Lack of funds hobbling the 'Republican attack machine'

Source: McClatchy Newspapers

WASHINGTON — Democrats and the media have used the term so much that it's almost an article of faith. But the so-called "Republican attack machine" waiting with piles of unregulated cash to chew up Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is anything but.

... Yet there's no 2008 equivalent to the 2004 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which spent $22 million attacking Democrat John Kerry. Prominent groups and donors that played key roles in independent conservative 527 groups four years ago say they're sitting out this election. And while they've raised more than they did at this point four years ago, the independent pro-Republican groups still lag more than $50 million behind pro-Democratic groups.

... Freedom's Watch, another conservative group, so far has decided to skip the presidential campaign to focus on congressional contests. "We have no plans to get involved," spokesman Ed Patru said.

... Finally, many contributors are wary about bankrolling a high-profile campaign to help McCain, who's long criticized unregulated money in politics.

"Why stick your neck out for him?" said one Republican operative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to freely criticize his party's presumptive nominee.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/227/story/42490.html

:nopity:

Ha-ha!

pond scum would invoke standards. :)

The Dems have built up BS Armor to resist the Pubs BS.

With no Truth Bullets in their stockpile...the Pubs are severely hampered.

For the Lack of a Truth Bullet ....the war was LOST.....

They only need enough money for ONE ad buy. The Mighty Slime Machine takes over from there and gives them a free ride after that.

This is at best a smoke screen. They will have all the money they need when they want it.

of their "news analysis".

give them - this may be to get the Democrats to sigh in relief and forget about it, only to be hit unexpectedly later when the corporations make the donations.

There's the general dislike/apathy over McCain, but they also can't decide on a single message to use to attack Obama - he's got a crazy Christian pastor yet he's Muslim plus he's the most liberal senator, but he's a politician as usual, etc. Plus, they're walking on eggshells actually trying not to too openly use Obama's race against him.

The other thing is that Obama, like Bill Clinton, understands you have to be aggressive and in that vein has got a rapid response team to respond to the slurs and charges as they come in. I don't recall Gore or Kerry having such a team, and if they did, they didn't do a very good job.

TlalocW

They're already using it. They're relying on the intrinsic racism of Americans to defeat Obama.

And if you think all the politically correct crap, all the politeness rules and the rest of that, actually changed people's minds about racism, you're about to find how paper-thin those dodges were. A lot of people aren't open racists because of intimidation, but just tweak those little feelings and they'll vote against their own best interests - again - in the privacy of the voting booth.

ON EDIT: I suppose you heard in my town of Orlando, some unknown persons spray-painted anti-Obama slogans on police cars. Well, some anti-McCain too, and some pro-Hillary slogans, and left calling cards recommending that jails be torn down and marijuana be made free and things like that.

Although nobody's talking, the most likely perps were street gangs given encouragement, calling cards and spray cans by right-wing skinheads and Klansmen. And they may have gotten some help on the Q.T. by Republicans. It's impossible for Democrats to have anything to do with it, since there IS no Democratic Party in the state of Florida.

Hmmm, not sure what to make of this article. I checked the reporter's other articles and they seem pretty fair. I just think it's odd that the media would write a story about the lack of a story from these sources. The story idea itself seems like a plant, although the reporter's other work doesn't bear this out.

Did anyone see the last (excellent) comment at the end of the story?



Cher

Poor widdle babies.

How is it that these donors were not sued for contributing to the slandering of a candidate?

A law should be passed that makes it a federal crime to take money from multiple sources and use it for undermining a national candidate's campaign with false information.

That would not stop or conflict the 1st amendment rights but it would sure make people fact check before spending $22 million on publishing LIES.