Obama warns Republicans about critical ads

Bay news9 ^ | May 16, 2008 | CHARLES BABINGTON

[Red Steel]

CHICAGO (AP) -- Perhaps no one took greater comfort in the Republican Party's third straight loss of a long-held House seat this week than Barack Obama, who says the results point to clear limits in the effectiveness of attack ads he expects this fall.

The Democratic presidential candidate played a prominent role in all three special elections to fill vacant GOP seats, and he landed on the winning side each time.

In recent contests in Louisiana and Mississippi, Republicans or their allies ran TV ads linking the Democratic House nominees to Obama, warning that a vote for them was a tacit endorsement of Obama's agenda, which the ads described as very liberal. In Mississippi, ads against Democrat Travis Childers also tied him to Obama's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.

The efforts failed, putting Democrats in House seats the GOP had considered safe, and sending waves of panic through Republican circles nationwide.

In the third race, in Obama's home state of Illinois, Democrat Bill Foster ran ads showing the senator endorsing him, and he claimed the seat long held by former House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, a Republican.

Obama said the outcomes bode well for his expected race against Republican John McCain this fall, although he acknowledged the power of rumors that are spread mainly through the Internet about his faith and patriotism. He told reporters this week that he can overcome the falsehoods if he has enough time to campaign in battleground states and let voters get to know him better.

Meanwhile, Obama practically dared Republican congressional candidates to keep linking their Democratic opponents to him.

"The same kinds of tactics that the Republican Party has been employing over the last several election cycles just aren't going to work this time," he told reporters on his charter plane after receiving former rival John Edwards' endorsement Wednesday. "I mean, they did everything they could, right? They ran Wright. They ran Obama. In Louisiana, they ran Pelosi. The same way that in previous election cycles they had run Hillary or other folks they thought would scare off voters. It didn't work."

Obama said Americans want "change in this election," and they especially care about health care, jobs, gasoline prices, college affordability and the Iraq war.

"The Republican Party better be prepared to debate issues," he said, "because that's what people are focused on right now."

Still, Obama faces several challenges, including the need to attract working-class voters who sided heavily with Hillary Rodham Clinton in many states. She beat him by 41 percentage points in West Virginia's primary this week, a shellacking that Obama tried to explain to reporters.

"Part of the issue with West Virginia was, we just didn't have a lot of time to get there" to campaign, he said. "I'm not well-known there. You know, some of these e-mails and rumors that we talked about have penetrated in West Virginia more deeply than they have in some other states. Debunking that stuff is relatively simple if you are on the ground talking to people. If you're not, then it's tough."

Obama said his primary losses to Clinton in Ohio, Pennsylvania and other places do not mean he cannot carry such states in November against McCain.

"I would just take a look at where the national polls are right now," he said. "We're beating McCain handily, we're doing really well among independents. There may be concerns among some voters because they don't know me that well. And I think that the longer we campaign, and the better they get to know me and my agenda, the better we'll do."

[Christian4Bush]

What is it about the Democrat Party, that it throws up one narcissistic, power-mad creep after another? With Clinton, Gore, Obama; it's all about them. The Earth revolves around them. Why and how can people vote time after time for these nutcases?

The best way to explain it seems to be the old story about the turtle and the scorpion, and I may have the players wrong, but the principle stands. As I recall it, the scorpion needs help getting across a creek, and so it asks the turtle if it would help it cross the creek.

The turtle says, "But you'll sting me, and I'll die a painful death." The scorpion says that he will not sting the turtle, and after a few more rounds of doubts by the turtle and reassurances by the scorpion, the turtle agrees to carry the scorpion across the water.

Well, right before the turtle finishes crossing the creek, the scorpion stings the turtle. As he is dying a painful death, and sinking in the creek, he says to the scorpion, who has since jumped to safety, "You promised me you wouldn't sting me!"

The scorpion said, "I'm a scorpion...that's what I do."

The answer to "what is it about the Democrat Party?" is that they're Democrats, and that's what they do, that's what they are, that's how they work. For all this talk about change that the Rats spew, one good series of ads can finish them, and all related to two items over which they claim superiority. "change" and the price of oil.

When the Democrats "took power" in 2006, the price of a barrel of oil was $58. Less than 18 months after that election, and less than 16 months after this pathetic Congress was sworn in, the price of a barrel of oil has more than DOUBLED.

I don't think that's "change" America believes in, and she sure doesn't like it.

[Convert from ECUSA]

Barry Snobama can kindly STHU and go sit on an air hose.

[Dahoser]

I think part, just part, of the reason conservatives failed when they took over in '94 is that there were still too many RINOs in place who immediately set about undermining the new majority. If you recall, it was the Senate Republicans who declared the Contract with America as DOA. They said it was not binding on them, just the House.

There was also quite a bit of deferral to the RATS as if they were still running things. If you watched committee hearings, you saw Republicans deferring to the RATS both in manner and substance. Most Republican chairmen would let their RAT members take over hearings lest they be accuesed of being oppressive, and when it came to witnesses, they bent over backwards to bring in fair-minded folks while the RATS brought in their lackeys. Worse, there were multiple stories that a lot of Republicans continued to refer to their individual ranking members as Mr. Chairman.

Nevertheless, they did squander their power. They could have stood up to the RATS and the MSM, but they ran and hid most of the time, starting with The Gingrich Who Stole Christmas which was even before Newt took over. That signaled they could be rolled with no opposition. (Of course, Gingrich was doing his best on his own to roll over as much as he could for his man crush, Bildo Klintoon.) By the time the following December came with the budget showdown that they flubbed so badly when they held all the cards, their demise was begun. Meanwhile, most of the RINOs stayed in place and here we are today.

[Labyrinthos]

Meanwhile, Obama practically dared Republican congressional candidates to keep linking their Democratic opponents to him.

Republican congressional candidates might do better by linking their democratic opponents to John McLame

[FreedomPoster]

And Huckabee isn’t it.

[L98Fiero]

“Meanwhile, Obama practically dared Republican congressional candidates to keep linking their Democratic opponents to him.”

Ah the old reverse psychology.

The Dem in MS won on repudiating Obama, Pelosi, abortion, and by supporting guns. Davis, the Rep., lost because he is the mayor of the most northern town in MS, essentially a Memphis suburb, not because of anything he said about the Dem.

[cookcounty]

"Illinois - Oberweis was a terrible candidate for our side"

You would think Oberweiss would realize by now that he doesn't have the temperament or personality for politics. He comes across as arrogant and condescending and manages to make enemies by mistake.

[Piquaboy]

Barack is so stupid that he does not need to do any debates. His stupid sheeple will follow him right off a cliff. Do not say anything about his big ears or call him Hussein. He does not like that.

[Condor51]

I think Barry's hittin' the Bong again.

And I wouldn't get my panties in a bunch of these special election loses, as come November they do it all over again. Same candidates but now with more time to organize and raise money (at least in IL).

That being said here in IL, Hastert's old district the 14th is one really screwed up district. Take a a look at this mess. From the outer Chicago metro area, across the state nearly to the Mississippi River..

That's one mixed bag of constituents. But I also think come Nov 'Obie' can and will pull it off and put the 14th back in the 'R' column ₍₁₎. He owns a Dairy Farm (has great milk) and there's a lot of Farm land in that map.

(1) Caveat: that is unless the IL GOP stabs Obie in the back on orders of 'The Combine'. Making illegal money (bribes) is more important than party loyalty.

[jazzlite]

Thank you for this information. You have reminded me of just how much I have forgotten about those days. The outcome of any confrontation does not bode well for the group playing by the rules if the other side is constantly breaking or distorting them. And, groveling never works with those people.

[John123]

of attack ads he expects this fall.

Dude... you are doing that all on your own! Poor choices of friends... poor choice of political wife...

The truth of the matter is this... if you don't know how to surround yourself with good characters... how the heck do you expect us to believe you are capable of governing U.S.?

[gathersnomoss]

Welcome to the AmeriKa that socialists crave for.

[RushLake]

I didn't think any of them were "it" except perhaps Duncan Hunter and he didn't stand a chance. Fred Thompson might have had the credentials, but not the fire in his belly. I'm not sure if you were trying to insult me, no big deal, but if you were, I'd like to know what I wrote that might have led you to believe that I was a fan of the Huckster. I may need to examine my approach if I gave that conception.

Take care!

[keats5]

Doe this mean the President can not longer use the term “traitor,” because Obama will take offense?

[Dahoser]

You’re welcome. The worst is yet to come if history is any guide because the Stupid Party seems intent on heading back to the bad old days of permanent minority status when they were content with the status quo so long as they weren’t bothered. That’s how there was a group of long-serving Republicans amidst the continuous RAT majorities. Pretty much the deal was don’t make trouble, don’t try becoming the majority and you guys can keep your seats. It’s hard to see how they aren’t trying to go back to that.

[FreedomPoster]

No insult intended. I brought his name up because it has been in the news in the last couple of days as a possible McCain VP choice. If McCain and his people think that will get conservatives back in the fold, they’re missing it completely. Huckabee is another “compassionate conservative”. We don’t need more of that.

[RWB Patriot]

“Obama said Americans want “change in this election,” and they especially care about health care, jobs, gasoline prices, college affordability and the Iraq war.”

FYI Osama, we want GOOD change.

[FreedomPoster]

Look at the last several stories here:

http://tinyurl.com/6rvh9e

(FR title search on “Huckabee”)

[Winged Hussar]

Warn this, Barry

Copying (not linking, it uses my bandwidth) and circulation is encouraged.

[RightWhale]

I think that the longer we campaign, and the better they get to know me and my agenda, the better we'll do."

Guess again