Swiftboating Yourself

[BeatleBoot]

Talk about making commercials for your Opponent

"I had an uncle who was one of the, um, who was part of the first American troops to go into Auschwitz and liberate the concentration camps. And the story in our family is that when he came home he just went up in the attic and he didn't leave the house for six months."

--Barack Obama, Memorial Day speech, Las Cruces, NM.

The Facts

UPDATED TUESDAY 5:30 P.M.

Auschwitz is located in southern Poland, near the city of Krakow. It was liberated by the Red Army on January 27, 1945. At the time, U.S. armies were still on the western borders of Germany, a thousand miles away, regrouping after the Battle of the Bulge. The Americans had not even crossed the Rhine at this point.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2008/05/where_in_the_world_is_auschwit.html

The Washington Post gives him 3 Pinocchios

[Kutjara]

1. Try reading before posting.

This topic has been discussed to death here. The actual camp was Buchenwald, not Auschwitz. Obama got the name wrong, not the event. Big hairy deal.

[SoCalDem]

4. and for years i thought my grandfather was born in Ireland

he wasn't...Take me out back & shoot me :)

[BeatleBoot]

5. Yeah don't worry.

They turned a War Hero into a Traitor in 2004.

No hairy deal.

:rofl:

Empty suit.

[Kutjara]

12. So Buchenwald doesn't count?

What was it, a fucking holiday camp?

Did his great uncle help liberate a concentration camp? Yes, he did. Sorry if the camp he did liberate wasn't famous enough for you.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Apparently Buchenwald had a caucus system.

And therefore doesn't count.

[PoliticalAmazon]

32. LOL. n/t

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. "They?"

Frankly, I don't see a difference between they and you.

[thevoiceofreason]

28. You are beyond reprehensible.

[RazBerryBeret]

2. The facts:

Earlier, the Republican National Committee pounced on Obama's improbable statement that an uncle had served in the unit that liberated Auschwitz.

In fact, campaign spokesman Bill Burton says, his great uncle was a member of the 89th Infantry Division that liberated the Ohrduf camp, part of Buchenwald and, according to the Holocaust Museum, the first concentration camp liberated by U.S. troops.

The soldier in question, Burton said, is Obama's grandmother's brother, who's still alive.

UPDATE: "Senator Obama’s family is proud of the service of his grandfather and uncles in World War II – especially the fact that his great uncle was a part of liberating one of the concentration camps at Buchenwald. Yesterday he mistakenly referred to Auschwitz instead of Buchenwald in telling of his personal experience of a soldier in his family who served heroically," Burton says.

UPDATE: RNC spokesman Alex Conant, who said earlier that Obama's mistake raised questions about his "readiness to lead", moderates a bit: "At times it appears that Barack Obama inaccurately recalls his own history and American history, so it’s important that we point to the facts. In this case, we’re happy to see that he took the time to set the record straight."

[4_Legs_Good]

10. OMG, they're already trying the "exaggeration" bit?

Good God! I guess they're gonna fish for what works. Get ready for they to try out "flip-flopper" next!

Old and reliable.

Remember the 2004 debate where Kerry said something (wrt wanting Osama dead v. alive) and George Jr. saying "I don't remember saying that, it must be one of those exaggerations. I laughed (and cried) so hard - he forgot who he was debating! He was remembering back to their attack strategy on Gore! Too funny, but not many caught onto it.

David

[MrModerate]

3. Ouch! But he'll get a pass on the "family story" disclaimer.

I know some Americans did liberate some camps, but I don't know which ones.

[Kutjara]

8. He doesn't need a pass and there's no "ouch."

The mistake he made was saying "Auschwitz" rather than "Buchenwald." Otherwise, the story is completely true. Not quite in the same league as claiming your carefully staged photo-op was really enemy sniper fire, is it?

[MrModerate]

22. However, the reality is that I was unaware of the correction . . .

and I follow this stuff pretty closely. Much more closely than the majority of the electorate (though much less closely than a lot of people here).

I still think that the 'Licans will try to use this (along with everything else) to take the shine off his candidacy, and maybe he should tell the story again -- this time mentioning Buchenwald -- to put the quietus on the inevitable 'Lican smears to come.

[bhikkhu]

6. His great uncle was 89th Infantry, the first into the Buchenwald complex

I have some WWII vets in my family too. They are called "The Greatest Generation" for a reason, and it does no one here any good to trash about with the details.

How about trying to measure up, instead?

[BeatleBoot]

9. How many of us live under a microscope

He needs to get his shit straight.

Right quick.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

19. You need to get your shit straight.

First by apologizing for this thread, instead of pretending you've done nothing wrong.

[BeatleBoot]

25. Go talk to the Washington Post

And ask them if they'll reduce it down to 2 Pinocchios.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

26. I'm talking to you.

This "just following orders" shit doesn't cut it.

[BeatleBoot]

27. My PC doesn't come with a Sound Card

Sorry.

If we both count to 3, I'll hold my good ear up to the monitor and you shout really loud.

Ready?

1...2...3...

[BeatleBoot]

31. Hey, I can't hear a thing on this end....I got nothin'

[Doityourself]

23. Did his uncle liberate under SNIPER FIRE with his child in tow? lol

[Whalestoe]

14. No, but you see...

Certain Clinton supporters (not all of them) so want to try and deem Obama "The Messiah", most likely so they can try and deface him when he makes a mistake... they're brains overload with glee and they have to make a post about it.

[Liberal Veteran]

7. Let it sink.

If this person can't bother to check for dupes first.

[JoFerret]

38. Yes. we only needed one thread claiming

Obama is winning. Or whatever.

Really nice cat pics though.

[chascarrillo]

11. Disgusting that you'd treat the Holocaust as a simple-minded political "gotcha".

You have no shame, do you?

[BeatleBoot]

16. It ain't me that's gonna be playin' it pal

Go talk to John Kerry

[chascarrillo]

24. Yeah, you're not playing it right now.

Disgusting and dishonest. Wonderful.

[Medusa]

17. I have three words for you.

Bosnia. Sniper fire.

[BeatleBoot]

20. Lol!

I wondered how long it would take.

I set the ball on the tee and I was waiting to see who would hit it!

Ding, ding, ding!

[AllentownJake]

18. Dr. Franklin

would be ashamed of you.

[BeatleBoot]

21. How much do you charge

for sceances?

How much extra for a ouijai board?

[thevoiceofreason]

29. Born ignorant and learned nothing since

[BeatleBoot]

30. A Good Judge of Character

Over the internet.

It reminds me of the Republicans diagnosing Terry Schiavo via videotape on the Sentate floor.

:rofl:

[thevoiceofreason]

35. Lesson One: Don't overuse action smileys

To judge character, the one being judged must have character. Story over.

[BeatleBoot]

42. And one must value the other's opinion

for it to matter.


:patriot:

[thevoiceofreason]

43. 100% wrong

Everyone's opinion matters. Always. No matter how inane, trite, or lame. It still matters. Just like mosquitoes matter.

[BeatleBoot]

45. Everyone's opinion may matter to you.

That's fine. Your choice.

And you have every right to have one and I say go for it!

The World is your Oyster.

But I must value one's opinion before I care about it.

[AtomicKitten]

33. He should have said SNIPERFIRE.

[CaptJasHook]

34. Wow, another dead horse to beat.

Hillary says she is waiting for Obama to get assassinated so she can win the primary.... Hillary supporters outraged by Obama response.

Hillary lies about being under sniper fire.... Hillary supporters outraged by Obama response.

Hillary says McCain more qualified... Hillary supporters outraged by Obama response.


Obama says Auschwitz instead of Buchenwald... Hillary supporters outraged by Obama mistake.



Just fake outrage by a bunch of cry-baby looooooooosers, worthy of McCain presidency.

[EmilyAnne]

36. I love the fact that you just found out about exactly who liberated Auschwitz.....

today. This is far from common knowledge. I majored in history with a focus on Russia. The histories of particular concentration camps and their liberations was not taught at the undergraduate level to non-history majors. Sorry, but its true. And you and I both know that you and your ilk had no idea that this was a gaffe until the Washington Post spelled it out to you.

[JoFerret]

37. Man at local 7-11 knew a woman

whose cousin had a friend whose great great grandfather fought in the battle of the Somme.
Also - a friend knows someone who was once thinking of enlisting in the marines.

[Aramis]

39. Big deal--ALL politicians stretch, embellish, massage, etc.

I figured the Post would have taken some shots at him with Bosnian sniper rifles.

[cali]

40. Love to disappoint you, beatle

this will not be an issue in the general. tough shit for hillbot haters who want to see Obama lose. The Holocaust museum confirms that Obama's great-uncle was among the liberators of Buchenwald, the first concentration camp liberated by Allies. He erred on the name of the camp. That's it. So sorry. Not.

[Douglas Carpenter]

41. how sick, evil and twisted of the GOP to attack Sen. Obama for his heroic Uncle

As this L.A. Times article put it:

"The Obama campaign soon acknowledged that the Democratic candidate made a mistake. It explained that Obama’s great-uncle was in the 89th Infantry Division that helped liberate another notorious death camp, Buchenwald. Obama, the campaign said, “is proud of the service of his grandfather and uncles in World War II -- especially the fact that his great-uncle was part of liberating of one of the concentration camps at Buchenwald.”

All of which raises the question: What's worse, Obama's apparent gaffe or the RNC pouncing on a Holocaust-related historical mistake for political advantage?"

link:

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2008/05/the-nazi-death.html

[Tatiana]

44. There is something inherently repulsive about playing politics with something like the Holocaust.

That includes those who peddle the right-wing bullshit.