Group May Become Conservative Version of MoveOn

[FVZA_Colonel]

Source: Associated Press

By JIM KUHNHENN, Associated Press Writer
2 hours, 1 minute ago

WASHINGTON - They raise millions of dollars, conduct provocative ad campaigns, work with a vast network of like-minded allies and have the power to frame the presidential election going forward as much as the candidates themselves.

That used to define only the liberal MoveOn.org, an organization of 3.3 million members that has raised $25 million in the past 18 months and is helping spearhead an anti-war coalition.

Now, a group of conservatives and Republicans with close ties to the White House have formed their own enterprise, Freedom's Watch, landing on the political scene with a $15 million ad campaign to defend President Bush's Iraq war strategy.

But this is just the start. Its organizers don't see themselves as the single-cause Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, who aimed to sink John Kerry's presidential bid in 2004. Instead, they hope to fill what they say is a void on the right, becoming a permanent, well-financed conservative voice on social, economic and national security issues.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070928/ap_on_el_ge/outsiders_politics

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"Group May Become Conservative Version of MoveOn" was what appeared on the Yahoo front page. This is from the article itself: "Outsiders aim to frame political debate"

"Outsiders?!" They have Ari bloody Fleischer and Mary Matalin heading up the project!

[rusty quoin]

1. "The main difference is that MoveOn is a group of 3.3 million,"

"Freedom's Watch is a few mega millionaires."
That says it all.

[robinlynne]

2. Freedom's Watch is not new, unfortunately.

[KansDem]

3. Their name should be "StayPut.com"

But really, the whole damn Whoreth Estate has been in bed with the Bushistas since Day One. I don't know why they need a "conservative version" of MoveOn.com.

[Old and In the Way]

4. grassroots vs. astro-turf

No doubt that they can match MoveOn dollar for dollar, but they'll never get their membership numbers unless they can enroll people without their knowledge.

[redqueen]

6. They always have to have a set-aside, don't they?

If conservatives want to appear nuemrous, they have to set up special news channels, or special websites, or whatever... when the populace at large is involved, it's ALWAYS liberal.

Gee...

:think:

[EFerrari]

15. It so funny to go to their sites because they look like ghost towns.

It's so obvious nothing is really happening there.

[krkaufman]

18. Right. They may get member numbers, in terms of registered users ...

... but their funding will be nothing like MoveOn.org. You can expect most of the funding to be coming from a few organizations or people. (Can you say Scaiffe?)

[BrklynLib at work]

5. DUH..like there aren't already dozens of "conservative versions of MoveOn.org"

Just who have the likes of Sciafe and Perry been financing all these years? Where did the SwiftBoatLiars come from? Puh-leeze! Like they have not had this kind of advocacy going on for decades...The main difference is that the dealings of MoveOn.org are above-board and information about the financing is open to perusal.
The Neocons keep all their money sources and personnel lists secret. There is nothing that MoveOn.org could do that could match what has already been done by the NeoCon's dirty tricksters.
Ask Max Cleland and John Kerry, among others, about it.
They even do it to their own..ask John McCain.

[annabanana]

7. lol . . like conservipedia and the right's "answer" to the Daily Show?

Yeah.. THOSE things always work out well....

snort

[melody]

8. Ah, yes and then the media will have to parrot the right-wing millionaires for "balance"

God, I hate these people.

[PATRICK]

9. With their 33 members

mostly corporate entities who each represent one million proprietary slaves.

[silverweb]

10. This ought to be good.

Do they actually think $15 million of deceptive advertising is going to go unchallenged?

Do they really think their transparent machinations are going to fool more than the usual 29% any longer?

I look forward to participating in laughing them out of existence.

[NeoConsSuck]

11. a permanent, well-financed conservative voice on social, economic and national security issues

we already have that. It's known as Mainstream Media.

[Geek_Girl]

12. It doesn't sound like a conservative version of MoveOn

It sounds more like a warmongering version of MoveOn. What does Bush's Iraq policy have to do with conservatism?

[Vincardog]

13. AS if all the "Foundations" and "Think tanks" and Corporate Controlled media were not enough.

[IsItJustMe]

14. I thought they already had a conservative version of MoveOn, I think they call it Faux News.

[EFerrari]

16. I hope everyone notices that the AP and the NYTs have now both

shilled for an organization that is obviously a WH front.

[krkaufman]

17. Astroturf. They ain't grassroots. Jim Kuhnhenn is an idiot. n/t

[Trajan]

19. WTF ? .... What of the 'Christian Coalition' ?

They started this TRASH ..... RW Radio is one big mindfuck party .....

This is ridiculous ....

[truthisfreedom]

20. "Freedom's Watch?" What is that, the timepiece that tells us exactly when freedom will be over?

Because the way the right handles the Constitution, freedom as we know it is headed for an untimely demise.

"Freedom's Watch" indeed.

[CBHagman]

21. Oh, the self-pity thing is a huge sign...

Has anyone else noticed the victimhood cult and boundless self-pity of certain elements of the right wing? Oy. Outsiders, schmoutsiders.