Keating 5 Expose: Monday at Noon

Straight after Karl Rove’s heart: Here is a website from the Obama campaign that will be posting a documentry on the Keating 5 tomorrow.  If you go to the website, review it, and then pause and think about it – the Obama campaign didn’t put this together in five minutes.  It’s taken some planning.  I’ve heard the term rope-a-dope several times tonight on different strategies within the Obama campaign.  Did they choreograph all this over the last month?  Wow – talk about staying in front of issues!  I suspected they’d be ready for McCain – but not THIS ready.  It’s like McCain walked right into their trap.

I do caveat though – they need to be careful.  What they don’t need is to look like the aggressor and give McCain ammo to say that Obama doesn’t want to talk about the issues.  That could sinificantly hurt them, if they don’t play this right.

http://www.keatingeconomics.com/

Quick Hit of the Night #2 – McCain’s Nasty Associations

There is a lot of very interesting news out there right now.  Another hit from a Daily Kos diary.  I am including it for a lot of reasons.  But one major reason is they use my all time number one favorite political term:

“Mutual Assured Destruction” – or MAD.  It was utilized in a Daily Kos diary written Billary Redux.  Basically stating, if McCain is going to be bringing up associations like Ayers, Wright, and Rezko -Obama’s team could bring up some very damaging relationships too that would basically destroy McCain.

As I mentioned in my smears post from yesterday, I posted that when the time was right and McCain went significantly negative – Obama would hit back with associations that would make McCain look bad (particularly the Keating 5).  Paul Begala, one of my favorite Democratic operatives and I always believe is one of the straightest shooters out there, was on Meet the Press this morning.  He was discussing one of McCain’s associations.  I thought he’d go the Keating 5 route – NOPE.  He produced a relationship much worse than the Keating 5.  Quoting Begala, “John McCain sat on the board of the extremist “U.S. Council for World Freedom” an ultra-conservative right wing organization which was affiliated with the “World Anti-communist League” which the Anti-Defamation League said “has increasingly become a gathering place, a forum, a point of contact for extremists, racists and anti-semites.” Begala went on to say that he didn’t believe that this represented who John McCain is, but by bringing up Obama’s assocations, the Democrats would do the same.

To further this philosophy  Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a Chicago Democrat and Obama supporter, warned against McCain’s strategy. “If we are going to go down this road, you know, Barack Obama was eight years old, somehow responsible for Bill Ayers,” he said. ” At 58, John McCain was associating with Charles Keating. If we really want to talk who is associating with who, we will,” Emanuel said. “The American people will lose in that transaction.”

Representative Emanuel makes it clear that this is not the path that Obama wants to go down. They’d rather talk issues, but they will not shrink away from the attacks.

Amazing: Obama Helped Stranded Stranger 20 Years Ago

An article from the Dail Kos.  They don’t have direct linking, but in the spirit of working to elect Obama, I hope the don’t mind the reprint.  You can find the original article here, I would suggest clicking on it to support their site.

by foxsucks81

Sun Oct 05, 2008 at 03:47:48 PM PDT

The Norwegian newspaper VG has reported a truly amazing story about a newly-wed trying to get to Norway to be with her husband, and the stranger who helped pay an unexpected luggage surcharge.  The blog “Leisha’s Random Thoughts” has translated the story.

It was 1988, and Mary Andersen was at the Miami airport checking in for a long flight to Norway to be with her husband when the airline representative informed her that she wouldn’t be able to check her luggage without paying a 100 surcharge:

When it was finally Mary’s turn, she got the message that would crush her bubbling feeling of happiness. 
-You’ll have to pay a 103 dollar surcharge if you want to bring both those suitcases to Norway, the man behind the counter said. 
Mary had no money. Her new husband had travelled ahead of her to Norway, and she had no one else to call. 
-I was completely desperate and tried to think which of my things I could manage without. But I had already made such a careful selection of my most prized possessions, says Mary.

• foxsucks81’s diary :: ::

 

Mary says that when her friends and associates talk about the election, especially when race relations is the heated subject, she relates the story of the kind man who helped out a stranger-in-need over twenty years ago, years before he had even thought about running for high office. 

Truly a wonderful story, and something that needs to be passed along in the maelstorm of fear-and-smear politics we are being subjected to right now. 

UPDATE:  Thanks for the recommends, folks!  Also, remember this was 1988, when 100 dollars was quite a bit of money, compared to today’s value.  

By the way, this would be the perfect antidote to the Smear E-mails going around.  If anyone has a good long email chain list, shoot it out, and let it be passed along. 

DIGG IT!

As tears streamed down her face, she heard a “gentle and friendly voice” behind her saying, “That’s okay, I’ll pay for her.”  

Mary turned around to see a tall man whom she had never seen before. 
–He had a gentle and kind voice that was still firm and decisive. The first thing I thought was, Who is this man? 
Although this happened 20 years ago, Mary still remembers the authority that radiated from the man. 
-He was nicely dressed, fashionably dressed with brown leather shoes, a cotton shirt open at the throat and khaki pants, says Mary. 
She was thrilled to be able to bring both her suitcases to Norway and assured the stranger that he would get his money back. The man wrote his name and address on a piece of paper that he gave to Mary. She thanked him repeatedly. When she finally walked off towards the security checkpoint, he waved goodbye to her.

Who was the man?  

Barack Obama.  

Twenty years later, she is thrilled that the friendly stranger at the airport may be the next President and has voted for him already and donated 100 dollars to his campaign:

-He was my knight in shining armor, says Mary, smiling. 
She paid the 103 dollars back to Obama the day after she arrived in Norway. At that time he had just finished his job as a poorly paid community worker* in Chicago, and had started his law studies at prestigious Harvard university.

Mary even convinced her parents to vote for him:

In the spring of 2006 Mary’s parents had heard that Obama was considering a run for president, but that he had still not decided. They chose to write a letter in which they told him that he would receive their votes. At the same time, they thanked Obama for helping their daughter 18 years earlier.

And Obama replied:

In a letter to Mary’s parents dated May 4th, 2006 and stamped ‘United States Senate, Washington DC’, Barack Obama writes**: 
‘I want to thank you for the lovely things you wrote about me and for reminding me of what happened at Miami airport. I’m happy I could help back then, and I’m delighted to hear that your daughter is happy in Norway. Please send her my best wishes. Sincerely, Barack Obama, United States senator’. 
The parents sent the letter on to Mary.

Supporters Playbook for Upcoming Slander against Obama

With 30 days left in the campaign, McCain has finally admitted that he is facing an uphill battle for the election.  His retreat from Michigan was a significant marker in that admission.  But the more important one is that his new mantra is ‘Going negative -all places and all the time’.  What I’d like to do is keep a post running to try and separate the slander from the facts.  I will caveat, the facts will be very largely based from Obama’s Fight the Smears Website.  That, I even admit, may not always be 100% grounded in reality – but at least you get the talking points provided by Obama.  When possible, I will try to find some MSM (main stream media) sources that counter the attacks on Obama.

Every Obama supporter needs to understand this VERY CLEARLY – the next 31 days are going to be EXTREMELY bumpy.  The turbulence may throw you from your seat.  McCain, Palin, the GOP, the 527 groups will be hurling accusations at Obama – so buckle up.  It’s going to be nasty, it’s going to put a pit in your stomach, the polls are going to vacillate, and at times, his lead may seem to be slipping away.  What these groups will throw at Obama will be anything from 10% fact, to extreme exaggerations, and even 100% utter falsities that have no grounding except for a prayer they will stick.  They are going to question his patriotism, our patriotism, leadership skills, hidden agendas, and even race.  

As his supporters – we are *NOT* the ones that he is targeting.  His core support will not waiver in their dedication to his campaign.  It’s the independents who haven’t decided and those soft leaners (for Obama and for McCain).  That means we cannot stand idly by and take comfort in knowing these accusations are false.  We first must firm up our resolve and always keep focused on why we are supporting Obama – his policies and the vision of the future he presents is what is right and needed for America.  We then must be VOCAL, financial, and proactive advocates for ensuring his message of change is heard and to refute the lies forthcoming.  Only through a comprehensive rebuke will Obama be able to fully maintain control of this election.

Already the GOP is starting with the rhetoric: (From the Washington Post, as pulled from the Huffington Post)

 “We’re going to get a little tougher,” a senior Republican operative said, indicating that a fresh batch of television ads is coming. “We’ve got to question this guy’s associations. Very soon. There’s no question that we have to change the subject here,” said the operative, who was not authorized to discuss strategy and spoke on the condition of anonymity. 

Sarah Palin started the attacks: (from the AP): 

 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday accused Democrat Barack Obama of “palling around with terrorists” because of his association with a former 1960s radical, stepping up the campaign’s effort to portray Obama as unacceptable to American voters.

Before everyone starts thinking the sky is falling, here’s a little dose of reality:

 

• The Obama campaign knew these attacks would be coming, as did most pundits.  His campaign has been extremely disciplined and prepared from the primaries and until now – fighting all allegations.  Obama already has a game plan.  He’s learned from, particularly, Kerry and Dukakkis, and also Gore.  Don’t get discouraged if he doesn’t attack right away.  We can do that for him.  But he sees the field of play at a much higher level than us.  That’s why he didn’t go negative or panic a month ago when Palinmania was going strong. Case in point from a Daily Kos Diary: Breaking: Obama Camp: Political Jujutsu to Begin Monday.
• Obama knows Obama.  There will not be a surprise that he doesn’t know about – if there is any basis in fact.  Sure, we all know about Reverend Wright, ACORN, Ayers, etc.  It’s the weaknesses he might have that we don’t know about that can be worrisome.  I am relatively sure, as well run as his campaign has been, that he’s discussed all the ‘what if’s’ of things in his background.
• Obama has one very large trump card.  Nothing about these known attack areas (e.g. ACORN, Wright, Ayers) has any illegal implications for Obama.  The attacks are going to be on his judgement and ability to lead.  Obama has tried to stay above the fray and focus on the issues.  However, if pushed and polls start to plummet, he can always pull out the Keating 5.  The fact it hasn’t even been mentioned yet means that when he plays that card, it will get much media exposure and take the focus off him.  Additionally, questions about his character and even legality of past discretion will have an answer back – simply mentioning the Keating 5 puts McCain on the defensive.
• Obama’s game plan is to focus on the issues.  There’s apparently much research that shows that independents and later choosers of candidates do not like the negative rhetoric.  His cushion on the polls will allow him to try and play out above the fray for awhile.  He doesn’t have to get into the mud right away.  That will allow him to push his solutions, when McCain won’t be focusing on solutions.  It will also help him seem more Presidential and McCain more desperate.
• So far, when you pull the thread on just about every attack line – Obama comes out relatively clean.  He is cleaner than most politicians.  That has something to do with significantly fewer years in politics and also his background.  If the MSM and his supporters can tell the ‘full story’, than this will help.
• The election will get closer.  Let me say that again – historically, polls tend to close as the election draws to a conclusion.  Panic should not set in if the polls begin to close.  Understanding that this is a normal occurence will keep all us supporters from being Chicken Little and giving the Republicans hope as the waning days come upon these campaigns.

I have created a new page (located at the top of my site – as an additional tab) called ‘Fight the Obama Smears’ and it will have details on all the attacks the GOP, 527’s and McPalin try to throw at Obama over the next 30 days.  Many of these issues – both the attack and the truth cannot always be explained in succinct paragraphs.  I would urge you to take these points as fundamental knowledge, but go do some more ‘digging’. Now – bring on the trolls because I am sure they are looking and ready to pounce on this article.