October 30, 2008, - 3:11 pm
Reader Eli Was First To Push L.A. Times to Release Obama/Khalidi Video Back In April; No Dice Then, Either
By Debbie Schlussel
Yesterday, I noted that I was unsure why Jim Hoft/Gateway Pundit only just contacted Los Angeles Times plagiarist/”reporter” Peter Wallsten about releasing the video of Barack Obama at a dinner with Rashid Khalidi, William Ayers, and Bernadine Dorn, where anti-Semitic and anti-Israel statements were made. I figured he only just thought of it.
But if I had not missed an e-mail in April that I received, I guess I could have made the story happen and the pressure build sooner. My bad. And I’m glad Jim/Gateway Pundit got to it at all.
In searching my inbox today, I discovered that back in April, reader Eli (whose surname I am redacting) contacted the Los Angeles Times, asking Wallsten to release the video, at which time Wallsten declined. Eli sent me his correspondence, and unfortunately I forgot about it.
Here is the interchange:
From: Eli
Date: Wed, Apr 16, 2008 at 3:47 AM
Subject: FW: CHECK THIS OUT!!!!
To: writedebbie@gmail.com
Hi Debbie:
I have attached a article from the Los Angeles Times and my correspondence with Mr Peter Wallsten. Mr Wallsten replied to me:Thanks for your note. We have no plans to post the video.
All best,
Peter Wallstenthe rest is up to you….. my hands are tied. I am only a reader of newspapers. A powerful Video is in the hands of the Los Angeles Times… you decide if it is worth to pursue.
The ball is in your court,
Eli
***
From: Eli
To: peter.wallsten@latimes.com
Sent: 4/11/2008 10:39:47 PM
Subject: LETS RELEASE THE VIDEO!!!!!
Hi Mr Wallsten,
Lets release the Video your holding….. you write you have a Video.
The event was videotaped, and a copy of the tape was obtained by The Times (exact words in your article)
Your exact words in your article…. lets see the video. Release it to CNN.. or do you even have a Video!!!
or release it on Latimes.com
Thanks,
EliDear Mr Wallsten,
I enjoyed your article “Allies of Palestinians see a friend in Barack Obama”. I found it very interesting.. and what I found what most of interest was the fact you have “The event was videotaped, and a copy of the tape was obtained by The Times”. Peter, I am really interested in you sharing that video especially the part of the celebration with Senator Obama in attendance and “At Khalidi’s 2003 farewell party, for example, a young Palestinian American recited a poem accusing the Israeli government of terrorism in its treatment of Palestinians and sharply criticizing U.S. support of Israel. If Palestinians cannot secure their own land, she said, ‘then you will never see a day of peace.'”
“One speaker likened ‘Zionist settlers on the West Bank’ to Osama bin Laden, saying both had been ‘blinded by ideology.'” Also in the same Video that you possess, “At Khalidi’s going-away party in 2003, the scholar lavished praise on Obama, telling the mostly Palestinian American crowd that the state senator deserved their help in winning a U.S. Senate seat. ‘You will not have a better senator under any circumstances,’ Khalidi said.”
The event was videotaped, and a copy of the tape was obtained by The Times.
Peter, lets release this video…. lets not suppress the NEWS… Lets release the video to CNN, ABC,CBS, NBC AND FOXNEWS.
Lets do the what’s right…
Thanks,
Eli
***
From: Eli
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 12:40 AM
To: peter.wallsten@latimes.com
Subject: STILL WAITING!!!!
The job of a Journalist is not to suppress the news…. if you have a story… you let your readers view and make up there own minds. If your holding on to a video that is of interest you should release it. Peter you were the one who said you have a video of the evening in Question…. how else would you have quoted the participants so accurate!!! You have a video that is of value… I can only imagine if it was a video Of Senator McCain or Senator Clinton the Video would be released… but for some reason you are giving Senator Obama Prefential Treatment. This Election is to important to play favors.
***
From: Wallsten, Peter
To: Eli
Sent: 4/14/2008 3:47:12 PM
Subject: RE: STILL WAITING!!!!
Thanks for your note. We have no plans to post the video.
All best,
Peter Wallsten
The Obama protection machine started early.
BIG MEDIA is in the tank to the end. Who will be the first democrat politician or media figure to challenge COBRA-MA? It would be career suicide for anyone to challenge COBRA-MA.
Hell COBRA-MA could be standing over four bloodied bodies with the knife in his hand and BIG MEDIA wouldn’t say he didnt anything to do with it.
T minus 5 days until America commences with its self-inflicted emasculation.
californiascreaming on October 30, 2008 at 9:41 pm