The Khalidi Tape: Putting the Bits and Pieces Together with New Details

There is a lot of discussion about a Khalidi tape in the political blogosphere as of lately.

Here is a YouTube video of Sean Hannity discussing the background behind Rashid Khalidi and his association with Barack Obama.

The so-called Khalidi tape is made reference to in a LA Times article dated April 10, 2008.

From that article, we can begin to break down the who, what, when, and where questions of the event and try to answer them.

The first question is who attended the event? We can gather some of the information from that LA Times article and also from an archived NY Sun article dated February 4, 2005.

The LA Times article mentions that the following people attended:

1. Rashid Khalidi (is the main reason this event was held)
2. Barack Obama (who gave a special tribute)
3. Mona Khalidi (Rashid Khalidi's wife)
4. Local Palestinian Leaders
5. A poet

Possible guests alluded to within the LA Times article:

1. Edward Said (a late Columbia University professor)
2. Michelle Obama
3. Ali Abunimah (a Palestinian rights activist in Chicago who helps run Electronic Intifada)

The NY Sun article mentions that the following in its article:

...In Chicago, the Khalidis founded the Arab American Action Network, and Mona Khalidi served as its president. A big farewell dinner was held in their honor by AAAN with a commemorative book filled with testimonials from their friends and political allies. These included the left wing anti-war group Not In My Name, the Electronic Intifada, and the ex-Weatherman domestic terrorists Bernadine Dohrn and Bill Ayers. (There were also testimonials from then-state Senator Barack Obama and the mayor of Chicago.)

From this we can verify and gather that the following attended the event:
1. Arab American Action Network (AAAN, founded by Rashid Khalidi)
2. Mona Khalidi
3. Not In My Name (left wing anti-war group)
4. The Electronic Intifada
5. Bill Ayers (ex-Weatherman domestic terrorist)
6. Bernadine Dohrn (ex-Weatherman domestic terrorist)
7. Barack Obama
8. Richard Daley (Mayor of Chicago)

From this information we can gather more clues from a list serve e-mail.

Fri, August 1 - Arab American Action Network.
Fundraising Dinner to Honor Mona and Rashid Khalidi for over 15 years of service to our communities in Chicago. 6 pm reception, 7 pm dinner and program, at the Burbank Manor, 6345 W. 79th St. Tickets: $50. The program will include statements of appreciation from State Senator Barack Obama, NPR personality Jerome McDonald, long-time community activist Camilia Odeh, and others; and performances by Gihad Ali, a Palestinian spoken word poet, and the Sanabel debka troupe...

And interestingly...

Fri-Thu, August 1-7
Film: "The Weather Underground." Music Box
Theatre, 3733 N. Southport. Sam Green's & Bill Siegel's documentary on
1960s resistance group...

This expands the guest list:

1. Rashid Khalidi (is the main reason this event was held)
2. Arab American Action Network (AAAN, founded by Rashid Khalidi)
3. Barack Obama (who gave a special tribute)
4. Mona Khalidi (Rashid Khalidi's wife)
5. Local Palestinian Leaders
6. Not In My Name (left wing anti-war group)
7. Ali Abunimah (a Palestinian rights activist in Chicago who helps run Electronic Intifada)
8. Bill Ayers (ex-Weatherman domestic terrorist)
9. Bernadine Dohrn (ex-Weatherman domestic terrorist)
10. Gihad Ali, A poet
11. Richard Daley (Mayor of Chicago)
12. The Sanabel Debka troupe

Possible guests:
1. Edward Said (a late Columbia University professor)
2. Michelle Obama

From this we can confirm the poem that was alluded to in the LA times as "Eye to Eye" by Gihad Ali:

Palestine is our land and there we'll remain
until the day our homeland is secure.

 And if that time shall never come,
 then you will never see a day of peace.

LA Times article snippet:

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."

We can also conclude that the Sanabel Debka troupe was the group who gave a dance and music performance as alluded to in the LA Times article:
Sanabel Debka troupe archived schedule.

From the Sanabel Debka troupe's website, we can find a photo of the group alongside with Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

Other leads:
On the Electronic Intifada's website, Ali Abunimah posts a 1998 photo of Edward Said with Barack and Michelle Obama.
The photo caption reads: "From left to right, Michelle Obama, then Illinois state senator Barack Obama, Columbia University Professor Edward Said and Mariam Said at a May 1998 Arab community event in Chicago at which Edward Said gave the keynote speech. (Image from archives of Ali Abunimah)"

Rashid Khalidi was a professor at the University of Chicago prior to being recruited by Edward Said at Columbia University. A New York Sun article describes Khalidi's problems at the time.

Verified Information

Location:
Burbank Manor, 6312 W 79th St., Burbank, Illinois

Time:
Friday, August 1, 2003
6pm - Reception
7pm - Dinner and Reception

Those who attended:
1. AAAN (Arab American Action Network)
2. Not In My Name
3. Ali Abunimah (a Palestinian rights activist in Chicago who helps run Electronic Intifada, who met Obama in 2000)
4. Bernadine Dorhn and Bill Ayers
5. Barack Obama
6. Mayor of Chicago Richard Daley
7. Rashid Khalidi
8. Mona Khalidi
9. Gihad Ali, a Palistinian spoken word poet
10. NPR Worldview host Jerome McDonnell (not McDonald as written in the e-mail)
11. Camilia Odeh (director of SWYC Southwest Youth Collaborative)
12. Sanabel debka troupe (traditional Palestinian dance group)
13. Others - Up to 50 to 500 guests

Possible attendees:
1. Michelle Obama
2. Toni Rezko (Rezko was a donor to one of Rashid's University programs)
3. Edward Said

Developing...

*

This item provided by Change & Experience: The Hillary Blog