They're at it again. The Orwellian-named "American Leadership Project," a collection of ad execs and career political hacks (with some help from some AFSCME) are running a new attack ad.
The ad is a classic 527 assault. It doesn't even mention Clinton at any point. Instead, it flimsily floats the claim that Obama doesn't "have a plan" to deal with the looming economic crisis. It is purely negative, although it laughably casts itself as informative (suggesting that one call the Obama campaign, although it provides no means for doing so).
The ad is based on two headlines from articles now widely debunked. One is Nedra Pickler's hachet job claiming Obama has never provided any policy proposals on the campaign trail. This article was widely debunked when it first came out (as per Media Matters). (It's worth noting that ALP credits the more neutral-sounding AP, rather than Pickler, for the "analysis.") The second quote is a from a David Ignatius column in mid-February. Nevermind that Ignatius is himself a consummate hack -- a 527-with-a-pen -- who has authored half-a-dozen attacks on Obama without even once focusing on Clinton this entire year. (In fact, in the article from which ALP cribs a quote, he promises Clinton's advisors will be "Clinton II" -- although he cites no evidence of that, and its not at all clear what that means anyway.)
Cool with this? If not, there are a few ways to fight back.
The first is to contact ALP's bankrollers, which are listed here per Wikipedia.
The American Leadership Project is operated by:
Jason Kinney, a former senior communications advisor and the chief speechwriter to former California Governor Gray Davis
Erick Mullen, a political consultant who has worked for the presidential campaigns of retired General Wesley Clark, former Senator Bill Bradley, and the 1998 Senate run of Chuck Schumer
Mattis Goldman, a former ad maker for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman U.S. Representative Chris Van Hollen of Maryland
Paul Rivera, a senior political adviser for the 2004 Kerry-Edwards campaign, and a former Clinton/Gore White House staffer
Roger Salazar, who worked as assistant press secretary in the Clinton/Gore White House, a national spokesman for Senator John Edwards’ during the 2004 presidential race, a national spokesman and the deputy press secretary of the 2000 presidential campaign of Al Gore, and as the press secretary for former California Governor Gray Davis
The law firm representing the group is Remcho, Johansen & Purcell, LLC. Accounting and bookkeeping is being handled by Nancy Warren of the San Francisco-based Warren & Associates LLC.
One might also consider contacting AFSCME, especially if you are a member. They've reportedly put a million dollars into ALP, and I'm not convinced that their membership is entirely thrilled with this.
The other response is to support Obama the old-fashioned, accontable way: contribute to his campaign. I established a fundraising page dedicated to turning 527-inspired outrage into dough to help Obama respond.
It's meant for small donations, preferably with the digits 5, 2, and 7 to be included (but be forewarned, a $5.27 donation has symnbolic value but barely pays for its own processing -- a minimum of $15.27 is probably a better idea; also, I've got nothing against big ones either -- $527 anybody?)
Clinton may have her politicos (politicoes? where's Quayle when we need him!) lined up, but Obama has us, 1.5 million strong and growing.