founding board members: Susan Crown, Pat Graham, Stanley Ikenberry, Ray Romero, Arnold Weber, and Wanda White.

But Steve Diamond has unearthed correspondence prior to the formation of the Chicago Annenberg Challenge documenting some key points:

1.  Bill Ayers was instrumental in founding the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.

2.  Unsurprisingly, the question of how the Chicago Annenberg Challenge would be governed was raised prior to the grant being approved.  Bill Ayers was involved in resolving that.

3.  The governing structure, including the board of roughly eight Chicagoans, was discussed with Bill Ayers.

The Obama campaign would like people to believe that, although Bill Ayers was involved at every important step, no one asked for this thoughts on the selection of a chairman.  Uh huh.

Steve Diamond points out another oddity of the Obama camp's current explanation - Deborah Leff claims to have encouraged Obama to run for the chairmanship.  In that vision Ms. Leff would have met Barack in Nov 1994 on the board of the Joyce Foundation, then pushed him towards the Chicago Annenberg Challenge chairmanship four months later.  That gives short shrift to the fact that the Joyce Foundation, and especially Ms. Leff, had a longstanding and ongoing relationship with Bill Ayers, whom Ms. Leff considered to be in charge of developing the Chicago Annenberg Challenge.  In filling the chairmanship did she really execute an end-run around Ayers in order to promote a guy she scarcely knew?  Is that the Chicago Way?

No journalist will pick this up, of course, so the Obama cover-up will continue for a while.  Eventually the history will out.  But before it does, think how many people can request favors of their old friend Barack, and think how many people Barack needs to stay friendly with, lest their inconvenient memories embarrass him.

Comments

[cathyf]

I dunno, TM, while the whole rest of the whole stinking pile of CAC turd smells to high heaven, I'm not so sure about the chairman question. I can't tell you how many people I know (like me!) who've ended up in charge of things simply because they screwed up and didn't duck at the right moment.

(Speaking of which, come March I'll have a living room piled to the ceiling with girl scout cookies...)

[Jane]

Cathy,

I'll take the mint ones.

[TGO]

People are too busy watching their 401k's to worry about this stuff.

[clarice]

I don't see what's new in this report. I think Ayers wanted to run this but wanted to keep a lower profile re Annenberg so he picked Obama for whom this would have seemed a political stepping stone while Ayers headed the operating arm--ie., the actual show.

[MikeO]

One issue is this - how did Barack Obama, a young lawyer with no background in education, become chairman of the highly visible (and highly funded) Chicago Annenberg Challenge?

In my estimation, the most likely reason is that Senator Obama was being groomed because his ethnicity makes him the compelling capstone candidate for the left's balkanization strategy.

The second most likely explanation is that Senator Obama is crooked as a three-dollar bill, and he gravitated toward education for the same reason that Willie Sutton robbed banks: Because that's where the money is. Only Senator Obama is much more clever than Sutton because banks, unlike education, usually task somebody with minding the store.

[cathyf]

Well, MikeO, I still think we have to give fair consideration to option 3, which is that Obama was the only person on the board without a full-time job, so he had the time to spare to be chairman...

(...although I had a full time job when I volunteered to be cookie chair -- what's my excuse?!???)

[sbw]

There are two new drinking opportunities during the debate tonight.

The first is if Gwen Ifill asks, "What can be done to improve the quality of education in the country."

[She won't.] If she doesn't ask, she's in the tank.

If she does ask, the second drinking opportunity is when Sarah answers, "Well, we're sure not going to do what Obama, Ayers, and the rest of his special friends did with the Chicago Annenberg Challenge Obama chaired when millions were siphoned off to what was reported as absolutely no improvement in the quality of education. That kind of undercover scheme is his style and the press needs to report on it."

[Tom Maguire]

I don't see what's new in this report. I think Ayers wanted to run this but wanted to keep a lower profile re Annenberg so he picked Obama for whom this would have seemed a political stepping stone while Ayers headed the operating arm--ie., the actual show.

Well, I am not surprised and you are not surprised but if the Obama campaign could be busted in yet another lie about this Ayers thing... hmm, who does care?

[hrtshpdbox]

" Eventually the history will out. "

I hope it doesn't out for another four years, when Hillary brings it up in her fight against Obama to be Dem standard-bearer vs President McCain.

[clarice]

If thatCAC q and a should come up, I'll crack out a bottle of champagne and share it with whoever's at JOM at the time,sbw.

[MikeO]

Good one, cathyf, about his being the only one without a real day job! My VRWC blinders shielded the obvious from me. I am somewhat ashamed since I long ago learned never to attribute to design anything that lies along the path of least resistance.

Thanks to everyone else for reminding me that I need to hit the ABC before the debate starts. My cupboard is nearly bare (and my head slightly throbbing) since I wanted to put a bunch of bottles out with this week's recycling. Knucklehead that I am, I forgot until my wife reminded me that it goes out on Friday mornings now. My liver is a little vexed with her for not mentioning it earlier in the evening.

[bad]

From Ayers and Hallet to Gregorian:

The Board and the Collaborative will reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of Chicago."

Geez, Obama was an AA hire.

[hit and run]

MikeO:
Knucklehead that I am, I forgot until my wife reminded me that it goes out on Friday mornings now. My liver is a little vexed with her for not mentioning it earlier in the evening.

Knucklehead? That's genius.

Vexed? 'If it doesn't kill you it will only make you stronger'. At least what all those well intentioned self help types keep tellng me.

They wouldn't steer me wrong, would they?

[dwightkschrute]

Clearly Ayers was tight with Obama, I mean look at all the money he donated to his campaigns. Umm what, $200?

Ok well certainly it'll be bad that Obama associated with a former felon. Wait, Ayers was never prosecuted or served time for anything?

No doubt Obama's spent a lot of time with Ayers, traveled with him, given him lots of access. Huh, just being in the same room and being at the same board meeting?

Ok, but beyond anything Obama had to have had some involvement in all this guys horrible actions. Uhh, so Obama was only 8 years old at the time all that was going on?

Hmmn, so these ties still have to be way stronger than McCain's to Charles Keating right? Let's see,

donations: Ayers to Obama $200, Keating to McCain $112,000

convictions and jail time: Ayers 0, Keating 73 counts of wire and bankruptcy fraud and over four years in Federal prision

association: Ayers and Obama brief contact in professional, public setting, McCain 9 trips at Keating's expense, 3 to Keating's Bahamas retreat, oh and Keating let McCain's wife and father in law in on a strip mall investment for $359,000 then they sold it for $15,000,000.

participation in defining actions: Obama 0, McCain twice met with federal regulators on Keating's behalf, reprimanded by Senate Ethics committee

Yeah, now if only the American public would wake up and realize that being tangentially connected to someone is WAY more serious than having deep ties and being actively involved.

/get the story out!

[DrJ]

Send better trolls! Send better trolls!

[sbw]

Hmmm. Trolls tend to come out thicker and faster the closer one gets to a nerve. I think we've got a live one!

[sylvia]

I don't know if I kept up with this issue as perhaps I didn't read all the links. Was Obama a board member when he became chairman of the board? If so, how long was he a board member for? What was he doing directly before became a board member?

[ben]

Mason Dixon hot off the press
Virginia McCain 48 Obama 45

[Sue]

dwightkschrute,

If the smoking gun showed up, proof beyond a shadow of doubt that Obama and Ayers were more closely tied than what you think they are now, would it change your opinion of Obama?

[sbw]

December 1, 1994, Ayers and Anne Hallett (who co-chaired the CSRC with Ayers) wrote to Gregorian.

We have given careful thought to the issues raised in your letter. We are working with Adele Simmons, Deborah Leff, and Pat Graham on issues of management and governance to ensure that Chicago's Annenberg Challenge initiative is successful.

Smoke... Palpable, visble, indisputable smoke.

[Rick Ballard]

Did you know that convicted felon Tony Rezko bought the lot adjacent to poverty pimp Obama's mansion in Chicago as payback for Obama's help in stacking the corrupt boards which Gov. Blagojevich appointed? And that Obama's wife got a $200,000 raise on the basis of an earmark that the thief Obama stuck in a bill?

Have you heard the tape of Obama's pastor and spritual mentor, The Right Racist Reverend Wright's God Damn America Sermon? Did you know that Obama's 20 year association with that racist church allowed him to steer millions in Federal grants to supporting its race based programs?

Barack Obama's friends and associates are terrorists, racists and felons. You can look it up.

[Appalled]

TM:

At the end of the day, all people care right now about the financial crisis. Show Obama was working on a committee with Franklin Raines and you might have something.

[Sue]

Rick,

Barack Obama's friends and associates are terrorists, racists and felons. You can look it up.

Actually, I think they know and don't care.

[sylvia]

This from the NYT article:
"and the city added $98 million in matching funds for the Chicago Annenberg Challenge, a philanthropic campaign that financed enrichment projects "

As Ayers "wrote the proposal" for the Challenge", ie started it, where did Ayers get the 98 milion dollars from?

"Mr. Obama was nominated to the Challenge board and was elected chairman in 1995"

Now see that in the NYT gives short shrift to the issue of how long Obama was on the board before he got nominated. Acording to TM excerpt "Ms. Leff would have met Barack in Nov 1994 on the board of the Joyce Foundation, then pushed him towards the Chicago Annenberg Challenge chairmanship four months later".

So it seems that Obama went straight to chairman and bypassed the board?

It seems to me Obama was handpicked by associated of Ayers. Probably they looked around and were impressed by his racial makeup and that he was a good speaker etc, and propped him up.

Now the real smoking gun - did Ayers get any of the 98 million from any dubious soures? For instance Chavez - and Chavez's love of education causes for the poor. (Was Chavez in power back then? I must look it up to be sure...)

[bgates]

Show Obama was working on a committee with Franklin Raines and you might have something.
How about putting Jim Johnson (Franklin Delano Raines' predecessor) in charge of the VP search?

[sbw]

Show Obama was working on a committee with Franklin Raines and you might have something.

Ask, and ye shall receive. Well, next best thing. Rather than Fannie Mae CEO Raines, I give you Fannie Mae CEO MUDD -- and Michelle Obama, too.

[sylvia]

Chavez wasn't in power until 2000. So, no Chavez start for the Annenburg. If it was a leftist scandal, it had to be Castro then.

[bad]

Sylvia

The info you seek is found on page 37 and 38 of the pdf file LUN.

The public funds are monies already dedicated to the schools, reclassified to "The Annenberg Way."

[sylvia]

"The Annenberg Foundation today announced a five-year grant totaling $49.2 million to support Chicago school reform...The grant, part of the half-billion-dollar Annenberg Challenge.. will be matched two-to-one by $100 million in local private and public dollars.

Adele Simmons, president of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, expressed confidence that the city's philanthropic community would meet the challenge of providing $50 million in matching funds over the next five years.... Foundation support for Chicago reform has increased dramatically since 1985 and currently exceeds $10 million per year."

Hmmm. Interesting. So 50 mill from Annenburg, 50 million from private sources, where did the other 50 mill come from... city revenue? And by the way, who gave the 10 mil a year? Just as an fyi, I'd gamble that Oprah gave some for one.

Also this:

"The Chicago Annenberg proposal was developed through discussions among a broad-based coalition of local school council members, teachers, principals, school reform groups, union representatives and central office staff, convened by Anne Hallett of the Cross City Campaign for Urban School Reform, William Ayers of the University of Illinois at Chicago, and Warren Chapman of the Joyce Foundation."

So Warren Chapman of the Joyce Foundation helped start it, apparently Obama was a board member of the Joyce Foundation beforehand, where he was encouraged by Ms. Leff to go to the Annenburg. Just trying to get the history down here.

[ben]

'Ok well certainly it'll be bad that Obama associated with a former felon. Wait, Ayers was never prosecuted or served time for anything?'

Forget former felon, I will settle for unrepentant terrorist bomber.

[matt]

the problem seems to be that no cares...the trends are in the Democrats favor, and the negative press on Palin continues. Today, there were articles in both the LA Times and Washington Post about how Palin's popularity is fading.

I e mailed the authors of both articles and suggested that perhaps the relentless negative coverage had something to do with it. No replies, nor do I expect one.

[matt]

ben;

Ayers was prosecuted, but the case was thrown out...

[Cecil Turner]

And the "professional, public setting" includes Ayers's home.

[PeterUK]

"Forget former felon, I will settle for unrepentant terrorist bomber."

Now if you make that "unrepentant" attempted mass murderer I would agree.Ayers is no terrorist anymore than Ted Bundy was,Ayers is a psychopath.

[Rick Ballard]

"Forget former felon"

We really mustn't forget Uncle Tony. No one has claimed that the terrorist Ayers was a convicted felon. That's just pixie dust. Tony Rezko (who rented Obama on an as needed basis) really is a convicted felon. Like Kwame Kilpatrick is today and William Jefferson will be after his trial. With just a little luck Charlie Rangel could join the group soon as could Conyer's wife in Detroit.

It doesn't appear that Jeremiah Wright has been accused of anything illegal yet, so he's just a racist rather than a terrorist or felon.

[bgates]

Ayers was never prosecuted or served time for anything
"Guilty as hell, free as a bird" is how Ayers described himself. Obama associates with an admitted terrorist.

[ben]

"ben;

Ayers was prosecuted, but the case was thrown out..."

Are you questioning the fact he is an unrepentant terrorist bomber? He himself states that he is, if you don't agree take it up with him.

[sbw]

Please! You short Ayer's prime skill as a bomb designer! He was going to blow up real people at the USO dance.

Oh. Wait. His bomb blew up prematurely killing his girl friend and two others.

Now, what was it you were trying to say about Obama's long term association with this, ah, gentleman? You know, the one he lied to the American people about only having a passing acquaintance?

--
Ooh! New campaign slogan: Once a liar, always a liar.

[sylvia]

Thanks Bad, read it over. So apparently Annenburg gave a certain amount to the Chicago Public Education Fund, in which the grants were terminated in 1999 and then the grants given to the Annenburg Foundation instead? And that's where the public money came from? Not sure how that worked actually.

Saw the list of donors, seemed like of lot of money for corporations to give to one foundation, seems a little shady to me somehow, but maybe that's how it's done in charity land.

One thing that sticks out to me now is what is the Joyce Foundation? I see that is where Obama got his start, and one of the biggest donators to the Annenburg. Just something to look up later I guess.

[Cecil Turner]

Y'know, the part of Barry's background that is hard to figure is his development from a basketball jones type at Punahou, to an undistinguished inactive student at Occidental (until he discovered SA divestment) to a political science type at Columbia graduating without honors, to all of a sudden being a standout legal scholar at Harvard. One of the things that happened in the Columbia-to-pre-Harvard interlude is that he lived very close to Ayers, and then happened to move to his home town for his community organizing, and worked on some convergent projects.

Listening to him speak, I have a hard time with BHO as a legal mastermind (because he sounds a bit dim, though very smoooth), and I wonder whether it's possible to get some assistance on all that reading and writing at HLS. And though I'd also think it's an awfully deep game for the Ayers types in the world to begin grooming a kid in college for a presidential run, but . . . as a Manchurian Candidate conspiracy theory, it has a certain charm.

We probably ought to start a disinformation campaign claiming it's all gospel . . . heck, might even turn out to be right. There's as much to go on as most of the various Palin rumors, and the MSM is running with those daily.

[E. Nigma]

How close are Ayers and Obama? Just neighbor-like "howdy" close?
Ideologically close?

How long ago did Obama know Ayers?

1995?

1988?

What IS the truth and how does it compare with Obama's story? And if there is a discrepancy, why did Obama try to obscure the truth? Isn't he a 'new kind of politician?' What's he afraid of?

McCain has long ago 'fessed up to his relationship with Keating. He wore sackcloth and ashes about that for several years after it became public in 1988.

So, just who is this guy, Barack Obama, anyways? He could very well be the next President of the United States, and large parts of his life are just a cipher.

Doesn't that bother anyone, besides the usual paranoid wing nuts here?

[clarice]

Cecil--that trajectory is unlikely. Someone has already theorized that Ayers wrote the "autobiographies". Whoever got him into HLS probably introduced him to his mentor there. Lawrence Tribe.

[clarice]

What I mean, Cecil is one does not go from a non-honors Columbia poli sci grad (really an impossibility unless you had a brain removal) to a star at HLS if there's any honest evaluation ..Impossible..

[Lesley]

The problem, as I see it, is that Obama's interaction with ACORN, the Woods Fund Chicago, and the CAC requires the public's attention beyond one or two easy sound bites. These relationships cannot be explained in, "Mr. Vice President, you've got ninety seconds."

The Obama campaign excels in pithy responses to complicated negative stories. All the muddled middle will remember is the (Obama was only eight years old, etc.) dismissive rejoinder, little comprehending the seriousness of the charge. Unfortunately.

[PeterUK]

"Y'know, the part of Barry's background that is hard to figure is his development from a basketball jones type at Punahou, to an undistinguished inactive student at Occidental (until he discovered SA divestment) to a political science type at Columbia graduating without honors, to all of a sudden being a standout legal scholar at Harvard."

Because this is a different Obama?
Ideal subject, orphan,no proper birth certificate,no paper trail,no close friends with anecdotes.Now how many politicians can you think of who don't ram their entire lives down your throats.A couple of premature biographies which seem to be the script of Obama's life.
I said quite a while ago,"The Man Who Never Was".

[TGO]

Because this is a different Obama? Ideal subject, orphan,no proper birth certificate,no paper trail,no close friends with anecdotes.

Bred in a Democratic bioweapons lab from classified genetic material extracted from MLK Jr, Jack Kennedy, FDR and Abraham Lincoln, he was unleashed upon the world to lay waste to the hegemonic Vast Right Wing Conspiracy using only the sword of Truth, Justice, and the American Way!!!

[TGO]

Better get a towel and clean up that mess you just made on your rug, PUK. Looks like you had curry for supper, eh?

[RichatUF]

Sue-

Actually, I think they know and don't care

Actually, I think they know and support what the terrorists, racists and felons are doing. As long as they don't get caught or get away with it.

[bgates]

We probably ought to start a disinformation campaign claiming it's all gospel
No we shouldn't, because we don't know it's true.
It might be true, but we don't know it's true.

[TGO]

Actually, I think they know and support what the terrorists, racists and felons are doing.

You forgot pedophile snuff film producers. Nothing happens in DC without their say so.