McCain campaign spokesperson Michael Goldfarb was interviewed by CNN’s Rick Sanchez yesterday with hilarious results. Sanchez was trying to push an “Obama hangs with anti-Semites” narrative by bringing up Obama’s purported relationship with Rashid Khalidi. Khalidi is a Palestinian scholar (and- oddly enough for a man accused of being anti-Semitic- a Semite) and the subject of a tape that the McCain camp has been throwing a hissy fit over because  the LA Times won’t release it (non-release was a condition of their source).

Though he disappoints by not mentioning the facts missing in the McCain backed Khalidi story line (that he’s a Semite, has denied any involvement with the PLO, etc.), Sanchez does point out that McCain has his own ties to Khalidi. And he does a fantastic job of pressing Goldfarb for a name of another anti-Semitic individual that Obama has ties to. Goldfarb, of course, can’t name anyone and the interview devolves into hilarity as Sanchez reaches the point of exasperation that many people hit when dealing with someone that is being deliberately (or unintentionally) obtuse.

Video of the encounter:

Under the fold, a transcript (h/t Shakesville):

 Sanchez: I just need to parse this out as best I can from ya, Michael. The fact that John McCain’s organization gave $448,000 to this group that was founded by Mr. Khalidi—is there no reason for some to be critical of that as well, just as some might be critical of Barack Obama for being at a meeting with some girl who read a poem, for example?

Goldfarb: Look, you’re missing the point again, Rick. The point is that Barack Obama has a long track record of being around anti-Semitic, anti-Israel, and anti-American rhetoric.

Sanchez: Can you name one other person besides Khalidi who he hangs around with who is anti-Semitic?

Goldfarb: Yeah, he pals around with, with William Ayers, who is [crosstalk] a domestic terrorist.

Sanchez: William Ayers is not— No, no, I— The question I asked you is: Can you name one other person that he hangs around with who’s anti-Semitic, because that’s what you said.

Goldfarb: Look, we all know that there are people who Barack Obama has been in hot water—

Sanchez: Michael, I asked you name one person. One!

Goldfarb: Rick—

Sanchez: You said he hangs around with people who are anti-Semitic! You—okay, we got Khalidi on the table; give me number two. Who’s the other anti-Semitic person that he hangs around with that we, quote, all know about?

Goldfarb: Rick, we both know who number two is.

[long pause]

Sanchez: WHO?!

[long pause]

Sanchez: Would you tell us?

Goldfarb: No, Rick. I think we all know who we’re talking about here.

Sanchez: Somebody who’s anti-Semitic that he hangs around with?

Goldfarb: Absolutely.

Sanchez: Well, say it!

Goldfarb: I think we know who we’re talking about, Rick.

Sanchez: All right. Again, you charged that Khalidi is anti-Semitic; he would say that his policies on Israel differ from those of Barack Obama and many other people, but, either way, I guess we’ll have to leave it at that. Michael Goldfarb, thanks so much. We really do appreciate it; this is a good discussion. We really do appreciate your coming here to talk to us.

Goldfarb: Thank you, Rick.