Oct 28, 2008 9:45 pm US/Eastern
Lawmaker Wants Controversial Obama Video Released
Video Obtained By LA Times Shows Democratic Nominee Partying With Former PLO Spokesman
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama speaks in the rain during a campaign rally at Widener University Main Quad on Oct. 28, 2008, in Chester, Pa.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Supporters of Israel comprise an important voting block here in the tri-state area. On Tuesday, Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain launched a new commercial that puts scrutiny on Sen. Barack Obama's ties to terrorists.
In the commercial the narrator tells viewers: "Obama says Iran is a 'tiny' country, doesn't pose a serious threat. Terrorism? Destroying Israel? Those aren't serious threats?"
But in addition to the McCain ad, there is the question of Obama's ties to friends of Yasser Arafat raised in the Los Angeles Times. The newspaper has a video, which it is not releasing, of Obama partying and toasting a friend, Rashid Khalidi, who was once a spokesman for the Palestinian Liberation Organization and is now a Columbia professor.
The newspaper reported that during the Khalidi party, "a young Palestinian American woman recited a poem accusing the Israeli government of terrorism in its treatment of Palestinians," and she sharply criticized U.S. support for Israel. If Palestinians cannot save their own land, she said, "then you will never see a day of peace."
"Why isn't the truth being told to the American people so they can really know what the relationship was between Sen. Obama and Rashid Khalidi?" asked New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind (D-Brooklyn).
Hikind, a Democrat who endorsed McCain, is furious the video is not being released.
"This is fundamental, you know, when you're associated with people who support terrorism, who are connected to terrorists, we want to know more about that relationship," said Hikind.
Obama was asked about Khalidi last March during a campaign rally.
"You mentioned Khalidi, who is a professor at Columbia. I do know him because he taught at the University of Chicago, and he is a Palestinian and I do know him and I have had conversations. He is not one of my advisors, he is not one of my foreign policy people," Obama said then.
There's no doubt that some Palestinians are thrilled with Obama's candidacy. Gaza Strip resident Ibrahim Abu Jayab has been cold-calling American voters and asking them to support the Illinois senator.
"I think Senator Obama, he can achieve peace in the world and in my area. Please, please elect Senator Obama," he said.
A spokesman for the LA Times said the paper is not going to make the video public. The paper wrote about the event last April. Professor Khaliki refused a request for an interview, saying he would not be available until the elections are over.
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