Dirty Politics Inc.

[prole]

From the Guardian:

The current mastermind of the Republican attack machine is known as the Bullet. He is Steve Schmidt, a protégé of Bush's guru, Karl Rove. Nicknamed for his results as much as his bald head, he made his name as commander of the war room that wiped out Democrat John Kerry in 2004. Brought in to shake things up in July, Schmidt imposed discipline on a disorganised campaign. He dissuaded McCain from his off-the-cuff chats with reporters, and honed the focus solely on making Obama unelectable.

 

Schmidt works on the principles of repeating simple messages loudly and often. Ads attack Obama as a 'celebrity' or a faux-messiah. By doing so they hope to turn Obama's greatest strength - his ability to inspire - into a fatal flaw.

 

...The father of the modern Republican attack machine was Lee Atwater, a South Carolina native with a passion for blues guitar and brutal politics who, before he died of brain cancer in 1991, wrote letters of apology to many of those his aggressive campaigning had destroyed.

 

Before his profound change of heart Atwater changed the face of American politics. During the 1970s Atwater showed a flair for making the personal into the political. His tactics were condemned but they were effective, most notably in the destruction of Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis in 1988 and the election of George Bush senior. Dukakis was accused of being a depressive, his wife was attacked as having once burned an American flag and finally he was hit by the infamous race-baiting ad that featured black murderer Willie Horton who committed armed robbery and rape after being released on a weekend furlough programme. 'Lee Atwater ruined the business of politics. It all began with him,' said McAuliffe.

 

Atwater also mentored the young Karl Rove. Rove, in his turn, mentored Schmidt. 'There is a reason why Steve Schmidt, who was mentored by Rove who was mentored by Atwater, is running John McCain's campaign,' said Joe Conason, author of the book Big Lies. That reason is simple - these tactics work. When Republicans are shunning Bush's record, attacking Obama personally is the strongest course of action.

 

...Now that same machine is backing McCain. This week in St Paul it will be gearing itself up to try to repeat its five wins in the past seven elections. Yet, amid the smears and muck-raking, perhaps there is something even greater at stake than the White House. Just months before he died, ravaged by a terrible cancer and barely able to move, Atwater wrote an article for Life magazine. In it he appealed for future political leaders to correct the power-hungry style of politics he himself had perfected.

 

'They must be made to speak to this spiritual vacuum at the heart of American society, this tumour of the soul,' he wrote. But, as the McCain camp prepares for the final leg of the election, most Republican operatives will be thinking only of Atwater's many victories. Few will be considering what they cost and his deathbed plea for change.--- Guardian 8/31/08

[Fairweather]

Does he look anything like this guy?

 

[prole]

 

I'd say he's a bit more Liddy-esque.

[Fairweather]

With Bush leaving I guess it's only natural that lefties need to pick someone new upon which to focus their hate.

[mattp]

You are right. It could not possibly be that anyone would simply dislike political campaigns that run on smear and lies. It has gotta be partisan.

[Bug]

With Bush leaving I guess it's only natural that lefties need to pick someone new upon which to focus their hate.

So you are in favor of having hatred monopolized by republican campaign managers?

I guess that is not surprising.

[Fairweather]

That's right. Rove/Bush were never any more underhanded than Carville/Clinton. Maybe, rather than worrying about what Fairweather believes, you should focus on reigning in some of the horrific comments re Palin and her children currently emanating from "your" side of the political fence?

[Bug]

So Obama has been the negative campaigner and McCain is just holding pace?

You need to branch out beyond Rush Limbauh for your current events.

[Fairweather]

I'm talking about comments made here. Matt always gets all sensitive n' all about name calling etc...unless it's done by libidiots who share his theology--to whom he gives a wink and a nod.

Edited September 1, 2008 by Fairweather

[Bug]

Ah. You and MattP have your own special relationship. Don't try to drag anyone else into that. I do notice that he doesn't have that same response to KKKK or Glasgowkiss. You seem to spark an interest somehow. Maybe we should call you "Sparky".

Anyway Between you, KKKK, Hugh and at least a couple others, this board seems well represented by the Whackoo right.

And Matt is just posting. He hasn't banned you or edited your messages has he?

Just sayin.

[prole]

 

More "media-baiting" by the McCain Campaign on full display:

 

Palin: Democrats Spreading Misinformation And Lies

 

MINNEAPOLIS - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Thursday blamed supporters of the Democratic presidential ticket for spreading "misinformation and flat-out lies" about her and her family.

 

But her spokeswoman said Obama's campaign was not responsible, even though a Palin fundraising letter named the Democratic ticket with the words: "the Obama-Biden Democrats have been vicious in their attacks directed toward me, my family and John McCain."

[Phil K]

Misinformation and lies; did you hear her speech? Com'on, it was just a total pile of BS, distortions and slander.

http://politicsanew.com/2008/09/04/fact-checking-the-sarah-palin-acceptance-speech/

You dumbass righties sure don't believe in letting the facts interfere with your beliefs do you?

More "media-baiting" by the McCain Campaign on full display:

 

Palin: Democrats Spreading Misinformation And Lies

 

MINNEAPOLIS - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Thursday blamed supporters of the Democratic presidential ticket for spreading "misinformation and flat-out lies" about her and her family.

 

But her spokeswoman said Obama's campaign was not responsible, even though a Palin fundraising letter named the Democratic ticket with the words: "the Obama-Biden Democrats have been vicious in their attacks directed toward me, my family and John McCain."