Obama’s rumor buster launched online
June 12th, 2008 – 10:31 AM by Bob von SternbergDetermined not to be Swift-boated as John Kerry was four years ago, Barack Obama’s campaign unveiled a new website today that bluntly takes on unsubstantiated rumors and innuendo that have dogged the candidate for months. Among them: He’s a secret Muslim, he won’t recite the Pledge of Allegiance, his wife used the word “whitey.”
Obama is bucking the conventional wisdom of politics, the widely-held belief that the best (maybe the only) way to deal with rumors is to ignore them. So the campaign launched a new web page called “Fight The Smears” that airs out the rumors and then rebuts them point by point.
Campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor threw down the gauntlet thusly:
“The Obama campaign isn’t going to let dishonest smears spread across the internet unanswered. Whenever challenged with these lies we will aggressively push back with the truth and help our supporters debunk the false rumors floating around the internet. This website is an action center that allows supporters to upload their address books and send
emails to all of their friends. It’s not enough to just know the truth, we have to be proactive and fight back.”
55 Responses to "Obama’s rumor buster launched online"
Nick Coleman needs a good ass kicking.
Campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor threw down the gauntlet thusly:
“The Obama campaign isn’t going to let dishonest smears spread across the internet unanswered.
I agree. His smears are all honest, and accountable.
Read his books.
I’ve submitted these quotes to the website. I’m still waiting for a response.
From Dreams of My Father: ‘I ceased to advertise my mother’s race at the age of 12 or 13, when I began to suspect that by doing so I was ingratiating myself to whites.’
From Dreams of My Father: ‘I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother’s race.’
From Dreams of My Father: ‘There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.’
From Dreams of My Father: ; ‘It remained necessary to prove which side you were on, to show your loyalty to the black masses, to strike out and name names.’
From Dreams of My Father: ‘I never emulate white men and brown men whose fates didn’t speak to my own. It was into my father’s image, the black man, son of Africa, that I’d packed all the attributes I sought in myself, the attributes of Martin and Malcolm, Dubois and Mandela.’
From Audacity of Hope: ‘I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction.’
Bush says US wants partnership with Europe to help solve golbal problems
Bob,
What are Golbal problems?
Maybe Will Tacy knows.
You forgot to add the he is also a legal citizen of Kenya. Hasn’t renounced his citizenship and therefore unable to become president.
The Video of Michelle will be released after they have completed the lie by saying it never happened. ABC7 in Chicago most likely has the tape. She goes on a rant just before Bill Clinton came to Chicago in the late 90’s.
I think they may have to start another website just to debunk the garbage in the above posts.
Garbage?
You mean the statements by Obama in his books?
Have you read them?
Do you recall Michelle Obama saying, “for the first time in my life, I’m proud of my Country”, or was that more “lies?”
Obama is an American born citizen. Both his parents were American citizens, and he was born within the United States. I have no idea where you come up with such deranged logic. And as far as Robert Grant’s posts. So Obama, or any other person of mixed ethnicity or race, can no longer struggle with identity, or who they are growing up? I’m sure as a white male living in MN you know all about the struggles children go through in their journey to figure out who and what they are all about. Simply taking qoutes out of books with no context is exactly the type of smearing tactics this website will help to rebuke.
Garbage like taking things wildly out of context so they appear to say things very different.
John Galt
If citizenship issues disqualify Obama, why doesn’t McCain open every speech with this fact? Seems like a slam-dunk.
Andrew,
Have you read the referenced books?
Oy?
Same question.
“From Dreams of My Father: ‘I found a solace in nursing a pervasive sense of grievance and animosity against my mother’s race.’”
The quote in question was actually made by a reviewer writing about Obama’s books in the American Conservative Magazine:
http://www.amconmag.com/2007/2007_03_12/…
Hilariously, this statement, by a reviewer, has then been quoted as if it were actually written by Barack Obama himself.
Due to lack of space, I can’t debunk the others, however any honest person with an internet connection can.
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The requested URL /2007/2007_03_12/… was not found on this server.
Huh?
“There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white.”-Truth!
This is a quote from Dreams from My Father. It it in a section in which Obama describes a job interview with a man in Chicago. Race had been a part of their discussion and the full quote is, “There was something about him that made me wary, a little too sure of himself, maybe. And white—he’d said himself that was a problem.”
“I will stand with the Muslims should the political winds shift in an ugly direction,” says Obama”.
The actual quote from the book is from page 261
Robert Grant,
Go to factcheck.org for a full debunking of all of those quotes. Type “Obama” in the search field and get the facts about all of those quotes. They summarize by saying this: “A widely circulated e-mail fabricates some quotes from Obama’s books and twists others…you may have noticed that none of the quotes in this e-mail contain page references. This should be a sign to any reader that the author is trying to pull a fast one, betting that you won’t take the time to read through all 806 pages of Obama’s books to get to the facts.”
Robert
You are parroting PROVEN lies and acting like you are reading them directly out of a book.
You lose. First rule when you find yourself in a hole… quit digging
Yeah…Robert, you’re totally busted. Go slink off now.
Robert, that is NOT the actual quote. He does not mention “Muslims”. THIS is the actual quote from page 261: “Actual quote from “The Audacity of Hope” [pg. 261]: Of course, not all my conversations in immigrant communities follow this easy pattern. In the wake of 9/11, my meetings with Arab and Pakistani Americans, for example, have a more urgent quality, for the stories of detentions and FBI questioning and hard stares from neighbors have shaken their sense of security and belonging. They have been reminded that the history of immigration in this country has a dark underbelly; they need specific assurances that their citizenship really means something, that America has learned the right lessons from the Japanese internments during World War II, and that I will stand with them should the political winds shift in an ugly direction. ” He is referring to immigrants who are citizens. Stop spreading lies!
And as to your other “quote” Robert, this is the full quote: “Actual quote from “Dreams from My Father” [pgs. 141-142]: Now he was trying to pull urban blacks and suburban whites together around a plan to save manufacturing jobs in metropolitan Chicago. He needed somebody to work with him, he said. Somebody black. …
He offered to start me off at ten thousand dollars the first year, with a two-thousand-dollar travel allowance to buy a car; the salary would go up if things worked out. After he was gone, I took the long way home, along the East River promenade, and tried to figure out what to make of the man. He was smart, I decided. He seemed committed to his work. Still, there was something about him that made me wary. A little too sure of himself, maybe. And white - he’d said himself that that was a problem.” And from Factcheck: “The e-mail’s edited quote makes it appear as if Obama is left with an unfavorable opinion of someone based on race. The full quote shows that Obama’s mention of Marty Kaufman’s race is made only after Kaufman raises it as a potential problem in light of his consideration to hire Obama for a job on a community organizing drive.”
And it is absolutely clear from Robert Grant’s posts here that a rumor buster is necessary and it shows that Obama will not let smears go unchallenged.
Quite frankly, I’d oppose such smears if they were against McCain. To participate in spreading this kind of bunk is truly disgusting.
I agree Dora. I think it is the smartest thing the Obama campaign has done so far, and it has been a pretty well run campaign.
I’m at a stage in life where I don’t have a great deal of time left on Earth. I don’t know how many of you remember the Carter era. If you want Obama, then cast your vote, just consider the company he keeps, and his character.
Check the accuracy of these;
“You got into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a lot of small towns in the Midwest, the jobs have been gone now for 25 years and nothing’s replaced them. And they fell through the Clinton Administration, and the Bush Administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant sentiment or anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain their frustrations.” — Barack Obama
“Anybody gone into Whole Foods lately and see what they charge for arugula? I mean, they’re charging a lot of money for this stuff.” — Barack Obama
“You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a (flag) pin. Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for, I think, true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest…” — Barack Obama
“And if that child should ever get the chance to travel the world and someone should ask her where is she from, we believe that she should always be able to hold her head high with pride in her voice when she answers, “I am an American.”
That is the course we seek. That is the change we are calling for.” — Barack Obama
“I had learned not to care. I blew a few smoke rings, remembering those years. Pot had helped, and booze; maybe a little blow when you could afford it. Not smack, though. …” — Barack Obama
“Junkie. Pothead. That’s where I’d been headed: the final, fatal role of the young would-be black man. Except the highs hadn’t been about that, me trying to prove what a down brother I was. Not by then, anyway. I got high for just the opposite effect, something that could push questions of who I was out of my mind, something that could flatten out the landscape of my heart, blur the edges of my memory. I had discovered that it didn’t make any difference whether you smoked reefer in the white classmate’s sparkling new van, or in the dorm room of some brother you’d met down at the gym, or on the beach with a couple of Hawaiian kids who had dropped out of school and now spent most of their time looking for an excuse to brawl. …You might just be bored, or alone. Everybody was welcome into the club of disaffection.” — Barack Obama
“…I’ve got two daughters. 9 years old and 6 years old. I am going to teach them first of all about values and morals. But if they make a mistake, I don’t want them punished with a baby.” — Barack Obama
“I opposed the Defense of Marriage Act in 1996. It should be repealed and I will vote for its repeal on the Senate floor. I will also oppose any proposal to amend the U.S. Constitution to ban gays and lesbians from marrying.” — Barack Obama
“I am not in favor of concealed weapons. I think that creates a potential atmosphere where more innocent people could (get shot during) altercations.” — Barack Obama
“It was usually an effective tactic, another one of those tricks I had learned: (White) People were satisfied so long as you were courteous and smiled and made no sudden moves. They were more than satisfied, they were relieved — such a pleasant surprise to find a well-mannered young black man who didn’t seem angry all the time.” — Barack Obama
“I can no more disown (Jeremiah Wright) than I can disown the black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother - a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe.” — Barack Obama
“The point I was making was not that Grandmother harbors any racial animosity. She doesn’t. But she is a typical white person…” — Barack Obama
Barack’s Race Baiting Spiritual Mentor & Confidant
“The government gives them the drugs, builds bigger prisons, passes a three-strike law and then wants us to sing ‘God Bless America.’ No, no, no, God d*mn America, that’s in the Bible for killing innocent people. God d*mn America for treating our citizens as less than human. God d*mn America for as long as she acts like she is God and she is supreme.” — Jeremiah Wright
“We have supported state terrorism against the Palestinians and black South Africans, and now we are indignant because the stuff we have done overseas is now brought right back to our own front yards. America’s chickens are coming home to roost.” — Jeremiah Wright
“America is still the No. 1 killer in the world.” — Jeremiah Wright
“In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01. White America and the western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just ‘disappeared’ as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring black concerns.” — Jeremiah Wright
“Racism is how this country was founded and how this country is still run. No black man will ever be considered for president, no matter how hard you run Jesse [Jackson] and no black woman can ever be considered for anything outside what she can give with her body.” — Jeremiah Wright
“Just before Obama’s nationally televised campaign kickoff rally last Feb. 10, the candidate disinvited Wright from giving the public invocation. Wright explained: “When [Obama’s] enemies find out that in 1984 I went to Tripoli” to visit Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi with Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, “a lot of his Jewish support will dry up quicker than a snowball in hell.”
According to Wright, Obama then told him, “’You can get kind of rough in the sermons, so what we’ve decided is that it’s best for you not to be out there in public.’” But privately, Obama and his family prayed with Wright just before the presidential announcement.” — Ronald Kessler, Newsmax
“What I value most about Pastor Wright is not his day-to-day political advice. He’s much more of a sounding board for me to make sure that I am speaking as truthfully about what I believe as possible and that I’m not losing myself in some of the hype and hoopla and stress that’s involved in national politics.” — Barack Obama
“We started the AIDS virus. …We are only able to maintain our level of living by making sure that Third World people live in grinding poverty.” — Jeremiah Wright
“The government lied about inventing the HIV virus as a means of genocide against people of color. The government lied.” — Jeremiah Wright
Theresa Heinz Obama
“(America is) just downright mean.” — Michelle Obama
“For the first time in my adult lifetime, I am really proud of my country. And not just because Barack has done well, but because I think people are hungry for change. And I have been desperate to see our country moving in that direction.” — Michelle Obama
“…(T)he realities are that, you know, as a black man, you know, Barack can get shot going to the gas station, you know.” — Michelle Obama
“The truth is, in order to get things like universal health care and a revamped education system, then someone is going to have to give up a piece of their pie so that someone else can have more.” — Michelle Obama
“Barack Obama will require you to work. He is going to demand that you shed your cynicism. That you put down your divisions. That you come out of your isolation, that you move out of your comfort zones. That you push yourselves to be better. And that you engage. Barack will never allow you to go back to your lives as usual, uninvolved, uninformed.” — Michelle Obama
The Best Of The Rest
“So now we are in this Orwellian paradox of seeing Obama’s base turn out in record numbers on the basis apparently of race, but on the other hand the implied warning that if anyone else were likewise to consider that fact, then he would be racialist.
So is he an identity-politics candidate or a post racialist unifier? Or both? It all reminds me of the perennial complaints of the National Council of La Raza (the race) lecturing insensitive others about their unfair consideration of race in matters of illegal immigration. This is very disappointing, because lost in Obamania is the complete repudiation of his original promise precisely not to become a racial candidate.” — Victor Davis Hanson
“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman (of any color) he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.” — Geraldine Ferraro
“After his victory last week in Wisconsin and again at the Austin debate, Obama revealed himself to be the most liberal candidate since George McGovern. He is not thrilled with building a border fence. He wants to meet with Raul Castro. He will raise taxes and spend a boatload of money on new programs. He will exit Iraq pronto and spend that money on domestic programs. He opposes any restriction on partial birth abortion and thinks the District of Columbia’s total handgun ban is a “common sense” regulation.” — Jennifer Rubin
“(Obama) voted against a bill that would add penalties for crimes committed as a part of gang activity and against a bill that would make it a criminal offense for accused gang members, free on bond or probation, to associate with other gang members. In 1999, he was the only state senator to oppose a bill that prohibited early prison release for criminal sexual offenders.” — Amanda Carpenter
“So I think (Obama) definitely has convinced people that he stands for change and for hope, and I can’t wait to see what he stands for.” — Susan Sarandon
“(Obama’s) big themes are Change Hope and Unity…I suspect that after he’s elected, we’ll hear much less about Change and Unity and a lot more about Hope. As in, “I Hope this doesn’t end in a huge disaster. I Hope he doesn’t wreck the economy. I Hope he’s not too overwhelmed by the complexity and horror of the world. I Hope I survive this administration.” — A reader at The Corner
“I’m not the first to point out that the Obama campaign seems dangerously close to becoming a cult of personality.” — Paul Krugman
“Obama is all style. No substance. He’s all ‘I want to send children to the moon,’ and then when you ask how he says ‘Hope.’” — Dawn Summers
“I have a lifetime of experience that I will bring to the White House. I know Senator McCain has a lifetime of experience that he will bring to the White House. And Senator Obama has a speech he gave in 2002.” — Hillary Clinton
Tired rehashes that have already been disproved, or really don’t say anything particularly inflammatory. You’ve been passing on lots of incorrect information, Robert: you’re out of credibility. I’m sorry you won’t have much more time on this earth- please learn some honesty before you go.
To Mr. Robert Grant:
Apparently you have plenty of time left on this earth. “I’m at a stage in life where I don’t have a great deal of time left on Earth.” Enough to start posting rhetorical untruths, or at the very least, quotes way out of context. With not having enough time on earth, you can either help fight for equality and understanding. I.E. “Obama’s standing with Muslims”, as would I or many others if any said Muslims, Christians, or Buddists were racially or ethnically or religiously persecuted. You talk of who Obama stands with, etc. John McCain’s wife had mutual funds in the Sudanese government. The same government responsible for the mass ethhic cleansings of Darfur. McCain’s party also has many ties to lobbyists involved in tolatarian governments, military juntas, and dictators. Obama certainly has his problems as well. But you can’t simply expose all of one person’s and avoid the other’s all together. Personally, I want my children to grow up, coming home from school after MLK week, and saying “can you believe balck people couldn’t eat in the same resturants, can you believe that dad?” Or after Ramadan, or any Islamic tradition, the same sense equality, without hatred. Becuase its obvious from your posts that you believe all Muslims are bad. A simple lumping of everyone you believe to be different. Turn off Faux News, and look at the diversity in your own community. It’s time to end campaign of Fear and Mongering in ‘04 and ‘08. Use that $900 billion on better schools and veteran relief.
Oh my heavens Robert. Thank you for your wonderful pasting of talking points. I’ve never heard any of these before. I’m completely convinced of your truths. I’m switching to McCain.
Now … will you give it a rest?
Enjoy your Kool-aid.
Careful what you wish for.
What do we wish for, Robert? For people to not anonymously spread lies and innuendo. You just won’t take responsibility, will you? You feel justified in what you’ve done. When will it sink in that your behavior is wrong? It’s fine to dislike Obama, to oppose what he says and stands for, but that’s not what you are doing. You’re doing what the people behind the whisper campaign did to McCain in 2000, and what the Swift Boat Vets did to Kerry. It is wrong, Robert: clean up your own house before telling others what to do.
It is interesting how Robert has been busted posting demonstrably false and distorted information yet he refers to those who point out the truth as “kool aid drinkers”.
Seems to me he is the one swallowing stuff unthinkingly, then taking his precious time to regurgitate the lies here.
SPOUSAL WHIPPED: A recent Gannett article said Obama is being presented as female-centric to attract women voters. He was raised by a single parent mother so it was easy for Obama, when he got married, to let his wife take charge. If Obama, or Hillary, was president, we would have a spousal whiped president.
Robert and Obama bashers…I just want to know your quick opinion on the following website:
http://www.republicansforobama.org/
Can you enlighten me please, as when I google democrats for McCain, I come up empty. Why in the world would there be such a site if Obama was such the creep he is? Please help me out on this one…
And for McCain supporters out there this question:
If McCain cannot even stand up to Karl Rove and his b/s dirty tricks in South Carolina back in 2000, then how do you expect him to stand up to Al Queda and Iran? Dude has done an about face on a lot of his “tough” statements his entire carrear: in 1998 said we had to drop this impeachment waste of time and money and move on with the country’s buisness, but never voted to stop it and voted to impeach Clinton- 2000 in the campaign, making peace with Bush later on, standing up against tourture verbally, then voting along with Bush on the waterboarding deal, not standing up for injured Vets, or their GI bill that was recent in the news—going to kiss Bob Jones’ right and pandering to the far right when HE DOESNT HAVE TOO!!!! That is why I am not a fan of McCain- he only talks, does not back it up and often falls into line…in 2000 I would have considered him, but going belly up in SC changed all that.
Robert Grant, you are a sad spectacle. You obviously visit all the hate sites. I feel sorry for you.
I take issue with the premise. You start with the statement, “Determined not to be Swift-boated as John Kerry was four years ago…” and then go on say Obama is going to take on “unsubstantiated rumors and innuendo”. The opposite, in fact, happened to Kerry in 2004. His rumors, outright lies, and innuendo were debunked by a group that had a stake in the election. Your obvious bias in the first sentence, Mr. von Sternberg, betrays your sympathies and your agenda. It’s your blog, but don’t pretend it’s anything but propaganda.
His rumors, outright lies, and innuendo were debunked by a group that had a stake in the election.
Umm, you must be posting from some parallel universe. The claims by the swift boat veterans were repeatedly debunked. Both by official AND eyewitness accounts. They are liars.
No, Sean, not really. They were claimed to have been debunked over and over. Which isn’t the same.
Umm yeah, really. The people who were actually there and saw what happened said they are full of crap.
So did the New York Times, The LA Times, and others. So do you. What’s your point? Since not quite half of the country wanted him to be president, including most people that make up the mainstream press, that will happen.
They lied, and you bought it.
So you say. It apparently still stings. Maybe we can both agree that we didn’t get what we wanted in 2004, albeit in different ways.
another one thinking you have to prove something that isn’t true rather than having to prove that it is true. That’s the upside down thinking of conservatives brought to you by the rw talking heads. Just fabricate quotes and truncate sentences to make them say what you want them to say. That’s the Republican way!
I’m with Dora. I want change!!!
When do we find out what that means?
Obama would apply Social Security payroll tax on incomes above $250,000
By CHARLES BABINGTON , Associated Press
Last update: June 13, 2008 - 11:25 AM
Here’s a projected change.
Good or bad, Dora?
Hey Robert,
I don’t have the time or energy to sit here and try to convince you that Limbaugh and other right-wing smear-mongers are wrong, since your mind is clearly made up. I say you should feel free to vote for John “More of the Same” McCain if that’s who your truly believe in. Judging by the number of people that are attending his rallies, he’ll need all the help he can get.
Dora,
“Just fabricate quotes and truncate sentences to make them say what you want them to say”
Apparently, you can’t quote someone’s own book anymore for fear of being accused of fabricating quotes. I guess in this make believe world you are in Dora, people don’t have to be responsible for what they say or do as long as they talk about hope and change.
I think the campaign slogan for Obama should be “You’re not Responsible”. I think it sums up his ideas. I mean why should you have to answer for your moral beliefs which govern you or the statements your wife makes, or the friends and acquaintances you keep? I mean it’s only the office of PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!
Sure Jason you can quote from someone’s book as long as you quote from it accurately which has been proven by Snopes.com hasn’t happened. If you believe those smear emails then it’s you living in fantasyland.
Jason, if I were to do the same smear job on your posts above that you seem content to believe when a right-wing talking head does them, I could say:
Jason says “People don’t have to be responsible for what they say or do as long as they talk about hope and change.” See, this absolutely proves that Jason 100% advocates having absolutely no morality guide your actions. At least, it proves it about as well as those “quotes” prove Obama is a racist or a Muslim. Which is to say, it doesn’t prove them at all. Bald-faced lies.
You can also check factcheck.org if you’d like to see the quotes with context, and which ones were entirely made up. Or try something novel and refreshing, and read the entire book for yourself rather than get your “facts” from Faux News or other right-wing talking heads.
Poll: Coleman has strong lead with or without Ventura candidacy
Last update: June 16, 2008 - 11:23 PM
This must be incorrect. How can an angry, tax dodging, lying, hypocrite be losing to that nasty Norm Coleman.
You Democrats better wake up and produce some viable candidates. Rowley, Hatch, Wetterling…….and now Al Franken.
Your fifteen minutes are just about up.
Kahn, Ellison, Klobuchar….God help us.
I’m sure some idiotic poll conducted by the reliable Strib will follow this shortly.
Al Gore. Come on. You do make me laugh.
Smugglers had blueprints for compact nuclear device
The plans described a warhead that would fit on a ballistic missile used by Iran and other developing countries, according to a former U.N. arms inspector’s report.
By JOBY WARRICK, Washington Post
Last update: June 15, 2008 - 11:50 PM
WASHINGTON - An international smuggling ring that sold bomb-related parts to Libya, Iran and North Korea also managed to acquire blueprints for an advanced nuclear weapon, according to a draft report by a former top U.N. arms inspector that suggests the plans could have been shared secretly with any number of countries or rogue groups.
Dora, and the rest of you people with blinders on. Pay attention to these type’s of things. Remember 9/11, and ask yourselves if you would feel safer living in a world with Obama making a decision to back Isreal if Iran decided to get nasty.
Should we dissolve NATO?
I’m fine with that, but you can’t have it both way’s.
Obama’s money decision allows him to implement a strategy for expanding the battleground
Obama’s money decision allows him to implement a strategy for expanding the battleground
More Politically Connected
This story is so interesting, you’ve listed it twice this morning. Say, doesn’t this contradict what Obama said previously? Oh nevermind, he’s the Stribs liberal savior. It’s ok if he lies.