Republicans Pay "Terrorist" To Speak At School?

When Sarah Palin accused Barack Obama of being pals with terrorists, I bet she had not thought the comment out too far. In a classic retort to such hateful association attempts, Obama's brilliant campaign has sought to bring to light the fact that Republicans may have actually paid William Ayers (the guy they claim Obama is friends with) to speak at the University of South Carolina.

According to an article I just read from the Associated Press...

Barack Obama's campaign is citing the University of South Carolina's speaking invitations to William Ayers and Republican Gov. Mark Sanford's role as school trustee to counter GOP efforts to link the presidential candidate to the 1960s radical.

The governor dismissed the effort as "totally bogus" and said he never heard of Ayers.

If Republicans really consider Ayers a terrorist, why is this school paying him to fly there and speak? Wouldn't that mean Republican Governor Mark Sanford is in fact, "paying terrorists to speak at a school?" And, according to Palin's logic, "pallin' around with terrorists?"

In an e-mail to reporters, the Obama campaign said Ayers is a "distinguished scholar" at the University of South Carolina, where Sanford serves as the ex-officio trustee while governor.

"By Governor Palin's standards, that means Governor Sanford shares Ayers' views," the e-mail read.

Something tells me if John McCain even hints to this in the debate tonight, it could be the breaking point where one of the opponents must overcome the other verbally or lose control and get "erratic" the way McCain has been since the current financial crisis.

the campaign did not back down, saying the connection in both cases is equally tenuous.

"The point is that by Sarah Palin's logic, serving on a board with someone establishes an association with them," said campaign spokeswoman Melanie Roussell. "Obama has served on the board but did not have a relationship with William Ayers. He only met him a few times.

"If her logic is to stand, it could be said that Gov. Sanford has been palling around with William Ayers," she continued.

I would say, paying a "terrorist" to speak at your school would make you more of a pal to a terrorist than being 8 years old and having no connections to Ayers while he was committing crimes.

When will the Republicans ever learn that this stuff will only backfire on them?