Don't think the establishment is going to let Obama survive. Political assassination is coming.

[calmblueocean]

No, not physical assassination. They're not going to kill him. (What would they want with another martyr, anyway?)

They don't need to.

All they need to do is assassinate his character.

It's easier nowadays in our entertainment-addicted cable-news-driven media than ever before. All they have to do is gin up a salacious controversy, and get the electronic media talking about it. It doesn't have to be credible. The Swifties weren't credible, but the media loved them. And they did all the damage to Kerry's reputation they needed to do.

They're coming for Obama now.

Get ready for it, because they'll never let you feel the way you feel now. They will never let this country feel united around a sense of common purpose. They will sleaze and slime and destroy the image of anyone that provides significant opposition to them. They will turn your most inspirational figures into an object of ridicule and disgust.

They spent years doing it to Hillary, and they're gearing up for Obama now.

I've accepted that it's unavoidable. The lies are on their way. Obama's image will be changed over the course of the next few months. My support for him will not be. The same goes for Hillary. Despite my disagreement with a few things in her past, I've got her back no matter what shit the right wing throw at her if she's the nominee. There is too goddamn much at stake.

They never win on the issues. They never win with logic. They win with innuendo and lies and slime.

I'm ready for them. Are you?

[joshcryer]

1. It won't happen until he has the nomination.

Until that time he is getting a free ride.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

2. As George Bush would say

Bring it on.

[scheming daemons]

3. Won't work....

...the whole appeal of Obama right now is that he trancends this kind of crap.

LET THEM TRY.

They will fail.

They will look small while failing.


Kerry was horrible at answering the false charges.... Obama won't be.



Another big difference this time.... Republicans liked their candidate last time... a good chunk of them, the very chunk that was behind the swiftboating campaign, can't stand McCain.

I was listening to a right-wing talk show here in Pittsburgh today (Jim Quinn), and the vitriol and attacks against McCain were astounding... you'd think McCain was the Democratic nominee.

They won't work as hard to elect McCain as they did for Bush. Limbaugh and the others like him will spend as much time going after McCain as they do Obama.


Obama will survive that crap... because he's smart enough to knock it down before it makes it through a single news cycle.

He's recovered and prospered from all the crap the Clinton machine is throwing at him.... he'll do fine against the Repukes too.

[Dogmudgeon]

4. My own scenario:

1. Boost Obama so that he is even or slightly above Hillary. Do this by tearing Hillary down and ignoring all gaffes made by Team Obama. This also has the effect of wearing Hillary down.

2. Re-calibrate based on Super Tuesday. Ideally, Hillary will have more voters and Obama will have more delegates; there will also be a demographic split.

3. When Obama is on top, attack him; when Hillary is on top, attack her. This will build up optimum conflict and keep the ad rates high.

4. For Pennsylvania (April 22) and thereafter, let it ride without interruption. Let the "real" winner emerge.

5. Use the same strategy for the general election. However, it is likely to be fairly evenly matched on Labor Day. Use the technique in Step 3 to keep tension and interest high.

6. In the last week, crush the candidate we want to lose.

Odds:
Destroy Hillary: 2:1 -- After Super Tuesday the press continues to attack Hillary.
Destroy Obama: 5:4 -- After Super Tuesday the press switches to attacking Obama and maintains the attacks.
Destroy the Republican: 1:5 -- Unlikely.

--p!