Posted by Naftali Bendavid at 1:40 pm CST
It’s a classic example of rapid response.
The Los Angeles Times published an article this morning suggesting that Barack Obama, in his 1994 memoir “Dreams From My Father,” exaggerated his role in a movement to rid certain Chicago apartments of asbestos. Specifically, the Times suggests that Obama downplayed the role of others in the Altgeld Gardens development and enhanced his own.
By 8:05 this morning, Obama’s campaign had sent reporters an e-mail titled “About that L.A. Times Story…”, offering a five-page, point-by-point rebuttal. “The implication is false, and the article is misleading,” it says, arguing that Obama’s role in the asbestos removal campaign was key and that he never exaggerated it. Given the detail in the document, it was clear the Obama campaign had been ready for the article and was pulling material together for some time. (The rebuttal is posted below.)
It was not a given that the campaign would respond this way. A legitimate strategy would have been to assume that not many people would notice the article, coming as it did so early in the campaign, and to decide that ignoring it was the best plan. A forceful answer, in this way of thinking, would come off as an overreaction and only draw more attention to the article’s assertions.
But Democrats have paid a high price for that way of thinking. The best example is the attacks on John Kerry’s military record in 2004. Kerry and his team believed that as a wounder war hero, Kerry was immune to criticism of his service. But hard-hitting attacks on the legitimacy of his Purple Heart medals, whatever their basis in fact, succeeded in raising highly damaging doubts about Kerry’s integrity.
And four years earlier, Republicans had painted Al Gore as a liar, a devastating label he was never able to shed.
Bill Burton, the Obama press official who sent out the rebuttal this morning, worked for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) headed by Rep. Rahm Emanuel before joining Obama's team. At the DCCC, Burton was a key part of a rapid response operation whose job was to react quickly to Republican claims and missteps. Emanuel himself had been a senior operative with the 1992 Clinton presidential campaign, which pioneered the idea of a rapid response “war room.”
Beyond that lineage, the course of recent politics has persuaded many Democrats that it is folly to assume an attack will fade. They have begun to act on that conclusion. Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid often outmaneuvered his former counterpart, Sen. Bill Frist, by establishing a communications office capable of instantly disseminating the Democratic message. Sen. Chuck Schumer, who oversaw the 2006 Democratic Senate campaigns and is playing the same role for 2008, instituted a policy of responding to any GOP attack within 24 hours.
It’s one more way the Democrats have tried to learn a lesson from the Republican electoral successes of recent years. The Obama campaign is clearly taking the lesson to heart.
# # # #The rebuttal from the Obama campaign:
Today, the Los Angeles Times published an article entitled “Fellow Activists Say Obama’s Memoir Has Too Many I’s” which implies that Obama partially fictionalized events in Altgeld Gardens in the 1980s in order to enhance the role he played in the community there.
The implication is false, and the article is misleading. At no point in the work does Obama take “singular” credit for initiating and leading efforts on the Atlgeld asbestos problem. In fact, those who worked with him confirm that he preferred a background role in the matter, refusing to claim credit or even be in pictures taken of the community group. However, despite the fact that he shunned a public role, Obama’s work is clearly remembered by Altgeld residents, other organizers, and the reporter that the LA Times and others credit with bringing the problem of asbestos in Chicago’s public housing to light.
LA TIMES: Obama Says He Initiated and Led Efforts That Thrust Altgeld’s Asbestos Problem Into the Headlines
FACT: Obama Helped Residents In Altgeld Organize, But Stayed in Background
Yvonne Lloyd Worked With Obama In Altgeld Gardens: “He Always Stayed in the Background...Behind the Scenes.” Yvonne Lloyd, a mother of 11 who was the basis for the character “Shirley” in Dreams of My Father, worked with Obama during the effort to remove asbestos from the Altgeld Garden apartments. She remembers that Obama “trained us to be leaders…I would come to him with an issue and he would help us figure it out [but] he always stayed in the background. And we used to say to him, ‘Barack, come on and do this,’ and he would say no. Even when we took pictures, he always stayed behind the scenes, because it was our community.” Lloyd attended the meetings with the Chicago Housing Authority described in Dreams of My Father and remembers working with Obama on the issue, saying that he “helped us make presentations, but he never scripted us. Because that’s [scripting] not telling the truth. And if I’m telling the truth, I can tell it anywhere.” [Conversation with Yvonne Lloyd, 2/9/07]
Linda Randle, A Community Organizer In The Ida B. Wells Project, Worked With Obama: “He Didn’t Take Credit for Anything.” Linda Randle worked in the Ida B. Wells housing project, which also had problems with asbestos, as a community organizer. She filed a complaint with the EPA and worked with Martha Allen, a reporter for the Chicago Reporter, to bring the public’s attention to the issue. Randle, who knew Obama through his work in Altgeld, said “Barack and I would get together and we would talk… When he was having problems [with the work], we would talk about it – he would ask, ‘What do I need to do to open up my head to hear what they’re saying to me?’…But he didn’t take credit for anything.” [Chicago Reporter, June 1986; Conversation with Linda Randle, 2/16/07]
LA TIMES: Others Say…That Credit for Pushing Officials To Deal With Asbestos Goes to A Pre-Existing Group and A Local Newspaper Called the Chicago Reporter
FACT: Reporter That Broke the Asbestos Story For the Chicago Reporter Gives Obama, Others Credit for The Action Taken By the Housing Authority
Martha Allen, Reporter With the Chicago Reporter: Proud of The Work She Did on Asbestos, But Community Organizers including Barack Obama Were Working On The Issue “Long Before” She Raised It. Martha Allen, who did the original reporting on the issue of asbestos in Chicago’s public housing projects in 1986, said that although she’s proud of the reporting she did for the Chicago Reporter, she can’t take credit for the action that was eventually taken by the Chicago Housing Authority. “That [taking credit] implies that I opened the eyes of folks in Altgeld [on this issue] and that’s not true. Obama [and others like Linda Randle] were working on this long before I got there.” [Conversation with Martha Allen, 2/16/07]
Chicago Reporter Articles Credited With Raising Issue Do Not Mention Hazel Johnson or Her Group, People for Community Recovery. Martha Allen’s reports on the asbestos issue in 1986, which Rep. Bobby Rush credits with raising the profile of the asbestos problem in Altgeld Gardens and Ida B. Wells, do not mention Hazel Johnson or People for Community Recovery, Johnson’s group. Linda Randle, who filed the initial complaint with the EPA, is mentioned in the story Allen published in June. [The Chicago Reporter, June 1986 and July, 1986]
Linda Randle Remembers Working Closely With Obama on the Asbestos Issue. Randle, who knew Obama through his work in Altgeld, said “Barack was working with the women in Altgeld [on asbestos] and he brought some of them to talk to me, and then we put together a meeting for me to go talk to them in Altgeld.” Although the residents of Ida B. Wells and Altgeld Gardens failed to join forces on the issue, Randle and Obama continued to work together. [Conversation with Linda Randle, 2/16/07]
Chicago Reporter Article Credit Protests in Altgeld Gardens With Helping Raise Public Awareness of the Asbestos Problem in Public Housing. In addition, Allen writes in the July edition of the Chicago Reporter that the Chicago Housing Authority’s decision to remove asbestos from the Ida B. Wells Extension Homes was triggered by her story in June and “by the protests of residents at another South Side housing development, Altgeld Gardens [at] 130th Street and Langley Avenue.” [The Chicago Reporter, July 1986]
LA TIMES: Hazel Johnson’s Role Was So Prominent That It Was “Offensive” To Tell the Story of Altgeld Gardens Without Including Her
FACT: Johnson Was An Activist, Not An Organizer; CHA Action Came After Obama, Randle, and Others Organized Residents Around the Issue
Johnson Raised the Issue With Public Health Experts in “Early 1980s”; No Action Was Taken Until 1986. Johnson raised the asbestos issue with Regnal Jones, a “scientist that [she was trying to get] to study possible links between the ailments that residents reported to her and [asbestos]…Jones visited Johnson in the early 1980s recalls sitting in her kitchen as she laid out hundreds of index cards listing the illnesses throughout Altgeld.” However, no action was taken to address the asbestos in Ida B. Wells or Altgeld Gardens until 1986. [Los Angeles Times, 2/19/07; Chicago Reporter, July 1986]
Jerry Kellman: Obama Pulled Together A Variety of People That Others Could Not. Jerry Kellman, who was the basis for the character “Marty” in Dreams of my Father, was Obama’s supervisor at the Developing Communities Project. When asked about the role that Johnson played in the asbestos work at Altgeld, Kellman said, “Barack pulled together a variety of people that someone like Hazel would not have been able to do at that point. Barack’s book is very accurate.” [Conversation with Jerry Kellman, 2/7/07]
Loretta Augustine-Herron: Hazel Johnson Was An Activist, Not An Organizer. Loretta Augustine-Herron, who was the basis for the character “Angela” in Dreams of My Father, was present at the initial meeting with the Chicago Housing Authority to discuss the issue of asbestos in the Altgeld Garden apartments. When asked about the role that Johnson played in the asbestos work at Altgeld, Augustine-Herron said, “Hazel was there [for the asbestos work]…[she] might have been an activist. But she was not an organizer.” [Conversations with Loretta Augustine-Herron, 2/9/07, 2/14/07]
Augustine-Herron: Before Obama, “There Really Wasn’t Anything Happening.” Augustine-Herron said that “There was work [on the asbestos issue in Altgeld] going on before Barack got there, but before him, there wasn’t really anything happening. He really came in and started building a base and empowering people [Conversation With Loretta Augustine-Herron, 2/14/07]
Johnson And Obama Worked Together On Asbestos. “Altgeld Gardens resident Hazel Johnson, 69, worked with Obama in the Developing Communities Project on pushing the Chicago Housing Authority to remove asbestos from public housing and other issues. She remembers Obama renting a bus to take a group of residents downtown to protest at CHA headquarters. ‘He even got us coffee and doughnuts," she said. "And he didn't have to do that.’” [Chicago Sun Times, 10/3/04]
LA TIMES: Obama Painted Altgeld Gardens Residents As “Pathetic,” “Meek,” And “Confused”
FACT: Obama Wrote of Residents With Respect; Saw Parallels Between His Personal Story and Theirs
Obama Wrote Admiringly of Women He Worked With in Altgeld, Respected the Challenges They Faced. In Dreams of My Father, Obama wrote, “They were spirited, good-humored women [the women he worked with at Developing Communities], those three, women who—without husbands to help—somehow managed to raise sons and daughters, juggle an assortment of part-time jobs and small business schemes, and organize Girl Scout troops, fashion shows, and summer camps for the parade of children that wandered through the church every day.” [Dreams of My Father, p.167]
Obama Saw Parallels Between His Personal Story and Altgeld Resident. “Sometimes I would stop by Mary’s house just to say hello, drawn perhaps by the loneliness I sensed there, and the easy parallels between my own mother and Mary; and between myself and Mary’s daughters, such sweet and pretty girls whose lives were so much more difficult than mine had ever been, with grandparents who shunned them, black classmates who teased them, all the poison in the air.” [Dreams of My Father, p.176]
LA TIMES: Obama Exaggerated His Own Achievements, Wrote that His Group Was Called “Obama’s Army” By Resident
FACT: “Obama’s Army” Was Sarcastic Reference To Small Turnout For An Event
Obama’s Army Sarcastic Reference To Small Turnout For First Visit to Housing Authority. Despite days of organizing, the turnout for his visit to the Chicago Housing Authority was smaller than Obama expected. He wrote, “…I counted only eight heads in the yellow bus parked in front of the school. Bernadette and I stood in the parking lot trying to recruit other parents as they came to pick up their children...When Angela, Mona, and Shirley arrived to see how things were shaping up, I insisted they ride with us to lend moral support. Everyone looked depressed, everyone except Tyrone and Jewel, who were busy making faces at Mr. Lucas, the only father in the group. Dr. Collier came up beside me. ‘I guess this is it,’ I said. ‘Better than I expected…Obama’s Army,’ she said. [Dreams of My Father, p. 238]
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Comments
I'm shocked the Tribune allowed a posting at all, albeit one that cut and pastes Obama's rebuttal to the Tribune Company paper's story.
I will take the word of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Los Angeles Times over the partisan rhetoric of a political campaign manager any day of the week. Anybody who read that book knows that Obama put himself at the center of the Altgeld incident in his recollection, too, no matter what his spin doctor says.
Posted by: Jeff | February 19, 2007 1:55 PM
This still won't shut up the Obama hater's like Jeff/Bill,Leo T. and Paolo.
Racisim will continue to rear it's ugly head thru out Mr. Obama's successful Presidential campaign,but in a way I like it because it exposes these "hater's" and will ultimatly backfire on them and bring more people into the Obama camp afterall...thanks losers..
Bring Our Troops Home...OBAMA IN 08 !!!!
Posted by: John E. | February 19, 2007 2:04 PM
Good for him. He needs to have a person or team ready to respond to this sort of thing. If any Democrat is going to win they must play on the field that has been created by Rove and neo-con right.
Don't give them room to muddy people's perceptions of what the true issues are. We've got 2 more years worth of this type of semantical garbage.
Rovian tactic: Get the people to focus on the fact that he MIGHT be exaggerating his accomplishment, so that they won't notice he actually DID accomplish something.
They same tactic caused one presidential candidate who WAS a war verteran to have more doubt hanging over him than the candidiate who clearly avoided serving in the same war.
Posted by: John | February 19, 2007 2:36 PM
As I predicted in another posting, the Swampune's first story on this charge would be NOT the charge itself, but rather the Obama staff's response. Which is of course everything that Obama could desire.
Obama is centering much of his campaign around his life story, as set forth in "Dreams". A real newspaper would investigate the claims made in the book. The LA Times did so, embarrasing Obama's own hometown newspaper.
The response itself is patently inadequate. But the Swampune will never attempt to investigate the truth of it. The Swamp instead has acted (as usual) as Obama's defense attorney, even against charges made by a left-wing sister paper.
Posted by: bruce | February 19, 2007 2:55 PM
Look out Replugs he has a staff ready to fight back. Good For Him
Posted by: Dale Peters | February 19, 2007 2:59 PM
I am in the last few chapters of Dreams of my Father and I am so glad that Obama's team was ready with the facts. The LA Times reporter should be ashame for not reading the book before he/she started misquoting it. The RW propaganda machine at its best. Good thing Obama has good people working with him.
I will be voting for Obama in the primaries. I believe that he would make a great president. I am certainly ready for a fresh take on how our government should run.
Posted by: Maria Rodriguez | February 19, 2007 3:31 PM
What a counter!! Where are all the HOHs now? I told you, everytime some palooka takes a predictable round-house "left hook" at Obama's head, they get knocked-out by a sharp overhand "right". These plodding, inaccurate shots almost looks like set-ups to give Obama clear openings for an easy KO.
Thanks Naftali!
Posted by: Rus Styles | February 19, 2007 3:50 PM
This certainly seems an odd kind of rebuttal.
The principle alegation in the Times piece is that IN OBAMA'S BOOK, community activists are given short shrift, or even fully ignored. To wit "He Initiated and Led Efforts That Thrust Altgeld’s Asbestos Problem Into the Headlines"
Instead of citing passages FROM OBAMA'S BOOK to refute that, we are given a blizzard of quotes about the important role Obama played in the Altgeld Asbestos matter.
Nobody has denied that Obama played a critical, perhaps THE critical role -- the LA Times piece doesn't nor has anybody in the thread as I type. Furthermore let me congratulate Obama for what he did back then. It was certainly laudible.
Nevertheless, above alegation remains unanswered. The fact the Obama's crack staff does not rebut the point by citing from the book suggests to me that they can't.
Posted by: Leo T | February 19, 2007 5:24 PM
are you sure it's a republican smear and not from camp shillary? She loves to smear and make it look like the repugs. Her usual form of attack seems to be to have 'stories' smearing the candidate turn up in newpapers like the Times.
Posted by: vwcat | February 19, 2007 7:31 PM
"...AS FAR AS OBAMA GOES,I LIKE HIM AND WILL PROBABLY VOTE FOR HIM...."
Posted by Leo T. Jan 26,2007 11:59:27 AM
hhhhmmmmm........
Posted by: John E. | February 19, 2007 8:17 PM
Overhand right? Please. More like pathetic, weak-armed jab that falls short of the target. Like Leo's already said, the response doesn't address the thrust of the story which is that Obama ignored the work of others while trumpeting his own work. No relatives of Hazel Johnson are quoted in the Obama response.
Although the predictable cries of racism are all here just like I expected them to be. It's too bad that caring people like John E. don't seem to think it's racist to discount the difficult, hard work of everyday people like Hazel Johnson whose work to end the threat in Altgeld was ignored by Obama.
Dale, John E., Rus Styles and all other name-calling screamers, it's time for a little education for you:
The Los Angeles Times is not "repug" or whatever other slur for member of the Reupublican party you want to use. It's a Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper founded in 1881 with a history of standing up for objectivity and reporting of the truth when others faltered.
It's staff has won 37 Pulitzer Prizes, the highest honor in the field of daily journalism. It is the second-largest metropolitan daily in the nation behind the New York Times (larger papers such as USA Today are distributed nationally with no metropolitan focus). Long run by the Chandler family, the Times has actually been known for its progressive to liberal stances on its editorial and op-ed pages (Michael Kinsley, that BIG right winger used to edit its editorial page) but in its news pages it's known only for stellar reporting on Los Angeles, the nation, and the world. In 2000 the entire Times-Mirror chain was purchased by Tribune company and it's still a Tribune property today.
It's funny to hear orthodox left wing activists like you accuse others of dirty tricks while you're out there slinging mud at the hard-working journalists protecting your freedom of speech. So don't do it, okay?
Posted by: Jeff | February 19, 2007 8:47 PM
Hey Naftali,
Is the same Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee that had a staffer convicted of identity theft? Glad Obama's consorting with such a noble group of people. Is Lauren Weiner, the DCCC staffer who stole Michael Steele's credit report, out of jail yet?
Posted by: Jeff | February 19, 2007 8:53 PM
Are Jeff and Bruce a couple or something?
Posted by: ron | February 19, 2007 8:55 PM
Well, responding to charges is one thing, but actually making them is another.
I hope the Democrats learned the lessons of 2004 and are ready to call to account John McCain for his mental instability; Rudy Guiliani for his loose morals; and Mitt Romney for his multi-faced positions on social issues.
Posted by: bb | February 19, 2007 8:58 PM
vwcat,
"are you sure it's a republican smear and not from camp shillary? She loves to smear and make it look like the repugs."
I suspect this will be a staple of right-wing talking points through the primaries. Fox News or a similar GOP apparatus will disseminate some appalling piece of filth against Obama, and will continue to place the blame for the leaks on Clinton. This is what I like to call a "two-fer" as it managed to discredit both candidates despite the shakiness of the charge (think "Madrassa" flap) or the true source of the information.
If Fox News would thrice picture disgraced Congressman Mark Foley as a Democrat when they knew full well he is a Republican (or if they didn't know, should be immediately revoked of their right to broadcast "news"), I would not put them past these shenanigans and would certainly expect more in the future.
vwcat, I hope you become a less naive consumer of media.
Posted by: Bryan | February 19, 2007 9:02 PM
Sorry Jeff your reporter was caught in lies. He post in the times Replug issues. These pukes are not true Republicans or I call them that.
Posted by: Dale Peters | February 19, 2007 9:24 PM
Jeff/Bill,
Since you spend so much time spanning the globe looking for "hard hitting" news storys,why don't you ask the Swamp editors to post a story about the rat infested hospitals that our injured troops are being made to stay in while they rehab from their serious war wounds in Washington D.C.???
The Republicans claim to be pro-troops and this was set up during their watch.
Nothing like short changing our injured warrior's so that Halliburton has a little more $$$ for Iraq "reconstruction".
Why don't you wake up "sleepy" McCain and ask him why he let this happen and while you're at it ask him why he ok'd W.'s torture policy which ultimatly will hurt our own captured troops.
Posted by: John E. | February 19, 2007 9:48 PM
John E., rather than us so-called Obama-haters, you better worry more about the Clinton-lovers. Maureen Dowd, one of the most liberal columnists, has been mocking ole Barack's ears, how thin he is, whatever she can get her loony left-wing hands on. The LA Times now goes after your buddy. You Obama lovers better realize that your enemy is Bill and Hillary. They and their allies will do whatever it takes to derail ole Barack. Seems to me a few weeks Steven Spielberg and his gang were backing Barack, and now after a phone call from Slick Willy, Spielberg has backed off.
So Lefty Loon Barack supporters, worry more about your Clinton goon squad buddies and less about us right wingers.
Posted by: John D | February 19, 2007 10:21 PM
Leo T:
I see you've been seriously infected by the RWC virus and in only two weeks it's caused you to flip and become a HOH...That's too bad. However, unlike Bruce, Paula et al, whose infection has unfortunately metastasized to the point of no return, there's hope for you. With the immediate infusion of a healthy dose of Right-Wing antibodies, the prognosis is excellent for a full-fledge recovery.
C'mon...Remove the neo-con blinders. You know that LAT piece is nothing but a piece...of s#*% that is! It's peppered with misquotes, larcenous paraphasing--he never used the term "pathetic" to describe the activists. In fact, he extolled their efforts and made a concerted effort to remain in the background--and selected quotes to contort the story, etc. You need to read his book before buying into cellophane propaganda, and thus, opining with Enquiresque facts. At least then your opinion would be buttressed by a foundation of solid facts.
Masticate on it, and hopefully with sober introspection you'll beat this RWC virus and see the "light"--again...
Posted by: Rus Styles | February 19, 2007 10:35 PM
This is just the start of the "slow bleed" on B.Hussein Obama....and the Clinton's are behind it,just like they were on the Muslim Madrassa story.
Stay tuned...more to come.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | February 19, 2007 10:44 PM
This still won't shut up the Obama hater's like Jeff/Bill,Leo T. and Paolo.
Racisim will continue to rear it's ugly head..."
Posted by: John E. | Feb 19, 2007 2:04:10 PM
OK, John E, the posts are still fresh and you don't have to dig thru the archives.
Once again, I'm urging you to cite a specific post to back up your accusation.
Please cite any post by me or Jeff or anybody else that is Racist. You may cut and past the post or just the date and time (to save space).
It's time for you to put up or shut up.
Posted by: Leo T | February 20, 2007 6:36 AM
Obama needs to shoot down every pathetic attempt by the right to slime him with their outright bs & lies & that includes dump-hole pits of "news" outlets like fox & limbaugh. The right can't run on integrity so they must be called on & trounced at there own game.
At least it should be easy to do.
Posted by: RomanB | February 20, 2007 7:16 AM
Jeff, the researcher was with the DSCC, not the DCCC. She was also fired by her supervisors as soon as it came to light and served no prison time. For what it's worth.
Posted by: JHC | February 20, 2007 8:29 AM
So Jeff, the LA Times is a credible source no matter what party the go after? I will remember that. I noticed Flip Flop Rip VanMcCain is now for ethanol before he was against it.
Posted by: jethro | February 20, 2007 8:33 AM
The Daily Mail of London, UK, is another newspaper doing the investigation of Obama the Tribune will not. They found by interviewing Obama's relatives that what Obama said in "Dreams" about his father is bunk. See their Jan. 27th article at
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=431908&in_page_id=1770
Another story the Tribune will try to ignore, just as the Obama staff would wish for.
Posted by: bruce | February 20, 2007 8:36 AM
Per Leo T:
Please cite any post by me or Jeff or anybody else that is Racist.
---
Every one of Paulo's Barack Hussein Obama references is racist. That does not make you a racist, of course.
--
I think the Obama-haters are kind of missing the point of this article. Instead of just letting the attacks go unanswered ala Swiftboaters, Obama directly and promptly responded, thereby defusing the issue for most people. Obama's never going to appeal to right wing fringe elements, but he can shave off middle-to-right types, and this tactic should help.
FWIW, Obama may indeed be a shady guy, as the Rezko deal tends to indicate. But compared to the mass murderer presently in office, Obama's at worst a petty offender and certainly no worse than any of the other crooks running for POTUS, right or left.
Posted by: a blinkin | February 20, 2007 8:40 AM
Native American Democrat rapid-fire response ...
Us Native American Democrats are courting all voters who read this posting with this song ...
Accepterais Tu (Video!)...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXbiBdWLoDg ...
Yes we are courting you in French!
Us Native American jokesters and fine human beings will defend all our candidates!
Barack Obama rapid-fire response team please pass this on to Barack Obama
http://www.prezontherez.org/ Prez on the Rez
Posted by: Jesse Cooday | February 20, 2007 8:48 AM
Here you go Leo T. From the mouth of your pal Paulo. When he says "their" he means they're and he is referring to the Black Caucus:
"Their just trying to soften Bush up for some more welfare money.They figure everytime they mention Katrina,Bush should inject a couple billion into the food stamp program."
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | Feb 14, 2007 11:51:57 AM
Posted by: jethro | February 20, 2007 9:14 AM
Flip Flop alert!!!
I know how much the repubs hate a flipflopper, shame on anyone for changing their minds! Stay the course!
When Rummy retired, McCain says:
"While Secretary Rumsfeld and I have had our differences, he deserves Americans' respect and gratitude for his many years of public service,"
And now the flip flop! Oh no!
"We are paying a very heavy price for the mismanagement -- that's the kindest word I can give you -- of Donald Rumsfeld, of this war. The price is very, very heavy and I regret it enormously. I think that Donald Rumsfeld will go down in history as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history," McCain said to applause.
Are you applauding John D or just working that spreadsheet with all the terrorists names on them so we can know when we have "won" the war by "gittin 'em all, ye-haw!"?
Just wondering. I know how much ridicule John Kerry got for his flip-flops...
Erick
Posted by: erick | February 20, 2007 9:32 AM
Dale, et al: I challenge you to find one connection to the "replug" party and the Los Angeles Times. You can't because there isn't. I have actually read Obama's book and I find the article accurate. Not once does he mention Hazel Johnson or the Chicago Reporter. For about the fifth time, this has nothing to do with Fox News, so quit trying that misdirection play.
Dale I also challenge you to complete a sentence.
John E., I'll gladly post something about the hospitals our troops are going to. Like the new $50 million Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Houston. This is the most advanced rehabilitation center in the world for amputees and burn victims. The research done there will further advance prosthetic science and help future generations of amputees as well as the veterans (and their families accomodated at the also new Fisher Houses at Brooke) recovering there. This amazing facility was funded without using A SINGLE taxpayer dollar and as developer Arnold Fisher said "why would we want the government to do what we could for half the cost and twice the quality?"
Here's a link: http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123038584
Since an earlier poster referenced boxing this is what's known as "stepping into the punch."
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 9:59 AM
Amazing how people still don't get it. Clinton was elected despite the fact thet everyone knew he was a draft dodger. People ignored it. Same with Bush who never tried to paint himself out as a war hero, either. Kerry on the other hand tried to run his campaign from the angle he was a war hero (remember the "reporting for duty" line?). Once that became the lynchpin of his campaign he let it become fair game for rebuttal. Add that to his already widely known record of changing his mind to suit the climate fo the voters and you have a ready made political disaster. How many people cried for Quayle when he was labelled a dummy for the potato gaffe? Potato is properly spelled with or without an "e" but in everyones mind he was an idiot. The Biden "plagiarism" was pretty much overblown too.
If Kerry had left the war hero stuff out of his speech and let the press do his talking for him it wouldn't have blown up in his face. Once the spotlight was on it, the record had real problems that veterens recognized. I have NEVER found a veteran, that was not a partisan politician, who didn't find some problems with Kerry's story even if they in the end voted for him. The ones who always say he was a victim of a smear ampaign inevitably are NOT veterans.
Posted by: chris | February 20, 2007 9:59 AM
John D you claim to support the troops yet no comment on Walter Reed hmmmmm
Posted by: Dale Peters | February 20, 2007 10:14 AM
The new word of the day is "Enquiresque."
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 10:15 AM
Jeff/Bill,Leo T. and Paolo,
It appears to me that atleast 2 or 3 of you are Republican campaign folks and it's your full-time job to help smear Obama. And with enough people like me who saw people like you help push the country into a disasterous war of choice and turn reason upside down, I have to take a stand and dole out a little reality.
This story reminds me of one in the Chicago newspapers some years back about how Senator Paul Simon was supposedly a little too helpful toward a particular constituent. It was quite the tempest in a tea pot. As is this....
Meanwhile back to the ugly reality...
McCain: In November said that Donald Rumsfeld was an "American Hero." Yesterday, Rumsfeld was, all of the sudden, the worst secretary of defence of all time.
McCain: You've made a lot of trouble for yourself... What is your position on Rumsfeld?
Romney: In 1992 he voted for Paul Tsongas in the 1992 democratic primary because he thought that Tsongas was a compelling candidate. (And he was to a lot of independent, fiscally minded folks.) This week it's because he claims now that Tsongas was the weakest candidate. What's next?
Obama doesn't have these kind of major gaffes in his record and I think that we in Chicago have someone to be proud of...
Posted by: William | February 20, 2007 10:36 AM
Erick, that's what's known as "saluting the uniform, not the man" in the military and McCain is, above all, a Navy man. When Rumsfeld was still SecDef it was necessary to at least pay respect to his office. Although he'd announced that he was stepping down, Rummy would remain SecDef for more than a month after McCain made that comment. Now that he's out of power, McCain can feel free to say exactly what he thinks of Rumsfeld's "leadership." Also, I've never said McCain doesn't change his mind a lot. In my view, that's a good thing considering where "stay the course" has gotten us.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 10:39 AM
[quote]
This is just the start of the "slow bleed" on B.Hussein Obama....and the Clinton's are behind it,just like they were on the Muslim Madrassa story.
Stay tuned...more to come.
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | Feb 19, 2007 10:44:03 PM
[/quote]
CAN YOU PROVE THIS PAULO? THAT THE CLINTONS ARE BEHIND THIS STORY? PLEASE POST YOUR PROOF HERE IN THE SWAMP ASAP!
Posted by: BC | February 20, 2007 10:59 AM
Jeff your post on the rehab center is short some facts. Private funds paid for it. Not the Republican Congress. People care not your party look at Walter Reed.
Posted by: Dale Peters | February 20, 2007 11:02 AM
Jeff-
First off, McCain was saluting the man, not the uniform. When he referred to Rumsfeld's many years of public service, that was a personal attribute, not an attribute of the office of Secretary of Defense.
Secondly, John McCain is now a United States Senator, not just a "Navy Man". As a Senator he is supposed to be providing oversight on the Exexutive Branch of government, including the military. If he thinks a member of the Cabinet is doing a lousy job, a job that is costing American lives, I would certainly hope that he would not feel constrained from criticizing that individual because they are Secretary of Defense.
Will "Navy Man" McCain as Prsident challenge the military both civilian leadership and those in uniform, or will he "Salute the Uniform" and neglect his own duties, as he apparently did as Senator.
Posted by: Tony | February 20, 2007 11:13 AM
Jeff,
I think I had to point out those 'Rummy' comments because I am still stuck with this image of all these happy Republicans at the Republican convention waving flip flops in the air to ridicule Kerry. Yelling things like flip-flopper is quite petty and sophmoric, but I found McCain's comments smacking down Rummy to be a little over the top, like he is trying to score points with the antiwar moderates and get their vote.
That being said I do agree with you that "Stay the Course" is what has caused most of this mess. Hooray for those who like Bush because he doesnt read the polls or "bend to the wind", but I want a leader who can reasses the situation, learn from mistakes, and adjust on the fly if need be.
I want a president who actually listens to his advisors, someone who has the ability to hear dissenting voices and opinions and RESPECT them.
People clamor on and on about Obamas lack of experience, but when the president is able to pick their cabinet and advisors, and ACTAULLY listen to their opnions and advice, that makes for a LOT of combined expereince. No man is an island, much less the president. Bush would have been well served to portray himself as strong willed but ALWAYS willing to listen to a fresh perspective and even *gasp* change his mind or chosen course.
Hence my hatred of the whole 'flip-flop' fiasco they slapped on Kerry.
As far as McCain, he has always struck me as a patriot and thoughtful man, what i dont like is his blantant sucking up to the religious right and the Rove-sters, the very people who smeared him in 2000. Yes I know he has to do this to court votes, but its got to burn him inside and I had hoped he could find a way to be a viable candidate while also telling these people to politely shove it.
Posted by: erick | February 20, 2007 11:42 AM
Jeff/Bill,
Find the right story Jeff/Bill,and not the one in Houston.
This is a typical sickness of the Wingnuts.
They figure if they point out the good things,places that our injured troops have good care(Houston), we won't notice the places that our wounded heroes are recovering at that are rat infested,mold ridden dumps like the one in Washington D.C.
This all happened under "war hero" John McSurges time as a Majority member of Congress.
Tell me some good things that have happened in Iraq Jeff,I want to forget about all of the killing going on there.
Did we paint a school today???
Posted by: John E. | February 20, 2007 11:43 AM
Dale, my post isn't short on facts. Yours is short on reading comprehension:
This amazing facility was funded without using A SINGLE taxpayer dollar and as developer Arnold Fisher said "why would we want the government to do what we could for half the cost and twice the quality?"
Posted by: Jeff | Feb 20, 2007 9:59:17 AM
Only a tax and spend liberal like you would demand that we spend public money on a project that obviously could be done better and more quickly (you know, for the soldiers who need it) by the private sector. Get your head out of the ground and out of your political agenda, Dale The Center for the Intrepid isn't a political football, it's an unquestionable success of asking not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country. Remember when your party used to stand for that?
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 11:44 AM
a. blinkin and Jethro,
Congrats, you've shown exactly one poster here -- Paulo -- to be a racist. Is anybody surprised, BTW?
a. blinkin,
Thank you also, for conceding that Obama is less than perfect. Do you realize that you're opening yourself up for a charge of "racism" by doing that?
To all of those who say that Jeff, I or Paulo are RNC operatives:
Where were you hiding when God was passing out brains?
Posted by: Leo T | February 20, 2007 11:55 AM
Tony, you bring up a good point, but I think if you dig further back you can tell by earlier quotes that McCain never thought Rumsfeld was a very good SecDef. But that obviously doesn't mean he thinks Rumsfeld never did a good job in his 40-some-odd year career in government. That's what McCain was referring to with those comments, not just the past 6 years.
Every politician, Tony, holds his or her tongue due to party or other loyalties at one time or another. Bill Clinton said what a good job Joycelyn Elders was doing up to the very day he fired her. McCain's ability to stand up to the administration is well-documented. He got McCain-Feingold passed even though Bush was against it. That should tell you something.
To suggest, also, that McCain was "pro-Rumsfeld" just because he said he was a good public servant, though, is ridiculous.
Here's McCain in 2004 saying he has no confidence in Rumsfeld: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4096105.stm
Here's McCain in 2006 supporting hearings looking into Rumsfeld's conduct just as you'd asked: http://thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/042606/mccain.html
The relationship between these two has never been good, so I think you're reading a little too much into McCain's comments that he was a good public servant. That's simply McCain being respectful and judging Rumsfeld's overall career and not just the past six years. It's pretty obvious from previous statements where McCain stands on that.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 11:57 AM
I disagree with the statement "It’s one more way the Democrats have tried to learn a lesson from the Republican electoral successes of recent years." The Clinton candidacy with it's famed War Room rapid response team in 1992 is the poster child, so to speak, for rapid response. The Democrats are relearning, after forgetting in the horribly run campaigns of Gore in 2000 and Kerry in 2004.
Posted by: michelle | February 20, 2007 11:59 AM
"To all of those who say that Jeff, I or Paulo are RNC operatives:
Where were you hiding when God was passing out brains?"
first off, Leo, I haven't seen anyone accusing you of being a RNC operative, only of being a Republican. Different things.
Secondly, we couldn't hide whn God was passing out brains, the Republicans had already taken all the good hiding spots.
Posted by: Tony | February 20, 2007 12:05 PM
Sorry for trying to bring some brightness into your life, John E. I thought you'd get sick of doom and gloom after awhile, but apparently that's the only situation that fits your political agenda. I won't bother you with good news anymore.
I've said many times on here that Iraq is a mess, Bush has totally mismanaged the war, and other agreements with you. We essentially want the same thing, you and I. We want America to succeed.
I'm sorry our opposing viewpoints on HOW we can get America to succeed so color your views that it pushes any alliance out of the equation. Because I really would like to work with you to make America great again, John E.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 12:07 PM
Wnatever Bruce the daily mail:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daily_Mail
is just another right wing newspaper with strong ties to Rupert Murdock and his newscorp corporation. Anytime I read stories like this I look into ownership and political leanings. The Daily Mail is as Right Wing as it gets in England. I know this because I lived in London for years
This story hence has no credibility whatsoever. Mr. Obama himself expressed his dissapointment when he realized his father (Barack Snr.) was not the idealized man he grew up thinking he was. He mentions this in both his books, so there's nothing new here. Anyone who read Mr. Obama's books knows Barack Snr. died in a car crash from drinking and that he was an animalist (lots of wives). You right wingers can't se past your snot noses. You'll never give Mr. Obama any credit.
Posted by: Wally | February 20, 2007 12:12 PM
JHC, sorry about that. I got the "congressional" committee confused with the Senate committee thinking that the Senate was still a part of Congress and not it's own little club.
Jethro, yes, I DO believe the LA Times is credible no matter who they go after. I think they were right when they investiated Schwarzenegger and I think they're right now.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 12:14 PM
To Jeffy/Billy/Dear Leo and other Barack Bashers.
Call me when old man McCant gets this kind of attention,other than at a CCC meeting.
At the Virginia Democratic Party convention Saturday, Obama was the keynote speaker and attracted the biggest crowd ever -- 3,500. His political souvenir stand also attracted the most interest. People lined up to buy $20.08 T-shirts and $5 buttons. At the next table, Clinton's people were giving stuff away for free. ("She doesn't need the money," said the woman behind the table.) Asked if the John Edwards bumper stickers were free, the man behind that table shrugged. "No," he said with a tone of discouragement, "but just take one."
Posted by: Raving Loon | February 20, 2007 12:15 PM
SoSee I Told You So that Barack Obama is fraud and
a lousy con-artist and this article is the start
of proof that all Obama wants to do,is promote
his phony charisma and idiotic smile,since Barack
Obama has no real accomplishments to declare,
without his spin doctors Mickey Mouse attempts
to make Barack Hussein Obama out a Hero and the
facts are that all Obama is just another phony
conman that has conned hiw way all along in life!
I agree do a story about the horrible conditions
our wounded returning from Iraq and Afghanistan
find at Walter Reed Army Medical Center like the
Washington Post is doing and stop your shill job
about that loser Barack Obama or will you start
obessing over Anna Nicole Smith next on us,like
all the rest of our idiot news media?
Posted by: Ralph | February 20, 2007 12:21 PM
Proud to have been found free of racism by the inquisition. Thanks a. blinkin' and Jethro!
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 12:22 PM
Erick, I agree. I'd love to see McCain tell Jerry Falwell and the rest that we don't need the religious right or its "self-appointed leaders" again. Unfortunately, that's politics today. It makes me sick and I'm sure it makes him sick.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 12:33 PM
i know how we can eliminate racism in Sen. Boama's presedential campaign....change his name to Barry O'Brian. then nobody would have a problem.
Posted by: rbs | February 20, 2007 1:07 PM
"I haven't seen anyone accusing you of being a RNC operative, only of being a Republican. Different things."
Posted by: Tony | Feb 20, 2007 12:05:00 PM
Jeff/Bill,Leo T. and Paolo,
It appears to me that atleast 2 or 3 of you are Republican campaign folks and it's your full-time job to help smear Obama.
Posted by: William | Feb 20, 2007 10:36:42 AM
Unfortunately Tony, this has happened before (although I admit you've never done so). It's just plain dumb! It kind of makes having a conversation like intelligent adults difficult, don't you think?
Posted by: Leo T | February 20, 2007 1:53 PM
Swamp success 101
For Swamp success in decent conversation, see the limited back and forth between Erick and Jeff, they might not agree, but can still converse without calling each other loony or wingnut.
For Swamp failure, see Ralph
Posted by: erick | February 20, 2007 2:37 PM
Jeff,
I don't know if you are racist, but I do question your motive for always reminding us that Barack Obama has a African father and a white mother. You've done everything but call him a mulatto, one poster actually did the other week.
Posted by: jethro | February 20, 2007 3:30 PM
Jeff,
In case you missed it on my other post.
Why do you continue to back McCain when he is clearly pandering to the far right evangelicals for support?
Posted by: John E. | February 20, 2007 4:12 PM
Jethro, I actually haven't written anything about Obama's parentage in at least a month. The only times I've brought it up are when other posters tried to imply that Obama comes from a background of poverty or is "different" than other candidates because of his upbringing.
That being said, I do think it's important that voters know that Obama's upbringing is vastly different than about 95% of the African-Americans in this country. I don't believe that letting it be known that he is the son of diplomats and was raised by his white relatives in privilege in Hawaii is racist. I think it's the truth. I'm sure that there are many voters that don't know that his ancestry doesn't trace back to the days of slavery as the majority of African-Americans' does. That's an important distinction for someone who's race has been instrumental in his meteoric political rise like Obama.
I've NEVER tried to imply that there's anything at all wrong with being of mixed race. In fact, if you go far enough back on my family tree, I'm of mixed race myself, like most people. Mulatto is your word, not mine.
In light of this post, Jethro, do you think I'm a racist? I have to tell you, that if asking questions and answering them with the truth is wrong to you, then I don't want to be right.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 4:26 PM
As to questioning my motive, I'll tell you what my motive is: to not allow other posters to use a false premise (the idea that Obama didn't grow up rich and connected) to make him seem like an everyman candidate.
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 4:37 PM
Let's face it, Barack Hussein Obama is nothing
more then a big phony,who has over-inflated his
own self-importance and who has little real
acomplishment,as this report shows,so why does
The Chicago Tribune continue to be as totally
obessed with Obama,as the news media has become
with Anna Nicole Smith?
And, you bet I fully agree that the Chicago
Tribune would be doing it's readers a much more
important service if it devoted full time efforts
to the serious and horrible conditions that the
Washington Post found at Buildign No 18 at the
Walter Reed Army Medical Center that our Iraq
and Afghanistan Wouned Soldiers and Marines have
been placed into,instead of obessing with Obama
or Anna Nicole Smith as our wounded troops
deserve the best not this mess and where is
Sen Barack Obama the big Mr Fix It on this one?
Why isn;t The Chicago Tribune demanding President
And Commander In Chief George W Bush answer why
this ever happened? And especially when Bush
runs around shooting his mouth off about him
being "The Commander In Chief!"
Posted by: Sandy | February 20, 2007 5:20 PM
Congrats to the Obama team on the rapid response
More right trash.
A few weeks ago story was that Obama was a closet Muslim and that he went to a terrorist breeding Madrassa school in Indonesia when he was 6 years ago.
That story turned out to be false
So was the rumor that Hillary leaked the story.
Someone should have gotten fired.
.
Posted by: Mr. Unite Us | February 20, 2007 7:57 PM
Nice cut-and-paste job from the talking points via Barack Hussein Obama's campaign HQ
Posted by: Bob | February 20, 2007 8:29 PM
John E.,
I don't mind McCain talking to these people on the campaign and speaking at places like Bob Jones U. The whole purpose of campaigning is to talk to everyone in your party, not just the ones you agree with on everything. I don't think it's pandering at all.
The same thing goes for Obama appearing with Al Sharpton and saying he thinks the Democratic party needs to "get religion."
Posted by: Jeff | February 20, 2007 10:33 PM
I did a blog search on certain key words on the postings on Barack Obama's web site.1808 mention Barack Obama.1735 mention hope.855 mention Iraq.388 mention education.237 mention Hillary Clinton.93 mention equality.38 mention A.I.D.S.3mention the achievement gap.2 mention 'The Swamp'.1 mentions the drug war.0 mention Black empowerment.0 mention reparations.While in some cases different words may be used to touch on these issues,it would seem there are certain issues that Obama supporters[or at least bloggers] don't care about one way or another.
Posted by: James Reyes | February 21, 2007 3:55 AM
For those of you who want to bring down Obama through his father, I suggest you check out the old Reagan film, Bedtime for Bonzo. Whatever Obama Sr. might have done, he left his son when he was 2 years old and it is quite obvious that his son has not followed in any of his negative ways.
Posted by: Nunu | February 21, 2007 11:00 AM
Good for you Obama! You have my vote in 08.
Posted by: Sarah McGowan | February 21, 2007 11:21 AM
Everyone likes Bill Clinton (except Republicans),
but Dem's forget Hillary is NOT Bill. Having a Clinton back in the White House may sound like a return to the good ole days in D.C. when we had balanced budgets and Dems felt good about themselves. Hillary feels entitled to all the warm feelings we have for her husband. We don't have those same feelings for her. She feels entitled to all the Hollywood money and feels betrayed by those who express independant thought
and want to back another canidate. David Geffen had it spot on with his remarks about her ease of
lying and no moral regrets about trying to smear
another canidate who thinks he can play in her Hollywood sandbox. She is like a spoiled child who doesn't want to share her toys. This time the Hollywood money tree won't have the"Clinton" fence around it. It is all up for grabs. Sorry,Hillary. you just have to share. Oh! by the way, this time we have some good choices beside you. Yes! I'm ABH. Anyone But Hillary. I have heard some people say that they would rather cast a vote for "Shrub" (Molly Ivans nickname for G.W.Bush) than for Hillary. Giving Hillary the nonmination will only secure the White House for the Republicans. This is what the
right wing wants. It's why they keep trying to scare us making her the nominee.
Posted by: Jack E. | March 6, 2007 3:30 PM