Over the weekend, Howard Fineman wrote a hit piece against President Obama on rightwing Arianna Huffington's blog. For background, Arianna's blog was started by Andrew Breitbart and Arianna Huffington. Her blog is owned by AOL, where Dick Cheney's daughter, Mary Cheney is, or was and maybe still is, the Vice President of Consumer Advocacy and Vice President of Communications. My point: Arianna's blog has a clear rightwing slant.
The first sentence of Fineman's hit piece against Obama is factually wrong. Fineman splits hairs and gives the false notion that only one Democrat President ran a successful re-election campaign since FDR:
WASHINGTON -- As he tries to become only the second Democratic president since Franklin Roosevelt to win reelection, Barack Obama is adopting much of the strategic playbook Republicans have developed and used for 40 years.
Facts must not matter at Arianna's blog: After FDR -
Fineman is splitting hairs with his strange claim that only one Democrat President ran a successful Re-Election campaign:
- President Truman (D) served two terms.
Elected as VP in 1945.
First Term: 1945-1949
Won Re-Election as President Second Term: 1949-1953
- President Johnson (D) served two terms.
In accordance to the 22nd Amendment:
Johnson's First Term was after JFK's Death
Won Re-Election & won.
His second term began in 1964.
- President Clinton (D) served two terms
Won Re-Election
Webster Dictionary
Re-Elect: : to elect for another term in office.
From
Harry Truman Library
In 1948, Truman won reelection.
Then there are this LBJ re-election button:
Therefore, according to the Truman Library, Fineman is wrong. According to LBJ re-election buttons, Fineman is wrong and by definition, via Websters definition of the word "re-elect" Fineman is wrong, Truman, LBJ and Clinton all
won re-election for another term in office.
Fineman wrote the following - yet provide no sources to backup his claims:
Wedge Issues.
The phrase is often misused. It means forcing the other party to defend an idea, policy or person in such a way that it divides the other party's base. The classic example, used for years if not decades by Reagan, was welfare, which split white and black working-class Democrats. Obama is trying to do the same thing to the GOP on immigration. His administration just filed suit against Arizona's controversial and, to many, egregiously anti-immigrant Sheriff Joe Arpaio. The goal is not just to bring him in line, but to make Republicans defend him.
Who is the source that told Howard Fineman "the goal is not just to bring him in line, but to make Republicans defend him."
Who is source that told Fineman that the DoJ lawsuit against Sheriff Arpaio is to "make Republicans defend him."
Who is the source that told Fineman the Department of Justice is lying in their lawsuit against Sheriff Arpaio?
With no sources to substantiate a GD thing Fineman wrote about Apraio, Fineman accuses the Department of Justice of lying and filing a lawsuit for political reasons as opposed to legal reasons.
Where are your sources Howard?
Fineman ignores facts stem from June 2008 DoJ Investigation that ended Dec 2011:
Department of Justice Website:
The Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit in federal court today against Maricopa County, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and Sheriff Joseph M. Arpaio, arising from unconstitutional and unlawful actions by the defendants.
The lawsuit follows a comprehensive and independent investigation initiated, in June 2008, under Section 14141 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. On Dec. 15, 2011, the department issued a 22 page letter of findings, which found reasonable cause that MCSO and Sheriff Arpaio were engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional conduct and/or violations of federal law. Following the issuance of the letter of findings, the department attempted to reach a resolution with MCSO and Sheriff Arpaio and provided them with a comprehensive draft settlement agreement. The proposed agreement contained a number of key reforms that had been successfully implemented elsewhere. However, negotiations were unsuccessful, primarily because MCSO and Sheriff Arpaio refused to agree to any independent oversight by a monitor.
Howard Fineman had
no sources yet he accused the Department of Justice of being corrupt and filing a lawsuit on political grounds rather than legal grounds. WOW! JUST WOW!
I don't think Fineman could have been any more irresponsible and unprofessional on that.
Notice: "a comprehensive and independent investigation initiated, in June 2008" yet Howard Fineman, again, with no sources gives his readers the false illusion that he somehow knows the "goal" of the 2008 investigation and subsequent lawsuit was not due to illegal, unconstitutional activity from the Sheriff but rather " to make Republicans defend him."
Does Howard Fineman think George Bush's DoJ began the investigation in June 2008 to help President Obama win the 2012 election?
Fineman continued his rants against President Obama with:
Single-Sex Marriage. By declaring his personal belief in the full right of gays and lesbians to marry, the president turned the four-decades-long culture war on its head. He is betting, and there are data to back him up, that the country has changed on this issue. He thinks that his timing is perfect and that he will push the GOP into a regional, cultural and historical corner.
Who is the source that told Fineman President Obama was being disingenuous in supporting same-sex marriage?
Who is the source that told Fineman President Obama is "betting" on data rather than speaking from the heart?
Who is the source that told Fineman what President Obama "thinks" about his "timing."
Pants on Fire and Pinocchio Test:
1) Fineman claims DoJ is corrupt and investigated and filed suit against AZ Sheriff to have GOP candidates defend that sheriff.
- No source
2) Fineman falsely claims only one Democrat President since FDR has won re-election and President Obama hopes to be the second.
- Factually wrong. Truman, LBJ & Clinton all won Re-election campaigns.
3) Fineman accuses President Obama of not really supporting same-sex marriage but only supports same-sex marriage because "He is betting" and "He thinks" that his timing is perfect and that he will push the GOP into a regional, cultural and historical corner."
- No Source
My grade to Fineman: FAIL ... Eight Pinocchio .... Pants on Fire
Fineman, perhaps the GOP's new tool, tossed out a lot of accusations, some corrupt accusations, against President Obama with no sources to back up his claims.
Fineman's entire piece was bizarre, designed to make President Obama look corrupt via the Department of Justice with absolutely no sources to substantiate any claim that Fineman wrote.