Here's something you and I weren't supposed to find out:

[mopinko]

At a private function at a Colorado resort, oil billionaire Charles Koch stood in front of hundreds of conservative millionaires and said the 2012 election will be, in the words of Saddam Hussein -- yes, he decided to quote Saddam Hussein -- "the mother of all wars."

He then read through a list of 32 contributors who gave more than a million dollars each to bankroll the network of corporate special-interest groups that aim to tear down President Obama.

If that offends you, it absolutely should. But it should also motivate you, because you are the only thing that can stop them.


I'd rather not spend time talking about this kind of gutter politics, but one simple fact makes it impossible to brush aside: special-interest groups like Karl Rove's American Crossroads Super PAC have already pledged to pour nearly $200 million into attacking the President in the coming months -- and more shadowy groups file paperwork and start running ads every week.

Right now, the President is focused on creating jobs and improving the lives of middle-class families. And this campaign will keep doing what we've been doing from the very beginning: growing a truly grassroots organization that's doing politics a different way, and encouraging as many people as possible to take ownership of this campaign as early as possible. It has to start with you.

The Koch brothers and the front groups they fund have decided on the tone they want the election to take in the coming months -- and we should expect these kinds of smears to only get worse.

But we still have a say about the kind of race we want to run and the kind of political climate we want to create. Take a stand now to support it.


Thanks,

Messina

Jim Messina
Campaign Manager
Obama for America

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mopinko]

2. and they are already hard at work.

and have been from day one. they have the power to affect perception and create consensus in this country, ever among democrats.

[Bluenorthwest]

3. No, they have a pile of money. To embue that with such super

powers as you do is helpful to them. They have money. Not 'power to create'. Money is not a key to all doors. Money is great. But in politics it can only do so much. Buying more media not only does not always help, it is often a huge mistake. So the idea that buying lots of ads equals victory is what I call 'The Meg Whitman Theory'. You can ask Meg how that worked for her. She is not the governor of CA, so she probably has time to talk about it.

[mopinko]

5. not talking about ads. talking about the mighty wurlitzer.

[duhneece]

4. Let's be aware of Rove's tactics

Aug. 24, 2011

From: KR

To: All Internet Operatives and Interns

Re: Internet Operations -- For Immediate and Aggressive Implementation

CONFIDENTIAL -- EYES ONLY

Hello Gang,

You've all been working hard, and it's paying off. Obama's numbers are plummeting as I type this. Congratulations all around. But we can't afford to be complacent now.

I just want to briefly go over a few Mission Points with you.

1. Main mission: Infiltrate all liberal web sites, posing as disaffected liberals with liberal-sounding user names, icons and signatures. (Reference Bernie Sanders, Dennis Kucinich, FDR, Smedley Butler, Bill Clinton, etc.)

2. Express. Disappointment. With. Obama. (Whining pays double!) (jk!)

3. Push primary challenge. Push third party. Push Green. Push Socialist. Push write-in voting. Push non-voting to "send a message."

4. Effective memes/talking points:

"Obama is a DINO."
"Obama is no different than a Republican."
"Obama has sold us out."
"It feels good to vote your conscience."
"It feels good to stick to your principles."
"Don't be trapped into voting for the lesser of two evils."
"We need to punish Obama and the Democrats by not voting."
"We'd be better off with a Republican in the White House."
"Obama is a war-mongering, torturing, corporatist shill."

For more:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2011/08/27/1010778/-BREAKING:-Leaked-Rove-email-singles-out-Daily-Kos

[mopinko]

6. this memo has been debunked.

doesn't make it untrue, particularly, just sayin' it isn't a real memo.

[duhneece]

7. Thanks, it does seem to be true, even if not real.

It made me think about how to answer those tactics...not that I've come up with any really good answers!

[mkultra]

8. where is the debunk of this memo?

just curious

[mopinko]

14. honestly, i do not know. i just know that we started deleting

/moving some of those threads because it had been well debunked. i am sure the earliest posting of it here had replies to that effect.

[mkultra]

57. sure seems plausible.

[wicket]

18. It has?

Dammit

[mopinko]

19. they don't need to be that blatant.

[Arkana]

61. It sounds like a Rove strategy but he'd never write a memo this blatant

about it.

[JDPriestly]

33. Your phony Rove memo doesn't change the fact that the following points are true.

"Obama is a DINO."
"Obama is no different than a Republican."
"Obama has sold us out."
"It feels good to vote your conscience."

We will we probably HAVE to vote for him anyway. Yes.

But, let's try to get as much support for progressive ideas from the Obama administration in return for our votes as we possibly can.

I am no Rove follower. I have never, ever been a Republican. I have always worked for Democratic candidates and worked for Obama.

But Obama's record thus far is disgraceful.

And the fact that you ridicule and chide those of us who are honest enough to admit it out loud doesn't change that fact.

Obama has surrounded himself with Republican-thinking people like Geithner, Petraeus, Summers, and his chief of staff, William Daley.

And he seriously expects Democratic activists to support him wholeheartedly.

I say, that if Obama is going to run on a Democratic ticket, he needs to think, speak, act and appoint like a Democrat.

So far he hasn't. I will probably vote for Obama, but he had better not count on it. Because if a real liberal Democrat, a true progressive, steps up to the plate, that liberal, that progressive, will have my wholehearted support.

The disregard for fundamental human civil rights that the Bush administration showed and that the Obama administration has continued to show is despicable.

I and all other progressive Democrats who feel as I do hate to have to take this stance, but what else are we to do.

It is not we who are dividing the Democratic Party, it is Obama and his "Blue Dogs." They are the problem. Why should we have to support stances that we do not believe in?

Obama acquiesces to the Republicans constantly. Why can't he just occasionally take a strong progressive stance and stick to it? What is wrong with him?

[trueblue2007]

55. you read DEMOCTRATS posting notes right here ever day that say this ....

"Obama is a DINO."
"Obama is no different than a Republican."
"Obama has sold us out."
"It feels good to vote your conscience."
"It feels good to stick to your principles."
"Don't be trapped into voting for the lesser of two evils."
"We need to punish Obama and the Democrats by not voting."
"We'd be better off with a Republican in the White House."
"Obama is a war-mongering, torturing, corporatist shill."



************************************AND IT MAKES ME VERY SAD.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

9. Because they are trying to bring this country,

down, trying to destroy it, they should be tried for treason.

Money should not protect them. If not treason then subversion, whatever.

Arrest them today!

The Koch's, in my opinion, are not the end all, be all, there is someone,

something, some group, pulling their strings, else wise, they'd be silent, unobserved.

Assassins do not draw attention to themselves. They are the shadow, the background.

The administration should not have to prove anything, no evidence is needed.

Just lock them in Gitmo, swallow the key.

Worked for all the other terrorists there!

[99th_Monkey]

32. +1 nt

[Fly by night]

10. "we still have a say about the kind of race we want to run & the kind of political climate we want "

Oh really?

Pray tell, how do those of us who strongly supported Obama's "hope and change" message in 2008 get our voices heard now (without buying a seat on the New York stock exchange)?

[mopinko]

13. oh, i think they hear you.

they wouldn't be doing all this "hippie punching" if our side wasn't being heard.

but imho, it is time to start coming together.

[Fly by night]

17. I don't know if punching some of your strongest supporters is a winning strategy, but I agree ...

... that it is time to come together.

However, it's going to be necessary to give many of us a reason to do so.

Supporting smog, despoiling Canadian boreal forests for some of the dirtiest oil known to man, flip-flopping on medical cannabis, continuing and expanding our "all war, all the time" foreign policy, etc, etc, ad nauseum -- is prolly not the way to do it.

Right now, with the USDOJ seemingly disinterested in widespread unverifiable voting machine-enabled election fraud and the directions Obama has taken contrary to his campaign promises (see above), I am becoming disinterested in politics for the first time in my life. I am saddened by that, because I have been actively involved since 1970, when I worked in Senator Albert Gore, Sr.'s campaign as a college senior.

That's a pretty sad commentary, but it mirrors the attitudes of many of my friends and neighbors, all of whom supported Obama in 2008 -- none of whom support him now.

[mopinko]

22. the time for giving people something to get support is over.

if it hasn't been enough, we should be looking at those who stood in the way. look at the kock brothers, et al, and light them up for their crimes.
obama is getting done what can be done. it is the people standing in his way that need to be brought to account. by utterly defeating them at the polls.

for that we need to be united.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Fly by night]

42. Re: "obama is getting done what can be done"

I do not deny that the Obama administration has accomplished some praiseworthy things (so I don't need to repost the List here.) BUT ...

Obama has the power to remove us from Iraq and Afghanistan (and Libya and Yemen and wherever the hell else we are killing people indiscriminately at this moment with Predator drones). He hasn't.

Obama has the power to close GITMO. He hasn't.

Obama has the power to order his USDOJ to vigorously investigate and prosecute unverifiable voting machine-enabled election fraud. He hasn't. Instead, his USDOJ continues to pressure states like New York to adopt these fraud-friendly, red-stained black boxes -- when anyone with a lick of sense knows better by now.

Obama could rein in the DEA's efforts to make sure that Mexican cartels have the latest firepower in their slaughter of innocents in Mexico. He hasn't.

Obama could demand that the DOD stop its insane and immoral "stop loss" policy that has brought active duty military suicides in this country to an unprecedented level. (Living near Ft. Campbell, I am saddened by the news of the latest victims of this suicide epidemic which seems to appear weekly in our local media.) He hasn't.

Obama has the power to implement his campaign promise to allow medical cannabis to be treated (and regulated) like any other medicine. He hasn't. Instead, he and his Republican-infested USDOJ have accelerated the war on "illegal smiles", actively interfering with lawfully established state medical cannabis programs and actively discouraging them in other states.

Obama could stop the insanity of the Keystone pipeline. Will he? I certainly hope so. Are there any of his remaining die-hard supporters here who are willing to bet that he will do the right thing here? If so, PM me and I'll be happy to cover your bets, if you're willing to accept butternut squash as collateral. That's about the only liquid asset I have left after my own decade-long dance with federal drug-worriers for the crime of fomenting science, common sense and compassion (at no charge) in my own community.

I have no doubt that the current putrid, tapeworm-infested stool sample that is the modern Republican party is definitely the worst of all possible choices for leading our communities, states and nation. We have plenty of evidence for that here in Tennessee, where our formerly somewhat moderate and reasonable Republican party has been overthrown by overt racists, pug-ugly jackals, tone-deaf tinkerers with our Constitution and Hooters girls. (Really). Since between 5-8% more Tennesseans self-identify as Democrats as Republicans, the only place you can find a reasonable explanation for the ascendancy of these flying monkeys is in the bowels of our voting machines. We are not allowed to look there and. evidently, the Obama USDOJ has no interest in looking there either.

Since I believe that these Republican corporate (s)tools represent everything that democracy isn't, I also believe that compromise with these amoral thugs is pluperfectly stupid and self-defeating. If I were as pollyannishly optimistic as Obama that compromise with criminals was possible and desirable, I would need (and want) my head to be examined. Our party's purported leader wants us all to be friends with them. The GOP and its flying monkeys want us all dead. The compromise between those two positions might be that we allow them to beat the shit out of us, whenever and wherever they want, allowing them to piss on our heads while telling us it's raining. With compromises like that, why would anyone want to line up (or lie down) on our side?

The United States of America is a country, an ideal, worth protecting and defending. Someone has to lead us in the fight for our country's, our planet's survival. Right now, we don't need another Neville Chamberlain. We need another Tom Paine. Hell, we need another Nat Turner.

Find me one of those (hopefully within the conscience and constitution of President Obama, the person I worked hard for in 2008) and then get out of my way. I, for one, would be happy to help put Republicans out of our misery. I am far from the only one. If you're unwilling or unable to do that, then stop calling me for contributions. And don't sit waiting by your phone either.

Now back to the Garden. At least I still have one and, at least for a little while longer, I can still breathe the air above it. If we keep compromising the lifeblood, the breath, of this planet away, I am not sure for how much longer I can say that.

Hope? Change? Bring it on -- we are waiting.

More compromise? (Fornicate) that (stool sample).

[JDPriestly]

34. +1, Fly by night.

I personally suspect that it's some of these diehard Obama supporters who are the paid posters.

How can they read the information they get on DU or in the newspapers and truly believe that Obama is a Democrat?

He simply is not a Democrat. He is a conservative. And all the propaganda to the contrary does not change that fact.

[cui bono]

59. We don't expect to get "hippy punched" by our own side if they hear us!

We want them to actually listen to us.

[Gregorian]

11. Of course. And it was happening during his campaign no doubt as well.

Assholes. Anti-American fascist pricks.

I honestly believe that the phrase "the love of money is the root of all evil" is one of the most powerful statements ever made.

[Tarheel_Dem]

12. K&R (nt)

[ThomCat]

15. The president has been building jobs? where?

A grassroots campaign? Since when? He's turned everything over to the party insiders and consultants to run. Nothing comes from the bottom up anymore.

Who is Jim trying to fool?

Yes, Koch is a evil bastard who needs to be fought tooth and nail, every chance we get, buy lying about what's happening doesn't build credibility.

Just tell the truth that the Obama campaign wants people to take a moment to donate some money. :eyes:

[ClarkUSA]

16. 'So that Ignorance Won't Be The Reason Why "Progressives" Are Throwing The President Under The Bus'

Read the italicized part especially before you dismiss or ignore the facts:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=433&topic_id=762403&mesg_id=762403

As for your questioning the grassroots nature of OFA, if you bothered to sign up to volunteer - which I doubt you have, considering your rhetoric - you'd know how wrong you are.

[mopinko]

20. detroit.

are there new chevy vehicles prowling your streets? they are all over mine.
$600m, $800m whatever the stimulus costs. it created and saved jobs. vital jobs. big business is sitting on its capital.

if he has been so very co-opted, why are they trying to mow down this whole country to take him down?

[JDPriestly]

35. Mostly Priuses in California. At least in my crowd.

[mopinko]

48. my bad- meant to say government vehicles.

chicago is crawling with them.

[JDPriestly]

58. Good. I think the environmentally friendly cars will become popular

in California. We have special environmental problems here. That is because we get the we ocean air -- even fog coming in. It sort of catches all the smoke and dirt and pollution and junk and then jams against the mountains that surround our area, entrapping all the poisons and particle in the air and poisoning us on the ground.

Worst of all, we have tons of truck traffic going through the area on its way from the docks to who knows where. We need more electric rail to carry the cargo through the city.

[Number23]

21. Rec'd Glad to see OFA posts here

And glad to see OFA calling out the Koch brothers.

[Canuckistanian]

23. Wow

That's a candid and forthright message from the official campaign manager for Obama.

They expect war fighting against a TIDAL WAVE of cash from the moneyed interests who want to bring down the President.

This won't be pretty.

[mopinko]

24. no, probably not. but

it is about time to throw it down.

[JDPriestly]

36. The president pretty much brings down himself.

Fortunately, my congressman and my senator Boxer are true progressives. I am very proud of them. They are the true Democrats.

Obama is not a Democrat.

[MannyGoldstein]

26. Frankly, I think these are people we can do business with.

We don't begrudge people for doing well in our country. We can certainly reach a compromise here, as long as the Professional Left doesn't insist on "fairness", "the rule of law", and "many survivors".

[Lunabelle]

27. Won't the Koch brothers be so happy about the pipeline that this administration is approving?

And should I dare even mention that the EPA standards that were just thrown in the trash by our current administration will thrill and delight them beyond belief too? Why are they even bothering to defeat the Democrats when they are already getting their way?

[mopinko]

49. why indeed. i think that is a good question.

not only bothering, throwing millions at it. so, why?

[Go Vols]

28. I tend to agree with this guy

Obama is better than ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAdsdlq42nE

[wundermaus]

29. The system is broken.

No amount of money from private citizens can approach the leverage of the elite few of our nation.
Political power has decayed into bribery and that is all that it is.
Until we address that fundamental flaw the elephant will remain forever in the kitchen, town hall, and congressional corridors.
We are screwed as a democracy and their isn't chance in hell that we will revive it without guts... Lots of Guts.
So vote for Barack Obama, or Ron Paul, or Michele Bachmann, or Micky Mouse.
Pick one.
It won't matter.
None of them matter.
It's a joke... and it's on us.
Because they all are simply place holders.
And yet we continue to play along...
instead of fighting back.

[slay]

31. +1

it truly is. we have a choice of right wing, and further right wing - both corrupt as hell.

[mopinko]

50. well, i will say this about that, even tho i disagree pretty

vehemently.

i think that bribery is human nature. i look to our primate relatives and figure if it part of their everyday existence, we will do it. if it is part of their hierarchy, we will be unable to resist doing it. at least some of us.
and apes offer and take bribes.

now, that doesn't mean that it is a good thing. or that it should be legal. or that it doesn't make things extremely unfair.
what it does mean is that the only thing you can really, really ever do is bring it into the open so everyone knows. maybe tokenize it. take the taboo out of it, which is so attractive to the wrong sort of people.
so, coming out and saying that these guys are bribing everyone, but not bribing me is a much more powerful statement that it might seem.

and as far as fighting back, i think many of us are. and i think that we are at least making change on local levels in a lot of places. i would say that very much thanks to dr dean, and to the momentum and relationships gained in the obama 08 campaign, the face of chicago government has changed for a generation. (please no rants about rahm. please. this is not about him. )
last term we elected 9 new aldermen, replacing some of the worst of the old fossils. we kept the good progressives, except for the one that moved up to cook county board president. this is absolutely part of that movement. democracy for america was very active here, in local and congressional races. there is still a very active chapter here on the north side.
we have a new commissioner of the water reclamation district, which protects lake michigan and our waters here. we will hopefully have another in november.

these positions are stepping stones to higher office. progressives may not make all the way to the top, but much happens lower down that effects the every day quality of life for working people. those things are not so tilted toward the super rich.


ngu

[slay]

30. I don't trust either side at this point

sorry

[deutsey]

38. I'm where you are as well, unfortunately

:evilfrown:

[PuffedMica]

37. They are just wasting their money, President Obama will win going away

If the Koch brothers and the TeaBaggers were confident of a win, it wouldn't take 200 million dollars.

It doesn't say much for their 'grass roots' movement if the 'move' part has to be funded by a select few wealthy elites.

Relax, we got the 2012 Presidential election in the bag.

[mdmc]

39. hi mo

:)

[mopinko]

51. .

:hi: :grouphug: how ya be?

[mdmc]

60. good enough

hope ya well too

[tpsbmam]

40. Grassroots? Politics a different way?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Give me a fucking break. The only time this president brings up "grassroots" is when he needs us. The rest of the time he's kissing ReTHUG/teabagger/Wall Street/corporate asses and throwing progressives/environmentalists/the environment/Democratic principles/the Constitution/grassroots/poor Americans/working Americans/unions under the damn bus.

Nice fear tactic and they're very true. But don't fucking come at me with fear when you've *ruled* with tactics and endorsed policies that represent everything I've fought against since I was a teenager! And sure as hell don't insult my intelligence with bullshit claims like being about grassroots and claiming "politics a different way." What a total crock.

I'm faced with a true moral dilemma when I vote in 2012. Yeah, I'll end up voting for the putative "Democratic" candidate but it'll be a vote that disgusts and horrifies me. And count me among those who would volunteer for, contribute to and vote for a Bernie Sanders quality primary opponent or even third party opponent. And others can bully me with yelling I'd be electing the ReTHUG, blah blah blah blah. I'd be voting my principles, the principles this country and Democrats used to stand for, I could very much live with myself after voting and saying absolutely fucking NO to both of these deceitful, back-room dealing, corporate owned parties that are marching us into fascism.

[mopinko]

52. ok, i see you are a cynic, but i just say this-

a lot of what has gone on, imho, is about "politics a different way". trying to lead by example, and take us back to deliberation of good policy and away from strong arming and bribery. polite and respectful until his eyes bleed. not a good thing in the moment, but perhaps a move in the right direction in the long run. these fuckers only get to run amok in an atmosphere of gridlock. he can't bully his way out of it, regardless of the number of seats on either side of the aisle.

it looks ugly and useless, but it looks to me like progress. so shoot me.

[ctwayne]

41. Is Obama Running as a Democrat?

Or is he this bipartisany, hopey, changy personage who is running on cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid; with the feeling that if he cuts them enough, some "moderate" Republican might vote for him?

[trueblue2007]

56. you think the President is this??? PROVE IT

TOOK OUT THE BAD WORDS

[Fearless]

43. Jobs first then support.

[mopinko]

53. it's getting a little late for that. the campaign is on.

i will be curious what tonight will bring.

[Roland99]

44. So...that means we all donate to Bernie or try and get Feingold to run? What? Obama ain't it.

[DocMac]

45. This activity shows us one thing.

The fascist bastards have not yet mastered rigging elections.

If they did, you would never see them part with their money.

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Pirate Smile]

47. And that is all about the Supreme Court. If we let Republicans take over the WH, they will probably

get to replace Ginsberg with another Alito and then then entire country is so totally f@#ked for a long, long time.

The "Center" or swing vote of the court will no longer be Kennedy, it will be .... Roberts? Alito? Scalia? Thomas?

That will be insanity.

[mopinko]

54. and lots of other such details.

i understand how people feel it can't get worse. but it can always get worse.
for all the saber rattling, we still have social security. we still have medicare and even medicaid. we still have unemployment insurance.
we are not quite dickensian. yet.