Here's an e-mail being sent around El Paso today. The timing is likely not coincidental: The Indiana and North Carolina primaries are today, and the Clinton-Obama brawl continues.
The e-mail, from Blanche Darley, a former El Paso County Democratic Party chair, DNC member from Texas and sister of outgoing state Rep. Paul Moreno, seemed familiar.
It's a story from John McCain, about how a fellow POW hid a flag so they could recite the pledge of allegiance, and how important that pledge was to the captives.
At the end of the story was a photo and these words: "Barack Hussein Obama's photo (that's his real name).....the article said he REFUSED TO NOT ONLY PUT HIS HAND ON HIS HEART DURING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BUT REFUSED TO SAY THE PLEDGE.....how in the hell can a man like this expect to be our next Commander-in-Chief."
Again, the piece seemed familiar. A quick Google search found multiple sources for the information, most conservative to outright right wing blogs.
That itself was sort of interesting, that a long-time Democratic activist would be sending an Ann Coulter-type viral attack on a fellow Democrat.
It got better, though.
The piece was published, word-for-word (even down to the type sizes, colors and fonts) at this website, chrisbrownforhouse.typepad.com. Click on this link if you want to see the whole thing.
So now we established it was a Republican attack piece being distributed in El Paso by a long-time Democratic Party stalwart on the day of two hot primaries.
It gets even more interesting.
The race in the first congressional district of Mississippi is a special election set for Tuesday (May 13), and pits Republican Chris Brown against Democratic Travis Childers.
It's being closely watched because Republicans are trying to hang Rev. Jeremiah Wright around the neck of Obama, and Obama around the neck of Childers. It's a strategy that could tell undecided Democratic superdelegates not only whether Obama could withstand those attacks, but whether Obama would be a drag downticket, as the Clinton camp is arguing.
So, what we have is a Democratic Clinton supporter in El Paso promoting a viral Republican attack line against a Democratic presidential candidate and, by extension and knowingly or not, a Democratic congressman in Mississippi.
Way to go, Democratics! Ain't politics grand?
***
Here's a question: If a local candidate for office had a grown child who decided to seek opportunity in another city, would that reflect on the candidate and/or their commitment to El Paso?
And would it be fair game for the opponent to bring up?
Ah, the negative challenge of campaign politics.
See you next time!
David K
May 6, 2008
Democrats eat their own. It's what they do.
As for the Brain Drain and the candidate - it reflects poorly both on the candidate and El Paso.
Rico Suave
May 6, 2008
Maybe Blanche will just go away when Paul Moreno leaves office. She rode that chichi for way too long! c/s
Joe Olvera
May 6, 2008
I'm not surprised that Bl.anche Darley is playing dirty politics. In Spanish it's known as "tirando patadas de ahogado." Which means, of course, the kicks of a drowning man, or woman - in this case, Hillary. She and her husband, Bill, are pulling out all the stops against Obama. Hillary's got henchmen/women all over the place doing her dirty work for her. Meanwhile, she acts as if she is above all that. But, she's not, you know. The anything-to-win mentality that she inherited from her husband, or did he inherit if from her, will leave no stone unturned in her quest to become the first woman president of the United States. But, Hillary, you must play fair. Otherwise, if you do get the nomination, it will reflect on you and we will, once again, have another Republican President.
As you can tell, I'm for Barack Obama. If he wins, he will become the first minority president of the United States - an African-American (half-black, anyway). If he wins, the Jeremiah Wrights of the world won't have anything to back up their frightful spiel. Yes, I agree with the Reverend that the U.S. has been anything but above board in handling minorities. But, to hear Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, and Lou Dobbs, whites ain't never done nothing wrong. No? Guess again. We're not stupid, you know? And, we have not forgotten. Put that in your Funk & Wagnall's. Que curadas.
Joe Olvera
El Sin Fin
Sally Andrade
May 6, 2008
How pathetic to resort to such lies! These racist charges about Barack Obama have been refuted consistently and many times [see for yourself: http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp].
Blanche Darley's anger and dirty tactics mirror the desperation of the national Clinton campaign - will anyone be able to respect Sen. Clinton by the time she and her surly legions are through with their mud throwing? See Betsy Read's "Race to the Bottom" article in the May 19th copy of The Nation [http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080519/betsyreed]. Given these role models, it’s clear why so many of us support Sen. Obama and are working for his election!
Ruben
May 6, 2008
Paul Moreno, Blanche Darley, Dolores Briones, et al., ran the Democratic party in El Paso as thugs for years. Now they're getting voted out, exposed as incompetent & fractious....Losing their grip on power appears to driving them to new lows. El Paso needs to continue voting out the old gaurd and bring in people who can do something positive for our community.
Maria Andrade
May 6, 2008
Watching the negative ads on both sides of the demo tickets and seeing the weakness that both candidates have to overcome has solidified my belief that they along with the lone Republican are not worthy of any votes. This is the first time in my voting lifetime that I see each candidate and find nothing positive or attractive.
Obama has a nice smooth tone of Change but lacks luster in experience or solutions, and other than the paciifying rhetoric that Americans crave, he fails to provide an answer.
Clinton portrays to understand the everyday American and their woes but has never lived a life of poverty much less having to fill up her own gas tank.
McCain offers and displays his heroism that are war inflicted country can understand but yet his age leaves us looking at who the VP will be since he most likely would finish the term.
At this time that our country stands divided and disgusted with the Republican leadership, you just can't help but notice and feel weary at the tactics and skeltons that the democratic contenders are displaying as well.
In this election year, the true motto is chosing the best of the three that do not stand out other than by race, gender and age. I perfect EEOC scenario.
Christina
May 6, 2008
Interesting piece, Mr. White. But shouldn't your article have read "...Way to go, Blanche!..."?
I'm not sure why it is that the comments of an individual are being used, tongue in cheek, to cast aspersions on all democrats. Mrs. Darley is entitled to her opinion, and to share it with others, without being singled out as the problem with the democratic primary, isn't she?
What if this email had been forwarded by me, a virtual unknown? Would it have been sexy enough to be published by The Newspaper Tree?
It just seems far fetched that someone would take these comments and seemingly try to use them to malign local Clinton supporters, members of the Moreno family, or democrats in general.
And why is it that we have become so afraid of the fight? It's okay to fight. Some people fight fair, other don't. Keen observers discern one from the other and choose their battles accordingly. Why is this even an issue?
As far as a candidate for office having children who left town, I don't see how that is relevant to the candidate. It's as if leaving El Paso is a crime, or something. Not sure why so many people here feel that it is. Again, why is this an issue?
Will
May 7, 2008
You'd think someone who served as chair of the Democratic Party for a city would be more discerning in the kind of information she eagerly spews out in e-form. You'd think...
I wonder if people get chain letters from her too.
Alberto R
May 7, 2008
Maybe the brain drain issue will be the next "flag on the lapel" issue, another psuedo-test of loyalty or whatever. "Wearing the flag on your lapel are you?...Your kids left town have they?...etc.
Face it, so long as the masses are swayed by shallow outrageous claims, everything is fair game in politics. So why complain?
Regardless, I know many hispanic democrats who are going to vote for McCain rather than Obama, for a variety of reasons, notwithstanding the race issue being a big one. Sad but true. The Democratic party could be on the verge of imploding this November anyway. And I doubt this nation, and hispanics in particluar will solve their race issues by then.
Ken G
May 7, 2008
Only Republicans are mean and devious :)
DJM
May 10, 2008
Hilary is on her way down; so there is no point in kicking her (or her supporters); we need to let them exit the stage on their terms (that as long as they leave). As for engaging Demos or Reps in El Paso in arguments is pointless. Irrespective of whether Demos or Reps are elected, they remain powerless in Austin because El Paso elects its local and state officials with less than 10% of the registered (350,000?) and they go to Austin without potential voting power (i.e., those ambitious gubertorial candidates do not see any point in impressing El Pasoans with more funding or supporting the El Paso's delegation legislative agenda, since El Pasoans are an insignificant electoral power). (Plano Texas has a 80%+ turnout and they have more highways than cars)
So when complaining about the gutter politics either party "stalwarts" are capable of engaging in, it is pointless. As for El Paso party "stalwarts" they could just as well be called the tallest of pigmies in the tribe.