Saturday, September 11, 2004

In today's New York Times, journalist John Broder glorifies dirty campaigning saying

It just seems that the Republicans are, today at least, more adept at the black art of attack politics, according to historians and flummoxed Democratic partisans.

Broder wastes too much vocabulary when it would simply be more accurate and more expedient to say that the Republicans are just bigger assholes.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

As a caller said on Al Franken's show, it's like the media say, "Oh, boy, Bush brought a gun to a knife fight. That's just unprecedented in knife fights heretofore. Original thinking. It's great, isn't it?"

h

Elaine said...

That's a great way of putting it. Were they referring to that NYTimes article by any chance or just talking about the "art" of dirty politics in general (eye roll).

Anonymous said...

I believe it was Kerry who said, upon being given a gun: "I thank you for the gift, but I can't take it to the debate with me." At least we know what he'd like to do.

Elaine said...

joke...?

Chris said...

hey E-laine,

I think the explanation for the quote in the anonymous post can be found here: http://www.suntimes.com/output/elect/cst-nws-kerry071.html

Chris said...

Back last fall, in my U.S. Political Systems class, Bob Beckel, Walter Mondale's campaign manager came and spoke to my class. He was asked about the campaign, and he said basically, "expect the dirtiest campaign in U.S. history; there's nothing we want more than to beat this man [G.W.Bush]."

That remark has been in my mind ever since. I think there are "assholes", as you crassly put it, on both sides, but Republicans set up their attacks better and do the attacking better...that is, quietly. The DNC makes an announcement proclaiming Bush never served in the Air Force, and almost no one pays attention. A little group of Vietnam vets make some claims, and a group beneath the radar screen pays attention and it grows and grows. The Democrats could do this too, but they get too excited.