What Do you Guys Think About the Obama Campaign Closing Down Dem 527s?

[Bullet1987]

This is an offshoot of http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6413414">this thread...and I'd really like to hear from more people on DU outside of 4 (including myself).

When MoveOn said they weren't going to make anymore political ads...I was shocked but knew there were more 527s out there. Now that it seems as if they're ALL closing shop because the Obama campaign told their big donors not to give them any money...this is causing me to worry a lot. It basically means we're going to be defenseless against the Rethug 527s (and don't think McCain is going to tell Rethug donors to stop supporting the Rightwing 527s) this fall. Everyone was expecting our 527s to battle their 527s and be an extra defense against them so it wouldn't JUST be the Obama campaign. Obama is stripping away his OWN defenses, and I think this is a VERY weird and crazy move on their part (not simply risky).

As much flak as Kerry got on this site for not being tougher against the republicans and taking the "high road"...it already appears Obama is heading in that same direction. One criticism I have of him is that he seems to put entirely too much faith in other people. Especially KNOWING the MSM will parrot any damn thing the Rethuglicans say...we're going to need all the help we can get!

I don't know if this move is a sign that they're getting too complacent (maybe the polls have their heads in the clouds) or what. But VERY unwise in my opinion on the part of the Obama campaign. But that's just me.

[The Magistrate]

1. It Is One Of Those 'They Damned Well Better Be Right!' Things, Sir, In My View

It strikes me as a risky and dangerous move. Irregulars are valuable assets in a campaign....

"An election differs from a civil war only as the bloodless surrender of a force outnumbered in the field differs from Waterloo."

[elocs]

2. I don't think that the Obama campaign has the power or ability to close down any 527s.

They are groups that are supposed to be totally independent of the candidate and the candidate can disavow them or say he would like them to stop, but I don't believe he can have any actual contact with them and to do so would be against the law.

[ecstatic]

3. WTF. This is news to me

Wow. Our side desperately needs them.

[Fredda Weinberg]

4. You're right to be concerned n/t

[pollard66]

5. taking the high road approach

in line with the rest of O's campaign

[Bullet1987]

8. The 527s aren't part of his campaign...they're meant to be Independent voices

[MGKrebs]

17. What actually is the high road principle here?

I need the words because I don't get it yet. I'm sure I'm going to have to explain this to somebody someday and right now I don't know how.

[Catherina]

6. It's very unwise and very dangerous. Consolidated power with no independent criticism in this day?

No thanks.

[patrice]

14. ? It makes the criticism MORE independent. That's what I want. nt

[WeDidIt]

7. IT was a BRILLIANT move since there will still be Dem leaning 527's

But it becomes a proactive disowning of the ads teh Dem leaning 527's put out.

Take, for instance, the Moveon AFSCME "Alex" ad. Moveon ended it's 527, but AFSCME is still running the ad.

Brilliant strategy if you ask me because nobody can pin any of those 527's advertising on Obama.

[Bullet1987]

9. The corporate media will do anything it wants

If it's a pro-Obama ad...they will see it as being in line with his campaign.

[rox63]

15. In the case of the MoveOn/AFSME "Alex" ad

It's really an anti-McCain ad, not a pro-Obama ad. But it helps Obama's cause nonetheless.

[patrice]

12. That's the way I see it. Has McCrash made a similar move? nt

[patrice]

10. That doesn't mean they have no response to oppo 527s, just not an official 527 response,

which doesn't even mean that there won't be any 527s, just that Obama money should not go to them.

So the 527s that survive in the Dem spectrum will be nearly completely independent of our candidate, i.e. no shared donors, not so on the Rep side I bet and that will become something that Obama can imply about McCrash 527s.

[katandmoon]

11. Oh, but Obama has a website to respond to smears!

So this is the thanks moveon.org gets for endorsing Obama over Hillary in the primaries. It is kind of Schadenfreude-ish.

[Neshanic]

13. This is very disturbing. Not good. I want ads from everywhere against McCain. Big nasty ones.

[cbc5g]

16. And then no one will know what Obama's message is..

He's playing chess, you're playing checkers.