Frightened Republicans Use Best Weapon for Their Base:
Mockery, Mean-Spiritedness, Fear, Sarcasm, and Lies
What else to do in the absence of any respectable record for the last eight years?
Here's Rudy Giuliani (if you can stomach him) and pit-bull-in-lipstick VP pick Sarah Palin who can deliver a speech, despite its pandering excesses.
Did Giuliani actually say, "Sarah Palin has more experience than the entire Democratic ticket combined?"
The mockery of "community organizing" is despicable, as if somehow serving one's country instead of one's self-interest is something to be looked down upon.
Here's an article from the AP on the ways in which the truth was stretched last night.
And here's a bit on Giuliani's "Islamic terrorism" throwdown from Think Progress.
And a flashback on Palin for you, recorded just weeks ago:
"As for that VP talk all the time, I'll tell you, I still can't answer that question until somebody answers for me what is it exactly that the VP does every day?"
Huckabee and Romney, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted Sep. 4,2008 at 8:00 AM EST by Andy Towle in John McCain, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, News, Republican Party, Sarah Palin | Permalink
DAVID,
of course, you're right. And I know that your strategy for dealing with Palin is right and SMART. I got carried away with some of the pro-Palin comments here, and it will happen again; therefore, I want some Democrats to respond to her cynicism & hypocrisy--not Slim Jim, and maybe not Biden ( But Biden must respond to her lack of knwowledge of world affairs).
Feminists & women in the Democratic Party should not let her get away with using cries of sexism. She's a damn sexist, the same way Clarence Thomas and Alan Keyes are anti-black. (I'm getting carried away agains--sorry. Lord, two more months of this).
Thanks for calming me down, DAVID. I knew this was coming, and so did the Obama Campaign. I know they'll handle it better than some emotional queen--starving for a Democrat in the White House.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Sep 4, 2008 12:18:03 PM
YEEK posted:
*The greatest threat to us right now? Her speechwriter. Talented, dangerous, and on the other side.*
EXACTLY! To anyone here defending this person as capable, please bear in mind that she was delivering a speech. She delivered it very well. She hit on many strong points that clearly resonated with the audience. Like the statement that "McCain is the only one who has fought for his country." AS IF THE ONLY WAY TO FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY IS TO GO TO WAR! Do you really believe that? HOW SIMPLISTIC AND DISINGENUOUS CAN YOU GET?
Oh, let's look at the tried and true, sure to please the crowd statements referring to those tax and spend liberals who want big government. This one REALLY kills me. DOES ANYONE THINK THAT GOVERNMENT HAS GOTTEN SMALLER IN THE LAST 8 YEARS? Patriot act, anyone? That the Democrats are the ones doing the spending? Cost of this war anyone? Do any of you realize that there is a paper trail of earmarks associated with Palin? Where do you think government funds come from? Maybe taxes?
Just say the other guy is the bad one often enough. It's all anyone will hear and remember. Best part for these people is that their base really respects loyalty. It will be very hard for them to ever believe disconfirming information (something no one does easily).
My head hurts.
Posted by: JT | Sep 4, 2008 12:48:54 PM
MOCKERY, MEAN SPIRITEDNESS, FEAR, SARCASM, AND LIES are not just the traits of the the right. democrats use those exact weapons against the right. i always fine it amazing how the left acts as if it takes the high road when dealing with the american public. when in fact they are down in the gutter with the right slinging mud with the best of them. HYPOCRISY!!! either you all rationalize the behavior of the left so you feel okay about it or realize it and choose to turn a blind eye to your own political reps. as long as you agree on the issues. BOTH parties/reps should be called on their behavior.
Posted by: jby | Sep 4, 2008 1:20:51 PM
ALEX is right, this is well worth your time.
http://www.thatminoritything.com/?p=53193
And JBY, you are correct. Rhetoric is spewed by all. But this is fresh hot steaming rhetoric, stuff that reinforces stereotypes, discourages critical thinking, plays upon fears, and encourages the us against them, in group/out group mentality that in my opinion the right seems to do more effectively than the left, because the right is more likely to believe in one right way whereas at least ideally, the left is open to diversity.
Posted by: JT | Sep 4, 2008 1:49:51 PM
For those who missed Jon Stewart last night.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8uGenNjOAI
For you GOP trolls here I'd love to hear you defend the clips.
Posted by: patrick nyc | Sep 4, 2008 2:22:40 PM
I can't believe no one has responded to Bob R's excellent post. This contest is OVAH! The Obama/Biden campaign is focusing on the big picture WIN on a micro scale. They are going city by city, county by county, and district by district to win the states necessary for the White House. They are applying the same playbook that achieved Obama's primary success. Look at the electoral map on the NY Times. Obama is ahead on solid Democratic and Democratic leaning states. If he wins all those states his electoral college count is 268. You only need 270 to win the White House. He's also making inroads on all the on-the-bubble states. He wins one of those states or more and by the end of this year we can finally bid these horrific Bush years goodbye.
The Obama/Biden ticket is playing a smart game. While everyone is concerned with the Palin circus they are sowing up the election. They are allowing the MSM to pick apart their competition because it's so fucking easy. I'll admit that Sarah Palin delivered a coherent speech to her BASE. But she'll win over very few converts because there was nothing substantive in her speech. It felt like a first lady speech, not a VP speech. And she spent much of the time rebuking the scandals surrounding her. Lucky for us Democrats the real shit still hasn't fit the fan. She will get her ass handed to her in the debates, because it'll be one against one unlike the primaries where it felt like a gang bang against Clinton. I have no doubt she'll be able to defend herself in a debate against Biden, but will she be able to convince women to vote against their own interests is the question. The answer is no, because the McCai/Palin ticket has no coherent theme except "Don't Fix What Ain't Broke." Newsflash: it's broke! Denial, distraction, and distortion only work when you're an incumbent. Thanks for playing though.
The other thing that hasn't been discussed on this site is the fact that the most ardent female Clinton supporters aren't flocking behind Palin because they don't trust her decisions as a mother. The fact that she has an infant with downs syndrome and a now teenage pregnant daughter, but still choose to pursue the White House troubles them. It doesn't sit right with them because they think she should care more about her family than her ambitions. I find it fascinating that this sexism is coming from the very women that cried foul about the sexism shown Clinton. But it's happening and totally working in Obama's favor. And Palin's beliefs on the core principles that lead so many women to vote for Clinton will prevent many of those same voters to cast a vote for her. Clinton will campaign in the battleground states to make it perfectly clear the glaring distinctions between them. Regardless of what many think of her, she did not spend most of her life devoted to public service and the advancement of those less fortunate than the top 1% so that what she truly believes could be dismantled by a McCain/Palin White House. Her ambition to be president is not stronger than her desire for what she truly believes in. She won't risk a McCain/Palin White House so she can run again in 4 or 8 years. The damage will be done by then, and it will be irreparable.
Just sit back kiddies, they have applied the lipstick on the pit bull, but that bitch is all bark and not bite.
Posted by: sugarrhill | Sep 4, 2008 2:50:17 PM
A telling side note that I'm yet to see pointed out by anyone - the two times I've seen John McCain join Palin on stage (at her announcement of VP and last night), she doesn't make any eye contact with him. Actually she seems to pretend like he isn't on stage, looks somewhat annoyed he's standing next to her, and clearly focusses out to the crowd and not on him at all. At the least, it's ungracious behavior from a VP candidate to the potential future President (Noooo!), but I think it also shows her true character - a ruthlessly ambitious lone wolf willing to do whatever it takes to obtain power.
Posted by: Danmac | Sep 4, 2008 3:21:01 PM
Sugarhill
CNN keeps harping the Working Woman mag poll of working women that shows 50% of working women thinking Palin should stay home and take care of her family.
It is shocking. The people she is supposed to appeal to are turned off by her in large numbers and growing.
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 4, 2008 3:23:36 PM
DANMAC
On that, Huffpo yesterday had an article about xtian preachers etc all praying that mccain literaly dies quickly in office so their xtian theocratic messiah can usher in the days of Jesus land (no more america)
Seriously, she might despise mccain and see him as her ticket to being GAWDDDDD's Holy Vicar on earth ruling over the holy jesus land that will go forth and convert the infidels at the point of a gun.
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Sep 4, 2008 3:27:18 PM
I know one should not feed the trolls, but...
Jake, your ignorance is truly appalling. Go here:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/50lies.asp
and here:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/church.asp
and here:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp
I do hope you'll read and comprehend, but it may be your stupidity is an unassailable. It's sad.
Oh, and you are aware that Palin is very antigay? She holds the standard laundry list of Fundagelical bugaboos.
Why do you gloat for her?
Weird. And sad, sad, sad.
Posted by: TikiHead | Sep 4, 2008 4:03:17 PM
Personally, I thought Palin did a masterful job last night. The Obama campaign machine and the liberal media has done everything in their power to smear her reputation because they realize the danger she poses to the celebrities' election.
While the left may hate to acknowledge it, facts are facts, Palin has more EXECUTIVE experience than the entire democratic ticket. In being fair, she has more executive experience than McCain himself.
Regarding the "community organizing" debate, unfortunately for the democrats, they tried to elevate Obama's experience as a community organizer as being more important than being a mayor of a small town or being governor of the largest State in the Union by land mass. Seems like they don't find smearing a person who has more experience than a community organizer, but hate to have the facts set straight.
Personally, I find the Palin nomination absolutely brilliant. While I was not a McCain supporter, he managed a masterful stroke with this nomination. The left has gone crazy trying to tear Palin apart, but in the end, it will only hurt themselves as they chase female voters into embracing a McCain/Palin ticket due to Palin's obviously sexist motivated mistreatment.
Posted by: Rex | Sep 4, 2008 5:03:49 PM
@Hill_W
hat trick is 3 (not 2)
[I do like my hockey]
Posted by: what | Sep 4, 2008 5:06:33 PM
Rex:
Did you not read any of the comments up thread. Women are flocking to Obama/Biden ticket not to the McCain/Palin ticket. The more that is known about this woman and her anti-feminist beliefs the more people she turns off. What exactly was brilliant about her nomination? Please explain how her nomination helps the LGBT community at all. Also her lambasting of community organizers has backfired as well. This is just an example of the community organizers that have shaped this great namtion of ours: Harvey Milk, Rosa Parks, Dr. Martin Luther King, Michael Schwermer, Andrew Goodman and James Chaney were all Community Organizers. They and millions of other community organizers are the reason you and I can be friends, work together, live together and love each other, without being jeered at, jailed or killed.
Posted by: sugarrhill | Sep 4, 2008 5:34:31 PM
Rex:
That EXECUTIVE experience line is such a crock.
I've been chair of a college Russian department for 15 years. Therefore I have MORE EXECUTIVE EXPERIENCE than Palin & McCain!
Furthermore, I've BEEN to Russia, even though it's not right next to my state! Therefore I have more foreign policy experience!
Posted by: KevinVT | Sep 4, 2008 7:59:01 PM
REX says: "... governor of the largest state in the union by land mass"
... and this matters WHY? When I heard Fred Thompson say that, I was startled that anyone would put such a red herring in a speech. I live in CA. Pretty large land mass. But more importantly, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of people, with more diversity than someone from a small town in Alaska could even imagine. Not to knock stewardship of the land (although I might not agree with Palin's beliefs and behaviors on that sort of thing), but I think people are a bit more of a challenge, and more people means exponentially more challenges.
Posted by: JT | Sep 4, 2008 8:49:17 PM
Um....the Republican party is ALL about lies.
Hasn't anyone seen McCain's ads all summer? he's just following what his 'analysts' and experts tell him to do.....so whether the next ad runs contrary to what he previously stated, if it will win him the election, he'll do it.
And why should be now believe that Republicans are going to do anything different than they have the last 8 years?
War in Russia. War in Iran.
We're fucked
Posted by: mwf | Sep 4, 2008 11:16:45 PM