[Charlie Stone]
What would be your rating of his presidency at this point, based upon not personality, but policy and politics. A through F.
[Bill Ayers]
I'd give him a failing grade. But then you have to compare that to the grades I gave all the other presidents in my lifetime.
[Charlie Stone]
Which have been, what, F F F F F?
[Bill Ayers]
With some F minuses, even, I don't at all feel that Obama has let anybody down. All through the 2008 campaign, he said consistently I am a middle of the road, pragmatic politician.
[Charlie Stone]
What did you like about him.
[Bill Ayers]
Well, he's a curious person. One thing I like about him is that he's curious; he wants to know things, he asks questions. He's not just charming, he's also interested. He reads, for example. So, all of that I find good. And I liked him personally. I mean, he's a really good guy.
[Charlie Stone]
With all due respect, you hold Johnson with disdain, you hold Bush, Nixon with disdain. But isn't Barack Obama, as the sole authority for drone use, engaged in terrorist activity?
[Bill Ayers]
Absolutely. Absolutely.
[Charlie Stone]
So what's the response. To him, directly.
[Bill Ayers]
The response is to oppose it. To oppose it. To stand up in noisy opposition.
[Charlie Stone]
Do you think Barack Obama should put on trial for war crimes?
[Bill Ayers]
Absolutely. Every president in this century should be put on trial. Every one of them...
[Charlie Stone]
For war crimes? In the Hague?
[Bill Ayers]
Absolutely. Every one of them goes into office, an office dripping with blood, and then adds to it. And, yes, I think these are war crimes. I think they're acts of terror.