2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumGOP’s October surprise?
Source reveals "Jimmy Carter Strategy" to make Obama seem weak on defense in campaign's final month
BY CRAIG UNGER
According to a highly reliable source, as Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama prepare for the first presidential debate Wednesday night, top Republican operatives are primed to unleash a new two-pronged offensive that will attack Obama as weak on national security, and will be based, in part, on new intelligence information regarding the attacks in Libya that killed U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens on Sept. 11.
The source, who has firsthand knowledge of private, high-level conversations in the Romney camp that took place in Washington, D.C., last week, said that at various times the GOP strategists referred to their new operation as the Jimmy Carter Strategy or the October Surprise.
He added that they planned to release what they hoped would be a bombshell that would make Libya and Obamas foreign policy a major issue in the campaign. My understanding is that they have come up with evidence that the Obama administration had positive intelligence that there was going to be a terrorist attack on the intelligence.
The source described the Republicans as chortling with glee that the Obama administration definitely had intel about the attack before it happened. Intelligence can be graded in different ways, he added, and sometimes A and B dont get connected. But [the Romney campaign] will try to paint it to look like Obama had advance knowledge of the attack and is weak on terrorism.
He said they were jubilant about their new strategy and said they intended to portray Obama as a helpless, Jimmy Carter-like president and to equate the tragedy in Libya with President Carters failed attempt to rescue American hostages in Iran in 1980. They are so excited about it, he said. Over and over again they talked about how it would be just like Jimmy Carters failed raid. They feel it is going to give them a last-minute landslide in the election.
Read more:
http://www.salon.com/2012/10/01/gops_october_surprise/
Drunken Irishman
(34,857 posts)Good luck on that.
KansDem
(28,498 posts)After GW Bush ignored the Aug. 9th PDB; and after he ignored many other warnings--so much so that counter-terrorism agents wanted transfers so they wouldn't be blamed for 9/11; and after he sat on this butt and did nothing when told we were under attack; and after he said he saw the first plane hit on t.v., then said he was told about it; and after he invaded Iraq even though it had nothing to do with 9/11, claiming he "got the intelligence wrong;" and so on, the GOPers think they can smear Obama with this "bombshell?"
I doubt it...
They are pathetic, panicked and delusional.
greenman3610
(3,947 posts)is dead.
that's the only rejoinder needed.
Lisa D
(1,532 posts)Hard to stomach that Republican operatives are thrilled and chortling about the deaths in Libya. If only more people would have been killed, then it could have really elevated their campaign!
cr8tvlde
(1,185 posts)tridim
(45,358 posts)The speculation and FUD in the media is all they want.
Turbineguy
(37,337 posts)that a higher percentage of Americans than first thought, are morons.
Maeve
(42,282 posts)Actually, they are going to try to paint Mr Obama to look as bad as...W. You know, the guy who was in office September 11, 2001?
Ain't gonna work
Permanut
(5,610 posts)(ahem)(cough)August 6,(cough)2001 presidential daily (ahem)briefing memo. And let's see, how about comparing the current administration against the last one on national security, oh, I don't know, let's compare who got Bin Laden and who didn't.
Lisa D
(1,532 posts)Yawn
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,412 posts)sick, sick, sick.
Can anybody imagine..................
Generic Brad
(14,275 posts)That was Mitt's reaction at the press conference he held when he politicized the ambassador's death. He literally chortled with glee.
He did it before. He'll do it again.
KansDem
(28,498 posts)What is meant by "positive intelligence that there was going to be a terrorist attack on the intelligence?"
If they plan like they talk, Obama has nothing to worry about...
C_U_L8R
(45,003 posts)Of course Libya is a dangerous place. Romney and Rove are grasping at straws.
PS Rove chortles? I thought he oinks.
cr8tvlde
(1,185 posts)Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)Thrill
(19,178 posts)When everyone knows he's kept them safe
Jennicut
(25,415 posts)I still think this election is about the economy. And people are not really sold that Mitt Romney would make things better. Many people are willing to give Obama more of a chance to help fix things.
And for freakin sakes, can the Repubs please get over the Jimmy Carter thing already? I don't remember Carter, I was a baby when he was President. And many people younger then me really, really don't get the Obama is like Carter thing. And the Repubs wonder why they are losing voters under 45 and even worse, under 30. Jimmy Carter was the ex President that was against the abuses of human rights for many of us.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)Shame on them for playing games with national security and using the deaths for their benefit. I despise these clowns.
LonePirate
(13,424 posts)Do the Republicans really want to shine a light on that particular aspect of Obama's presidency? Do they honestly think that is a winning strategy?
surrealAmerican
(11,361 posts)... embarrasses himself every time he talks about international affairs, this is not a winning strategy for them.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)They actually think they can re-create the same political environment as the Reagan/Carter race. Three huge problems with that:
1. Obama is not Carter
2. Romney is not Reagan
3. The Libya event is not even remotely similar to the 1980 Iran event
There's a 4th too - the world is not the same world as 1980.
FAIL.
immoderate
(20,885 posts)A hero!
--imm
ProudToBeBlueInRhody
(16,399 posts)They don't want this to be about foreign policy. Quite frankly I'm shocked Rmoney hasn't just conceded that debate already.
On the Road
(20,783 posts)foreign policy rarely decides a presidential election. More sheer ineptness.
I actually don't think this is Romney's campaign manager. I think it's Romney himself being an autocrat.
ChimpersMcSmirkers
(3,328 posts)This isn't going to work against the President who got Bin Laden. Foreign policy is far down the list of voter concerns, mainly because Obama has done so well at it. Mittens crew wants to play a Rove card and attack a strength, the problem is there is no way to effectively sound bite this. The swiftboat thing worked because they could make an ad out of the 1st person interviews. How do they push this line exactly? The first debate is about domestic policy so it'll be weeks before the foreign policy one. This is already becoming a stale issue.
creeksneakers2
(7,473 posts)I suspect that threats to embassies are fairly common. It would be impossible to prevent every threat.
hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)Blue Idaho
(5,049 posts)General Motors is Alive.
But good luck with that Mittens...
patrice
(47,992 posts)for the hold that William Casey got Iran to place on those hostages until Carter lost the election and Reagan was in the WH?
[h3]OOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!![/h3]
sellitman
(11,606 posts)Pathetic vile nasty people. It will be a pleasure to see them scurry back under their rocks wounded bloodied and defeated.
regnaD kciN
(26,044 posts)Remember that the last "October Surprise" involved the Republicans conspiring with an enemy nation to foil our government's attempts to rescue Americans.
Perhaps we're not just talking about new information on Libya...maybe the Usual Suspects are aiding al-Qaeda to stage further attacks over the next month. If they keep happening, Obama would look weak indeed. And, while we may be talking about attacks on our diplomats overseas, can there be any doubt that there are those in the Romney circle who would gladly trade another 9/11 in exchange for regaining power?
Guy Whitey Corngood
(26,501 posts)graham4anything
(11,464 posts)conspiracy theories are a bunch of shit, however two or more conspiring is not a theory but an actual conspiracy...
therefore
Reagan was the one that bankrupt America and is generally considered one of the five worst presidents of all time by those voters who actually have a brain.
and the oddity that the best friend oddball son of Bush41 incapacitated Reagan early in his administration and Bush41 and the gang ended up with being the decider much like Cheney was in his sons administration
and people might start putting together how Bush41 wanted to be vice president after Spiro Agnew quit, and the funny thing is, Nixon thought so badly of Bush41 that he quickly thought of Gerald Ford not Bush41 and the very oddity of the thought that Watergate actually was to bring Nixon down and get the Bush's in power (and then there is deep throat .....
(and then the fact that the last person Reagan wanted as VP was that same person who ended up sabatoging Gerald Ford by blabbing the info to Walter Cronkite thereby elminiating that idea as Reagan thought Ford was the blabber.
I would seriously doubt Jebby wants to go there, wouldn't you?(and Jebby wants the nom in 2016).
BTW-as always I suggest one read Robert Parry about the 1980 election and the guns for hostage deal, and the delay of the hostage release-
and how George Herbert Walker Bush was actually the one who used the pardon of all the Bushies(and himself) from ever being prosecuted.
and again, nobody died on Jimmy Carter's watch,
and some say those helicopters were "SHREDDED" so to say like an office shredder machine
by American traitors wanting to make sure Jimmy failed, etc...
(though I myself am out of the conspiracy business, in the old days there were a bunch of those theories that would apply. And covered up...
that reminds me....
remember Ford's funeral
and how Bush41 went out of his way, unprovoked, to have to remind people what a great honoroable man Gerald Ford was on national tv during the eulogy?
and most people who are voting for Mitt hate Jimmy Carter
most people who are voting for Obama love Jimmy Carter
so using Jimmy as a foil will not gain Herr Mittens anything
as they have failed to gain any votes the last 3 1/2 years already doing that
It is amazing how much of a really, really BAD Person Mittens and his wife are.
There is not one thing to admire in this failed loser professionally and personally.
Now, if only we could find out who gave Mitt a BJ (because a good Morman's wife never would.)
(see Donny Osmond's interview with Howard Stern about a decade ago for reference)
republicanlibertariantea party people seem to get off on those sort of things
one of the reasons it will be so delicious when in 2017, Hillary45 starts her 8 years in office.
Adenoid_Hynkel
(14,093 posts)Running against Jimmy Carter 32 years after the fact? Seriously?
What's next Christopher Cross music piped in at Romney rallies?
Mitt making "Kiss my grits" jokes in speeches?
You didn't see LBJ comparing Goldwater to Herber Hoover in 1964. Bill Clinton didn't compare Poppy Bush to Nixon.
Most americans like Jimmy Carter - he's an 88-year-old respected elder statesman who has used his ex-presidency to its full potential.
But Republicans, in order to build up a legacy for the mediocre Saint Bonzo the Gipper (the only GOP president of the past 30 years not to lose an election or leave office in disgrace), feel that the only way they can make their guy look good is to tear Carter down.
The youngest possible voter for Reagan in 1980 is 50 years old today. The GOP fails to notice that an entire generation of voters have come of age since their beloved deficit-hiker and Iran arms dealer took office, yet they sadly cling to the 1980 playbook like Al Bundy obsessing over his high school touchdowns.
It's really just sad.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)The world is fluid. So much has changed since then.
smorkingapple
(827 posts)I thought that was the key to winning? Keep the focus on the bad economy?
They (GOP) was probably responsible for the whole attack! That is how they work and is probably why they are broke!
K8-EEE
(15,667 posts)Cuz if Obama = Carter, then Mitt is RAAAAAAY-GUN.
Pathetic. OH AND BTW REAGAN HAD SOME SECURITY FAILURES, HELLOOOOO.....
Zambero
(8,964 posts)Jimmy Carter left office 32 years ago. Guess who was President a mere 4 years ago? If Republicans are truly intent on portraying a failed presidency, there's no need go back a third of a century to do so. By the way, Carter's place in history will be several notches higher than GW Bush could ever hope to register. The Camp David accord still stands as one of the most significant diplomatic accomplishments, and Carter deserves much of the credit for a lasting peace between two rivals.