Obama Approves Of Premptive Attacks -- On His Political Opponents That Is

Thus far, no one with any serious affiliation to John McCain’s campaign has resorted to the alleged “scare” tactics in which Republicans — and, apparently, only Republicans — have been perfecting since Richard Nixon was first elected. On the contrary, if the past few months have showed us anything, it’s that the Obama campaign is the one dealing in crude smears. … It’s curious how anyone could argue that a man with such visceral understanding of the capacity for what America’s enemies will do to our men and women in uniform doesn’t fully appreciate the cost of war. But even more troubling is the unmistakable pattern of these smears, all of them unsubtly alleging that McCain is an unhinged, mentally unstable warmonger who would deploy soldiers capriciously because he hasn’t truly experienced the horrors of ground battle. Indeed, the claims of these four men — and the short period of time in which they were all uttered — are so similar in tone that one would be foolish not to at least consider the possibility they were coordinated by the Obama campaign. Nevertheless, the fears of Obama supporters that their candidate lies eternally vulnerable to GOP smears exists only in their fevered imaginations. The evidence of dirty Republican tricks has been utterly absent this campaign season. And if anyone has tried to smear Barack Obama in the way that Thomas, Wolfe and other Democratic partisans allege, it was not the Republican National Committee, but rather Hillary Rodham Clinton and her surrogates. In February, the Drudge Report claimed that the Clinton campaign circulated photos of Obama in a traditional East African turban and robe, with the message that the images showed him “dressed.” Asked if there was any truth to the smear that Obama is a Muslim, she infamously replied, “As far as I know,” it wasn’t the case. After the Indiana and North Carolina primaries, she said the results showed that “Sen. Obama’s support among working, hard-working Americans, white Americans, is weakening again.”

This is a part of the same overall strategy that beat Hillary. DKK Via Hot Air

The Attempted Neutering Of McCain Continues -- Obama Plays Preemptive Race Card

Earlier I posted my explanation of how the Obama campaign neutered the Clintons through a combination of claiming Hillary's attacks were all below the belt while at the same time attacking Hillary in the very same manner. Then came the inevitable race sensitivity. The combination of these two virtually eliminated all of the Clinton's tools from their tool belt.

Previously I noted that Obama had already begun the duplicity by attacking McCain for political posturing even as Obama was political posturing himself.

Well, as expected, Obama has now preemptively played the race card.

Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama said on Friday he expects Republicans to highlight the fact that he is black as part of an effort to make voters afraid of him.

“It is going to be very difficult for Republicans to run on their stewardship of the economy or their outstanding foreign policy,” Obama told a fundraiser in Jacksonville, Florida. “We know what kind of campaign they’re going to run. They’re going to try to make you afraid.

“They’re going to try to make you afraid of me. He’s young and inexperienced and he’s got a funny name. And did I mention he’s black?”

He said he was also set for Republicans to say “he’s got a feisty wife,” in trying to attack his wife Michelle.

Right Wing Nut House notes the effect:

We expected it, of course. It is his greatest political weapon and he will use it again and again, shamelessly accusing the GOP of bringing up his race (even, as this proves, when they don’t) in order to deflect criticism away from he and his wife for anything they say or any associations in their past.

The press will let him get away with it because they are terrified of being accused of racism themselves.

This neutering worked against the Clintons effectively removing all of the tools from their tool belt by unilaterally changing the game (with the willing help of the MSM).

Let's hope the McCain camp have a workable tactic for this. One suggestion is for McCain to go to BOTH the places Republicans won't go and the places Obama won't go! McCain already started this with his visit to New Orleans, but this won't be enough
DKK

The Neutering Has Begun -- The Active Duplicity Of The Obama Campaign

Earlier I posted my explanation of how the Obama campaign neutered the Clintons through a combination of claiming Hillary's attacks were all below the belt while at the same time attacking Hillary in the very same manner. Then came the inevitable race sensitivity. The combination of these two virtually eliminated all of the Clinton's tools from their tool belt.

That worked in the Democratic primaries because the hard core of the party were willing to believe that Hillary was acting like the evil Republicans thus making her actions taboo!

Well, as I expected Obama's campaign pulled this trick on McCain this weekend.

While discussing the fact that Obama hasn't been to Iraq in at least 2 years and hasn't even bothered to sit down with Petraeus or members of the military from his own state (Vets For Freedom -- Senator Obama, Talk to Commanders or Meet with Dictators?) recently this was reported:

"I go back every few months because things are changing in Iraq," he said. McCain questioned whether Obama has ever been briefed by Petraeus. "I would also seize that opportunity to educate Senator Obama along the way."

Obama spokesman Bill Burton declined to respond directly to McCain.

"Senator Obama thinks Memorial Day is a day to honor our nation's veterans, not a day for political posturing," Burton said.

However as Powerline Blog points out, most of what Obama did Monday, Memorial Day was political Posturing:

What was really offensive about Obama's New Mexico appearance, however, was what followed his very brief, but generally appropriate, tribute to America's war dead. He continued with a town hall-style question and answer period that cast veterans in the only role with which the Democrats are comfortable--victims--and sought to politicize the holiday. A few excerpts:

Number one, is what we just talked about which is making sure that the G.I. bill for a 21st century is passed. And although George Bush has threatened to veto it, our intention is to override that veto when it comes back to the House and the Senate...

(...)

OBAMA: Well, obviously, the problems you just listed affect veterans and nonveterans alike. And part of what this president hasn't understood that I think the American people understand is that part of our security is our economy -- our economic security.

Political posturing in its raw form!

Do as I say, not as I do duplicity -- watch for this to continue with more intensity and to be picked up by the MSM and talking heads as they swoon over, "New Politics," that is really nothing but the old politics.

Somebody tell John McCain the neutering scalpels are out!
DKK

McCain Campaign Vows Not To Be Neutered

He began pounding McCain for seeking the third term of George W. Bush. At the same time, Obama implores McCain in the interest of "one nation" and "one people" not to attack him. The shorthand, widely repeated by the news media, is that the Republican candidate must not "Swift boat" Obama. That amounts to unilateral political disarmament by McCain.

McCain is not about to disarm. His campaign has no intention of fighting this battle on Democratic turf. During the more than five months ahead, Republicans will explore the mindset of this young man who is a stranger to most Americans. That includes his association with the Chicago leftist William Ayers, who has remained unrepentant about his violent role as a 1960s radical. This will not be popular with McCain's erstwhile admirers in the mainstream news media, but America has not heard the last of Bill Ayers in this campaign.

DKK

Robert Novak -- Real Clear Politics -- McCain Won't Play By Obama's Rules

Was This A Preemptive Strike?

“If they think that they’re going to try to make Michelle an issue in this campaign, they should be careful, because that I find unacceptable — the notion that you start attacking my wife or my family,” he said.

“For them to try to distort or to play snippets of her remarks in ways that are unflattering to her I think is just low class and I think they — most of the American people would think that as well,” he said. “I would never think of going after somebody’s spouse in a campaign.” (Hot Air)

In my post How Obama Neutered The Clintons I proposed that Obama beat Hillary (so far) by preemptively eliminating legitimate avenues of attack by redefining what was acceptable in a campaign. Well, in light of the internet rumor that there is a video of Michelle Obama speaking at church using the phrase, "whitey," I was wondering if this was an attempt to remove that tape from the game as well. It appeared to be based on an advertisement in Tennessee that called Michelle out on her claim to have not been proud of America before now, but was there more to it then that?

Remember, Michelle's comments about being proud as well as her calling America a mean country were all done on the campaign trail!

The American Thinker Blog gives a list of things that are no longer acceptable as political arguments against Obama, The Rule Book for Criticizing Obama.

DKK

How Obama Neutered The Clintons

I keep reading post after post of how Obama beat, bested, or defeated Hillary. None of these are accurate descriptions of what happened.

Obama preemptively neutered the Clintons, period.

Let me explain:

At the beginning of the race, prior to it narrowing to Obama versus Clinton, Obama began his Hope tour. Nondescript, nonspecific, and completely nonthreatening, but well choreographed, including swooning and fainting throngs.

Occasionally he would throw in comments about the old way of campaigning and how that was the evil way of the, "others." All the while his surrogates, sometimes his campaign, and on occasion even the master himself attacked the Clintons (later on he attacked McCain, often unfairly -- but that was okay because he had already sold it).

Basically he appeared to move above the negative even managing to label it as Clintonian. When your name becomes a tactic you really can't disengage yourself from that label.

At the same time his campaign made a preemptive strike labeling minor criticism as racial and constantly appeared poised to do so again at even the faintest hint.

This combination meant that Obama not only defined the playing field but he wrote the rules of the game in the process removing the Clinton's proven weapons. Playing to win was no longer PC if it meant actually pointing out your opponents flaws.

In the Democratic party, controlled by the far left as it currently is, this effectively neutered the Clintons before the race even began.

Any attack Hillary made was Clintonian or racist. She could no longer bring up issues that may have won it for her. Any question of Obama's electability was radioactive. Associations and judgment about his, "friends," things that will matter in the general election, Reverend Wright, William Ayres, or Tony Rezko were instant death! The Media could no longer be trusted to bring these things to the fore because they were as caught up in the dream as the throngs at the rallies!

Toward the end Hillary did hit on the only option left to here -- drinking with regular folk demonstrating to the Super Delegates that Obama could not win the voters that cling to their guns and God

Interestingly the Clintons were NOT neutered when it came to the Super Delegates, just with the Democratic voters. That is her ONLY hope now.

Unfortunately, it appears Obama may have managed to finally neuter them as well when he took 91% of the black vote.
DKK