Newsweek On How Obama Will Fight Back Against the Right-Wing Smear Machine

[Brainster]

Newsweak (spelling intentional) reports on the courageous efforts by the Obama partisans to defend their man from the eeeeevil Republicans:

But Team Obama has been consistently able to outstrategize the opposition, and it does have a plan for the coming mud war. In conversations with NEWSWEEK, Obama's aides have signaled their intention to put McCain on the spot. They note that McCain himself has been the victim of a smear. In the South Carolina primary in 2000, GOP operatives spread the rumor that McCain had fathered an illegitimate black child. Recently, when a reporter asked McCain, "Does it bother you at all that you might actually benefit from latent prejudice in the country?" he answered: "That would bother me a lot. That would bother me a great deal." And last week his wife, Cindy, told NBC News, "My husband is absolutely opposed to any negative campaigning at all." So if McCain's camp does try to exploit Obama's ties to the fiery Reverend Wright, the Obama-ites can question his sincerity—is he really the "Straight Talk" candidate? And if McCain can't stop others from the sort of innuendo and code that Republicans have learned to frighten voters, Obama can cast doubt on McCain's credentials as a commander in chief. ("In other words," says liberal political pundit Mark Shields, "they can say that McCain is either a hypocrite or impotent.")

Of course, in an effort at balance, the article does talk about the groups that will be attempting to smear John McCain.

No, just kidding. MoveOn? Newsweak never heard of them.

McCain Campaign aide Mark Salter points out what this is really about:

By accepting the Obama campaign construct as if it were objective, Evan and Richard framed this race exactly as Senator Obama wants it to be framed—every issue that raises doubts about his policy views and judgment is part of a smear campaign intended to distract voters from the real issues at stake in the election, and, thus, illegitimate. And even if Senator McCain might not be inclined to support such advertising, if he can't stop them from occurring then he will have succumbed to the temptation to put ambition before principle. How this notion could appear credible after MoveOn, the AFL-CIO and the DNC launched negative ad campaigns weeks ago, and after leaks from the Obama campaign that they would soon start running negative ads against McCain, is mystifying.

Ayers is a smear. Wright is a smear. Of course, that Obama himself said that Wright is a legitimate issue doesn't matter; that will get tossed down the memory hole by the media the way Obama's commitment to meet with Ahmadinejad was denied by the New York Times over the weekend.

 

[T.A.M.]

Given McNasty has an entire Network (Fox Noise) dedicated to Obama Killing (in the metaphoric sense), I think we can call it square.

TAM

 

[Texas]

Given McNasty has an entire Network (Fox Noise) dedicated to Obama Killing (in the metaphoric sense), I think we can call it square.

TAM

Wow the almighty FOX. It dwarfs, ABC, CBS, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, PBS, BBC, CBC, Al Jazeera. How will poor under represented Obama cope.

 

[Texas]

Given McNasty has an entire Network (Fox Noise) dedicated to Obama Killing (in the metaphoric sense), I think we can call it square.

TAM

TAM I realize you hate GW with a white hot passion though for the life of me I don't understand what he has done to you or Canada but why the "McNasty" endearment? Is it just anyone that is Republican that you detest or what? This country is eternally grateful to Canada for its support in Afghanistan. I know of no hard feelings for your decision not to go into Iraq with us. We are stll each others main trading partners. Unlike your MP's Bush has not called your PM a moron so what is your beef with Bush and apparently Republicans in general?

 

[Random]

I think an article about how the Obama team will deal with smears and attack ads is perfectly legitimate. The bulk of the Republican campaign will consist of attacks. What else can the GOP do? Run on their record? Tout their foreign policy? Take credit for the wonderful economy? Support banking deregulation?

This is going to be an ugly campaign whether we like it or not. The GOP simply has no choice.

As for the article itself, who cares? Yet another "story about the story" from our lemming press. Only a slight improvement on the scintilating reports of John McCain's BBQ skills.

 

[dudalb]

TAM I realize you hate GW with a white hot passion though for the life of me I don't understand what he has done to you or Canada but why the "McNasty" endearment? Is it just anyone that is Republican that you detest or what? This country is eternally grateful to Canada for its support in Afghanistan. I know of no hard feelings for your decision not to go into Iraq with us. We are stll each others main trading partners. Unlike your MP's Bush has not called your PM a moron so what is your beef with Bush and apparently Republicans in general?

TAM is enthusiastic supporter of Obama,that's why. He also hates Hilary, and anybody else who opposes the Messiah.
And I already see a huge double standard in this election. If McCain does it, it is evil and dirty politics, but if Obama does the same thing it is noble and fair.

 

[Upchurch]

Ayers is a smear. Wright is a smear.

Sorry, but what do either of those men have to do with Obama's ability to be President?

 

[kallsop]

If McCain does it, it is evil and dirty politics, but if Obama does the same thing it is noble and fair.

You forgot to add, if McCain does it, it is de facto racist.

 

[Brainster]

Sorry, but what do either of those men have to do with Obama's ability to be President?

The only requirement for the presidency is that you manage to accumulate 270 electoral votes. Ayers and Wright will undeniably cost Obama some general election votes, and thus impede his ability to gain electoral college votes.

 

[T.A.M.]

TAM I realize you hate GW with a white hot passion though for the life of me I don't understand what he has done to you or Canada but why the "McNasty" endearment? Is it just anyone that is Republican that you detest or what? This country is eternally grateful to Canada for its support in Afghanistan. I know of no hard feelings for your decision not to go into Iraq with us. We are stll each others main trading partners. Unlike your MP's Bush has not called your PM a moron so what is your beef with Bush and apparently Republicans in general?

Actually I do not hate GW Bush. I actually think he has a good heart, and believes in what he is doing, I just think he is misguided, and frankly, WRONG.

I, like many people, use him as the punching bag for my dislike of the Cheney/Rumsfeld group. I think Bush is too simple to have been the mastermind behind any sort of Neo-Con Agenda.

Also, let me be clear. I consider the USA to be a fantastic country. It is for that very reason that I am so angered, so annoyed, so disappointed, at the way it now presents itself internationally, and how it is perceived internationally. It is the big reason why I feel on Foreign policy, the best thing that could happen to the USA is get someone who wants to be a negotiator, a peace maker.

A true leader leads by example, not by force. I think, unfortunately, the current administration has taken your country from the former to the latter. I hope the next leader, and administration, regardless of who, can bring it back to the former.

TAM
TAM

 

[T.A.M.]

TAM is enthusiastic supporter of Obama,that's why. He also hates Hilary, and anybody else who opposes the Messiah.
And I already see a huge double standard in this election. If McCain does it, it is evil and dirty politics, but if Obama does the same thing it is noble and fair.

Now now, some of that is true. I do like Obama. I do dislike (hate is a strong word I do not like to use) Hillary. I dislike her a tremendous amount more due to the campaign she ran. I do not dislike ANYONE or EVERYONE who opposes the "Messiah".

I like John McCain, and if he were proposing a withdrawal from Iraq, I would likely have no problem with him (although I am pro-choice and for same sex unions).

TAM

 

[Texas]

Actually I do not hate GW Bush. I actually think he has a good heart, and believes in what he is doing, I just think he is misguided, and frankly, WRONG.

I, like many people, use him as the punching bag for my dislike of the Cheney/Rumsfeld group. I think Bush is too simple to have been the mastermind behind any sort of Neo-Con Agenda.

Also, let me be clear. I consider the USA to be a fantastic country. It is for that very reason that I am so angered, so annoyed, so disappointed, at the way it now presents itself internationally, and how it is perceived internationally. It is the big reason why I feel on Foreign policy, the best thing that could happen to the USA is get someone who wants to be a negotiator, a peace maker.

A true leader leads by example, not by force. I think, unfortunately, the current administration has taken your country from the former to the latter. I hope the next leader, and administration, regardless of who, can bring it back to the former.

TAM
TAM

So in other words he is just a good hearted moron. Well that reflects your previous government's views so I guess you can be forgiven for being a good patriot. I do appreciate your concern over our standing in the world this misguided country's twice elected "moron has inflicted" on the enlightened world. With the help of our betters maybe the United States can lift itself out of the 3rd world status we have been mired in for so long. Please petition Ottawa to up their foreign aid so we can survive until the next election.

So McCain is not a true leader since he wants to win the war. Well that is strange. All last evening I was posting Obama's promise to surrender Iraq by the end of 2009 and posted his own words stating just that. I was surprised to learn from his supporters that he was not going to end the war by the end of 2009 but that it would be closer to the end of 2010. So either Obama is speaking in a code only his supporters can understand OR he really has no idea what he is going to do about Iraq. Either way it does not show any of that serious judgement he claims for himself.