Somewhere in the depths of the joint planning between the GOP and the corporate PACS, that isn’t supposed to exist, is a Republican with a conscience. He or she prevented the Ricketts Plan, a racially based attack on Barack Obama, planned to coincide with the Democratic Convention, from being carried out. He or she did so by leaking the plan and deserves our thanks. Ricketts is lying through his teeth, and RMoney is etching his sketch so fast that the plastic knobs are on fire.
A group of high-profile Republican strategists is working with a conservative billionaire on a proposal to mount one of the most provocative campaigns of the “super PAC” era and attack President Obama in ways that Republicans have so far shied away from.
Timed to upend the Democratic National Convention in September, the plan would “do exactly what John McCain would not let us do,” the strategists wrote.
The plan, which is awaiting approval, calls for running commercials linking Mr. Obama to incendiary comments by his former spiritual adviser, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., whose race-related sermons made him a highly charged figure in the 2008 campaign.
“The world is about to see Jeremiah Wright and understand his influence on Barack Obama for the first time in a big, attention-arresting way,” says the proposal, which was overseen by Fred Davis and commissioned by Joe Ricketts, the founder of the brokerage firm TD Ameritrade. Mr. Ricketts is increasingly putting his fortune to work in conservative politics.
The $10 million plan, one of several being studied by Mr. Ricketts, includes preparations for how to respond to the charges of race-baiting it envisions if it highlights Mr. Obama’s former ties to Mr. Wright, who espouses what is known as “black liberation theology.”
The group suggested hiring as a spokesman an “extremely literate conservative African-American” who can argue that Mr. Obama misled the nation by presenting himself as what the proposal calls a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln.” … [emphasis added]
Inserted from <NY Times>
There is no depth to which Republicans will not descend.
Lawrence O’Donnell covered this outrage in two segments with panels. In the first, he discussed potential benefits.
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I agree that this racist plan was dropped only because it was leaked. It’s good for us, because it reveals Republican intent.
In the second, he covers the Republican motive.
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This proves that Ricketts’ denials are lies. Down with the Cubs and TD Ameritrade!
If a group so lacking in integrity is this intent on destroying Obama’s presidency, isn’t that a powerful reason to keep him in office?
16 Responses to “Ricketts: Republican Racism Revealed”
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I sincerely hope that the person who snitched on these rethuglicans never gets caught. The Koch brothers will probably have him killed.
You’re probably right about that. That just might.
The campaign wasn’t stopped by anyone with anything resembling a conscience. This was leaked to make Willard look human. The simple fact of the matter is, Willard wouldn’t dare do something like this, since there are people on the sidelines that just want an excuse to begin asking some questions. Questions like why Willard’s dad was in Mexico, for one, and whether or not Willard has ever baptized dead people, for another.
You may be right, JR, but Willard has attacked Obama over Wright in the past.,
If they take this juvenile method, aren’t they opening the doors to attacks on the Mormon faith and LDS? Anti-semitic and racist and polygamist?
Rob, it could certainly happen, but I wouldn’t support it.
“The group suggested hiring as a spokesman an “extremely literate conservative African-American” who can argue that Mr. Obama misled the nation by presenting himself as what the proposal calls a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln.” – Wonder if that could be Colin Powell? He certainly would know a thing or two about Misleading…;)
Powell has confessed and tried to make amends for that duplicity, ans he’s the only one on Bush’s senior staff to do so. I think he has too much class to go along. They might get Herman Cain.
“There is no depth to which Republicans will not descend.”
Time to get out the pop-corn….
It might be entertaining id the MSM did not parrot their lies as if they were true,.
The ugliness of American politics keeps getting worse. Attacks on a person’s religion, race, gender, sexual preferences are run of the mill these days. I don’t want to be pollyanna, but I would really like to see some civility and decency restored both in our politics and news media.
So would I, Edie, but that requires the demise of the GOP.
Amen Nameless, The graphic is wonderful!
When I first saw TD Ameritrade mentioned, I thought TD Bank, a large Canadian Bank, would never stand for this, assuming TD Ameritrade to be part of its group of companies. Turns out that back in 2006, Ameritrade Holding Corporation acquired TD Waterhouse USA from the TD Bank Financial Group and elected to keep the ‘TD’ in its name. Given that this is totally against Canadian values, even big bank values, I wonder if TD Bank Financial Group has any control over its name and logo being associated with such poison?
Fred Davis, author of this insane racist campaign, is also author of the Debbie Spend-it-Now ad for Hoekstra, an obviously racist ad.
I like Lawrence’s reference to Rmoney — demonstrating followship rather than leadership. This whole debacle is yet another example of how the Republican/Teabaggers want to spread hate and bigotry and use it for political gain. As one commentor basically said, they are preaching to the choir. The only people likely to be fired up about this are the ones that are already Obama hating right wing nut jobs, so where is the advantage. Rmoney repudiates this attack but just months ago he was trying to bring up this preacher’s influence over Mr Obama.
What it all comes down to in my estimation is that the Republican/Teabaggers are running scared and will stop at nothing to achieve their goal of making Mr Obama a one term president. I hope this political plague of locusts, otherwise known as the Republican/Teabaggers, is wiped from the political world for ever.
That’s a good question. Do you know anyone there you might ask?
Davis doesn’t do work that isn’t offensive.
Exactly!
Bingo! Note my reply to Edie.