Barack Obama sets up internet 'war room' to fight slurs

[dailykoff]

Internet ‘war room’ will rebuff false rumours

by Tim Reid in Washington
London Times Online, June 9, 2008

A crack team of cybernauts will form a rapid response internet “war room” to track and respond aggressively to online rumours that Barack Obama is unpatriotic and a Muslim.

As he gears up for his general election fight against John McCain, Mr Obama and his chief advisers are aware of the danger of such rumours, amid polling data showing that a significant number of Americans believe he is a Muslim or are suspicious about his background. Such doubts were a factor in his poor showing with white, blue-collar voters during his primary battle with Hillary Clinton.

In recent days Mr Obama has — unprompted — brought up the subject of the chain e-mails and blog sites making the false claims. Some state that he is a radical Muslim who was sworn in as a US senator on the Koran; others that he sympathises with Palestinian radicals. Many focus on his middle name of Hussein, which was taken from his Kenyan father.

{snip}

The “war room” comes as the Obama campaign prepares a series of biographical speeches, television advertisements and campaign appearances to tell his life story, an attempt to make voters more familiar with him. Despite his long nomination fight against Mrs Clinton, his campaign aides concede that millions of Americans still feel that they do not really know him.

Mr Obama’s Kenyan father, who left the family when he was 2, was a Muslim, but not particularly religious. The Illinois senator lived in Indonesia from the age of 6 until 10 with his white, American mother and Indonesian stepfather, who was also a Muslim. Mr Obama has never been a Muslim, or worshipped at a mosque. He moved from being agnostic to finding Christ in his 20s, with the help of his former Chicago pastor: the Rev Jeremiah Wright, a figure whose incendiary sermons now haunt his candidacy and has increased suspicions among some voters about his patriotism.

A poll in mid-March found that 13 per cent of Americans think that Mr Obama is a Muslim — a 5 per cent increase since December 2007. Another found that 23 per cent of Democrats who hold negative views of him believe that he is a Muslim. The same survey showed that 61 per cent of voters view him as patriotic, compared with 76 per cent for Mrs Clinton and 90 per cent for Mr McCain.

In recent weeks Mr Obama has pinned an American flag badge to his suit lapel after being criticised by Republicans for not wearing one.

link: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4100170.ece

[grannylib]

1. Good deal. They have to come out agressively against this kind

of shit, and not back down. Ever.

[backscatter712]

2. Excellent.

Obama definitely needs to take some action against the email whisper campaigns. I'm confident he can get the truth out there.

[ellacott]

8. I read an article a couple of months ago that they were working on it

I can't remember the link but the article said they bought some Google adsense ads. Whenever someone does a search regarding the emails they would get sites that debunk the emails in the ads at the top.

[TexasObserver]

3. I wish they would allow us to provide email addresses of perps who need correct info

Here's what I'd like.

They have a place for you to submit the email address of anyone who sends you one of those God Awful emails lambasting Obama.

Get the email. Forward it to Obama's team. They send a rebuttal directly to the perp saying "you have been told the truth, and if you repeat the same lies, you will be committing Libel."

[texastoast]

5. I just hit "Reply to All" and send the perps links to facts (for all the good it does)

However, it might very well be libel, so perps doing this just might suffer the consequences.

Of course, I wouldn't dream of passing on those emails addresses if Obama asked me to. Heh-heh.

[grasswire]

6. an enemies list?

No thanks.

[Kukesa]

45. There IS an email address; see my post #44 n/t

[texastoast]

4. SO SMART!

This so needs to be done. Kerry "lost" last time because he wasn't prepared to do this.

[dailykoff]

9. Yep the swiftboats are going to be coming thick and fast.

And we better be ready.

[Cha]

27. Obama has learned from Dean, Kerry,

Gore, et al!

[Growler]

7. I love this idea! n/t

[Bleacher Creature]

10. There are times when he and his team just seem so ridiculously on the ball.

This is one of them.

[newmajority]

11. How do I get this job?

Axelrod? You out there?? Hire me.

[npincus]

14. me, too!

[genna]

12. rapid response internet “war room” should also be able to combat this black power stuff that is

making the rounds...

[BlooInBloo]

13. Fight the battle on every front.

[northernsoul]

15. Very smart.

If this guy can govern one-tenth as well as he has led and managed his campaign so far (and I think he can), we are going to see some incredible change for the better in this country.

Gobama!

:kick:

[genna]

16. I'd like to see the media to report on their organization more

It should be able to help the politician who has no money but has the heart.

[grace0418]

17. Awesome. They should provide a link where people like us can send the latest

crap we find. Or, in my case, the latest crap my father-in-law sends me.

[Triana]

21. That's another thing I was thinking - they need a tipline! n/t

[Kukesa]

44. There IS a link on Obama's website.

Go to Obama's website.

Click on "factcheck.barackobama.com"

Listed are examples of smear emails and responses to them.

There is also a request for YOU to send them email messages you receive so they can fight back:

[e-mail]

[grace0418]

50. Suh-weeet! Thank you! I will be bookmarking this.

I should've known they'd think of this. :hi:

[Kukesa]

51. You're welcome. I've used it and they've responded. n/t

[Rosa Luxemburg]

18. Perfect - sink those Swiftboats before they set sail!

[symbolman]

19. Maybe interested DUrs can form a team here, a Task Force

and work as a sort of Cell to assist the Cybernauts, there are a Lot of very astute and web savvy folks here that could be very helpful to him, another way to volunteer, but at your own pace and time frame..

Maybe we can get the admins behind something, DUrs have always taken on a challenge with glee :)

[Triana]

20. That's what I was thinking - a DU defensive oppo team as an arm of ..

...Obama's internet war room. Only thing that might be an issue is Repigs infiltrating and 'posing' as DUers or stirring up shit just to get us chasing our tails.

Might have to be a password-protected forum or something - dunno. There must be a way to ensure the integrity and intent of those involved so that we don't end up with an "Operation Chaos" mucking with things.

[symbolman]

30. I can vouch for me, been an activist for a long time..

though the last project I tried to do too much with too little and it turned into a nightmare that I'm still trying to recover from, got pnumonia, was severely ill for two months, couch ridden..

This of course would be easier, cruise the web on tips from vetted DU'rs and make group decisions via a vetted group.. We can start with older members who can vouch for others - newbies would need to be checked out by our Human resources person :)

In the end it would boil down to Action Alerts generated through tips that get a little research first..

Wanna bat some ideas around anyone? Then see if Admin is agreeable/has Ideas?

Maybe we can get in tight with Obama, I'm sure he'd appreciate it.. I can do TV if needed, been on the O'Reilly show, Scarborough twice (supported the DU each time) Lou Dobbs once, and some of our Siegelman footage was shown on the Dan Abrams show..

Be a pleasure :)

Thoughts?

[Triana]

35. I got NO question about you symbolman!

I think it'd be worthwhile to see about getting in with Obama's internet war room somehow - as SOON as any info about that comes out. Or, maybe I'll call HQ and see whazzup tomorrow - or someone else can! Can't hurt. Tell 'em to go onto DU and check us out and that we want to help with the internet war room - defensive oppo activites.

We could get a team of 'known' DU folks together looking for shit coming at the Obama campaign, we all research it, then generate Action Alerts to the War Room.

AND if they can get you, symbolman, on TV to spit this right stuff back at the GOP smear machine DEBUNKED via the War Room (and / or Obama himself), that'd be the way to go.

Seems like SOMETHING could be worked out. DUers are DAMN GOOD at debunking stuff!

[symbolman]

41. Sounds great to me, all for it..

I have a little time issue as I'm in Hawaii and so if I call its 3 am or night time :)

So I'd have to take night shift, I'll stay up for TV if needed, I was trained by a guy who trains Congress folks for media, so sure, I could spit it back, and stay on message.. Be a pleasure..

Only thing I worry about here would be potential "drama" remember that's his main platform with his people, he's "No Drama Obama" :)

The DU has been wonderful at debunking over the years, hasn't it? This place has spawned so many activists it aint funny, and as a think tank its been the greatest - better before the "drive by" postings but we can work around that, eh?

Let me know if you find anything out, I can supply a sort of Resume if they need to "know" some of us better, the trust thang..

Tomorrow I have lots of airport giggery going on, but will check in..

Its a great idea, get the DU IN the Saddle and kick some wrinkly McCain ass! :)

PS. I have no doubts about your activist qualifications either :)

[Triana]

43. my life is such that my activity would be limited to late afternoon/night/weekends

...days are out for me so someone(s) would still need to cover days-AND nights. We need lots of eyes and ears. And ideas.

[Kukesa]

49. Please see my post #44.

I've already forwarded an email I received about quotes in his books. They've responded to it and included it on their website.

His staff is terrific!

[Triana]

52. Excellent!! Thanks Kukesa. I'm saving that email addy...

...and bookmarking this thread.

They do ROCK! His staff is awesome! That campaign is incredibly impressive. WOOOOOOOO!!! I love 'em,

[Tatiana]

40. I really like this idea. n/t

[wiggs]

22. He's going to need it. Met someone this weekend who actually believes that she

was forwarded a real email from Kenya from someone who knows Obama's family and that these Kenyans know for a fact that Obama is an anti-Christian Muslim trying to to bring about the new world order.

Honest. To. God.

We talked just briefly and I offered to help her debunk the email. This came up even though we had just met and were only talking for a few seconds because she was about to tell a McCain/Obama joke and paused to ask if I was for Obama. When I nodded she said "He's against Christians!"

I found the email on Snopes...it's full of us vs them bs and full of prayerful warnings.

[rndmprsn]

23. dead link...

[dailykoff]

28. The whole site seems to be down.

Somebody turned off the server?

[reflection]

24. I'm for Obama, but I wish

he hadn't capitulated on the flag pin. That "debate" in which that was made an issue still makes me sick to my stomach.

[rainbow4321]

25. That's good..to reach people like my relatives

I have one in Oklahoma who had no idea what party her state's governor belonged to when I told her that the Democratic Oklahoma gov had endorsed Obama and she is pretty much inside a MSM-free bubble when it comes to ANY current affairs that I bring up in conversations...BUT, by gosh, she sure seems to have heard and believes that Obama is Muslim and she knew the name of Rev Wright "and, you know, the stuff said in Obama's church"...WTF?????? She hears NO other news but she hears THIS crap???
Saying she would have voted Dem had HRC won but now that Obama has,she is voting for McCain b/c Obama "scares her"! The entire country could be crumbling around Oklahoma and she would have NO idea about it til we talked again..but the MSM/repuke lies sure make their way into her house. :grr:

[Cha]

26. You have to do this with the slime out

there that have nothing to offer so they have to make up shit and hope the low information voters will eat it up.

[goclark]

29. Just perfect!

[AsperGirl]

31. It's Untrue Obama Was "Never a Muslim"

Obama's campaign changed its statement that Obama "was never a Muslim" to "was never a practicing Muslim" after the investigative reporter in the LA Times story linked to below found out Obama was registered as a Muslim in that Catholic School in Indonesia. But none of the mainstream news outlets will cover this and his campaign is still pushing the "never was a Muslim" lie to the public, without being challenged. So they're hiring a bunch of bots to go out and blanket the Internet with the snow job.

LA TImes Story on Facts About Obama's Religion in Childhood
(http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/bal-te.obama16mar16,1,7181735,full.story)

[Terran]

33. Wow, thanks

Apparently you registered at DU solely for the purpose of enlightening us on this matter.

I'm sorry, when you're six years old, you're not nearly old enough to "be" any religion in any real sense. Frankly I agree that he was "never a Muslim" in the same sense that I was never a Christian even though I was forced to go to church many times as a little kid.

[OhioBlue]

38. uh... did you actually read the article?

It never describes him as adhering to the Islamic religious tradition. It simply said that the school registered him as a "Muslim" b/c his step-father was considered a Muslim.



I think the statement that Obama has never been a Muslim is accurate.

[Narkos]

42. Oh Jesus, it's the freaks like AsperGirl

that just drive me nuts. Call me cynical, but it almost seems like a waste of time to try to rebut the diehard wingnuts. They don't give a shit about what's true or not.

[AllentownJake]

32. He has to do this

The "whitey video" rumor has gone mainstream with GOP talking heads speculating on it.

I'm 99.9% sure there is no video but saying that one might be out there over and over again is as good as having it.

[cooolandrew]

34. Great to see him take this deadly serious. Well done Obama.

[Skittles]

36. OUTSTANDING n/t

[Lord Helmet]

37. he's got to fight off the media, McCain and the Clinton camp still

they're all sliming him

[Emit]

39. They can start here

it seems to be the original source of a hell of a lot of misinformation:

~snip~

In foreign policy as well, Mr. Obama would bring to the White House an important experience that most other candidates lack: he has actually lived abroad. He spent four years as a child in Indonesia and attended schools in the Indonesian language, which he still speaks.

“I was a little Jakarta street kid,” he said in a wide-ranging interview in his office (excerpts are on my blog, www.nytimes.com/ontheground). He once got in trouble for making faces during Koran study classes in his elementary school, but a president is less likely to stereotype Muslims as fanatics — and more likely to be aware of their nationalism — if he once studied the Koran with them.

Mr. Obama recalled the opening lines of the Arabic call to prayer, reciting them with a first-rate accent. In a remark that seemed delightfully uncalculated (it’ll give Alabama voters heart attacks), Mr. Obama described the call to prayer as “one of the prettiest sounds on Earth at sunset.”

Moreover, Mr. Obama’s own grandfather in Kenya was a Muslim. Mr. Obama never met his grandfather and says he isn’t sure if his grandfather’s two wives were simultaneous or consecutive, or even if he was Sunni or Shiite. (O.K., maybe Mr. Obama should just give up on Alabama.)

~snip~

http://select.nytimes.com/2007/03/06/opinion/06kristof.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Here's what it morphed into:


http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Nicholas+Kristof+%E2%80%9Cwith+a+first-class+%5BArabic%5D+accent.%E2%80%9D+&btnG=Google+Search

[shadowknows69]

46. Fuck, where do I send my resume?

Get paid to smite Obama bashers? Sign me the fuck up.

[Alter Ego]

47. I swear, if I wasn't working

I would want this job so bad...

And that last line is misleading. Obama's flag pin came from a veteran who gave it to him at a campaign stop during the primaries. The guy asked him to wear it for the right reasons, not for any jingoistic war-drum beating bullshit reasons.

[CatnHat]

48. and , ,

here we thought all along that Obama was against "war".