From [ThinkProgress] A front-page New York Times story today exposed a shocking $10 MILLION racist campaign to smear the president that was prepared by GOP operatives and was merely awaiting final sign-off from a politically active right-wing billionaire. The campaign was to focus on the president’s previous ties to Rev. Jeremiah Wright, a racially inflammatory topic that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) declared firmly off-limits during his 2008 presidential campaign.

Here’s the rundown on the latest right-wing effort to attack the president.

What was the smear campaign going to involve?

• A 5-minute “film” meant to “inflame opinion” about Obama’s character and former ties Wright.
• More than $8 MILLION in television and online ads.
• A national tour of spokespeople, specifically to include an “extremely literate” black male.
• A launch press conference and other activities in Charlotte, NC to coincide with the Democratic National Convention.

You can check out the entire 54-page attack plan, entitled “The Defeat of Barack Hussein Obama: The Ricketts Plan to End His Spending for Good,” here.

Who was going to pay for it?

Joe Ricketts, a right-wing  billionaire who founded TD Ameritrade and whose family owns the Chicago Cubs. Ricketts, who just so happened to sell $10.46 MILLION in TD Ameritrade stock last month, was to bankroll the project through his Ending Spending Super PAC.