Obama’s new Snitch Central: AttackWatch

In 2009, the White House launched an effort to get people to snitch on those who expressed opposition to President Obama through a new official e-mail, flag@whitehouse.gov, and a web page on the official White House site. It didn’t quite last a fortnight, thanks to an outcry of anger over the idea that a President would be so petty and so paranoid as to need an official informant bureau in the White House. They dropped this about the same time that Obama finally dropped his war on Fox News, having lost on all fronts to control opinion.

Did they learn a lesson? Apparently not, or at least they learned the wrong lesson. The “flag” program is back, but this time it’s being run out of the Obama re-election campaign:

This is, at least, not nearly as offensive as running a Snitch Central out of the White House. It’s just as silly, though, and every bit as petty. The categories for passing along an “attack” include significant events like a TV interview or broadcast ad, but also include such trivial categories as “forwarded e-mail” and “rumor.” Presumably, the campaign would then debunk the “rumor,” which would then give it a lot more attention and oxygen than it otherwise might receive. In fact, it’s not inconceivable that people who really wanted to spread “rumors” would do so by reporting them through AttackWatch and waiting for the campaign to publicize rumors through their response.

This President and his team still haven’t learned the problems that come with punching below one’s weight. Besides, their big problems don’t come from rumors; they come from the record of abject failure that Barack Obama carries into this campaign. They’d do better to spend the money to hire better economists to consult the President than the coterie of academics that keep pushing the same Obamanomics that have flopped for the better part of three years. In the meantime, this serves as a good reminder as to just how thin-skinned and paranoid this President has been.

here is the email they are sending Charlene -- If you're someone who cares about seeing a campaign focused on substance between now and November 2012, I need you to become a part of one of our most important teams. It's called AttackWatch.com, and it launches today. Here's the deal: We all remember the birth certificate smear, the GOP's barrage of lies about the Affordable Care Act, and the string of other phony attacks on President Obama that we've seen over the past few years. There are a lot of folks on the other side who are chomping at the bit to distort the President's record. It's not a question of if the next big lie will come, just when -- and what we're prepared to do about it. AttackWatch.com is exactly what it sounds like: a resource that allows us to nip these attacks in the bud before they show up on the airwaves and in emails -- and then fight back with the truth. By signing up, you'll be on the front lines -- you'll hear about false claims as soon as they come up, and we'll count on you to spread the truth to your friends and personal networks and let us know about new smears whenever you hear them. Will you sign up now to be a part of AttackWatch.com? Yes, I want to be on the team that fights back. Not right now, but I'll donate $5 to fund the 2012 campaign and support this work. I remember the smears from 2008 well, and I'm sure you do, too. They didn't just attack Barack Obama and Joe Biden. They went after everything this movement is built on, and everyone who supports it. This time, they're not just out to personally attack the President -- they're also out to mislead Americans about the record of accomplishments that he's compiled. Just the other day, a Republican financier actually quoted Saddam Hussein in telling a group of millionaire donors that defeating President Obama will be "the mother of all wars." We're launching AttackWatch.com today to make sure we're ready for the attacks we know are coming -- and armed with the ability to fight back quickly. Sign up for AttackWatch.com now, and let's get the facts out: http://my.barackobama.com/Join-Attack-Watch Thanks, Messina Jim Messina Campaign Manager Obama for America Contributions or gifts to Obama for America are not tax deductible. Move to ▼ |

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