Trevor joins the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy
The HeraldNet reports from the US on allegations against Obama, including from NZer Trevor Loudon who specialises in links to communism:
Here are some things we can look forward to learning about Barack Obama:
That he was mentored in high school by a member of the Soviet-controlled Communist Party.
That he launched his Illinois state Senate campaign in the home of a terrorist and a killer.
That while serving as a state senator, he was a member of a socialist front group.
That his affiliations are so dodgy that he would have trouble getting a government security clearance.
The newspaper is sceptical, saying:
The Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy took a blow with Hillary Clinton’s exit. But it is regrouping, and finding plenty of sinister things to say about Obama — even if he didn’t trade cattle futures.
Hillary invented the term VRWC to describe her foes. If the VRWC is now targeting Obama, Hillary is probably funding them 
“He’s a member of an organization (that is) openly a front for two socialist groups,” reported another participant, Trevor Loudon.
“Obama was raised and educated in a very Marxist-rich environment, which often would limit his worldview,” reported a third, Max Friedman.
In college, Obama “admits selecting Marxist professors among his friends and attending socialist conferences,” Kincaid went on. In Chicago, he said, “Obama launched his political career back in 1995 at the home of communist-terrorist Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn,” the two Weather Underground figures who have already made a cameo in the campaign. Kincaid then made the unilateral decision to accuse Dohrn of the 1970 killing of a policeman, a charge no prosecutor has made.
Personally I’m not too worried about communist influences when people were young. Hell Stephen Franks was a communist as a student and he has turned out fine
But I do hope the election in the US will focus on the policies, not just the rhetoric, of the two candidates. For example John McCain is staunchly in favour of genuine free trade agreements with as many countries as possible. Obama is not only against further FTAs but wants to renege renegotiate on the ones already signed such as NAFTA.
May 26th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Not to mention that the Democrats have ratted on a FTA with Columbia – Fa Pete’s Saaaaaaaake.
May 26th, 2008 at 4:49 pm
“Personally I’m not too worried about communist influences when people were young. Hell Stephen Franks was a communist as a student and he has turned out fine
”
That might explain the move from ACT to National
May 26th, 2008 at 4:54 pm
I’m just glad you have the sense not to repeat these stupid allegations..
Oh hold on.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
“communist influences when people were young” sort of cuts you out sonic
May 26th, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Life in the “Land of the Free”. Heh.
I’m with sonic – this is just more fodder for the kiwiblog right, who will suck it up like they always do.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:31 pm
Hey Sonic, I’m a right wing sort of voter and read DPF’s posting of Trev’s comments as showing the stupidity of them, not regurgitating them for the evil empire that is the VRWC.
I realise that you may find the idea of entertaining two opposing thoughts in your mind at once difficult to grasp and possibly manage, but with exception to the uneducated hill billies that HRC holding onto most people can see through the comments above pretty easily.
Wasn’t a good number of labour’s current cabinet ultra left wing once with the exception of Goff who’ll probably take over soon and in spite of that they’ve finally managed to hand out some good capitalistic tax cuts, clearly communists no more.
May 26th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
“I realise that you may find the idea of entertaining two opposing thoughts in your mind at once”
George Orwell had a name for that iirc.
Anyway I was being light-hearted Yeti, do calm down.
May 26th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
Vlad Lenin had a name for you too, sonic.
May 26th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
“But I do hope the election in the US will focus on the policies, not just the rhetoric…”
Fat chance. So far it’s been Hillary is a Bitch, Obama is a Muslim, don’t know what they’re saying about McCain since I don’t really care.
May 26th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
you missed out one of the best bits David –
“But the star of the show was the ancient Herbert Romerstein, who once plied his trade for the House Un-American Activities committee in the 1950s. “We decided to start going back and seeing what things influenced him even before he was born,” Romerstein announced without a trace of irony, before tying Obama to the Communist Party of the 1930s in Hawaii and Soviet spies on the island. “This is the atmosphere that young Barack Obama grew up in.”"
Not quite as sublte as what’s been happening to Hillary lately.
May 26th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Actually Yeti you are wrong about Goff.
he was a member of he Maoist group Progressive Youth Movement and was one of the flingers of re paint and spitters on soldiers in May 1971 when 161 Bty RNZA marched down Queen St after returning from Vietnam. He also set fire to prams and pushed then into the marching soldiers in order to disrupt proceedings.
Phil Goff is also the cretin that flew the North Vietnamese flag on top of the Cenotaph in Auckland in 1975 upon the fall of Saigon to Communist forces.
It is extremely ironic that both him and Clark, both in attendance at that protest against veterans are part of the government that will apologise to the veterans for the treatment they received upon returning from Vietnam. It is also extremely ironic that a Maoist so-called peacenik who lit prams, threw red paint and spat on soldiers is now the Defence Minister.
Actually it is sickening rather than ironic, but I am sure now that Sonic and the other apologists of communist dictatorships will jump in here and tell me how wrong I am about them.
May 26th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Goff has a lot to answer for his silly indiscretions of youth, but I would also point out he lost a nephew in Afghanistan, which might suggest he’s genuine about the respect he has for soldiers today.
May 26th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Penn Jillette (who apparently considers himself a comedian… I always thought he was a cheesy and very unfunny “magician”) commented on a US network that Barack Obama did well in February because it was Black History Month and Hillary Clinton did well in March because it was “White Bitch Month”.
Then there’s the pic I saw (Photoshopped I guess) of the KFC store with the “Hillary Special – fat thighs, no breasts and a left wing”.
If “socialist Muslim” is the worst Obama gets called this campaign, he’s doing well.
May 26th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
“people become more conservative once they have something to conserve” not sure what this says about obama, sonic, gww, goff etc. I was once keen on the values party until saw & (more importantly) heard the calibre of the others attracted; made a quick exit.
Hmmmm was the use of the term ‘calibre’ a slip?
May 26th, 2008 at 9:50 pm
curious about the Washington Post article talking about Clinton’s exit – given the gushing over Obama the writer is doing I guess that is wishful thinking.
May 26th, 2008 at 10:30 pm
I really want to like Obama – for what he represents & the barriers that he breaks down.
BUT…. his policies! One minute he’s talking about pulling the troops out of Iraq, no ifs, buts or maybes. Then the next minute he’s talking about launching a preemptive attach against Iran and/or whoever if intelligence indicates a substantial threat. HELLO!
My concerns about Obama is:
1. He’ll withdraw the troops from Iraq and put in jeopardy what the 4000 + US solider have died for.
2. He’s anti-free trade.
3. He’s pro-big government.
4. He’s a bit of a snob.
But his stance of healthcare, & race relations are moderate & his management skills are impressive. He’s also sensible about the types of jobs Americans will have in the future. I think he’ll be great at restoring Americans tarnished international image.
Just a shame he’s not a liberal conservative.
Oh .. one last thing. He would go a long way to winning over moderates like me if he selects Michael Bloomberg as his running mate.
May 26th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Hey DPF, it is not so long since calling someone a Communist, even in their youth, could have launched a profitable law suit (lowered me in the eyes of right-thinking people). I’m tempted to let the myth run in case it makes me seem more mysteriously interesting than I deserve, but Communism, even then, was too much to swallow.
My first cell mate in Weir House was a PYM member. Trevor Loudon would be able to identify plenty of fellow travellers among my friends. I worked one day a week as a truck driver and seagulled (casual labourer) regularly on the wharf, but despite these credentials I doubt I’d have been allowed in the CP even if I’d wanted to join. I had too many suspect (normal frivolous) friends, and bourgeois pleasures like skiing and sailing.
When I went off to China to try to live on a commune, I think both Jenny and I saw it as a lark, a unique alternative to the more common kibbutz experience friends were trying, than a political apprenticeship. It turned out to be a shattering disillusionment.
[DPF: Heh how about wannabee communist then
]
May 27th, 2008 at 12:05 am
At risk of repeating myself too much I would like to point out that Obama is the most liberal senator around. Even John Edwards ranked at 95.0 in the liberal ratings, while Obama was at 95.8. In addition, Obama supports infanticide, which would go a long way to explaning why he is somewhere far out on the extreme left wing.
If he gets the nomination I think he should be well and truely exposed for his extreme beliefs.
May 27th, 2008 at 6:05 am
Sue Bradford was a communist once too.
May 27th, 2008 at 8:00 am
was?
May 27th, 2008 at 8:17 am
Tell Hillary I’m not typing one word till her cheque clears.
May 27th, 2008 at 8:18 am
goodgod you funny funny wee man.
ALL the Greens are communist party “former” members. Why do you think we call them the watermellon party?
May 27th, 2008 at 8:24 am
“My concerns about Obama is:
1. He’ll withdraw the troops from Iraq and put in jeopardy what the 4000 + US solider have died for.
2. He’s anti-free trade.
3. He’s pro-big government.
4. He’s a bit of a snob.”
1. I don’t really think any of the candidates know what they will do if they get to the White house. Both Obama and Clinton emphasise bringing the troops home ASAP but they haven’t written anything in stone. What ASAP actually turns out to be will I think be influenced by advice from many quarters. But their best campaign option at present is to emphasise the ASPAP and fudge on the details. I don’t believe any of them will pull out precipitously.
2. Sort of. He likes to keep his options open. He makes anti-free trade speeches when he has to – when going for the working class vote but if you read carefully what he says he’s leaving himself plenty of room for manouver. It’s part of his campaign strategy to appear protectionist since Bill Clinton signed NAFTA so it’s a stick he can beat Hillary with – there’s a bit of political posturing going on.
3. I wouldn’t have thought so.
4. Hard to tell.
May 27th, 2008 at 8:37 am
The only kind of commie in NZ politics is one who “was once a communist”.
Most kids have communist leanings at some point. Maybe the communists stole their ideas from the imaginary idealistic world of childhood.
But it takes a special kind of mind to go the extra step and actually become a communist.
May 27th, 2008 at 8:41 am
Friedman:
Haha!
May 27th, 2008 at 9:42 am
Most kids also crapped in their nappies at some stage.
Adults have grown out of it.
May 27th, 2008 at 9:57 am
One of the best illustrations of the superficiality of US reporting on politics is that even after all the fuss about the Reverend Wright, a substantial group of voters still think that Obama is a Muslim.
May 27th, 2008 at 10:04 am
So does his father Grant.
May 27th, 2008 at 11:06 am
>>One of the best illustrations of the superficiality of US reporting on politics is that even after all the fuss about the Reverend Wright
Nothing to see here
Move along