EvilMonkey Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 OK, seriously, does just the sound of this frighten any of the Dem trolls in this thread who are concerned about personal liberty and such? Honestly, ask yourself if you would be OK with it if the parties were switched. Obama Campaign Launches 'Truth Teams' By Devin Dwyer | ABC News Blogs – Mon, Feb 13, 2012 The Obama campaign is today beginning a new effort to enlist and educate at least 2 million supporters for a "grassroots communications team" they're calling the Truth Team. "The goal is to ensure that when Republicans attack President Obama's record, grassroots supporters can take ownership of the campaign and share the facts with the undecided voters in their lives," the campaign said in a statement. The teams will be first launched in 13 "swing states," including Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio and Virginia. The rollout also includes a social media blitz, directing supporters to three new websites: KeepingHisWord.com, which highlights Obama's record and "promises kept"; KeepingGOPHonest.com, which highlights GOP policy positions; and AttackWatch.com, which fact-checks claims made against Obama on the campaign trail. "If the other guys are going to run a campaign based on misrepresenting the president's record - and their own - we have two options: sit back and let these lies go unchallenged, or fight back with the truth," deputy Obama campaign manager Stephanie Cutter said in an email. "We're fighting back." So far, the "other guys" mentioned on the three websites are almost exclusively limited to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. There is one mention of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and one mention of the pro-Republican super PAC Americans for Prosperity. Obama organized a similar grassroots effort in 2008 - Fight the Smears - that involved more than 1 million supporters, campaign aides said. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/obam...--abc-news.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmteam Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Feb 14, 2012 -> 05:20 PM) OK, seriously, does just the sound of this frighten any of the Dem trolls in this thread who are concerned about personal liberty and such? Honestly, ask yourself if you would be OK with it if the parties were switched. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/obam...--abc-news.html I don't think I qualify as a "Dem troll" but I don't see any personal liberty issue, at least for the part you quoted. I do see it as one more aspect of the whole process that will quickly devolve into (if not begin as) negative campaigning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juddling Posted February 14, 2012 Share Posted February 14, 2012 (edited) well....this certainly doesn't surprise me...if you can't beat them with the facts..... smear them personally Wonder how much of this they pulled off since 2009? Edited February 14, 2012 by juddling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (farmteam @ Feb 14, 2012 -> 05:22 PM) I don't think I qualify as a "Dem troll" but I don't see any personal liberty issue, at least for the part you quoted. I do see it as one more aspect of the whole process that will quickly devolve into (if not begin as) negative campaigning. Yeah I'm not sure how this has anything to do with civil liberties, seems like standard political organizing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NorthSideSox72 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Feb 14, 2012 -> 05:20 PM) OK, seriously, does just the sound of this frighten any of the Dem trolls in this thread who are concerned about personal liberty and such? Honestly, ask yourself if you would be OK with it if the parties were switched. http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/obam...--abc-news.html I am sort of the resident centrist, but... I don't get what you are saying here. How is this related to personal liberty? Is anyone being asked to do something against their will? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 07:58 AM) I am sort of the resident centrist, but... I don't get what you are saying here. How is this related to personal liberty? Is anyone being asked to do something against their will? It goes more to left-wing hypocrisy than personal freedom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 ... hypocrisy about what? I really don't get what either of you are saying here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:31 AM) ... hypocrisy about what? I really don't get what either of you are saying here. Private lives being private, and the role of media to report the news instead of making it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:33 AM) Private lives being private, and the role of media to report the news instead of making it. Are you confusing Alpha Dog's and juddling's posts? Alpha Dog's post was about Obama running a similar grassroots campaign to what he did in 2008. I have no idea what volunteer political organizing really has to do with civil liberties. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:36 AM) Are you confusing Alpha Dog's and juddling's posts? Alpha Dog's post was about Obama running a similar grassroots campaign to what he did in 2008. I have no idea what volunteer political organizing really has to do with civil liberties. The truth teams referred to in the first link, and what their roles would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:40 AM) The truth teams referred to in the first link, and what their roles would be. Basic political messaging, "correcting" "inaccuracies" about their candidate while highlighting flaws in the GOP? They had similar things in 2008 as the article points out, and I still don't understand how "Private lives being private, and the role of media to report the news instead of making it" applies to this? Or personal liberties? I haven't read anything beyond that article alpha posted, so maybe there's background knowledge you have that I don't. But that article lays out Grassroots Campaigning 101 and I don't see what you're taking issue with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:45 AM) Basic political messaging, "correcting" "inaccuracies" about their candidate while highlighting flaws in the GOP? They had similar things in 2008 as the article points out, and I still don't understand how "Private lives being private, and the role of media to report the news instead of making it" applies to this? Or personal liberties? I haven't read anything beyond that article alpha posted, so maybe there's background knowledge you have that I don't. But that article lays out Grassroots Campaigning 101 and I don't see what you're taking issue with. I did read a couple of other articles on that, so that is probably it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 (edited) Even the brief googling that turned up a NewsMax and Glenn Beck article seems pretty innocuous edit: so the infowars story on it makes it seem pretty terrible, but it's infowars so... Edited February 15, 2012 by StrangeSox Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 09:45 AM) Basic political messaging, "correcting" "inaccuracies" about their candidate while highlighting flaws in the GOP? They had similar things in 2008 as the article points out, and I still don't understand how "Private lives being private, and the role of media to report the news instead of making it" applies to this? Or personal liberties? I haven't read anything beyond that article alpha posted, so maybe there's background knowledge you have that I don't. But that article lays out Grassroots Campaigning 101 and I don't see what you're taking issue with. Usually the "Personal freedom" aspect of this involves complaining about the fact that you're asking citizens to report bad things that their neighbors do to the government, and that sounds nazi-like enough to make it evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:49 AM) Even the brief googling that turned up a NewsMax article seems pretty innocuous There was something out there about specifically targeting fox news employees personally and trying to find things about them and their personal lives. I am on a different computer right now, so I can't go back and find the link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 09:51 AM) There was something out there about specifically targeting fox news employees personally and trying to find things about them and their personal lives. I am on a different computer right now, so I can't go back and find the link. Ok, now it's clear, we're crossing up 2 different posts. Alpha's post was on the Obama campaign creating local-based rapid response groups, the other post was about Media Matters paying people to snoop into Fox personality private lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southsider2k5 Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:52 AM) Ok, now it's clear, we're crossing up 2 different posts. Alpha's post was on the Obama campaign creating local-based rapid response groups, the other post was about Media Matters paying people to snoop into Fox personality private lives. I figured that was all the same people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:51 AM) There was something out there about specifically targeting fox news employees personally and trying to find things about them and their personal lives. I am on a different computer right now, so I can't go back and find the link. juddling posted an article from Tucker's website's current 'expose' on Media Matters that claims Media Matters is/was doing that, but it's not related to these Truth Teams. The Media Matters thing is creepy but Carlon's articles on it have been pretty lame so far, basically reporting that 'omg! the media gets information from advocacy groups and sometimes reports that information!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilMonkey Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 07:58 AM) I am sort of the resident centrist, but... I don't get what you are saying here. How is this related to personal liberty? Is anyone being asked to do something against their will? It doesn't mention it in this article, but last campaigns crack at this featured the AG of Missouri and several other prominent politicians and law enforcement personnel. Just the appearance that if you speak bad about the government the AG and police chief are gonna arrest you and press some kind of 'truth charges' is enough to evoke brownshirt comparisons. The name itself smacks of censorship, oppression and any other bad thought you would want to ascribe to it. It LOOKS bad, and it SOUNDS bad. Seriously, you guys don't see how this looks bad, AND has the potential to be REALLY bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EvilMonkey Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 08:55 AM) juddling posted an article from Tucker's website's current 'expose' on Media Matters that claims Media Matters is/was doing that, but it's not related to these Truth Teams. The Media Matters thing is creepy but Carlon's articles on it have been pretty lame so far, basically reporting that 'omg! the media gets information from advocacy groups and sometimes reports that information!' Also reported that the leader there tried to dig up dirt on the worker's personal lives, but then decided that the eeeevil conservatives would come after him with hit squads so now has body guards with him everywhere he goes. I bet they are armed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmteam Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 02:09 PM) It doesn't mention it in this article, but last campaigns crack at this featured the AG of Missouri and several other prominent politicians and law enforcement personnel. Just the appearance that if you speak bad about the government the AG and police chief are gonna arrest you and press some kind of 'truth charges' is enough to evoke brownshirt comparisons. The name itself smacks of censorship, oppression and any other bad thought you would want to ascribe to it. It LOOKS bad, and it SOUNDS bad. Seriously, you guys don't see how this looks bad, AND has the potential to be REALLY bad? Hold your horses on the 1984 paranoia there. I agree that "truth teams" is sort of a weird name, and that there's definitely an Orwellian connotation to it, or at least it's plausible there could be such a connotation to it. But it's not like they're running around imprisoning people; that seems like a ridiculous stretch, based solely on the original article you posted. It seems like what Strange said -- basic grassroots campaigning, highlighted by the websites and people that try to dispel myths. Note that it's dispel these myths, and try to persuade you why they (Obama's campaigners) are right. It's not a "Censor the opposition and beat you if you agree with them" sort of thing, and I don't see the logical steps for it to become something like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeSox Posted February 15, 2012 Share Posted February 15, 2012 Obama did the same exact thing in 2008, so I really don't see the issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr_genius Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 QUOTE (NorthSideSox72 @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 07:58 AM) I am sort of the resident centrist ^^^ delusional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reddy Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 QUOTE (mr_genius @ Feb 15, 2012 -> 07:34 PM) ^^^ delusional ^^^ delusional. did you know that being a staunch conservative is ACTUALLY NOT centrist? Being centrist is being centrist. Y'all Republicans get that confused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balta1701 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 QUOTE (Reddy @ Feb 16, 2012 -> 11:54 PM) ^^^ delusional. did you know that being a staunch conservative is ACTUALLY NOT centrist? Being centrist is being centrist. Y'all Republicans get that confused. Wait, is someone calling NSS a "Staunch conservative"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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