Obama's Twitter Disaster

Original Post: WSJ By JAMES FREEMAN

In 2008, reporters gushed about the Obama campaign's brilliant use of the Internet and social media. In the run-up to 2012, a high-profile effort by the re-election campaign to counter critics has become an online bulletin board for jokes at President Obama's expense.

Obama for America, the official campaign organization, recently rolled out AttackWatch.com. The website allows visitors to file reports when someone criticizes the president or his policies and purports to provide "the facts" to counter such "smears." The site's Twitter feed is attracting plenty of reports, but not necessarily the kind that campaign staff was expecting. Related Video

WSJ columnist Mary O'Grady and OpinionJournal.com columnist James Taranto on President Obama's campaign website reporting Republican attacks.

A user identified as Jon G. announced: "There's a new Twitter account making President Obama look like a creepy, authoritarian nutjob: @AttackWatch." Another user identifying himself as Matt Cover tweeted, "Someone told me the stimulus didn't keep unemployment below 8%. That's not true, is it?"

Another concerned citizen reported, "I saw 6 ATM's in an alley, killing a job. It looked like a hate crime!" The site's Twitter page recently featured so many zingers aimed at the president that it was hard to find actual Obama supporters whining about his critics. One tweeter noted that "the GOP won seats in NY and NV . . . I suspect interference by sane people . . . check that out please." Another said, "Hey kids, are mommy and daddy talking bad about Obama? Be sure to report them at #attackwatch."

One movie buff referenced the current Obama scandal over a bankrupt solar energy company that received federal loans: "Solyndra Green is people!"

Watching the attacks has proven to be a favorite pastime for conservatives. We're guessing the Obama campaign staff isn't laughing.