Hullabaloo

Sunday, August 17, 2008

 
Chutzpah

by digby

From Raw Story

The Real Truth About Obama Inc., a group formed by anti-abortion activists, is trying to establish a Web site and air radio ads. But the group's attorney says his clients fear they will be prosecuted for breaking federal rules that restrict fundraising and advertising by political action committees, or PACs.

The Richmond-based group argues it is not a PAC because it would be talking about an issue, not advocating Obama's defeat or election.

[...]

"The Supreme Court has recently reaffirmed that you are free to discuss the petitions of candidates on issues and how officials have voted in office without being subject to campaign finance restrictions," said the organization's attorney, James Bopp Jr. of Terre Haute, Ind.

The high court, in a 5-4 decision last year, upheld a lower court's ruling that a Wisconsin anti-abortion group should have been allowed to air ads during the final two months before the 2004 election.

The Real Truth About Obama wants to post ads on its Web site and on the Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity talk shows in key states during the "electioneering communication" blackout period 60 days before the general election. The ad features an "Obama-like voice" saying he would make taxpayers pay for all abortions, ensure minors' abortions are concealed from their parents, appoint more liberal Supreme Court justices and legalize the late-term procedure that abortion opponents call "partial-birth" abortion.

What do you suppose an "Obama-like voice" sounds like?

The good news is that John McCain will undoubtedly vociferously disavow any official association with this group. He will do nothing to stop it, but it's important that we all know that he doesn't personally believe in negative advertising. He is, after all, a man of deep integrity.



*Disclaimer: nothing in this post should be construed as impugning the character of John McCain's whose service in Vietnam still holds us in awe.


Update: Look at this. Can we all agree now that the anti-abortion movement shouldn't be trusted? Obama should forget trying to fudge this stuff from now on. He should just be clear and make a good argument and the people who are willing to engage in good faith will do so. The rest will just believe the lies because they want to believe the lies.


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digby 8/17/2008 08:00:00 PM |