In Flag City USA, False Obama Rumors Are Flying

[RamboLiberal]

FINDLAY, Ohio -- On his corner of College Street, Jim Peterman stares at the four American flags planted in his front lawn and rubs his forehead. Peterman, 74, is a retired worker at Cooper Tire, a father of two, an Air Force veteran and a self-described patriot. He took one trip to Washington in 1989 -- best vacation of his life -- and bought a statue of the Washington Monument that he still displays in a glass case in his living room.

He believes a smart vote is an American's greatest responsibility. Which is why his confusion about Barack Obama continues to eat at him.

On the television in his living room, Peterman has watched enough news and campaign advertisements to hear the truth: Sen. Barack Obama, born in Hawaii, is a Christian family man with a track record of public service. But on the Internet, in his grocery store, at his neighbor's house, at his son's auto shop, Peterman has also absorbed another version of the Democratic candidate's background, one that is entirely false: Barack Obama, born in Africa, is a possibly gay Muslim racist who refuses to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

"It's like you're hearing about two different men with nothing in common," Peterman said. "It makes it impossible to figure out what's true, or what you can believe."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/29/AR2008062901871.html?hpid=topnews

The media are kind in calling these people low-information voters - I call them dumbass voters!

[spag68]

1. Please don't do that

At 74 and a vet to boot, there is no reason to call this man a dumb ass. Maybe after a life of hard work in nasty surroundings, he is not as sharp as you, however it sounds like he has lived his life honorably and is making an effort to figure it out. Some don't even try.

[pegleg]

4. Thank you for saying that . nt

[Teaser]

5. Living your life honorably does not make you smart

He may be a hell of a nice guy. However, he does appear to have some intellectual difficulties.

[Clovis Sangrail]

8. I think most people have some 'intellectual difficulties'

by the time they get to that age.. though I don't know if I'd use that turn of phrase.

[RamboLiberal]

7. I'm not speaking of this guy in particular but I do call those

who "cling" to all the f'in rumors on Obama, and on Kerry in '04 and Gore in 2000 dumbass voters who vote against their own self-interest time and time again! And I offer no apologies for labeling them such!

I wish TV would revive a new version of "All in the Family" cause the Archie Bunkers are still in America. That's who these voters remind me of - in fact I refer to them as Archie Bunker voters.

[pegleg]

2. I would also say that there are alot of dumbass democrats

who had it within their grasp to change how the media does business after their victories in congress in 2006. But they failed for whatever reason to get a new updated FAIRNESS DOCTRINE which would have drastically leveled the playing field on talk radio. This would in turn have had an effect on what is being put out over the internet. I seriously do blame the Dems for failing to take action. They could have stopped much of the bull being presented about Obama today, or at the very least, they could have guaranteed that both sides of a story are told. They failed. It is as simple as that. So, if Obama is destroyed in the media just like Kerry and Gore before him, just remember we had the chance to stop it and didn't.

[FrenchieCat]

13. The Fairness Doctrine cannot be instituted as it was back in the 80's.

and media has much changed since then. The majority of television programming is broadband and not public Airwaves. Cable television was never part of the Fairness Doctrine.

In fact, as 5 corporation own 90% of the media, the Fairness Doctrine is not the problem. The Problem is lack of media diversity and too much conglamoration of the media. That references the Telecommunications act of 1996. That is why our greatest problems started in 1996, with the onset of the OJ trial.

Here's were Obama stands on media reforms:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x6015088

[pegleg]

19. Totally disagree. The FD transcended all media ownership. Also

over-the-air broadcasting is still the major political force in this country for the Right Wing,ie. Rush, Hannity, and another dozen or so.

[NewJeffCT]

18. If the fairness doctrine were re-implemented

we'd get a ton of Alan Colmes', Lanny Davis' and Joe Liebermans representing the Democratic point of view.

[pegleg]

20. We"ll probably never know will we? I contend that there is not one single

action which has enabled the right wing to become so powerful as was the abrogation of the Fairness Doctrine. It needs to be updated to ensure democracy in the media and implemented as soon as possible. But i am beginning to think the dems are in bed with the RWers.

[pegleg]

22. The reinstitution of the Fairness Doctrine is the one issue that

RW radio fears the most because they know that it will force them to compete in the over the air media which still is their bread and butter.

[AspenRose]

3. People will believe what they want to believe

At some point, no amount of information or setting the record straight is going to matter for some people. They need something to help them "cling" to their excuses for not voting for him. And that's what the rumors provide.

[blogslut]

12. Bingo

People believe what they want to believe. The man has been presented with the truth yet still chooses to give credence to lies. I won't call him stupid. I will call him human.

Like the Harry Nilsson's Rockman says: "You see what you want to see and you hear what you want to hear."

[bluestateguy]

6. If I was starting a whole new civilization, these people would not be allowed to vote

I'd only let the well-informed people vote.

[dysfunctional press]

10. and how would it be determined?

lil' billy rehnquist was reportedly fond of quizzing potential voters at the polls too...

[bluestateguy]

11. Objective truth and reality

Some things are not "shades of grey". Some things are either A or B.

Saddam did not order the 9/11 attacks.

Obama is not a Muslim.

I want people who believe otherwise kept away from the polls.

[dysfunctional press]

17. and how would you do so?

would people need to be tested at the polls- or would they need to be tested to get a liscense to vote that has to be periodically renewed...? :shrug:

the way the founding fathers did it was to allow only land-owning white males to vote.

[RandomKoolzip]

25. Sounds pretty oppressive to me.

How 'bout a well-funded, mandatory, egalitarian (i.e. no "private" schools) educational system instead?

:shrug:

[Emit]

9. Gawd, I feel like writing this guy, Jim Peterman, a letter

telling him what bunk he's been hearing about Obama. To believe all that he is being told from his friends, one would have to believe in a huge conspiracy. He seems genuinely confused, and if someone spent just a few minutes -- a few heartfelt moments -- with him, I think he'd come to realize that his concerns about Obama are wildly unfounded.

[AndyTiedye]

14. That is Why They Are Called "Swing Voters". They Will Believe Anything

[safeinOhio]

15. I think Findlay went about

70% for Bush last time. You do see lots of flags flying here, but I haven't seen one McCain yard sign yet. Last Saturday I saw 3 Obama ones. Not much support for McCain, so I see Barr making it even.

[LeftyMom]

23. Only 70%

My kid's got family in Bluffton. It was probably even higher there. :eyes:

[shadowknows69]

16. The media should know, they're the biggest accomplices to the dumbing of America

[Terran]

21. I think it comes down to common sense.

I mean, any person of average intelligence should be able to figure out the truth between two sets of 'facts' when one set of 'facts' is inherently ludicrous. A person who was a gay Muslim racist wouldn't stand a very good chance of hiding those facts and getting elected, now would they? A person who can't or won't muddle their way through that intellectual puzzle doesn't have my sympathy.

[RandomKoolzip]

24. "You know...I step outside and the sky is up there, and it's almost had

me convinced that it's blue. It's been blue all my life, and almost everyone I know seems to agree.

"But the other day, a piglet in a red turtleneck sweater came up to me at the local Kroger and asked me if I knew that the sky was actually green. And now I have to admit: I really don't know who to believe now.

"I mean, on one side, you've got facts, history, and empirical observation telling us all that the sky is blue. But on the other side, and carrying equal weight, there's one stupid animal who might actually be imaginary, making a DAMN convincing argument that it's not blue at all. After all, is the sky blue when it's raining? No. So there's now a lot of doubt in my mind about the actual color of the sky. It just might be green, just like the pig said. Who's lying: reality or the pig?

"It's like you're hearing about two different skies with nothing in common," Peterman said. "It makes it impossible to figure out what's true, or what you can believe."

[RamboLiberal]

27. I really thought it was that email going around

you know telling you that the sky is really green and how it is a Muslim plot!

[DeepModem Mom]

26. This article convinces me: this is RACISM. Refusal to believe the truth...

instead of lies is something these people are hiding behind. They are unwilling to vote for a black man for President, and they feel guilty enough, or are deceptive enough, to invent a reason why. This is shameful.