McCain criticizes newspaper on Obama tape

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LOS ANGELES, Oct. 29 (UPI) -- Aides to John McCain charge that the Los Angeles Times is suppressing a video of a 2003 banquet showing opponent Barack Obama praising a Palestinian activist.

The Times countered that its promise to a source bars the newspaper from posting the video that allegedly shows the Democratic presidential nominee praising Palestinian activist Rashid Khalidi at the banquet.

The newspaper reported Wednesday it first wrote about the video in an April article about Obama's ties with Palestinians and Jews while involved in Chicago politics. The report provided a description of the tape.

"A major news organization is intentionally suppressing information that could provide a clearer link between Barack Obama and Rashid Khalidi," said McCain campaign spokesman Michael Goldfarb. "The election is one week away, and it's unfortunate that the press so obviously favors Barack Obama that this campaign must publicly request that the Los Angeles Times do its job -- make information public."

The Times issued a statement Tuesday about its decision not to post the tape online.

"The Los Angeles Times did not publish the videotape because it was provided to us by a confidential source who did so on the condition that we not release it," newspaper Editor Russ Stanton said. "The Times keeps its promises to sources."

The article said Obama's friendships with Palestinian-Americans in Chicago led some to think he was sympathetic to the Palestinian viewpoint. Obama publicly expresses a pro-Israel viewpoint.