Posted on 07/21/2008 7:21:23 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
The allegations of Obama planting the false Maureen Down column to immunize himself from legitimate criticism didn’t simply fall out the sky. Astute political observers could easily detect David Axelrod’s fingerprints all over the illicit campaign tactic. It worked before, so why not now?
The senior partner of AKP Message & Media, David Axelrod is a leading political consultant based in Chicago, Illinois. While he is best known as a top adviser to Barack Obama, first in Obama's 2004 campaign for the U.S. Senate in Illinois and currently as strategist for Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, he has been the power behind the throne in multiple campaigns, including Dennis Archer in Detroit, Michael R. White in Cleveland, Anthony A. Williams in Washington, D.C., Lee P. Brown in Houston, and John F. Street in Philadelphia. While Axelrod will advise white candidates, he primarily specializes in developing campaign strategies for black candidates. His favorite, indeed primary campaign tactic, is to polarize the campaign with smear attacks, in other words, the race card. Indeed when all else fails, Axelrod resorts to the race card as his ace in the hole.
The most blatant example of Axelrod’s polarization campaign tactics was Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street’s 2003 reelection campaign. Street won his first term in 1999 in a razor-thin victory over GOP Sam Katz, despite a 4 to 1 voter registration edge. 2003 was anticipated to be rerun despite Street’s incumbency.
(Excerpt) Read more at townhall.com ...
If that’s his plan he’s a fool. McCain has been around for ages and his stature is almost that of a former president. To (unfortunately) borrow Dick Morris’ phrase, McCain has a great deal of political “antibodies.” Given that he’s viewed as a bona fide war hero a smear campaign would backfire and hurt Obama in the most dire way (i.e., that he is running a “different” kind of campaign).
not much of a secret, if it is.
Not to mention the smear stuff was stock and trade of the Clinton admin. People are alot wiser to it now than they were in ‘92. I hear a dull thud in the distance.
If he is the nominee after August 27th.
Is anyone shocked by this? Seriously.
Obama has outdimwitted himself
never mind...I found it.
I'm a not gonna touch that line with a ten-foot pole.
No siree, jest doesn't suit me.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the obviously doctored birth certificate is part of distraction strategy as well. The real one is just like the doctored one, except with a stamped seal and real borders.
I’m glad you found the answer.
Now, can you clue me in?
What was the false article all about?
Thanks.
Molly K.
Yes, there is that.....Is Hillary still on vacation?
thanks
on the other hand axelrod was the DNC chair who got b**** slapped in 1994
How could a fake of a week-old column escape the well-known columnist's notice?
No this smacks of a set up. A crude scheme probably designed to make it easy for a retarded Rat to get it -- or, what if a retarded Rat made it so that dumb typical white people clinging to their guns and Bibles could get it?
It's so easy to get false stories going on the 'Net simply by using the patented Nytimese's anonymous source trick -- but much harder to prove it a false story which of course was the purpose to the dirty trick in the first place.
“Is Obama’s Secret Fall Strategy to Wage a Polarizing Smear Campaign?”
Ummm...is he a demonrat?
Sorry, but that’s a no-brainer.
It worked against Hillary and our first black President, Bill Clinton.
I think the simple point that Obama was able to outflank and hang on to beat Team Clinton is powerful testimony to his political smarts. I am certain that he believes the attacks on his religious formation, on his patriotism and especially on his wife’s suitability serve as great wedge issues. I further believe these wedges are being used to distract the interest of McCain supporters and drain the energy of their campaign.
It is beginning to border on the ludicrous. Obama receives international adulation projected through the megaphone of a national press while conservatives exhaust great energy trying to verify the accuracy of a birth cerificate. Do you not think that time is better spent on an examination of hard policy.
I was certain McCain would avoid the pitfalls of the Clinton campaign. Am I mistaken? Those who are fully supportive of Obama will not change their vote. All those who are fundamentally opposed to his candidacy are rock solid in their vote against. The remaining band, perhaps 20% of the electorate will decide the outcome. It is my assumption that this group will decide on issues and policy. They will not be swayed by political or personality fluff.
"MY OPPONENT IS AN INFIDEL!"
Stand by...The RATS will soon be a full frontal assault.
Conservatives/normal people will fight back but dont expect any help from the GOP/RNC
Thanks for the link.
—Molly K.
These "wedge" issues are not distractions if they are played well. The association with Rev Wright for 20 years including naming his book after something the Rev spoke about and his annointment by Ayers did have an effect in the pimaries, which is why Obama staggered across the finish line and couldn't seal the deal without the super delegates. Obama's wife like Kerry's could prove to be a detriment in terms of publc perceptions. I agree that McCain should focus on policy issues, but Obama's inexperience and character [including admitted cocaine use] must be addressed. The public really does not know who this guy is except from his books and his PR campaign.
McCain is running on his resume, which is not a winning strategy. His initial campaign commercials stress his POW experience more than policy issues. And McCain makes it difficult to use such "wedge issues" like immigration and access to US domestic energy sources because of his positions on amnesty, not drilling in ANWR, and support of cap and trade legislation to address "manmade" global warming. McCain's change on drilling offshore was even nuanced, i.e., he would leave it up to the states. He wants to have it both ways.
I was certain McCain would avoid the pitfalls of the Clinton campaign. Am I mistaken? Those who are fully supportive of Obama will not change their vote. All those who are fundamentally opposed to his candidacy are rock solid in their vote against. The remaining band, perhaps 20% of the electorate will decide the outcome. It is my assumption that this group will decide on issues and policy. They will not be swayed by political or personality fluff.
At the end of the primaries, Hillary had figured out how best to go after Obama, but by that time, it was too late. Obama had already pulled the race card in SC and had the Hillary campaign playing defense thereafter. It was only after Hillary went after Obama's inexperience and yes, used the Rev Wright issue that she stopped his momentum and demonstrated that the messiah had no clothes. McCain is following the earlier strategy of Hillary, i.e., he, like Hillary, believes that his resume gives him a sense of entitlement over Obama. Niether Hillary or McCain can believe that this lightweight with 143 work days in the Senate is cleaning their clocks.
McCain is already intimidated by Obama's race card. McCain went after the NC Rep party for airing ads about Obama's association with Rev Wright. McCain practically endorsed Obama before the NAACP. In the mistaken idea that it is racist to attack Obama's lack of experience and questionable judgment concerning the folks he has associated with, McCain's "high ground" approach is a losing strategy. McCain must make the American public afraid of Obama as CIC. He must make him into the affirmative action candidate. Simple as that.
McCain has turned off a significant portion of the Rep base, me included. I will not contribute funds or donate volunteer efforts to help him get elected. When I attended CPAC this year, this feeling was widespread. And McCain's continued pandering to Hispanics and independents and moderate Dems will supress Rep turnout. Unless McCain changes his strategy, he is going to suffer a defeat of landslide proportions taking many Reps on the ticket with him.
I must say that is a pretty good answer. I can’t really overcome the key points you have made. I could say the same things and the only differences might relate to texture or tone rather than substance.
I think it is important to reflect on the critical data element that suggests Obama is already polling better among white voters than either Gore or Kerry. For some reason, he is also beginning to make inroads among evangelicals. It was not an accident that Obama picked a fight with James Dobson. Some reports indicate that upwards of 80% of voters appear to be firmly decided on how they might vote (if they do vote).
I really don’t know what is the make up of the undecided and what will appeal to them. But, I do believe that Obama has it figured out and nobody is telling McCain the answer.
As I said before I think that Obama is a very good politician. His opponents put themselves at great risk if they minimize just how good this guy is as a political campaigner. Did you see the three point shot? Remember, how he spent extra hours training in the gym before his departure! Did anybody measure the size of net afterwards? I think it is a terrible misjudgment to underestimate this guy. I think MCCain and his campaign are fully aware that this is a very tough election. People searching for a smoking gun like a forged birth certificate take too much energy away from the imperatives of the policy debate.
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