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Ten. Dems Blame Fox News And GOP For Their Own Skewed Perceptions Of Obama
What's Your Reaction?
Last week, Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee member Fred Hobbs set off a firestorm when he was asked by reporters why "Blue Dog Democrat" Representative Lincoln Davis was delaying his endorsement of Obama, and Hobbs answered,
"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."
He went on to say,
"[Obama] has associates who are connected to terrorism. It does throw a red flag up for me ....I certainly don't think he's a terrorist. I've just heard he has associates who might have those ties."
Davis's Chief of Staff Beecher Frasier made matters worse when he was asked if he thought Obama had ties to terrorists. He answered that he "didn't know for sure" whether Obama had ties to terrorists. Within 24 hours, Frasier issued another statement, "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."
The Tennessee Democratic Party also quickly issued a statement on Friday that the Tennessee Democratic Party is united behind Obama. On Monday, they published the statement on the front page of their website. The statement also blamed Republicans for the outrageous comments coming from its own party leaders:
Mr. Hobbs is obviously misinformed, and his statement highlights the perpetual efforts of the Republican Party, especially here in Tennessee, to turn internet smears and highly offensive gossip into their party's message against Senator Barack Obama as we head into the General Election. Instead of debating the issues, the Tennessee Republican Party continues to rely upon slanderous and salacious tall tales. They are borrowing from the playbook first written by Richard Nixon and employed in the race against Congressman Harold Ford Jr. Tennesseans of every political persuasion are tired of these tactics.
Harold Ford Jr. also jumped into the fray, disassociating himself with Frasier, who managed Ford's failed senate campaign in 2006:
Let me be clear about two things.
First, Beecher Frasier is dead wrong. Senator Obama is a Christian, American patriot with a vision to make America safer and stronger. I am going to join millions of Tennesseans and Americans by working this year this to bring life to that vision by electing Barack Obama President of the United States.
Second, Beecher's past association with me is just that -- past. I've had no relationship with him since 2006. I don't want a relationship with him, or anyone else who says these things. His comments offend me as an American and embarrass me as a Tennessean.
On Monday, Fred Hobbs wrote a letter to the Tennessee Democratic Party Executive Committee in which he apologized for his comments about Obama and blamed Fox News:
I am writing to apologize for my recent remarks about Senator Barack Obama. My statements to various Nashville media were wrong and offensive. I apologize if my remarks in any way hurt any of our great Democratic candidates, including Senator Obama. Also, I apologize if my comments embarrassed our state or my friends at the Tennessee Democratic Party.
I was not as well prepared as I should have been when speaking with reporters, and I should have taken more time to research Senator Obama's positions. My comments did reflect questions I had after what I had seen reported on Fox News, but I should have taken some time to check the accuracy of what I saw on television before speaking publicly. My statement that Senator Obama "may be terrorist-connected" was incorrect, and I apologize for making it.
As a lifelong Democrat, I believe in the values and ideals of the Democratic Party. I am honored to represent the 13th Senatorial District, and I look forward to working with Senator Obama, each of you, and every Democrat in the 13th District to elect Democrats this November.
Tennesseans were calling on Al Gore to endorse Obama over the weekend as the senior and most-respected Democrat in the state. Gore appeared with Obama at a rally in Michigan last night to announce his support. Gore's endorsement leaves only two Tennessee superdelegates undeclared, Rep. Lincoln Davis and Rep. Bart Gordon.
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As Whoopi said to elizabeth hasselback on "The View" recently, ". . none of us know what Obama's about. But now we're going to find out." Shouldn't we all have known a little bit more about someone who wants to be Pres. before the nomination? Of course he doesn't have anything to do with terrorism, but just what does he believe? I can't pin anything down except he keeps standing in front of huge signs that say "Change." Specifically, I would like to ask, specifically, what changes should we expect? We need to get rid of corruption with folks like Blackwater in Iraq, but we have become dependent. So far we have had a major dialogue on the domestic issue of race, which does not pertain to our ability to conduct foreign relations. We have also discovered that Democratic spokesmen and the media are not that fair-minded about women holding office, often using women to do the denouncing of Hillary Clinton. I need to know HOW we're going to move forward, should we give Obama the White House. Answers, please.
Perhaps you could visit his website...
Check out his website...
If you feel the need to vote for McCain - think 4 more years of Bush.
arkgrfx6, worse than the shrub. the real manchurian
See Dawn Teo's Profile
This "Obama hasn't told us what change he wants" myth is probably worse than the terrorist-
Obama is as well known in his views as past candidates for President have been. Your choice is to vote for someone who is pandering to the right to keep his place in the sun (McCain) and a man who is a visionary, with broad, sweeping ideas about what our country could be,can be.
You can vote fot the known, old ideas or you can vote for the visionary, it is really as simple as that.
To ask for specifics is to demand that Obama lock himself into poisitons, ideas, policies that may well be inappropriate by election day, much less by the end of the first year in office.
A good idea is a good idea. One should be willing to stand behind it if one believes in it, not play the strategy game. I have written commercials employing the strategy game, and I am through with that. It is duplicitous. By now, I need forthcoming. Gore was supposed to be a visionary,and indeed he is, still bringing to us the reality of our life on this planet, and how we are endangering it by our lifestyles. If Obama has a good idea that is worthwhile, it certainly will be appropriate for all time, and we shouldn't worry about speaking the truth. So, yes, I am once again, asking for specifics, because if I am going to put my efforts into electing someone, I have to believe in it and know what I am supporting. Patrick Henry was specific: he said, "Give me liberty or give me death." So that's how we got here, people like that standing up. John Brown has been painted as a maniac, but he was known to integrate hisdinner table, breaking bread and treating people with respect. He was pretty specific by his actions at Harper's Ferry about where he stood on abolition. This country was specific when they re-wrote the Japanese constitution at the end of the war and eliminated the power of the emperor. Americans are capable of direct action, and if it's been done in the past, let history be our guide.
Of course I have visited the website - and found it quite vague. Esp. on immigration - why can't we just say we will, like Spain, grant amnesty to the working population who provide the labor for for our farms? Latinos are our largest minority population, but we treat them indifferen
Hobbs and Frasier spoke their hearts, and it has nothing to do with not taking the time to do their homework. Because of their inate prejudice, they are all too eager to believe the crap the Fox peddles about Senator Obama. They don't need facts. They simply don't like blacks! Tennesseans - these are YOUR representatives. Are you proud? Are you enjoying the spotlight?
The GOP has attacked American citizens since 9/11.
Why is it the fault of Fox news? Are not these adults responsible for what they say?
They were caught with their pants down, so they had to blame somebody..
With no substantive facts and issues, they are left with applauding prejudices and fanning hatred. Its a free press society and a lot of people are caught in these webs. That members of the Democratic party, elected officials, become victims just shows why there is such a need for change, at all levels of government.
This country's black haters are lying silent until the voting booths open, Iam not one of em, but your going to be flabbergasted at the turn out! Legions of once in a lifetime voters
It won't matter, and this is why:
Hate is a heavy emotion; it slows you down and makes you less effective.
HOPE, on the other hand, is inspiring, and will bring out far more people to vote.
Why didn't they come out in the primaries, then? And if you know there are all these silent racists who are only coming out in the general election, you must be close to them to have inside information which no one else has.
Most never believed he'd win the primaries.
It's called the Bradley effect. People say they have no problem voting for a black, but then in the privacy of the voting booth they vote for the other white guy!
Bruce9432, I somewhat agree but I believe they will be overcome by the new and energized electorate. And to my surprise many of those haters are in the news media--ABC, CBS, MSNBC, NBC, Fox, Fox Cable, CNN, Headline News, etc. They are presenting every opportunity for white working class and other white Americans to switch the Democratic nominee before the General Election without looking racist. McCain is hard pressed to get negative media attention; however, when he does it is shutdown within 48 hours. McCain has double and triple talked on every issue. Obama is steady and tracks 'true'. In the end, the media will be the problem. I can not get over the lack of silence regarding a comparison between the future 'First Ladies'. Objectively looking at Cindy vs. Michelle. I say this is only because the Republicans have made Michelle such an issue. A 'serious' media would look at the facts. And guess who gets a failing grade--Cindy? If Michelle Obama had half the baggage of Cindy, Barack would be completely unelectable. Just look at the reason why Colin Powell said he would not run for office. Cindy had that 'pill' problem in spades.
In all fairness, she was treated, rehabbed and shouldn't we give her credit for that?
I did hear her say, some months back, that she has always been proud of her country. She was born into wealth, but that doesn't make her a bad person.
Keep track of Fox's biased and twisted reporting and every time you see it, note the station, date and time and go here to FCC's online complaint form and file a complaint.
https://es
That would mean I'd have to watch Faux News. Sorry, I can't do that.
Thanks, I'd been looking for that!
What kind of Democrat actually gets information from Fox News, anyway?
Time to go Messrs. Hobbs and Frasier.
It is unfortunate that people are not able seperate fact from fiction or just will to except as fact in order to justify the rumor. People wake up and stop voting against your own interest. OBAMA08!
IF ANYONE READING THE FOLLOWING COULD DISTRIBUTE MY PLEA TO ANY AND ALL DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WHO MAY HAVE APPEARED ON FAUX NEWS OR PLANS TO DO SO IN THE FUTURE, I SHALL BE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL.
Dear Sir or Madam,
The political winds in our country are now beginning to blow in a different direction, and reality has begun to set into the “mind” of the murdoch machine, you and your fellow legislators must begin to act accordingly. YOU MUST BOYCOTT FOX NEWS!
Please; not only for the sake of the Democratic Party, but for the sake of yourself, stay off the “faux news channel”! faux news is a VILE, DIVISIVE, POISONOUS entity! I do not believe you are naïve however, should you choose to continue to appear on the faux news channel, I can only hope and pray that your constituents earnestly reconsider your reelection.
Be careful of faux news my friend, for they now begin to dangle the figurative, “carrot” before you, Please, do not take the bait and fall prey to their deceit, avoid their snare, RENDER FOX NEWS, POLITICALLY IRRELEVANT!
Your Fellow Democrat,
Joseph J. Matika
Allentown, PA
6/10/08
I really thought it was just common knowledge that Fox News is full of crap. I guess it's not. Amazing.
Democrats just love to insult what they don't like. You have plenty of choices for your news from the wide range of leftist media...CN
I don't tune in any of the mainstream media.
So who's your favorite? Hannity? O'Reilly?
Doesn't that explain why they've had good ratings for so long? If people weren't thick in the skull, many would actually vote in their own interest, rather than along ideological lines that many don't even understand
Meg, you would be flabbergasted at the number of people who turn to farce news as their daily news source. Amazing for sure ... and scary. To the benefit of the masses though, their ratings have been plummeting over the past few weeks. Maybe their viewers are venturing out into a new world, like huffpost, msnbc...
It would be nice to see the debate in Appalacia be over whether people there should trust Fox News.
The reason Obama does so poorly among blue collar whites is because Fox and talk radio are a 24-7 Obama bash-fest. Reagan Democrats are Fox and Rush's core audience. These folks have been lied to so much, I've been waiting for someone to stand up and say enough is enough. They were conned into believing Saddam was about to give his nukes to his buddy Osama, and now their sons and daughters pay for the lies with their lives. .
Finally we see a high profile Democrat forced to admit that Fox rots the brain. If those folks ever figure out that Obama's church isn't racist, that his wife doesn't hate America and that Bill Ayres isn't his best friend, McCain loses by a landslide.
The Hannity hate Obama campaign is built, Karl Rove style. Take a true fact, like Obama's preacher said some wild things. Then conflate it in a huge lie, like "if he sat in that church 20 years he must hate white people." Then repeat the lie every hour of every day on every radio show and on Fox TV. It worked with "Gore invented the internet" and got its own name, "Swift-boating," when it was used to turn a Silver Star winner like Kerry into a loser.
May this be the election where Republicans can't win again by lying.
Come on now, Fox New is more objective than say MSLSD (MSNBC) which is nothing more than a cheering section for the left and OBAMA. Don't even try this...
Let's not miss the point shall we? MSNBC is irrelevant to this. If you wish to be an apologist for Fox, then make a relevant and substantive comment--but merely asserting that Fox is "more objective than..." isn't worth its weight in helium, even if you weren't following it up with a weightless challenge that you obviously cannot back up, so you should consider it tried.
oh, and Fox was an obvious irrelevance to this story until you felt the need to apologize for it.
That's complete horse-pucky pal, and you shouldn't try passing THAT off as a true statement.
Dakota_04, what does MSLSD mean or stand for? When something is newly created you sould explain to everyone else. I have never heard of MSLSD.
As I'm sure you other Tennesseans here realize, being a Democrat in this state is not the easiest position to be in. Unfortunately, in Hobbs's attempt to maintain good standing with the local conservatives, he went way, way too far. He needs to be removed. Also, blaming Fox News should not cut it. That's easily the much smaller version of I was just following orders. You can't blame others for being misinformed when you are a public servant--it was bad intelligence, right? Fox News makes an easy target for him, but they're not forcing him to spread their vitriol. It's precisely because of people like him, people who repeat nonsense based on fear and prejudice, Fox News keeps going strong. They could just as easily blame him because they're just giving the people what they want.
I got one of those "apology" e-mails. The saccharin taste was overwhelming. Can I just say that I am sick of the going trend of saying what is grossly inappropriate or untrue, then following up with an apology is getting real old.
I truly admire your courage. Thank you.
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I currently live out of state but will always call Tennessee home. I agree with you that it is hard to be a Democrat in many parts of Tennessee, even harder if you are a liberal Democrat. It is important, though, that we have political courage wherever we are. I commend you for your courage and for standing with your beliefs in the heart of conservative country.
In the upper east portion of the state, where rates of congenital Republicanism run higher than any other area of the nation, the easiest place to find a Democrat is in the fossil record--and even then a 21st Century Democrat probably wouldn't care for what he found.
We "voted for Eisenhower cause Lincoln won the war."
notsoignrnthllblly:
john prine fan too???
Let's not cut out any of our friends. Obama may need a landslide victory to overcome the Republican's relative success in discouraging voters in Democratic districts. The election of 2004 must always be kept in mind with regard to the tricks Greg Palast exposes in ARMED MADHOUSE. Besides, it is the Republicans who have to be the party of hate, fear and intolerance. Democrats should worry about keeping America the country that works.
Why would anybody who actually cares about this country use Faux news as a source??????
I am also embarrassed as a Tennessean that a congressman CAN'T distinguish between RUMORS and FACTS.
Fox News is high on RUMORS.
Thank goodness my congressman, Jim Cooper, endorsed a good while ago.
Unbelievable, and this guy is a Democrat? It is bad enough that the Repubs put misinformation out there but someone within the party and about our nominee?????
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