t.a.,

Have you read Corsi's book? I have and am always wary, but I'd love to hear for anyone who can specifically "debunk" one of the over 600 footnotes. TIA.....

Kari, Who was the one commentator? I understand what you are saying but I'm about getting specifics.

Footnotes can't make false things true. If you make an assertion adorned with a footnote, and I can demonstrate it's incorrect, that could mean: (1) the original source is also incorrect, or (2) the source never actually made that claim.

One thing that makes me sad is that people are attacking Obama for being "a secret Muslim". Look, folks, the vast majority of Muslims, like most people, are good people. To conclude Islam is bad based on the acts of 9/11 terrorists is as stupid as concluding Christianity is bad based on the acts of people who blow up abortion clinics. The "Obama is a secret Muslim" is one based on absolute and utter bigotry. If reinforcing the "Obama is a secret Muslim" meme is really one of the goals of Corsi's book, as Joe Klein suggests, then it doesn't even deserve to be used as toilet paper.

Dan: Thanks! Paul Waldman, eh? Now I feel much better....

What about the scurrilous attacks on Nader by DP wingnuts? Comes out of his coffin every four years to destroy America, Alfred E. Newman, Satanic, plays footsie with conservatives, selfish and egotistical, caused the Iraq occupation, mortgaged America's future, demagogic slanderer, etc. You guys need to apply the same standards to yourselves that you apply to your enemies.

If you had democratic values, you'd favor debates between McBama and the non-corporatist candidates.

Meme is a wonderful, tasty, old-school word. But "meme" enjoys its rest occassionally. It works hard when it is called, and needs a nap to retain its courage and wisdom.

Literarily yours,

R

Since when is Bob Beckel a Republican Strategist?

Obama for America should have probably factchecked their factchecking document...

When Bob Beckel worked for Mondale, he was the consultant that non-Mondale Democrats loved to hate.

But in recent years, what has he been doing? Didn't take long on a search engine to find this:

http://www.newshounds.us/2006/07/09/democratic_strategist_bob_beckel_joins_fox_news_attack_on_joseph_biden.php

I’ve made it pretty clear in my posts that I’m no fan of “Democratic Strategist” and FOX News contributor Bob Beckel. But he reached a new low Friday night (7/7/06) on Hannity & Colmes when he spoke out more harshly against Democratic Senator Joseph Biden than conservative talk show host Laura Ingraham.

LT is that why Obama called Bob Beckel a Republican Strategist in his response to Corsi?

Never met Obama, don't know what he thinks, I am only an old Hart delegate who remembered Beckel (not fondly) and followed his career after 1984.

As I recall, he was one of those Mondale people who thought the Contras Reagan believed in weren't really bad people. Is that what you believe?

Not hard to find the video online (I found it multiple places) where Beckel said in early June that "a big shoe" would fall on the Obamas--a video of Michelle? Do you remember that "bombshell"? I sure don't. But saying that on a cable show is not the way to win friends and influence people! Was he being a bigshot on TV, or only a windbag?

Over the past quarter century there have been Democratic consultants/ operatives which had a following but also angry activists who thought they reflected poorly on the Democratic Party. I'd put Beckel in that category. And after reading this column, I'd do the same with Mark Penn.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/15/AR2008081502825.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

LT - but would you state Bob Beckel is a Republican Strategist in a document you are releasing against Corsi, as Obama did? Just saying

ABC has a decent commentary on the document: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/08/the-obama-overr.html

Given that to the best of my knowledge the "big shoe falling in June" that Beckel talked about on cable TV never "dropped", exactly what was he trying to pull? Just be a pundit, or make life difficult for the Obamas?

That doesn't seem to me to be the action of a "Democratic strategist". Who he works for or how he is registered to vote I have no idea. But what he said about the Obama's in June doesn't, in my mind, obligate the Obama campaign to know exactly who Beckel is working for these days, how he is registered, etc. Beckel is a big boy, and if he was offended by that he can fight back himself without needing a blogger to fight back for him.

Would it have been better to say "Bob Beckel, famous for incendiary remarks..." instead of Republican strategist? Or are you just trying to make trouble?

I've followed Beckel's career since he worked for Mondale in 1984. Apparently he favored an Obama/Clinton ticket. I don't think that would be a good idea.

Jake Tapper writes well. It is very interesting he doesn't mention the Beckel thing in his blog. From what I have heard from an interview with an Obama biographer, lots of folks in Chicago politics were really angry about the Alice Palmer situation--either that Obama kept on running, or that she double crossed him and decided to run after endorsing him.

But the point remains. Beckel is a slippery character. Whether he is employed by any Republicans or registered GOP, he sure doesn't seem to be as much an active Democrat these days as a pundit.

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