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What is the difference between telling the truth and smearing?
I’m not convinced the two are mutually exclusive. The reason one would run a smear campaign is to distract voters from the issues that affect them and concentrate on an irrelevant issue. Michael Craft, in his recent piece for The Maine Campus, claimed that John McCain and other prominent conservatives were merely telling the truth when they used Obama’s association with William Ayers as a part of their rhetoric when discussing the candidate. I don’t feel this issue is that simple. There are two important questions that need to be asked about this association: How well did Obama know Ayers, and what effect would this have on an Obama presidency?
The first question is the one that has received the most attention, but ultimately I feel the latter is the most important, as Ayers’ effect on Obama’s policy is what will affect the lives of the American people. What is known about this tenuous connection is they both served on the board of two organizations, one an education based non-profit, the other an anti-poverty foundation. Prior to this, Ayers hosted an event at his house for Obama at the beginning of his campaign for State Senate. None of these interactions appear significant.
Now to answer the question of Obama’s worldviews and the influence Ayers has had on them. This is something Craft, as well as most conservatives, has avoided answering. What reason would they have for not answering it? I feel it is because what is implied is much worse than the reality of the situation. Think for a few moments about the different associations you have had throughout your life. I’m willing to bet that you have, knowingly or unknowingly, associated with individuals with extreme political viewpoints. Does this mean that they influenced you and your own personal politics? Most likely not. Barrack Obama has stated his goals as president. None of them incorporate the radical beliefs of William Ayers. It should also be noted that there is no evidence that Barack Obama ever read “Rules for Radicals” as Craft claims.
These efforts to associate Obama with Ayers or Muslim extremists are superficial efforts by McCain’s failing campaign to paint him as a boogeyman. This technique is the definition of smear, and is primarily targeted toward uneducated people. It appeals to racism and ignorance, but ultimately serves no purpose other than to distract voters from the issues that affect them. This attack on the Democratic candidate is part of a wider campaign to trick poor, uneducated people into voting based on fear. Unfortunately, unless we can learn to look beyond the inherent superficiality in the way politics are currently practiced, this kind of mudslinging will continue to pollute the democratic system.
Ryan Page is a sophomore new media student.
