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Aggression makes the mainstream

Posted by Anok • 10/10/08 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: smears

SO, with all of the violent rhetoric discussions, something a bit relevant (since the other thread was creeped right into health care) is this article in the Washington Post today:

www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/09/AR2008100903169.ht...

WAUKESHA, Wis., Oct. 9 -- There were shouts of "Nobama" and "Socialist" at the mention of the Democratic presidential nominee. There were boos, middle fingers turned up and thumbs turned down as a media caravan moved through the crowd Thursday for a midday town hall gathering featuring John McCain and Sarah Palin. "It is absolutely vital that you take it to Obama, that you hit him where it hits, there's a soft spot," said James T. Harris,

The article continues to account for the angry - and self proclaimed 'pissed off" voters who "Can't stand to see Obama's face" and are confused as to why he's climbing in the national polls.

It also goes on to highlight how - even though McCain does stray from the subject of Obama bashing, he has been largely condoning the behaviors of the participants at his rallies.

I think a clear indication, though, is when McCain tried to bring up bipartisanship at the rally, the crowd was frozen. They don't' want anything to do with collaborative politics - they want Obama's head on a platter.

The crowds that show up for his rallies these days appear to have little appetite for the talk of bipartisan compromise that had been at the heart of his message around the Republican National Convention. During a rally outside a small airport in Mosinee, Wis., on Thursday, McCain said that "it's time we come together, Democrats and Republicans to work together. That's my record. I'll reach across the aisle."

The crowd stood silent.

Freaking scary people.

User Comments

10/10/08

xmarks

One of McCain's former advisers said it best. Basically, these mobs are starting to scare off undecideds and independents.

[reply]
1. 10/10/08
  
  Anok
  
  Sometimes I wonder why they are confused as to why people are turning towards Obama. I mean, you have people picking and choosing policy stances - but I think that the aggression has really made people start to look towards the candidate who isn't engaging, or encouraging that type of behavior.
10/10/08

clioandme

How about this headline?
"Panic attacks: Voters unload at GOP rallies"
www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14445.html

(I commented briefly on it in a post called "The Enemy Within", markstoneman.wordpress.com/2008/10/10/the-enemy-within/.)

[reply]
1. 10/10/08
  
  Anok
  
  Read an commented. Panic is definitely the right word to use.
2. 10/10/08
  
  clioandme
  
  McCain actually addressed the anger and was booed for calling Obama a decent person. www.blogcatalog.com/politics/discuss/entry/violent-rhetoric-demonizing#comm...
10/10/08

monkeysuit

There are wackos on both sides!!!

[reply]
1. 10/10/08
  
  clioandme
  
  The images coming from the Democratic campaign rallies look nothing like those coming from the Republican rallies. We've been providing Republican examples here and www.blogcatalog.com/politics/discuss/entry/violent-rhetoric-demonizing. I have yet to see a Democratic one.
2. 10/10/08
  
  monkeysuit
  
  The liberal angry responses in these discussions should be enough evidence. And I'd hate to say it because its obvious but they don't represent all republicans.
3. 10/10/08
  
  satijournal
  
  YEAH!!! THEM DAMN ANGRY LIBERALS ARE SO FULL OF HATE!!! I COULD KILL EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!!! DIE LIBERALS!!! DIE!!! WHY ARE THEY SO F*CKIN' FULL OF ANGER!!!
4. 10/10/08
  
  clioandme
  
  @MonkeySuit: You say you're on the fence, not for either side in particular, but all your rhetoric suggests to me that you should be voting for McCain. No shame in that or anything. Just not buying that whole neutrality stance.
5. 10/11/08
  
  Anok
  
  Hmmm, well if pointing out political inconsistencies in McCain's campaign is angry rhetoric, what do you call the angry shooting of liberals in a church because they are liberal, and the conservative pundits who told him so and that all liberals should die?
  
  If calling McCain and Palin out on lies and corruption and their political records is angry rhetoric, what do you call the type of speech used at McCain's last few rallies calling a presidential candidate a "terrorist" and saying we should kill him?
  
  If logic prevails, and critiques are angry rhetoric, than what's being said by McCain's base must be something worse. Hate speech perhaps? violent threats, maybe? Outright violence, in some cases?
  
  Hmmm...
10/11/08

BassDem

monkeysuit, hate to break it to you, but as a liberal angler who has frequented fishing forums chock full of conservatives, I would suggest that you visit every bass fishing forum out there. You will find this ugly conservative rhetoric in plain sight. It's a little more main stream than you think. On top of that, many of those same conservatives are serving in our military. I find that very disturbing. This sort of rhetoric is the main reason I took up blogging.

[reply]
1. 10/11/08
  
  Anok
  
  One thing we fail to mention too, is that much of this speech is being spouted by conservative pundits like Micheal Savage, Glen Beck, Rush Limbaugh, and Ann Coulter.
  
  All pundits whom the conservatives endorse, and McCain has yet to denounce for the call of such violence against a group base don race and political persuasion.
  
  That's what scares me. It's not a couple of bad apples - it's a handful of endorsed bad apples inspiring the crazy apples to act in outright violence against people based on belief alone.
10/11/08

clioandme

And now McCain is acting all hurt, because someone called him on his BS: www.politico.com/news/stories/1008/14488.html

[reply]