Tuesday, September 14, 2004

CBS Offers New Experts to Support Guard Memos


The New York Times covers the issues fairly. Boston Globe retreating from support of CBS but... A Globe analysis of uncontested records in Bush's military file showed that he did not show up for required drills for extended periods of time and did not fulfill his commitment to the Guard, although he was honorably discharged.

Interesting but as expected you have hundreds of right-wing pseudo-experts screaming fake and that bobbled up to the conservative media with assured pronouncements that the memos were fake. The left blogosphere is willing to consider the issues as the documents don't show anything new and it is in the nature of liberals to examine claims. A problem would be if they were proved fake it would easily prevent the U.S. media from looking at the White House released files. This is a master Rove campaign, if you can't attack the conclusions attack the evidence.

I made a tour of right sites tonight/early morning - conservatives only listen to other conservatives to get their talking points. Not quite as bad but almost on the left side.

Reminds me of the debate leading up to the war. Liberals and Democrats split on the war - they are willing to listen to the other side and supposed experts. Too late most realized what they were being suckered into.

The angry right always goes for blood and latches on any argument and the GOP media campaign is superb. Disorganized Democrats, liberals, progressives, have to debate the issues to decide what the campaign is. They do not have a rapid response echo chamber. I would think Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public getting on with their busy lives seems more likely to listen to the pervasive loud voice of the GOP megaphone.

How that changes - Mr. and Mrs. John Q. Public see benefits to the things the GOP is against, they have experience in their own lives, and slowly come to realize the GOP lies about everything, that the GOP politician have reasons for their policies for their own benefit but wrap them in flag and country and God and morality talk. That they will offer progressive rhetoric for programs that aren't progressive but benefit some interest group. They think that is the way the game is played. Power makes right, expediency trumps truth, special deals is just business, justice is for suckers.

I have generalized to 'the GOP' what I might more properly attribute to authoritarians or unlimited capitalists or 'the man' or the power structure in most communities.

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