A video of President Barack Obama from his Harvard Law School days premiered in its entirety on Fox News Channel’s Hannity program last night. In the video Obama is leading a protest in support of Derrick Bell, a known radical law professor. Many conservatives have hyped as the video as part of an extended effort to “Vet the President” – a task they feel the media has failed to perform. The most interesting part of the release was not the much talked about video itself, but a companion video of a close associate of Barack Obama, Professor Charles Ogletree, saying he helped hide the video during the 2008 campaign.
Conservative reaction to the video was mixed. Some argued it was not a huge revelation and wouldn’t affect voters. Others countered that it is part of a larger trend – Obama has a history of associating with radicals.
Most conservatives are missing the mark.
First, this video could end up being more of a commentary on the failures of traditional media when it comes to vetting Barack Obama than the President himself. Conservatives have long complained about the lack of investigation the mainstream media (MSM) did into Obama’s past.
Considering the media’s focus on stories about Herman Cain’s sexual history and an epithet-covered rock on a piece of land owned by Rick Perry, it is a perfectly valid question to consider why this association with a radical professor is only now being explored.
It also brings up the question of why Ogletree felt the need to hide the association during the 2008 campaign. These questions have yet to be answered and the MSM’s failure to ask them is a story in itself.
It is wise to consider arguments that there’s likely more to this story than this one video. The Breitbart team, which released the full video, is known for releasing scoops over an extended period. There is a good chance more videos or information are on the way.
Whether these stories will significantly impact the political realm or change the dynamic of this election remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure – this is a story, and it is just getting started.
