Joe Conason: Why Obama’s Bin Laden Ad Drives Republicans Crazy

[babylonsister]

http://www.nationalmemo.com/why-obamas-bin-laden-ad-drives-republicans-crazy/

Why Obama’s Bin Laden Ad Drives Republicans Crazy
May 1st, 2012 12:32 am Joe Conason


Nothing aggravates Republicans like seeing nasty, effective tactics upon which they have so long relied being turned against one of their candidates. So when Barack Obama’s re-election campaign aired an ad celebrating the anniversary of Osama Bin Laden’s death – and suggesting that Mitt Romney wouldn’t have achieved that objective – the right exploded with outraged protests.

Evidently the feelings of longtime hatchet-men like Bush-era party chair Ed Gillespie, ex-Bush flack Ari Fleischer, and the editorial writers at the Wall Street Journal, to name a few, were really, really hurt — because the Obama campaign exploited a moment of national unity for partisan advantage. “This is one of the reasons President Obama has become one of the most divisive presidents in American history,” said Gillespie, now a Romney adviser.

To anyone with a functioning memory, however, this whining is implausible. So is the dire predictions that the president will somehow offend voters by claiming credit for whacking Bin Laden (or by smacking Romney). During the Bush presidency, Republicans used precisely the same approach and worse, over and over, without fretting whether their words and ads were “divisive.”

snip//

By contrast, the Obama ad’s brief rebuke of Romney is at least factual and accurate: Not only did he say what the ad quotes, but he also said that he wouldn’t go into Pakistan to get Bin Laden, which is what the mission required. Had the President followed Romney’s policy recommendation, Bin Laden would almost certainly still be at large.

“Even Jimmy Carter would have given that order,” scoffed Romney in response. But he shouldn’t be so quick to denigrate the former Democratic president, who entered the Navy during World War II and then served as a submarine officer until his honorable discharge in 1953. Somebody may compare Carter’s service with Romney’s own military record, which doesn’t exist – and remind voters that he avoided the Vietnam draft with a pampered stint as a Mormon missionary, in France.

[BeyondGeography]

1. Obama has cut their nuts off

And it hurts.

[safeinOhio]

4. The best part is,

he does it with a warm friendly smile.

[kitt6]

26. Did they ever have any?

Huh?

[mucifer]

2. The problem is that most of the press is not framing it as Joe Conason is

What I heard on AP radio news and CNN radio news is the press quoting rmoney about Jimmy Carter and that crap. They are so LAZY. They don't do any thinking or any research
it's just rmoney said this and the President said that. It makes me sick.

[MatthewStLouis]

5. You hit the nail on the head.

The press is so incredibly lazy that they would rather just repeat campaign propaganda, and act like both sides have equivalent arguments, rather than ask real questions about the FACTS.

[dennis4868]

9. yep....

and this is why Romney has a chance to beat Obama. Romney lies his ass off and he knows he will not be held accountable by anyone.

[freshwest]

20. Yep, the numbers are WAY too close.

[JoePhilly]

12. They are doing everything to make it a close election. So they have to try and diminish

Obama's achievements.

[JNelson6563]

3. Joe's in good form, eh?

[babylonsister]

6. Yes! I lost his site for awhile, but always enjoy him. He's

simple to read and gets right to the point.

[CTyankee]

19. I have been his biggest fan since I heard him on Al Franken's Air America radio show...

back in the dark days of early 2005, after Kerry lost and we were all just devastated.

Franken used to introduce him with a corny singing of "Carry on, Joe Conason." It made me laugh, it was so deliberately amateurish, but Conason loved it. He even subbed for Al on vacation with Kathleen and they called one of their segments "Goy, goy, goy!" after Al's "Oy, Oy, Oy!" bits he did regularly.

[DCKit]

7. Agree, except for one thing:

"Nothing aggravates Republicans like seeing nasty, effective tactics..."

I have the same problem when I tell my (R) family members the truth - "Why are you so mean?" Since when is telling the simple truth nasty and divisive? Guess it's all part of being the eternal, professional victim.

How can we expect the Republican party to handle national security and diplomacy if they can't handle honest criticism? Who/What is the mommy they run to when someone calls them on their bullshit?

They are not fit.

[mac56]

18. Tell your family what Truman said.

While he was making a speech a supporter yelled out, "Give 'em hell, Harry!"

"I don't give them hell," Truman replied. "I just tell the truth about them and they think it's hell."

[freshwest]

22. +1,000

[Dawson Leery]

8. Obama has cleaned up the mess that their boy Bush made.

The best he can of course.

[pa28]

10. Remember "united we stand"?

Americans united behind this idea and gave Bush a 90% approval rating. He cynically used this community spirit to push an ideologically driven political agenda. Tax cuts, trade deals and giveaways to corporations were simply rebutted with 911! 911!!11!! changed everything.

If a Democrat had been in the White House at the time there would never have been any such thing as "united we stand". Nothing like that at all.

Nope, 911 would have been the president's fault and you would hear about it on the news 24-7. Republicans can make you sick but taking hypocrisy to this level is downright emetic.

[peace frog]

11. Hit 'em hard, hit 'em often

The only thing a bully respects is a bigger, meaner bully.

[Iliyah]

13. There are only a "few"

true journalist left in the corporate media world because like in Europe regarding WW1 and WW2 they wants this country to dumb down so they can easily control majority of the American citizens. I've read that the "Koch" and "Bush" past family history had ties with the Nazis in WW2. This to me, especially the Koch family conincides with what they are doing right now in America.

If you notice, CNN is Fake News like. Some of MSNBC as well, although, progressives in most part are the evening news which is refreashing because CNN has failed miserably. City, state local news usually focus on whats happening in that particular area although the "tea brats" were focused wholeheartedly more so, than the 99% (violence is shown tho) is now. Sunday talk shows, media highlights goppers more and without contesting anything. Look at the the positive coverage Mittens is getting. Look at all the negative Pres O and the Dems are getting.

[nxylas]

27. I thought the Bushes had Hitler, the Kochs had Stalin

The defenders of free enterprise made their money trading with Uncle Joe.

[scribble]

14. If he'd spoken up two years ago ....

Nancy Pelosi would still be Speaker of the House.

Obama is a big disappointment to me.


sc

[FSogol]

15. Romney "avoided the Vietnam draft with a pampered stint as a Mormon missionary, in France."

Game, set, match.

[ybbor]

16. Carter did attempt such an assault

President Carter did actually try such a dangerous assault in attempting to free the hostages in Iran. It unfortunately failed and possibly doomed his re-election chances, but he did have the cajones to try. Romney, like W, probably didn't spend much time thinking about OBL.

I hope the president continues to hammer it home that He got our most wanted enemy!!

[pedex]

17. Carter didn't want Pahlavi let in the country either

never ending war needs a boogey man

take note that all of a sudden now Al Queda has miraculously spread all over the mid east even when we are allied with them in Libya LOL

I also find it humorous and ironic that nobody ever brings up the fact that all we had to do was give up Pahlavi instead of harboring him. Guess one ousted dictator with terminal cancer rates better than hostages.

[L0oniX]

21. I am really enjoying this.

[kitt6]

23. Several years ago on GM

The Carlyle Group was supposed to bail out GM a couple/few years ago? Is this what Romney is referring to?

[kitt6]

24. Several years ago on GM

The Carlyle Group was supposed to bail out GM a couple/few years ago? Is this what Romney is referring to?

[kitt6]

25. I do not have amnesia!

Can't Etch a Sketch this.

[W T F]

28. I demand that Romney apologize to Jimmy Carter!!!

How dare he attack the former President's military record when he, himself was a coward in France! (a dose of their own medicine ) lol