Wednesday, January 25, 2012

All The President's Men:Saul Alinsky, in Focus!

It's time to Break It Down!

In 2008, the campaign to cripple, undermine, and by whatever means necessary, defeat Barack Obama, ran out of real villains, starting with then Senator Barack Obama who declined to cooperate.  He simply did not provide a target at which to shoot.  Try as they might, Mr. Obama’s opponents could not find the ammunition necessary to cripple what would become his triumphant March on Washington.

It is very early, so please be clear, I am not suggesting or predicting that POTUS will re-capture the big chair this November.  I do know that in 2008, the opposition assailed Mr. Obama for his alleged association with Bill Ayers, co-founder of the Weather
Underground, and a self-described communist revolutionary group.  Detractors excoriated Senator Obam for his long relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright, then Pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago.

At least Mr. Obama knew, or had the opportunity to know the 2008 purveyors of the influence many Republicans claimed so negatively affected his judgment and policies.  In 2012, it appears, Saul Alinsky, a Chicagoan, whom many credit with being the founder of modern community organizing, is the new sinister culprit. 

William F. Buckley, Jr., noted conservative author said of Alinsky, he was “very close to being an organizational genius.”  Dick Armey, one of the founders of The “Contract With America,” along with Newt Gingrich, has said he has employs some of Alinksky’s tactics when working with citizens groups.

Alinsky has become, at least in part, a key focal point of the Republican campaign for the Party’s nomination for President.  Newt Gingrich reiterated his oft opined claim in an interview with CNN political correspondent Candy Crowley, this past Sunday that, “Saul Alinsky radicalism is at the heart of Obama.”

Mr. Obama has never cited Alinsky as an influence for his vision, and when Alinsky died in 1972, young Barack was only 10 years old.  I suppose like those folks made famous for their exploits because they spent the previous night at a Holiday Inn Express, the fact that Alinsky was born in Chicago, and became a community organizer was enough of a nexus for Newt.

President Obama gave his 3rd State of the Union address last night.  It is customary, for the Loyal Opposition to present a dissenting opinion after the President makes a major speech, such as the State of the Union.  Indiana Republican Governor Mitch Daniels had that assignment last night.  However in the toxic environment that currently exists in and around Washington, some of the GOP Presidential candidates could not wait until the 9:00 p.m. speech before weighing-in..  Both Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney gave pre-speech reactions, and not surprisingly, both were at their cynically, condescending best.

Governor Romney, scrambling to save his own apparently on-the-ropes, Presidential bid, and to deflect attention from his unrelenting tax questions, asserted that the President has “amassed an actual record of debt, decline, and disappointment.

Former Speaker Gingrich, never one to shy away from verbal excesses, and himself dodging queries about his ties to & contracts with Freddie Mac, not only revived his class warfare argument, but, speaking of Team Obama argued “They are going to go all out to rig the election in any way they can.”  If I were able to ask Mr. Gingrich one question, I would inquire if he had been having dreams about the Bush-Gore 2000 Race, which is the most recent instance in my recollection where such a concept might have been in play.  If nothing else, credit him with an active imagination, and a flair for overly dramatic presentation.

Meanwhile, the preliminaries for the Race to the White House continue.  In your spare time, I recommend for your reading pleasure, “Rules for Radicals,” a tome by Saul Alinsky.  Because you are sure to hear more about, might as well check him out more closely.  I have a feeling Mr. Gingrich will continue to make the point, “All the President’s Men: Saul Alinsky, in Focus!”

I'm done; holla back!

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