Bush, Republicans reduce John Kerry to a punch line

[Khephra]

Bush, Republicans reduce John Kerry to a punch line

NEW YORK - Before a recent rally for President Bush in Las Cruces, N. M., campaign officials showed the crowd a video featuring John Kerry's shifting explanations of his stands on issues. The audience broke into laughter toward the end as a catchy theme from a popular `60s TV show accompanied the clip: "They call him Flipper, Flipper, faster than lightning/ No one you see is smarter than he." That tack was hardly unusual. In fact, on the campaign trail and at this week's Republican convention, Bush and other GOP speakers reduced Kerry to a punch line: a flip-flopping Boston Brahmin with a Senate record that's best used as joke fodder.


Bush campaign officials say the pokes are all in good fun, a light-hearted way to illustrate the differences between Bush and Kerry.


"Too often, those in Washington resort to name-calling and negativity to attempt to make a point," said Scott Stanzel, a Bush campaign spokesman. "There are other ways to point out the differences between the president and his opponent."


Kerry campaign officials aren't laughing. They say the Republican attempt to be funny at Kerry's expense has a vicious edge that often crosses the line.

http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/9576170.htm

[thebigidea]

1. geez.

I'm hoping the Kerry camp figures out that it's time to get off the FOX-News-approved "high road" before the election.

Do you remember all the talking heads warning the Dems during the DNC? Saying all kinds of hogwash about how "bashing Bush would be the kiss of death"?

Funny, all that talk kinda dissappeared.

And when the pundits DO criticize this sort of thing, they ALWAYS make sure to say "oh well the Democrats do it too blah blah 527 blah blah moveon blah blah."

[MidwestTransplant]

3. There was an RNC memo saying this is just what they would be doing.

Making him into a joke.

[Longhorn79]

14. I think he realized that today

He went after Bush and Cheney's vietnam-era records even though they had distanced themselves from the swiftvets. I think he's pulling the gloves off.

[sangh0]

Have no doubt about it.

It's time. Not only Kerry, but ALL Democrats (well, except ole Zell) will be taking off the gloves.

[Born Free]

35. 527 "Christian for Truth"

We need a "Christians for Truth", a 527 not affiliated with any of the Democratic party, to question the bush so called "Christianity" that he boasts about all the time. According to a PBS documentary, he only became an Evangelical after he lost his first election to one, and there are many actions the bush team has taken which would not measure up to the teachings of Christ . The attack campaign could question bush just as the swift boat liars attacks Kerry. The only way to fight the liars on the bush team is to set out your own attack team to do the same to the bush coward, and smoke this coward out from hiding, make him start answering some tough questions, tag him as a "dress up Christian" one that pretends to be a Christian just as he pretends to be a hero.

[bvar22]

2. The bush* campaign has not "misunderestimated"...

...the intelligence of the average American voter.
John Kerry & the Democrats have, and are paying dearly.

Someone tell JK that if it doesn't fit on a bumper sticker, it won't get him elected.

[lancdem]

4. Good point

It can't be that hard to do, given Bush's vulnerabilities.

[saigon68]

5. Chimp's Campaign has correctly estimated the smarts of the Sheep.

And the sheep are lapping it up.

[ClassWarrior]

Please don't call people sheep.

It plays right into the perception of us as liberal snobs. Besides, most people aren't stupid. They just don't have the time or the points of reference to become informed, to ask the right questions. That's why it's important to communicate with this group of people rather than deride them.

[Dogmudgeon]

15. Even worse than that

The term "Sheeple" came from the Libertarians.

The idea that people are sheep comes from the pseudo-Nietzchean wing of the Conservative camp. They adore H. L. Mencken (one of Nietzche's translators) even though Mencken himself wasn't exactly a conservative.

It's a right-wing "meme". We ought to take pains to avoid using it.

--bkl

[Dhalgren]

19. I disagree with you.

There is only around 20% of the electorate (if the polling is correct) that is "undecided" and the other 80% is more or less evenly split. That means that roughly 60% of the voting population is either Bush supporters or "might" go for Bush. I would say that that 60% is either venal or stupid or both. If you are a voter whose family earns less than 150,000 dollars a year (which is most of that 60%) and yet you support the Republicans or are "not sure" whether you will or not, then something is wrong with you. You are not voting for your own (and you country's) best economic interests, so you must be voting for some other reason. If you believe Bush is the best choice for foriegn policy reasons, are you smart or stupid or what? If you think Bush is the best choice for domestic policy issues, are you smart or stupid or what? Saying "don't call them sheep, they are just uninformed and don't know how to get informed" is calling them what? Dim-witted? Slow? Followers? Or sheep, maybe?

[sangh0]

22. We call most of those people "conservatives"

We shouldn't confuse them with people who are too busy working for a living to keep up with the news.

[Dhalgren]

23. Are you saying that

"people who are too busy working for a living to keep up with the news" are people who will just go vote for whomever they are told to vote for or that the aforementioned "people" are too busy to vote, at all? Some of the hardest working, poor people I know are, nevertheless, well informed and active voters. They are not all Democratic voters. If you want to replace "stupid" or "sheep" with the word "conservative", you still have to ask why they have chosen that political philosophy. If "conservatism" works counter to these peoples own best economic interests, then what is the "draw" of "conservatism" for these voters? Is it because they ARE well informed and "conservatism" is the logical choice? I don't think so. I think it is because they have been "duped" (for want of a better word) by demagogues and fear mongers and the snake-oil clergy. If not the "Sheep", perhaps "lemmings" or "Stepford voters"?

[sangh0]

24. I am saying

that of that 60% you identified, about half of them are conservatives. Since it's their conservatism (IMO) that most accounts for their Bush* sympathies, I think it's appropriate to identify them as conservatives, and not lump them in with anything that sounds like "people" :-)

I would also say that many of the people who don't vote are motivated by a belief that it doesn't make a difference., and not because they are lazy or too busy. It doesn't take long to vote.

If you want to replace "stupid" or "sheep" with the word "conservative", you still have to ask why they have chosen that political philosophy.

Many don't have a philosophy per se. I think it's a mistake whenever such large groups of people (and your group is over 150 million) in such simple terms. People vote for many reasons. Not everyone sees the election through an economic lens.

[Dhalgren]

27. That is the 'thing' that I am trying to get at.

Most of that 60% of voters (I think the number would be closer to 60 million)are not benefited, materially, by voting conservative. So they are voting conservative for some other reasons. Whatever those reasons are, they are more compelling to them than their own best (material) interests. Now, if one votes conservative because his/her god requires it, I have a negative opinion regarding that persons quality of discernment. If that voter votes conservative because of fear of terrorists, my opinion of him/her will, likewise, be negative. If the reason for that voter's vote is a philosophical stand that eschews the society's responsibilities for its members - once again, negative...

I suppose that I am saying that it is acceptable to me to deride the choice of conservatism, at this particular time in our history, because that choice benefits so few at the expense of so many, that ignorance or stupidity are the only explanations for it, that I can see. Just MHO.

[sangh0]

28. Some people are more concerned about nonmaterial things

That's even true of some Democrats.

I suppose that I am saying that it is acceptable to me to deride the choice of conservatism,

Then I am in 100% agreement with you. I just feel that if it's conservatism you (the general you, not you personally) want to attack, then you should be clear about that. And you can deride conservatism even when it's a smart person. Even smart people can do stupid things.

"Sheeple" is a word the listener may interpret in a way different than you do, so you can't be sure you're communicating the message you intended. Conservatives is exactly what you oppose, so I think you should be clear about that.

[Dhalgren]

29. Ok.

I see what you mean. Clarity of expression. Yes. I haven't, myself, used the term "sheeple" very often (if ever), but I can sympathize with the exasperation that the use of that term implies when it does crop up. However, I see your point and accept it.

[Longhorn79]

13. You mean they "misOVERestimated" the public

[sandraj]

6. Must be the same people who wrote the

"Are the WMD hiding in the Oval Office?" joke Bush told during his speech/slide show at the Radio and Television News Correspondents Association dinner in March.

That was a really funny one too. Side splitting. These folks are a non-stop laugh riot.

[ClassWarrior]

7. Laughing at the man and calling him "Flipper"...

...have absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with negativity or name-calling.

[depakid]

8. Ridicule works

just like negative ads.

[are_we_united_yet]

9. George W: "We are winning the war on terror:"

George W (on another day): "I don't think you can win it!"

George W (on yte another subsequent day): "We will win the war on terror"

If Kerry is a flip flopper, George W is a flip-flop-flipper.

I guess that is OK for our war-peace president.

[young_at_heart]

10. Should we be surprised?

Do you remember what they did to Dukakis? Remember, these are good Christians just having fun.

[progressivebydesign]

11. They are the meanest, ugliest M.F.s in politics...

I truly, deeply hate these people. I used to be rather neutral and disliked their policies, now I hate them.

[sam sarrha]

12. they are just play ground bullies...

[KC21304]

16. What is it called when you take someone's words

and edit them as you wish ? It is called being LIARS. And what kind if ignoramus doesn't understand parlimentary procedures and how a bill becomes a law ? Didn't we learn that in 6th grade civics class ? Two sides can play this ridicule game and I suggest the Kerry campaign get going on it NOW.

[Leilani]

17. Whaaaaa!

This aint beanball!

You all knew how mean & rotten they were...so did Kerry!

We all knew there were no WMDs...did Kerry?

He has to show he has the guts & fight to win this thing.

This is not a Senate race in Mass. with Bill Weld.

The Kerry strategy has stunk! Flame away, go ahead!

They sat back & allowed the Repubs to insult, belittle, & ridicule him for a month. And nobody had a plan. Kerry went windsurfing & boating in Nantucket.

Dem grassroots & independents have worked their heart out this season, because they are scared. We have sent money, made calls, written countless letters & emails. And others have walked streets, rang doorbells, gone to Meetups, etc etc.

There is just so much we can do... the rest is up to Kerry. I have been told countless times he is a fighter, a great closer, a chess player, etc. Now is the time to prove his mettle. The country is in a precarious situation, & we need change desperately.

He has 60 days...that is a lifetime in politics. If he has the stuff, he will win.

John Kerry was not my choice for President, but I have supported him
John Edwards was not my choice for Veep, but I have supported him.
Dems & Indies have united behind this team like never before. We will do all we can, but in the end, it is up to them to win.

[Catherine Vincent]

18. You noticed the * campaign has to use music or video of other

television comedy to make fun of Kerry as compared to F9/11 just showing clips of the one and only * to keep the audience laughing. Bush himself is slapstick.

[Guaranteed]

20. So let's fucking RIDICULE.

Put that DUMBSHIT'S hilarious one-line dunce-team brainfarts out on the air.

Like MikeG said, with a laugh track.

FUCK that guy up.

[Guaranteed]

21. So let's fucking RIDICULE.

Put that DUMBSHIT'S hilarious one-line dunce-team brainfarts out on the air.

Like MikeG said, with a laugh track.

FUCK that guy up.

[Doosh]

25. we never learn, this is what we have to do to Bush

sure, they can cast kerry as a flip flopper, but if bush had a similar punch line associated to him like "misleader" it would all even out? Why aren't we doing the same thing to him?

[gohawks]

26. Bush: Flip-Flopper-In-Chief

From the beginning, George W. Bush has made his own credibility a central issue. On 10/11/00, then-Gov. Bush said: "I think credibility is important.It is going to be important for the president to be credible with Congress, important for the president to be credible with foreign nations." But President Bush's serial flip-flopping raises serious questions about whether Congress and foreign leaders can rely on what he says.

30 flip-flops follow...........

http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=118263

[The Animator]

30. The following is not a generalization...

... This observation is derrived from years of personal work experience.


People truly are stupid.


There are exeptions, but for the most part, in my own personal collection of first hand experiences human beings are ... well, just really really dumb.

As an American it genuinely pains me to announce this, but that goes double or even triple for Americans.

Here's a fun little test, take a globe, spin it around and close your eyes, reach out and jab the globe with you finger. Odds are whatever country you picked has a better educational system than the United States (Oceans excluded of coarse, but then again...) This is not just America bashing, do a little digging, there have been studies done on this.

It all comes down to the quality of our school system. I'm not an expert in education, but I was a student once, and I can tell you the system is even more screwed up now than when I was in school.

The Great Animator has spoken...

That is all.

[Tight_rope]

31. Wouldn't it be funny if Bush* lost Texas!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

32. Don't get mad

get even...

"Bonanza" music...Chimpy riding out to rescue Iraq spouting out some of his more eloquent "diplomatic" remarks, and shooting himself in the foot because he forgot to pull the gun out of the holster while shooting from the hip...

[HamstersFromHell]

33. If they can do "flipper", I would suggest this meme for *Bush

"Old Yellowstain" (from The Caine Mutiny)

He ran away from not only Vietnam, but even Guard service.

I've been thinking this about *Bush for some time, he's quite like Commander Phillip Francis Queeg, it's never his fault.

"Ahh, but the strawberries that's... that's where I had them. They laughed at me and made jokes but I proved beyond the shadow of a doubt and with... geometric logic... that a duplicate key to the wardroom icebox DID exist, and I'd have produced that key if they hadn't of pulled the Caine out of action. I, I, I know now they were only trying to protect some fellow officers... "

So how about "Where's the strawberries, George?"


Hammies!

[sampsonblk]

34. So let's fucking RIDICULE!

Michael Moore ridiculed Bush and made over $100 Million. Its time we caught on. It works, and the public loves it. And it moves votes.