The White House and Democratic officials, surprised by the angry words thrown at Democratic lawmakers in their first weekend of August town hall meetings, are scrambling to put together a strategy to minimize the effects of what they see as an organized campaign to disrupt the meetings and spread anxiety about health care reform and President Obama.
A key part of the developing strategy: ridicule the opposition -- and portray those who disrupt meetings with loud chants and signs as part of the same ilk of people who showed up at campaign rallies for John McCain and Sarah Palin right after the 2008 Republican National Convention. At those rallies, some supporters hurled racist remarks and displayed objectionable signs; McCain himself was forced to respond to a questioner who called Obama a "Muslim," to the applause of others in the crowd. To this day, McCain aides maintain that the media inflated the number of reactionaries in the crowd, abetted by an Obama campaign that was all too happy to point them out.
A party strategist e-mailed around a clip from Rep. Lloyd Doggett's town hall meeting. At one point, a sign featuring Nazi lettering can be seen. Another strategist with ties to the White House made sure to point out that a popular sign at these rallies features Obama, in Shepherd Fairy-esque ink, as the Joker (although it's not clear how many signs have been seen at actual rallies.) . A White House official pointed to press secretary Robert Gibbs's comparison to the 2000 "protest" at Miami-Dade county election headquarters organized and peopled with young conservative lawyers.
Patronizing opponents is a tried and true tradition in Washington, and Democrats have used the tactic with success. They ridiculed the hundreds of thousands of conservatives who protested the stimulus package as "tea baggers."
But Republicans are just as responsible for the perception. The folks who tend to show up at protest events tend to be to the right of the mean in the party. And, as the spread of the birther movement demonstrates, not a small chunk of these Republicans are reactionaries. The challenge for the White House and Democrats is that they find a way to separate genuinely anxious conservatives who ask good questions -- even if those questions are provided by conservative groups -- and the crazies who tend to pack town hall meetings.
The challenge for Republicans is to prevent the media from labeling everyone who attends a meeting with a Democratic lawmaker and who calls him or herself a conservative as a crazy person. Some polling suggests that the percentage of Republicans who don't know whether President Obama was born in the United States is fairly high, although it is hard to say how much of that confusion stems from ignorance or from a generally jaundiced, perhaps racist, view of the President.
A range of smaller, ideologically conservative interest groups are organizing the protests. Finding pockets of activist-oriented arch-conservatives in places like Texas, Missouri and Indiana is easy, especially if the set goal is to defeat Obama-care, which is being sold to these people as the approach of government-run health care, something that these folks have been worried about for years. Add to the mix a desire to hand the progressive President and his agenda a decisive defeat.
The more troublesome question for Democratic strategists is why the major Democratic groups, including Organizing for America, the labor unions, Health Care for America Now, seem to be flatfooted and unable to match the much smaller conservative organizing capacity in these critical districts. One answer is that the media pays attention to the loudest voices, which are coming from the right. The other is that organizing around major -- even popular -- reforms of existing institutions is tough. The Democrats don't have a single bill right now, and the elite left is worried about what's not in the cards -- a public plan -- and is therefore fairly unenthusiastic. If the liberal elite isn't enthusiastic, the liberal base -- less knowledgeable -- will be as well.
To focus minds, Democrats are coordinating TV and radio ad blitzes, including the biggest expenditures by the Democratic National Committee to date. President Obama, his cabinet and his vice president will be ubiquitous. Quickly responding to disinformation will be a key goal, an administration official said, pointing to this morning's release of a video from Linda Douglass, a former television and print reporter who serves as a key White House health care adviser, which rebutted a misleading video posted on the Drudge Report.
The strongest evidence offered so far that BHO was born in HI is the recent statement from HI's DOH Director. And, all she said is that he was born in HI without giving any of the particulars. Her statement closed with a childish "I have nothing further to add to this statement..."
And, that followed an eight month period in which MSM hacks lied about her earlier, ambiguous statement. That earlier statement did not say he was born in HI; she only said he had a valid cert on file. Due to Hawaii's laws and rules, having a valid cert on file does not necessarily indicate someone was born in HI. And, when I asked them to clarify that statement, all she did was issue a "no comment". And, all of that was happening while the MSM was lying about what she said.
So, if you're intellectually honest, you see that she hasn't exactly advanced the cause of truth.
What Ambinder is confused about is the difference between faith and fact. He believes BHO was born there; I think it's a very strong possibility but, unlike Ambinder, I'm smart and open-minded enough to realize that there's the possibility that he was not born there. Ambinder is an honorary member of the BHO cult; I'm too much of a free thinker to believe in Xenu. For instance, HI's DOH Director might be lying or mistaken. We won't know until we've seen the full file complete with a history of the file and all of that has been verified.
For the actual facts of this matter, see my extensive coverage. No one has so far been able to provide a valid counter-argument to anything at that or the linked pages. Let's see if Ambinder is smart and open-minded enough to give it a go.
What is your response to the FACT that Obama's parents placed an ad announcing their sons birth in Hawaiin newspapers shortly after the date of his birth?
Jeff, you're breaking some news! Because, no one has yet shown exactly who placed those announcements. No one has provided proof - such as contemporaneous memos and the like - showing that they could have only come from a birth hospital and would only indicate a birth in HI. In fact, some people - you know, those with open minds - admit the possibility that they might have been planted by the grandparents in an attempt to confer citizenship and in case of a custody battle. They point to the fact that, while they're definitely evidence, they aren't proof because they don't list the birth hospital or city, they just have the address of the parents.
Yet, here you are, our own Jeff, with absolute proof that it was Obama's parents that placed those ads. After all, you're saying it's a fact, so you must have absolute proof, right?
Now, all we need to see is your absolute proof and we'll be all set!
....Yes 24A etc we can see that you are:
"but, unlike Ambinder, I'm smart and open-minded enough to realize that there's the possibility that he was not born there.'
The strongest evidence offered so far that the 24AheadDotCom is a human being is that comments appear on this web site under the name 24AheadDotCom. There is no conclusive proof that 24AheadDotCom is not in fact the Terminator, sent from the future to alter the course of history and enable the robot revolution.
What 24AheadDotCom is confused about is the difference between faith and fact. 24AheadDotCom believes that it was born in this world as a citizen of the human race; I think it's a very strong possibility but, unlike 24AheadDotCom, I'm smart and open-minded enough to realize that there's the possibility that 24AheadDotCom is in fact the Terminator. 24AheadDotCom is an honorary member of the human cult; I'm too much of a free thinker to believe in Xenu. For instance, 24AheadDotCom might be lying or mistaken. We won't know until we've seen the full file complete with a history of the file and all of that has been verified.
No one has provided proof - such as contemporaneous memos and the like - showing that they could have only come from a birth hospital and would only indicate a human birth on planet earth in this century.
The statement on your website that anyone can obtain a Hawaiian birth certificate, even if they were born outside of the country is based on an interpretation of a section of Hawaiian law HRS 338-17.8. As you stated, the law was enacted in 1982, when Obama was 21 years old.
Here is the text of the law:
[§338-17.8] Certificates for children born out of State. (a) Upon application of an adult or the legal parents of a minor child, the director of health shall issue a birth certificate for such adult or minor, provided that proof has been submitted to the director of health that the legal parents of such individual while living without the Territory or State of Hawaii had declared the Territory or State of Hawaii as their legal residence for at least one year immediately preceding the birth or adoption of such child.
(b) Proof of legal residency shall be submitted to the director of health in any manner that the director shall deem appropriate. The director of health may also adopt any rules pursuant to chapter 91 that he or she may deem necessary or proper to prevent fraudulent applications for birth certificates and to require any further information or proof of events necessary for completion of a birth certificate.
(c) The fee for each application for registration shall be established by rule adopted pursuant to chapter 91. [L 1982, c 182, §1]
You make note that the law mentions the "Territory" of Hawaii, so therefore, it must have intended to include people born prior to the passage of the law, as Hawaii hadn't been a territory since 1959.
According to a post on obamaconspiracy.org,
"If the law was passed in 1982, then for Obama’s birth to have been registered pursuant to this law, the birth would have to be registered in 1982 or later (e.g. when Obama was at least 21 years old). Unless the COLB is false (and this would be inconsistent with a positive sounding official statement from the Hawaii Department of Health and the 1961 newspaper announcements), Obama’s birth was registered on August 8, 1961 (before the law). And in any case, Barack Obama was not a “minor child” in 1982, and the law wouldn’t have applied for that reason even after it was passed."
I would say this is a valid counter-argument.
"He believes BHO was born there; I think it's a very strong possibility but, unlike Ambinder, I'm smart and open-minded enough to realize that there's the possibility that he was not born there."
Were you equally open-minded about Andrew Sullivan's musing re: the Trig-conspiracy?
If the MSM were constantly lying and misleading for Palin as they are for BHO, I might consider the other side's argument. However, other than that, I simply don't care: it's a personal, soap opera-ish issue. So, alert me when the MSM starts lying and misleading for Palin, and I'll take a look.
Helen Thomas brought this very issue up to Gibbs during a press conference, and he looked at her like she was speaking in tongues: Quoi?!? You doubt our control over the base!
If Dems can't pass a bill containing a very popular plan while they control the House, the Senate, and the WH, they might as well pack it up and go home. What good are they?
Mr. Ambinder: I'm tired of your patronizing comments about people with legitimate concerns about ObamaCare, specifically, the government plan, aka, "public option."
We're not stupid; in fact, we seem to be smarter than you are. The public option will morph into a single-payer plan, something Pres. Obama has made clear is his preference. When the government plan has the power to write the rules and has unlimited financing and no tax liability, how could it turn out any other way?
Mr. Ambinder: I'm tired of your patronizing comments about people with legitimate concerns about ObamaCare, specifically, the government plan, aka, "public option."
We're not stupid; in fact, we seem to be smarter than you are. The public option will morph into a single-payer plan, something Pres. Obama has made clear is his preference. When the government plan has the power to write the rules and has unlimited financing and no tax liability, how could it turn out any other way?
24AheadDot.Com: Please put a cork on the birther stuff. This story is about ObamaCare.
I'm a hell of a lot more worried about ObamaCare than tilting with windmills.
........The Dems just have to give these idiots enough rope to hang themselves.....they are taking full advantage of the opportunity with the birther controversy and so we now just roll into the "spontaneous" protests.......The people can't help themselves......they are ugly, angry and vulgar and so they will inevitably make asses of themselves.....As for the "flat footed" comment.....Marc do stop being juvenile.....a basic law of physic says every action produces a re-action.....and we have six weeks for this to play out
BO can ridicule all the Town Hall meeting folks if he wants, but some of those mad people voted for him. His strategy would probably have worked if it was only Republicans, but when you start condemning those who vote for Democrats, how does that help?
I am one of the independent Obama voters who opposes a public plan, and I resent the Democrats trying to steamroll over us. They are setting this up as an us (reasonable folks) versus them (crazy lunatic fringe conservatives). Well, I'm not a fringe conservative and I don't believe the birther madness. I supported the stimulus plan and support some sort of carbon tax.
But I don't want government expansion into health care. Medicare has cost way more than what it was projected to cost in 1965. Read the Wall Street Journal editorial today about setting up the middle class for a tax increase.
And, MSNBC has now assumed the role of DNC propaganda network - just like Fox News has long been the RNC propaganda network - and they are pushing this White House talking point that you're crazy if you oppose Obamacare with a public option. It's like Bush pushing the War in Iraq. You were totally unpatriotic if you opposed it! Well, I opposed that too. So, I guess I'm unpatriotic and crazy too!
Won't the Dems need us when Obama runs for reelection?
Over here in Europe, the so-called "birther" movement is viewed with a kind of horrified amusement.
Their agenda is clearly racist. They can't stand the thought that a black guy is President of the United States.
Forty-eight years ago, in the year Barack Obama was born, they were wearing white robes and pointed hats and throwing sticks of dynamite through the windows of African-American churches. Today, the white robes of the KKK have gone out of fashion, but the racism still exists, and the "birther" movement is its ugly face.
Alas, the media are making themselves complicit by failing to call the bluff of the "birthers". Even this article meekly describes them as "perhaps racist". There's no "perhaps" about it.
actually, she called him an Arab, which is even more ridiculous
The reason that the nation needs a radically different method of providing and paying for healthcare is simply that the current version CREATES personal bankruptcies, delivers questionable care, leaves millions uncovered AND burdens business at EVERY level and therefore is a drag on the national economy. I guarantee that ANY poster who goes on about "Obamacare" and its failings, has NOT yet had THEIR own encounter with a significant health related event under their current provider. After even a trivial event, the current system turns on its customers and becomes entirely adversarial with no intention of providing ANY care except what they are legally compelled to do.
In lieu of predictions about where the not yet formed new plan will lead, let's hear from some Republikaaners who have SOME sort of plan that addresses the deficiencies in the current system.
Stanley Ann, Barack Obama’s mother, was born in America and never left the country before Barack Obama Junior was born.
It has been continuous Constitutional policy that any child born from an American Citizen’s womb is a citizen regardless of place of birth. Congress may not add additional requirements upon the US Constitutional requirements of natural born citizenship without fully amending the US Constitution, therefore the PERMANENT policy is an American womb ALWAYS bears an American Citizen anywhere on Earth.
However, there is not the slightest credible evidence that Stanley Ann Obama left the United States at any time during her pregnancy, which would be double-American citizenship.
Travel to Kenya required Yellow Fever Virus vaccination, which would not be given to pregnant women, and entry into US would require proof of YFV vaccination to Barack Obama Junior, which would never be given for any child under aged one years old. It was medically impossible for Stanley to bear her child in Kenya that year.
There does appear to be criminal fraud involved in asserting Kenya documentation of Obama’s birth, and there is no grounds for automatic acceptance of such claims.
The Rethuglican Healthcare Plan -- the Big Pharma Plan now in effect:
* Work the serfs until they are used up.
* Cut them off from the means to further life, whether that be employment, jobs, doctors or medicine.
* Bulldoze the dead bodies into mass graves.
* Sell the methane gas from decomposition on the capitalist marketplace.
Know1 just makes it too easy.
The Demolitionocrat HealthCare Plan -- the Big-O Plan now trying to land from the Mothership.
* Tax the productive until they are taxed out.
* Cut them off from the means to further money, whether that be employment, starting businesses, innovating or inventing.
* Bulldoze the dead bodies of your political opponents into mass graves.
*Pump the methane gas from decomposition into the White House so the aliens can breathe.