Is Obama Too Slow Responding To Right-Wing Attacks?

Politico:

It may be too little too late, but Hillary Clinton may have been onto something with her warning to Democrats last night.

Only one of us, she said about her and Barack Obama at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, is "ready to defeat the Republicans."

On potentially lethal lines of attack, religion and patriotism, Obama has twice now demonstrated that he's not sufficiently aware of the danger that exists from the conservative Freak Show that did as much to beat John Kerry as George W. Bush did in 2004.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[knerd]

Barack Hussein Obama is an adult. He is a Democrat. He is aware of history and the American culture of politics. He knows very well about the GOP "attack machine." And I think he knows very well how to answer its attacks.

I don't think he is near as defensive in his responses as has Hillary and perhaps others have been. He is more relaxed.

Check out what Obama said in December last year:

"But you know in the end, don’t vote your fears. I’m stealing this line from my buddy (Massachusetts Gov.) Deval Patrick who stole a whole bunch of lines from me when he ran for the governorship, but it’s the right one, don’t vote your fears, vote your aspirations. Vote what you believe."

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/12/obama-scoffs-th.html

[AnninCA]

He's not a Democrat. He claims being one, but he's not.

[HowardRoarke]

Says the gal who says she'll vote for McCain.

Someone isn't a Democrat here.

[Felicty]

Shut up, you stupid cow.

[ProudLiberalDan]

"But you know in the end, don"t vote your fears. I"m stealing this line from my buddy (Massachusetts Gov.) Deval Patrick who stole a whole bunch of lines from me when he ran for the governorship, but it"s the right one, don"t vote your fears, vote your aspirations. Vote what you believe."

-----------

Gee. That will make a lovely concession speech.

The Presidency is a whole different ball of wax.

Those sentiments are fine, but they won't be enough. He needs to be prepared to show he's a fighter to.

[geobushono]

the repugs can't win NO MATTER what they throw at us........and when he gets in, a few high profile corruption trials targeting the dumbya administration, will quiet the last of the loud crazies.

Texan for Obama 08

[jungpatawan]

Rope-a-dope.

The attacks clearly aren't hurting him. He's shrugging these blows off his shoulders, and letting the hate machines punch themselves out. If he started responding to every Tourette's outburst from Hillary and the Right, he'd be dancing to their tune.

Instead, he's staying on message, and they have to rush to catch up. Just look at how often Hillary's message has shifted.

I just saw a statistic today that says in the 10 races since super Tuesday, Obama's AVERAGE margin of victory (MOV) over Hillary has been 33%. His 17 point spanking of her last night in Wisconsin was the lowest MOV since Super Tuesday.

And in nearly every primary, Obama has outpolled all the Republicans COMBINED.

Yeah, he's REAL hurt.

JP

[ProudLiberalDan]

There is a HUGE difference between running against Hillary with a similar ideology in a primary contest and running against the Republican machine and conservative movement where their crumbling power is at stake.

That last thing Obama needs are naive supporters whistling past the graveyard.

[illinoisan]

The person who is most painfully aware of the futility of Rovian tactics against Obama is Karl Rove himself. These attacks always end up helping Obama. Rove is completely sidelined. Many RNC thugs have admitted they don't know how to run against Obama.

[nellie]

Not sure this is true, but if it is, let's hope they stay clueless until December.

[illinoisan]

I don't think Obama's got a lot to worry about on this score.

Today Rush played an audio montage of Obama's speeches in which he (admittedly) edited out the substance and left in the inspirational lines. Then after playing it, he ridiculed Obama for not having any substance.

Particularly agregious is that Rush kept up his diatribe about hope being passive without any mention of the fact that Obama has addressed this directly in his speeches and refuted it handily. Rush even admits that he doesn't listen to Obama because he says he already knows what Obama is going to say.

Considering that these wingnuts couldn't defeat McCain, the weakest serious candidate in the field only a few months ago, I don't see how they're going to be able to do any harm to Obama.

[ProudLiberalDan]

For starters they will repeat Obama's full name for six months. "Barack Hussein Obama".

They know the power of planting doubts through repetition.

They will count on a "Bradley" or "Wilder" effect.

Anyone who thinks the right won't attempt the dirtiest campaign we've ever seen is hopelessly naive and are not doing Obama a service.

Neoconservatives staked everything on George W. Bush. They may not like McCain, but if he loses, their whole dream goes down in history as a miserable failure.

They'll swallow their pride and save what little McCain crumbs they can. DO NOT underestimate them.

[nellie]

"They may not like McCain, but if he loses, their whole dream goes down in history as a miserable failure."

That thought puts a smile on my face!

[wijg]

This is what happens when underestimate them:

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/02/18/why-we-do-what-we-do/

[wijg]

when **you** underestimate them:

:-\

[illinoisan]

These attacks always end up helping Obama. He's a different animal than we've seen in politics before. He's beyond teflon.

I've been pointing this phenomenon out since before he announced last year. First, he gets unfairly attacked. Then the lie is unmasked and people realise they had been deceived. Then they vote for him. Obama never has to do his own work to knock the crap down. It gets done for him.

It's the Obama-is-rubber-they're-glue phenomenon. It's carried him this far and it will carry him all the way.

Of course, there's the 20% - 25% of folks who will only believe the lie. They're marginal. It's a closed echo chamber.

[ProudLiberalDan]

There are two reasons I didn't support Obama, and there are from the left, not the DLC.

1) Obama had the weakest health care plan of all the Democrats.

2) His naive post-partisanship where he thinks he'll just bring people together to sing Kumbaya is beyond scary.

I wanted a fighter. I think he has the capability of being one, but if he thinks he can just "rise above" right-wing attacks with a call for unity and post-partisanship, he is going to get utterly eaten alive and it won't be pretty to watch.

I personally was hoping for a fighter like FDR, who wasn't afraid to stomp all over conservatives and the Republican party to advance liberal values and progressive policies.

There WILL be an attempted "swift boating" of Obama. I haven't seen anything yet that reassures me he and his campaign will stand up and fight back.

Bill Clinton may have been disappointing DLC, but his rapid response War Room was sheer genius.

If Obama attempts a Kerry-esqe "rising above" the right-wing attacks, they'll destroy him.

He's the likely nominee now. After March 4, if he doesn't start turning his guns and start kicking conservative butt, it will be a long slow decline all the way to November, and it won't be pretty to watch.

[AnninCA]

Me, too. But I also wanted Gore. LOL*

Dang, I hate losing!

[nellie]

I don't think "Kumbaya" is quite the strategy he's going for. He has worked with Republicans to pass some important legislation, like the nuclear non-proliferation legislation he authored with Senator Lugar.

I don't believe he's as naive as people think. But I do agree that he needs to show something tougher than we've seen when campaigning in the general. I'm hoping we'll see some grit. After all, he did come up through Chicago politics. Hardly a playground.

[teamsterwife]

The republicans will crush him.

[AnninCA]

I doubt it. The Republicans are dead.

The entire discussion about Hillary's electability was just silly talk.

Obama used the old Reublican slime crap to stir the fears.

While preaching hope, of course.

He's slick.

Here's his real issue.

He will win the election, but not the hearts.

Those of us who don't go to rallies and get goosebumps are, obviously, a fairly large group of Americans.

He's winning yes, but there's a sizeable number of us even after ALL of the good press, breaks,etc., who still aren't persuaded.

So....what will he do about us?

I wait with bated breath.

:)

I can tell you how I'm going. I've exited the Democratic party for good. I'm now Independent.

I will vote against Barbara Boxer now in the next CA election. And I'll even campaign against her.

I definitely will lobby against Pelosi.

I'll push to see Democrats of "my type" elected.

As an Independent, of course.

This will be an opportunity.

[nellie]

What are Democrats of "your type"?

[kcal2000]

I think the reason John Kerry lost was not because of "swiftboating", it was because of his pro Iraq war stance. During his campaign, there was a strong, fervent anti-war movement. Kerry did not tap into that because he voted for the war.

Remember, he opened his convention speech with a military salute, "reporting to duty".

The anti-war folks were very disheartened.

Obama is leading a very strong, fervent movement, that has the passion of the anti-war movement.

These petty attacks & "swiftboating" won't work, especially since the Republican administration is responsible for the mess the U.S. is in right now.

[ProudLiberalDan]

Kerry could have been anti-war and stood up for himself.

His failure to stand up for himself and fight back is what doomed him.

He should have shredded Bush for lying the nation into war.

His attempts to be "bigger" than those attacking him was political folly.

The model to use is Clinton/Carville's 1992 Rapid-Response War Room.

[AnninCA]

Yes, and now the public is scapegoating Hillary for just the opposite.

The public needs to knock off the insanity.

[Canukistani]

Seems funny to me to see that criticisms of the Obama campaign are floating around at this point. I think that there is, with these few recent wins behind them, a reasonable body of evidence that indicates that the Obama campaign doesn't need too many suggestions just now. They seem to be doing fairly well so far by most methods of measurement.

[larry278]

Do not be surprised if Barak Hussein Obama & his supporters give those who attack Barak Hussein Obama enough very strong rope to hang themselves, [if they choose to do so], in the name of free speech to prevent those who choose to speak ill of him from exercising their right to free speech. Prior restraint of speech or other expressions of opinions is something he firmly opposes. Barak Hussein Obama is said to have taught the US Constitution, all of it, to law students for 10 years. One may presume he is acquainted with all of the provisions of the US Constitution,
Since Barak Hussein Obama is a devout Christian he will do all he can to prevent his attackers from hanging themselves. In the event Barak Hussein Obama can't stop his attackers from killing themselves by hanging themselves-one can rest assured that he will have these unfortunate deceased persons cut down from where they hang themselves most promptly & he will insure that the unfortunate deceased all get proper, dignified, funerals promptly & that their mortal remains are placed at a secure site where their earthly remains will rest undisturbed, at peace forever. That is the Christian thing to do & Barak Hussein Obama is a devout Christian.

[AnninCA]

Oh, who r4eally cares. He's a do-nothing kind of guy.

Hil policies make me yawn.

His rhetoric is so vacuous as to be embarassing.

And his following is a bunch of nasty people.

It's obciously more backlash to the war.

We're jst not ready to get into solutions yet.

The public is obviously stuck in its emotions.

[Buddhabman]

Check out the Clinton Campaigns plan to 527 Obama. From Daily Kos

http://forms.irs.gov/politicalOrgsSearch/search/Print.action?formId=28905&formType=E71

http://www.camajorityreport.com/index.php?module=roles&func=display&uid=20

http://www.dailykos.com/

The Clinton 527
by Adam B
Wed Feb 20, 2008 at 03:07:45 PM PST
Let's be clear: when a 527 forms for the express purpose of electing or defeating a particular federal candidate, and engages in public advocacy towards such ends -- as opposed to discussing issues -- it is breaking the law. Period. The Media Fund, Swift Boaters and other 527s have paid six-figure fines for acting like a political action committee -- i.e., engaging in express advocacy and soliciting its donors with the major purpose of helping identifiable federal candidates -- but without abiding by any of the individual contribution limits or disclosure requirements attaching to PACs.

But when you've lost 25 of 36 contests ...

Allies of Hillary Clinton plan an expensive, stealth campaign to buttress her standing in the must-win states of Ohio, Texas and Pennsylvania.

They're canvassing Clinton donors for pledges of up to $100,000 in the hope of raising at least $10M by the end of next week. The money will be placed in the account of a political committee organized under section 527 of the tax code.

ABC News has more:

ABC News has learned that a group of Democratic politicos have set up a new independent 527 organization called the American Leadership Project (ALP) with the express purpose of helping Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, beat Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, in Ohio, and possibly Texas and Pennsylvania as well.

...ALP has developed three ads aimed at tarnishing Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, as a talker and not a doer -- the ads are called "If speeches could solve problems" -- and they will contrast Obama and Clinton on issues of importance to middle class voters, such as the economy, health care, and the mortgage crisis.

[on2them]

I don't think this kind of action is going to save the hillary ship from the huge hole in her belly. People have smartened up and the people who are supporting Obama are smart enough to see through the slimy tactics of these 'old political sick bags'.
The only people really listening to Hillary now are the ones who won't hear anything unless they get their hearing aides turned on.
This includes old McInsane.
That's the great thing about Obama, he would never lower himself or endorse such tacky tactics.
Gobama '08 (yes borrowed tag line from other posters whom I did not get permission from but want to credit them here and now!)

[SameOldSameOld]

Reading this depresses me. The only good that can possibly come out of this is that if Obama handles a barrage of attacks from Clinton-backing 527's and still prevails next Tuesday, it may help him in the general election.

[AnninCA]

He's already won this and the next election.

Stop worrying.

Do worry that he doesn't really have any unity.


He's sold himself on that, but it' a lie.

He'll never have it, either.

Nobody is ever going to give unity to a voice that says everything sucked until I came along.

That won't happen.

[ptarantino]

The only thing the Republican party has anymore is slinging sh%t. Obama just needs to tell the truth & keep himself above it.

[foreffectivegovernment]

For those of you who think the Republicans "Love" Obama and will vote for him in the General Election, take a gander at this.

"With McCain’s GOP nomination virtually assured, rumors say some Texas Republicans are apparently planning to vote in the Democratic primary, hoping to affect the outcome of that tight presidential race. It’s referred to as “Strategic Voting”."

"One rumor is that Texas Republicans will jump over and vote for Obama, perceived by some Republicans as the “weak sister” – the candidate who Republicans feel McCain could beat in November. Another rumor has it they will cross over and vote for Clinton to keep the race tight, which in turn could exhaust more Democratic funds and possibly cause a split within the party."

The Republicans are selecting both the Republican and Democratic candidates.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_Her_Now

All they have to do is change the website to "Stop Him Now" and it's all over. Watch the young voters run away just like the Clinton suppporters did from her.

[AnninCA]

It makes absolutely not difference whatsoever.

The party itself is dead.

Like birds, they are flocking to Obama.

He's not even Democrat, really.

His wife hates the country, amd his message is some kind of religious nonsense that has nothing to do with true politics.

It's over.

We've entered the next phase of the death of the country.

Hey, kid of mine. I tried!

[jrb35]

You are so full of shit when you say that his wife hates the country. Anyone with half a brain who actually watched her speech would realize she wasn't saying that she hated America or that she was ashamed to be an American. To say that for the first time in your adult life you're proud of your country (i.e. the American people) is to say that you believe that we as a people are finally living up to our aspirations and potential. America has always been a country that has yet to live up to it's promise.

His message has nothing to do with politics, you say? Have you never watched a single campaign in your life? It has EVERYTHING to do with true politics, i.e. communicating a message that resonates with the people. Get it?

[Impeachthechimp]

The DEM party is about as dumb as they come. Why would anyone have ever thought Obama could stand up to the right wing hate machine? Hillary was the one to get us the WH in November. The DEM party was too stupid to realize it. But they will have buyer's remorse for 8 years when McCain wins. What a STUPID party!

[Researchguy66]

The Obama camp much prefers to dish it out to Hillary than to take on the right. Every day she stays in the race allows for just a little more creative procrastination.

They'll get there at some point, but let's face it, they don't love Obama or hate McCain anywhere near as much as they hate Clinton. I won't be surprised to see anti-Hillary postings on HuffPo long after she concedes the race.