G.O.P. ‘Super PAC’ Weighs Hard-Line Attack on Obama

The New York Times reports today, G.O.P. ‘Super PAC’ Weighs Hard-Line Attack on Obama. "A group of high-profile Republican strategists is working with a conservative billionaire on a proposal to mount one of the most provocative campaigns of the ‘super PAC’ era and attack President Obama in ways that Republicans have so far shied away from."

"“The world is about to see Jeremiah Wright and understand his influence on Barack Obama for the first time in a big, attention-arresting way,” says the proposal, which was overseen by Fred Davis and commissioned by Joe Ricketts, the founder of the brokerage firm TD Ameritrade. Mr. Ricketts is increasingly putting his fortune to work in conservative politics.

The $10 million plan, one of several being studied by Mr. Ricketts, includes preparations for how to respond to the charges of race-baiting it envisions if it highlights Mr. Obama’s former ties to Mr. Wright, who espouses what is known as “black liberation theology.”

The group suggested hiring as a spokesman an “extremely literate conservative African-American” who can argue that Mr. Obama misled the nation by presenting himself as what the proposal calls a “metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln.”"

This seems to be the story of the day. Charles P. Pierce writes about it in Esquire, 'The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama' Is Just Another Racist Sprocket in the New-Age Slime Slot Machine. "They used to meet in secret. When conservatives decided to go all-in on the remnants of white supremacy, they developed their own code for it. When Trent Lott got caught hob-nobbing with racists, people actually were shocked about it. They don't have to pretend anymore. There is no longer a need for code. There is practically nothing anyone can say about this president in public as long as he's rich enough not to give a damn."

I know this election is going to get ugly. Billionaires are for all intents and purposes trying to buy elections. I wonder if it will get ugly enough to encourage real campaign finance reform.

Update: Now this is fun. Ricketts is the head of the family that owns the Chicago Cubs and they want $100 million in city tax breaks to rebuild Wrigley field. Mayor Rahm Emanuel is not amused.