This past week, one of his campaign websites posted an item entitled “Behind the curtain: A brief history of Romney’s donors.” In the post, the Obama campaign named and shamed eight private citizens who had donated to his opponent. Describing the givers as all having “less-than-reputable records,” the post went on to make the extraordinary accusations that “quite a few” have also been “on the wrong side of the law” and profiting at “the expense of so many Americans.”
These are people like Paul Schorr and Sam and Jeffrey Fox, investors who the site outed for the crime of having “outsourced” jobs. T. Martin Fiorentino is scored for his work for a firm that forecloses on homes. Louis Bacon (a hedge-fund manager), Kent Burton (a “lobbyist”) and Thomas O’Malley (an energy CEO) stand accused of profiting from oil. Frank VanderSloot, the CEO of a home-products firm, is slimed as a “bitter foe of the gay rights movement.”
These are wealthy individuals, to be sure, but private citizens nonetheless. Not one holds elected office. Not one is a criminal. Not one has the barest fraction of the position or the power of the U.S. leader who is publicly assaulting them. […]
The real crime of the men, as the website tacitly acknowledges, is that they have given money to Mr. Romney. This fundraiser of a president has shown an acute appreciation for the power of money to win elections, and a cutthroat approach to intimidating those who might give to his opponents.
He’s targeted insurers, oil firms and Wall Street—letting it be known that those who oppose his policies might face political or legislative retribution. He lectured the Supreme Court for giving companies more free speech and (falsely) accused the Chamber of Commerce of using foreign money to bankroll U.S. elections. The White House even ginned up an executive order (yet to be released) to require companies to list political donations as a condition of bidding for government contracts. Companies could bid but lose out for donating to Republicans. Or they could quit donating to the GOP—Mr. Obama’s real aim.
The White House has couched its attacks in the language of “disclosure” and the argument that corporations should not have the same speech rights as individuals. But now, says Rory Cooper of the Heritage Foundation, “he’s doing the same at the individual level, for anyone who opposes his policies.” Any giver, at any level, risks reprisal from the president of the United States.
If Romney wants to fight back there’s no shortage of material.
Indeed, I’m sure all those ‘moderates’ so important to Romney’s victory will naturally see through this sort of class warfare rhetoric.
If politeness wasn’t a concern his minions could begin by introducing America to some of Barack Obama’s poetry:
UNDERGROUND
Under water grottos, caverns
Filled with apes
That eat figs.
Stepping on the figs
That the apes
Eat, they crunch.
The apes howl, bare
Their fangs, dance,
Tumble in the
Rushing water,
Musty, wet pelts
Glistening in the blue.
Ok, Darleen, I’ll invoke Godwin. Isn’t this just the latest in 1930s redux?
Wow, that’s bad, STF.
Are you sure Obama’s dad wasn’t from Vogsphere instead of Kenya?
About he only thing missing is “…see if I don’t!”
“Any giver, at any level, risks reprisal from the president of the United States.”
The White House simply intends to remind their opponents:
Uh-oh, sdferr, now you’ve done it…
SS! er, I mean, Secret Service, look here!!! Deaht thraet!!!!11!!!!!11!!one!!
Jon Corzine, Jeffrey Katzenberg, George Kaiser, Abake Assongba…
Anyone with a search engine could play this game all day.
Personally, I like to think of it as a Carterian Obscurity threat.
the problem, Pablo, is that we can point out Obama’s donors all day long, but The One can sic any of the alphabet bureaucracies on GOP donors in a newyorkminute.
“. . . in a newyorkminute.”
Hang on, I thought this bunch was from Chicago?
Darleen, I would submit that the problem is no one calling out and standing up to these people.
And the people in the above instances aren’t ‘Joe Schmo ‘ down the block types. They are people with enormous resources and influence.
A president who uses his office to attack and destroy private citizens?The use of federal agencies to aid and abet these attacks , and in clear violation of any number of constitutional articles and laws?
I’d be filing charges left and right to see what sticks, and forcing them to answer under the law and constitution.
Lift some rocks and shine some light under them. It’s not, as Pablo notes above, like there isn’t plenty to go on.
All it takes is some good old fashioned guts.
If I was looking to unseat Barack Obama I’d make this an important visual in my campaign. But then I’m not a polite statist.
And I’d run some ads featuring this.
Ah, the advantages of being an ill-mannered hobbit.
I’d be filing charges left and right to see what sticks, and forcing them to answer under the law and constitution.
At the very least, I’d be sending out press releases and making appearance to loudly complain about the treatment I was receiving from “My President.” (I mean, he’s everybody’s President, isn’t he?) I’d be demanding an apology from the White House, and asking them whether these personal attacks are the result of a President who is petty and spiteful and prone to abusing his power, or if it’s merely due to a President who is cold and distant and too busy working on his fairway game to keep tabs on his campaign organization. In fact, I think I’d make sure all my press statements included a big banner asking “OBAMA — ANGRY AND ABUSIVE, OR DISTANT AND DISENGAGED?”
It’s way past time that ol’ Jugears McDeficit got called to account. Sure, the first couple of defiant ones would be ignored, but you get a couple of dozen power players making a constant clamor, and pretty soon Matt Lauer doesn’t have any choice but to have them on the show.
Yes, but this is a campaign ploy, Darleen. The Obama campaign has this hilarious habit of bringing up attack topics on which their own hands are filthy.
If there’s one great advantage Romney has in this it’s that he’s squeaky clean, and Obama is …well…Obama, the clean, articulate end of a Chicago turd.
Targeting private citizens is BO’s MO.
Dead on, Squid. The constant banging on the publicity drum goes hand in hand with the legal part. A two pronged attack.
Yet , not only are these people not coming out swinging publicly, but where are the ones who do such things for a living? Where are entities such as Fox? Probably too busy pushing their new all Spanish language channel.
Where are the very politicians and political party who directly benefit from the cash contributions? Hell, where are they in their role as representatives of the people , calling press conferences and speaking out on the House floor, screaming “OUTRAGE!!!”
Yeah. Why isn’t anyone putting out a “paging John Boehner” call to all the trendy D.C. bars?
Hell, if Romney had a pair (or half a brain) he’d have the Romney For America drones spamming the electorate with “Stand up against the Chicago Trash! Show ’em you’re not going to be silenced or intimidated!”
But then, if that were the case, Romney wouldn’t be Romney.
Romney telling people not to be silenced would be a liability for his re-election campaign: “Shut up and support His Inevitable Re-Electableness!”
He is quite infatuated with the Kock Brothers
Okay, I just followed an Insty link to this bit of fun, and the first commenter posts what may become my go-to catchphrase for the summer campaign:
“Show us your transcripts, you dog-eating commie!”
Heh. I can’t even watch O’Jugears on the teevee anymore. He’s in Ft. Stuart talkin’ to the troops and he sounds like he’s MCing an awards show. Plus he laughs at his own not funny jokes.
What a twat.
There is so much goodness in those 8 simple words, Squid.
here is the web page it’s actually interesting to read… I’m as curious to know who’s bankrolling this Romney fellow as the next pikachu I think… it’s heartening to know he’s getting support from the oil and gas sector, given that at heart he’s a climate change pansy what used to brag about shutting down coal plants
1. This is just an incredibly easy thing to counter-attack on; the amount of Wall street donors to Obama from rescued or bailed out banks et al. alone would be massive. I’m not even getting into other industries, a la Solyndra. Job destruction from private-equity is pretty massive and he has some backers there.
2. As much as the site shows the learing dishonesty of POTUS’ campaign operatives, it reveals the collapse of mainstream media, since it is barely an afternoon’s work to show that many Obama donor’s aren’t pure as driven snow. It also reveals a partisan rift: Were a GOP hack to attempt this–and they might well, as the GOP is chock full of hacks–the WaPo would be all over it within the day.
Squid, that’s a great line and belongs in the pw “Great Lines” Archive. If there is one. And if there isn’t, there should be.
Jeff. Out of the nursery. Time’s up.
Kind of off-topic, but in a related way a thing of such beauty it ought not to be missed.
FLOTUS Speaks to US Troops Looking Like She’s Covered in Blood
Heh. I thought the same thing about that tiny cardigan sweater she was sporting.
sdferr
That was so awesome, I posted it as its own post.
Well done Darleen. Rep Gowdy did work there worthy the notice, I very much agree. It’s sort of a shame the committee chairman didn’t see fit to leave Rep. Gowdy to continue, but I guess rules are rules.
[…] is it that Obama has brought with him to the White House? The Chicago way, that’s what. Tagged with: Barack Obama • donors • Mitt […]
This is what I wrote back to the author of that article (no response yet):
The LAST and Final steps ~`In Removing Obama From Washington, are upon us.
The Final Chapter of { OBAMA. } ~` His Terrorist Connections AND His WorldWide Co-Conspirators, have been REELED – in, Like Fish, on a Fishing line / Swallowing Hook, Line and Sinker.
Deep Throating the entire Pole, up to the Steel Reel. All of Obama’s Corrupt Political Partners in Washington, have also been REELED in, like an OLD TIME Reel to Reel Movie PROjECTOR.
THEIR eXposure has successfully been Framed and They are NOW `Seen {CAPTURED} UPON the Screen, eXposed and Snared in the VERY OWN TRAPS, that they Themselves had set for YOU- [ The Prey ] The American Citizens.
These traitors, have FALLEN Head-Long, Down into the very SAME eXact Pits, that THEY themselves HAD dug for YOU, { the Game ]\ American Citizens.
All of Obamas Corrupted Political Partners in Washington and Terrorist Connections and His Co-Conspirator WORLDWIDE, have been Snared / CAUGHT in the very Jaws that they had Sprung for YOU, The American Citizens.
Their Ropes and Lines of DECEPTION, TREASON and FRAUD, that They had Drawn, Planted, eXtended and INTENDED to Hang and Trip Up YOUR Freedoms { YOU The American Patriots / Great Sons and Daughters of Liberity } These Ropes, Have ALL been Un Tied, Unravled and Unstrung.
You MUST continue A Peaceful Resistance. You MUSt Maintain a POSITIVE, AGGRESSIVE, firm Focus on the Facts and Truth /\ as WE Stand by OUR convictions and NEVER Fall or Surrender to this mob of Traitors :
In Fact, THE ONLY THING in America – that was trully Needing`“ CHANGE ” ! Was Barry or Barack Hussein OR, .Soetoro OR….Obama the JR. l. or II. ………… HIMSELF. !
Obama, has MADE every criminal CHANGE to his reality that is possible, to Disguise his NAME with many LIES and Forgeries, With multiple FAKE Social Security numbers for his entire adult life.
ALL eXXXposed. ! ` And Americans are NOT Impressed with his Network of Degenerate Thieves, Terrorists and RIPP OFF SCAMMERS and Cons, all PARADING and Masquerading as Crack Heroes.
Obama {the Fraud} Then HOPED and CHANGED himself into becoming the first CRACK HEAD President in History.
Incorporating the criminal template / master-plan of his Entire Life, into CHANGE for the UNITED STATES Herself.
The Model ? Was HIS very own Dispicable, Unethical, Cowardly and Dishonorable – IMAGE.
Barack Hussein Obama II ~( Who HATES American Values ) who is A ” SELF PROCLAIMED Religious and Political Enemy” ~0f ALL Responsible, Morally Conscious and HARD WORKING Americans.
…The UN~CHANGEABLE, Cowardly, Fraud, has done His VERY BEST to Inspire His Degenerate MOb to VIOLENCE. LITERALLY, Saying ………To his supporters.Saying “Get ready for HAND-to-HAND Combat with your Fellow Americans ! !
“I want all Americans to get in each others faces !– ^ Obama `Demands !
“You bring a KNIFE to a fight pal, we’ll bring a GUN” – ! **
THESE ARE OBAMAS very OWN WORDS.. “We talk To these folks…~ / so I know whose A*$ to KICK.“ALSO` Shouting THAT Republican victory would mean~“Hand to Hand combat” !
….PLEASE…. go Now !— To reXes, All NEW WebsiTe ^~ CLICK HERE http://obomlnation.webstarts.com/index.html
Please stand For Loving Children and the USA. Respectfully and Thankfully, Thank you ALL for your Time. http://obomlnation.webstarts.com/
reX,
If you could condense that down to 8 words, I’d totally add you to the Hall of Fame, too.
Squid, I think if you distilled that to eight words five of them would be standing around wondering what they’re supposed to be doing.
Yes, but at least they’d be standing around
Let’s try that again:
Yes, but at least they’d be standing around IN UPPERCASE.
I hEarT ranDom wAll o TExt geNeRatoRz
I bet if I visit that website, I’ll get some marquee text in flashing rainbow colors or a GIF of a banner pulled behind an 8-bit biplane.
reXteryalizer’s thing is spamming the same, insane, comment across many sites. The one above is typical. Back in Feb 2011 he/she/it went spamming on Roman Catholic sites with this rant.
Insanity is so much fun online.
geoffb, perhaps “Insanity is so much fun online” explains my unexplained urge to post on pw. But it feels so good.