In the 1990s, it was often noted that a great many of Bill Clinton's friends were either dead or in jail.  Similarly, Barack Obama seems to curry favor with some very questionable characters ...  

Granted, in some cases Obama disavows them (he sort of did this with Rev. Wright's comments).  In other cases, he has not sought their endorsement (such as anti-semite Louis Farrakhan) --  but ultimately, people have to wonder what it is about Obama that attracts the support of Hamas, Communists, and domestic terrorists to him ....

This subject came up in last night's debate when a question was asked about Bill Akers.  Obama served on a board for an anti-poverty group with Bill Akers of the Weather Underground.  Just as O.J. Simpson's book, "If I Did It" was a shameless way to write about his murder, Akers published a memoir called "Fugitive Days," which he bills as "fiction."  

As the NYT reports:

He writes that he participated in the bombings of New York City Police Headquarters in 1970, of the Capitol building in 1971, the Pentagon in 1972.

And here's how the NYT describes the group:  

Mr. Ayers, who in 1970 was said to have summed up the Weatherman philosophy as: ''Kill all the rich people. Break up their cars and apartments. Bring the revolution home, kill your parents, that's where it's really at,'' is today distinguished professor of education at the University of Illinois at Chicago. '

But of course, he's a changed man, right?  Wrong:  In 2001, he told the New York Times, "I don't regret the bombings."  Last night, Obama responded to questions about this by saying,

This is a guy who lives in my neighborhood, who’s a professor of English in Chicago who I know and who I have not received some official endorsement from. He’s not somebody who I exchange ideas from on a regular basis.

... But, of course, they don't really know each other that, well, right?  Well, last February Obama's Chief Strategist David Axelrod told Politico's Ben Smith this: 

 “Bill Ayers lives in his neighborhood. Their kids attend the same school … They’re certainly friendly, they know each other, as anyone whose kids go to school together.” (Ben Smith, “Ax On Ayers,” The Politico’s “Ben Smith” Blog, www.politico.com, 2/26/08)

Well, if domestic terrorists aren't enough reason for you to raise a red flag about Obama, former Sandanista Rebel Leader Daniel Ortega praised Obama's campaign as "revolutionary."

Also, during an interview, a top Hamas political adviser essentially endorsed Obama, saying:   “

We don’t mind–actually we like Mr. Obama. We hope he will (win) the election and I do believe he is like John Kennedy, great man with great principle, and he has a vision to change America to make it in a position to lead the world community but not with domination and arrogance…”

... So why do all these people like Obama?  Is it that they think he's amenable to their agenda?  Or do they just see him as "green" and inexperienced and malleable? 

The question is:  Do Americans want someone who -- at best -- is obviously viewed as so naive and easily influenced running the show, really?