U.S. Government

Our Country Deserves Better: The Russo Marsh Crowd Bashes Obama from Coast to Coast

"Barack and socialism? No, our country deserves better," implored Mark Williams.

Mark Williams addresses the rallyIt was only a few minutes into the October 22 rally staged by Our Country Deserves Better, a political action committee (PAC) formed to oppose the Democratic presidential candidate. But Williams, a conservative talk radio host from California, was just getting warmed up.

"Barack Obama represents people who are ashamed of this great country, who believe that this great country is the evil in the world and that, in their revisionist history, they cast us as the villain," Williams claimed. "And if we dare question them ... like Joe the Plumber: 'Mr. Obama, what are you going to do to my taxes?' That was enough for the dogs who support the ideological left to go after Joe the Plumber and shred him. ... There's no such thing as sacred, among the unholy left. They vilify this nation, and they vilify those of us who support it. ... [It's] the same kind of thuggery of the left that's used by totalitarian regimes around the world to silence opposition."

Towards the end of the rally, Williams invoked a long-discredited smear against Obama that seems designed to play on fears of his "otherness": that he's not really a U.S. citizen. "We all know that Barack Obama is not qualified to be president of the United States, beyond being above the age of 35 and probably an American citizen," said Williams, emphasizing the word "probably." He laughed and then repeated: "Probably. Even money."

Unlike his hypothetical conservatives cowed by leftist thugs, Williams will not be silenced.

Citizen Journalists Protecting the 2008 Election

Submitted by John Stauber on

The New York Times notes, "There are at least two wikis intended to let voters collaborate to collect examples of problems with voting, whether exceptionally long lines or more direct actions meant to scare off voters -- the Voter Suppression Wiki and SourceWatch's Election Protection Wiki.

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, October 27, 2008
Topics: 
Citizen Journalism
Election 2008
Politics

DCI Group's Stealth Campaign Torpedoed Freddie Mac Reform

Submitted by John Stauber on

Pete Yost reports that "Freddie Mac secretly paid a Republican consulting firm $2 million to kill legislation that would have regulated and trimmed the mortgage finance giant and its sister company, Fannie Mae, three years before the government took control to prevent their collapse.

No
Main Source: 
Associated Press, October 20, 2008
Topics: 
Corporations
Lobbying
Public Relations
U.S. Government

And Now, for the PR Bailout

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission "has bolstered its PR staff after the agency and its chair Christopher Cox have been criticized" over the current financial crisis, reports O'Dwyer's. Riding to the SEC's assistance are Erik Hotmire and Andrew Weinstein.

No
Main Source: 
O'Dwyer's PR Daily (sub req'd), October 16, 2008
Topics: 
Politics
Public Relations
U.S. Government

US Navy's Elite Force Seals Deal for an Image Upgrade

Submitted by Diane Farsetta on

The U.S. Navy Seals have hired Gallup Consulting on a $500,000 contract, to help the force "develop a new branding and marketing strategy," reports PR Week. Gallup will write a two-year marketing plan for the Seals, including the "development of market segmentation, target candidate profiles, key marketing messages, competitive analysis, and positioning." One of the contract's goals is to increase recruitment. The U.S.

No
Main Source: 
PR Week, October 2, 2008
Topics: 
Marketing
U.S. Government
War / Peace

More Political Front Group Ads Coming, Right Up to Election Day

Submitted by John Stauber on

Get ready for an uptick in nasty "issue advocacy" advertisements in battleground states. The New York Times notes that wealthy right-wing activist Howard Rich recently mailed menacing letters to liberal contributors that read, "We are monitoring all reports of a wide variety of leftist organizations. ...

No
Main Source: 
New York Times, October 15, 2008
Topics: 
Advertising
Election 2008
Politics

Pages

Subscribe to U.S. Government