I have been dying laughing for the past 24 hours or so:
Washington Post wrote:
Posted at 12:56 PM ET, 09/14/2011
Attack Watch, new Obama campaign site to ‘fight smears,’ becomes laughing stock of conservatives
By Elizabeth Flock
As the 2012 presidential campaign heats up, President Obama’s campaign team has set up a new Web site, AttackWatch.com, to challenge negative statements about the president made by Republican presidential candidates and conservatives.
Obama for America national field director Jeremy Bird told ABC News that the site’s goal is to offer “resources to fight back” against attacks. Mostly, that means fact checking statements from the likes of GOP presidential contenders Mitt Romney and Rick Perry and conservative commentator Glenn Beck and offering evidence to the contrary. The site is designed in bold red and black colors, and uses statements like “support the truth” and “fight the smears.”
The response to the site has been less than stellar.
On Twitter, where the Web site has an account to help Obama supporters submit evidence of “attacks” on the president using the hashtag #attackwatch, nearly every tweet about the site — mostly from conservatives — has ridiculed it.
“There's a new Twitter account making President Obama look like a creepy, authoritarian nutjob,” an Arizonan tweeted. “In less than 24 hours, Attack Watch has become the biggest campaign joke in modern history,” a contributor to conservative blog The Right Sphere wrote. The contributor linked to the following parody commercial for Attack Watch:
Tommy Christopher of Mediaite noted sarcastically of the site, “Great. Sounds like a terrific content-generating resource for right-wing bloggers, too. Everybody wins!”
While the initiative is reminiscent of a similar online effort launched during the 2008 campaign, called Fight the Smears, the intimidating design and language of the new site seems to be what’s causing a bigger ruckus.
Fight the Smears looked and felt far less scary, quoting Obama at the top of its page in a classic hope-change statement: “What you won’t hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon — that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge but enemies to demonize.”
Attack Watch, on the other hand, uses the shorter tagline, “Get the Truth. Fight the Smears.”
It’s safe to say that in its 24 hours of existence, Attack Watch has already backfired, becoming a tool for conservatives to use against Obama 2012. A tweet by conservative author Brad Thor summed up the critics’s argument: “Wow, not only are Obama & Co. incredibly thin-skinned, they're paranoid.”
LinkJust search Twitter with "#AttackWatch" and select "All". They're coming in at over 1000 per hour and I can't stop laughing. Some of the best ones are:
Hey Kids, are mommy and daddy talking bad about Obama? Be sure to report them at #attackwatch #1984
I’m still using REAL LIGHT BULBS. Come get me!
Hey #attackwatch, I think Ted Nugent is using a Gibson guitar - you should go take it away from him.
Dear @AttackWatch : Weather maps on TV only show 50 states. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER SEVEN?
Dear #AttackWatch I’m still trying to understand why anyone wants to attack watches
Hey #attackwatch, I saw 6 ATM’s in an alley, killing a Job. It looked like a hate crime!
Dear #AttackWatch I’d like to report the Dos Equis guy. He’s claiming to be the most interesting man in the world. You told me Obama was!
#attackwatch somebody I know keeps calling POTUS dumb! Please release his college transcripts so I can prove him wrong!
When should I go to my hidden attic room #attackwatch and start writing my diary?
I actually sympathize with #AttackWatch. They remind me of the time I got my head wedged in a bowling ball return chute.
"Ask not what you can do for your country, ask who of your neighbors, friends and co-workers you can snitch on." #AttackWatch
I don't always report on my neighbors, but when I do, I use #AttackWatch
#attackwatch I just saw several people refuse to eat their peas. Do you have a SWAT team?
#attackwatch I was at the Waffle House and a Sr. citizen just referred to the President as Barrack Hussein Obama their License # is attached
Hey #AttackWatch how many times does a child have to turn in their parents to get the official Hitler youth knife?
My co-worker keeps making fun of Obama’s ears. Do I get to pick which reeducation camp you send him to?
The head of Obama’s Jobs council, Jeffrey Immelt, is sending lots of jobs to China. Please stop him @attackwatch
I’d like to report myself. I spend half the day complaining about Obama. can I bring my cat to the camps?
Do we need to report the 240...er, 242 GOP members of the House individually or as a group?
There is a man at 1600 penn. ave who took the $ my employer was going to spend giving me a raise.
My roommate used the restroom and did NOT put the toilet seat down. Please help
I just informed #attackwatch that I saw 8 folks on TV Monday night saying bad things about the President
Hey @BarackObama, someone has obviously hacked your Twitter account. Surely you’re not dumb enough to OK #AttackWatch. Oh wait... #Clueless
Does Obamacare cover Stitches for Snitches?
Dear #AttackWatch How many neighbors do I need to report to get my free t-shirt?
Dear #AttackWatch : I’m confused...do we report lies told ABOUT Obama or lies told BY Obama?
Dear #attackwatch What is the secret handshake? Will I receive food stamps based on the number of citizens I turn in?
when is the #attackwatch mobile app being released? I want to turn in people I hear at the mall.
I let my Mexican drug lord license expire. Can I still get a gun from the ATF?