UPDATE103008  Offering $200,000 for a copy of the tape.

There will be a protest outside the offices of the Los Angeles Times this morning at 10am Pacific. Details on this page: Picket LA Times.

The image (video and audio) of the event would be so much more damaging to Obama’s campaign than any full print disclosure.

Just like the audio of Obama’s own bitter-clingy words to his well-heeled San Francisco audience was so much more damaging than any print narration of the event.

A picture is worth a thousand heavily-ellided out-of-context quotes, and so much more effective. Especially in an oppo ad. LA Times have invested too much of their credibility and shareholder equity carrying the Obama campaign’s water to blow it now by, you know, doing their jobs as journalists.

Just so you know:  The Los Angeles Times, ironically, is owned by the Tribune Company, whose other big paper, the Chicago Tribune, went to court to force the unsealing of the divorce proceedings of 2004 Illinois Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan…. Ryan dropped out of the Senate race. His opponent was Barack Obama. Instead, Obama had an easy race against Alan Keyes, America’s foremost political performance artist.” Comment by Official Internet Data Office – 10/29/2008 @ 3:11 pm

Thank you for making that connection for us. Sounds like some one at the Tribune Company is a big Barack Obama supporter.

103008 Debbie Schlussel

She believes that Arab American Action Network (AAAN) founder and anti-Israel Palestinian activist Ali Abunimah of Electronic Intifada provided the tape.  OOOh, that would not bode well for Obama.

Her story predates the LA Times story.  January 30, 2008
Obama’s Nation of Islam Staffers, Edward Said & “Inflexible Jews” Causing Mid-East Conflict: An Obama Insider Reveals the Real Barack

Interesting, because she says the LA Times reporter “lifted” her story.  Her case seems quite plausible.  The source photos that we are most familiar with are photos From Electronic Intifada.

In any event, the L.A. Times–usually telling us about the public’s right to know–now only believes in “the public’s right to know what we want it to know and what will aid our pan-Obama-ist agenda.”

UPDATE 102908 PM:  McCain should demand that Obama request the LA Times to release the tape.

Democratic strategist Howard Wolfson told me today that Republican presidential candidate John McCain was wasting his time attacking the newspaper for not releasing the tape. Wolfson noted that McCain would be better off, at least politically, demanding that Obama, his Democratic opponent, call for the tape’s release.

Is it just me or does anyone else believe that it is dishonest for the LA Times to withold the tape?

Contact “readers’ representative,” Jamie Gold, at readers.rep@latimes.com or click here to fill out a feedback form. Or call to leave a message with Gold at (877) 554-4000.

Update from 1000 papercuts:

The LA Times is continuing this recent tradition of deciding which news which doesn’t fit its editorial room political views it will allow its readers to see.

However, highly-reliable blogger, Doug Ross has a RED ALERT: Two Quotes from the Obama-Khalidi Video the LA Times won’t release. DBKP worked with Ross on the John Edwards scandal story and he’s proved careful and reliable in the past–both in his use of sources and in his reporting.

From Ross’ usually-reliable LA source:

Saw a clip from the tape. Reason we can’t release it is because statements Obama said to rile audience up during toast. He congratulates Khalidi for his work saying “Israel has no God-given right to occupy Palestine” plus there’s been “genocide against the Palestinian people by Israelis.”

It would be really controversial if it got out. That’s why they will not even let a transcript get out.

To which Ross replies: “Yep, I guess that would do it”

UPDATE FROM DIRTY HARRY:

UPDATE: Reward For Video Of Ayers/Khalidi/Obama Event Now $175,000.00 **Palin Mentions Tape In Stump Speech**

Posted by Dirty Harry on Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Just got off the phone with an individual who has agreed to throw in another $25,000. This person checks out and has identified him/herself as a Freeper who uses the handle joinedafterattack.

BOUNTY FOR THE VIDEO: Now a cool $175,000.00

This need not be the same video as the L.A. Times has. Just video that shows the event is what we’re looking for.

FOX News just reported that the known Jew-bashing contents of the video along with the L.A. Times refusal to release it has now become a part of Sarah Palin’s stump speech.


LA TIMES story on the tape.  They promised not to share the tape. Sigh!  You know the LA Times did not have a problem releasing Arnold’s candid moments in ‘06.

Even Obama pals at Politico said they would release the tape.

If the Times promised to keep the videotape under wraps, then it must contain content other than their “detailed account of the events”.  What exactly did the LA Times leave out of its reporting in April?

The event has obvious news and electoral value, and given Obama’s extremely thin record of public leadership, the electorate needs as much information about Obama’s public work as possible.  The reticence of the Times to publish source material in its possession indicates some intent to obfuscate or deceive.

Don’t wish to reveal source for tape, NO PROBLEMA…redact the moment where the source might be implicated.  It is an obligation!!!   LAT your behavior is questionable.

Another omission in questionable relationships:   Ayers, Dorhn, Said, Khalidi, Wright, etc.

Sounds like there are some very serious friendships here that Obama does not want the world to know about.

This was a Jew Bash Fest for Khalidi.  Rashid Khalidi is responsible for bringing Ahmenidijad to Columbia Universtity, not once but TWICE!  You know, one of his special friends?  Who knew Khalidi had that much clout with the Iranians?

Rumor has it that a secret meeting was arranged by Khalidi between Obama and Ahmedinijad and did happen.  Both Said and Khalidi’s have membership in the PLO dating back to the ’70’s when it was on the State department terrorist list.   Calling on Florida to pay attention NOW.

Looks bad, Obama’s shady friends do not want to be outed.  Kinda of like the cockroaches that scatter when you turn the porch lights on.

The tape is important because Obama is present at a 2003 dinner where Palestinian Rhashid Khalidi was honored, amongst frequent calls for the immediate destruction of the state of Israel.  Can you just feel the HATE???

Obama and Michelle both attended the hatefest.  Reports are that they were smiling very happy and amongst special friends Bernadine Dohrn and William Ayers (maybe a closeup of Obama, Michelle, Dorhn and Ayers sitting all lovey dovey together at the same table).

All eyes are on the LA Times right now — so if the tape sits in GOP hands, it’s far better for the Times to be pressured to release it on its own, and to do so at a time when the narrative shouldn’t be about Obama’s big informercial, but instead about Obama sitting at dinner with terrorists, laughing and having a grand old time while speaker after speaker calls for the destruction of Israel and the death of all Israelis.

Because that’s the buzz  about what went on at this dinner.

Obama supporters in Chicago know about this because many were in that room when it happened. Just as many Obama supporters were in San Francisco in the room with him when he called Midwesterners bitter gun-and-religion-clingers apathetic to all those who are not like them. People like this think nothing of sitting through a dinner where radicals spout hate because these are the same Hyde Park chicago pseudo-intellectual radicals who think there’s nothing wrong with Bernadine Dorhn and William Ayers running daycare centers or teaching in universities.

“The Los Angeles Times did not publish the videotape because it was provided to us by a confidential source who did so on the condition that we not release it,” said the newspaper’s editor, Russ Stanton. “The Times keeps its promises to sources.”

How convenient!  How much are you getting from Team O?  Well, given that the tape is in LA, most are speculating that there are copies to be bought.  Oops, no I meant found.

Hey how about a finders fee? Dirty Harry has the offer.