Is Obama the New Nixon?

How long before full White House involvement in enemies list and attack politics is revealed?

Previously we learned that the White House was actively involved in a strategy to tar and feather Rush Limbaugh and distract the country from Obama's failure to lead on the most vital economic issues. This revelation about a president who promised to put aside the old politics of personal destruction is one of many factors currently causing Obama supporters to have buyer's remorse.

But now, we have reason to ask if the tactic that Obama once derided hasn't become standard operating procedure. First it was Rush, then Rick Santelli, then Jim Cramer, then, then, then....

Anyone who dares to criticize Obama can expect to be attacked directly from the White House or by dozens of liberal/socialist attack dog groups funded by George Soros whose leaders have direct personal and professional ties to the White House.

Evidence of just how low these people are willing to go came this week:

The new left-wing conspiracy
By BEN SMITH
Politico
March 10, 2009

The vast new left-wing conspiracy sets its tone every morning at 8:45 a.m., when officials from more than 20 labor, environmental and other Democratic-leaning groups dial into a private conference call hosted by two left-leaning Washington organizations.

The “8:45 A.M. call,” as it’s referred to by members, began three weeks ago, and it marks a new level in coordination by the White House’s allies at a time when the conservative opposition is struggling for a toe-hold and major agenda items like health care reform appear closer than ever to passage.

The call has helped attempts to link the Republican Party to radio host Rush Limbaugh, and has served as the launching ground for attacks on critics of Obama’s policy proposals. It springs from a recognition of what was lacking in the Clinton years, said Jennifer Palmieri, the senior vice president for communications at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, one of the groups hosting the call.
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The call has proved particularly effective at coordinating attacks on critics, said Jacki Schechner, the national communications director for Health Care for America Now, a labor-backed alliance of groups that support Democratic efforts to expand health care.
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When a new group called Conservative for Patients Rights, for instance, launched an ad campaign featuring former health care executive Rick Scott, “There was a discussion about what do we know about this guy and in a very quick period of time we were able to come up with his background,” she said.

Scott, as progressive groups quickly informed reporters, had reportedly been forced to resign as head of the company became known as Columbia/HCA amid fraud charges, and the company eventually paid a massive settlement in the case.

When Betsy McCaughey, best known for her attacks on Clinton’s 1993 health care plan, published a column criticizing Obama, groups on the call coordinated attacks on her recalling questions about her 1993 article and noting her seat on the board of a medical device maker, in which she also owned stock.
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Though White House officials do not participate in the calls, Palmieri said, the new infrastructure is closely tied to the White House. Podesta directed Obama’s transition, and Americans United for Change exists largely to run ads promoting the White House agenda.

You'll note that the attacks are mostly personal and have little relation to any policy dispute which is at the core of the criticism being leveled at Obama.

Is is Unpatriotic to criticize Obama?

Raising Obama to the level of a patriotic icon is a new low for the left which trashed patriotism during the most difficult moments of the Iraq war. But now they embrace fallen angels like author Frank Schaeffer who said this on MSNBC Live recently:

SCHAFFER: Republicans have become to our war against economic collapse, what Jane Fonda was what she was in Vietnam rooting for the other side. We're in another war now! This is an economic war, and everybody who loves this country has to stand together and back our president.

So now, the left which constantly reminded us it was their patriotic duty to oppose U.S. policy during the war in Iraq is now saying we must support Obama in this "economic war" or we don't "love this country?"

It reminds me of something Hillary Clinton, who herself decried the "politics of personal destruction," said about the right to dissent:

Enemies list, orchestrated attacks, big money slush funds.... Sounds like Nixon has been reincarnated as a socialist!