Aug. 14, 2008
Conservative Authors Take Aim At Obama
Washington Post: New Books Seek To Unweave The Obama Narrative
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Photo
In this photo released by Threshold Editions shows the cover of "The Obama Nation-Leftist Politics and the Cult of Personality," by Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D. (AP/CBS/Threshold Books)
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Photo Essay
Barack Obama
A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
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In-Depth
VP Hot Sheet: Obama
CBSNews.com ranks the top contenders to be Obama's running mate.
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In two autobiographies and dozens of speeches, Barack Obama has weaved the narrative that defines his campaign: An introspective boy gradually comes to terms with his mixed-race heritage and emerges with an "unprejudiced" worldview. He enters politics because of his "love of country" and succeeds by staying faithful to his morals and "transcending the partisan divide."
Two weeks before Obama accepts the Democratic nomination for president, conservative author Jerome R. Corsi has attacked his story with a narrative of his own: The son of an "alcoholic polygamist," Obama deals with his abandonment issues and "black rage" by experimenting with drugs and radical thought. He makes a calculated entrance into politics despite having accomplished little and having developed some "anti-American" sentiments. Once in office, he regularly manipulates the political machine and becomes a liberal who will "divide America."
Corsi's "The Obama Nation" lacks major revelations and has been dismissed by Obama's campaign as a series of lies from a serial liar. Parts of the book have also been disproved by the mainstream media. In 2004, Corsi co-wrote "Unfit for Command," in which Swift boat veterans criticized Sen. John F. Kerry's Vietnam War record. That book was also widely disproved.
Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, has started a Web site to help discredit these tactics on Obama's behalf.
Nevertheless, Corsi's book about Obama will debut as a No. 1 New York Times bestseller and threatens the candidate where he could be vulnerable. Ever since Obama introduced himself at the 2004 Democratic convention as the "unlikely" son of a Kenyan goat herder and a white woman from Kansas, he forever married his background to his political future. Corsi and other conservative authors hope that by diminishing one, they can destroy the other.
"The problem with running a campaign that's based on cult of personality is that cracks in the grandiose facade of Obama's life become very damaging," Corsi said in an interview. "That's where you can get a reader's attention and have substantial impact."
Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for Obama, said Corsi's book "is nothing but a series of lies that were long ago discredited." Vietor added: "The reality is, there are many lie-filled books like this in the works cobbled together from the Internet to make money off a presidential campaign."
Both Democrats and Republicans think the election could hinge on whether Obama's narrative loses its luster. Until recently, he had the luxury of presenting his story alone. "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope," his autobiographies, were the first two books written about him, and they remain bestsellers. Obama also relied on his background during his career's most public moments -- the keynote address at the 2004 convention, a speech in March about race in America -- to inspire a diverse following.
In the past few months, other storytellers have proved that a market for skepticism remains. In addition to Corsi's book, two other anti-Obama books rank in the top 35 on Amazon.com's bestseller list. Their titles reveal their intent: "Fleeced," by Dick Morris and Eileen McGann, and "The Case Against Barack Obama," by David Freddoso. In all three books, the authors state that they share the mission of destroying the idealized image of Obama that is popular among Democrats.
Corsi is most damning in his portrait of the candidate. He implies that Obama misrepresents his religion, for instance, saying that Muslim faith plays a significant role in his ideology, even though he is a practicing Christian. He portrays the senator from Illinois as a savvy opportunist who manipulated Chicago politics and then consistently voted like an "extreme" liberal. "The book is going to change a lot of opinions," Corsi said. "It's a different version of the man than he's been presenting."
Obama supporters, though, have largely dismissed Corsi's book and the other attacks as products of bitterness, partisanship and dishonesty. Corsi has a track record of making extreme comments -- he once called Pope John Paul II "senile" and Islam a "virus" -- and "The Obama Nation" includes potentially offensive passages. Corsi writes that Obama's mother chose "men of color" from the "third world" to be her "mates," and that Obama identifies more with his "African blood" than his American roots.
Corsi's book and the others like it have found their largest audience inside a conservative echo chamber, reinforcing the divide between supporters of Obama and those of his challenger, Republican Sen. John McCain. The anti-Obama narratives are the creation of conservative authors, pushed by conservative book clubs that buy in bulk to drive up sales and publicized by right-wing bloggers. Corsi said he attempts to expand beyond that audience by aggressively marketing to independent voters and those who supported the presidential bid of Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
The book is published by Simon & Schuster's Threshold Editions, whose main editor is former GOP strategist Mary Matalin.
Vietor characterized Corsi's new release as similar to his Kerry book in that it is a thinly veiled effort to keep Republicans in power. "This is an attempt to perpetuate those politics for four more years," he said.
Corsi acknowledged as much, saying: "One of the reasons I wrote this book is to keep Obama from getting elected."
Authors of the other anti-Obama books were similarly forthcoming about their motives. They wanted not just to analyze Obama but to debunk him, they wrote. In the introduction to "The Case Against Barack Obama," Freddoso says he felt compelled by duty: "As it became clear that he was going to win the Democratic nomination for president, it seemed irresponsible to stand by as so many were offering admiration, piety, even worship to -- of all things -- a politician. Because the idea of Barack Obama as a reformer is a great lie."
Readers of the new books are forced to differentiate on their own between bias and biography, between facts and fictionalizations, literary experts said. It is a task most readers have learned to manage. "Readers aren't as gullible as they used to be," said Tom Smith, a biography scholar at Pennsylvania State University at Abington. "One thing we've learned so far with biographies in the 21st century is that every book is going to be one person's take."
Pad a biography with enough slant and opinion, experts said, and a good author can make the same facts reveal two different stories. Take two McCain books that explore the same subject: There's Paul Alexander's glowing portrait in "Man of the People: The Maverick Life and Career of John McCain." Or there's Matt Welch's eviscerating take in "McCain: The Myth of a Maverick."
"Especially in politics, you have a crowded book market and there's probably room for five or six takes that can be totally different," Smith said. "It's ultimately up to the reader to decide which one he likes."
By Eli Saslow
© 2008 The Washington Post Company
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See all 999 CommentsWithout a doubt it will serve as one more reference to reveal why there isn''t two cents worth of difference between Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Barak NObama, or any other of these low life, imoral, un-American Demotard PO excrement.
If you love America, you simply can''t vote for any DemoTard.
Posted by Tonyd_31 at 09:47 AM : Aug 14, 2008
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Such a standard bearer for the DemoTard Party we see above.
Offer nothing of substance, simply expell a bunch of stench from between their butt cheeks.
then saying "americans" are "asking questions"
this guy is a hack, and john McSame approves his message....
Corsi acknowledged as much, saying: "One of the reasons I wrote this book is to keep Obama from getting elected."
Posted by zerato at 09:44 AM : Aug 14, 2008
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Anyone ever note how Zero''s responses always cause them to resemble a wind up toy??
As much so as I am put in mind of Howdy Doodie the clow in black face every time I see Sen. NObama.
Posted by JonGood53
Well heck, being a neocon, you''re knee deep in something already!
HeII wiht people like Larry Craig, Strom Thurmond, Craig Spence, Mark Grethen look it up stone thrower--
http://www.flyingsnail.com/Dahbud/rpubsbad.html
Ever notice that JG mouth is permanently stuck on stupid. YOU bought the book LMAO. JG has been conned by Corsi. She got all the information of the net and called it a book, but JG didn''t have the sense to find it herself
Strange isn''t it, a man would refuse to prove up his eligibility.
Especially when he travelled to Pakistan on an Indonesian passport as an adult. And especially since he was adopted by an Indonesian Muslim, became an Indonesian citizen and his real legal name is Barry Soetero.
But according to you people the citizens of this country don''t have the right to ask these questions.
Her daily discourse of he fictionalized story of Obama. No sources needed, it slows her insults down
Her daily discourse of he fictionalized story of Obama. No sources needed, it slows her insults down
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Posted by zerato at 10:05 AM : Aug 14, 2008
Someday, maybe you''ll learn to go out check out facts for yourself. Won''t that be a hoot?
Ah, Bush beat him to it.
Wellheel3,
Ask all the questions you want. You might even want to ask some about McCain, you certainly never wanted to ask any about Hillary. Asking questions is good, but checking a variety of sources to get the answers is even better.
All the research I do shows your sory to be innuedo, lies and facts taken out of context and you will never produce your "sources". I suppose you will give corsi stash of lies from now on.
The Republicans have nothing else to run on but lies and smears. Their eight-year domination of the US government has been marked by economic catastrophe, degradation of the US Constitution, and the worst corruption since Ulysses S. Grant.
Republicans are headed for a major crash. Byeee!
All the research I do shows your sory to be innuedo, lies and facts taken out of context and you will never produce your "sources". I suppose you will give corsi stash of lies from now on.
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Posted by zerato at 10:12 AM : Aug 14, 2008
Strange isn''t it. You can''t find a site anywhere that proves up his citizenship, except a copy of a forged birth certificate on his website!
But honk on...
JG is what the story calls the republican echo chamber. Whatever he hears there comes out here. He was stupid enough to buy the book when he can find all hte lies online
***************
And then we wonder why a crazy neocon decides to go out and shoot somebody "liberal." These hate speech mongers (authors) are liars without conscience. They subtley promote the days of lynching.
But honk on...
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Posted by WellHell3 at 10:18 AM
Yeah, honk on - liar. (aka: so-called Hillary supporter)
Did ya like the pun? ROTFLMGTBO!!!
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Posted by WarDogLRS at 10:18 AM : Aug 14, 2008
Well, you left out Obscamma''s Marxist pinko commie state, and his fomenting European style state whose Constitution gets buried on global authority so that we all have to appease radical Muslims by re-writing our history and paying welfare to their 21 wives they bring over here with them...
But honk on...
More fairytales from Rowdy.
YOu are good, you are able to tell a forgery by looking at a picture online. Expert witnesses at trial have to look at the actual document. So tell me why you think the document is fake?
More fairytales from Rowdy.
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Posted by rudy654 at 10:23 AM : Aug 14, 2008
Actually the fairy tale promises and Tinkerbelle plans are fomenting from Obscamma''s mouth...
But honk on...
Honk on? Is that what you do?
But honk on...
Posted by WellHell3 at 10:18 AM : Aug 14, 2008
err go to www.snopes .com for the veracity of your statements or any reputable news ,including (cough ) Faux news , really honey is there no canard you wont repeat , no drivel too meaningless for you to repeat from your online anonymity?argue the issues if you have a point . Oh right. its depressing to think people like you actually vote based on slander like you have no trouble parroting ad nauseum ,but even more disturbing they probably reproduce.
YOu are good, you are able to tell a forgery by looking at a picture online. Expert witnesses at trial have to look at the actual document. So tell me why you think the document is fake?
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Posted by zerato at 10:23 AM
Actually NOBODY has looked at the actual document because he REFUSES to produce it.
What were holding is the tacit endorsements of the Iraqi and Afghan governments for our mideast policies.
Were holding a comprehensive energy policy that will get oil to market more quickly(tapping the strategic reserves and drilling where the oil companies already have the rights) and invest in long-term renewable, cheap, and clean energy.
Were holding a fiscal policy that pays for itself while reducing taxes on middle class Americans.
Were holding a return to the policies that brought us peace and prosperity before the GOP replaced them with war and recession.
Jonny girl sent money on corsi book and she could have got all the lies online. Jonny girl you have been duped, conned, flimmflammed
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Posted by WellHell3 at 10:26 AM
Oh really? Then how did he get a passport? Go ahead and explain it oh mighty stupid one.
You said it was fake, so tell me what is fake about it.
A fake birth certificate? That seems strange considering Obama is a sitting Senator, if his birth certificate was "fake" you would think that the FBI would have told everyone before Obama got to the Senate.
You would think that if his birth certificate was fake it would be headline news, especially Foxnews.
There is a picture of Obama and his family getting sworn in (Obama''s hand is on a bible) standing next to Richard Cheney, yes the current VP of the US. You would think that if Obama''s birth certificate was fake at least Richard Cheney would have said something.
Your Swiftboat has been sunk!
What were holding is the tacit endorsements of the Iraqi and Afghan governments for our mideast policies.
Were holding a comprehensive energy policy that will get oil to market more quickly(tapping the strategic reserves and drilling where the oil companies already have the rights) and invest in long-term renewable, cheap, and clean energy.
Were holding a fiscal policy that pays for itself while reducing taxes on middle class Americans.
Were holding a return to the policies that brought us peace and prosperity before the GOP replaced them with war and recession.
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Posted by realpatriot1 at 10:26 AM : Aug 14, 2008
Just cast your vote for Tinkerbelle, and let her wave her magic wand. When you wake up and realize you candidate''s votes on major legislation have also been lock step with Bush...you might have a perspective in reality.
*************
Who cares
You said it was fake, so tell me what is fake about it.
However:
RCP Average
Obama 46.1
McCain 41.6
Obama +4.5
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Posted by rudy654 at 10:27 AM : Aug 14, 2008
His mother produced the wrong documents when she applied for it. She just kinda ooopsed and didn''t produce the ones showing his Indonesian citizenship, adoption, and his legal adoptive name of Soetero...
McCain is now viewed favorably by 55% of the nation%u2019s voters, Obama by 54%
Uh huh. Riiiiight. Don''t assume we are all as stupid as you so as to believe your stories.
You said it was fake, so tell me what is fake about it.
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Posted by zerato at 10:32 AM : Aug 14, 2008
The online one has been proven a fake. And nobody''s seen the original document because he refuses to produce it!
Then flushed his credibility down the toilet. Greedy hack. DISSSSS-MISSSSSED!
www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55824
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