The Perils of Obama’s Open Community Blogs Policy
EmailApparently there is little to no vetting for the community blogs on Sen. Barack Obama’s homepage.
That’s meant that some anti-Semites, presumably on the Left, have posted stories on the "Socialists for Obama" section of My.BarackObama.com — scrubbed once conservative blogs made note of them — blaming Israel for 9/11 and blathering on about the "Jewish Lobby."
Those two articles are down, though the conservative site Little Green Footballs captured the images, which I linked to above.
As an Instapundit reader notes "The Community Blogs at Obama 08 are no more ‘official’ than the rantings of BDS sufferers at an Obama rally. I have a blog there, just to prove how easy it is to get one, and Senator Obama has ZERO chance of getting my vote. You could have one. It’s as simple as signing up. There’s no vetting process of any kind. Any nut with an axe to grind can post any offensive material on the Community Blogs, and the Obama campaign will be unaware unless someone raises a stink. In fact, it’s entirely possible that a McCain operative could go on the site, create a blog, post offensive material, and then leak the URL to LGF to ‘prove’ how disreputable the Senator’s supporters are. Shades of Dan Rather!"
For instance, Monday morning, there’s a Jemaah Islamiyah for Obama page which seems far more likely to have been penned by a conservative who hates Obama than an actual member of Jemaah Islamiyah.
While this is a problem for anyone with a relatively open commenting policy — witness the issues DailyKos has had to deal with, as Bill O’Reilly has tried to damn the liberal blogger with the more hateful postings on that site; or some of the nastier posts about Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass, on the Washington Post website — one wonders how long the Obama campaign will be able to keep it going.
ABC News reserves the right to remove postings that include crude language or personal attacks, but frankly we don’t have the manpower to monitor it 24/7. And it seems quite obvious that some of the people posting are not who they say they are.
But the harsh glare of the media spotlight amidst the hateful views of some supporters, or internet dirty tricks, might make it difficult for Obama to continue.
– jpt
UPDATE: Please note our blog post on some of the more offensive remarks posted at Sen. John McCain’s home page as well as his Youtube page. Bottom line — if activists are going to make an issue out of this kind of thing, they need to prepared for their preferred candidate to be slimed as well.
Santorum: Money Will Not Defeat Obama, Ideas Will 
Rick Santorum's Full Speech at CPAC 2012
len,
you are correct.
Karma is real
Posted by: justice | June 9, 2008, 11:10 am 11:10 am
I haven’t used his blog but it shouldn’t be as easy to post as this ABC stuff.
Posted by: Mr. Coffee | June 9, 2008, 11:22 am 11:22 am
um, you might want to do a 2-minute search on mccain’s site as well– similar stuff going on over there. obama described with n-word, the debunked muslim school smears, etc.
neither candidate can control this stuff, unfortunately.
Posted by: jrcjr | June 9, 2008, 11:22 am 11:22 am
First the zealots attack Ron Paul and now they’re going after the only other voice of hope in Obama. I know a character assasination when I see it… especially when it happens TWICE. You can pull that off with an old man, and people may believe you. But you won’t get away with it with Obama, as their soon to find out. Try harder cause this aint gonna derail anything, wether you the zealots, or the media that sponsors them, like it or not!
Posted by: patriot | June 9, 2008, 11:31 am 11:31 am
It’s Not A Racist ISSUE as many headlines in newspapers want you to believe — This man Obama has character flaws and is too young, and inexperienced to lead a nation. Would you join him as your captain on a sailboat crossing the oceans? What happens when you hit the first storm, will he know to lower the rigging? What will he do if the boat takes on water? He has no experience!!!!!! He is a product that is trying to be sold by a group of people behind the scenes.
Posted by: Anne | June 9, 2008, 11:32 am 11:32 am
I agree with you len. Obama has been excused by the news for anything and everything he has done or said.
I do think the TV network news and any TV news talk shows or otherwise should be held to the same rules of calling female names as they are when they call African Americans names. Hillary was called all sorts of names and if she had been black, they would have fired the people. Women make up over 50% of the population and they are buyers for their people so they have a lot of clout if they would just use it and stop buying anything which these violators advertise and maybe these companies would stop sponsoring these people who insist on being bias and spew their hate out to the world.
By the way, Joy and Whoopi on The View need to quit using the bully pulpit against Elisabeth. I may not agree with her everytime but those two are trying to censure her yet they come out with lies, embellish believes, etc. They go on about Obama’s wife, there again if any white woman had written or said the things she has, it is for sure her husband wouldn’t be running for the office of the president. It is just as wrong for a black person to act as a KKK member as it is for a white person. To me, and to anyone who can think for themselves, to sit for 20 years in a hate filled congregation (and they appear to be just that with all the clapping for the Rev. Wright and also for the Catholic Clown) there has to be something wrong with their thinking process. They have to have enjoyed hearing the Rev. rant about his hate for whites and this Country. No one with a mind at all can compare Obama’s 20 years to a person who has just gotten donation or a nod from another hate filled person.
I just hope that McCain does not sit down and let them run over him although they will be calling him a racist as they did Hillary or anyone who supported her was labeled the same way.
Posted by: Mickey | June 9, 2008, 11:34 am 11:34 am
These open blogs just confirm how naive Obama is.
Posted by: HoosierSue | June 9, 2008, 11:36 am 11:36 am
Obama keeps it, to use for sympathy.
So he can say “look they are picking on me”
Plus to let his camp know, what everyone is thinking.
Many of his supports go out on the boards around the internet. Are mean, nasty and tear eveyone else apart. Blame them for everything. They even pretend to be for other Candidates and post hateful Things.
Obama’s own supporters are turning people away from Obama.
Posted by: seah | June 9, 2008, 11:36 am 11:36 am
are we going to see some similar blog on this topic about mccain? or at least an update?
Posted by: bhrandon | June 9, 2008, 11:38 am 11:38 am
len,
your argument only works for those who consider themselves to be of one “race” strictly white, black, etc.
Educated people realize that we are of all races.
Posted by: Fired "Hussein" UP!! | June 9, 2008, 11:55 am 11:55 am
I am a lifelong democrat and the obama campaign has been more dirty than the bush II campaign. the dems are no better then the republicans. i am done with the dnc. they didnt listen to the will of the people.
hillary or bust!
Posted by: Kurt | June 9, 2008, 12:00 pm 12:00 pm
“your argument only works for those who consider themselves to be of one “race” strictly white, black, etc.”
Once again, you play the race card.
“Educated people realize that we are of all races.”
and then attempt to couple the race signal to the education signal. One is fear the other is humiliation: (the fundamentals).
That only works on people who think they are victims or about to become one. I don’t. You can’t cheat an honest man, and worse, what you are attempting doesn’t work on someone who actually is well-educated and experienced.
Try a different fundamental combo and see if you can use one without a victim.
Posted by: len | June 9, 2008, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
Obama does not get my vote….regardless of who he runs for VP. Between Obama’s book and Michelle’s college thesis, the bitterness, self-importance and lack of experience in life, Obama is not fit nor does he have anything to contribute to being president.
Posted by: dixiecharms | June 9, 2008, 12:07 pm 12:07 pm
I find it humorous how some Hillary supporters complain about Obama’s racist or sexist comments, but when you ask them for an example, they have nothing to say.
Posted by: rhbate | June 9, 2008, 12:09 pm 12:09 pm
Gee I wonder if the candidates high tolerance for anti-Isreali hate talk is just mirrored on his webpage….By the way has Obama ever come forward to explain to the Black community that “AIDS is not a government invention to destroy Blacks”. It really bothers me that he never was strong enough as a church member to explain to let the people sitting next to him that the minister was teaching falsehoods…..Most of the congregation at Trinity still believe this….
Looks like Obama brought no change to his ex minister or his former church….Now let’s see what he’ll do with America.
Posted by: Jackie | June 9, 2008, 12:11 pm 12:11 pm
What was wrong with Michelle Obama’s thesis. It was a simple analysis of her college experience.
Fact is she’s right. At my school it’s the same. People tend to generate towards people like themselves.
There’s a specific section in my schools cafeteria where the asians sit, the hispanics sit, and the Russians sit.
We live in a new millennium so things have diversified bit between the blacks and whites in my school.
It’s not that we chose to sit with people like ourselves for spite or possible racism. It’s due to culture.
Posted by: Vanessa | June 9, 2008, 12:20 pm 12:20 pm
My goodness people….the ignorance here is astounding!
Google Dr Robert Strecker….read the Strecker Memorandum.
Jeremiah Wright did not ‘invent’ this creation of AIDS story, but a white doctor, with research to back up his claim of government invention, did.
Senator Obama is not responsible for every word spoken by others. Get a grip people!
If most of the members at Trinity believe it, its because they know how to research information, and Jeremiah Wright was not the individual that came up with the research and all the information regarding the creation of AIDS.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm
A Million women will be marching to Denver to protest the DNC. A milllion women so far that will not be voting for Obama.
Posted by: maggie | June 9, 2008, 12:37 pm 12:37 pm
What grates many people about Michelle Obama’s thesis is the same, arrogant attitude evident in her “proud for the first time” statement.
A majority of Americans do not feel insecure because others gravitate towards those who are similar in either physical characteristics, culture, or of a like mind.
Yet, there are those like Michele Obama who feel that unless they is catered to in a special way that they deem appropriate, such is due to intentional hatred and racism of others.
Happiness in life comes down to being content in the place that you are at a given time.
The Michelle Obamas of the world will never be content enough to deal with their own insecurity.
Posted by: Jayhawk | June 9, 2008, 12:38 pm 12:38 pm
See Jayhawk, these are the comments I find disingenuous….
Senator Obama apologized for his remarks in San Francisco, and even stated the words he should have used….instead of cling, he should have said rely….instead of bitter, he should have just said angry or frustrated.
But most of you fake christians just continue to beat him over the head with it, and pretend like he never acknowledged the ‘gaffe’, like he never addressed his intention in his comment.
I also notice how FakeNews continues to run Michelle’s comments without the word ‘really’….to give the appearance that she has ‘never’ been proud….also disingenuous. Michelle even stated what she meant in relation to the political process….but again, all you fake christians continue to pretend as though she never addressed the issue, and use it to describe her.
If you don’t want to vote for Senator Obama, then don’t….but stop distorting his statements and views, throwing in additional words to completely change the entire meaning.
Most of you call him sexist or racist, with no actual statements or quoted comments to prove your argument.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 12:41 pm 12:41 pm
Democrats for McCain..
Obama has no experience,
Hope.. Hope for what? A race war..
Vote for McCain
Posted by: joebuck | June 9, 2008, 12:43 pm 12:43 pm
Great maggie….who cares?!
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 12:44 pm 12:44 pm
The Media was brutal to Hillary. Her female supporters are not going to take it anymore. There are so many sites with protests and letters to Howard Dean voicing their disenchantment with the way this woman wasa treated by her own party and the media.
There is even a site :Hillary SUpporters for McCain. There is already close to 1,000,000 hits.
Obama will loose because of the majority of the Hillary Voters.
NObama, NOway……NEVER!!!!!
Posted by: maggie | June 9, 2008, 12:46 pm 12:46 pm
LA in Indidan” You’ll care when your candidate looses because of the women vote. They are the swing vote and they are made. They are protesting. They will not vote for Obama. Some are switching to McCain…Again…they are mad.
Flowers and candy will not get us over to your side.
Posted by: maggie | June 9, 2008, 12:50 pm 12:50 pm
No vetting of blogs, no vettng of Barrack. Gee, what a big suprise….NOT.
Posted by: SadStateOfAffairs | June 9, 2008, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
LA in Indiana
Obama is not responsible for every word spoken by others….true
But he is responsible for what he exposes his children to. And I believe that he has tolerated both “hate talk” and false teachings in his own church.
I would never allow my children to be exposed to anti-Black hate talk.
There is in the Black community the false rumuor that the government invented AIDS…it is a lie/
Does Obama….who may possibly be our next president believe it or not?
Would you tolerate this environment on Sunday mornings for 20 years in your church? So far I have not seen anything noble in Obama’s actions and record in his personal life or public service…
I was a community activist in Dallas TX in the 80′s and my own experience was that it is not relevant to a presidential racs and not that noble a profession.
Posted by: Jackie | June 9, 2008, 12:52 pm 12:52 pm
To a certain extent, I believe that candidates are responsible for the views of folks they attract to their “cause”. The lefties who are anti-Israel and anti-Semitic, even a considerable number in academics and the media, are with Obama. I can’t say that this doesn’t cause concern. When elected, politicians remember who voted for them and who they failed to win over, and reward and punish with a vengeance.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | June 9, 2008, 12:55 pm 12:55 pm
Oh maggie, get over yourself. And continue to protest….vote for McCain if it makes you feel better.
No one is offering you candy and flowers, sweetie!
And this woman AND veteran will be voting for Senator Obama. He needs to do something about education in this country….as it is sorely lacking.
It’s loses, not looses.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
So,
Reality according to LA is that anyone who fails accept the words of the messiah or his wife is a “fake Christian?”
Double standard at best…
If Barack and Michelle Obama have to have their speeches clarified or interpreted every time they speak, perhaps they need to return to school for a refresher speech course.
Or, maybe they just need to fire their speech writers and do some of the work on their own.
This is still America, LA. And, in America the Constitution allows us to voice opinions and assessments whether the positions agree with you and the Obamas…or not.
Or, with the attitude you express, perhaps an America under the yoke of Obama would not honor the concept of freedom of expression unless such is approved by a “real Christian” Obama supporter…like LA.
Posted by: Jayhawk | June 9, 2008, 12:57 pm 12:57 pm
Flowers and candy will not get us over to your side.
Posted by: maggie | Jun 9, 2008 12:50:35 PM
*******
No, but I pray that common sense and intelligence will.
Posted by: Fired "Hussein" UP!! | June 9, 2008, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
LA in Indiana
Do you believe that the government invented AIDS to destroy Blacks because of your google research? Would you believe it if it was taught in church? Do you think Obama believes it?
Did you research the links between Wright and Farrakan? Did you know that for years Farrakan has used the “sound bite” defense to claim he is not racist?
When Obama says his church was “not controversial” and he never heard any of these things there do you believe him?
Posted by: Jackie | June 9, 2008, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
Mr Coffee you have used it more then once sweetie.
Posted by: Independent | June 9, 2008, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm
LA, you just don’t get it.
Barack Obama is just as white as he is black.
The Obama pandering to blacks is a political ploy at best.
And, your comments allow your own version of racism to prevail in all of your comments.
Sad…
Posted by: Jayhawk | June 9, 2008, 1:01 pm 1:01 pm
Jackie, were you there?? Did you sit next to the Senator and his wife? Did you see his kids in church sitting next to him?
How do you know exactly WHAT he has ‘exposed’ his two girls to??
Or does it just make you feel so much better if you make it up as you go along….whatever you can find to make him sound worse.
‘not that noble a profession’….helping the poor get on their feet, helping the poor get some sense of normalcy, of hope back in their lives….nope, not a noble profession at all.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
LA in Indiana,
Cling, rely who cares? Both wrong.
Posted by: geevill | June 9, 2008, 1:04 pm 1:04 pm
my own version of racism???
lol what are you talking about?
I know the man is white AND black….a lot of us are jayhawk.
And what exactly does that mean to you? Until you walk a mile in my shoes, you would NEVER understand what I experience….nor I, you. But I’m not going to call you a racist by a gaffe you might make. Actions speak much louder than words sometimes….what you DO shouts louder than anything you can say.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
Jackie, I was serving on an Air Force base the first time I saw the tape of Dr. Strecker.
I was a little skeptical until I actually sat down and watched it…did my own research…would I put it past our government? No I wouldn’t.
I have experienced ‘ill’ treatment due to the color of my skin only. So I actually KNOW the experience. That experience did not/does not make me racist. I always chalk it up to ignorance, as that is what I was taught….in the middle of all the ‘whites only’ signs, I was taught to recognize ignorance, as not all people display that trait.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
‘not that noble a profession’….helping the poor get on their feet, helping the poor get some sense of normalcy, of hope back in their lives….nope, not a noble profession at all.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | Jun 9, 2008 1:02:47 PM
**********
Apparently Jackie thinks sitting on the WalMart Board of Directors is a Noble profession!!
Posted by: Fired "Hussein" UP!! | June 9, 2008, 1:10 pm 1:10 pm
Right Fired Up….I guess that noble profession as a community organizer helps make one an elitist.
==gasp== oh the horror of community organizing.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 1:16 pm 1:16 pm
Pretty weak excuse claiming ABC doesn’t have the manpower to monitor comments.
To date Little Green Footballs has had over 5.4 million comments and the proprietor manages to keep tabs on things pretty well.
I’d venture to say you don’t have the technical know-how to do it, just like the amateurs running the Obama site.
Posted by: JWF | June 9, 2008, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm
LA in Indiana…
I gotta tell you….I know how you feel…when bloggers respond with personal comments to each other it means you are being heard.
It also makes one defensive….The questions I asked you are things I have answered myself….on an issue I researched at length.
I am just a middle aged woman, who is white, college educated and a stranger to you….I do not believe I am a racist…just like I do not believe you are an Obama “follower without question”
I think this is a conversation not an attack. I believe it is OK for people to disagree.
I also think it’s OK to vote for different candidates.
Posted by: Jackie | June 9, 2008, 1:19 pm 1:19 pm
So, this guy can’t manage his website, but is supposed to be entrusted to the nulear codes and our nation’s security?
Apparently, directories are still open at 10:30 a.m. PST.
Posted by: Michael the Impaler | June 9, 2008, 1:39 pm 1:39 pm
“James “Yousef” Yee, a former Army Muslim chaplain charged with espionage while serving at Gitmo, will represent Washington state for Obama at the Democratic National Convention, where he’ll likely have a center-stage speaking role.”
Posted by: geevill | June 9, 2008, 1:41 pm 1:41 pm
Jackie,
And I am middle aged, black (considered so because my skin is brown), college educated, and a stranger to you as well.
I know I am not racist, as I have white, black, and indian blood running through my veins. I have raised two children that are also not racist because that is the way I raised them. The same that I received from my parents, one that was raised in the deep south.
I do not follow Obama without question. I did my own research of him after seeing him at the 2004 convention. I was sitting in my desert uniform, in the hot desert, where I watched him deliver the keynote address. I have read and researched…I like what he has to say. I do not believe he is like, nor does he believe, the words of others, specifically Wright, Ayers, etc.
I have been around plenty of people with controversial views….even grew up with some, but I don’t hold those same views….I have a mind of my own.
Posted by: LA in Indiana | June 9, 2008, 1:43 pm 1:43 pm
Wow, the Clintonistas are still at it.
I think if I were black or brown in America today I would be tempted to join Mr. Wright’s church Have any of you ever heard of Tuskeege? Have you been exposed to the way blacks in America are treated? Are you aware that the Obama campaign has tried to keep racial incidents hushed up because he doesn’t want to draw any more attention to the hate that is dividing our country? Sounds like a lot of you will make sure that attempt fails.
Most churches have Sunday Schools for children, btw, not that facts have anything to do with your emotional arguments.
Michelle Obama’s thesis was on why middle class, well educated, Blacks tend to leave their communities behind. Which is an interesting thesis.
I have long noted a Rovian tinge to all most of the attacks on Barack Obama. If his ideas didn’t win me over, those attacks would. Congratulations to all of the Clintonistas for learning so much from him.
One of the reasons the Hillary for McCain sites have been getting so many hits is that many of us here on earth are curious to see just how far out there you continue to go.
Posted by: Susanfrom29 | June 9, 2008, 1:51 pm 1:51 pm
A Million women will be marching to Denver to protest the DNC. A milllion women so far that will not be voting for Obama.
Posted by: maggie | Jun 9, 2008 12:37:31 PM
********************************
There will be men marching too.
Many people from all walks of life do not trust Obama, they will not vote for him in the GE.
Many “folks” who voted early on in the primary are not going to vote for him in the GE. They are wiser now and more will turn to McCain as BO is vetted and shown to be the fraud that he has always been. The DNC machine has cranked out a loser, yet AGAIN!
It is ironic that Kerry(the other loser) wanted McCain as VP!!
Posted by: HP Boston | June 9, 2008, 1:57 pm 1:57 pm
I fail to see how a small fraction of inflammatory posts could derail Obama’s campaign. The previous internet tricks didn’t prevent him from becoming the presumptive democratic nominee. Unlike other parts of the world, we have relatively free access to information and opinion, albeit, with some of it bad.
Posted by: katrina | June 9, 2008, 2:02 pm 2:02 pm
“if activists are going to make an issue out of this kind of thing, they need to prepared for their preferred candidate to be slimed as well.”
It’s like the Boy Scout soap box derby motto: there’s nothing like winning a race to the bottom.
Posted by: len | June 9, 2008, 2:38 pm 2:38 pm
Katrina said:
I fail to see how a small fraction of inflammatory posts could derail Obama’s campaign.
*******
HP Boston, geevil, len and the rest of the NEOCONS want to beleive it will.
Too bad Obama supporters are educated.
Bummer dudes!
Posted by: Vote with Your Child In Mind | June 9, 2008, 2:47 pm 2:47 pm
lens said:
there’s nothing like winning a race to the bottom.
*******Exactly what we would get by electing McCain. Bottom of his Class. Censured by his Party. Traitor to his Country.
Bottom Feeder.
Posted by: Vote with Your Child In Mind | June 9, 2008, 2:48 pm 2:48 pm
@Vote with Your Child In Mind:
Please do.
Posted by: len | June 9, 2008, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
HOPE AND CHANGE
CHANGE AND HOPE
Hope the voters will believe my pandering lies.
Change from a democratic nation to a socialist, marxist, communist, racist nation
HOPE AND CHANGE
CHANGE AND HOPE
—–GO AWAY, OBAMA—–
Posted by: Mary | June 9, 2008, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
Lets get one thing straight, Obama supporters attacked Sen. Hillary Clinton online used vulgar language regularly in the same manner that these unethical individuals are attacking Sen. John McCain supporters. One news paper reported that known Obama committee members supported this tactics. I for one would not be surprised based on what I saw first hand within the past 18 months.
Posted by: Dr Hubert, Lt Col, USAF Retired | June 9, 2008, 5:58 pm 5:58 pm
I can’t agree on your idea that someone ,other than who they say they are, posted these comments. That they were planted by someone with an agenda to hurt Obama. I went there and saw a button to report offensive material. Are you telling me , with some of these posts up for 2 months, not one Obama supporter who frequents these blogs found them offensive? The big question is why does Obama attract these people?
Posted by: Bruce | June 9, 2008, 9:02 pm 9:02 pm
Interesting that some use their own background to ignore or justify individual tendencies toward racism.
Being of a specific heritage (or heritages) or claiming the advantage of life experience does not mean that any person is void or incapable of racist tendencies.
In addtions, mere posting on blogs does not prove, disprove, or justify the intentions or experiences of others, LA.
Some simply fail to recognize their own weaknesses and frailities and point to others in an effort to mislead.
The facts about Barack Obama continue to emerge, as they should, and give the American people cause to pause and consider what an Obama regime would entail.
The potential is decidedly less than promising.
Posted by: Jayhawk | June 10, 2008, 12:49 am 12:49 am
Its the vast blog-wing conspiracy! LOL
Obama 08!
Posted by: Good Woman | June 10, 2008, 6:03 am 6:03 am
“we don’t have the manpower to monitor it 24/7″
Best argument for hiring two H1Bs for the cost of one American.
Republican mantra on H1Bs: More, more, more.
Obama 08!
Posted by: Good Woman | June 10, 2008, 6:12 am 6:12 am
I recently came across your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I don’t know what to say except that I have enjoyed reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
Posted by: Sarah | March 4, 2009, 9:40 am 9:40 am