'Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy' Returns With Same Cast

But Clinton thinks forces aren't as strong as those he faced

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Oct 5, 2009 10:28 AM CDT

(Newser) – Americans may be "less receptive" to right-wing messages than they were in the days of Bill Clinton, but as the former president put it last week on Meet the Press, the “vast right-wing conspiracy” that threatened to destroy his presidency is making an encore appearance—and it's surely “as virulent as it was.” That strikingly similar virulence shouldn’t be a surprise, Joe Conason writes on Salon, as the folks behind the Obama-smearing campaign ads and Newsmax are the same people who tried to bring Clinton down.

Scott Wheeler worked on the inflammatory “Clinton Chronicles” tape in the '90s before he made anti-Obama ads featuring 9/11 terrorists for the National Republican Trust PAC. And Christopher Ruddy, the “mastermind” of NRT PAC, publisher of Newsmax, and a birther, was a leading proponent of the Vince Foster murder myth. But as Clinton noted, the forces that wanted to take Obama down aren't as strong: They have no Kenneth Starr, no Newt Gingrich, no "scandal-mongering allies in the mainstream media" and therefore "cannot muster the same kind of concerted attack," writes Conason.

[Images (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

Former President Bill Clinton. (AP Photo)

President Barack Obama. (AP Photo)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Combining the propaganda power of Newsmax with the spending power of the NRT PAC, the once-laughable Ruddy could become a formidable player in the 2010 midterm elections—and the fate of the Obama administration. - Joe Conason

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

AP Photo

35 Brutally Honest Reasons Men Say No to Sex (The Stir)

Man in Mugshot Explains Why He Has Half a Head (HuffPost)

Another Sign Rihanna and Chris Brown Might Get Back Together? (Celebuzz)

These Exes Were Spotted Making Out … and That's a Bad Thing (Bleacher Report)

Which Entertainer Pulled Out of 'Inappropriate' Whitney Tribute? (NewsOne)

Partner Links

A snapshot of the day's best news stories.

View Larger Grid

All Today Yesterday Pick a Date

COMMENTS

Read the comment policy

Showing 3 of 19 comments

Spudsy

Oct 5, 2009 11:09 AM CDT

We can only hope that these people are dumb enough to push Palin in 2012 and insure another Dem victory.

2-bits

Oct 5, 2009 10:59 AM CDT

That said, it is a small miracle that so few liberal posters have hopped on the ban train, and I can think of a few who really should. Hmm...

2-bits

Oct 5, 2009 10:58 AM CDT

Actually: stopthepresses, my previous conversations with newser seem to suggest that nearly all flagging is automatic. As soon as a certain number of people flag it, it disappears. No human actually looks at it. Maybe if you guys didn't call Obama a "nappy headed cocksucker" (Jayster) or impugn the character of everyone who disagrees with you, you wouldn't get flagged so much.

What's Popular Now on Facebook

Rick Santorum: Birth Control Is 'Not OK'

Valentine's Day Role-Playing Goes Very Wrong

Salon (Source Grid »)

Politics • Media

Barack Obama • Bill Clinton • smear campaign • political advertising • President Obama • birther • Newsmax • National Republican Trust PAC • Scott Wheeler • Christopher Ruddy • Vince Foster

More Newser Stories

Clinton 'Gently Dings' Obama in New Book

He faults strategy on debt ceiling

(NEWSER) - Bill Clinton thinks the country is "a mess" right now, and while he mostly blames conservatives' anti-government views, he also "gently dings" President Obama for some miscues in his new book, reports the AP . For one thing, Clinton says he was able to persuade the rich to pay higher taxes because "I didn't attack them for their success," he writes in Back to Work. It's out next week, but the AP got an advance copy. More»

Obama's Sis: Time to Put Birther Rumors 'to Bed'

Maya Soetero-Ng calls rumors 'unfortunate'

(NEWSER) - Not surprisingly, President Obama's half-sister Maya Soetero-Ng is firmly in her brother's corner when it comes to the birther rumors. "I think that it is time for people to put that to bed, put it to rest completely," she tells Piers Morgan in her first primetime interview, airing on CNN tonight. She calls the rumors "unfortunate" and adds, "He was born in Hawaii, there is a tremendous amount of proof that has already been presented.” More»

Hawaii Guv to Friend: There Is No Obama Birth Certificate

At least, that's what reporter friend claims

(NEWSER) - Another piece of kindling for the birthers' fire: Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie allegedly told one of his friends "there is no Barack Obama birth certificate in Hawaii." And that friend just so happens to be celebrity journalist Mike Evans, who shared the story with a KQRS morning radio show, Mediaite reports. Evans went on to describe Abercrombie's words to him: "he searched everywhere using his power as governor" and there is "absolutely no proof at all that [Obama] was born in Hawaii." More»

Why This Conservative Misses Bill Clinton

He could sell , unlike Obama

(NEWSER) - Jonah Goldberg is tired of having a president who can articulate his views like a lawyer but doesn't have the faintest idea how to persuade others to agree with him. "I miss having a Democrat who could sell," Goldberg writes for the New York Post . And the conservative columnist adds a confession: "I'm suffering from a mild case of Bill Clinton nostalgia." More»

Hawaii Votes to Ignore Birthers' Requests

Law would limit access to Obama's birth certificate

(NEWSER) - Fed up with the constant pestering from birthers, Hawaii's legislature today voted in favor of a bill that would allow the state to ignore any repeat requests to see Barack Obama's birth certificate. The law, which now goes to Gov. Linda Lingle, would carve out an exception to the Hawaii's normal public records law, allowing officials to skip all kinds of duplicate requests from the same organization or person, including those for the birth certificate. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

'Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy' Returns With Same Cast