Speaking of speculation & innuendo

[Pete]

This relates to the Wright/Hagee story. You think that everyone's a normal, rational, thinking, person and will clearly see the obvious differences between McCain and Obama. The reality is people will always see what they want to see. If the MSM and the Democrats make the storyline that rich & spoiled Cindy McCain's drug abuse and stealing of drugs from her children's foundation is much, much, worse than any comments a black woman who faced racism her whole life made, then that's what the story will be. And any one who tries to raise above the media din and say "But... Cindy's problems are personal!" will never get heard. That's the nature of the beast, and once it gets released it's impossible to control.

The best thing Republicans could do for themselves is when the Clintonistas start rolling out attacks on Michelle Obama, and they are asked to comment, say "We are running against Barack Obama, not his family." That would save a lot of heartache. Once wives become the issue, here's what will happen: Cindy McCain's "personal problems" will become the story. This will be followed by countless stories of how a pampered rick girl could go so astray. This will then lead to countless stories of how she came to be rich, which will then drag her criminal father's history into the spotlight. Then the storyline will change to how fearing more limits on alcohol sales in the 1970s and 1980s, her dad decided it would be a good idea to have a son-in-law in Congress to look out for his interests, so he pays to get John elected. The best thing Republicans could do is shut up... but they won't be able to stop themselves.

The point here that I have stated over an over is it is not Republicans who get mileage out of these type stories it is the feeding frenzy media. If Michelle Obama is the focus of stories in the media it is because they dig and root until they find something then they run it up the flag pole and try to get ratings because controversey sells.

The GOP has as much control over Limbaugh and Hannity as Ted Kennedy has over his bladder. IF a story dug up by the media grows legs it is unreasonable to expect a politician to not comment on it in some way when directly questioned. To not express a view would promote the perception they are weak. It doesn't have to be an outright damnation but something like "I was greatly disturbed that a reverend made bombastic statements of that nature. If it were me in the position of being in that church I would have excused myself because those views are counter productive and I do not share them in any way, shape or form." Or in the case of Michelle Obama "I really don't exgage in the nit picking of words and trying to determine intent. I heard them and I suppose they can be taken in several ways. If she truly is not proud of our nation then I would say that is a curious statement to be made by the spouse of a candidate for the Chief Executive to make.

 

[Pete]

That's what you will think. Remember that there are lots of folks who think Bush was behind 9/11, Bush stole the election, Halliburton is running the government, Clinton was impeached because of sex, etc. If the storyline becomes "McCain Elected to Hep Suspected Murderer", there will be plenty of people who will run with that.

Those people are very few but they get microphones so they are loud. The reason these whackjobs get cameras and microphones to promote their wackadoodle conspiracries are because they are bombastic ratings grabbers and the media trots them out so people can get a good laugh.

For every goober out there who says "Well Wright made racists and anti American sermons for 8 years but at least it was not 20" there are 100 who say "I don't care, once is enough for me."

 

[vraiblonde]

Cindy McCain's "personal problems" will become the story. This will be followed by countless stories of how a pampered rick girl could go so astray. This will then lead to countless stories of how she came to be rich, which will then drag her criminal father's history into the spotlight. Then the storyline will change to how fearing more limits on alcohol sales in the 1970s and 1980s, her dad decided it would be a good idea to have a son-in-law in Congress to look out for his interests, so he pays to get John elected.

Bruzilla, they are going to do this anyway, whether Michelle Obama gets some press or not. Where have you been the last 10 years or so? Do you not remember how Mary Cheney was bandied about? And she's just a daughter!

 

[Bruzilla]

The GOP has as much control over Limbaugh and Hannity as Ted Kennedy has over his bladder. IF a story dug up by the media grows legs it is unreasonable to expect a politician to not comment on it in some way when directly questioned. To not express a view would promote the perception they are weak.

I disagree with that view. McCain hasn't had much going for him this year, but one place where he is scoring points is when he's refused to debase himself with discussing what amount to personal attacks. Obama has gotten the nomination running a campaign that largely refuses to comment on personal attacks on his opponent.

 

[Bruzilla]

Bruzilla, they are going to do this anyway, whether Michelle Obama gets some press or not. Where have you been the last 10 years or so? Do you not remember how Mary Cheney was bandied about? And she's just a daughter!

And how long was the Mary Cheney issue a story? About 60 seconds in political time. Why? Because Dick Cheney was smart enough not to make it a story. He acknowledged that his daughter is a lesbian and that she was not the one running for office. He didn't deny anything, he didn't counter attack, he didn't make being the father of a lesbian be the story. He gave the MSM nowhere to go with the story and it died a quick death. If the Republican were smart (and they won't be) they would do the same with the wives stories. Just say "it's the candidate running for office, not the wife!" and give the MSM nowhere to go. Instead, the more Republicans play in the echo chamber and make more and more comments about Michelle Obama, the more Democrats are going to have to defend her and the more they'll start attacking Cindy McCain as a means of distracting attention away from Obama. And Republicans will deny and decry the attacks, which will just encourage the MSM to keep digging deeper.

 

[vraiblonde]

And how long was the Mary Cheney issue a story?

From the 2000 election to just after the 2004 election. Just a pinch longer than 60 seconds. She was not only salivated after by the media, but Johns Kerry and Edwards personally used her as a political football - repeatedly.

 

[Bruzilla]

From the 2000 election to just after the 2004 election. Just a pinch longer than 60 seconds. She was not only salivated after by the media, but Johns Kerry and Edwards personally used her as a political football - repeatedly.

Oh please!!! The Mary Cheney story was never a story once Dick Cheney defuzed it. And the one time that Kerry tried to bring it up in the debates it was quickly turned against him.

 

[Larry Gude]

That's right...

. He didn't deny anything, he didn't counter attack, he didn't make being the father of a lesbian be the story. He gave the MSM nowhere to go with the story and it died a quick death.

...he didn't try to defuse a bomb that had already gone off.

 

[Bruzilla]

...he didn't try to defuse a bomb that had already gone off.

Exactly right! Nor did he try to deny the bomb had gone off. He didn't go all Baghdad Bob and proclaim "There are no Lesbians here!"

 

[vraiblonde]

Exactly right! Nor did he try to deny the bomb had gone off. He didn't go all Baghdad Bob and proclaim "There are no Lesbians here!"

Lynne Cheney said, when Cokie Roberts brought it up in a 2000 interview, that she wasn't going to discuss her daughter's personal life. Of course, that didn't stop them from trying to make it an issue next election.

Again, if it doesn't work, why do they keep doing it? And why do they keep winning elections doing things that don't work and people find repugnant?

You're wrong on this, dude.

 

[Larry Gude]

No...

Lynne Cheney said, when Cokie Roberts brought it up in a 2000 interview, that she wasn't going to discuss her daughter's personal life. Of course, that didn't stop them from trying to make it an issue next election.

Again, if it doesn't work, why do they keep doing it? And why do they keep winning elections doing things that don't work and people find repugnant?

You're wrong on this, dude.

...he's right. For once. Kerry got in heap big trouble for a little while when he made an allusion to her in 2004. A number of left pundits slapped his little hands. Lynne did bust Cokies' chops by saying she couldn't believe Cokie would bring that up. I recall that shut it down for awhile, too.

 

[Bruzilla]

Lynne Cheney said, when Cokie Roberts brought it up in a 2000 interview, that she wasn't going to discuss her daughter's personal life. Of course, that didn't stop them from trying to make it an issue next election.

Again, if it doesn't work, why do they keep doing it? And why do they keep winning elections doing things that don't work and people find repugnant?

You're wrong on this, dude.

Of course they tried desperately to make Cheney a story, but it was never much of a story! That's the point! Suppose Lynne Cheney had said "I don't know what you're talking about! My daughter is not a lesbian!" Talk about a story! That would have been above the fold for months, first as a lie, then stories about how Republicans are living in denial, then about how the Cheneys are homophobes, and on and on. Instead all the MSM got was to ask questions that were answered but not elaborated on, which made the issue a relative non-story.

Again, if it works so great, why did Obama defeat Clinton? Why did King of the RINOs defeat Guiliani and Romney? Why did Democrats who ran in special elections cream the pants off Republicans by focusing on conservative issues while the Republicans ran on linking the Dems to Obama and Wright? Maybe gutter politics worked so well only because everyone was taking the low road, and now some folks are finally taking the high road, they are winning out over the gutter folks.