A link to this piece of loveliness was sent to me by a former colleague in Dayton, telling me it is being aired in Ohio, with a note that a St. Louisan appears to be associated with the effort.
Sure enough, the organization behind the ad appears to be an outfit called the American Issues Project, and it lists as one of its two board members Ed Martin, the former chief of staff to Gov. Matt Blunt who resigned in the aftermath of the destruction of email scandal.
Presumably the ad was produced and is being aired for the benefit of Sen. John McCain’s candidacy. But it is so over the top and cartoonish.
To prove that diabolical genius is a two way street, here’s a strategy recommendation being advanced for the benefit of Sen. Barack Obama:
(h/t talkingpointsmemo.com)
Update: This second video is a little balky, but it arises out of Sen. McCain being asked how many homes he owns. McCain fumbled about and said his staff would have to get back to the reporter. It appears that McCain and his wife own 7 or 8 residences, including condominiums. So this guy on the YouTube video proposes that people run out and buy a bunch of keys and at the Democratic convention in Denver everybody shake rings filled with keys representing all of these homes.
Eddie Roth writes about education, social justice, public safety, transportation, legal affairs and historic preservation. He joined the Post-Dispatch editorial page in 2008 after six years as an editorial writer with the Dayton Daily News. But he is not new to St. Louis. Eddie grew up in Webster Groves and south St. Louis County. He's a lawyer who for many years practiced with a downtown firm, and was active in civic affairs, including serving a term on the St. Louis Police Board. He and his wife, Jeanne, and their three daughters, Emily, Julia and Alice, live in the Shaw Neighborhood.
When it comes to community organizing, he endorses Quentin Crisp's advice: Rather than keeping up with the Joneses, it's better to pull them down to your level. 
Absolutely fair game, as is pretty much anything in a candidate’s past which goes to his or her judgment.
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JeffRd -
You defend the Ayers ad, saying it’s fair game in the public debate over a presidential candidate. I will know you are sincere when you strongly and quickly signal your support for the Keating Five and Jack Abramoff ads you expect.
By your lights, they must be fair game, too. No?
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Eddie I will know you are sincere when you strongly and quickly condemn Obama’s ads about Jack Abramoff and the Keating Five. (They are sure to come.)
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This kind of stuff on all sides is meant to incite and inflame by appealing to prejudice and low emotion with factual fragments and production tricks — which of course makes up a large part of our political tradition, including journalistic coverage.
Lots of people lap it up … yum, yum, yum.
But there is nothing high minded about it.
And there is value in calling rubbish, rubbish — which is another way of saying it is charming.
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Eddie, surely you read the recent New Yorker article about Obama’s roots in Chicago politics, which mentioned that Ayers held an event for Obama when her ran for the Illinois senate. Surely you know that Obama was for several years on the board of an outfit Ayers founded, and that a reporter’s efforts to research the documentation related to that outfit have been rebuffed. Clearly there is or was some connection between the two men.
Maybe it will turn out to be of little consequence, but you can’t seriously believe that this issue should not be raised. If John McCain had a connection to an old white supremacist, and Obama pointed it out, you would not swoon and wring your hands and call it “charming.” And you would be right, because we have a right to judge people by the company they keep. Or kept.
PS If you want to be charmed, you’re in the wrong business. Since when have newspapermen been so delicate?
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“reliably discredited”
Discredited by who? Obamessiah sycophants?
Seriously, why would you buy a property adjacent to another with nothing on it, then sell the only access to the property to your new neighbor who could only afford his new house even at a discount if you bought the useless property next to it at full price?
Ok, so you say Ayers doesnt have marxist beliefs, would you prefer communist, like The Chosen One’s boy hood role model, Frank Davis?
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Si res … etc., the Rezko relationship you trot out is pure fantasy–and has been completely, reliably discredited although it still crawls around on rightwing internet sites I am told. He offered Obama a job for lots of money when Obama left law school–which Obama turned down to go to work at an organizer for very little money. His contacts with Rezko were very casual and no connection of the type you describe has ever been demonstrated.
And whoever told you that Ayers and Obama share Marxist beliefs is high on something. Obama’s biggest problem in the Democratic party is that he may be too centrist for some. This whole Ayers noise is such a transparent fabrication–even the slime merchants should be a little embarrassed by these claims.
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Eddie..
Damn dude….. I hope you get paid overtime/x-tra/sumthing
for dealing with all us “Friendly Folks” on the internet …
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Nothing but charm.
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“It is just that I am sick and tired of all the sickness from people finding that LIES and DECEPTIONS are something that is good instead of understanding that it is a sign of serious disfunction (ABNORMAL), not good, but, very, very dark.”
D-, I assume you are referring to The Chosen One’s LIE about supporting infanticide?
Rezko. It is not like he just coincidentally bought a useless piece of property next to Obamessiah’s new discounted house. They have a long history, Rezko would raise money for Obama and Obama would funnel housing projects to Rezko for his personnel gain. How much good did they do in South Chicago? Ask the residents of Grove Parc how much better off they are after Obama/Rezko deals.
Ayers. So Obama was young when Ayers bombed the Pentagon, how old was he when Ayers showed remorse? 47+ because Ayers still thinks he could have done more. And it wasnt just that these two who shared Marxist beliefs were neighbors, they worked together on the board of the Annenberg Challenge where Obama funneled money to Ayers pet projects. It is a good thing they GIVE security clearances to candidates, because Obama couldnt pass even a cursory background check. The question “Do you know anyone who called for the violent overthrow of the US government?”, he would have to answer “Yes, Ayers and Dorn.”
What do Osama and Obama have in common?
Both have friends who bombed the Pentagon.
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Nick, McCain plans to continue the economic policies of the Bush years almost without change and it is just those policies policies that are responsible for the economic malaise and the concomitant weak dollar that has brought all those foreign corporations on shopping trips to the U.S. Look around–it is not just AB. From this pont of view, you can really say that it is legislators like McCain that have contributed to the AB sale.
And how do you manage to twist Obama’s position on Iraq into any thing even remotinly resembling McCain’s warmongering? Obama is the guy who has insisted that we should set a timetable to get out responsibly–just what the Bushies are now conceding they must do, given the Iraqui government’s insistence that our help is no longer needed. Obama hasn’t wavered in his conviction that his war has damaged the U.S, destablized the Mideast and was just a stupid move. Although he admits that the surge quieted the violence (something that few people really doubted), he correctly points out that it has done nothing to deal with the underlying tensions that led to civil war in the first place. It is likely that this area will continue to be troubled for some time–thanks to the Bush/McCain faction.
Same goes for Obama and McCain’s energy plans. Actually read what each propose and what they have really said this summer and you will see real, substantive differences. McCain will continue to pander to big oil and to political expediency (drill, drill, drill) while Obama offers real, thoughtful, long-term solutions. (And Obama’s willingness to agree to a legislative compromise on drilling that supports energy alternatives while protecting the most fragile environments does not equal McCain’s stupid obsession with drilling any more than McCain’s very qualified support for energy alternatives equals a real plan for developing such resources.)
As for Nixon and Blunt–I believe that it was Blunt that tried to smear and ruin the guy (a member of his own team, by the way) who tried to get him staight on the issue of e-mails? Makes you wonder who really has something to hide.
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Nick,
The difference is that McCain is still presently lock-stepped with the Bush/Cheney regime.
Those Democrats who voted for war acknowledge that they made the WRONG choice! They see this now and regrets it, but not McCain. McCain is very proud even this very day that he supported the invasion of Iraq and all the other 95% of time that he supported the Bush/Cheney regime.
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> Many of us are really sick of substanceless slime.
Are you really? Well, here’s a few things that would fall into that category:
* Raising a stink about how many homes McCain owns.
* Blaming him for the AB takeover.
* Attacking McCain’s position on Iraq, then adopting it lock, stock and barrel. But continuing to attack.
* Ditto for McCain’s energy plan.
And for good measure …
* Nixon attacking Blunt for not saving emails, when Nixon wasn’t saving them either.
I could go on for dozens more, but that’s enough for now.
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Yes, Old Sarge. Definitely debunked. Read FactCheck. Which incidentally points out that tt is doubtful that Ayers was involved in the capitol bombings (all of which happened when Obama was a elementary school kid)–since he was already in hiding elsewhere.
Obama is not a friend of Ayers, but as a politician in Chicago concerned with the issues of education, and a U. of Chicago colleague who lived in the same neighborhood, Obama would have inevitably crossed paths with him. There is no evidence that the links were more than casual–and the same could be said of the Chicago Mayor and other moderates and even Republicans who also served on the board of the same foundation where Obama and Ayers served.
There is absolutely nothing to link Obama to beliefs that Ayers espoused when Obama was a child–and which Ayers himself has repudiated.
Please stop with the despearate lies and innuendo. Many of us are really sick of substanceless slime.
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“Obama also correctly said that President Bill Clinton had pardoned or commuted the sentences of two Weather Underground members, who had, unlike Ayers, been convicted and sentenced to long prison terms.
Bill Clinton indeed pardoned one and commuted the sentence of another.” FactCheck.org.
IreneK.. debunked ???? Ayers bombed the White House dear….
I’m glad these are you & Obama’s friends and not MINE !!….
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The fact that Obama’s opponents are forced to resurrect this canard (which has been thoroughly debunked–see Factcheck.org and search under Ayers) is testimony that they are really desperate. Plus, I guess it looked like going negative was helping them a little last week and, like all addicts, you have to continually up the ante to sustain your high (or so I have learned from TV crime procedurals).
However, this is a game that can be played by more than one participant–and the Obama camp has lots more substantive mud to play with if they decide that they need to lower themselves. Think Charles Keating–there is enough ambiguity about McCain’s role in this corruption scandal to tank his carefully cultivated image as a clean-living straight-shooter. Then there are more recent questions about his dealing with Abramoff, and don’t forget campaign which is almost exclusively staffed by former and current lobbyists (including one in the pay of the president of Georgia). And of course there was Vicky Iseman quasi-scandal hinted at in the New York Times–boy that disappeared quickly after the conservative echo chamber began yelling that raising such claims were just too, too inappropriate). It is about time that McCain stops getting a free ride.
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We can also add the new Florida Dem ad attacking Mrs. McCain to the charm school curiculum. After saying ads featuring his wife were “low class” Obama stands mute about the ad attacking McCain’s wife. Can mew ads about not being proud of America be far behind? Can this guy keep a position for more than a week?
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Nick, do you really think this connection is that relevant? I assume you read more about it….Assume I guess is key.
The only facts that have come out so far are the $200 contribution by Ayers to the Obama re-election fund (means nothing) and their joint membership of the eight-person Woods Fund Board.
Obama was a kid when the Weathermen were a force.
I mean community work with the guy?
It just feels weak. Can I offer you a straw for grasping?
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Mr Roth -
The YouTube (h/t talkingpointsmemo.com) comes up video no longer available, although the sludge job from “American Issue Project” is.
Senator Obama did not buy his house from Rezko, he bought a shared strip of land from Rezko. This was confronted and debunked back during the primary battle with Senator Clinton.
Nick, do you really want to go down the “guilt by asssociation path”? If so, just ask how many Republican luminaries from the early 1990’s (ie during President Reagan’s terms) does Senator McCain know who wound up in jail. I’ll give a hint, start with Reagan’s Attorney General.
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Eddie and Adam, while I was quick to point out in my post that I wasn’t sure it was true, I will be just as quick to say that what I posted was wrong. I have no problem admitting my error. Adam, as to your comment about research, I do as much research as you and can usually find information to back up my points. We can all find information to back up our points.
I think it’s just great that Obama finally went over to Iraq and finally talked with the troops. I don’t understand why it took so long to try and get his facts about Iraq but perhaps it was because he was spending so much time in church with his spiritual advisor who he has now shunned. Or perhaps he was spending time with his terrorist friend, Ayers. Or perhaps he was just hanging out with a bunch of his friends who were feeling bitter and clinging to their guns.
Merci beaucoup, Eddie and Adam, for pointing out the email.
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No Nick,
It is just that I am sick and tired of all the sickness from people finding that LIES and DECEPTIONS are something that is good instead of understanding that it is a sign of serious disfunction (ABNORMAL), not good, but, very, very dark.
You guys are a very corrupted hearted bunch, that is, most of you Republican pundits.
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Despite extensive investigations, no one has ever found anything inappropriate from Obama regarding his home purchase: http://www.truthfightsback.com/site/smear/254/
On the other hand, McCain was caught red-handed in the Keating Five scandal, then used his political connections to get out of a harsher punishment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toKfaBngnP8 .
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Ok, Eddie, we get it … you and D. Walker are in love with Obama. But as far as the ad goes, it was accurate and relevant. If it’s unfair to judge a candidate for President by his previous activities and associations, are we to judge based upon their campaign promises alone? Doesn’t sound like a very good standard to me.
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Adam S., Eddie,
7 or 8 houses is easily trumped by 1 bought & paid for home provided by Tony Rezko.
Look away dear liberals, look away.
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Why do research, the results are never as interesting as the conjecture and lies!
Cpt. Porter sent me an article about a week ago, I thought it was much different from his earlier letter, the headline read:
“Military donations favor Obama over McCain- Troops donate more campaign money to Obama than McCain, despite McCain’s military record”
AP Source: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080814/military_donations.html
Yours Truly,
Cpt. Porter
Soldier of the Imagination
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Eddie, I had trouble with your link, so here’s another one: http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/did_obama_snub_us_troops_in_afghanistan.html.
Basically the person who wrote the email has admitted publicly that it’s not true, so it’s amazing the Republicans are still trying to push this story around
Logicprevails, I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt here, and just assume that you don’t actually research the stuff you put on these discussion boards. But I do have to warn you, when you continue to put up stuff that has been publicly discredited weeks ago, it gives the impression that you are deliberately trying to mislead people.
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The charm just keeps rolling with logicprevails’ comment.
Check out this link to snopes.com — a site devoted to debunking all manner of urban legend — to read an analysis of the email logicprevail has posted and comments on “if it is true.”
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/afghanistan.asp
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This email from a soldier in Afghanistan was forwarded to me:
“Hello everyone,
As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to pass along
that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an hour on his
visit to ‘The War Zone’. I wanted to share with you what happened.
He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to the area
to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander here at Bagram.
As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew them off and
didn’t say a word as he went into the conference room to meet the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to Soldiers to thank them for their service.
So really he was just here to make a showing for the American’s back home
that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for you.
I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or the Dallas
Cowboy Cheer leaders than from one of the Senators, who wants to be the
President of the United States. I just don’t understand how anyone would
want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and our great country.
If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you all to know
what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in the news is
all fake.”
In service,
CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
Battle Captain
TF Wasatch
American Soldier
I’m not sure I care how many homes McCain has or the million dollar mansion that Obama just moved in to, but I do care how our troops are going to be supported. If this email is true, it shows the contempt Obama has for the military and the (lack of) quality of his character.
I would suggest bringing basketballs to the Republican Convention…but I bet that would be called racist.
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“KEY RINGS” at the DNC convention is “diabolical genius,” huh?
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The fact that the McCain campaign is trying so hard to change the subject shows that they are really worried that people will see just how out-of-touch McCain really is.
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