Podesta Emails: Hillary Team Push-Polled Questions About Obama Being a Muslim

Here's statement seven which they're testing for effectiveness as an attack line against Obama:

* 7 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh)'s father was a Muslim and Obama grew up among Muslims in the world's most populous Islamic country.

Note that this can be taken as one of those "push-polls" where the object is only partly to receive information (about how well an attack line works). The other object is to push this information out into the world, so the people called will be chattering to their friends: "I say, did you know this Obama feller is a Muslim?"

Here's the full email chain at wikileaks. I've also copied it below for you.

Note that CNN "analyst" Paul Begala is part of this -- think his CNN colleagues will be grilling him for the Obama-is-a-Muslim attack line which they vow is "racist" when it comes from Republican mouths?

Also note that while people on the chain have questions or comments about the statements to be tested, none of them is an objection to the Muslim question. They're mostly interested in making the push-poll statements about Obama harsher.

Racist?

Nah. They're Democrats.

Bonus: The Washington Post's archliberal DC bureau chief gave Jon Podesta friendly heads-up warnings about stories that might cause him distress. So thoughtful!



Begin email chain below the fold. The pronunciation (owe-BAHM-uh) is given because this is the official script which will be given to the push-polling phone center callers, who may not know how to pronounce Obama's name yet.



From:kfuksa@gqrr.com

To: pbegala@hatcreekent.com, tom@zzranch.com, tara.mcguinness@gmail.com, susan@one.org, john.podesta@gmail.com

Date: 2008-01-09 17:32 Subject:

RE: McCain Survey- Take 3



Paul et al- We've reworked the Obama message into the survey, as requested. But on the list of negative facts we need to cut ONE since we separated out gay adoption and his use of cocaine. Please send your suggestions.

Thanks!

* 1 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) was the only candidate at a recent event not to cover his heart during the national anthem and he has stopped wearing an American flag pin.

* 2 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) benefited from a land deal from a contributor who has been indicted for corruption.

* 3 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) would personally negotiate with the leaders of terrorist nations like Iran and North Korea without preconditions.

* 4 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) voted against allowing people to use handguns to defend themselves against intruders.

* 5 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) plans to raise taxes by 180 (one hundred and eighty) billion dollars a year to pay for his government-run health care plan

* 6 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) voted repeatedly against emergency funding bills for U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

* 7 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh)'s father was a Muslim and Obama grew up among Muslims in the world's most populous Islamic country.

* 8 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) is ranked as one of the ten most liberal members of the Senate because of his support of issues like gay adoption.

* 9 (Other)

* 10 (All)

* 11 (None)

* 12 (Don't know/refused)

* 13 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) voted against requiring medical care for aborted fetuses who survive the procedure.

* 14 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) supports giving driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants

* 15 Obama (owe-BAHM-uh) described his former use of cocaine as using "a little blow."

________________________________

From: Begala, Paul [mailto:pbegala@hatcreekent.com]

Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 4:08 PM

To: Kristi Fuksa; Tom Matzzie; Tara McGuinness; Susan McCue; John Podesta Cc: Stan Greenberg; Anna Greenberg; Ana Iparraguirre; Andrew Baumann; Jesse Contario

Subject: RE: McCain Survey- Take 3

Several issues:

1. I think gay adoption belongs with the "liberal" hit on Obama, but "a little blow" does not. "A little blow" needs to be tested on its own.

2. This means we have to cut one Obama negative. Suggestions?

3. I think we need a more accurate tax attack on Obama. The $180 billion tax hike for health care is only the beginning. Obama also supports raising the cap on Social Security taxes, which would be a tax increase of $1.3 trillion over ten years. [See factcheck.org, citing data from Cato Institute and Citizens for Tax Justice http://www.factcheck.org/clinton_vs_obama.html Obama will also be attacked for Charlie Rangel's "mother of all tax reforms," which the GOP says will be a $1 trillion tax increase. See Bloomberg story at http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a2Ydcv4tYVCc&refer=h ome

Paul

________________________________

From: Kristi Fuksa [mailto:kfuksa@gqrr.com]

Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 3:28 PM

To: Begala, Paul; Tom Matzzie; Tara McGuinness; Susan McCue; John Podesta Cc: Stan Greenberg; Anna Greenberg; Ana Iparraguirre; Andrew Baumann; Jesse Contario

Subject: McCain Survey- Take 3

Hello- Attached is another revision of the McCain survey. It is currently at 25 minutes exactly, so please take that into account when making further edits. As for the timing of this poll, are there any more thoughts on fielding tomorrow versus holding off? Or is the consensus to wait for tonight's results?

Tom-- Do you think we can do a quick call today with you in order to discuss the implications for the upcoming research and timeline for the ads?

Thanks all! Kristi

Kristi Fuksa