Tennessee Dem Party Leaders: "Obama May Be Terrorist Connected"

It's easy enough to understand the reasons most politicians give for not wanting to endorse their party's nominee. It's not very easy, though, to understand reasons tied to the kind of ignorance that would lead state officials to publicly repeat rumors about their party nominee's alleged ties to terrorists:

"I'm not sure we know enough about him. He's got some bad connections, and he may be terrorist connected for all I can tell. It sounds kind of like he may be."

That's what Fred Hobbs, a Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee member, told the City Paper when asked about the reluctance of Congressman Lincoln Davis to endorse Obama.

According to the article, Hobbs then added that he was skeptical of Obama himself and said that he does not approve of some of the things Obama stands for.

The City Paper reporter, John Rodgers, says Davis was unavailable for comment. When I called Davis's congressional office this morning, his staff said that he had not yet spoken with them regarding the matter. They were unable to make any statement or comment. According to the congressman's McMinnville office in Warren County, Davis is presently on the road doing "county visits."

Davis Chief of Staff Beecher Frasier attempted to clear up the matter but only added fuel to the fire. City Paper's Rodgers asked point blank whether he, Beecher Frasier, believed Obama had ties to terrorists. Frasier responded saying that he "didn't know for sure" whether Obama was "terrorist connected" but that he assumed not.

Tennessee Democratic Party Communications Director Wade Munday issued an official response, blaming the statements and the sentiments behind them on Republican efforts "to turn internet smears and highly offensive gossip into the [Republican] message against Senator Barack Obama." Munday's release assures readers that the Democratic Party of Tennessee is united behind the party nominee. The Democratic Party office told me that Fred Hobbs had apologized and would be voting for Obama.

Clint Brewer, the editor of City Paper, was nevertheless clearly vexed that Davis would not issue a formal response on the comments made by Chief of Staff Frasier. After all, three ranking figures in local Democratic politics had given voice to concerns widespread in the area.

Today, as this story is being published, Beecher Frasier has issued a formal statement for the press: "No one in their right mind, including me, believes Senator Obama has ties to terrorism. It is truly ridiculous for anyone to try to make hay out of these comments."

But City Paper reporter Rodgers and editor Brewer are adamant. Brewer said he and Rodgers "stand by this story," certain that the tone of Frasier's comments was portrayed accurately.

While Obama won the primary vote in the well-educated, affluent Williamson County area, he lost terribly in the rural surrounding areas of Tennessee. In rural Hickman County, for instance, he received only 14 percent of the primary vote.

Email campaigns voicing such allegations are well-known in that part of Tennessee. Some of the emails allude to Manchurian conspiracies while others repeat allegations that have long been debunked by mainstream media. It has been difficult even to keep up with much less refute the online campaigns being waged against Obama in the region.

The City Paper article appeared, in fact, the day after the Obama campaign released a new website, Fight the Smears, designed to combat allegations such as these and the suspicions they have given rise to.

Rep Davis (D) faces a Republican challenger this November in this very conservative district. He also plans to run for governor in 2010. Beecher Frasier is a former adviser to Harold Ford Jr. He was a strategy consultant in Ford's losing bid for Bill Frist's Senate Seat against Bob Corker. Some Democrats have accused Frasier of throwing the liberal wing of the party under the bus.

Tennessee is called the Volunteer State because of its large number of volunteers for the War of 1812 and the Mexican War, and the state still boasts some of the highest numbers of military recruits in the country. Davis's district borders the Fort Campbell area, a major military base and launching pad for troops being sent overseas. Many families in the area have a personal stake in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and hold some of the most conservative positions on foreign policy.

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Comments

[beck]

I grew up there, left, and don't intend to go back. Most parts of the state are about 50 years behind the rest of the country.

[Jey]

Well Hillary you've set the bar with your attacking a fellow democrat. So glad Obama himself refused to do that to her. I hope all these uninformed former politicians go off into the sunset with the chimp on 1-20-09. You can't change stupid.

[kellygrrrl]

seems the "Volunteer State" residents may want to volunteer for a little bit of EDUCATION

[ebethgay]

That doesn't help. One of my best friends who has a master's in computer science thinks he's a Muslim or "at least hiding something.­" I've told her not to insult her own intelligence, much less mine, and just go ahead and admit that she doesn't want to vote for the black guy. I've chalked it up to her living in east Tennessee, but it seems that ignorance is running rampant statewide.

If it helps, my mother is a white woman over 60 who despises Hillary (and mom's got a degree in women's studies), thinks Jeremiah Wright was right, and wholeheartedly supports Obama.

[96Bravo]

This kind of crap is so frustrating. Terrorist connections? Hopefully these clowns will see Obama become president and realize how wrong they are after 4 y

[estevancarlos]

No. Hopefully they'll secede.

[JennieB]

I hope that idiot doesn't get one dime from the DNC, and I hope they run someone else to take his seat. It really just shows what people were saying about the people of Tennessee being ignorant and backward was really true. When even the elected officials are this uninformed and ignorant, it speaks volumes.

Oh, and thanks Hillary for being the first Democrat to not fully dismiss these hideous and untrue rumors. You can take part of the blame for this for your "as far as I know" comment.

[sowhatdemos]

I live here, North of Nashville, and yes, they are that backward and ignorant. My own family, lifelong Democrats, are talking of voting for McSame! My mother asked if Obama was the antichtist.
It's thinly veiled racism, many still just won't vote for a black man.
I have friends at the City Paper and it's a reputable publication so I believe the story is accurate.
It's unbelievable!

[EGNY]

Wow! That puts you in a tough spot. How do you maintain civility? I mean, they're your family so of course, you love them. And you don't get to trade them in.

My paternal grandfather (now deceased) held a great many racist views. And, he drank. So, as the scotch bottle got lower, the racial slurs (pun intended) came out.

In my house growing up, that stuff was not tolerated. My father always instilled strong values against racism, despite his own father’s views.

I guess we can't judge our grandparents and parents without context of how each generation has contributed to improving for the next. My racist grandfather had an emotionally abusive father. The stories I've heard would curl your hair. So, based on where he started, my grandfather did his best and produced a son (my father) who went to law school and later became a minister.

So, I ask myself -- what will I do for my kids? Giving them an advanced education is part of it. But, what values will I leave them? What kind of people am I parenting them to be? What example am I setting with my own actions?

I can only say that I’m conscious of this every day, and try to do my part to advance the next generation. To teach my kids to put love above fear, service above avarice. That’s one of the biggest things any of us can do to make the world a better place.

[closerthanuthink]

"he may be terrorist connected"­,"...sound­s kind of like he may be,.."didn­'t know for sure","...­assumed not"
There is simply no way to spin this, no apologies acceptable! So sad (and sickening) that in an effort to pander to a to say the least "conservative" electorate, and address "...concer­ns widespread in the area" , these pseudo democratic officials have given the geriatric McCain camp enough ammunition to last till November!! The GOP will have a feild day! I can see the ads right now! All involved should do the right thing and present a collective letter of resignation (unless of course there's proof this was a deliberate missinterpretation, which seems highly improbable at the moment!!!.­..in which case The City Paper will have to be dealt with)...an­d then go about addressing the alleged "...concer­ns widespread in the area". And by the way, I honestly beleive Hillarys loss has nothing to do with this embroglio.­..just gutter politics.

[likeicare]

Looks like the Good Ol' Boys Network of the KKK is alive and well in TN.

It's just public intimidation by your peers -- the most crucial factor in keeping the tenents of Jim Crow in tact -- that counts. That's all.

[Trill]

My Trictionary Definition of Fred Hobbs.....­.A Tennessee Democrat who is a Hobkin demon who hobs....ho­ps backwards looking for his brain. (C'mon post this. It's humor!)

[abby4ever]

First it was Hillary trashing a fellow democrat, and now it's a different democrat doing the same. Sowing seeds of doubt is one of the most powerful political weapons one can use.

[Julie02]

Just like any party, if you don't like it, get the hell out, Mr. Hobbs.

[egal]

We should be allowed--r­equired--t­o kick out any leader so incompetent at their own job that they would publicly suggest a presidential candidate has terrorist ties when the only thing fueling that belief is bigotry and credulity. He had such doubts because they aligned with his prejudices and preconceived notions of the "risk" of letting coloreds and other non-native denizens have some measure of power.

Afraid both that no black or other so-called minorities can be trusted (for no better reason than becasue of skin color), and that a black might demean whites by actually doing a good job.

[MyAudacity]

The very sad things is that African American's in these rural areas also receive this type of news and believe it. If there is no one to tell them differently, then they also buy into the story that Obama is a muslim and terrorist, and it cost him their votes. You have to ask, if he's getting 90% of the AA votes where are the other 10%: in jail, at home, or voting for the other candidate.­....I'll put my money on at home. The Republican's and some Democrat's don't care if people stay home, because at least that's not a vote against them.

[EGNY]

Y'all, ya know that saying "it's not the heat, it's the humidity." Well, in this here case "it's not the racism, it's the stupidity!"

[SharonAustinTX]

There are people without brains. This Hobbs character would sell out his own mother. What a fool. It's sad these people can impact public opinion. Obama will make an exceptional President!

[booksnmore4you]

Gray Sasser
Chairman, Tennessee Democratic Party
tndp.orgtndp.org

Dear Mr. Sasser:

A City Paper news article has recently come to my attention in which Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee member Fred Hobbs stated that our candidate Barack Obama may have ties to terrorists. The statement is utterly horrid and false - with friends like Mr. Hobbs, who needs enemies?

Please be advised that Mr. Hobb's statement has "gone viral" - it has spread all around the Internet, including YouTube, blogs, forums, and various news outlets, and FOX News is reporting it with glee.

I hereby request that you immediately demand Mr. Hobbs's resignation and issue a strong statement condemning his words and offering unequivocal support for Obama.

Thank you very much.

Sincerely,

[Turtleluv6]

I just copy and pasted and sent my request as well

[Underthematrix]

Maybe Hobbs misunderstood the reporter because it's very possible that Hobbs thought the reporter was asking about the tover 10 million dollars the Saudis gave to the Clinton library. 17 of the 19 - 9/11 hi-jackers were from Saudi Arabia. Hobbs was just confused.

[RoloTomassi]

If you want to find collusion between a presidential administration and the Saudis, you're looking at the wrong one; try BushCo...t­he ties are much deeper and much stronger.

I don't think Clinton had anything to do with flying members of the bin Laden family out of the US a day after the 9/11 attacks, but BushCo certainly did.

[grumpygranny66]

Gray Sasser should kick Hobb's A$$ to the curb, so that the bus can run over it. Also, the Democratic Party in Tenn. should make sure he never hold another position in the party ever!!!!! He is a traitor. and should switch to the Rethuglican Party, he would fit in perfectly. What a B-A-S-T-A-­R-D....

I assumed he was a supporter of HRC, and cannot get over her lost. What a loser. He should be trying to unite the party, instead of tearing it apart!!! If he is not kicked out, we should sign a petition to get rid of him.

The Rethug's. are getting all the ammunition they need from HRC and some of her supporter's, to use against BO. and what pisses me off they are false. They have done so much damage, BO will have work very hard to over come the smear campaign.

[abby4ever]

Are her supporters doing this kind of thing on their own, or on her behalf? And no, I am not trying to start trouble, it's a legitimate question given some of the things some of her surrogates have said about O when she was still in the race.

BTW, where is she? When is she going to come out of 'mourning', as some of her friends phrased it, and start 'working her heart out for the Democratic nominee' as she phrased it. As she promised.

[rageagainstmachine]

Thank you so much. I just sent an email to Sasser and I'm going to forward the email to Rahm Emmanuel and David Plouffe. Seriously, this guys should not get a dime of DNC money.

[booksnmore4you]

Jaw drops to floor.

Absolutely astounding.

[TrixtersMom]

Wow, I am in disbelief. This guy must be in bed with McBush....