To win this fight, we must not overreact in the face of THEIR overreaction.

[Bicoastal]

During the General Election last year, faced with the implosion of the economy as well as a whole host of voters loudly questioning his patriotism, his Christianity, and even his American birth, Barack Hussein Obama become our 44th president and 1st African American president for one basic reason:

He was the biggest adult in the room at all times.

In the public eye, he never got angry, never raised his voice (except in oratory), never let his emotions get the best of him even when his opponents' supporters were screaming at the top of their lungs: "HE'S NOT ONE OF US! HE'S A SCARY BLACK MAN!" It's fair to say that Obama did what Jackie Robinson had to do when he broke the color barrier more than a half century ago--he turned his back on hysteria and prejudice and concentrated upon the job at hand.

Now, a year later, the mobs are back. And as scary and repulsive as they are, we cannot duplicate their behavior. You can't hope to outshout people who aren't listening, and you can't shame those who are already calling us (without a trace of irony) the American Third Reich.

The only way to win this fight is ignore the crazies and appeal to those thousands of invisible people who are undecided and are looking for leadership by example. And I am NOT talking about dismissing the right wing, the way Kerry dismissed the Swift Boaters. Right now, to an unbiased observer, the mob looks to be in a fighting mood--and we won't achieve our goals by fighting them. We will achieve them by looking like adults. The way to win a debate is to let the other guy scream his head off for his allotted 2 minutes, and then cooly, rationally, poke so many holes in his talking points that he won't be able to breathe.

Try to refrain from Nazi-referencing hyperbole, as tempting as it is. Never get into any argument without cut-and-dry facts on hand. NEVER let your emotions get the better of you. Obama will continue to be as cool and collected as always, but this time, we liberals must make sure to match his calmness.

[Rectangle]

1. Well said BiCoastal. We are the Adults!!

[timeforpeace]

8. Way too late to warn about overreacting don't you think?

[graywarrior]

2. This is the most rational posting I have read here.

Thank you.

[csziggy]

7. The posts about how to try to keep the Town Hall meetings productive

are of value, too. There are a few with tips how to defuse the Disruplicans without competing with them and ways to get them to behave so both sides can have constructive discussions.

I've been forwarding that information to my local OFA for their use so when our representative starts having his Town Hall meetings next week we can help keep them civil and controlled.

[Xipe Totec]

3. K&R n/t

[bvar22]

4. I agree....K&R

Do NOT let the Least Common Denominators set the bar for acceptable behavior.
We ARE better than that.

I do support shining a spotlight on these people, exposing the origins of the Astro-Turf, and making public the connections to the Republican Party and Right Wing Propaganda.

[nashville_brook]

5. i'm seeing the same sort of inaction that sunk Kerry, as well as Al Gore in the recount fight.

and if that equals "right action" then we must be on the verge of a giant victory.

[rvablue]

6. There have been several threads here of folks going out and counter protesting, add to that

Gore didn't have KO, Rachel, John Stewart, Dkos and US along with a lot of other outfits like TPM, and HuffPo, debunking their charade.

Keep the faith. Not now. Not this time. I hope I'm not wrong, but I don't think these tactics are going to work.

[nashville_brook]

14. true that -- like the UFO poster says, "I Want To Believe," but while we have KO, Rachel, etc...

they have mega-churches telling them god is on their side. reason and irrationality are still at war, it seems, 300 years after The Enlightenment.

[onestepforward]

9. Great post. Thanks. K&R n/t

[kentuck]

10. Give them enough rope and they will hang themselves...

just like they did with the Schiavo case.

[havocmom]

11. Ceaser Milan says: be calm assertive

and stay that way until the dogs become calm submissive.

I figure what works for dealing with mad dogs is worth a try with teabagging bigots.

[State the Obvious]

12. Obama is "cool" because he is an adult, and BEHAVES like an adult....

...the "crazies" are like spoiled little children screaming in the corner because they can't get their way.

I think this glaringly bad "mob" behavior is going to backfire on the Republicans.

[JohnnyLib2]

13. Strongly agree.