You have a Democratic campaign that’s painting its opponent as a felon, a tax-dodger, a dog-abuser, and a killer who will bring back slavery. On the other side, you have a Republican campaign that’s responding to these attacks as “hateful” and “inappropriate.” The media spin? Both sides need to tone down the “toxic rhetoric”:
“You thought last week was bad? Just when you thought last week’s third grade insults were as low as the campaign could go here, here we go again, the campaign has gotten even uglier,” MSNBC’s Chuck Todd said Wednesday. “It’s not faux outrage, it’s real outrage. Over the last 24 hours, the attacks from both sides have reached a new level of vitriol.”
CNN’s Soledad O’Brien said the campaigns struck a new note of negativity.
“Romney and Obama campaigns going on the offensive at the same time? What that means is nasty rhetoric, really nastier than ever,” she said this morning.
Seriously? Romney has basically stuck to attacks on Obama’s policy, it’s the Obama campaign that’s gone into the gutter. In fact, the only “negative” remarks from the Romney campaign cited in the Politico story were made in response to Democratic smears. Yes, Reince Priebus called Reid a liar — in response to Reid’s baseless accusations that Romney didn’t pay taxes for 10 years. The Washington Post gave Reid’s claim four Pinnochios, and Politifact rated it as “Pants on Fire.” Should they be criticized for toxic rhetoric as well?
But media figures who sold the public on the myth of Obama’s new, upbeat brand of politics back in 2008 apparently can’t admit that he’s the one spearheading the sleazy campaign tactics this time around. Hence, the more comfortable narrative that “both sides” are equally responsible for the negativity. Mark Halperin’s recommendation that Obama call Romney and propose a “truce” seems particularly unrealistic. How can anyone expect Obama to do this in good faith, after his campaign told Politico last year that it’s plan was to “destroy” Romney?
“Unless things change and Obama can run on accomplishments, he will have to kill Romney,” said a prominent Democratic strategist aligned with the White House.
The onslaught would have two aspects. The first is personal: Obama’s reelection campaign will portray the public Romney as inauthentic, unprincipled and, in a word used repeatedly by Obama’s advisers in about a dozen interviews, “weird. …
The second aspect of the campaign to define Romney is his record as CEO of Bain Capital, a venture capital firm that was responsible for both creating and eliminating jobs. Obama officials intend to frame Romney as the very picture of greed in the great recession — a sort of political Gordon Gekko.
Why should it be a surprise that the Obama campaign is doing precisely what it said it was going to do?
Stupid or mendacious, or just lying liars telling lies. Those are the only possible explanations for most journalists' behavior. n nGood thing their influence is waning. n nIt always seemed ridiculous that dope smoking B and C students ended up setting the national zeitgeist (I suspect that applies to The One, as well). n nDope smoking A students – that's a different matter altogether! n n
They want a truce because people are starting to realize their guy is a sleaze ball.
I cannot even think of one time when the Romney/Ryan campaign has behaved badly. Can someone provide me with an example? Only Obama's people has engaged in slime job tactics.
Romney's mendacious, racist ad complaining that the President is allowing shiftless blacks to just drink beer, eat watermelon, and collect welfare. It's as slimy as it gets. And, this coming from a professional parasite.
You are unhinged. There is no such ad saying any such things. None. And there never has been one. n nSay, by any chance, do you inhabit a parallel universe? I mean, why would you imagine that you can — here of all places — state malicious opinions that have no basis in fact, stink up the place, and get away with it? Why?? Because you "feel strongly" about the matter? Sorry. Not good enough. And you really should bring up such symptoms as "seeing" and "hearing" nonexistent advertisements with an understanding psychotherapist. Those images of watermelon-gobbling black folk tormenting you? Very, very disturbing. I greatly fear that the prognosis is not good, RV. n nBut who knows? You might at least be able to get us taxpayers — Wow! Just imagine it: total and complete strangers — to pay your shrink for you under some Obama-scam or other. That's SUCH an admirable way to approach one's obligations. I can't think how you'd disagree.
I'm confused, so please help me understand. Is the ad racist for criticising Pres. Obama, or for advocating restrictions on welfare, or just because it advocates voting Republican? Or is it all three? nAs far as a professional parasite, what businesses have Pres. Obama and VP Biden ever run, and how often have they had to meet a payroll? While we're at it, when have they ever reached into their own pocket to help someone instead of reaching into the taxpayers' pockets?
It's called lipstick-on-pig-putting. When it comes to the President, the media have less in common with reporting news than with restoring lost allure, more with Max Factor than Ed Murrow. How did that slogan go? "Only her hairdresser knows for sure"? Well, the media know all about her now, but THEY'RE not going to be the ones to tell. Even so, every day reveals the awful truth and provides another scarifying moment, as when one glances carelessly into the bathroom mirror in too bright light: Good Lord! He needs ANOTHER face job? Another nip and another tuck? Here and there and over there, too. And though they're down to that last gallon jug of mascara, the last tub of bikini wax, though the makeup bag is all but bare, there can be no thought of stinting. No. It's far too late for that. But the zits! My God, the zits!! What to do? What to DO? Don't look at them! But really now, be reasonable. Who can dissemble that much? And God, must I french kiss this pig yet again? Yikes! n nFour years ago Obama was a fresh-faced virgin without makeup. Now he's a blowzy old whore in a slit skirt — a three-dollar whore, in fact; just read his fundraising emails — puce blouse askew, eyebrows sloppily pencilled in, stockings more runs and ladders than nylon, one heel snapped off quite — and Lord love 'im, he's STILL hustling drunks and dopers outside Port Authority! Troweled nightly with rouge and lipstick by his media stylists, who delicately hold his forehead when he throws up into their cameras on cue — BFFs, you will understand — he may get by. He might. n nYet what a sacrifice it has called for — Gulp — It WILL call for! Putting to one side self-respect and simple honesty is one thing. That never hurt anybody. Much. And besides, like Linda Lovelace, Brokaw and Rather and Walters and Mitchell and Schieffer and MacNeil and Lehrer and Kurtz and Clift and the bulk of the shite-swallowing press corps learned the knack of suppressing their gag reflex ages ago, didn't they? They were drilled in that demanding discipline when Bill Clinton was their pinup and Hillary their hero. That was one thing, yes, they learned well. And sometimes, when reminiscing, while fingering their Peabodys and Pulitzers like the old campaign medals they are, they would think "Thank God Almighty, but we won't ever have to go through THAT again!" THAT was one thing. n nBut now this. n nThis, um, campaign. n nThis campaign is different. Creepy different. Obama wasn't SUPPOSED to behave like, well, like an ugly old trollop. Right? I mean, it — the line — was hope and change; and if that wasn't good enough, how about tingly hope and goose-bump change? Wasn't that how it went? Sure it was. But now? Now it's "Where's the frickin' penicillin?" and "For pete's sake DON'T wipe his mouth with a used Kleenex!" Unfortunately, the only other solid paying gig available to a dedicated propagandist is scraping snot from Ole Black Joe's upper lip while keeping the rambunctious, demented coot pinned to his Depends. They did not cover any of THAT in J-school. n nIt's plain tiring, bone-tiring, cleaning up after them is, both of them.
The truce that they want is for Romney to stop criticizing anything about Obama. On Cleveland television (channel 5's News at Five) a few minutes ago said that both sides need to tone it down, but they then showed a clip of Romney telling Obama to take his hate back to Chicago and closed by saying The President wants to talk about Medicare — in other words, suggesting Obama's all about issues. Very maddening!
let's see: n nDemocrats: They gonna put y'all back in chains! n nRepublicans: Obama's economic plan is hurting the country! n nthese people have made projection into an art form, they really have.
Romney's lying, racist welfare queen ads mark him as the hater.
Whoa now, Nelly. You'll have a stroke coming on if you're not more careful. Follow these four simple steps to tranquility: n n(1) Take deep breath. n(2) Lie Down. n(3) Attach cinder block firmly to ankle. n(4) Jump in river. n nRepeat as necessary. n nNo charge. n nAND You'd be amazed at how much better the rest of us will feel, too.
Maybe he should play some solitaire to pass the time.
Two weeks ago, I posted on Facebook one of those posters "accusing" Harry Reid of pedophilia with a challenge to rebut the claim. A liberal friend expressed grave offense, saying that he would never say such a thing about "even Sarah Palin or Rush Limbaugh." I responded that the ad was obviously satire and, besides, Harry Reid took the fight to the gutter and he deserved everything coming his way. I told the friend that I would gladly take down the post if he would publicly condemn Reid's baseless accusations. The friend refused but still insisted on complaining about how unfair the post was. I replied, "Sorry, I'm not playing by your rules of unilateral disarmament." I was promptly unfriended. Oh well.
Thank you, Alana, for mentioning this. This has been a very frustrating part of the election, when you have MSM obviously trying to help BHO to now even trying to equate his nasty campaign with Rommey's. It's the same as when they try to say Republicans are not bipartisan when they don't give into some bill the Dems want but goes against Republican values. Aargh! I want to scream at the tv! (well, I do sometimes!) Someone please give me an example of Romney's "nasty" campaign?
Well Alana, the Make Believe Media are just using the same script from the Palestinian-Israel conflict.