A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS
by Christine Bowman

Barack Obama has wrapped up his Democratic primary campaign. Now he has some other campaigns to win.

The fact is Obama must fight a down-and-dirty challenger, in addition to John McCain. He must knock down a campaign of fear-mongering and innuendo at the same time that he confronts John McCain on the policy and capability issues.

While John McCain and the RNC will take advantage, it is the 527s [1] and extreme right-wing groups and individuals who already have begun, and surely will intensify, the fiercest campaign against Barack Obama. They sow insidious seeds of doubt about the candidate grounded, not in the reality of Barack Obama, but in easily tapped prejudices. The manipulators and extremists hit on race, religion, gender, and age; they deal in slippery suggestions of otherness and the unknown. Their words mean to frighten while their sources hide in the shadows. John McCain was an earlier target [2] of the same kind of campaign during the 2000 presidential primary that he lost to George W. Bush.

Obama sees the challenge clearly and fought back with his June 3 speech in St. Paul, Minnesota. He struck direct blows against "fear, innuendo, division" and "the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon ..."

More importantly, Obama puts his own values and feelings out there for all to see and evaluate. He battles distrust and dread with optimism and confidence. "Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people," he believes, and it's time to tap "that fundamental goodness." Obama shows his "limitless faith in the capacity of the American people" and declares "we are Americans first. We are always Americans first."

Obama is no lone warrior in the battle for open hearts and minds. He is the current gladiator standing in the arena ready to fight. But all Americans are touched by the same political slime, and all Americans of good will can help push back. An army of citizens can reject and denounce prejudice, lies, and fear-mongering.

Anyone can challenge and refute, reject or return, viral emails, hate letters, radio blather, slander. The well-informed can influence those who are just starting to pay attention, those who will be targeted by the campaign of fear and distortions. A truer Obama story and a progressive, positive message can prevail over the false ones.

"Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it" -- Obama's words -- the fear-mongering can be beat.

That's the challenge, and that's how the toughest campaign can be won.

More of Barack Obama's fighting words in the campaign against fear are excerpted below:

Transcript, Remarks of Senator Barack Obama: Final Primary Night [3]

The other side will come here in September and offer a very different set of policies and positions, and that is a debate I look forward to. It is a debate the American people deserve. But what you don't deserve is another election that's governed by fear, and innuendo, and division. 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. Because we may call ourselves Democrats and Republicans, but we are Americans first. We are always Americans first. ...

In our country, I have found that this cooperation happens not because we agree on everything, but because behind all the labels and false divisions and categories that define us; beyond all the petty bickering and point-scoring in Washington, Americans are a decent, generous, compassionate people, united by common challenges and common hopes. And every so often, there are moments which call on that fundamental goodness to make this country great again. ...

America, this is our moment. This is our time. Our time to turn the page on the policies of the past. Our time to bring new energy and new ideas to the challenges we face. Our time to offer a new direction for the country we love.

The journey will be difficult. The road will be long. I face this challenge with profound humility, and knowledge of my own limitations. But I also face it with limitless faith in the capacity of the American people. Because if we are willing to work for it, and fight for it, and believe in it, then I am absolutely certain that generations from now, we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal; this was the moment when we ended a war and secured our nation and restored our image as the last, best hope on Earth. This was the moment - this was the time - when we came together to remake this great nation so that it may always reflect our very best selves, and our highest ideals. Thank you, God Bless you, and may God Bless the United States of America.

YouTube Video (8-minute clip):

Barack Obama in St. Paul Minnesota June 3, 2008 [4]

YouTube (29 minutes):

Barack Obama Democratic Nomination Victory Speech [5]

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

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