First alerted by Patty [ http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/blog/pattysc ] in the post titled; 'Independent Ad Knocks Obama' [ http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/pattysc/gGx4DK ] I decided to do a little checking on just who is behind this smear campaign...
[ http://www.bothwaysbarack.com/index.html ]
This is a project of "Let Freedom Ring, Inc."See: [ http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Let_Freedom_Ring ]
Let Freedom Ring is a new, conservative "grassroots" 501c4 group set up by a one million dollar from Dr. Jack Templeton, son of John Templeton, Jr., an influencial money changer who created a prize for innovation in religion and science.[1]. The principles behind the new organization begin with not participating in "negative personal or partisan political attacks", as stated by the group's president, Colin Hanna. "We want to reach out to patriotic, especially people of faith, and encourage them not to let mud-slinging by the left turn them off to our political process." [2]LFR has other projects to get them started. One is a documentary about the faith of George W. Bush, Sen. Rick Santorum and Sen. Zell Miller. Hanna believes this will help get a vote out of the four million evangelical Christians who did not vote in 2000, apparently due to disillusionment. This upcoming movie could change that.They are also looking to organize a thousand volunteers to get out the vote in the following states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin. They "also want to build coaltions of existing organizations whose membership is likely to encompass some of the values that we have." Perhaps this will give them the grassroots title they already claim.They are also having a contest like MoveOn.org did as a search for the best commercials. However they will not "be simply a conservative version of Moveon.org and The Media Fund.[3]Although Colin uses the words "we" and "us" quite a bit, who exactly "we" and "us" are is not expanded on. On The Washington Journal, July 5, 2004, Colin was able to get himself a half hour spot of time to talk to America about who they were.Their website has the Statue of Liberty, the Constitution, the Liberty Bell, Flag and Sunsets invoking a pure feeling of America. The points they claim they are devoted to promoting are:Constitutional Government Economic Freedom Traditional Values [edit]ContactLet Freedom Ring603 Fairway DriveWest Chester, PA 19382610-793-1800Retrieved from: [ http://www.sourcewatch.org/in dex.php?title=Let_Freedom_Ring ]
Looks to me like they just violated their stated principles of not participating in "negative personal or partisan political attacks." So much for their integrity!
Let Freedom Ring, Inc. does not list "Both Way Barack" as a project on their Web Page [ http://www.letfreedomringusa.com/home ] which does list:
'We Need A Fence' [ http://weneedafence.com/ ]
'In Their Own Words' [ http://theirownwords.com/ ]
'Pennsylvanis Pastors Network' [ http://www.pennsylvaniapastors.com/ ]
But "Both Ways Barack" does say at the bottom of its Web Page that it is a project of Let Freedom Ring...
John M. Templeton, Jr. the creator of Let Freedom Ring also is the current president of the John Templeton Foundation which was established in 1978 by the late investor and philanthropist Sir John Templeton and is usually referred to simply as the Templeton Foundation.
See: [ http://www.templeton.org/ ]
[ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Templeton_Foundation ]
I am sure there is more that can be dug up on the principles behind "Both Ways Barack"
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