Is the LA Times/Obama/Khalidi Tape the October Surprise?

Could be and McCain had nothing to do with it.

This is anecdotal but I tripled my daily average yesterday and it was purely for people searching for the LA Times Obama tape. Granted, I'm no Instapundit but my trends do follow the stories of the day pretty regularly.

People are intrigued by this tape and anyone who has raised kids knows that if you declare something off-limits or don't let them have it, it becomes their sole focus. It's not much different with adults who have information such as this withheld, their interest is piqued and not being able to look at the tape just makes them believe that the LA Times and has something to hide that could swing the election.

I would bet the Obama camp is glad the (other) Times is not releasing it but in not doing so, the pundits start chattering and the candidates start asking why knowing full-well that America is aware that the media is in the tank for Obama.

How ironic would it be if the media, which is doing Barack Obama a major service by withholding a video that was most-likely an Israel bash-fest, would cause the election to tilt because of their protection of Obama? They've handed McCain a present he never expected and, with polls starting to tighten, it could be just what he needed this last week.

The Times is now saying they are not releasing the video because it was obtained by a confidential source and they don't lie to their sources. That's fine, let Sarah Palin hammer Obama and connect him and Khalidi in every speech she makes over the next six days. I'm guessing the Times will eventually give in and give some lame excuse like their source gave them permission to release it.

I'm hoping the LA Times hangs on to it though and the outcry becomes a din. If they do release it, it will most probably be on Friday (the traditional bad news document dump day) and just enough votes are reversed to give McCain Pennsylvania and Ohio. People in the states who "cling to guns and religion" will have second thoughts about a man on the verge of becoming POTUS who has not only cozied up to domestic terrorists but those who made it standard operating procedure to murder innocent civilians attending a seder and kids at a local bar.

Right Pundits has good background and indispensable Charles Johnson has been hammering this--and the Times--for the last few days.

Also see Zombie's latest on the other connections Obama seemed to have while matriculating at Columbia. Zombie is doing the work the media should have done over a year ago.

BTW, where's Patterico been on this? The LA Times has generally been his private whipping post.

Update: This guy claims to have two quotes from a "reliable source" that would explain the LA Times hesitancy (take with the usual grain of salt, etc...):

Saw a clip from the tape. Reason we can't release it is because statements Obama said to rile audience up during toast. He congratulates Khalidi for his work saying "Israel has no God-given right to occupy Palestine" plus there's been "genocide against the Palestinian people by Israelis."

It would be really controversial if it got out. Tha's (sic) why they will not even let a transcript get out.

Emphasis mine. That would indeed be quite inflammatory if the tape contains what this source says.

This piece from the Irish Times offers the Palestinians view of our election and their support of Obama but also contains this interesting tidbit:

Tarif Khalidi, professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the American University of Beirut observed, "I would very much like to turn my back on the American election. The very fact that our fate hangs on a few American individuals is very upsetting.

Hopes pinned on them are invariably disappointed. Obama was a very good friend of Rashid [Khalidi, a cousin who assumed the Edward Said chair at Columbia University]. But Obama shed all his Arab and Muslim acquaintances."

Evidently not soon enough, Professor as his relationship to your cousin Khalidi may just turn this election.
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