Just in the public record, we know:

In 1996, Ayers kicked off Obama's Senate campaign in his house. The reason why it was Ayers house was because the two were friends and Ayers was introducing him to more of the Senate District's power structure.

In 1997, Michelle Obama, in her capacity as Associate Dean at the University of Chicago, invited Ayers and Barack Obama to be on a panel at the university discussing juvenile crime.  This was problematic for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the appropriateness of having a former college-age left wing radical that is unrepentant about setting off bombs, come talk to college students at a liberal university.

Also in 1997, Ayers in his book, mentions that "writer Barack Obama" lived in his neighborhood and mentions Obama in the same breath of other famous people that live in his neighborhood, including Mohamed Ali. This  seems very strange to me. Yes, Obama had a book published, but it was certainly not a well known book and he certainly was not a well known author. It seems to me like something a friend might do to another friend to be nice-- perhaps a petty observation in isolation, but I include this as part of the larger picture of their relationship.

1999-2002 Obama served on the board of a charity called the Woods Fund with Ayers during this time. It is important to note that Obama was on the board for six years prior to when Ayers started. This is important because as an incumbent board member, he had a role in approving Ayers--or any other new board member-- joining the board.

In 2002, Ayers and Obama were scheduled to be on a panel at U or Illinois-Chicago called "Intellectuals in Times of Crises."

In 2008, a mutual friend of both Obama and Ayers descrbed the relationship between Obama and Ayers as "friends" and Obama strategist Axelrod charactorized the relationship in a similary way.

Also, in 2008, Obama said in the debate that he had not been endorsed by Ayers. This is a strange statement. It's not like Ayers is a famous enough person (like say, Bruce Springsteen) that anyone would know or care if he had endorsed anyone. Further, if Obama association with Ayers is so tangential and distant, then how does he know whether or not Ayers has endorsed him.

Do you think the families of The Brink's Guards will make that distinction?

I live in New York State and I recall they were quite sympathetic in an advertisement that denounced the pardon and commutation.

President Clinton pardoned two "domestic terrorists". As Mother Jones puts it:

"The two recipients of Clinton's munificence were Linda Evans, who was sentenced to five years in prison for her participation in a string of 1980s bombings, and Susan Rosenberg, who was charged with participating in a bank robbery that left one guard and two police officers dead."

This is a silly issue on a Blog devoted to giving a chance for redemption to people who have committed crimes.

Clinton PARDONED one and commuted the sentence of the other.

It is just the kind of stupid issue that Obama's relationship with Ayres is: there is no question that Hillary Clinton has no sympathy with terrorists.

We must put both candidates under the microscope because the policies are so alike. I guess this round we're stuck with it.

But I have long decried eliminating someone from public office because of a youthful error. We would be left with candidates who had anticipated running for office and seeing her every move from a 'how will this hurt my campaign' point of view from the age of 10.

1. What the Republicans will make of a candidate is different than whether there is a real issue there.

I do not believe President Clinton's pardon and commutation were wrong.

In the election we will know about every left-wing person the candidate of the Democratic Party has ever brushed against.

But it isn't an issue to ME. Whether I favor a return of The Clinton's or not, this is not any part if the reason. Unless you are telling me Obama favors domestic terrorism, and Ayres proves this, it is not an issue despite what the Republicans will do.

2. As far as I can tell, Ayres is a rich kid with no actual arrest record. He was probably arrested for vandalism or rioting, but he looks clean.

If people don't realize after the GWB disaster presidency what McCain is SCREAMING, we don't deserve Hillary Clinton. He is the elephant in the room as far electability.

Besides,MCCain is too old, too sick, too old, too sick. And he has been in the senate way too long, despite his service and ultimate heroism for the US. What he should do is sit back and bask in the lime light  as a respected POW hero, not as president, not at this time. The country needs a strong person, McCain is past that moment.

This is the first I've seen of McCain going after Obama. It was only the beginning and it was impressive. IMHO there is no way Obama can defeat McCain, no way!