Sunday Pundits Allude To Coming False Obama 'Flip-Flop' Accusation

So, where is the angry and unhinged right poised to mount their next attack on Obama? Obviously, it won't be on an economic issue - Obama is running strongest on the domestic economy and the likelihood of John McCain, who's been trying to sell "I don't know much about the economy" as folksy and the "psychological effects" of offshore drilling as a real-world solution, getting back in the race on the economy just isn't in the cards.

No, the next big offensive against Obama is going to come on the Iraq war front. Obama has recently announced his intent to visit Iraq to take stock in the conditions on the ground, and the GOP has already come up with a plan: when Obama returns from Iraq, the position he has taken on withdrawal for these many months of the Democratic primary - in which we extricate ourselves gradually and carefully in a sixteen month process - will be sold as a new idea, a tack toward the Bush/McCain policy of eternal war and a flip-flop on his current stand.

On this morning's Fox News Sunday, Bill Kristol set the stage for this bit of subterfuge, saying:

KRISTOL: The voters tend not to punish political leaders for adjusting their views especially if they come towards the voters. The next big flip for Obama, this will make Brit even more astonished, will be on Iraq. He's going to go to Iraq, meet with General Petraeus, decide the "Surge" is working and walk back from his immediate, unconditional withdrawal. Suddenly it's going to be, well...we're going to be very careful...gradual, honorable withdrawal - Obama said the other day, an honorable conclusion to the Iraq war.

[WATCH.]

See what's going on there? Kristol is setting up this long con, in which the candidate who rather masterfully questioned Petraeus the last time the two met in hearings, goes to Iraq, gets seduced by the general and becomes a fan of the Surge, and suddenly starts waffling on his promises to end the war, substituting an "immediate" withdrawal with a "gradual" one...an "unconditional" withdrawal with one that's "honorable." Of course, Obama has never said the withdrawal would be anything but gradual and honorable, but the GOP is counting on voters falling for this ruse and believing it to be another chapter in their flip-flop fable.

And if you are looking for a pattern of incidence, look no further. Kristol's set-up on Fox was echoed on ABC's This Week - though less artfully - by Hugh Hewitt, who tells an outright lie about Obama's previous withdrawal plan so that it can later appear that his consistently-stated position is a flip-flop. As you watch this clip, look for the moment that Hewitt attempts to establish Obama's withdrawal plan as a "six-month" plan, instead of the sixteen-month plan he's been advocating for months. Fortunately, Arianna and Katrina VandenHeuvel were in the room, and they immediately put the hammer down on Hewitt's prevarications.

[WATCH.]

The tendency of the desperate right to attempt to capture Obama's consistently held positions as sudden flip-flops has been seen outside the Iraq War issue as well. In a recent preview for Fortune's interview with Obama, writer Nina Easton attempted the same piece of trickery, presenting Obama's well-known stance on NAFTA as a sudden and pandering change of heart, even though the record demonstrated no change in position. Watch for similar attempts to be made in the run up to and the conclusion of Obama's trip to Iraq.

Comments

[Davwbaird]

THEY ARE truly evil non humans

[ssb752]

The Republicans pledge alligence to (in order of importance):
1) Self enrichment
2) Enrichment of peers
3) The Republican Party
4) Self enrichment (so nice, had to mention it twice)
5) Their religion
6) Their College
7) Their preconceived notions
8) The Stock Market
9) Fox News
10) The United States of America

[paulbikes]

I would have left it at number 9

[debi1208]

Is the FOX network stupid? Their out & out lies are why their ratings are in the tank. Please, if you have children in the house, don't let them watch. They will see nothing but prejudice that will harm their growth. Good Comedy on Red Eye, otherwise, crap.

[proudloudlib]

Friends don't let friends watch FOX."

[SanityClaus]

Foreign
Owned
Xenophobes

"News" Network.

I ask FOX viewers if they know who Rupert Murdoch is and they always say no.

[gevan]

Saw two or three minutes of Red Eye last night. Did not see any funny.

[Reine]

They are still way ahead when it comes to ratings so I don't what your talking about. Posters here like to talk about McCain flip flops but deny that Obama has flipped flopped many times. You need to hear both sides of a story instead of just listening to people who are supporters of Obama. I watch alot of Foxnews but do watch Msnbc & Cnn but I find Foxnews more objective because they give you two sides of an issue, not just the liberal side as the Msnbc like to give.

[Vermontlefty]

When was the last time Kristol's predictions were accurate about anything having to do with Iraq?

[UCFJayBird]

Of course they're going to try this, it's the only way they have a shot at winning. They can't win by building McCain up as the better candidate, the only way they're going to win is if they destroy Obama's image.

Jason Hussein Willis

[tinarm]

They are trying to frame Obama as a flip flopper because McCain has flipped on every issue so far. They are trying to say "See Obama's no different than McSame". Problem if the media will do its job Obama's record holds up McSame's falls flat on its face. The issues McCain has flipped on are much more detremental to America than dadgum fed. funding for campaigns. McCain is a joke and the republican party is a joke, but some how I know they will figure out a way to steal this thing in Novemeber. I don't know how, but I know they will. We have seen it in 2000 and ine 2004 and somehow they will do it again. I'm praying they won't but it's always in the back of my mind. For once we have a candidate who is not to far left or to far right, but in the middle, one who has a brain, one who thinks before he speaks, and has seen this country from the suburbs, cities, ghettos, and barrios as well as from the grasslands and country. He has spoken to millions all over this country and understands its people better than anyone before. I hope we get this chance, my child deserves better than Bush and his croney McCain.

[theone718]

The GOP has NOTHING, they are grasping at straws to get something on Obama, IT WON'T WORK. We are going to take t he white house and their gutter tactics won't stop us.

[SanityClaus]

Good catch, I saw this happening as well.

I guess Rove sent out an email yesterday with this new talking-out-of-your-@$$ point.

[4wehttam]

Oh gosh, I can't stand Kristol. I wish someone can just punch him in the face when he's walking down the street somewhere. Also Arianna this morning called Hugh out on his terrorist attack comment about Obama, he tried to wheedle his way out and say oh well you lefties are taking things out of context. WE are taking things out of context, WE? I don't think so jerk off.

Monica Hussein O.

[SanityClaus]

Only Republicans are allowed the cover of context and sarcasm. Democrats are crucified with sound-bites. These are the rules of the MSM.

[wanj]

Good column! The republicans are so desperate it hurts... calling Obama a flip-flopper is just not smart on their part I must say! Tread carefully GOP. If you want to talk flip flopping, please start with this youtube video. Then lets talk flip-flopping when you're done.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEtZlR3zp4c

[coba]

yeah obama will never flip flop on the war because he never said he would pull all the troops out he said pull combat troops out and leave some troops to protect the embassy and bases. Also he said he wants to go after bin laden which is what i thought we were supposed to be doing in the first place. I just wonder why mccain doesn't talk about catching bin laden

http://sensico.wordpress.com/

[phae100]

Thank you for your deconstruction of the right's clumsy lie-based "master plan". The more we all know how their tactics work, the less likely we will be to fall for any of it of have fear of them.