And of course, President Obama wasn't attacked within days of his announcing his candidacy by both his own party rivals and that of the GOP machine-not to mention that "hatred" spewed by the Tea Party...

I think you would have a difficult time coming up with equivilent personal attacks on Obama or his family when he announced his candidacy, Scoutgal. As to the Tea parties, they had not yet formed.
Yours,
Issodhos