On June 3, 2008, Jodie Evans, the founder of Code Pink and an Obama Bundler went on the Conscience of Kansas Radio Show with Paul Ibbetson. During the interview, Jody Evans noted that Osama bin-Laden had a valid reason for attacking the United States on 9/11.
From the interview:
Jodie Evans:…”We were attacked because we were in Saudi Arabia, that was the message of Osama, was that because we had our bases in the Middle East, he attacked the United States.”
Paul A. Ibbetson: “Do you think that’s a valid argument?”
Evans: “Sure. Why do we have bases in the Middle East? We totally violated the rights of that country. Why do we get to have bases in the Middle East?”
Here’s the audio from the Paul A. Ibbetson June 3, 2008 radio programme: Conscience of Kansas Radio Program, June 3, 2008. The interview is the second half of the programme.
Here are more highlights from the interview:
Jodie Evans also note that Code Pink’s goal is to “undermine the war effort.” Ibbetson called that “treason.” It’s civil disobedience in my view so I don’t have a problem with it per se, though I think some of Code Pink’s members resort to vandalism and that’s a different story.
As part of that effort, Evans said Code Pink was trying stop recruiting for the Armed Forces because “you can’t go to war if you don’t have any soldiers.” Evans denies being anti-military, saying she come from a military family. Again some of their protesters have crossed the line but generally they are just citizens expressing their view points. Here are photos from March 22, 2008 demonstration in Berkeley, California from Zombietime. Zombietime also profiled Obama’s visit to Billionaire’s Row where he made his “bittergate” comments.
With regard to Saddam Hussein, Evans said she would prefer that Saddam Hussein still ruled Iraq, as does “every Iraqi I know.” She probably hasn’t talked to many Kurds, still no doubt the US invasion and occupation of Iraq has been a disaster but we can’t just get up and go now. The Colin Powell Pottery Barn dictum applies –”we broke it, we own it”– that’s the difference I have with the radical left on Iraq. I opposed the war because I am a Westphalian not a Hobbesian but I am also a realist and in international political theory, realism dictates that you don’t leave countries in a vacuum. We last did that in Somalia and it is still a mess. We broke it, we have to find a way to fix it. Hillary Clinton knows how, pity that we will have to wait until 2012 to start that process now.
She also called Hugo Chávez, “a very nice, jovial sweetheart of a guy…I love Hugo Chávez. . . an amazing person.” She cites that under Chávez Venezuela has cut its illliteracy rates from 30% to under 2%. She has her facts wrong. The literacy rate in Venezuela in 1990 was 96%. It’s true that it is now 98% but the illiteracy rate in Venezuela was last 30% in the 1960s. That’s the problem with the radical left and shared with the radical right, they make up facts. And the fact that Chávez has supported the FARC doesn’t seem to bother her. It bothers me.
She also denied backing Barack Obama. She noted that she gave money to several candidates including Ron Paul, Dennis Kucinich, and John Edwards not just Barack Obama. That’s true, she did give $2,300 to each of the aforementioned. But she only bundled money for Barack Obama. That she chose to omit.
Here is her page on the Barack Obama website:
Senator Obama is about to have another problem. These radical associations that Obama has so front and center in his campaign will haunt him through the campaign.
I profiled Jodie Evans and her bundling for Obama back on May 12, 2008. Here is that post: Bumbling for Obama — Code Pink’s Jodie Evans. Jodie Evans, the founder of Code Pink, has gathered at least $50,000 from friends and associates and donated it to Obama’s presidential campaign, according to information compiled by the nonpartisan watchdog group, Public Citizen.
Evans and her son, a student who lives at her Southern California address, each also gave the maximum individual allowable donation of $2,300 to Obama’s campaign.
The donations will again raise questions about Obama’s association with the more radical elements of his base. Code Pink has harassed, vandalized and impeded military recruiters across the United States in a campaign it calls “counter-recruitment.” The group also gave $600,000 to the families of Iraqi terrorists in Fallujah, whom it called “insurgents” fighting for their homes.
I wonder will Obama return Evans’ bundled donations and distance himself from this anti-military group of saboteurs?
Here’s a story from the Washington Times that I think will be rather common come the the Fall. For some more background on Jodie Evans and Code Pink, please visit Code Pink’s Sugar Mommy: Jodie Evans.
I’m a liberal and I am offended. Can you imagine what conservatives will think? On some issues, we are all Americans, that’s something Jodie Evans will never understand. Out of touch and out of office as we say here on By The Fault. The Presidency is no place for someone who is out of touch, be it from the right or the left.