OAKLAND, California - In 2004, the so-called "swiftboating" of John Kerry's
United States presidential campaign changed the course of history by helping
defeat the Massachusetts senator, and the tactic appeared to become an instant
blueprint for future political campaigns.
Given the success of the swiftboating formula - a high-impact, mediagenic group
of storytellers (Swift Boat Veterans for Truth) clamping on to one very
hot-button issue (Kerry's military record), combined with the financial
largesse of opponent George W Bush's super-wealthy backers (more than US$45
million was put in play), and a message spread by savvy and experienced
public
relations outfits and advertising enterprises to a controversy-hungry
mainstream media - it was anticipated that it would be in play again.
This time around, however, swiftboating has morphed into serial attacks on the
cheap.
Released late last month, Floyd Brown's latest book, Obama Unmasked: Did Slick
Hollywood Handlers Create The Perfect Candidate?, co-authored with Lee
Troxler, has not created the buzz of others, like Jerome Corsi's The Obama
Nation and David Freddoso's The Case against Barack Obama - both
of which are still on The New York Times best-seller list.
Nevertheless, the book has given the veteran political operative a vehicle for
raising money for his various enterprises; groups that are primarily focused on
attacking Obama.
While activists with serious time on their hands, some technological skills,
and the ability to produce coherent copy either on a website, blog, or My
Space/FaceBook page, have become political players, political action
committees, 527s and 501(c)(4)s - groups with access to professional
copywriters, public relations spinmeisters, legal teams, direct mail firms,
e-list brokers and that have longtime relationships with the mainstream media -
still have a leg up on the info-everyman.
Despite a constrained financial landscape, there is still room for the
political wizardry of Floyd Brown, who pridefully takes credit for the
controversial Willie Horton ad that helped destroy the 1988 presidential
campaign of governor Michael Dukakis. For months Brown has been searching for a
"tipping point" issue and foraging for donors.
Early on in the campaign, in the hope of finding that "tipping point", Brown
tested two themes - Obama as Muslim and Obama as prevaricator. He told the New
York Times that the "Swift Boats achieved the tipping point" and he "was part
of a team that reached the tipping point in 1988 [that helped put the kybosh on
Michael Dukakis' presidential campaign]. In 1992, we didn't reach it. We might
not this time. But that doesn't mean we're not going to try."
In his first foray into the presidential campaign, Brown's National Campaign
Fund prepared a TV advertisement called "Victims", which criticized Obama for
being too easy on gang murderers. The goal of the ad was to "draw a parallel
between Obama's weakness on gang violence and the war on terror", Brown
explained.
Hillary Clinton's campaign was unsuccessful in raising Obama's "negatives",
Brown told Time magazine. "It is absolutely critical that Obama's negatives go
up with Republicans."
Time reported that copies of the ad were "e-mailed to between three and seven
million conservatives this week, with a plea for more funding to further spread
the message".
Brown operates several entities: The National Campaign Fund (NCF), and its
ExposeObama.com website, Citizens for a Safe and Prosperous America and the
Legacy Committee PAC - three 527s under the control of he and James V Lacy.
Brown also runs Excellentia Inc, a consulting company specializing in new
media, and philanthropy for conservatives.
For months, the NCF has solicited funds from supporters to run a series of
30-second anti-Obama advertisements in selected battleground states.
"There is not a moment to lose," Brown's website warned. "Obamaniacs in the
media and at large know that when enough Americans see our newly released
Expose Obama commercial they will start asking the pivotal question: 'Was
Barack Hussein Obama a Muslim?'"
Brown's ad closes with: "Maybe it doesn't matter if Obama were a Muslim back
then, but it does matter if he is not telling the truth about it now."
Brown and his wife Mary Beth Brown - who has penned admiring biographies of
former president Ronald Reagan and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice - write
a weekly column for The Cagle Post, distributed by Cagle Cartoons newspaper
syndicate.
Early Federal Election Commission filings for Brown's groups found that a large
portion of it was committed to fundraising, going to an enterprise called
Response Dynamics Inc (RDI) - a direct mail company headed by Ron Kafner and
David Kunko. Kafner's RDI served Brown during the Willie Horton ad campaign in
1988.
The Legacy PAC is the 527 of the Reagan Legacy Foundation, a group fronted by
conservative radio talk show host Michael Reagan, the adopted son of former
President Ronald Reagan. Brown is president of the foundation, James Lacy is
its treasurer, and Mike Kelly is its vice president.
Lacy is the co-founder and managing partner of Wewer & Lacy, LLP, and the
co-founder in 1978, along with the late anti-tax crusader Howard Jarvis, of the
Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. Kelly was co-founder of Premiere Radio
Networks, the syndicator of right-wing radio talk shows hosted by Rush Limbaugh
and Dr Laura Schlessinger.
Michael Reagan has used his radio program and website to bring in donations to
the Legacy Committee PAC: "Right now the United States of America is facing
devastating problems that threaten to bring our great nation to its knees, and
the Legacy Committee is dedicated to solving those problems before disaster
strikes ...You and I are in immediate danger ... Please also be sure to include
your generous contribution of $50 or $100 to the Legacy Committee. Your
generous $50 or $100 is urgently needed to fight to protect our nation from
this assault from within."
As of earlier this month, Brown and company have generated significant
donations, but not close to the amount of money raised in 2004. This time
around, however, millions of dollars is not the requisite for attacking Obama.
By strategically linking his various organizations to direct mail and
telemarketing professionals, Brown has laid the groundwork for a final push.
Myriad attacks on Obama - consolidated under the banner of "character" and
including such issues as abortion and same-sex marriage - may not provide the
powerful national campaign frame as did the Swift Boat attack against Kerry in
2004, but it could resonate in those states and regions where race, religion,
guns and Islamic terrorism can be successfully conflated.
Bill Berkowitz is a longtime observer of the conservative movement. His
column "Conservative Watch" documents the strategies, players, institutions,
victories and defeats of the US Right.
Head
Office: Unit B, 16/F, Li Dong Building, No. 9 Li Yuen Street East,
Central, Hong Kong Thailand Bureau:
11/13 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin, Prachuab Kirikhan, Thailand 77110
