Don't expect the Obama campaign to be anything like John Kerry's general election bid from four years ago. Gone are the days where it takes weeks or months for the Democratic nominee to respond to myriad attacks from the right. Gone are the times where we do not stand up for the principles we believe in. Gone are the ways that Republicans can win through fear and manipulation. This year, our candidate is going a different route, he is fighting back and fighting hard. That is partly due to the creation of an anti-smear squad, because smearing is the only way Republicans can win.
From TPM:
Barack Obama's campaign is taking the various rumors about him very seriously, and have rolled out a new Web site specifically to combat them, FightTheSmears.com.
The final straw was the story that there was a tape of Michelle Obama making incendiary statements at Trinity United Church of Christ -- a story that appears to have been based on a political novel. Other phony rumors being addressed so far are that he is supposedly a Muslim, was educated in a madrassa, that his books contain racially offensive statements, and that he won't say the Pledge of Allegiance.
By November people will know who Barack Obama is not from false attacks, but from what they see and hear from Barack Obama and his prior accomplishments. As for John McCain, his record will show through whatever he tries to spin, either about himself or attacking Barack Obama.
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