Karl Rove: Don't "Hussein" Obama

The Atlantic:

No less an authority figure than Karl Rove has warned Republican operatives from demagoguing Barack Obama's middle name.

At a closed door meeting of GOP state executive directors in late January, Rove said the safest way to refer to Obama would be to use his honorific, "Sen. Obama."

Read the whole story: The Atlantic

Comments

[BeyondKen]

Rove probably favors making anonymous phone calls asking, "Would you be more likely or less likely to support Sen. Obama if you knew he had fathered a black child?"

[luciadulu]

Excellent!

[Harrier]

If you want to appeal to hillbillies and evangelists only and push out everyone else than I agree with the RNC strategy. If you want to win an election, I would advise distancing yourself as far as possible from Bush, next do something to help inner cities and the middle class by adding tax deductions and increasing retirement contributions

[incontempt]

Great, just label the republicans, racist thugs, I love and support truth in labeling, Rove just wants to parse the republican losses.

Goodluck Turdblossom, Seeya in Jail

[sugarmoes]

new headline:


me: DO call karl rove PRISONER

[joja]

The "Hussein" tag-as-dir­ty-politic­s will backfire and Rove knows it.

A whole lot of people all around the world will find an American prez with a "funny" name to be a very advantageous for US interests.

And as one Mex-Am in Texas put it recently, America is viewed as being a racist nation, so having a prez who is biracial would put an end to that.

There is more good to come out of Sen. Obama's middle name than bad. Rove is just being pragmnatic.

[sqwerl]

It is absolutely a spun story when people think republicans are bigots. Here's one for ya.....why is it the most liberal people in this country (san francisco and newyork) democrats are constantly trying to get rent control out of their neighborhoods. Its because the liberal elite are the actual bigots! Not in my backyard is their motto!!!

[sparkandy]

It's the money, honey. Limousine Liberals are just as greedy and self serving as the plutocrats on the other end of the political spectrum. In fact, politics doesn't mean diddly to these people. They're all buddies. It's the rich, right and left, against the rest of us.

[Silpat]

If Obama is an anti-semite terrorist then how in the hell did he become a U.S. Senator?

I assume that the government still conducts extensive background checks on high-level officials, which includes U.S. Senators. Right?

[sparkandy]

Haven't you seen the stupid stuff where it's implied that Obama IS a Muslim, but says he's a Christian. Muslims are supposed to kill anyone who was born Muslim but doesn't practice it, so therefore Obama must be being protected by Islamic terrorists? If you want to read something really stupid, look this stuff up.

[Davwbaird]

As one of the "people" this I know Obama is our next president and the republican party along with their insane followers will be for the most in jail.

[imsosure]

It's only mystifying if you're thick as a brick between the ears!

[Seattlelite]

Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama -- The more I hear it the more I like it!!

[cindyw]

PRESIDENT Barack Hussein Obama -- I like that even better.

[DavidPerkins]

Yeah. I can just see the conservatives of 2040 saying "We have to get rid of those liberal BHO style politics from the tens. Why his presidency was as bad as FDR's of the 1930s and 40s."
Yep, he's going down in history with the best of them; FDR, JFK, HST, etc.
BHO, rock on

[pinkerman2]

The name and title are sounding better every day!!!!!!! Thanks seattlelite and cindyw.

[Waterbug]

This story sounds like a deliberate plant. Perhaps Rove is borrowing from George Lakoff and using the "Don't Think of an Elephant" approach?

We're going to be hearing a lot more about Obama's names moving forward. They don't have much else to smear. Rove has this all figured out. Cunningham, Coulter, O'Reilly, Hannity, Rush, etc. are going to play the unabashed foul mouth roles. McCain will pretend to be "above all that", which he isn't because he's working with evil Karl http://embeds.blogs.foxnews.com/2008/02/09/mccain-open-to-advice-from-karl-rove//) who is orchestratig this dual pronged approach.

Anything to be president, eh John?

[jukesgrrl]

I agree. And how many times did Rove say the name "Hussein" while he was telling other people not to use it?

[Davwbaird]

John will die in October of a massive heart attack,

[kevenseven]

FISA UPDATE!

Not much to report, actually, except that the House has not caved and the WH is using every fear tactic that they can come up with. An interesting read over at DailyKos:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/27/144117/624/646/465142

Do monitor developments at Kos, FireDogLake, and especially Glenn Greenwald at Salon.

In the meantime, letters and calls to Pelosi, Conyers and your own congressman would be worth the effort. Do not mail letters to Capitol Hill, as everything is delayed with Anthrax scans. Mail to their district offices.

Also a Kos an article about House Dems being targeted based on their refusal to bow to Telecom immunity…They deserve a call if you can find the time. And an honorary $25 to one or two of them would be a nice gesture.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/26/124255/527/325/464446

Please take action.

[imsosure]

I'll take action, they can suck an egg, I wouldn't help them, especially as a veteran, to pass this crap as seen in you're first link.

[incontempt]

These shithead republicans no no bounds, and as a vet , screw the legion too at least locally they are just a bunch of drunks drinkin cheap at the club, few good things, but now to be used by politics, they'll not get any dues from me.

[Davwbaird]

The story is for vets drug, alcohol or suicide.

[Seattlelite]

Personally I hope they keep using Barack's middle name it only draws attention to their simple minded racists views. Like the Clinton's they will soon learn that the majority of this country is offended by this behavior and like the Clinton's it will back fire on them. Every time I see an attack on Obama in this manner it makes go to his website and make another donation LOL.

[Ramirez]

Barack HUSSEIN Obama!

[Seattlelite]

YES, Barack Hussein Obama, Barack Hussein Obama, the more I hear it the more I love it!

Barack Hussein Obama for President!!

[nellie]

Can we call Rove "Idiot"?

[Grunty1]

If you are in the mood to be kind to that slime :-)

[incontempt]

You had to ask?

[Davwbaird]

Best to call him satan himself.

[Ramirez]

Yes, we can!

[strifeknot]

Forget the Republicans, when are the fear-mongering Democratic Clinton supporters going to stop doing this?

[letsgetsmart]

What do you mean, don't call him that or republicans could be perceived as bigots? Hell everyone knows they are bigots! The bible belters are the remnants of the southern aristocracy who use to own slaves. This is where the clan is and the home of skin heads. Now some want to have license plates with the rebel flag on it. What the hey more do you need? Obama should run against bigots. At least this will have the perception of honesty.

[Grunty1]

Not everyone knows. Hearing it and having it PROVEN are different things