See Sen. Barack Obama lead the Senate in the Pledge of Allegiance.
by Christi Parsons
Heard the one about how Sen. Barack Obama won't pledge allegiance to the flag? Now people can watch him do it--loud and clear, on tape, with his hand over his heart.
What about the rumor that he took the Senate oath of office with his hand on the Quran? As of Thursday, it's easy to find a picture of him being sworn in with his family Bible.
That evidence, and more, appears on a Web site set up by the Democratic presidential candidate as part of his new effort to fight damaging rumors.
Until now, Obama's strategy had been to ignore the rumors and hope most people would think they're false.
But with the launch of the new site this week, the Obama team acknowledges the old approach was doing nothing to stem the tide of questionable--and in several cases demonstrably incorrect -- snippets about Obama's life.
"It's not enough to just know the truth," Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said, "we have to be proactive and fight back."
See the rest of the story in today's Tribune:
That's a far cry from past practice across the political spectrum. If a lie can make its way around the world before the truth gets its boots on, as the old saying goes, campaign practitioners figured there was no point in even trying.
Obama shattered the traditional rules with the Web site, when his aides wrote out five of the nastiest rumors in black and white and then deconstructed them, one by one. Across the top of the Web site for its first visitors to see were the words, "Michelle Obama says 'whitey' on tape."
"No such tape exists," the site said. It also offers people the chance to report rumors and to send campaign information to their friends. It's a bold move, said Republican pollster Whit Ayres, one that acknowledges the realities of the new information marketplace.
"I suppose some people might say that repeating the charge is a downside," Ayres said. "But the charge is out there and being repeated, and you don't have to talk to too many people before you realize that."
Sen. John McCain fell victim to a whisper campaign in 2000 in South Carolina, where he lost to George W. Bush amid gossip that he had fathered a black child out of wedlock and that he was mentally unstable from his years as a POW during Vietnam.
Now McCain quickly responds to attacks he thinks are personal. When Obama recently accused McCain of "losing his bearings," for instance, a senior aide dashed off a scathing memo accusing him of suggesting McCain, 71, was too old to be president.
Campaigns used to trust that fact-checking editors would limit the circulation of false rumors, but those editors aren't running the show in the Internet age.
"They've got to do something," said Paul Begala, a fixture of Bill Clinton's war room in the 1992 campaign. "These smears and lies have persisted now for months, and the worst thing to do is ignore them. John Kerry's strategists thought no one would believe that he hadn't won those medals, and they were wrong."
Begala said his mother told him Obama was a Muslim.
"She said, 'Oh, yes, one of the ladies in the church sent it to me, on the computer, dear,' " he said. "It's even more pernicious and powerful in the computer age."
The Obama campaign is betting that the Internet will help solve the problem. But the flip side quickly became evident.
A parody site to www.fightthesmears.com sprouted immediately.
For a period on Thursday, its home page was identical to the campaign site, except for a laudatory quote about Islam attributed to Osama bin Laden.
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Comments
Of course you'll have rumors, when you put up a canidate without any experience or track record, arrogant and condescending, a severe lack of character and judgement, and a parade of dishonest, racist and anti-american friends.
If the democrats Elected Hillary, they would at least have a canidate that has experience and people know who she is and what she's about.
If people knew about Obama in the early primaries - he wouldn't be in this position.
If the democratic party had a clue on how to run a primary without allow a few people to choose the canidate, Obama wouldn't be there.
As a resident of Illinois, I can say that Obama was not a good state senator, he's not a good Illiois senator, so why would anyone think he'd be a good president?
Posted by: noneoftheabove | June 13, 2008 10:48 AM
Of course you'll have rumors, when you put up a canidate without any experience or track record, arrogant and condescending, a severe lack of character and judgement, and a parade of dishonest, racist and anti-american friends.
If the democrats Elected Hillary, they would at least have a canidate that has experience and people know who she is and what she's about.
If people knew about Obama in the early primaries - he wouldn't be in this position.
If the democratic party had a clue on how to run a primary without allow a few people to choose the canidate, Obama wouldn't be there. Posted by: noneoftheabove | June 13, 2008 10:48 AM
So all wise all knowing one tell us why did he beat Hillary an even stronger candidate than old man McCane?
He dominated her in every category. And by the way...Obama won the popular vote as well.
Posted by: Keith Lifetime Chicagoan and Southsider | June 13, 2008 11:10 AM
Let's just call this what it is: Republicans lie to win elections. They rely on the American people being ignorant and gullible. What a proud party.
Posted by: Paul | June 13, 2008 11:20 AM
Obama's people need to forget the rumors and concentrate on his platform. People will always talk, talk, and talk. Its when people stop talking about you one needs to worry. So, Obama keep your chin and smile when your heart is raining inside and do what you are called to do!!!!
Posted by: valjean | June 13, 2008 11:29 AM
Of course, Senator Obama has to defend his good name and the good name of his wife, especially from the Ridiculous Republican and their Lying Machine !! That is their only method for them to win elections. They can't present their Party's platform, because to the working and middle class of America, it looks more like a guillotine, and they know it does !! That is why they can't tell the truth, they will be defeated on the spot !! Don' t be fooled by the Republicans and their Lying Machine !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | June 13, 2008 12:29 PM
Too bad for Obama that he can't combat the facts --
- Like his 17-plus year personal and financial relationship with Tony Rezko.
- Like his connection to Nadhmi Auchi, an Iraqi-born billionaire, political fixer, international criminal and associate of Rezko.
- Like his telling us he doesn't accept money from federally registered lobbyists... but he accepts money from these same lobbyists' business associates and spouses... and he accepts money from lobbyists who happen to not be registered.
- Like his being a run-of-the-mill Chicago Machine hack, and endorsing the worst, most corrupt and incompetent politicians in Cook County -- Todd Stroger and Richard Daley.
Posted by: MJ | June 13, 2008 1:30 PM
Its a good idea, this new website.... some people still say Obama and Ayers were both members of the Weather Underground. Don't think so. Ayers was a member from 1970-74 and Obama was born in 61. That makes Obama what, 9 years old and a member? Hardly. Yup, it's a good idea.
Posted by: Irene | June 13, 2008 2:44 PM
A good idea. But in the wireless age rumors are like the hydra, every time you cut off one head two more grow in its place. We'll have to watch and see if it works.
Posted by: Green | June 13, 2008 8:18 PM