Virginia's choice... (Loudoun County Dem - 6/17/2006 9:39:26 AM)
This diary started off as a comment to Lowell's post about Dick Wadhams' most recent attack on Webb. As it went on longer than I hoped, I turned it into a diary as a repsponse to both Lowell's post and a conversation I had about political language earlier this week.Republicans have mastered the art of rhetoric in today's political world. Democrats are still unsure if it's safe to come out of their metaphorical foxholes. Fortunately, for our sake, Dick Wadhams is not the master of spin that his mentor, Karl Rove is. But, you can bet that Rove will be whispering into his ear every chance he gets.
As Lowell previously posted, Wadams quote on Webb:
"Here he is as the Democratic nominee saying 'No, I don't really know a lot,"' Wadhams said. "That's a terribly disturbing admission."
Webb graduated from the Naval Academy, was first in his class at Quantico, Secretary of the Navy, best-selling author and award-winning journalist. This stuff scares the pants off Allen and his arrogant surrogates. They will do everything they can to undermine Webb's strengths and integrity.
Sure, Allen was Governor of Virginia and even on his high school student council (not sure if this qualifies you for Senate, but after such a lofty position it is understandable how he can be bored as a United States Senator).
It's hard to imagine how young Felix (yes, that is Allen's middle name) can stand such an insignificant position in American society, I mean his father's father was a chauffeur (isn't that French? - how alarming!) to a "private family": euphemism is from Allen's staff on Wikipedia.
I could go on here, but that's not the point of this post. Rhetoric like this is sophmoric and easy to replicate.
What the point is, is how Republicans use language to attack/defeat Democratic candidates while they sleep in their cradles.
If politics is war by other means (to reverse Clausewitz's maxim), then words are the weapons. For whatever reason, Republicans and Democrats use language differently, thus fight very differently. However, there are some Dems that get it and Webb is going to need all the street fighters he can gather to defeat Allen's team of rhetorical ghouls.
Three other examples of Republican Rhetorical Hate Speech used this week:
1. Tex. R. Rep. Louie Gohmert's cowardly attack of Murtha on the House floor.
2. Ann Coulter spews hate again, suggests Fragging of Murtha.
3. Grand Wizard of Hate KKKarl Rove explains the Left's use of the Internet is to "mobilze hate and anger."
Note how Republicans use the most heated, emotionally charged rhetoric for those that they fear the most. Rove is more sophisticated, due to his direct mail background, and knows how to neutralize an enemy by suggesting the opposite about their motives and those of Republican's. Think Clean Air Act, Patriot Act, among the many others and thank KKKRove and Frank Luntz. Day is night and night is day.
Webb is the strongest enemy they have encountered and this campaign is going to be beyond ugly. Watch their language: block, counterattack and fight back tooth and nail.
I could go on here, but it's way past midnight and I have to finish Underworld: Evolution. The movie is reaching its climax and it's time to see who will win, the vampires or the Lycans. Will evil prevail or can we save he world for another sequel?
We may not like this stuff when it's used against us, but it is terribly effective in riling up the base and also planting a strong emotional image with undecided voters.
Don't want to paint a profession with too broad of a brush, but for a brief time one of my grandfathers was a chauffeur for this guy, right after WWI if I'm not mistaken. Let's just say that I heard certain stories more than once. His versions, and my grandmother's versions. Hers were funnier, more poignant and straight to the heart of the matter.
Thanks for one of those "people are just so crazy but you gotta love 'em" moments :)
As for your question? No. People have had enough of incompetence. Even the inept are tired of themselves. They are waiting for grown-ups to set the boundaries.
Not trying to say anything bad here about chauffeurs, (would love to hear some families stories, they're always great) but how Republicans use language like playground bullies.
They're seize upon the littlest thing and then hammer on it again and again. In this case, Allen has several instances where French terms and heritage pop up in his background. Remember what they did to John Kerry in 2004.
Allen should be savaged even worse. His mother was French, or as George Allen may now have to say to his Republican friends: My mother is part Freedom. Republicans would have a field day with this.
Juvenile of course, but Republicans have proven results with their use of language. Democrats have been so cowed since 9/11 that it's only now that we've been able to attack back effectively.
Not totally convinced, but I'll try to make an argument that Allen is being reinvented and marketed as the humble penitent sinner who has achieved insight and wisdom. George Allen will be this enlightened figure standing above this fray of language bullying and other bellicosity.
Wadhams was stuttery and pathetic. But why? Allen can afford whomever he wants.
Put these together -
1. Bush's current media persona (meds?) as a calmer, more articulate, and wiser pres sets the stage for similar possibilities
2. The painful racist, misogynist, anti-semitc spin in the primary
3. The so-called marriage amendment
4. Allen's 'boyish pranks' are in past
5. Allen's recent 'reconciliation' to prove same and the value of forgiveness
6. Webb as tough warrior who doesn't give an inch - you mean he doesn't forgive a humble sinner like George??
That's how I would try to sell Allen. George is a grown-up now and has seen the error of his ways. We all make mistakes, don't we?
Make him into a mother's (or father's or wife's) dream come true. Someone who has seen the light. That mean old Webb shouldn't pick on a nice boy like George.
Rural Virginia may not have too much internet, but we do have "UNSHACKLED!" the longest-running radio drama in history.
I try listen to it every week. Typical story is the guy has some kind of character flaw like greed. Or maybe he comes from a broken home. His long suffering wife tries everything. He hits rock bottom, sees the light and turns his life around to help others.
Christianity provides the cultural context for this particular remorse and salvation story, but it's a theme that is very familiar to many people, religious or not.
One source of power in swift boat type attacks is that they are so outrageous that respondents waste time in being outraged. Guilty here.
Which response is better?
A. X is lying slime. I am so outraged. (add more color here). Let me tell you how outraged I am. Because after all, this is really all about me.
B. X is making false and misleading statement in an effort to avoid real issues. Here's the brief truth about X's diversionary tactic. It's clear that X is does not want to talk about real issues. On the other hand, candidate Y addresses them like so.
Don't recommend the diary as news, but here's some discussion in a DK diary BBC/Palast Uncovers GOP Memos Used to Thwart Black Votes prompted by Greg Palast's new book. The target group was African-American military voters.
Unfortunately, the diary is weakened and complicated by the fact that the underlying story is quite old, and DK diarist pronin2 entitled it as being a bombshell.
pronin2 updates:
UPDATE-Idiot me-this item below is ABOUT a summer 2004 story, however,was published June 16 2006 on Palast's site. The dirty tricks the story discusses is all too relevant today, we are months away from crucial midterms. and the same shenanigans will be payed again. and who will speak out? no wonder so many of my dem friends are leary of the voting process. eevry election the gop finds a way to cage away votes. and every time we sit here wondering about when will there be a party led stand for those robbed of their votes. kinda sick?
With its large military component, is Virginia vulnerable to this voter suppression tactic? In general, what do we need to do now in Virginia to help ensure that we will have a fair election in November 2006?