It seemed like quite an idea. Joe Ricketts, the wealthy AmeriTrade founder whose family owns the Chicago Cubs, would spend $10 million on an ad campaign attacking President Obama over his former pastor. "The Ricketts Plan" would rely on hire an "extremely literate conservative African-American" as its spokesperson, who would accuse Obama of being a "metrosexual, black Abe Lincoln."
What could possibly go wrong?
Alas, the plan was short lived. After this morning's New York Times report, which we discussed earlier, caused quite a stir in the political world, the "Ending Spending Action Fund" issued a statement on Ricketts' behalf this afternoon, distancing the wealthy conservative donor from the Jeremiah Wright-focused smear campaign. The statement reads in full:
"Joe Ricketts is a registered independent, a fiscal conservative, and an outspoken critic of the Obama Administration, but he is neither the author nor the funder of the so-called "Ricketts Plan" to defeat Mr. Obama that The New York Times wrote about this morning. Not only was this plan merely a proposal - one of several submitted to the Ending Spending Action Fund by third-party vendors -- but it reflects an approach to politics that Mr. Ricketts rejects and it was never a plan to be accepted but only a suggestion for a direction to take.
"Mr. Ricketts intends to work hard to help elect a President this fall who shares his commitment to economic responsibility, but his efforts are and will continue to be focused entirely on questions of fiscal policy, not attacks that seek to divide us socially or culturally."
Although this statement suggests that using Wright "reflects an approach to politics that Mr. Ricketts rejects," MSNBC's Mark Murray noted that the actual proposal, published by the NYT, contains this line: "Joe Ricketts said it himself: 'If the nation had seen that [Jeremiah Wright] ad, they'd never have elected Barack Obama.'"
Nevertheless, the Wright ads will apparently not air, at least not from this source.
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Ricketts represents that crowd in our beloved nation that is know as our, typically wealthy, American Cowards! -Kevo
Ricketts represents that crowd in our beloved nation that is know as Lying Sacks of Shmitt
Republicans should double down on this idea. Take it to the limit. Put a little more money--say a billion or two--into it. Make this the defining theme of the Romney campaign. :)
What Ricketts actually means is "dayum, busted we've got to start again"! Sniveling lying coward....
I am thinking this guy doesn't want Ameritrade to become the next Komen.
Ooh, excellent observation!
This crap has just cost the Ricketts a life-long Cubs fan. Anybody who could be a party to this kind of back-handed, dishonest political garbage, does not need my money to help him.
Go White Sox!!!!
i'm with you stuck. i'm visiting chicago in 3 weeks, and i was seriously looking forward to my first cubs game. fortunately, the white sox will also be in town when i'm there, so i'll go see them instead.
Could this be why they are backing out of this plan...? I was a Cubs bleacher bum in the 70s and have always been a dedicated supporter from afar....but let's not forget there is a team on the South Side that has a bit more potential.....
Did this new owner not consider how Cub fans who favor democratic policies would react to this information? What's that song they sing when the team wins?
"Go Ricketts Go....Go Rickettsia Go....
Hey Chicago, what'd ya say?
Rickets' gotta go today!"
Cubs fans will always be Cubs fans regardless of who owns the team. There is no great love for Ricketts and eventually he will sell the team because he cannot do what he would like to do with Wrigley Field because it is a landmark. He had to negotiate with the city on changes to the park since he took over. That will happen every time he wants to make changes and they are not easily approved by the city. Wrigley Field will be 100 years old in 2014; it is the second oldest ball park and the team is older than that. It will be standing long after Ricketts is gone and I am dead.
This makes me want to not remotely give my Cubs any money.
Considering they stink right now, it makes the decision easier, but still, this is disgusting.
If this isn't some form of reverse racism then what is it ?? Not to mention the subtle (sic) use of his middle name. Oh, how quaint is that ??
Anything to elicit an "emotional response" from the non-thinking victims of the MSM.
Pathetic.......
Makes me think that these Republican operatives are dumber than a sack of @!$%#.
Do they really want the religiosity of the candidates called into question? One candidate used to go to a church with a "radical" preacher and one believes in the Bible, as appended. Hmm.... Do they want that brought up?
Keep shining the light. The roaches will run.
I went back and listened to the "God damn America" speech again and I agree with everything Rev. Wright said. What was factually wrong with it? Genocide against Native Americans, Manifest Destiny, Slavery, Central American dictators, Viet Nam, Iraq, and backing Israel in stealing Palestinian land are all shameful facts on our resume.
Mr. Ricketts should put this $10 million into the Cubs. I live in the suburbs of Chicago and am a tepid baseball fan, but even I know ten million could help get the Cubs out of the basement.
""Joe Ricketts said it himself: 'If the nation had seen that [Jeremiah Wright] ad, they'd never have elected Barack Obama.'"
Hey Joe everybody who voted for Barack Obama knew about Rev Wright and voted for him anyway. Water under the bridge. Old news. Get over yourself Ricketts.
If anyone involved with the Cubs is behind this plan, it's guaranteed to fail. Actually, it's guaranteed to have a surprisingly good spring training, and then do OK for a while during the regular season, and get everyone all excited, and then collapse spectacularly in early July when a couple of people go on the disabled list and its bullpen blows up, leaving its supporters disappointed and heart-broken once again. And then it'll be, "Wait 'til next year!"
Actually, the Cubs aren't doing anywhere near that well this year. They didn't even come close to July before falling apart.
You're absolutely right, mpguy. They're on track to lose 100 games this year. I was just being a Cubs fan -- eternally optimistic.
Cubs fans, here is a link to write to Rahm Emanuel to leave feedback : http://webapps.cityofchicago.org/eforms/org/cityofchicago/eforms/controller/contactUsForm/preFeedbackForm.do
Good luck with that Wrigley renovation Mr. racist Ricketts.
Next, there will be another "strategy" report out, with being the scenes attack details, called "Scurvy."
To be completely fair, and before the "Cubs Hate Obama" wave gets any higher, father Joe Ricketts isn't directly involved in the Cubs operations. His son, Tom, is chairman of the Cubs, and three other children -- Pete, Laura and Todd -- are on the board of directors.
In response to this mess, Tom Ricketts said, "As chairman of the Chicago Cubs, I repudiate any return to racially divisive issues in this year’s presidential campaign or in any setting -- like my father has." And Laura Ricketts -- a major Obama fundraiser -- said, "Though we may have diverse political views, above all we love and respect each other. My own personal view is that President Obama has been a great leader in very difficult times. He has been leading us to an economic recovery; served with great honor as commander-in-chief during a time of war; been a strong proponent on issues important to women and just last week he exhibited great courage in endorsing the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian Americans."