Is Campbell's explanation credible? His opponents think not, but we're inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. He was naive, perhaps, and gullible; he certainly shouldn't have written the letter before gathering the facts. But we find it hard to believe he is a "friend to our foes" who knowingly supported an Islamic Jihad operative.

This is an important subject, and no doubt more will come out in the days ahead. To those who are concerned we say: Ask him. Challenge him. His positions are fair game. So is his judgment. But let's not allow innuendo, hyperbole and cheap politics to drown out reasonable debate.
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Typical LA Times editorial – whitewash the untenable position of Tom Campbell

In a radio interview with Eric Hogue yesterday, Tom Campbell, responding to a question about his connection with Alison Weir, said, "Well, of course I don't agree with that [Weir's position that Israelis harvest organs] or any particular position at all." He went on to say, "I've met her once" or heard her lecture, noting the meeting that Weir had described to me, "and preparatory to that, I had seen a publication in which she had commented on Palestinian points of view."

The only article of Weir's I can find on her website that predates this meeting is the piece I've quoted above: "Gaza: A Report from the Front," published in The New Intifida. It would be helpful if Campbell could clarify which article of Weir's helped convince him to endorse her group.
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Well, maybe Campbell should consider withdrawing his endorsement remarks then?

Still, this isn’t something Campbell is going to be able to just shrug aside and ignore, even in the unlikely event that Fiorina and DeVore would let him. His links to Al-Arian, at least, go well beyond merely getting a campaign check in the mail.

The question of what he knew and when he knew it is a legitimate issue and one that resonates with voters, especially in a GOP primary. Which is why Campbell needs to lay everything about the Al-Arian affair out on the table – and quickly.
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Campbell has tried to finese this issue but has been called out….

Republican Senate candidate Carly Fiorina's campaign pushed back Thursday afternoon at allegations in today's Times that her campaign manager called rival Tom Campbell an "anti-Semite," and said Campbell’s campaign is creating controversy to deflect questions that are being raised about the former congressman’s track record on Israel.

“I never said that about Tom Campbell, nor do I believe that about Tom Campbell,” campaign manager Marty Wilson said in a conference call with reporters. “What’s particularly interesting to me is that they choose to make these allegations about what I said in an effort to kind of obscure the fact that he’s got a terrible record on Israel.”
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Tom Campbell is a dead man walking on the issue of Israel and terrorism.

The tumult in the Senate race escalated further this week when former California Secretary of State Bruce McPherson accused Fiorina’s campaign manager, Marty Wilson, of calling Campbell an “anti-Semite.” McPherson said that when he called Wilson last month to say he planned to endorse Campbell, Wilson replied, “Bruce, how can you support him? He’s an anti-Semite.”

Wilson adamantly denied making the comment, first reported by the Los Angeles Times.

“It’s simply not true. … It’s not true, nor do I believe that of Tom Campbell. What I do believe is he has a record that is decidedly anti-Israel, and he’s apparently now being held accountable for it,” Wilson told POLITICO.
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I doubt Marty said it – unless there is tape??

Former congressman Tom Campbell, an early front-runner in California's GOP primary for U.S. Senate, came under fire Thursday from opponents questioning his support for Israel.

The campaign manager for former Hewlett Packard chief executive Carly Fiorina on Thursday criticized past donations to Campbell from four men. One was arrested for spying on Congress for Saddam Hussein. Another pleaded guilty to conspiring to aid a Palestinian terrorist group.

Campaign manager Marty Wilson said the donations reinforce a congressional voting record by Campbell that was decidedly anti-Israel. He noted that Campbell had voted to cut foreign aid to the country while he served in the House.

The donations cited by Fiorina's campaign were from Campbell's unsuccessful 2000 Senate bid.
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A two front attack on Tom Campbell

CA SEN candidates were embroiled today in a back-and-forth that began as an attack on ex-Rep. Tom Campbell's (R) record on Israel, but ended up focusing on ex-HP CEO Carly Fiorina (R) mgr. Marty Wilson allegedly referring to Campbell as an "anti-Semite."

Wilson denies making the comment, but the Campbell camp insists the comment is proof that the Fiorina camp's demeanor should be seriously questioned.

According to a Los Angeles Times article published today, ex-CA Sec/State Bruce McPherson called Wilson to tell him he planned to endorse Campbell. Wilson allegedly called Campbell an "anti-Semite." McPherson said in the article that he knows Campbell is "a strong supporter of the state of Israel."

In the article, Wilson denied making the comment about Campbell, and he reiterated that denial in a press call today. "I never said that about Tom Campbell, nor do I believe that about Tom Campbell," Wilson said today.
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Tom Campbell is in trouble