Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Obama Campaign Mapping Out Aggressive Counter-Attack Against Swift-Boating
TPM ^ | 8/14/08 | Greg Sargeant

Posted on 08/14/2008 12:01:24 PM PDT by pissant

In stark contrast with the Kerry campaign in 2004, the Obama campaign is mapping out an aggressive counter-attack against the new Swift-Boat-Vet style book targeting Obama -- including plans to dig more deeply into the author's past statements, plans for increased surrogate action against the book, and stepped up pressure on high-level media executives to let the Obama team have air time to rebut the charges.

The plan is taking shape amid new signs that the book -- by Jerome Corsi, who wrote the tome that formed the basis for the attacks on Kerry -- will have staying power and become a real factor in the campaign.

We've just learned, for instance, that the Corsi book, called Obama Nation, will be number one on the New York Times best seller list two weeks running, according to an early copy of the list from the Sunday after next we obtained. It was previously known that it would debut at number one this weekend, but the fact that it will stay there for a second week running suggests the attacks will continue to resonate.

We've also learned that a second anti-Obama tome -- The Case Against Barack Obama, by David Freddoso -- will also debut at number five on the best-seller list the week after next.

Obama advisers say that whenever they hear that Corsi has been booked for an appearance on a network program, they are quickly contacting the program's producers to rebut the book's charges in phone conversations and giving them a whole run-down of past Corsi quotes that are controversial.

Obama aides also vow to insist that the producers allow them to have on a campaign surrogate to attack the charges, and are expecting to recruit more campaign surrogates, well plied with talking points, to push back against the book.

Obama aides also say they'll soon be blasting an extensive fact-check of the book to the campaign's national press list. They've also created something called "Action Wire," which is designed to use the campaign's formidable email list to spread debunking of the book's charges.

Obama Camp Knows Media Will Cover Book No Matter What

It's way too early to know whether such a counter-campaign will be successful or whether the push-back will be effective or sufficiently forceful. But the mere fact that the Obama campaign is planning an aggressive counter-attack suggests differences with Kerry's early approach.

Indeed, the planning reflects an uncomfortable reality for the Obama camp: They realize that the book, and any ensuing GOP attacks in its wake, are certain to continue to get extensive media coverage.

"Despite the fact that Mr. Corsi has no credibility, we understand the reality that its going to get covered, and are going to aggressively work to make sure people understand that this is nothing more than a rehash of already debunked lies," an Obama campaign adviser says.

In 2004, when the Swift Boat Vets first targeted Kerry, a debate erupted within his camp over whether it was better to ignore the book or to immediately strike back against it and bring it more attention. Early on, Kerry advisers chose the former path.

Obama advisers have concluded, however, that there's little to no chance that ignoring the book will deprive it of media oxygen. They are trying to strike the right balance, going on the offensive against the book without sparking even more media attention than it's getting already.

To that end, much of the pushback against the book is being done behind the scenes, through the dissemination of controversial quotes from Corsi's past and the planned extensive fact check.

Will it be enough? With Corsi already on record saying that he plans to collaborate with conservative groups to run ads, we'll soon find out.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2008; barackobama; bookreview; corsi; democratparty; democrats; election; electionpresident; elections; jeromecorsi; larrysinclairslover; nobama08; obama; obamanation; unfitforcommand
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-116 next last

A Sinclair cramp, apparently

1 posted on 08/14/2008 12:01:25 PM PDT by pissant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: pissant
So he is going to start with his birth certificate? I don't think there is enough room under the bus for more bodies.

Maybe an interview with a real journalist would help here, I hear Hannity has a standing opening.

Obama, his word is no good his signature is no good, his character is no good. Did I miss anything.

2 posted on 08/14/2008 12:05:05 PM PDT by Tarpon (Ignorance, the most expensive commodity produced by mankind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

When an anti-Bush comes out, the author gets the red carpet treatment and is the darling of the media, getting tons of free positive publicity. When an anti-Obama books comes out, the author gets black listed and Obama gets the red carpet treatment and plenty of free publicity to respond.


3 posted on 08/14/2008 12:05:08 PM PDT by Always Right (Obama: more arrogant than Bill Clinton, more naive than Jimmy Carter, and more liberal than LBJ.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

I didn’t even know Kenya had a navy .


4 posted on 08/14/2008 12:05:09 PM PDT by kbennkc (For those who have fought for it , freedom has a flavor the protected will never know)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Good deal! It just serves to give the book even more coverage and public awareness.


5 posted on 08/14/2008 12:05:41 PM PDT by avacado
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Debunking the truth is a hard to do.


6 posted on 08/14/2008 12:05:58 PM PDT by Islander7 ("Show me an honest politician and I will show you a case of mistaken identity.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: pissant
Obama can count on the obliging MSM to help his campaign. By the way, I saw his late night infomercial last night. I wasn't at all impressed.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

8 posted on 08/14/2008 12:06:26 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

I am sure the Swiftboaters are scared..NOT! You and whose Army Obama?

9 posted on 08/14/2008 12:06:48 PM PDT by AmericanMade1776
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

This is just great. Let this phony, lying, anti-American charlatan reprobate try and wiggle his way out of the TRUTH. Expect a lot of lying, and expect it ALL to be printed by the MSM -—


10 posted on 08/14/2008 12:07:37 PM PDT by EagleUSA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant
The fact that they STILL don't have a clue that "Swift Boating" is nothing more than demanding the documented truth, I feel confident that anything they do will simply make it worse for them.
11 posted on 08/14/2008 12:08:21 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Public policy should never become the captive of a scientific-technological elite. -- Ike Eisenhower)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: goldstategop

Obama has an infomercial?


12 posted on 08/14/2008 12:08:24 PM PDT by pissant (THE Conservative party: www.falconparty.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: pissant

It’s funny how LIBERALS consider truthful,footnoted FACTS as a PERSONAL ATTACK.

Be Careful, osama..errr ... NOBAMA, truth has a tendency to overcome SPIN!! People know truth when they see it. And so far, You’re NOT IT!!

Corsi’s book is #1 this week on NYTimes Book List. Pelosi’s has sold maybe 3000 by now.


13 posted on 08/14/2008 12:08:44 PM PDT by gwilhelm56 (I'll never vote for a LIBERAL ... even if they Do have an (R) after their name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant
Indeed, the planning reflects an uncomfortable reality for the Obama camp: They realize that the book, and any ensuing GOP attacks in its wake, are certain to continue to get extensive media coverage.

Not to mention the barage of dirt the Clinton's are about to unleash about the big O before the convention. As Ed Sullivan used to say: "Stay tuned for a really big show".

14 posted on 08/14/2008 12:10:41 PM PDT by right wing (The Drive-By Media Are Terrorists Too)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FrPR

But the people who support won’t read the book. Instead they’ll fall lock-step with the attack against Corsi.


15 posted on 08/14/2008 12:11:03 PM PDT by sarasota
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: pissant

Everyone should buy Corsi’s book, even if they never open it. Worth the 22 or so dollars just to see Obama wince!


16 posted on 08/14/2008 12:11:31 PM PDT by Sybeck1 (I would rather be water-boarded than vote for John McCain......)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

**Obama has an infomercial?**

He has Several called: NIGHTLINE, CBS Evening News, NBC News, ABC News and the Communist News Network (CNN) .. there are more but...


17 posted on 08/14/2008 12:11:56 PM PDT by gwilhelm56 (I'll never vote for a LIBERAL ... even if they Do have an (R) after their name.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: pissant
His list of mitigations is almost exactly like Kerry's!

Swifties sent tons of documentation along with the ads, so when the station got hammered by “surrogates” they could go over it point by point. In this case the station will have the book.

Kerry's surrogates were reduced to screaming over the Swifties on TV so that they could not be heard. That was back in 2004, but the alternate information outlets are much stronger now (I for one person have bought NEW pajamas, have a gilded mug for my hot chocolate, and my new slippers are bunny slippers with a red LED on the nose that blinks when I walk).

I think trying to suppress knowledge of the book and “refute” its research will help Obama Nation, not Obama, no matter what MSM does.

18 posted on 08/14/2008 12:11:59 PM PDT by DBrow
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

....”and stepped up pressure on high-level media executives to let the Obama team have air time to rebut the charges....”

I would love a sit down, gentlemanly opportunity for Obama to counter these charges and accusations in Corsi’s book.

Problem is you have to have a hard hitting well,
Russert Style, journalist interviewing him and not Larry King or O ‘ Reilly. Both are lazy and ill prepared for hard hitting interviews.

Corsi covers ALOT of ground from the man’s upbringing to the people he’s associated with.

Saul Alinsky e.g. Does Obama think he’s a great man, as does Hillary Clinton, or not?

The association with Ayers is clear and not because of some mutual relationship based on their kids. Ayer’s kids are grown.

Lastly, Obama’s views on the issues. Corsi’s book is really all about issues. It’s not based on rumor and innuendos.

I want to hear Obama’s response to energy, reparations, taxes, Iraq, etc etc.

Bring it on...


19 posted on 08/14/2008 12:13:26 PM PDT by nikos1121 (The first black president of the US should be at least a "Jackie Robinson.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pissant

“including plans to dig more deeply into the author’s past statements”

Attack the messenger.

Hmmm, doesnt make the message untrue.

Maybe the author should have been “Anonymous”.


20 posted on 08/14/2008 12:14:20 PM PDT by WOSG (http://no-bama.blogspot.com/ - NObama, stop the Hype and Chains candidate)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-116 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson