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The Birthers Who Are Swiftboating Obama Don’t Want You To Talk About This
By: Sarah JonesAug. 17th, 2012more from Sarah Jones
Here’s what You People need to know about the Swiftboating of Obama on the bin Laden raid is all about. The efforts to diminish the exemplary accomplishments of President Obama are backed by a number of groups, one of which is called “Special Operations Speaks” (so cute how they try to label their operation as if it’s a real military operation). SOS is headed by a birther, so there’s THAT itty-bitty discrediting of the entire effort, designed to diminish the President’s accomplishments as Commander-in-Chief.
Foreign Policy reported on the man who is silly enough to claim to be the leader of “SOS” today:
“I have to admit that I’m a Birther,” said SOS founder Larry Bailey, a retired 27-year veteran of the Navy SEALs, in an interview. “If there were a jury of 12 good men and women and the evidence were placed before them, there would be absolutely no question Barack Obama was not born where he said he was and is not who he says he is.”
After nattering on about how some bizarre conspiracy theory regarding who Obama’s “real father” is, he throws in this craziness, “Barack Obama’s a born red-diaper baby. He’s a socialist.”
Okay then. His allegations are silly Breitbartesque irrelevancies that only scream “We can’t stand that Obama is a strong leader! WAAA!” Their accusation is that Obama leaks things and therefor is doomed to failure, but of course, Obama has been successful beyond their wildest dreams when it comes to national security, so it’s probably best if they just let him do his thing. He hardly needs “advice” from folks who can’t read or use Google.
Furthermore, if it’s leaks they are worried about for real, then surely they’d be wasting money making videos about Mitt Romney’s M16 leak. No? Right. Because this isn’t about the facts, it’s about an agenda.
What’s the agenda?
The agenda is to attempt to take Obama’s strength and turn it into a weakness. In conservative Republican view, it’s not about the country winning, it’s about their side winning. Thus, when Obama got Osama, they were devastated. DEVASTATED. These alleged patriots could barely manage to force even a remote appearance of pride, relief, or patriotism.
Things only got worse for their slim hopes of our country failing in order to make their dreams of Obama failure come true when Admiral McRaven, United States Navy four-star admiral who currently serves as ninth Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command and organized and executed Operation Neptune’s Spear (the special ops raid that led to capture and death of bin Laden), said this to Time Magazine about President Obama’s leadership (emphasis mine):
“McRaven speaks respectfully of bush as Commander in Chief, saying he “made some very, very tough decisions.” About Obama, without a question to prompt him, he waxes lyrical and at length. The planning and decision making for the bin Laden raid, he volunteers, “was really everything the American public would expect from their national leadership.”
“The President was at all times presidential,” he says. “I would contend he was the smartest guy in the room. He had leadership skills we’d expect from a guy who had 35 years in the military.”
Let’s repeat, “He had leadership skills we’d expect from a guy who had 35 years in the military.”
That crying sound you just heard was the long tradition of draft dodging Republicans co-opting the military dying on its sword. President Obama is running against a draft-dodging Republican. President Obama is a brave man, a smart leader, an excellent strategist, and is highly respected by the military he leads.
This reality is so unbelievable to conservatives that they seek to destroy the reputation of the President at any cost. Indeed, in their swiftboat movie, you can hear them whine that they want the President to “stop talking about it!” It’s so transparent that they hope to bully him into shutting up; the contempt is all you can hear in their voice. Of course, this President got Osama, so he’s not going to be bullied by a few birther punks who can’t manage to show respect to the Commander-in-Chief of the country they are supposed to love and serve.
And that is what you really need to know. They want you to stop talking about the President’s courage, leadership, and bravery. They want you to stop talking about how President Obama put this nation first, ahead of his political career. They want you to stop talking about how he did what Bush could not, and how he did what Romney said was not important – going after the terrorist who masterminded the 9/11 attacks.
Yes, indeed, the birthers behind the swiftboating of Barack Obama do not want you to talk about how great of a Commander in Chief Obama is.
To this, I say, “Admiral McRaven said — and he ought to know, ‘He had leadership skills we’d expect from a guy who had 35 years in the military.’ That’s kinda like running to France to hide from the draft, only with real responsibilities.”
Obama got Osama. He’s kept us safe. He’s been smart about ending Bush’s wars. He’s been slow and deliberate regarding new conflict. Clearly, President Obama doesn’t need to take national security advice from silly boys playing special ops games with a video camera who can’t read a birth certificate. We’ll see your “SOS” and raise you an Operation Neptune’s Spear.
I think we’re done here.
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Shiva (Moderator)
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 7:45 pm
I think your right. These people have to be backed by the koch scud brothers.
Anything to get at the president. Expect much much more
merl
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 7:51 pm
We all knew that the Repubs would find a way to use binLaden’s death against Obama. They’re a pathetic group of liars.
Cha
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 11:55 pm
Yeah, Stupid Operatives are throwing shit against the wall but it’s boomeranging back on their nasty heads.
Reynardine
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 8:01 pm
And besides, no Neegro can possibly be a ril uhMericun.
buckeyewill
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 8:33 pm
It cain’t be!!!!
Johnee
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 9:59 pm
Actually, the redneck whack jobs here in Texas and the southern states pronounce it “nigra”…. and that’s when the f*****rs are being polite.
Reynardine
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 11:37 pm
Well, “Neeegro” is how they pronounce it in front of certain outsiders, such as network news reporters or federal judges, when they’re tryiing real hard not to say the other.
Kathy
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 10:54 am
Seriously? It’s 2012? I’m beginning to lose my faith in the “theory” aka “guess” of evolution. Devolution, maybe….
Churchlady
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
It’s clearly NOT intelligent design, thank you. No theory is based on the few but on the many, and most people are NOT this stupid, self-serving, and venal.
Daingel
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
In the military SOS was a term we used for a certain mess meal. Sh*t On a Shingle.
Looks like it’s apropos to this group.
Reynardine
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 9:29 pm
The original SOS, I understand, was chipped beef on hard tack (before they could refrigerate sailor food), but the land-based version was creamed chipped beef on toast. At least, those were somewhat nourishng. This SOS, now… Mayday!
EnoughIsEnough
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 8:37 pm
Unfortunately there are over one million views of this video on YouTube and SOS is not allowing any comments that disagree with the video.
mjh
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 4:47 am
“SOS is not allowing any comments that disagree with the video”
That’s unhinged rightwingnut NeoKKKons for you: won’t allow ANY reality to intrude on their fantasy . . .
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Mark
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 9:12 pm
Great article, but I’d call them “afterbirthers” since even releasing the long-form certificate didn’t put the issue to rest for some.
majii
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 9:34 pm
I read a post on “The Daily Beast” site today that was written by David Corn, and one thing impressed me more than any other thing I read in the post. It was PBO’s concern for the members of SEAL team Six. Secretary Gates and Admiral McRaven expressed concerns about what would happen if the team ran into trouble with the Pakistani Army. Admiral McRaven said that the team could hold the Pakistani Army off for @ two hours. President Obama told them not to worry about the diplomatic issues that might arise if that happened but to make sure that the team got out of Pakistan after carrying out the mission. The president’s emphasis on the safety of the members of SEAL Team Six shows his concern for the members of our military. The president is very aware of the impact of his military decisions. This is why he’s so cautious about making any decision that puts their lives in danger. This also explains why he chose to provide military assistance in Libya rather than put members of our military in harm’s way. Also, PBO increased military funding, established a program to eradicate homelessness for our veterans, and established a program with businesses to help veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan to find jobs. A couple weeks ago, I read that unemployment among veterans is lower than that of any other group in the country.
Kathy
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 10:57 am
Good points. Mr. Bush just sent in as many military people as he could…hell, they’re just poor kids, anyway. People who can afford college or from wealthy families most often don’t join the army…certainly not as a foot soldier. (sarcasm here)
Marie Louise Augustin
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 10:37 pm
Success Mr president
AKPetMom
Aug. 17th, 2012 at 11:00 pm
Looks like this is one of the SEALS that wasn’t properly debriefed before being let back into society.
Andrew Rei
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 3:02 am
OPSEC’s claim that the President leaked information is a “bipartisan” concern. But, when you repeat the lies of the GOP as though they’re the truth, you’re carrying their water and you’re GOPers…simple as that. They lied and expect us to be dumb enough to swallow their lies. Sorry, guys, no sale.
I’ve written this several times on Facebook regarding the “Birthers” argument about President Obama and I shall, for the first time, write about it here.
Let’s entertain as Devil’s Advocates that, in fact, Barack Hussein Obama, Jr., was born outside the US (ok, I’ll give you a moment to stop laughing, because I’m chuckling quite a bit myself–LOL)… Back in 1959, the Ike Administration passed a law that “clarified” the definition of a “natural born citizen”. As we know, a child of two US parents is a natural-born citizen no matter where that child is born. The law passed in 1959 regarded children of unions where just one of the parents was a US citizen. In this case, PBO’s mother, who was born and grew up in Kansas. The law was written to require that the US parent would have to live a certain amount of time during a certain stage of their lives in the US. So long as these minimums were met, ANY CHILD BORN of that parent is a US CITIZEN, REGARDLESS OF THE CHILD’S BIRTHPLACE! Obama’s mother met those minimums, meaning that any child she bore would automatically be a US citizen. When confronted with this truth, the Birthers bristle and continue to insist that he’s not a US citizen. What idiots. And, as we sadly know, the Birthers are mostly Teabaggers, the biggest idiots of them all.
mjh
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 5:02 am
“So long as these minimums were met, ANY CHILD BORN of that parent is a US CITIZEN, REGARDLESS OF THE CHILD’S BIRTHPLACE!”
Excellent point.
Allow me to play DA, and take that another step further:
Another favorite meme of the AfterBirthers is that Barack Obama, Sr. was not the President’s real father — they insist {without proof, of course} that his biological father was either Malcolm X or Frank Marshall Davis {whom President Obama wrote about in Dreams From My Father} . . .
If that’s true, there’s no further need for the AfterBirthers to ask for the birth certificate.
If either Malcolm X {born Malcolm Little in Omaha, NE} or Davis {born in Arkansas City, KS} were Obama’s real father, that would mean BOTH of his biological parents were born in the US — rendering further need of a birth certificate to prove the President’s citizenship unnecessary . . .
.
Karen
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 3:05 am
Have been to their FB page. Totally racist ignoramuses posting there. Shamefully unAmerican.
Rho
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 5:39 am
If they can’t handle Obama possibly being American, let them send in one of their own, hehe…
reformparty.org/candidate...
Twinx
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 7:39 am
“So long as these minimums were met, ANY CHILD BORN of that parent is a US CITIZEN, REGARDLESS OF THE CHILD’S BIRTHPLACE!”
Even the *appearance* of accepting the false premise (that Obama was/might have been born anywhere other than Hawaii) isn’t wise, IMO.
He was born in Hawaii. The Dept resposonsible for recording births in Hawaii, and maintaining records of those births have confirmed this multiple times, and other documents including some released following FOIA requests further corroborate the facts of his birth.
Many have been gathered together here (includes some interviews/artcles from 1990+ to contest the notion that Obama went around telling people he was born in Kenya):
www.scribd.com/doc/967567...
It’s better to banging home the facts we are certain of rather than getting involved in ‘even if…’ type conversations.
Kathy
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 11:00 am
What cracks me up is that Palin would disparage that he was born in Hawaii, as if if weren’t a state. Really? She is from Alaska, the 2nd of the non-contiguous states.
Kathy
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 11:07 am
This site is scary – supposedly they’re meant to stop leaks and don’t support any particular party, but it’s all anti-Obama. And the leader is a retired Seal.
And leaks? What about the Valerie Plame debacle..which was deliberate.
WE Got Bin Laden
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 11:45 am
Really what is the more important???? Dubya Mitt, Unwilling to release his tax returns, because he is afraid the LEFT will use the information against him. Of course they will, and if you ever paid less than 13% your goose is cooked. Actually its already cooked. The American People don’t trust you and Ryan, your lies and party (The House) has proven you will not get 4 yrs. WE are still recovering from BushCheney deficit years. Hey it’s on record 2 wars, Cheney deficits don’t matter and over 4000 Americans killed for the phoney WMD. Countless in hospitals, wards, Never again
Churchlady
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 3:01 pm
Can someone clarify what info was supposedly leaked and when? I read the home addresses of the SEALs – but no one can say where that supposedly appeared or who did it. The discussion of the process under which the rescue occurred was well after the event, and it was, I am quite sure, NOT top secret information. Why would it be – and HOW could it be kept secret when some guy nearby was Tweeting about it not knowing WHAT was happening but that something was. I have no idea what “secret” info was supposedly leaked, but it sure did not happen before the event or The Donald would have blurted it out at the Press Corps dinner the night before – he being Mr. Bigmouth. Can anyone clarify the “source” of these incredibly stupid rumors?
Barry Roope
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 4:33 pm
I worked in Air Force Special Operations for 7 years, and from the stories and interviews I’ve seen, President Obama, nor anyone else gave out any OPSEC that was not already available to the media at large. This is just a Fox News attempt to take away one of President Obama’s foreign policy victories. Both of the Republican candidates are woefully inept at foreign policy issues, for that mattter, they are inept on most matters.
rod
Aug. 18th, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Thanks for this article Sarah, and special thanks to President Barack Obama.
labman57
Aug. 19th, 2012 at 12:12 am
Okay, now for the real question — how frequently will the fallacious claims of this group be repeated on FOX News … with no mention of their right wing political affiliations or birther beliefs?
Barry Roope
Aug. 19th, 2012 at 9:57 am
The day we got Bin Laden, true Americans were happy, all except rabid Republicans who were heartbroken that President Obama had a big role in making that happen. What has happened to the Republican party, do they care about America at all, or does their hatred of the President blind them? I really don’t know what anybody finds in the Republican party these days, they are hateful and mean. People really need to evaluate these candidates, and vote with wisdom, not because its a habit or family tradition, vote with your head. because the Ryan/Romney ticket is destructive for America, and America is in a troubled time right now, we can’t risk it on Ryan/Romney!
ThatDude
Aug. 20th, 2012 at 11:53 am
I believe you are all missing the point that Osama was a patsy, set up trained and funded by our own government (see CIA ties). The same government that is now praising (and funding) Al Qaeda for their ‘work’ in Syria.
The idea that ‘Obama got Osama’ means nothing when he breaks the NDAA which he helped pass, by giving 50mil in aid to Al Qaeda (the same people you think blew up the towers).
So we are praising him for taking out Osama, but looking the other way when he funds a known terrorist organization?
The bias from this broken two party system leads people to believe anything in support of their side while ignoring anything contrary.
WAKE UP.
Sarah Jones
Aug. 20th, 2012 at 12:10 pm
Obama did not help “pass NDAA” (it was drafted by the war hawk Senate Armed Services Committee as it is every year). He in fact was the only person to force them to change the language before he signed it. You obviously got taken by the breitbarted Levin video, the full video is available at CSPAN and on this site, where he makes it clear that Obama threatened not to sign it if they didn’t change the language to not apply to us citizens.
Josh
Aug. 20th, 2012 at 3:50 pm
The debate is over about the BC. It is a forgery.
Liberals should just move on and try something else.
www.atpshots.com/forgery
mjh
Aug. 21st, 2012 at 1:16 am
You’re right, Josh; the debate is over about the birth certificate; it was over the day President Obama released his long form birth certificate, which — surprise! — has the SAME information as the shorter certificate he released three years earlier . . .
www.factcheck.org/2011/04...
It’s you AfterBirthers who need to move on and try something else . . .
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