Freedom's Watch and its quarter-billion dollar budget
By Steve Benen Monday Jan 21, 2008 12:33pm
When looking ahead to November, one of the advantages Democrats enjoy over Republicans is financial — for the first time in modern political history, Dems are raising quite a bit more money than Republicans. The DCCC, for example, already has $31 million on hand for the cycle, while the NRCC has less than $3 million.
Great news, right? Well, yes, except “independent” right-wing entities are going to pick up the slack — and then some. Out in front will be our old friends at Freedom’s Watch.
When a group of former White House aides formed a political advocacy group called Freedom’s Watch last summer, its initial wave of ads featured battered Iraq war veterans pleading for support for President Bush’s “surge” of troops.
Last month, the theme changed dramatically as the same group splashed dark, grainy images of illegal immigrants across television screens in northern Ohio, attacking a Democratic candidate’s position on the divisive domestic issue.
Freedom’s Watch has loudly announced that there will be no limits to what it might do…. While initial reports suggested a budget of $200 million, people who have talked to the group in recent weeks say the figure is closer to $250 million, more than double the amount spent by the largest independent liberal groups in the 2004 election cycle.
The “no limits” phrase probably wasn’t intended this way, but it has two meanings. First, with a quarter-billion dollars, Freedom’s Watch will be able to do what it pleases. Second, driven by contemporary Republican norms, the range of Freedom’s Watch attacks with know “no limits,” because they’re unlikely to be concerned about pesky details (like decency and accuracy).
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$250 million?! And who are their financial backers?
Dooooh lookit! Dey got uh eeeegle and uh america flag!
How fucking patriotic.
Is this the group that Ari is involved with?
Corporation's only allegance are Profit's.
The F word again. If the lack of originality in name gives a hint of the group..they aint much. Folks it was guys like this that gave you the Iraq war. Yup..they skewed an election and the candidate THEY favored wrecked this country. I don't think as many ears will be open this time. But, if the Democrats are of any mettle at all..they can deal with this group. 200 and 2004 were good years for these guys..as Gore and Kerry did fight back. I don't think Obama's belly aching style will do much to curtail the F word boys..
When looking ahead to November, one of the advantages Democrats enjoy over Republicans is financial — for the first time in modern political history, Dems are raising quite a bit more money than Republicans. The DCCC, for example, already has $31 million on hand for the cycle, while the NRCC has less than $3 million.
Not exactly. Liberal 527 organizations blew the doors off conservative ones in 2004.
http://www.opensecrets.org/527s/527cmtes.asp?level=I&cycle=2004
My guess is a lot of the money is coming in from Israel through Ari Fleischer. Where does Israel get that kind of money? Why from the United States of course. So in effect our taxes and are debt that we are financing is going towards the undermining of our own democratic process.
Just fucking wonderful.
Loonie @ 2:
That is one impressive fish hawk, I must say.
I think Ben Franklin's choice of the turkey as the American bird would be quite appropriate today.
Hey, if Rudy becomes the nominee (no, seriously...stop laughing! HAHAHAHAHA), there's enough money in the Freedom's Watch coffers to hire professional sound editors to go in and turn all of Rudy's lisps into legitimate "S" sounds!
Boy, do you think a quarter billion can cover that bill??
Watch out for the behind the scenes strategic plan... for the Bush Corporate Tax Cuts....
FREEDUMB WATCH
Key founders, funders and key personnel
Sheldon Adelson
Bradley A. Blakeman
Matt Brooks
Ari Fleischer
Richard J. Fox
Mel Sembler
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Freedom's_Watch
affiliated organizations...
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Freedom%27s_Watch_affiliated_...
Move America
ForwardBackwardThe Center for Vigilant
FreedomCorporationsFoundation for the Defense
of DemocraciesCompaniesOnce again big money steals the vote. Why bother with campaigns? Just ask Ari Fleischer who his handlers have decided will administer their government for us? We live in an oligarchy.
I spent a year in Alaska during my time in the Navy and I could, on any given day I could go to the Dump and watch bald eagles rummage through the junk. They are pretty birds though.
Richard @ 5 I re-read your comment twice and still don't know what your point is.
What is the cost of a barrel of slime these days? Quarter billion should buy a few.
What, you thought corporate was going to give up power with hope and unity?
It is going to get ugly in the general.
I'm sure BillO will be all over this one, huh? Can't have some billionaire backers pushing some extremist agenda on American Soil, nosirree!
Cheers,
Were also on the lookout for.... other manipulators of the voting public...
A look into the shady finances and manipulative politics of America's leading televangelist hucksters.
Faith, Fraud and the GOP Crusade for Values Voters
http://alternet.org/story/74440/
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Freedom%27s_Watch
"Freedom'swatch" & AEI seek $200 million to sell war on Iran http://www.prwatch.org/node/6498
AEI & CEI - well known shillco fronts for ExxonMobil, Big Oil, & 'free market tooth fairy P.O. Box organizations'
Basically the biggest collection of yellow-bellied chickenhawk corporatist self-hating Larry Craig wide stance buddies you'll ever see in a non-official GOP/RNC capacity....
Basically they're a poster child for WHY WE NEED PUBLICLY FUNDED ELECTIONS!!!!!!!
I might buy into the surge is working in Iraq (in some regards), but when they started with the whole bullet found on their website "Preventing the degeneration of our society by stopping the legalization of controlled substances!" I just about puked. The drug war, not drugs, has caused the degeneration of our inner cities, maybe not in gated community land where these people probably live, but it's destroyed our country for long enough. I'll pass on these guys. Thanks for the heads up C&L.
I used to be offended by the use of the Bald Eagle as a icon for political action groups, since no animal should be so maligned. Especially one that is thought of as primarily majestic.
However, since I now live in an area that has a huge number of bald eagles, I can tell you that they are primarily scavengers that eat spawned out salmon and garbage. You are much more likely to find bald eagles at the city landfill than anywhere else, so maybe they are an appropriate icon for Freedomswatch.org.
"freedom watch"???
if by "freedom" you mean economic imperialism and extreme economic disparity...
there is nothing mainstream about this group of uber-wealthy elites. this is just front organization paid for by the people that have been at the pig trough getting fatter and fatter while the majority of americans have been tightening their collective belts.
the rich will do and say whatever they have to to ensure that the populace never wakes up to the fact that we are being slowly fucked by these pariahs and leeches.
I put my self on their email list and their efforts are less than spectacular. It is tough to discern what exactly they represent. They speak of supporting the troops, activist judges and other reich ving talk points, but I have yet to see a cohesive effort to rally anyone. It is all pretty pathetic if you ask me.
This group is part of the problem. They only support the extreme right wing of the Democratic party.
They ain't gonna get there if they can't admit the bus is drivin' in the wrong direction.
Ooopsie, my comment above was about the DCCC.
Will Fields @ 22:
Uhhhh... you mean Republican party, don't you?
It's a real shame that all of those millions of dollars that the Repub Party so desperately needs is instead being given to dishonorable right wing hacks, isn't it?
"Freedumb's Watch" is really removing money from the Repub Party.
Dumbasses.
Will Fields @ 23:
Oh, ok.
Even my right wing friends see through this sham. Let em spend the money. Independents, the real deciders, won't give two hoots in hell.
While I'll support whatever nominee emerges, my preference order (i.e. if we had IRV) is Edwards, Obama, Clinton specifically because I see campaign finance reform as THE issue, even over and above Iraq. If we don't get the corporations out of our government, we won't be able to end the Occupation of the Middle East or anything else. This "Freedom's Watch" BS is a prime example - the ultra-wealthy and corporations funding a gigantic private propaganda in order to pervert and game the democratic process.
We need campaign finance reform in order to take back our government...
Rather difficult for me to comprehend that the Dem Party is/has been receiving more
contributions/donations than the Repug Party(as is reported above) because most of
us who USED to give to the Dem. Party have stopped; in disgust at how our U.S.
Congress has failed since winning in Nov. 06. Personally, I have not and do not]
intend to give anything whatsoever to the Dem's...they are a disgrace and not
deserving of my financial support.
Thank goodness for McCain-Feingold. Just imagine what would have happened without that wonderfully crafted piece of legislation! Let's hope that more of the same is passed soon!
It amazes me that we, as a nation, can justify spending these amounts to elect anyone. How many hundreds of millions of dollars have already flowed directly into the campaigns? That doesn't count all the shady soft money, and we've barely gotten into the meat of the election. We don't have anything better to throw money away on?
I would like to point out that after the '96 elections there were hearings about campaign finance. As those hearings began, Fred Thompson (regardless of his situation now) reached out and offered subpoenas to the Democrats. He was modeling the hearing on Watergate; indeed, he was chosen because of his work on the bi-partisan Watergate process. It became evident that he was aiming to blow the whole system wide open in an attempt to push reform. At the White House's request, the Democrats shied away from getting involved. They went to "Damage Control 101", which meant, in the Clinton administration: cry partisanship. Sen. Thompson rankled Sen Lott's feathers because the trial was supposed to be about pegging Bill Clinton and the Democrats. He might have been able to carry the day and move forward, but not without support from the Democrats...something he never got.
It should also be noted that the original McCain-Feingold bill was solid and would have fundamentally changed campaign finance. The Democrats pulled their fair share of weight to destroy that bill.
We won't see candidates who are responsive to the issues of voters until campaign finance is regulated in a sane, just, and balanced way.
Watch out for NewsMax flying under the radar and generating huge $um$ of money for the reichwing! Remember, they were instrumental in getting the Swiftboaters' schlockumentary denigrating John Kerry on the air with Sinclair television stations back in 2004.
whenever I see an eagle or the words US on a sign or corporate logo I have to wonder about who it represents recently a local manufacturer was bought by a chinese company what does the sign read US plastics and I do think they still use a eagle as a symbol?
Also, whenever a candiate says he'll bring honesty and transparency back to the white house I won't vote for that one because isn't that what chimy said?
At least one of these organizations was a big supporter of a local republician senator what a bunch of hacks on that one point a didn't vote for him and when the state party crows about all that he has done ( not much) in congress I email him on what a dumb vote that was citing how it helps his handlers but not the citizens of the state ( I don't think he likes me much)
The groups only want to help the uber rich they they have nothing to do with grassroots if they had their way all the grass would be paved over and a walmart would be put up
Hey! When you hate America as much as the Republicans do you can't set limits on what you are willing to do to destroy her.
prepare for all imaginable comercials venuses (sp) to turn to shit.
TPM Cafe had this story yesterday. And please, friends, read the link to WaPo before commenting. You'll see who's behind this group and what their goal(s) are. Not to mention the stupid WaPo headline that this group is the "equivalent" of Moveon.org on the Left. Just shows the WaPo can't distinguish between the oligarchy and netroots/grassroots organizations. Moveon.org could probably raise a lot of money to help offset this group, but Moveon has been so "demonized" by the Right, and the MSM, that their name on a TV Ad is not always beneficial. So what can't we, the millions who frequent progressive web sites, collectively found and support a counter-group to "Freedom Watch"? And come up with a nice catchy "patriotic" name to go with it. If every time the oligarchy billionaires try to pull this stuff (and every fascist regime rises to power with a handful of wealth backers), We The People blunted them, then maybe there is still hope for this democracy. The only "good news" is that the DNC is aware of them and what they're up to. But what else is being done, I'm not sure....But please read the article.
More like FASCIST WATCH.
Allow me to share an odd discovery that may bear on this. I produce a small Jazz concert series in Brookline Mass. I went with all the conventions of promotion from prior times and after careful outcome tracking, I discovered it all was a waste of time.
The only factor in attendence was whether the ensembles had friends, the provenance of personal affiliation.
The implication for us is that artificial persuasion apparatus is post peak and failing. People are at their wits end from all the insane attempts to 'market at em' and are defending themselves by ignoring everything outside their shrinking radar screen.
Freedom Wretch could blow a billion trying to assert that Obama fucks goats and Hill eats babies and run the risk of wasting it all.
It is about cred. C and L, Firedog and Digby are all growing exponentially because people see cred of people telling the truth for free even as Russert, Broder and Tweety are increasingly ignored and isolated. The economic crisis will only exacerbate as the full extent of the betrayal sinks in.
The age of 'Marketing' has died. All assumptions that depend on flogging bullshit about the merits of rutabega Doritos or Rudy are toast. The repugnicans are worthless at actually talking to human voters as they are like the OZ wizard.
If Hill and John and Barack have the good sense to get over themselves and keep talking to and asking the humans about their worries and hopes with genuine sincerity and incorporate the data into their platforms, they will excel.
They need to take a page from the Tao. "In the best forms of leadership, it seems as if the people did it themselves."
The people have a lot of urgent matters on their minds. Most ARE NOT GOP meatheads. They are stressed and worried about the future and have to deal with the schizoid contradiction of democracy at home and petty dictatorship at work. Hill and John at least show some evidence of actually asking them things and some willingness to incorporate the answers into their work-in-progress methods. Barack is too full of himself and is acting like an idiot rock star. He does a bitchin' show but has a tin ear.
So I see this Freedom Watch money as a canary fart in a sawmill of national discontent and let's laugh as they throw it down a rat hole with nothing to show for it. The fucked over people are showing surprising discernment and skepticism of GOP drivel.
It shot its wad. You can't sell a preposterous disconnect with any money and NO ONE in the GOP line up takes a second to lower themselves by asking actual humans what they care about. They do the Potemkin thing. Not Willard, not Huckleberry Hound, not Mcold and certainly not crazy Rudy.
They are doomed and let's pass the popcorn and focus on Senatorial and Congressional stuff. Get AL Franken in. Get rid of weak GOP governors, improve your state legislatures and so on. WE WILL PREVAIL.
Chris - I would like to hope your "don't worry" premise is solid. That indeed the American public has progressed since 2004 in this respect. But not everywhere, I fear. In fact, these people seem to be 1 for 1 in their only direct activity, the Ohio special election referenced in the article. While it was a red district for starters, the GOP candidate was quite weak and exit polling showed that the "illegal immigrants" Ads were decisive in defeating the Dem candidate. These are targeted expenditures, and will be closely coordinated with the RNC/Rove Dem Hit List (the Laws be damned). In addition, they will force the DNC/DCCC to spend a lot of money to help offset them. And that will be critical in impacting the ability to contribute to races aimed at unseating Repubs. Finally, I hope you're right that if you have a rotten product no amount of advertising will make it a success. Hmmm. And, you're right that its voters who determine the elections, but if you think most of them are as open-minded and clear-headed (and informed) as those who inhabite sites like this one, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise.
How many of those Democratic candidates are so flush with corporate and banking cash that they have effectively been purchased? The more things change, the more they stay the same.
And this is the exact reason with millions flowing in to the general election cycle that Clinton and her team and their style as much as you might dislike her personally are going to be the only ones able to stand up for themselves. This group is talking about asking for individual small donors, but do you really think they need them? Of course not! They are trying to make themselves less formidable by comparing themselves to move.on with grassroots support. They will have untold wealth whenever they need it and don't think that their wallet will ever run dry. They have big business big money and the glib slogan of "Freedom Watch"..... do you really think Obama can stand up to the pressures of what he would face? No way!
Money from the corporatist, no-bid corruption racket is recycled
back into domestic American politics to feed the beast (again).
Should we be happy that they recycle?
...
Featuring: The new, expurgated definition of "Freedoms".
I may have said this before at other times, but I feel that Republicans are above the law & no one can stop them from doing as they please. This makes me nervous about November. Remember, Republicans are much more popular in the MSM than the Democrats, so that is such a huge advantage for them. The Republicans have much more access to friendly MSM than the Democrats. Because of that, & groups like Freedom's Watch that are morally better than everyone else, the Republicans could very well steal the Presidential election.
Let them go ahead and piss a quarter billion into a bottomless pit.
Never have so few, so stupidly, spent so much, so fast, for so little.
Freedom's watch ain't got a prayer.
pissed off patricia @ 3:
Yupper! Always remember to call it "Ari Fleischer's Watch", since that's exactly what it is.
Oh, exactly. This goes back decades, well before the creation of FOX. The Republicans killed the Fairness Doctrine, gutted the FCC's anti-trust regs, and cut corporate taxes overall; OF COURSE the big media corporations love them! (See On Bended Knee: The Press and the Reagan Presidency for further details.)
That said, I invite Ari Fleischer's Watch to share his financials with us. If they really had $250 million on tap right now, they'd be running ads right now, to get the desired narrative started; instead, we saw a few ads early last year that sucked and were counterproductive, and which didn't last very long.
But of course, Ari won't share his financials with us, because the one thing that these guys hate more than anything else is sunlight and oversight. Like the teenaged Karl Rove showing up to debates with his shoeboxes full of blank "note cards", this is all about scaring us into submission so they don't have to fire a shot.
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