Friday, June 13, 2008

No more free ride for smear merchants


In the devastating aftermath of the disastrous 2004 national election, as part of my emotional recovery, I vowed to never again underestimate the stupidity of the American people. After all, if there were millions of people all across this nation that could not see what, to me, was blatantly obvious about an inferior human being like Junior Bush...well, Einstein had a good summary quote:
Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -Albert Einstein
As that horrendous day faded, however, I was able to gain a little more perspective, and to perceive how, in many ways, the Kerry campaign had failed as much as Junior's filthy campaign had succeeded.

Hearken back to that hot July of 2004, as John Kerry became the nominee for the Democratic party, touting his record as a combat veteran. His comrades-in-arms from the days of patrolling the Bo De River came onto the stage with him to show their support. One veteran from Oregon, Jim Rassman, a Republican, came forward to announce his support for Kerry, recounting how Kerry had saved his life during a combat operation. Things were looking good for Kerry: the gamble of the rank-and-file Democrats, who chose Kerry largely because of his veteran status, looked like it would pay off.


Sleaze merchant John O'Neil, founder of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth

Well, that's when the Karl Rove smear machine went to work. Without rehashing the ugliness, a shadowy group called Swift Boat Veterans for Truth started calling into question the valor of John Kerry who was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and two Purple Hearts, while Junior was getting drunk and not showing up for duty in the Air National Guard.

When these dubious ads started appearing on television, the Kerry campaign was caught flat-footed. Apparently, a debate raged within the campaign about how to respond to them. In the end, the campaign chose to ignore them rather than be drawn into an ugly and specious argument that would only serve the interests of Junior Bush.

It was the wrong decision, as Kerry would later admit. His lack of response allowed the scurrilous attacks to lower his image in the eyes of enough voters that Junior could sway them. The success of the smear tactics proved the truth of my friend Carl Page's assertion that the Republican party is a coalition of the rich and the stupid.

Well, these same people that came up with the sleazy smear campaign they waged so successfully back then, have returned. Now, of course, their target is Barack Obama and, predictably his wife, Michelle. But the Obama campaign is responding. They've created a web site, called Fight the Smears that addresses each of the filthy lies put forth by the sleaze merchants.

That is how you deal with cowards and filth-peddlers: call them out on it. Confront them. Tell the truth. Do not ignore them.

I encourage anyone who has heard rumors, perhaps through email or dubious websites, to go here and learn the truth.

Be assured that the sleaze merchants are just getting started. Who knows what they'll come up with next? But this time there will be no free pass. In the end, filthy liars like Karl Rove, Rush Limbaugh, and the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth always get what's coming to them.

4 comments:

Ridwan said...

I think that Obama has made a wise choice to deal with the slime and lies head-on.

The old tactic of ignoring it won't work in his favour.

I was just reading a post that details the Fox Network's reference to Michelle Obama as Barack's "Baby Momma"!

Wow, how low will they sink? Much lower is my thinking.

Peace Dade,
Ridwan

Shus li said...

Michelle? "Baby Momma"?

KNUCKLE BUMP!!!!

Eclectic Dilettante said...

I would love to see a campaign about issues -- real issues, such as:
*Expanded presidential powers.
*The gutting of the first 10 amendments.
*Problems with the Federal Reserve.
*How about cutting back on the rights of the professional sue monger -- you know the type, they have 10 lawsuits up and down the coast for trip and fall.
*How about an honest debate over the role of big business in government?
*Or what's going to happen with all those unemployed professional soldiers when the war is over? *Geeze, let's have a debate over the justification of having over 700 military bases spread over 130 countries while our infrastructure crumbles?
*How about an honest debate over the cost/benefits of the war on drugs?

Guess all that would be too boring. Lies and mud make for such good ratings don't ya know.

*sigh*

NWJR said...

The repuglicans will lose this election for the same reason that Kerry lost. To win, you have to be FOR someone or something, not AGAINST someone or something. As long as Obama sticks to the issues, he should be golden. The Republican smear machine can't win by simply being against him, and they'll never unite behind McCain, because he's as much of an anathema to them as Kerry was to many Democrats.

You'd think they'd have learned this lesson.

(BTW, Even though I find the whole discussion rather ridiculous, "baby mamma" is in play b/c Michelle referred to Barack as "my baby's daddy": http://youtube.com/watch?v=VnMrJwUCZDk .)