Where do I even begin? Look at this crap going around about Obama:

[SharonRB]

Read the whole thing. People are trying to plant the idea that he's trying to infiltrate the government (the far right wing, very Orthodox husband of my niece was spouting those words of wisdom last night). My father forwarded this to me:


Probable U. S. presidential candidate, Barack Hussein Obama was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Barack Hussein Obama, Sr., a black Muslim from Nyangoma-Kogel, Kenya and Ann Dunham, a white atheist from Wichita, Kansas. Obama's parents met at the University of Hawaii.

When Obama was two years old, his parents divorced. His father returned to Kenya. His mother then married Lolo Soetoro, a radical Muslim from Indonesia. When Obama was 6 years old, the family relocated to Indonesia.
Obama attended a Muslim school in Jakarta. He also spent two years in a Catholic school.

Obama takes great care to conceal the fact that he is a Muslim. He is quick to point out that, "He was once a Muslim, but that he also attended Catholic school."

Obama's political handlers are attempting to make it appear that Obama's introduction to Islam came via his father, and that this influence was temporary at best. In reality, the senior Obama returned to Kenya soon after the divorce, and never again had any direct influence over his son's education. Lolo Soetoro, the second husband of Obama's mother, Ann Dunham, introduced his stepson to Islam. Osama was enrolled in a Wahabi school in Jakarta. Wahabism is the radical teaching that is followed by the Muslim terrorists who are now waging Jihad against the western world.

Since it is politically expedient to be a Christian when seeking major public office in the United States, Barack Hussein Obama has joined the United Church of Christ in an attempt to downplay his Muslim background.

Let us all remain alert concerning Obama's expected presidential candidacy.

[NYCGirl]

1. Snopes:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

[SharonRB]

4. Thanks!

I forwarded the link to my father. Hopefully he'll show it to my niece's husband and shut him up.

[candidate]

2. The right wingers have nothing on him

They piss and moan about him not having enough experience, even when they sheepishly voted to elect and re-elect W, who :

1. was a drunk til he was 40

2. had absolutely no knowledge of foreign policy

3. was a failed businessman and baseball team owner

4. was a nondescript governor who approved an astronomical number of executions

Besides, even if Obama DID have experience, like John Kerry, they'd just Swiftboat him by lying and twisting his background.

So basically, all they have on him is that he's....*gasp*...an Ay-rab!

[NYCGirl]

6. Actually, he's NOT an "Ay-rab", as you say. They lie. NT

[Deep13]

3. Also, Obama causes crop failures and eats kittens.

Well, that's what I heard.

[AndyA]

5. Oh good grief!

They really are crawling around in the sewers, aren't they?

Well, let me put it this way: Based on what I've seen and heard so far from Barack Obama and George Bush, I'll take a former Muslim turned Christian over a drunk, lying, alcoholic, psychotic, lunatic anyday.

The Republicans need to clean up their own kitchens first, before they start complaining about another's housekeeping. And they have a lot to clean up.

[NYCGirl]

10. And Obama was not a former Muslim, either. See Snopes link above. NT

[wisteria]

7. the nature of the beast- politics. It won't get any better, unfortunately. n/t

[MorningGlow]

8. How revolting

Carefully worded to get the most bang for their buck out of another zealous character assassination. Well, Obama's in good company, considering all the other good people the 'pukes have slandered.

There is one other thing that bothers me about this--and I thought of it with the whole Keith Ellison-being-sworn-in-on-a-Koran incident as well:

Why isn't anyone getting to the heart of the matter--that these insane righties believe that anyone who is a Muslim is also automatically a terrorist? Nobody's touching that point--talk shows (left as well as right) just talk about whether it's right or wrong or inconsequential that we have Muslims in the government. Besides the fact that we're not supposed to care what religion a politician is, as we have a secular government (ahem), Islam is a religion of PEACE. Sure there are radical Muslims, just as we have radical Christians--but they're in the minority.

Some people need to go back to elementary math class and relearn sets vs. subsets.

:eyes:

[Tellurian]

9. The line is too Long to consider O Bama for presidential timber..

at best, maybe a cabinet appointment.

Nevertheless, he's worth his weight in Gold if he speaks to our priorities.

[sandnsea]

11. Propaganda Debunking Forum

I started an Obama Debunking Thread so we can post this stuff in there instead of recycling it over and over. This is at least the 5th time I've seen this crap and don't know why we need to see it again and again. Let's post this stuff in the Debunking Forum where everybody has access to it if they need to respond.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=284x296

[SharonRB]

13. I didn't even know that forum existed!

Thank you.

[sandnsea]

19. I just made it

I suggested it yesterday to someone who posted this same Obama email. They didn't do it, so I decided to. I don't think we help ourselves when we post this garbage, it just ends up signalling the right whether they're making headway with their smear campaigns, seems to me. I just think if we start posting this stuff in one spot, then it'll be more useful as the primary season gets going, take away some steam from the right, and probably reduce some flame wars too.

[SharonRB]

23. Good idea

Looks like the forum has been around a while, though.

[sandnsea]

27. Oh, duh, lol

I mean I just made the post, not the forum. LOL!!

[SharonRB]

29. LOL

I knew what you meant! :)

[Imagevision]

37. Quick!! hide under your desks...

[blm]

30. thanks sandnsea - the Dem PARTY needs spokespeople who access DU's research forum

and debunking forum.

THAT has always been a serious weakpoint for the Dems since the mid90s. There is no media structure in place to disseminate information the way the RW has had for over 15 years.

[annabanana]

34. Hey THANKS! How did I miss that group?. . . .n/t

[gratuitous]

12. Get ready for two years of this

And not just on Obama, but every Democratic candidate. It doesn't matter what it is or anything else, every last detail of their lives will be dragged out or lied about. It's just what they're going to do.

And let's face it, if the best candidate you had to run in 2008 was John McCain, what else could you possibly do?

[politicasista]

15. Exactly

Anyone who thinks that no one is above smearing is in for a rude awakening. Stay tuned.

:hi:

[mohinoaklawnillinois]

14. Shar, it's totally disgusting isn't it..

I got that e-mail Wednesday from one of my best friends. I called her and told her very politely that it was all BS.

She answered me with this little tidbit. Her daughter works as a nurse at Northwestern Hospital here in Chicago. According to her daughter, one of the doctors that she knows at Northwestern told her that Sen. Obama was at some sort of function at Northwestern and was rude not only to this particular doctor but also rude to the children that were present.

When I heard this, I just started to laugh.. I pointed out to my friend that first of all, Sen Obama is a politician and being rude to people in public just doesn't happen. Secondly, I said considering this doctor practices and has privileges at Northwestern would leave to me believe that he probably makes about a gazillion dollars a year and all he's worried about are his tax cuts. Thirdly, I told her to go out to the library and get both of Sen. Obama's books and then make up her mind about him.

When I asked my friend where she got this e-mail from, she said "one of my neighbors." My friend lives in a very Republican, overwhelmingly white area in Will County, IL and most of her neighbors get their news from Faux.

I did, however, send her the link to this supposed story on Snopes.com this morning. Not only did I send it to her, but I also replied to everyone she originally sent it to.

The thing that absolutely cracks me up about these malicious allegations is this: If there were any truth to them at all, don't ya think this would have been exposed in 2004 when he ran for the Senate in Illinois.

After all, Illinois Democrats have the "circular" firing squad thing down to a science....

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

22. You have a very valid point

if the email was true, it would imply that the people of Illinois are idiots and that the GOP opposition didn't think it was important....gee, coming from Will County, you'd think your friend would know better....I can assure you my kinfolk in Jackson County do, but then they are all Democrats. :)

[SharonRB]

25. One would think, you're right

But now that he's on the national stage, this stuff comes out of the woodwork. If I see you Sunday, I'll tell you the whole story about my niece's husband. He's really a jerk -- not only was he slamming Obama, but he thinks there should be legislation outlawing unions -- that they've totally destroyed this country.

Hope to see you then.

[politicasista]

16. A RW Bushie friend of my mom sent that the other day

Just ugly. :(

[sandnsea]

20. Really?

I have to ask, an African-American friend??

[politicasista]

24. No, a white woman co-worker friend

She is Catholic and sends Limbaugh/Hannity type e-mails from time to time. She got caught in the act when one extremely offensive e-mail was passed around the workplace. She got fired the next day.

[sandnsea]

26. Not that that's better

But it would really be disheartening to think there is any African-American that would not recognize such a hateful racist piece of garbage. Good she got fired.

[politicasista]

28. Yes, my mom brought the email home

It was so offensive that you would have thought that John Rocker (former baseball pitcher) typed it up and forwarded it to everyone.

[TheCowsCameHome]

17. Yep, another bomb will blow up - in the GOP mudslingers faces.

[AtomicKitten]

18. hey, there's plenty of crap about Obama

floating around DU ...

[neoblues]

21. Republicans would reject anybody...

(a) with a little darker skin, (b) who's not Christian, (b.1) who's ever even talked to a Muslim (much less actually attended an Islamic school, especially at a young age (surely we all know how susceptible the young are to having their minds 'adjusted' by religion)), (c) who is intelligent (ie. understands science), (d) who is tolerant (ie. lover of undesirables), (e) who is female (ought to be at home taking care of her husband, making and caring for her children, etc), (f) who believes in global warming, (g) who would prefer to solve international problems through diplomacy rather than military force, (h) who is thoughtful/wise, (i) who is honest, (j) ...

Ahh, I'm sure there's more. Anyway, the preceeding may cause "Conservatives" some concern, but there's always a chance... A chance that their closed eyes (minds) might be opened and enlightened. Indeed, the more screwups and subsequent suffering caused by the implementation of "their way" as evidenced by the last six years, the greater the chance they'll see the error of their ways. Of course, many are beyond reasonable hope.

Still, it's sad that the very desirable characteristics of Obama (or any other good Democrat), such as thoughtfulness, intelligence, tolerance, etc., are the very things that Republicans would be uncomfortable with. They're so insecure that anybody who's that much more intelligent, enlightened and capable seems to scare them--they don't seem to trust anybody who's smarter than themselves (they did trust Ronnie, the actor, and Shrub, the boobish failed oil man). There's no explaining them (they must've been beaten severely as children? or didn't get enough oxygen in the womb?).

[Dean Martin]

33. Neoblues sums it up nicely

Read your bible (I've read the entire book from cover to cover, took me two and a half years, that I'll never get back), don't you know a good Christian is supposed to shut off their mind, suffer, cause suffering and hate, convert, or kill everyone that doesn't believe the way you do?

Actually, Neoblues has summed up everything else I could think of to say.

[kestrel91316]

31. OMG, the republic is in TERRIBLE DANGER!!!!11!!!

A US Senator who ISN'T a firebreathing fundie whackjob is considering running for President!!!!!

Call out the Marines!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sadie5]

32. I received two e-mails today alone

on Obama from two RW neighbors. Where I live we are totally infested with RW vermin. The two who sent the e-mails are still sending stuff around about Bill Clinton and how he ruined this country and made it impossible for Bush to clean it up. Although they are 70ish and too old to fight in Iraq they are behind the war 100%.

[Blue_In_AK]

35. The "swiftboating" has begun

For everybody who thought that it only applied to John Kerry, the right wing smear machine will take on anybody.

[politicasista]

38. Exactly n/t

:hi:

[Imagevision]

36. This Just In: Barack Obama linked to group sneaking in aliens from Mars

[Deep13]

39. Dammit, they want to steal jobs from Earthlings.

[Deep13]

40. Tell you the truth, I'd prefer someone who is not so overtly religious.

H said during the 1994 convention that his god is an awesome god. I don't find him so.

[loyalsister]

41. The irony

It would be a giant step in the direction of the apology we need to make to the world if they thought we were willing to elect someone who actually did entertain some Muslim leanings.

[historicaljoe514]

42. I cant wait for the day

in this country when someone of a non-christian faith can be elected president. with all this bad mouthing, it might not be for a long, long time.

[election_2004]

43. And Hillary is an "upstanding, strong, good Christian woman"....

The corporate media whores have all the Talking Points worked out ahead of time, so they can get the end result that they want.