Anti-Obama smear campaign gets rolling in South Carolina

South Carolina has a history of rough politics.

Allright, they're downright mean and dirty. Sen. John McCain wasn't the first to get a bitter taste of that in 2000. And now, it seems, some anonymous sources are trying the same smear tactics on Sen. Barack Obama in advance of Saturday's state Democratic presidential primary.

There's a whispering campaign underway across the entire state, often using forwarded e-mails, suggesting that Obama is a closet Muslim schooled in anti-American lessons who refuses to take the Pledge of Allegiance.

To be honest though, Illinois politics is no kindergarten either. So Obama's campaign....

was ready. It has sent out a new mailer with the large headline: "COMMITTED CHRISTIAN," depicting the candidate in a church pulpit before a large white cross. It talks about how Obama accepted Jesus Christ in his life.

Obama hasn't hesitated to raise his faith while speaking, but now it's become even more prominent. “I’ve been at the same church, the same Christian church for almost 20 years," he said at a recent Columbia rally. "My wife and I were married in that church, our children were dedicated in that church. I was sworn in with my hand on the family bible. Whenever I’m in the U.S. Senate, I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.” Then, he added, “If you get some silly e-mail, send it back …Tell them this is all crazy.”

During Monday's acrid Democratic debate in Myrtle Beach, he still managed to slip in, “I am a proud Christian.”

And Obama supporter Sen. John Kerry responded in greater detail in a Tuesday e-mail: “Some of you may have heard about the disgusting lies about Barack Obama that are being circulated by e-mail," Kerry said. "These attacks smear Barack's Christian faith and deep patriotism, and they distort his record of more than two decades of public service. They are nothing short of 'Swiftboat' style anonymous attacks.

“These are the same tactics the right has used again and again, and as we've learned, these attacks, no matter how bogus, can spread and take root if they go unchecked. But not this time," the former presidential candidate vowed. "We're fighting back."

Kerry said Obama could not counter the rumors alone. “We need you to e-mail the truth to your address books," the Massachusetts senator urged. "Print it out and post it at work. Talk to your neighbors. Call your local radio station. Write a letter to the editor. If lies can be spread virally, let's prove to the cynics that the truth can be every bit as persuasive as it is powerful."

The Obama campaign has created a website for supporters to acquire the facts. "Next time you hear these attacks on Barack," Kerry adds, "take action immediately.”

--Seema Mehta

Comments

[nancy]

The Clintons have gone too far. I predict a backlash.

[Sherri]

Obamas constantly talking about color. With blacks, they should vote for him because he is black. Anything they don't like is racist against him. "
Obama's racial warriors and wife tried to suggest the attack on Obama's Iraq inaction was an attack on his entire campaign. Obama was weak when it comes to actually opposing the war. He keeps talking about what he did in 2002, and does not address what he has done since being elected to the U. S. Senate in 2004. Can anyone point me to a TV ad Obama ran in 2004, during his senate race, opposing the war? So far as I am aware, there is no such ad. Obama was in full weasel-mode in 2004 after he won the senate nomination comparing himself to George Bush, and said he kept quiet on Iraq to help Senator John Kerry. Well. Since taking the oath of office in 2005, Obama has been pretty quiet on Iraq, limiting himself to proposing pie-in-the-sky solutions that have no chance of passage, He has done nothing to "unite us." And so Bill Clinton was 100% correct when he called Obama's "opposition" to the war a complete fairy tale. I would go one step further and call it a fabrication. Obama has always been careful to be the African-American candidate of "white America, although a majority of voters are NOT going to nominate a candidate that seeks to racialize every campaign dispute. Obambi's record of actually fighting against Iraq policy is poor, and certainly nowhere near as strong as John McCain's criticism both of the old policy and support for the surge. Obama's one speech six years ago is an insufficient foundation for his flatulent rhetoric today. He hasn't done anything. Criticizing Obama for talking the talk but not walking the walk is fair comment.

Barack Obama is a member of Chicago's Trinity United Church of Christ. Its minister, and Obama's spiritual adviser, Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Last year, it gave the Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Trumpeter Award to a man it said "truly epitomized greatness." That man is Louis Farrakhan. maybe for Wright and some others, Farrakhan "epitomized greatness." For Americans, Farrakhan epitomizes racism, particularly in the form of anti-Semitism. Over the years, he has compiled an awesome record of offensive statements, even denigrating the Holocaust by falsely attributing it to Jewish cooperation with Hitler -- "They helped him get the Third Reich on the road." His history is a rancid stew of lies.
Any praise of Farrakhan heightens the prestige of the leader of the Nation of Islam. His anti-Semitism and particularly his false insistence that Jews have played an inordinate role in victimizing African Americans.
Farrakhan's dream has vilified whites and singled out Jews to blame for crimes large and small, either committed by others as well or not at all. (A dominant role in the slave trade, for instance.) He has talked of Jewish conspiracies to set a media line for the whole nation. He has reviled Jews in a manner that brings Hitler to mind. And yet Wright heaped praise on Farrakhan. According to Trumpet, he applauded his "depth of analysis when it comes to the racial ills of this nation." He praised "his integrity and honesty." He called him "an unforgettable force, a catalyst for change and a religious leader who is sincere about his faith and his purpose." These are the words of a man who prayed with Obama just before the Illinois senator announced his run for the presidency. Will he pray with him just before his inaugural?
The New York Times recently reported on Obama's penchant while serving in the Illinois legislature for merely voting "present" when faced with some tough issues. Farrakhan, in a strictly political sense, may be a tough issue for him. This time, though, "present" will not do.

[Jason Samarcolm]

The Clinton machine reveals its true self once again.

[Now legal to vote]

I just recently turned 18 in December and I am so excited about the "08" election. I am an Obama supporter and I just feel that it's sad for people to stoop to lies all in the name of a campaign. Barack Obama is going about things the right way, and is a man of integrity and is highly intelligent. I know that in November he has my vote, and he will shine through all the mud those Clintons are throwing his way! MASSACHUSETTS LOVES YOU OBAMA:)

[NikkiT]

I can't comment one way or the other on his muslim background (I think he still has relatives in Kenya that are somewhat connected to things happening there), but my concern is his connections to Tony Rezko, the slumlord in Chicago who was recently indicted on fraud, bribery, and money laundering charges.

Do we really want a Presidential candidate who will be going through these indictments in the middle of his candidacy?

As Hillary said - she has been fully vetted......I'd rather go with the sure bet.

[Tom J]

Barack Obama emails have the dubious distinction of being #1 on Snopes.com's Most Popular Urban Legends list:
http://www.snopes.com/info/top25uls.asp
Hillary Clinton emails are #9.

Obama's also #1, #6 and #8 on the list at:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bltop25.htm

Obviously, some people will stop at NOTHING to keep him from being nominated. Pretty sad. Fortunately there are additional Fact Checker sites, focused on the presidential campaign, being set up by responsible sources:
http://www.factcheck.org/
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/

Let's not be fooled again.

[Cher]

I don't like the fact that he's been involved with this Rezko guy and is trying to cover it up.

[Bill Flannigan]

Fully vetted? What about the Clinton machine taking money from numerous Chinese contributors, one of whom was indicted just last fall? If Obama needs to smack back the Bill and Hill show, we only need to open the can of worms on all the scandals that dogged them in the 90s and will re-emerge should she get the nomination. Maybe not all are fair, but if she or anyone wants to claim that the Clintons have been vetted and have "clean hands" then just wait until all the Republicans and independents begin remembering all the nastiness we suffered through with the Clinton administration. Listen to Hill's words at the debate- she's "ready to take on the other side, ready to FIGHT them..." as if that is what we want, 4 or 8 more years of partisan politics. We need Obama to bring this country together- Hill can't or won't do that- too many people in this country despise her (for whatever reasons) and if we allow her into the White House, the country will remain divided. Policies matter, but what really matters is the judgment and leadership to make those policies a reality. As a life-long Democrat, I will not support Clinton in the fall, should she get the nod. And remember, Obama created a national organization that is challenging the Clinton machine, and he did so in less than a year! Imagine how much he can do as a President with a mandate from Dems, independents and moderate "Obama Republicans"- Hill would be nothing without her ex-President hubby fighting her fights, while Obama fought his way to this point on his own. So who is really the "sure bet"? For my vote, it is Obama!

[Rudy M.]

To NikkiT: if you don't think that every candidate has been "associated" with some crooked person, think again. Obama worked on legal issues related to Rezko as a junior lawyer at a law firm. I'll take him at his word that he worked on the case for 5 hours. Rezko also gave to Obama's campaign and the money has been returned to donated to charity. There's no proof that Obama had any idea this guy is crooked or that Obama did anything wrong and, without some kind of proof or even a tangible allegation, this is mudslinging---plain and simple.

Clinton has been has a long list of "questionable" associates and dealings. Take for example the McDougals and the whole Whitewater thing (yes, I know the Clintons were cleared of any wrongdoing). My point isn't to accuse Hillary or say that any of the allegations are necessarily with merit, but just to point out that things can be said about a candidate merely to cast doubt about them with out proof or even an actual allegation being made.

I think that looking at Obama's record as president of the Harvard Law Review is telling (google it, there are good articles). He fostered dialog, listened to differing sides, and was able to bring people together to form a consensus. He didn't adhere to his personal agenda, it seems, and gained respect and praise from all sides. This, in my humble opinion, is something that we need in a leader.

Clinton has a long history with the republicans already and is a much more divisive figure. They will fight her tooth and nail and she comes in with bad blood between her and the right. If the race comes down to her and McCain, I've talked to several democrats that said they'd consider voting for McCain. In addition, he's sure to win the critical independent vote.

[Colonel Ray]

I hate to bust the Obamarama reality show, but anyone with the guts go to google and put in election polls and look at the numbers. Wolf Blitzer said after the debate the polls were too close to call on the Dem side nationwide. In reality Hillary has very very large leads in California, Florida, Pennslyvania, New Jersey, and New York, some as large as 25 points. Almost all polls have her up by 7-10 points nationwide. It is disgusting that CNN would not report this correctly just so they can keep their lead story about the annointed Candidate Barrack Hussein Obama on the top of the news……
NO Obama supporters will answer the comments about Obama’s slum lord friend, his radical muslim buddy in Kenya, his unwillingness to even use his own true name or his attendance at a church who give people like Farrankhan awards. Barrack Hussein Obama is ashamed of his name, ashamed of his heritage, ashamed of his mother, ashamed of his bi-racial race, ashamed of our flag, and I am ashamed of him.

[miriam biteng]

we should not include faith in the caucus. what matters are their individual strong management and political contributions or capability to run this hardest job in the country. why listen to such little noise, it is what you can do what matters, not what others say.
Frankly, i do not believe a highly character, strong woman like Hillary will invest her effort on those irrelevant, useless, meanless moves. Forget it, go prove yourselves!

[Dewtrell]

To NikkiT,

Well, if you are really so concerned about indictments, why don't you look back at the 8 years of the Clinton Presidency where even Hillary's own dealings with Cattle Futures, i.e. insider trading, Travel Gate, the catastrophic back door deal of Healthcare Reform, very reminisent Dick Cheney's backdoor deals with the energy lobby. And let's not forget NAFTA, deregulation of media and energy under "their" administration among other things.

You may want to do some research on your own candidate before you say anything about Obama.

[sadhana]

I think Obama's people are spreading these rumors in order to ignite even greater vitriol against Hillary Clinton. Obama himself seems like a nice guy that I would vote for in a few years' time. I just think Clinton needs a chance this time round as she's more ready than anyone else to do the enormous cleanup following the beatific Bush years. The campaigns can be blamed for cheap shots but the candidates themselves are pretty cool, it's a tough choice; I pick Hillary for now, in deference to her seniority in age, wisdom and experience, Obama, I will volunteer and work like a horse for you come 2016.

[politicalperson]

If you're concerned about corruption, then the people you don't want in the WH are the CLINTONS!!

If you don't want liars, the people you don't want in the WH are the CLINTONS!

I voted for Bill twice and started as a Hillary supporter, but now am backing Obama.

[BradK]

Oh, give me a break on this holier-than-thou stuff coming out of the Clinton campaign about Tony Rezko. Every heard of Norman Hsu who raised $850,000 for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign and is now in state prison on business fraud charges, and faces further federal indictments for alleged investment swindles and illegal campaign contributions? Hsu was a fugitive from justice the entire time he was supporting Hillary---unlike Rezko who was a widely respected, up-and-coming real estate developer at the time he began backing Obama's political career. It was only later that some of Rezko's real estate investments turned sour and he landed in legal trouble---something Obama could not possibly have foreseen. Classic Clinton smear politics---take your greatest vulnerabilities and turn them on your opponents, yelling louder than the other guy as a smokescreen to make them forget your problems, or at a minimum to drag everyone down into the mud with you. Falsely accuse Obama of having worked as a "lawyer for a slumlord" when in fact he spent all of 5 hours doing due diligence on documents for his client, a legitimate non-profit community organization that was trying to put together what they thought was a legitimate low-income housing development deal with a deep-pockets real estate developer, long before anyone had accused him of being a "slumlord." Disgusting slimeball Clinton politics. Yechh! The last thing we need is 4 or 8 more years of this garbage.

[blakmira]

Is America ready for a black president? Absolutely. One that embraces all races equally and sees no color lines, though -- and clearly, Obama does not fit in this category.

This week I received an automated phone call from the Obama campaign telling me I should call Congressman John Lewis to complain that he has refused to vote for Obama, a "fellow Black Caucus member." It then gave out the phone number to call this Congressman to convince him he should support Obama, a "fellow Black Caucus member." (this phrase was used twice during the call)

Imagine, a Black Congressman refusing to support another Black presidential candidate! Obviously in Obama's mind, this is some sort of an injustice. Why? Blacks have to "stick together"? This sounds really separatist to me.

I won't be voting for Obama. I don't like the fact that he voted for the Patriot Act and refuses to give a timeline for getting out of the War. I don't really see any "changes" he's going to make that are not the same old solutions. And in some of the statements he makes in his autobiographical book "Dreams of My Father," it appears he is trapped between two races and has chosen only one to side with. With his unresolved racial baggage, he's the last person we need trying to bring this country together.

[Mark]

I can't remember his name, but just a few months back, the Clintons returned some money that was donated to them for the presidential race by a man who was wanted by federal agents in California for repeatedly skipping on his warrants.

With the Rezko contributions, we're talking years ago, and this was a guy who funded many, many Chicago politicians. And covering it up? Seems to me like he's been pretty forthright about it, much more so than the Clintons on Lewinsky or Whitewater.

Obama has over 500,000 contributers to his campaign. Do you think they can all be vetted for potential criminal activities? When this came up, he did the right thing and returned the money immediately. The Clintons are relying on these distorted claims because they have so little substance to attack Obama on.

Bush-Clinton-Bush-Clinton? Come on, seriously? Establishment Dems--if you want to throw away at a minimum our Congressional majorities, and possibly the presidency, vote for Billary. You can't underestimate the depth of antipathy out there against the Clintons. I'm an independent who leans Democrat, and I could not bring myself to vote for Hillary in a general election. She represents a form of politicking that has poisoned this country and works to exclude people who aren't part of the political elite.

Don't buy the lies. Fights like health-care reform and ending the war in Iraq will require a mandate from across the political spectrum. Otherwise it won't get done. Billary simply cannot deliver.

[fifi]

Obama is another Bush in the making. Bush had no experience and look at the mess we are in, Bush cannot make a sensible sentence without a bunch of er's and ah's., he squints and smirks and struts about like a cowpoke..... Obama uses a lot of er' and ah's, he stammers, squints and smirks, as well as struts, and he cannot forcus on an instant retort, and he has no experience!

[John]

The entire Republican machine went after the Clintons for years and could prove none of their outrageous, right-wing allegations, many of which are being repeated here. Yes, Bill Clinton had an affair with an intern, lied about it and he was a fool for doing both. However, the Republicans wasted millions of tax dollars to create a deceptive smokescreen of false allegations around the Clinton presidency. Everything that could be hurled at Hillary has already been thrown and none of it sticks because it's just anti-Clinton lies and propaganda.

[sbrad39]

Flannigan-

No need to go back to the 90's to find scandals all one has to do is look at this deal, when is someone in the media going to ask her why she is in favor of shipping jobs overseas. That sounds Republicanish....

[R S Chan]

When a person has over $400.00 parking fine and would not pay it off even after he became a successful lawyer, a state legislator and even U S Senator, something is wrong with this person's character. Obama only decided to pay off this parking fine the day before he filed to run for the Presidency. Claiming he overlooked this debt to society does not hold water. Forgetting about one parking fine ia believable but nobody forgets sveral fines totalling over $400.00. This is not believable.

This tells me that he is a person that has no respect for the law, a person who does not take responsiblity of his own action. Do we really want someone with such character fault as a President? I do not think so. We had a person with a silver spoon in his mouth for a president for the last 7 years and see what it got us. I do not know if we can afford a person with a silver tougue in his mouth. Yes he talks eloquently and tells voters what they want to hear. Obama is all talk and no substance. Some of what he said about his foreign policy approaches sounded almost like George Bush. He said he would consider going into Pakistan unilterally. That is dangerous.

Obama talks about change. If we all follow his example, that means we do not have to take personal responisblity on our action anymore. That is scary. One things does turn out good for this. I have told my daughter that I am not going to pay for any or her parking fine. I told her that she could wait until she became a successful attorney, a state legislator and a U S Senator and decide to run for the presidency before she had to pay them.

I hope voters and Obama supporters will come to their senses and take a close look at this person. Our country cannot afford to make another mistake in choosing the right person for a President.

[martin andersen]

It's hard not to admire the Clntonian political machine and their ability to say whatever is needed to get elected. And getting elected no matter what the fallout along the way is the plan. If the press would get on the offensive and challenge theiir bs, this might be a real American down-to-the wire election. Alas, I do not think it is possible to salvage an election we can believe in.
Wait until the Republicans get their claws into Hillary. They will absolutely go where Obama wouldn't. Between Bills screw ups and their past business and political dealings, they are toast. I am not sure the democrats will circle the wagons for yet another Clinton rescue. I'm weary already. I think I'll vote present.

[Bruce Taylor,Berkeley/Sacramento]

Some of the comments here about Senator Obama point to extreme non-acquaintance with the facts. I suggest you quit reading diatribes and educate yourselves with some facts. It is obviously your right to have an opinion but you should certainly do all you can to see that it is an informed one.If you are voting with misinformed opinions you will add to your own cynicism.

[Illegal Alien]

The media are using the candidates Obama and Clinton like a bunch of dogs. They intrigue them to say something and it becomes news. This is really unfair to make a living at the expense of candidates.

We are the gullible public that likes those intrigues and get emotionally driven. Please read between the lines, it's not Obama, Hillary or the Republicans but the media filling up the 24/7 news.

[Bruce Taylor,Berkeley/Sacramento]

By the way,Senator Obama spoke at length today about Antoin Rezko and no-one has taken exception to what he said in the media because there is nothing there to contradict. However,Senator Clinton has yet to release the White House archives regarding her "35 years of experience", the facts regarding Marc Rich and his pardon,and her time at Walmart.