Hoping to divert attention, GOP plans to re-launch attacks on Obama

[DogPoundPup]

Hoping to shift the media gaze from Sarah Palin, Republicans plan to launch an aggressive push into Barack Obama's background and controversial associations, according to an RNC official.

The move indicates just how much the GOP wants to tag Obama on character instead of mere policy, a line of attack they feel emboldened to pursue after Democrat attacks on the number of homes the McCain's own and the intense media scrutiny into the background of Palin.

According to an RNC official, they'll "press the Obama campaign to follow through on his promises of transparency."

This means questions about his years as a state senator, but more importantly his ties to convicted felon and Chicago wheeler-dealer Tony Rezko and the former domestic terrorist William Ayers.

Republicans are still holding back on going after Obama on his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but third-party groups may target this, the most politically explosive element of the Democrat's biography.

Republicans are still holding back on going after Obama on his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright, but third-party groups may target this, the most politically explosive element of the Democrat's biography.

The GOP will launch a wave of press releases, press conferences and talking points fed into the conservative echo chamber meant to highlight questions about Obama's character.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080903/pl_politico/20537;_ylt=A0wNcxtNtb5IPE8BxhuyFz4D

[high density]

1. So they're issuing press releases...

on stuff that was settled six months ago? They need to find something else to do.

[emulatorloo]

2. Obama better be ready with ads that MERCILESSLY cut thru the bullshit

And I mean take no prisoners push back. I get a feeling they probably are putting them together now.

[nc4bo]

3. Inevitable. Fortunately the M$M blew up the airwaves with it during the primaries

and I really don't think it'll be half as interesting as the dirt on Senator Mccain.

Hopefully O-team has some Chicago flavored politics simmering on the back burner, nice and hot.

[ProgressiveEconomist]

4. K&R. While McCain gets a 'POW' exemption from criticism, Rs may want to draw

Democrats and the media into exhaustive comparisons of "experience", "character", and anything else (other than the economic and foreign policy issues) between Palin and Obama.

Most DUers certainly seem to have bought into this trap, but, fortunately, Obama/Biden seem to be playing it much smarter.

IMO, we're on the "wrong low road". We need to be going after McCAIN on the economic issues, on 100-year imperial occupations of oil-rich states, on disclosure of his daily-vaunted but still-secret military record, on the blatant symptoms McCain displays of untreated PTSD (a Presidential temperament issue), and many other things.

IMO, Palin should be ignored, except when you've got a particularly funny punchline for an occasional joke. Was this much attention paid to Dan Quayle, particularly during Republican Convention week? Why should any voter pay more attention to Palin than to McCain, the way most DUers are this week?

[lurky]

5. Remember how they managed to turn

Whitewater into 8 years of unfounded allegations and false claims. Or Kerry and the Swift Boaters. The truth will not stop them from making insinuations. Ugh... :(

Since they can't win on the merits of their policies, they will always end up resorting to this kind of crap. It is the only way they can win, and sadly it has worked very well for them.