McCain-Obama battle over Missouri “Truth Squad”
With the Missouri polls showing a dead heat between Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama, every campaign move is igniting scrutiny.
That’s the backdrop over a two-day dust-up that is attracting local TV coverage, and has even ignited a Web fight between the Drudge Report and the Daily Kos.
At issue is a new Obama “Truth Squad” formed in the state.
(As an aside, please note that both sides have “Truth Squads” in numerous states, under numerous titles. McCain’s campaign has an Honest and Open Election Committee, whose Missouri members include former Sen. John Danforth and U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, and another state McCain group monitoring any Democratic jabs at Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.)
Obama’s Missouri Truth Squad members include St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce, Jefferson County Sheriff Glenn Boyer and St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch, among others.
The inclusion of such officials has led to Gov. Matt Blunt, among other Republicans, to accuse the Obama camp of planning “to use Missouri law enforcement to threaten and intimidate his critics.”
That tack was repeated in a conference call Saturday, where Republican National Committee deputy chairman Frank Donatelli said that the issue was the inclusion of law-enforcement officials on Obama’s squad. He called for Joyce, McCulloch, et al to step down.
In a statement Saturday (issued from the governor’s office), Blunt went further and contended that the state Obama campaign and its allies, including U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill “have attached the stench of police state tactics…”
His assertion was that the squad might prosecute people deemed to have made inaccurate or inappropriate claims against Obama.
“Barack Obama needs to grow up. Leftist blogs and others in the press constantly say false things about me and my family. Usually, we ignore false and scurrilous accusations because the purveyors have no credibility. When necessary, we refute them,” Blunt said in the statement. “Enlisting Missouri law enforcement to intimidate people and kill free debate is reminiscent of the Sedition Acts - not a free society.”
Obama’s national campaign manager David Plouffe said Saturday that Truth Squads simply monitor attacks and refute them.
Later, state communications director Debbie Mesloh issued a statement that called it “the height of absurdity” for the GOP to contend that the Obama squad planned to go to court or jail critics.
She contended that Blunt, Donatelli, et al are out “to deceive voters about the role of respected Missourians across the state who want to see this election be about the truth, not false attacks like the ones we’ve seen today.
“Barack Obama’s Truth Squad is comprised of members of the community who – on their own time – are dedicated to raising the level of discourse in this campaign…,” she added.
By the way, a quick surf of the Internet found a McCain Truth Squad in New Hampshire, formed last January, that included several public officials with prosecutorial powers, including the state attorney general.
However, state Republicans have sent out a list of dozens of officeholders — who are lawmakers, not law enforcers — who they said make up the bulk of McCain’s Truth Squads around the country.
FINALLY, after several days of silence, you guys are covering this story! The fascist intimidation tactics of the Obama Goon Squad are absolutely outrageous! Bob Mulloch and Jennifer Joyce ought to be ashamed of themselves, blurring the line between their prosecutorial offices and their political activism for one candidate. Disgraceful! This is an assault on the First Amendment.
“Bob Mulloch. . .” Make that “McCulloch,” of course. I’m so worked up about this, I can’t even “C” straight! Don’t throw me in jail, Herr McCulloch, for misspelling your name!
The worst part to me is that the Obama supporters I have brought this up with don’t seem to care. This country has gotten way too partisan when support for your preferred candidate trumps your love of free speech.
Gosh, I hope I don’t get arrested for saying anything negative about Obama. Who does this guy think he is? God help us all if he gets any more power. He scares me.
I’m now embarrassed to have a five-year stint in one of the “truth squad” member’s offices on my resume. The last thing any of these Democrat officeholders wants is the TRUTH about Obama to be told: his militant Islam and Marxist education as a youth, his affiliation with terrorists, his political corruption, his shady financial dealings, his hatred for the USA and its military, his incompetence and his inarticulateness. For shame, Boyer, Joyce, McCulloch, et al.! Read the Constitution once in a while, especially the First Amendment.
Careful, Davis! The Obama Brownshirts may come knocking at your door!
As someone who origianaly supported Obama, I say no more! This is not the only strong arm tactics Obama and his campain have been doing-Its going on in Ohio,ect(NRA ads) as well as ads that mention ayers. Obama is too overly confident if he thinks we (Democrats) will not take offense at these things. I think he forgets that alot of Democrats are God fearing, small town folks who hunt and fish and are patriotic. We are what make or break elections. If he doesnt believe in free speech or have faith in those that vote for him to decide for themselves what they believe, then perhaps he does not deserve our vote either. Sad, sad day for America:(
Edwin
It’s Orwell’s 1984 redux.
Obamba is now “THE BIG BROTHER”
Ooops, hope I don’t get arrested for that.
Obama said: “Selma March Got Me Born” - NOT EXACTLY, your parents felt safe enough to have you in 1961 - Selma had no effect on your birth, as Selma was in 1965. (Google’Obama Selma ‘ for his full March 4, 2007 speech and articles about its various untruth s.)
Jo,
You are misrepresnting what the television report and those interview stated.
It is true that both sides have “truth squads.”
What is very different about this, and other similar actions made by Obama’s campaign else where is the attempt very least appear to legally threaten people who run advertisements contrary to what they deam as “fact” via cease and dissest orders or request for prosecution.
In this case the report specifically said “The Barack Obama campaign is asking Missouri law enforcement to target anyone who lies or runs a misleading TV ad during the presidential campaign.”
That is a far cry from your run of the mill “truth squad.” We are talking about the abuse of Missouri law to intimidate political opponents. No ifs, ands or buts.
The truth is, if the same report was run about the McCain campaign or Republicans in this state their name would be mud by now - and you and the Post-Dispatch would be in the thick of it. I would add that would be only right given the situation.
The fact that the Post-Dispatch refuses to discuss the issue in context and raise an alert of any sort speaks volumes of its bias.
I would hope maybe Tony Messenger might have rubbed off on you guys a little bit. Maybe Im wrong.