The swiftboating of Barack Obama

[rox63]

Being a long-time John Kerry supporter, I don't use the term "swiftboating" lightly. I know what it did to Kerry in 2004, and I fear similar strategies are being used against Obama now. The Clinton campaign and their surrogates are making divisive racial comments, then turning around and blaming the race-baiting on the Obama campaign, just because they've attempted to defend themselves. If the Obama camp were to ignore the comments, that makes it seem to some people like maybe it could be true. If they defend themselves, or attempt to debunk the attacks, the Clinton camp accuses them of bringing race into the campaign. And it gives the whole controversy much more publicity. This is what happened with the swift boat liars in 2004. Their claims were entirely untrue. But because of the publicity they got, their lies seeped into the conciousness of voters all around the country.

So how should the Obama campaign combat this, without inflaming the issue and giving it lots of free publicity?

[Connie_Corleone]

1. Just defend himself and then immediately start talking about the issues.

Just say that while Clinton and her surrogates continue to attack him, he's going to talk about the issues that concern the American people. He can continue to defend himself and don't worry about the Clinton campaign trying to say Obama's attacking her.

You gotta do what you gotta do. Just as long as he goes back to talking about the issues right afterwards. Keep above the fray and make the Clinton camp look desperate.

[JI7]

2. you are right

i think he did a good job when he gave the NH concession speech. he congratulated Hillary and mentioned we would have liked to do better, but immediately went on to give a total kick ass speech. anyone who saw that would not have viewed him as a loser in that election.

[sandnsea]

3. Maybe start talking about wedge issues

How race and immigration and class have always been used to divide us, and act like he's talking about the Republicans when he says it.

[beachmom]

4. Obama INGENIOUSLY dealt with this problem. Hillary had no choice

but to follow his lead:

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0108/Obama_putting_out_the_fire.html

Carrie Budoff Brown has some key quotes from an Obama avail this afternoon in Reno, where he tried to put to rest the racially-charged name-calling.

You have seen a tone on the Democrat side of the campaign that has been unfortunate. I want to stipulate a couple of things. I may disagree with Senator Clinton and Senator Edwards on how to get there, but we share the same goals. We all believe in civil rights. We all believe in equal rights. They are good people. They are patriots....

I don't want the campaign at this stage to degenerate to so much tit-for-tat, back-and-forth, that we lose sight of why we are doing this.

Obama said he wants to send "a strong signal to my own supporters that let’s try to focus on the work that needs to get done. If I hear my own supporters engaging in talk that I think is ungenerous or misleading or unfair, I will speak out forcefully against it....

Bill Clinton and Hillary Clinton have historically been on the right side of civil rights issues. They care about the African American community.… That is something I am convinced of. I want Americans to know that is my assessment.