There is an invention that came out, apparently, in 2004 of which I wasn't aware. It's a machine, of sorts. It is a unique machine, used in politics by only one side. Google "Republican Attack Machine" and you'll find story after story on this incredibly vicious and quite effective device that the Republican party designed and built. I couldn't find any pictures of the thing, but it must be awesome even thought it's quite secretive. I say it's secretive because you cannot find anything about a "Democratic Attack Machine". Apparently they don't know who made the one that the Republicans use, they don't know how to make one of their own, and they can't seem to find anywhere to buy one.
Perhaps it's the clever way in which the Republicans disguise the thing. You see, they have "the Republican Attack Machine" and "the GOP Attack Machine" and "the Right Wing Attack Machine." So ... which is it? Not all Republicans are right wing. Not all right wingers attack. So there is apparently some deception in the use of terminology that misleads the Democrats.
Perhaps it's just that the Democrats don't want it. You know ... they're a loving group with no intention of making any negative remarks about anyone ever. I mean, look at MoveOn.org. Loving ... simply loving. No unkind remarks. No mean things to say. It's clearly not Democrats who call McCain "McSame" and the like because that would be mean. When John Edwards accused George Bush of engaging in a covert political plot to produce the Iraq War, that was meant entirely in kindness. When Al Gore accused the President of "utter incompetence", it was meant as a friend. Those blogs that reference the Republicans in terms that I don't use in polite company are certainly intending it as helpful suggestions.
Or maybe ... just maybe there is a Democratic Attack Machine similar to (can you say "just the same as") the so-called "Republican Attack Machine" and the media just doesn't like to admit it. Hmmm ... I suppose that could be a possibility.
(Note: If there is any doubt that there is a "Democratic Attack Machine", just look at what the media has done with Sarah Palin. They manufactured lies. (Rumors were constructed on the Internet that Palin faked her most recent pregnancy to cover up for her daughter and that Trig is actually her grandchild. It has been demonstrated to be false.) The press has almost universally presented her in a negative light. On the other side, how many of you have heard that the military officially handed over the Anbar Province to Iraqi control? Remember Anbar? It was the staging ground for al-Qaeda, with Fallujah as a primary city. It was considered by many to be impossible to win there. It is now officially peaceable enough to hand over completely to Iraqi control. Why is it that we haven't heard this on the news?)
4 comments:
1. In recent elections, Republicans, by and large, have been the party that flings negative character aspirations whereas Democrats have been content to "run on the issues" — negative campaign appeals work, and they don't have to be reason based — see the scurrilous, slanderous charges put forth by Swift Boat 527 group in 2004 — lies and hearsay that Kerry (who I am no fan of) got sunk by because he wanted to be "above the fray"…
2. Republican campaign strategists have been much more polished and more vicious in attacks that Democrats who foolishly listen to focus groups that tell them people hate negative campaigning. Yes, people hate it but it is effective — people are moved by negative as much or more than positive. When Democrats adopted similar tactics (Clinton w/Carville/Begala in 90s they also enjoyed success)
3. Those Sarah Palin pregnancy rumors weren't constructed on the internet — that's a spinjob — questions were raised in Alaska due to (a) Palin secrecy about pregnancy (not revealed to even close staffers until 7 months), (b) odd behavior (flying at 9 months pregnant and after water broke), (c) mysterious circumstances about daughter pulled from school and (d) the pictures — liberal bloggers jumped all over them in disrespectful fashion yes, but questions are fair game, especially considering how eager candidates trot their families out as campaign pitches…
Which brings me to a double standard that John Stewart hit upon on Daily Show in fine fashion — the same conservative supporters that champion SP and her teen daughter pregnancy castigate others when it happens to them. And can nobody see the contrast that young Levi is trotted out at RNC, whereas Levi-s in other states sit in jail for statutory rape and/or belong to sex offender lists... ...double standard indeed...
4. Regarding Iraq — you don't hear a lot about the illegal immoral invasion in general including the recent Pulitzer Prize journalist (Suskind) revelations about $5M hush money paid to shadowy Iraqi intelligence figure and deliberate forgery to justify invasion based on false deception of WMD. Or previously Downing Street Memos, Pentagon insiders like Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski and others illustrating how GWB administration purposefully deceived to justify war and the killing of 100K-1M+ civilians and ~5K U.S. soldiers.
And if you take the time to read Iraq reports there is still much violence, bombings, abductions, etc.… …the "Surge" while touted as success (and on one level can be acknowledged that things are relatively better), the predicament for Iraqis is more tragic than when Saddam Hussien was in power, measured by any criteria -— rights of women, safety, electricity, right to worship, etc.…
Well, it is clear that you missed the "humor" tab at the bottom of my post (since your reply is as serious as it comes), but I have to ask ... are you serious? Are you actually arguing that Republicans have an "Attack Machine" while Democrats don't attack? Seriously, I have to know. Everything I've seen suggests that Democrats are just as effective at negative campaigning as Republicans. Surely the "war" between Hillary and Obama to be the candidate for the Democrats showed that.
As for Palin's pregnancy rumors, the idea that they were constructed on the Internet came from the news media ... and not the news media that favors her. If it's a spin job, it's theirs, not mine.
As for favoring Palin, don't look at me. I'm not a McCain/Palin fan.
And I get that you consider the President an amazingly devious and evil conspirator and you're in favor of eliminating any military presence in Iraq without delay. I didn't comment one way or the other. My point is that it is one-sided reporting. (We may not have had reports about the conspiracy, but there has been no end of "Bush lied.")
All of this is not particularly relevant to me, though. What is important is I really want to know ... do you actually believe that the Republicans have an "Attack Machine" and the Democrats don't?
Wouldn't being able to find the Republican Attack Machine and not the Democratic Attack Machine through google be proof that there is a Democratic Attack Machine? The Dem Att Mac is just more quiet about it.
Well, now, if Google could be counted on to be unbiased, it might argue that there is no such machine. Of course, it has already been demonstrated that Google is not politically unbiased. ;)
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