Thank heavens the Kerry campaign isn't stooping to the vilification, name-calling, and ad hominem attacks that those vile Bushies have. Thank heavens indeed.
The East Bay for Kerry/MoveOn House party on December 7th combined the forces of two grass-roots organizations based in San Francisco East Bay Area. We had 200 guests eating, drinking, and watching the MoveOn Documentary “Uncovered” featuring Joseph Wilson and Rand Beers from the Kerry campaign.
When Teresa Heinz-Kerry arrived, she handed me a pin that read in the center: “Asses of Evil” with “Bush”, “Cheney”, “Rumsfeld” and “Ashcroft” surrounding it.
What sort of fits would the anti-Bush types be pitching (with justification) were anti-Kerry or anti-Democrat analogs be passed out by Laura Bush at a GOP fund-raiser? Wasn't Bush lambasted for tossing around so casually (or so unilaterally) that "E" word back in 2001?
Granted, this was back in December 2003. Perhaps the focus on "the issues" is another area that Kerry's had a change of heart about since then.
Filed under :: Politics & Law
Cool…Where can I get some of those buttons;->
Dave, the reason why Laura Bush wouldn’t be caught doing these things is her role is to be the non-threatening-Barby-always-smiling-poster-girl-for-decent-‘murican’s. She isn’t supposed to have thoughts or opinions. She’s a Stepford first lady…the Anti-Hillary.
p.s. Stop riffing off of the Giant-Forehead…or he’ll have another breakdown at Target.
You will recall all the brough-ha-ha when in September 2000, then Governor Bush whispered to Dick Cheney that New York Times reporter Adam Clymer was a major league ---hole.
Hold on to your hats folks, we have eight more months of this. Uggh. What I am also not looking forward to is the TV ads (with Cambell retiring) and auto-dialers for get out the vote. I might call back and tell them if you call me one more time I am voting Democrat. You will note that the no-call laws exclude political calls. How conveeenient.
It would be deucedly difficult to Constitutionally restrict political phonecalls -- and that's probably not a bad thing, all considered. That's why I still have Caller ID.
Stan, you're right -- I should have cited Lileks for the ref.
That said, I think it's an ugly and hypocritical episode, though in keeping with those who think that name-calling, mockery, and villification of the Other Side is fine, but critiquing of Our Side is tantamount to Un-American Impugning of One's Patriotism.
It would be difficult to restrict political calls while remaining within constitutional bounds. And that's probably not a bad thing, as irksome as they are.
Stan, you're right, I ought to have cited Lileks for the original link.
That said, I think it's small but ugly and hypocritical episode, though fully in keeping for those who think namecalling, mockery, and villification of the Other Side is a riot, but who declare any critique of Their Side as Un-American Impugning of Their Patriotism.
I want one of those buttons. :-)
I'm not looking forward to this campaign season at all.
I'm still voting ABB. I haven't decided if that mean Nader or Kerry. Neither choice gives me warm fuzzy feelings. However, I can't vote for Bush.
I have to admit that while I agree it's probably not in good form I still find the button to be highly amusing and would love to have one.
That sort of thing should be left to classless people like myself to produce and make a profit... er... distribute, however, people involved in the campaign shouldn't be pushing this sort of thing.
Dave...
The thing is, is that that both sides are doing it this year instead of just the GOPer's. That's what seems to have the right up in arms.
On the plus side these http://www.thoseshirts.com/ "target="new">items
are both funny and are completely mockery, namecalling, and vilification free (items have been featured at GOP meetings and such)Okay, I'll admit it's an amusing tag line. :-) Though, again, if someone from the Bush campaign were were passing them out, not only would they be lambasted as Nasssty Rethuglican Dirty Tricksters, but dire warnings of political opponents being equated with international enemies, and soon to be rounded up and tossed in prison camps, would be circulated.
I would expect it -- and not feel as irked about it -- from MoveOn (just as I would expect similar low-class stuff from certain activist groups on the Right). And, yes, the stuff you link to Stan, has the same sensabilities to it (running from the amusing to the grotesque, depending on your sensibilities and your political stance).
When it's the candidate, or someone personally representing them, getting involved in that kind of material, it just strikes me as crass and unbecoming. At best. Can you imagine the reaction if Laura Bush were passing out those ghastly Ann Coulter t-shirts? Hell, it might make me vote for Kerry.
And, again, it's particularly in the context of the candidate in question now predicting direly that "They're going to do everything possible to tear down my character personally (and) Teresa. That's the way they operate" that it prompted comment.
Contrast the current situation with the eighties. I was probably one of three people who saw this live on C-SPAN. :-)
The Republicans discovered that the so-called Special Orders were a great way of grousing about the heavy-handed rules of the majority. Special Orders are speeches on anything done after the House has completed its business. These usually occur around midnight local time. C-SPAN ran these speeches live.
The Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill, controlled the C-SPAN cameras. At first the freshman bomb-throwers -- Newt Gingrich, Vin Weber, Robert Walker etc -- started complaining about the Rules Committee. In order to diffuse the situation Tip started putting a text crawl at the bottom of the screen stating the business of the House was completed. But the young (at the time) turks kept going. Then Tip instructed the camera man to move away from the tight shot on the well and pan the empty chambers. The Republicans picked up on this and said, "And where are the Democrats?"
The next day, Tip completely lost it and came down from the Speaker's rostrum into the well of the House and called them:
unamerican
For this he was censured. How far we have come in twenty years.
Since when is move-on.org considered a "grass roots" organization?
Well, a Google on the terms finds copious examples of the description. E.g.,
MoveOn is probably the first successful example of a nationwide grassroots organization that occurred spontaneously," said Harvard University political scientist Elaine Kamarck, who studies the role of the Internet in political campaigns.
MoveOn was born Sept. 22, 1998, when Boyd and Blades bought a Web site for $89.95. The couple was fed up with what they saw as the GOP-led obsession with impeaching Clinton for lying about his sexual escapades with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
Whether you remain "grass roots" after being pledged millions of dollars in donations from a wealthy contributor may be another question.