That was a seriousely lame article, based on a specious claim, and requiring the suspension of disbelief greater than it took to watch Jar-Jar Binks run around and ineptly save the galaxy.
First, the youtube video was in fact the independent work of a supporter. That was proven quite a long time ago. Second, most of the people out there have long forgotten about that youtube video in favor of Obama Girl, because a ridiculously attractive woman singing the praises of anything will ALWAYS get more air-time than a ode to classic film (and it should be mentioned Obama Girl was forgotten about in favor of cherry-picked excerpts from Rev. Wright and videos of a certain Senator daring enough to listen to poems and accept flowers while dodging sniper-fire). Third Sen. Clinton's surrogates have been far more direct about their attacks on Sen. Obama than a youtube video which places Sen. Clinton in the role of the 'I know best' establishment candidate... which is precisely where she placed herself with Mr. Penn's help.
Now I'm not saying that some of Sen. Obama's campaign staff haven't stepped over the line, but he was always swift about disaccoiating himself from that kind of behavior and calling on their resignation often within hours of the statements.
Stop poisoning the well. You want your candidate to win, I understand that, but a Democrat,ANY democrat, in the WH is the goal we should ALL be working towards. You. Are. Not. Helping.
Barack Obama: Clinton Slayer
Buzz this article up.
The Obama campaign and the mainstream media tell us that Hillary Clinton has been running a negative campaign. They insist that her continued presence in this race is damaging the Democratic Party. They have even taken to calling her the "Tonya Harding" of election strategists.
Have we all forgotten Vote Different, the video that started it all?
This was the ad that launched Barack Obama's campaign and was at the heart of his earliest recruiting efforts. It is the ad that best exemplifies what he and his campaign have truly been about.
Yes, supposedly, it was created by an independent source. Obama, however, never renounced it. He merely laughed it off as the creation of an overly enthusiastic supporter.
Hillary Clinton as "Big Brother"? Obama as the slayer of this oppressive overlord? This was no subtle statement, but Barack Obama allowed its venomous message of generational-warfare to spread until it had built for him his now-solid base of angry, cynical, Clinton-hating support.
In that ad, the hammer that smashes Hillary Clinton in the face and causes her image to explode has been far more damaging to the long-term interests of the Democratic Party than that crowbar was to Nancy Kerrigan's kneecaps.
And yet the mainstream media -- led most notoriously by MSNBC's Chris Matthews and Keith Olbermann -- continues to perpetuate the myth that Obama has run a campaign built on such concepts as hope and unity. "Hope" and "unity" are not enough to sell a first-term Senator with so few accomplishments. No. Cynicism and divisiveness have much greater appeal. Ask Orwell. It is with this cynicism and divisiveness that the Obama campaign has fueled itself -- while simultaneously and disingenuously portraying itself as the bringer of a new kind of politics. (For further evidence of this, visit AttackTimeline.com)
The irony is that it is now Barack Obama who occupies that Orwellian screen, and it is his supporters who now sit captive in the audience. Perhaps Hillary Clinton has a good hammer-throw left in her yet.
Should, however, Barack Obama indeed win the Democratic nomination -- and when he then loses to John McCain in the general election -- let us remember how his campaign was born and what his message truly was.
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Well, I honestly don't know how this tirade qualifies as even an Op Ed. It reads like just another Comment by the very embittered Clinton supporters. I guess the rational Clinton supporters just shake their heads at the Clintons' poor choices, and close their checkbooks. Please, Clinton supporters: I only dislike the Clintons intensely right now. If Clinton supporters vote for McCain instead of Obama in Nov, I will hate the Clintons intensely. At the very least, just keep your bitterness at home. If the angst were from Obamans rejecting better policies, I could understand, but there's never a policy point - it's always personal, therefore repulsive. For me, it's policy. I reject corporate ownership of the political process, period. The Clintons gave China permanent favored-nation trade status - after Tiannamen Square! Bill makes a cool million or so pushing for mining investment in Colombia - even as Hillary pays Colombia's most powerful lobbyist in the US millions of $$s - from her donors - to be her campaign manager, while using unions and using up union PAC funds and claiming opposition to rewarding Colombia's murderous labor "policies". Dishonest. Poor choices. For profit.
Spot on! Bower, make this a three-part series. This being part 1, and then the 4-page race memo from the Obama campaign as part 2, and, finally, the iplementation of the racial twisting of the Clinton's words as part 3.
Don't worry: Obama will win in November.
HRC was the presumptive nominee of the Democratic Party for a whole year. Since then, her campaign has been mismanaged and her supporters have underestimated the determination of Obama and his supporters. Now that she finds herself possibly losing that which everyone, including the press, assumed was hers for the taking, she wants to blame Obama.
The reporting of this article was excellent because we can see that it is bascially the truth when it comes to the mainstream of media with their promotion of Obama. What the liberals have forgotten that the Democrat party in these 14 years have moved to mostly the center when it comes to being a progressive, or moderate dem, we take security as a whole. It is fine if you are for Obama, even though his mentors are all hard-core militant Muslim family members, like his brother Abongo "Roy" Odinga who hates America, and their communist grandfather who ran with Russia and hated America, not to mention his socialist connection with domestic terrorist Bill Ayers, and his profound childhood mentor Frank Marshall Davis, a member of the Communist Party, CPUSA, and...well, we know Pastor Wright, and Nation of Islam minister Louis Farrakhan....and now with another crooked association with the Governor of Illinois, who just was dragged in the Rezko case. But ,as I stated they rather "scream and call Mrs Clinton a F......king Wh...ore...then to look at the whole picture. I admire this post, because it shows that someone did their homework and took a risk for all the bad blogging to insult him and to rant about the injustice to Obama.
The thing that is the most fascinating in this campaign is watching the Hillary extremists become so embroiled in their sense of loss because they understand that the end is near and inevitable. I have not seen a single comment that didn't fall directly into one of the phases of dying....denial, anger, etc. It is absolutely intriguing.
When acceptance and a sense of peace finally come most of the devoted folks will understand that Hillary lost because she was not as good a communicator, personnel manager, media handler, financial director, strategist, tactitian, executive, organizer, and motivator as Obama. The bottom line is she is far the lesser politician. She simply isn't as good as Obama when it comes to playing this game.
When the harsh emotion subsides it will all become very clear.
Well spoken.
You sound like someone determined to make slim relationships into something more intense than they are. Am I now supposed to believe that Mr. Obama is somehow now a "Communist" due to having a Commie family member in rural Africa that he has probably met only once, if ever? And that Professor Ayers, who lives in Obama's district, is something more than just a fellow college teacher and his constituent? Maybe Obama was also the second gunman on the grassy knoll as well? A reptilian? Guess what....I've been to Beijing China, and was QUITE IMPRESSED with the Communist system. And I'm a Republican Army vet, voting for Obama in the elections when he slays the Monster....so I wonder what that makes me? Maybe FAUX NEWS can get a scoop on me? "Reptilian Ex-Military Intel Guy Votes For Obama !!" .I can see the banner running below the screen now....followed by "Babies forced to say the word "Obama" on Youtube !!".
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
What is this video anyway!?
I actually thought this article was a sarcastic joke! Isn't it? Or this guy for real? Obama is responsible for a YouTube video now too?
I just saw one that was quite good where Hillary kicked off her campaign in the arctic, bludgering a screaming baby seal... That must be newsworthy too...
EinChicago, as a former Chicagoan myself, I'm disappointed to hear your voice here. For the rest of us who actually focus on facts and results as the criterion for determining which candidate would have the greatest positive impact, it's important to educate yourself on the subject before giving an opinion. I came across a post from someone who shares this view and did the research without prejudice. They were surprised to find that Obama has, in his short tenure as senator, introduced more comprehensive, positive and SUCCESSFULLY PASSED legislature than the senator from NY. Check it out for yourself: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/2/20/201332/807
This probably won't change the tone of your rhetoric, but at least you'll know when you're choosing to wade in the crap that takes focus from the issues this country faces and who we choose to lead the way to their resolution. This isn't reality television. This is the direction of our lives and the lives of our children we're determining here! There is real work to be done! Gadfly commentary that evokes knee-jerk reaction has been the grease for the skids that got us here.
Mr. Bower when he wins you need to post a retraction here. Those who claim Obama can't win seem disingenuous when it comes to the fact that Hillary actually does worse in a general election by any measure, state by state electoral, overall popular, whatever you want to objectively pursue. Her negatives are too high and she is driving them up herself. Is this not Hill-topia where somehow Clinton defies all the rules and reality itself to beat Obama for the nomination and then somehow the whole country forgets who she is and what she did to get here and elects her president.
Anyone who honestly looks at this knows the truth. She is the unelectable one. She can't even win the nomination much less a general election against a real opponent. Her New York run to office was a cake walk against republican opponent who refused to release his tax records.
Have you researched Obama's Illinois run to office? Obama's opposition was removed from the ticket on a technicality, a technichality Obama's campaign brought to light after thorough research of his opponents filing for office:
"Obama hired fellow Harvard Law alum and election law expert Thomas Johnson to challenge the nominating petitions of four other candidates, including the popular incumbent, Alice Palmer, a liberal activist who had held the seat for several years, according to an April 2007 Chicago Tribune report.
Obama found enough flaws in the petition sheets " to appear on the ballot, candidates needed 757 signatures from registered voters living within the district " to knock off all the other Democratic contenders. He won the seat unopposed."
"'A close examination of Obama's first campaign clouds the image he has cultivated throughout his political career," wrote Tribune political reporters David Jackson and Ray Long. "The man now running for president on a message of giving a voice to the voiceless first entered public office not by leveling the playing field, but by clearing it.'"
source: http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-02-28/news/barack-obama-screamed-at-me/4
Do your homework and hold on to your stones before you cast.
Unfortunately for his opponants, the drafters of the Illinois election rules failed to indicate which of the rules were optional.
Um, he "won on a technicality"?
Is that what they call your opponent not following the rules, nowadays?
I supposed you consider Hillary not having the nomination all sewn up on Super Tuesday like she planned "a technicality" too, eh?
Well good for him. Sounds a bit like what Hillary tried to do in Florida and Michigan, huh? Guess he's an even better politician than I thought.
OBAMA OR ICELAND 2008/2012
Psst. Obama has run one of the sleaziest campaigns in recent history. he's actually made be ashamed to be a registered dem. But you can't say that about Obama here, or his cultists will demand you be executed for not acknowledging that he is the second coming, the rapture and the cure for cancer all wrapped up in one shiny package..
Ein, I myself have no problem with constructive criticism. Bring it on for Obama, or bring it on for me personally. But you, like all the NASCAR/HRC crowd, seem to always wish to denigrate Obama for some unspecified personal reasons, but NEVER with a valid issue. Is the fog in your mind so thick that you don't realize this? For once, I would like to see one of you HRC supporters justify and clarify the things you say, such as "Obama has run one of the sleaziest campaigns". Sorry, did I miss something? Should I tune into FAUX NEWS more often? I defy you to give us EVEN ONE EXAMPLE OF A "SLEAZY" CAMPAIGN RUN BY OBAMA. Just one.
And I'm quite sure that you are "ashamed to be a Dem" because you actually aren't one...you are a Herman McCain Monster endorser. The one common thread I detect with you Hillary/McBush supporters is a sickening type of envy. Stop hating. Your attacks are always personal, because Obama is just too clean and too transparent for you to grasp anything but plastic straws and a handful of fresh air. You all need psychological evaluations, and a Rohrschach test.
Evidence please. At the moment this is just another fact less diatribe.
Michael- Please do the research. You are blinded by the frenzy and the hope that he is the next best thing since white bread. He is not. He is just another politician.
Using yet another food analogy, let me give you some food for thought and hopefully (I say hopefully with trepidation because as a worker not so much a hoper, I fear you might not do the work to research) you will open your mind to thoughts other than simply defensive ones.
Food for thought:
Research Obama's Illinois State Senate election- certainly not based on his experience and hard work.
Research Obama's true ties with Rezko- on the day that his Pastor contraversy hit the TV, he released evidence of a much more involved relationship with Rezko. Due to the public upheaval over Wright, his Rezko news went away with no real reporting. Research it.
Research Wright, Obama's Pastor, spiritual mentor and friend- he is a disturbing America-hating man with many deep ties to the Obama's. He influences their thoughts and decisions.
Research Michelle Obama's thesis from Princeton. Obama had her thesis made unattainable until the day after the General Election. Interesting. Parts of it have been released, and those parts help us to understand why she makes the anti- American comments that she does: "America is a mean-spirited Country."
Research Obama's ties to an Illinois State Senator named Jones. He is Obama's Kingmaker.
and the list goes on...
From the 1984 video through they tax memo, through the race baiting by Obama (HRC took the bait, to her shame, she should have been smarter), Obama has smeared and slimed by surrogate at every opportunity. At least HRCd is direct, Obama hides from any real votes, hides from having any real policy and hides from any actual fighting. Either Michelle or surrogates do everything for him. He's basically Bush the third in the wrong party, right down to voter suppression in Florida.
"Have we all forgotten Vote Different, the video that started it all?"
Mr. Bower says that this video explains why Obama is ahead of the race in delegates, popular vote, and states won?
Oh . My . God!
Nothing to do with Hillary's and Bill's own weaknesses?
He is calling the voting public STUPID.
No, just teh Obama Cultists that bullied , intimidtaed and manipulated the ice cream parlor straw poll states to create a false result.
What color is the sky in your reality?
Reality is a collective illusion.
Join our illusion! Vote Obama!
i wonder if obama realizes how many of his rabid acolytes have completely ignored the kind of campaign discourse that he's been talking about non-stop for over a year...sure seems to be a 'heaping helping' of hatred, gutter-level personal attacks, and non-stop venom in support of the 'candidate of unity'...
Nothing to see here, comments with no backing whatsoever, not a clip, not a quote, nothing. Just the assertion that he spews hatred, which is so out to lunch. He has run one of the most respectful campaigns in history and in fact there are people who were upset he wasn't attacking back, that it would cause him to lose. So please get a clue.
I agree. I am astounded at how much the most rabid of the Clinton supporters have taken on her victim mentality almost totally. Constantly whining about being persecuted, everything being unfair, and how abusive and bullying everyone else but them is. With no proof, no examples, and no idea what they're talking about. Yet then they will turn around and embody those very traits in response. I'm beginning to think they are trying to make a self-fulfilling prophecy so that they have a justification to do act any way they want.
hear, hear, it's b/c he's a "meanguy," and therefore, a clintonista by nature.
I GET IT!!!
It's...ALL...ABOUT...HILLARY!
Waaaa! Waaa! They show her like a ruthles
Posted April 3, 2008 | 01:43 PM (EST)