Rashid Khalidi: Will Anyone Stand for McCain's Final Smear? (NY Mag)

[struggle4progress]

... John McCain has been fussing over the link between Barack Obama and Columbia University professor Rashid Khalidi. The Los Angeles Times reported in April that Obama had some kind words for Khalidi at the latter's University of Chicago farewell dinner in 2003, but the paper has refused to release a videotape of the event because of a promise made to their source not to do so. It's already been pointed out that if speaking at a dinner for Khalidi is an offense, then McCain has some explaining to do for the hundreds of thousands of dollars granted to Khalidi's organization by the foundation McCain chairs. But that didn't stop McCain spokesman Michael Goldfarb from pushing the story yesterday to CNN ... Meanwhile, the backlash against McCain's latest addition to the kitchen-sink strategy is growing ...

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/10/rashid_khalidi_will_anyone_stand_for_mccains_final_smear.html?mid=daily-intel--20081031&imw=Y&f=most-emailed-24h5

A run-down of retorts (with links) to the McCain campaign's noise

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[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[struggle4progress]

3. I find your remarks variously inaccurate, anti-semitic, and offensive

The history and politics of the Middle East is complicated: the divide-and-conquer tactics of the colonial powers are still apparent in the borders; the atrocious German tribalism of the early twentieth century has left an endutring mark on attitudes; and the real-politik of the region is now dominated by petro-economic considerations

In such a context, it is unsurprising that conflicts endure -- and that those who think they can benefit by exploiting such conflicts mystify the underlying issues. It is also unsurprising that strong and emotional disagreements occur

Your idiotic remarks shed no useful light whatsoever

[The Magistrate]

2. The Attack On Mr. Khalidi, Sir, Is Despicable

He is more than entitled to a view of the Israel v. Palestine that is his own, and stems from his own perspectives. To call him a 'supporter of terrorism' and an 'Anti-Semite' is deplorable. The man is an excellent and even-handed scholar: his work, "The Iron Cage', is an extraordinarily valuable effort.