A caller into Sean Hannity’s show on Friday afternoon had a point that left Hannity momentarily speechless. By Hannity’s own admission, that’s a rare thing. The caller’s question was that if Obama is friendly with William Ayers, an unrepentant former member of the Weatherman Underground group that sought to overthrow the US government and capitalist system in favor of socialism, isn’t that at odds with the oath of office to defend the US Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic? Hannity later added to this query by wondering aloud if Obama could even get a basic security clearance. At the very least, a connection like that would raise some serious red flags in the clearance process.

What are Obama’s ties to Ayers and his fellow weatherman, now wife, Bernardine Dohrn?

Apparently, they go back to at least 1995, when Ayers and Dohrn held a meet-the-candidate dinner for Obama in their home. They have also served on a prestigious philanthropy board together and moved in the same Chicago social circles. [Check here]

Obama’s response to cries to clarify the relationship are usually attempts to distance and not explain.  

"This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood. [He's a guy] who's a professor of English in Chicago who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He's not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis."

"The notion that somehow as a consequence of me knowing somebody who engaged in detestable acts 40 years ago, when I was 8 years old, somehow reflects on me and my values doesn't make much sense[…]" [qtd. here]

What were those acts? Well, the Weatherman Underground was involved in around a dozen bombings, including that of the Capitol, the State Department and the Pentagon, and led a riot in Chicago. They called their targets ahead of time to allow for evacuation, which is probably why Ayers to this day sees America as the real terrorist, not him. [Check his blog]. Ayers was not convinced for his crimes due to misconduct by the FBI. 

The problem with your connection, Sen. Obama, is that you accepted help from and seem to have no qualms about associating with people who sought to destroy the government you seek to lead. Those people seem to continue to hold views and ideas of change that most Americans probably don’t read into your campaign speeches. The fact that you even move in circles with such people speaks to how far left you truly are. Many people would stay away from the likes of Ayers and Dohrn on principle. The fact that you have those associations does reflect on you and your worldview. It certainly does not mean that you would personally undertake actions, but it means what it is, that you find nothing so inherently appauling about bombing buildings of our country as to stay from those who have undertaken such actions. If you didn’t see this relationship, like that of yours with Rev. Wright, as a liability when you started your political career, sir, that  merely further speaks toward your lack of connection with a large segment of the American people and their principles.