Swift Boating of Hackett Into High Gear...

[carpe diem]

http://www.swingstateproject.com/2005/07/oh-2_swift_boat.php


http://atrios.blogspot.com/2005_07_24_atrios_archive.html#112249121945436123


http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/


The polls must be uncomfortable close...these are their desperation tactics and they cannot be allowed to do this again!

[NMDemDist2]

1. who is Hackett? n/t

[WorseBeforeBetter]

2. Good article in NYT in this thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1657481&mesg_id=1657481

[Justitia]

3. A great article in Salon about him too. see link inside post...

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/07/26/hackett_schmidt/index_np.html

[Cha]

15. Thanks for this link..

"There's nothing about this election that can faze me," he says. "After Iraq, everything seems like a walk in the park."

INTERESTING!..This was Paul Hackett's inspiration..

"Paul Hackett remembers being in Kuwait, waiting to be shipped home after a seven-month tour of duty in Ramadi and Fallujah, watching CNN America with his fellow Marines. What he saw enraged him. "All I saw on TV was Terri Schiavo," he says. "The federal government and the Florida state government came screeching to a halt to intervene into the private lives of this family during this tragic time ... Like that scene out of 'Network,' I felt like the guy who stood in the spotlight and said, 'I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore.'" Not long after he returned to Ohio, he decided to run for Congress."

[Cha]

4. Paul Hackett

http://www.hackettforcongress.com/

[NMDemDist2]

5. ahh Yes, the Ohio election! good luck to the Ohio Dems! n/t

[OhioBlue]

8. Paul Hackett

is running for the Congressional seat in Ohio's 2nd District that was vacated by R-Rob Portman when he was appointed U.S. Trade Rep. by *. He is just back from Iraq. Running against R-Jean Schmidt who seems to be nothing but a puppet wanna be for Shrub. Portman carried the district in the last few elections with 70+%. But with the scandals being revealed in Ohio and Schmidt seems to be tied to Taft and former speaker Larry Householder and her own ethics violations. Hackett is a strong D candidate for that district and Schmidt seems pretty weak. It is however, a heavily red district. For the Rs to be attacking an Iraq vet about his service seems like they must be struggling when they probably thought they would sail with whoever they put up for that seat. Another example of how dirty the R's are. They are picking apart his role in Iraq and debating if he was "combat" and if he wasn't if it qualifies him to say that he fought for our country - despicable. BTW he's a Marine. James Carville and Max Cleland have both visited the district recently to help out with the campaign. See the links below.

[Cha]

12. Thanks for the

Skinny, OhioBlue!

[wicket]

6. More here:

http://www.mydd.com/story/2005/7/27/144642/335

1.) A local conservaitve radio host started by questioning Paul Hackett's service to country. Scott Sloan of WLW 700 AM in Cincinnati went off on some insane rant about the real level Paul's patriotism regarding the war in Iraq and claimed Hackett was using his service for "political purposes."
Over the past two days, Republicans have been calling into talk radio across the district saying things like, "Paul wasn't really a Marine Corps Major in Iraq." It's a coordinated effort, as I am hearing from people that similar lines are being repeated and repeated by radio callers in and out of the district.

2.) The "swift boating" is picking up steam, and we have to fight back. I sat no less than five feet away from a reporter from a cable news outlet that asked, "Some say that this was all a plan on your part. To go to Iraq and come back with this great story while running for congress."

Less than 30 minutes ago, a reporter from CBS asked about Eric Minameyer's question, and yes, questioned Paul's service to his country.

3.) A few days ago, an Amry Private First Class was burried in Fairfield, Ohio. Within 24 hours, a number of flags were burned and tossed into a pile infront of his mother and father-in law's home. As you can imagine, this incident has led to a lot of press and sadness for the family.

The same host above, Scott Sloan, attempted to tie Paul Hackett to the flag burning incident. He said that it was people like Paul Hackett that allow things like this to happen.

3.) Last night, a number of people in the district began receiving robo-calls talking shit (for lack of a better word) about Paul Hackett. Of course, they hit on the standard themes, choice, equal rights, and yes, Iraq.

4.) Earlier today, the police had to be called at campaign HQ as a strange individual pulled up to the office, kept the car in park, and started plugging away at a lap-top. When people walked out of HQ to investigate, the car pulled off quickly. The police have been notified.

One local said, "this really reminds me of what was happening last October. It got real ugly down here before the election.

[0rganism]

10. If Dems don't get aggressive about combatting these tactics,

1) we will lose EVERY FUCKING TIME
2) we will damnwell DESERVE TO LOSE

If you went to a job interview, and right outside in the lobby were some people yelling mean made-up shit about you so some other guy would get the call, you wouldn't stand for it, right? If you DIDN'T fight back against the assholes in the lobby, and thoroughly refute even their most ludicrous bullshit during the interview, and I were the employer, I'd have to wonder if you really wanted the job -- not to mention why so many people didn't want you to have it.

Those reporters aren't ATTACKING Paul Hackett, they're GIVING HIM HIS CHANCE TO FIGHT BACK. The people of Ohio are about to make a hiring decision. Mr. Hackett can show some real strength by way of a noticable intolerance for smear politics, or he can come across as careless and aloof by pretending to be above it all.

[Catrina]

13. I agree completely

Where are the activists on the left, talking about the corruption that Jean Schmidt may have been involved in? The equally co-ordinated effort to get on the air, even on those 'conservative' shows and yell 'Shame on you for undermining the troops, like Mr. Hackett, 'in a time of war'.

They will NOT stop lying about Dem candidates until they learn that each time they lie, the truth about their candidates will be yelled and repeated and spread all over the airwaves and the internet, until they stop!!

Had the Kerry campaign revealed the lies and the background of the Swift Boat Veterans right away, they would have been, not only totally ineffective, but shamed for their despicable tactics and by the end of a week, considered to be poison in terms of the Bush campaign. Which is where they are now, but way, way too late.

Their tactics are now so predictable ~ there should be, in place, a strategy to stop the lies as soon as they begin.

[FreedomAngel82]

20. In defense of Kerry

I read an article last year around December where his ex-wife Julia was interviewed. I don't remember where right now only the contents. Julia said how Kerry wanted to attack back at the SBVT group and they really hurt him emotionally but the DNC wouldn't let him. The DNC also didn't let anybody bash Bush like a lot of them wanted. So now that McAullife is gone and under Dean hopefully now things can be done better. Has Dean or anybody else other than Cleland been up to support him and help him campaign?

[Catrina]

26. I wish he would have ignored

those who advised him to allow a bunch of scumbags to destroy his reputation. I know I would not be able to be contained if someone did that to me. I'd probably lose, but it would be worth it, imo. I wouldn't want to win if I could not speak the truth, to be honest. Bullies back down when they are confronted. They have a way of taking as weakness, any unwillingness to take them on. Therefore, imo, they need to be confronted fiercely, as soon as they attempt to do what the SBV did. But that's all in the past, and I hope we've learned from it.

As far as Hackett, yes, Max Cleland has been to Ohio campaigning for him.

Hackett's left-of-center views on social issues may not go over well with conservative Ohioans, and Schmidt is so far beating him financially, but last week Hackett got a profile boost when former Democratic Sen. Max Cleland campaigned with him. By bringing in Cleland and highlighting his military service, Hackett hopes to neutralize any criticism Schmidt could levy concerning his stance on the war.

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2005/07/26/hackett_schmidt/


And I also read today that Gen. Clarke has endorsed him. Sorry, I don't have a link to that story.

[KharmaTrain]

17. The Phone Banks And Blast Faxes Are Starting To Crank Up

First, I'm surprised so few people here are up with what's going on in Ohio-2. The election is next Tuesday and Hackett's been working hard and obviously making some noise in an area this regime thought was a safe seat to put up for a special election.

This has all the earmarks of a Blackwell production. Yep, people are given talking points and the phone number of friendly hate radio stations or flood papers with LTTEs or try to infiltrate the opposition's campaign. A small race like this is ideal for this dirty politicking as it's rarely noticed outside the immediate area and is highly effective.

I've donated to Mr. Hackett's camapaign and I strongly encourage others outside the district to do the same thing. Also, there's a great Progressive talker in Cicinatti...1530AM...Springer's home station...hopefully they're bringing Mr. Hackett on to rebuff some or all of this sliming.

[FreedomAngel82]

21. I hope so

I would love it if Springer could have Hackett on and just talk to him and ask him about all the slinging. That would be a great interview.

[KharmaTrain]

24. I Just Emailed Springer's Producer...

Maybe others should as well. The link is on the AAR page.

Also, maybe someone in the area can tell us about other Talk stations/shows in the area. I used to be able to sneak onto a radio near Columbus, but it hasn't been working. Might be fun for a couple of DUers with a couple of minutes to kill to make some wingnut's day. Most these morans haven't had a real debate ever...and getting them into a "bambi in the headlight moment"...where they can't respond and there's silence is like spun gold. LOL.

Kos and mydd have been following this race closely. What a great thing it'd be to take this seat and send a real shiver throughout Ohio (this is Hamilton county) and the rest of the GOOP.

Cheers...

[FreedomAngel82]

19. Oh brother

This should be the republican slogan: support the troops but only when they're on your side and can be used for your purposes. Otherwise screw 'em. :eyes: Of course that's kind of long so it might not work. They did it to John McCain, Max Cleland, John Kerry and now Hackett. I've also heard they even went after Wesley Clark.

[kestrel91316]

25. Welcome to the Fascist United States as detailed so very accurately in

"It Can't Happen Here". Sinclair Lewis must have been psychic.

[ArkDem]

7. This is terrible because if the commom man has ever had a

buddy Hackett is it!

[acmejack]

9. I just donated to him.

I really want to see Paul win here. He appears to be a fabulous candidate. I am really getting tired of the dirty personal attacks that have become the republiCons standard procedure.

[FreedomAngel82]

22. Hopefully this time it'll work against the republicans

because of him being an Iraq veteran. He seems to be getting some people to change their minds. In an NYTimes article at the end a republican is quoted saying he was at a Hackett rally and is thinking of voting democratic this time. :D So Hackett appears to be doing really well in the area. Especially if the DNC is helping him when in the past they ignored the area. He was even spotlighted in a segment on CNN.

[maxsolomon]

11. makes me proud to be a FORMER resident of Cincinnati

WLW made my dad a bush voting idiot.

[OhioBlue]

14. Let your Dad know that local RWers

are attacking an Iraq veteran for political gain. Also - ask him if he is happy about the Republicans in Columbus losing 300 million in bad investments with the BWC. They did this partially by rewarding RW donor Noe with investment money in bogus "rare coin" investments. The Repubican Party in Ohio is rampant with corruption. IMHO - any true conservative would have to be pissed.

[bluedog]

16. just heard him on tv.....

loved it when he said "I didn't vote for bush".......but "put my life on the line for him"........so true..................

[FreedomAngel82]

23. That's an awesome line

Where did you hear it? Is it a local station? Anyway to get a video?

[FreedomAngel82]

18. So disgusted

Which reminds me of something Jon Stewart said on the coverage of the republican convention. Cheney was talking about the troops and what an honor it is to serve and all that crap and then Stewart comes back with a photo of Kerry receiving a medal and Stewart says: "Unless they're running against you. Then they're pussies." :eyes: I read an article in the NYTimes and it seems as though Hackett is doing VERY well in the area and at the end interviewed a guy who was a republican who was at a rally of Hackett's (Blue Ash) and he said he was thinking of voting democratic because of how Hackett has a job and wife and kids but he's not just sitting around not doing anything. CNN also had a segment on him (you can find it some pages back at dembloggers.com) of Hackett and at the end showed him at a headquarters place and someone telling him that a republican is going to vote for him. So he's definitley a threat to them. GO HACKETT! I love everything he says on his website and agree with him all the way and I'm a pretty left person.