The Thugs have already started the Obama Hate Mongering.

[Cyrano]

Get used to hearing Obama's middle name, Hussein. Get used to hearing "Obama" turned into "Osama." Get used to hearing the term "lynching" dropped into what seems like some sort of "innocent statement." Get used to hearing every possible permutation of racial epithet that the Thugs can think up -- and maybe even some new ones.

It's started.

How dare this "uppity" guy run for president?

We have a huge job on our hands. The bigots, and the non-bigots-but-win-at-any-cost creatures are going to throw their entire sewer at Obama. And that will just be for starters. There is currently no more inventive group on the face of the earth than the Republicans at coming up with new ways to smear, discredit, vilify, and generate contempt and hatred for their "enemies."

And we have to understand that they are our enemies. We must be just as inventive as them at defending Obama. It must be made clear to the entire country, and the entire world, that we are not going to take it any more.

Each and every one of us must show zero intolerance for it. Not just online, but at work, play, barrooms, lttes, family get-togethers, social clubs, or anywhere else we might happen to be.

We can't let one iota of bigotry or innuendo pass without speaking up. It's past time for us to take the ugly head of racism and drown it in the pool of bile that the Republicans have spent many decades creating.

Yeah, I know, it's one thing to rant and another thing to accomplish a worthy outcome. But if ever an opportunity has presented itself to us to once and for all destroy this disease that has been around for far too long, now is that time.

If we lose this one, who knows how long it will be before another golden opportunity such as this will come along?

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. I agree, however, I will say one thing.

I fully expected all of this, and it's one of the major reasons I still hesitate to take Obama over Clinton. Yet I am genuinely surprised at the backlash at the first public-event use of "Barack Hussein Obama". I really thought the MSM would let it slide, but it's backfired quite a bit on the pugs.

[SCantiGOP]

15. it's worse than you think

here's a quote I captured a few days ago from a liberal blog. I forget the name of the right wing asshole who put it up on his site:
"In fact, I'm starting to come to the realization that it may be up to a sole person, acting alone, to make certain this guy is never allowed to hold the most powerful office in the world. Sorry it may have to be that way, but it may."

I imagine that earned him a visit from the Secret Service.

[wryter2000]

2. It's not just a golden opportunity

We're talking about Supreme Courts seat. Plus, we must have a President who will do the right thing about the occupation of Iraq, the unfairness of the tax code, food safety, health care, and numerous other issues.

I'm prepared to do whatever I can to defend our candidate, whoever it is, from Swift Boating.

[leftofcool]

3. Get used to it

It will get worse and very ugly.

[aquart]

4. And they have hateful things to say about Clinton, too. Or Edwards.

You CAN'T have believed this was going to be a cakewalk?

[theoldman]

5. It's not the Swift Boaters I am worried about.

I pray that Obama does not get shot by one of the right wing nuts.

[SoonerPride]

12. Exactly

Then stories come out about lax security.

Geesh.

[AlinPA]

14. I worry about Bush**- Rove being in charge of the SS. Scary.

[flamin lib]

6. I sincerely believe these viral emails eminate from the RNC and

that they're forwarded through address lists to useful "civilians". In the last presidential cycle I was receiving as many as 4 a day about Kerry and his wife.

We all need to maintain our own address books and send out as many truthful and verified stories as we can.

It's the principal of "I told two people and they told two people and they . . . "

[ramapo]

7. Well of course...

That's what Republicans do.

The test for Obama (assuming he gets the nomination) is how he responds to and deals with the Rethug attacks. Dukakis proved he was unworthy of being president as he was completely unable to respond to the vicious lies put out about him and his policies. Kerry didn't do much better. Gore hid amidst some odd persona that wasn't really his.

Now Clinton didn't stand for it. That's part of the reason the Rethugs hated him. He beat them.

I am confident that Obama will deal with the entire litany of Republican crap that will spew, from his middle name to his wearing native garb to his wife speaking.

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. Lets start here - that wasn't his native garb.

It was the native garb of the people he was visiting.

They were not his father's people, but neighbors.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Why is this a big deal? Of course they're going to do this. I fully expected

the gOP to make a deal out of his name and try to smear him. Obama supporters should be taking this in stride, not getting all upset and anxious--I'm pretty sure Obama's campaign has been waiting and preparing for it.

[Bonhomme Richard]

9. We will just have to talk about Sidney the Third. n/t

[stillcool]

10. I'm not worried about

that crap. There's been more than enough of that going on right here. Hasn't worked for the Clinton Campaign..the only thing it accomplishes is to piss people off, and I truly love the boomerang effect.

December 10, 2007
Third Clinton Volunteer Knew Of Smear E-Mail
A third volunteer for Hillary Clinton's campaign was aware of a propaganda e-mail alleging that Barack Obama is a Muslim who plans on "destroying the U.S. from the inside out."

"Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential Candidacy," the email reads. "Please forward to everyone you know. The Muslims have said they Plan on destroying the U.S. from the inside out, what better way to start than at The highest level."

Two Clinton volunteers, Linda Olson and Judy Rose, have already been asked to resign from the campaign for their roles in forwarding the e-mail. The AP reported yesterday that Olson, a volunteer coordinator in Iowa County, sent a version of the e-mail to 11 people, including Ben Young, a regional field director for Chris Dodd's campaign. Young passed it on to the AP.
http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/12/third_clinton_v.html

Clinton adviser steps down after drug use comments
Earlier Thursday, Clinton personally apologized to rival Obama for Shaheen's remarks.
Obama accepted her apology, according to David Axelrod, the top political strategist for the Obama campaign.
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/13/clinton.obama/index.html

COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton and her campaign tried to mend ties to black voters Thursday when a key supporter apologized to her chief rival, Barack Obama, for comments that hinted at Obama's drug use as a teenager. The candidate herself, meanwhile, praised the Rev. Martin Luther King and promised to assist with the rebirth of this troubled, largely black city.

Bob Johnson, the founder of Black Entertainment Television, apologized for comments he made at a Clinton campaign rally in South Carolina on Sunday that hinted at Obama's use of drugs as a teenager.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-01-17-johnson-apology_N.htm?csp=34

Hillary: Sorry for Any Offense Campaign (Bill) Has Caused
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB65wJ6Rcfs

Bill Clinton Asks for a Second Chance
By Liz Halloran
Posted February 11, 2008

The morning after his wife, Hillary, was routed in three state contests by Sen. Barack Obama in their dead-heat battle for the Democratic nomination, former President Bill Clinton made his case for her before a packed Sunday service at one of the largest black churches in Washington, D.C.
But first he offered an apology of sorts for racially tinged comments he made about Obama and his candidacy that have triggered a backlash in the black community and among many other Democrats.

Clinton invoked his "worship of a God of second chances" in pronouncing himself glad to be at the Temple of Praise, which claims nearly 15,000 members. His invocation of second chances echoed comments he made early last week at black churches in California, where he campaigned for his wife before that state's Super Tuesday primary, which she won.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/news/campaign-2008/2008/02/11/bill-clinton-asks-for-a-second-chance.html

Bill Clinton To Apologize At LA Black Churches
Once again, Bill Clinton is ready to repent.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/02/02/bill-clinton-to-apologize_n_84573.html
On Sunday the former president is scheduled to visit black churches in South Central Los Angeles, where he's expected to offer a mea culpa to those who "dearly loved him" when he was their president, Rep. Diane Watson (D-Calif.) says.

Watson, a member of the Congressional Black Caucus who has endorsed Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), tells us she'll usher the former president to more than half a dozen churches in her district where she says he needs to "renew his relationship" with congregants who were turned off by his racially tinged comments in the days leading up to and following the South Carolina primary. (Such as when Clinton compared Sen. Barack Obama's landslide victory to Jesse Jackson's wins in 1984 and 1988.)

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

11. Many are spreading falsehoods

about Obama's faith--and others are eagerly using that to bash Obama so that they don't have to say they don't want a black president--easier to say they don't want a Muslim.

[stanwyck]

16. I like the Stewart/Colbert approach

both have jumped on the rightwing fascination with Obama's middle name and played along with that same juvenile game of continually repeating it -- as though "his middle name is Hussein!" is clever or enlightening. By doing so, both are showing how inane and ridiculous this is.
Actually, I'm encouraged by this silliness. Is this all they've got? The man's middle name? Really. You've got to be encouraged that the best these thugs can come up with is attacking a man because of his...middle name. It's funny.

[backscatter712]

17. The good news is there isn't a better person than Obama at fighting the poo-flingers.

I'll say it again. Obama holds a 5th degree black belt in verbal Jiu-Jitsu.

If his performance so far is any indication, the GOP's gonna find themselves thrown flat on their asses every time they try attacking Obama. He's much, much better than Kerry or Gore at standing up to the defamation.

Besides, after eight years of George W. Fucking Bush, I think most Americans are wise to Rovian tactics now, and very, very pissed off.