Obama Naming & Shaming Private Romney Donors

Kimberly A. Strassel writes in the Wall Street Journal:

This past week, one of his campaign websites posted an item entitled "Behind the curtain: A brief history of Romney's donors." In the post, the Obama campaign named and shamed eight private citizens who had donated to his opponent. Describing the givers as all having "less-than-reputable records," the post went on to make the extraordinary accusations that "quite a few" have also been "on the wrong side of the law" and profiting at "the expense of so many Americans."

These are people like Paul Schorr and Sam and Jeffrey Fox, investors who the site outed for the crime of having "outsourced" jobs. T. Martin Fiorentino is scored for his work for a firm that forecloses on homes. Louis Bacon (a hedge-fund manager), Kent Burton (a "lobbyist") and Thomas O'Malley (an energy CEO) stand accused of profiting from oil. Frank VanderSloot, the CEO of a home-products firm, is slimed as a "bitter foe of the gay rights movement."

These are wealthy individuals, to be sure, but private citizens nonetheless. Not one holds elected office. Not one is a criminal. Not one has the barest fraction of the position or the power of the U.S. leader who is publicly assaulting them.

"We don't tolerate presidents or people of high power to do these things," says Theodore Olson, the former U.S. solicitor general. "When you have the power of the presidency—the power of the IRS, the INS, the Justice Department, the DEA, the SEC—what you have effectively done is put these guys' names up on 'Wanted' posters in government offices."

Whole thing here.

Comments

[heller]

Fire up the drones, this week’s kill list is in!

[o3]

something wrong w seal team 6 then?

[Xenocles]

There are still too many honorable SEALS.

[Jeff]

A VanderSloot, huh? How on Earth did the Obama campaign miss the potential War on Women? angle here?

[o3]

with mittens, its teh war on local[JOBZ]

[kinnath]

As I said the other day — dumber than Carter, more corrupt than Nixon.

I may have to get that on a bumper sticker.

[WTF]

Don’t call him a thug, though. That’s straight up racist.

[nicole]

And definitely don’t call him a thug while eating delicious pancakes.

[Groovus Maximus]

IHOP or Denny’s? Or are all greasy spoons racist? What about Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles?

[Loki]

Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles

As in fried chicken? I can’t believe you went there. That’s uber-mega-super duper-extreme RACIST!!!!!11!!!!

[Groovus Maximus]

Meh. Blow me, MSM.

[o3]

SEXIST 1!!11!!!1

[nicole]

Groovus, Groovus, it’s not the greasy spoons themselves that are racist! There’s nothing wrong with being the “strange, foreign spaces of othered groups,” it’s just that we can’t go to those spaces.

I wonder if that makes them feel othered?

I can’t escape from the microaggression!

[Suthenboy]

If you get them printed up, mail me one.

[kinnath]

Needs to be crisper, better would be:

“Obama: Dumber than Carter; Dirtier than Nixon”

[JW]

I like this. I’m down for one too.

[Ben the Duck]

I’ll good for ten.

[Ben the Duck]

I’M. Dammit.

[kinnath]

I just ordered 30. I should have them in a couple of weeks.

My email should show up with my handle now.

[JW]

You da man, kinnath.

[deified]

Raaaaacist!!1!

[Brandon]

I’d get one if I didn’t oppose bumper stickers on principle.

[kinnath]

Well, I won’t put one on my car, but I’ll certainly get them into the hands of people that will.

Or I paste one over every Wicca bumpersticker I see 😉

[kinnath]

Or I paste one over every Wicca co-exist bumpersticker I see 😉

[gaijin]

why not stick em on stop signs and other high-visibility symbols of control? 😉

[kinnath]

The options are endless.

[Brandon]

Fair enough. I’m convinced.

[darius404]

I’d get one if I had a car.

[darius404]

I’m sort of hoping we can get Obama on camera answering a question to the effect of “I am not a murderer” a la Nixon.

[Enough About Palin]

I’d suggest just NIXON, spelled with an Obama “O”.

[Groovus Maximus]

Me likey.

[Enough About Palin]

Thanks! Made a mock-up. Ariel bold in red, 150 font, with this image* of “O” for the O. It looks great!

http://jessejackson.net/?attachment_id=5

[Juice]

Here’s something quick and dirty.

http://i.imgur.com/5Xixb.jpg

[kinnath]

Need an Agnew/Biden tie in a well.

[JW]

Apprpos…there’s still a Nixon/Agnew bumper sticker on the inside of the Watergate telco demarc room, in the basement of the building. The door is probably one of the few remaining original items in the building.

[ant1sthenes]

Shouldn’t it have the year, too?

[kinnath]

Excellent

[JW]

[Imagine handle of “typical lefty”]

I don’t get it.

[DesigNate]

I love you guys. Either one of those might actually get me to break my no bumper sticker rule.

[Mr. FIFY]

I’ve thought for some time that Obama simultaneously

a) has no idea what he’s doing
b) knows exactly what he’s doing

Four more years of VeePee Biden would be almost worth it, though, just for the entertainment value.

[Ken Shultz]

“When you have the power of the presidency–the power of the IRS, the INS, the Justice Department, the DEA, the SEC–what you have effectively done is put these guys’ names up on ‘Wanted’ posters in government offices.”

This is what Hugo Chavez does. He doesn’t have to order them harassed himself; he just denounces them by name on television.

If that is what Barack Obama does, then this is who Barack Obama is.

[Red Rocks Rockin]

I guess politicians with third-world views of the political process don’t differ all that much no matter how sophisticated their societies are.

[tulip]

This comparison will make some people swoon with joy.

[Sean Penn]

[fap, fap, fap, fap, fap, fap, fap, fap, fapfapfapfapfapfapfapfap] OBACHAVEZ!!!!!!!!!!

[Groovus Maximus]

You make me wish Dead Man Walking was a documentary of your life. Oh, and how’s Madonna these days?

[Ben the Duck]

Same as always: dry, flat and scarcely worth the bother.

[Sean Penn]

You make me wish Dead Man Walking was a documentary of your life

It wasn’t, but I am Sam took very little acting skills on my part.

[Abdul]

Are any of the Romney donors active thespians or homo sapiens? They should be called out for failing to support the candidate who opposes gay marriage the least.

[Aresen]

Not to mention the possibility that there may be known pedagogues or orators on the list.

[Pro Libertate]

I heard he matriculated.

[JW]

I heard a rumor, mind you only a rumor, that he masticates regularly in the kitchen of the White House.

[Pro Libertate]

Everyone masticates. I’ve masticated while commenting here, in fact.

[Groovus Maximus]

Everyone masticates.

Not true Pro’L Dib. Some may lack the ability to do so, whether or not there may be religious prohibitions against masticating.

[Pro Libertate]

Everyone masticates. But not everyone truly chews.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Roger Ebert doesn’t masticate!

[Mr. FIFY]

Waiter: [to Captain McAlister] That man ate all our shrimp! And two plastic lobsters!
Captain McAllister: ‘Tis no man. ‘Tis a remorseless eatin’ machine!
Captain McAllister: [He approaches Homer/Marge’s table] Six bells! Time for closin’!
Homer: [with mouth full] Can’t talk. Eating.
Captain McAllister: Fairly warned be thee, says I!

[Groovus Maximus]

I heard a different rumor he multivariates the statistical odds of what he should say next.

[JW]

And the number 1 thing of the Top 10 horrible things that no one knows about Mittens Romney:

::::drum roll:::

He’s niggardly!

[Kaptious Kristen]

They routinely expose their epidermises to small children.

[Aresen]

Even worse, some have even been known to osculate infants.

[BakedPenguin]

Sometimes, after dinner, they’ve been known to peregrinate.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Even worse, they actually masticate during dinner, the sick fucks.

[mr simple]

Some have been known to engage in philately.

[Enough About Palin]

But only sheepishly.

[Zeb]

Those dastardly, niggardly, bastards.

[Mr. FIFY]

“Niggardly” is a dog-whistle word, Zeb. Expect a stern letter from the firm of Sharpton & Jackson, and possibly death threats from Team Blue stalwarts.

[Killazontherun]

Isn’t Obama’s finger still in the wind, I mean, his views are still evolving on the subject? Recall the Goddamned hypocrites who ran Carrie Prejean out on the rails for voicing an opinion no different than that of the person her critics voted for en masse.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Let’s jus tell it like it is. I haven’t heard anything to contradict these people’s sheep-fucking tendencies. Nary a peep on how they do not fuck sheep.

[db]

Nor have I heard any of them take a position against “farewell sex.”

[Enough About Palin]

“If the sheep is sheared, it isn’t weird.

[A Serious Man]

I guess Romney can push back by outing Obama’s donors? We are so screwed when hypocrisy becomes the defining issue of this election.

[0x90]

In case you hadn’t noticed, a large portion of what passes for political argumentation reduces to mutual callings of “Hypocrite!” between parties. Often, it does not even matter what person A accuses person B of being hypocritical about, because given sufficient time, and you will find person B accusing person A of the very same hypocrisy. And he will be as correct then as person A is now.

It’s just team sports — tribalism rules the day.

[Brandon]

Fuck you. Sports fans are much more sophisticated and civilized than political partisans.

[DJF]

Good thing Obama’s campaign only has reputable people like Jon Corzine giving money.

[Kaptious Kristen]

Is there not some kind of libel potential here?

[Aresen]

Not unless they tie it to a specific individual.

“Wrong side of the law” can mean nothing more than “I disagreed with his public contribution to Citizens United.“

[Kaptious Kristen]

I’m sure the Obama campaign has lawyered the shit out of those statements, but damn, they’re walking mighty close to the line.

[Xenocles]

I’d like to see someone sue in order to force Obama to be specific – then have the named person sue.

[Proprietist]

If the accusations are actually libelous, maybe. But being private citizens doesn’t mean they can’t be accuse of things that are actually true.

[Suthenboy]

Barack Obama does something unethical and completely inappropriate, demeaning the office of the presidency.

In other news, the sky is blue.

[Proprietist]

“Barack Obama does something unethical and completely inappropriate, demeaning the office of the presidency”

You mean his campaign, right? Unless you believe Obama himself set up this site from the White House computer?

Politics is dirty and Machiavellian. Get over it.

[Evil Otto]

I await BO’s condemnation of his campaign’s actions in this matter. If it is not forthcoming, this is BO’s responsibility… just like killing Bin Laden, remember?

And there ain’t nothing wrong with blowing back against severe breaches of campaign etiquette. Politics may be dirty but we need not bend over and take it.

[Proprietist]

Sorry, not going to bend over backwards to defend Romney or the rich idiots that give him money from attack (and the same principle applies to Obama and his rich idiot donors). The more dirtied up their campaigns get, the happier I am because both candidates and the people in their proximity are disgusting.

Obama’s campaign broke no laws outing names that were publicly available, and then criticizing them to link Romney to special interests’ funny money.

[Evil Otto]

Did anyone say BO broke any laws?

Those goalposts are in Costa Rica now for God’s sake.

[Fist of Etiquette]

They are really trying hard to live up the leftist cliches and the Chicago politics ideals.

[Loki]

Has anyone ever considered the possibility that “Obama” could be just that: a character? I mean they crossed the line into self parody a long time ago.

[Ice Nine]

OK, game on! Two can definitely play this game and it would be pretty good guess that Romney has a lot more to work with. I mean, say, do any of O’s Chicago neighbors come to mind when his hit list says, “quite a few have also been on the wrong side of the law”?

[A Serious Man]

Not only that, but Romney’s main narrative has been that Obama will not discuss the issues or his record and instead will engage in infantile attacks like this because he has failed. This plays nicely into his hands if he doesn’t screw it up.

[Pro Libertate]

That’s what I’ve been thinking. Romney is calling Obama’s shot, and Obama, rather than heeding the threat, just goes along as predicted.

It’s looking really bad for the Hopeful One. As I’ve said before, I think he’s polling a good ten points or more better than he’ll do on election day, as there are many who don’t want to admit they don’t like him, due to the massive distortions created by identity politics. That concern vanishes in the secrecy of the ballot. It’s just you, your wallet, and the ballot there.

[Enough About Palin]

“That concern vanishes in the secrecy of the ballot.”

Which is why if given a second term, the first thing he’ll do is issue an executive order to have all federal election done via card check.

[Groovus Maximus]

“I don’t know anyone who voted for Shit Flopney!!!?”

[mad libertarian guy]

As I’ve said before, I think he’s polling a good ten points or more better than he’ll do on election day, as there are many who don’t want to admit they don’t like him, due to the massive distortions created by identity politics. That concern vanishes in the secrecy of the ballot. It’s just you, your wallet, and the ballot there.

But as we all know, a good and proper Team player would no longer be able to look himself in the mirror were he to not vote for his team. Even if he knows for a fact that his dear leader is a lying sack of shit who doesn’t uphold any of the values said Team voter holds dear.

[Kwanzaa Cake]

Are you serious? Obama bought his house for an under-market price from a convicted criminal, Tony Rezko. Not to mention the fab dinner parties at the homes of former members of the Weather Underground.

[Ice Nine]

Um, that is what I was talking about. So, yes, I am serious.

[Auric Demonocles]

Louis Bacon (a hedge-fund manager), Kent Burton (a “lobbyist”) and Thomas O’Malley (an energy CEO) stand accused of profiting from oil.

Leftists, as much as you hate it, making money from getting people something they want isn’t a crime.

[T]

I was thinking if you’re going to accuse people of being on the wrong side of the law for profiting from oil, just lock up the entire city of Houston and most of the suburbs.

[Ramjet]

Not a bad idea, just of principle.

[Ramjet]

*on principle* damn you, flying fingers

[protefeed]

I was thinking if you’re going to accuse people of being on the wrong side of the law for profiting from oil, just lock up the entire city of Houston and most of the suburbs.

Obama wouldn’t do that because the big cities like Houston are the few Blue dots in the sea of Red areas that is Texas. Locking up your supporters is bad politics.

Unless it’s the War on Black People … ooops, WoD.

[Proprietist]

The point is not that profiting from oil is a “crime”, but asserting that Romney is bought by the Big Oil lobby. I can’t believe anyone here is making a big deal out of this.

[Loki]

“We don’t tolerate presidents or people of high power to do these things,”

If only that were true. I fear the reaction of most Obama fluffers will respond with “yawn, so what’s your point? Obama’s too dreamy to be evil, I mean, he sings Al Green and slow jams the news!” Idiots

[Killazontherun]

libtard\ This is what you get due to the unbridled corporatism running rampant from Citizen’s United instead of having an equitable publicly financed system guiding our elections, so it is really still your fault. /libtard

[Xenocles]

He’s such a cool guy, I feel like he can’t be bad.

Although now that I think about it, it was the cool kids in school who gave me the most to fear.

[rac]

Barack Obama=Richard Daley, only he’s a commie.

[BakedPenguin]

More like a black Huey Long.

Long created the Share Our Wealth program in 1934 with the motto “Every Man a King”, proposing new wealth redistribution measures in the form of a net asset tax on corporations and individuals to curb the poverty and homelessness endemic nationwide during the Great Depression. To stimulate the economy, Long advocated federal spending on public works, schools and colleges, and old age pensions.
…Long was accused by his opponents of dictatorial tendencies for his near-total control of the state government.

[0x90]

“What do you think you are, a pair a queens? Just remember what Huey Long said, that every man’s a king, and I’m the king around here — and don’t you forget it.”

[Aresen]

Huey Long compares more closely to Mike Huckabee: Both a socon and a big government liberal spender.

OTOH, there are still doubts about Long’s assassination, especially since the shooter, Carl Weiss, died so conveniently on the spot.

[Mad Scientist]

I wish joe would come back and defend His Hopefulness. I could use a good laugh.

[Killazontherun]

For his next gig on Fallon, Jimmy is going to reprise his Morrison act and Obama is going to dress up like Hendrix and get gnarly with a few rifs from Voodoo Child. Senior citizens are going to forget all about being on the outs with the dude.

[Juice]

This is the whole idea behind the DISCLOSE Act.

[Evil Otto]

Since these are private citizens, isn’t a libel suit in order?

[Proprietist]

Yeah, it’s dirty. But what’s wrong with it? Seriously.

To the Left, the things these people did and profited from are, if not crimes, certainly not noble acts. Pointing out that your opponent is funded by “special interests” that do reprehensible things is one of the cardinal rules of politics. I hope Romney does the same with Obama’s donors, who profit from “crimes” like labor hustling, welfare fraud, tax evasion and state-subsidized green energy.

Since your name is publicly disclosed when you donate money, how can you possibly expect to preserve your privacy from political attack by opponents of both the candidate you’re supporting and the things you do?

[Evil Otto]

You seem to have missed the “wrong side of the law” part.

If Romney accused BO’s donors of welfare and tax fraud without proof he’d be crucified in the media.

[Proprietist]

Does Obama’s campaign not have proof that Romney’s donors profited from oil, outsourcing and foreclosures? If so, that’s libel and worthy of condemnation. Otherwise, what exactly is wrong with what they did, besides arguing that Romney is funded by special interests that do things that, in their eyes, harm the economy and the environment and would thus be naturally opposed to their side which is supposedly claiming to protect these things.

[Evil Otto]

aaaand again you missed the accusation of ILLEGAL activity by Romney donors. There are none so blind as those who refuse to see, I guess.

[ant1sthenes]

“Yeah, it’s dirty. But what’s wrong with it?”

That’s it dirty? It’s like the Attack Watch crap. Not illegal, but gives off a wrong vibe.

It’s stupid too, unless I misunderstand people entirely. It’s creepy enough to alienate moderates and energize Republicans into feeling like freedom fighters going up against a bona fide tyrant, but I don’t really see how a two minutes hate against some no-name Romney supporters is going to fire up the blueshirts.

[Proprietist]

Assuredly, Republicans will never attack Obama big donors, like, say, the CEO of GE, who obviously have something invested in Obama’s reeelection and green energy subsidies.

[darius404]

Because attacking the leader of a corporation for the CORPORATION’S activities is TOTALLY the same as attacking individuals for their INDIVIDUAL decisions.

[Night Elf Mohawk]

But what’s wrong with it? Seriously.

How is it meaningfully different from a pure ad hom?

It has nothing whatsoever to do with any actual issue or the record or platform of either candidate.

You don’t think there’s anything wrong with that?

[Proprietist]

Nope. The campaign is arguing out that Romney is funded by a cabal of special interests that wish to harm the economy, the environment, green energy, etc. Thus, you must donate to Obama to combat these evil millionaires that wish to harm your children, steal your job, seize your house, smog up your city, etc. That’s called Politics. It’s not a big deal.

[Evil Otto]

From the WSJ link:

The Obama campaign has justified any action on the grounds that it has a right to “hold the eventual Republican nominee accountable,” but this is a dodge. Politics is rough, but a president has obligations that transcend those of a candidate. He swore an oath to protect and defend a Constitution that gives every American the right to partake in democracy, free of fear of government intimidation or disfavored treatment. If Mr. Obama isn’t going to act like a president, he bolsters the argument that he doesn’t deserve to be one.

[Proprietist]

“a president has obligations that transcend those of a candidate”

That’s an utterly stupid sentence. Bush must have soiled the presidency when his campaign went along with the Swift Boat ads? Are presidents and their entire campaign not supposed to be competitive in reelection politics? That makes no sense.

[Evil Otto]

The Swift Boat ads weren’t run by the Bush campaign.

Of course, Bush soiled his presidency in many other ways, but this tactic by Obama is “unprecedented”, as the MSM circa 2009 liked to say.

[Zingotooo]

Dude knows what time of day it is wow.

http://www.Gotta-Be-Anon.tk

[Stormy Dragon]

When you have the power of the presidency–the power of the IRS, the INS, the Justice Department, the DEA, the SEC

And yes, if Obama had sent any of those agencies after political opponents, that would certainly be a scandal. Of course, he hasn’t actually done any of those things; the column writer is just making crap up and then handwringing about them.

All Obama did do is have his campaign criticize people participating in Romney’s campaign, which is perfectly normal politics.

[DesigNate]

Politics as usual? Really?

Please enlighten us as to the other sitting presidents who have attempted to shame individual citizens for their political contributions.

[Stormy Dragon]

Are you seriously suggesting you think no sitting president has ever criticized his opponent on the basis of the interest funding his campaign? Just as the most recent example I’d mention all the insinuations that Chinese-Americans making donations to the Kerry Campaign were secretly laundering money for the Chinese Government. But really, I can’t think of a campaign in my life involving an incumbent president where it hasn’t happened.

[han]

A very good article.