Patterico's Pontifications

3/28/2010

Comparing the Rhetoric

Filed under: Obama,Politics — DRJ @ 6:34 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Barack Obama campaigned as a uniter, not a divider, but he was happy to fire up his supporters with strong rhetoric in Nevada in September 2008:

“I want you to argue with them and get in their face.”

This wasn’t the first time, either. In Philadelphia in June 2008, Obama urged his fans to play hardball with McCain supporters:

“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said in Philadelphia last night. “Because from what I understand, folks in Philly like a good brawl. I’ve seen Eagles fans.”

Even the McCain camp viewed that as Obama going negative, not as an attempt to incite violence, although by November some of Obama’s New Black Panther supporters had taken his call to arms literally. They stationed a security patrol at a Philadelphia polling place — one of whom was brandishing a nightstick — an act many viewed as voter intimidation tactics. Nevertheless, there was no liberal outrage.

Compare that to the response to Sarah Palin’s “Don’t retreat — Reload!”, including this from CNN (via NewsBusters):

“CNN put “INCITING VIOLENCE?” on screen under video of Sarah Palin earlier in the day Saturday in Searchlight, Nevada, as anchor Don Lemon announced:

Sarah Palin takes on one of the highest ranking Democrats right in his own backyard, all while causing another uproar by urging tea parties to quote “reload.” And the question is, are comments like that inciting violence and name-calling over the health care bill and the like?

In the subsequent segment, titled “DANGEROUS RHETORIC: When heated words incite threats & violence,” CNN’s panel agreed Obama’s political opponents are inciting violence and are motivated by racism — undeterred by Palin’s assurance, which CNN played:

When I talk about it’s not a time to retreat, it’s a time to reload, what I’m talking about — now, media, try to get this right, okay? That’s not inciting violence. What that’s doing is trying to inspire people to get involved in their local elections and these upcoming federal elections. It’s telling people that their arms are their votes. It’s not inciting violence. It’s telling people, don’t ever let anybody tell you to sit down and shut up, Americans.

Lemon demanded: “Is it responsible for someone to say that? Especially a leader, considering the anger that’s going on right now?”

This story and claims of GOP-incited violence just won’t go away … and they won’t as long as Democrats think they’re helpful.

— DRJ

53 Responses to “Comparing the Rhetoric”

  1. The only reason the Dems think it’s helpful is because their handmaidens in the MSM reflect that viepoint in unison.

    Dmac (21311c)

  2. Mr Gladney could not be reached for comment.

    JD (9d466a)

  3. “The only reason the Dems think it’s helpful is because their handmaidens in the MSM reflect that viepoint in unison.”

    And because few Americans want to vote for politicians who appear to be inciting their followers to violence.

    snips (6a0094)

  4. I thought about trying to compile a list of reported violence against conservatives/Republicans but I’m not sure it would matter at this point … as illustrated by the foregoing comment.

    DRJ (daa62a)

  5. The examples of objects being thrown from overpasses onto oncoming traffic and the actual plans for bombings at the RNC in Minneapolis come to mind, DRJ. Snips is invested in Teh Narrative.

    JD (9d466a)

  6. You mean the willful misrepresentation, DRJ?

    SPQR (26be8b)

  7. I don’t know any politicians who are running for election that are also inciting violence. I think you are making stuff up.

    p.s. Mr. Obama doesn’t count – he’s already been elected.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  8. “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,”

    As little regard as I have for Obama, I not only was not aware of that particular statement from him but — and this indicates even I haven’t been cynical and skeptical enough about the guy — I might have thought that was an exaggeration or misquote.

    Scratch below the surface of the guy currently in the White House and he looks trashier than even I perceived him to be previously.

    Mark (411533)

  9. “Snips is invested in Teh Narrative.”

    Not really, but, “the other side does it, too” isn’t really a defense of your sides’ inflammatory words.

    Quite a rhetorical corner the Republicans have painted themselves into for the upcoming election.

    snips (6a0094)

  10. Gladney was the recipient of his SEIU beatdown shortly after the hit them back twice as hard comment. Pure coincidence.

    JD (9d466a)

  11. Nearly ever television made in the last five years has the ability to add or delete channels.

    I deleted CNN after watching their absolute and total endorsement of Barry after his nomination.

    Do yourself a favor and do the same.

    IMDW- yes- you can delete FOX channel as well dumbass.

    highpockets (c5de3a)

  12. Amazingly enough, there is an LAT op-ed today which speaks to the ridiculousness of mislabeling Palin’s metaphor. (At least someone writing for the LAT understands *what* a metaphor is, that both sides use them, whether guns, or knives, or in Mr. Obama’s case, both in items in one metaphor! Hats off to Michael McGough.)

    Hmm. Gun metaphors are part of politics, from “targeted districts” to “under fire” to “took a shot at the presidency.” For all her demagoguery and ditziness, Palin isn’t inciting anyone to violence. The vandalism and vile epithets that have been aimed at some supporters of healthcare reform ought to be condemned, but it’s a reach to attribute them to Palin and other loose-tongued Republicans, just as it was unfair to blame the civil rights movement for the Watts riots or Palestinian nationalists for acts of terror.

    Nothing is so seductive for political partisans as the temptation to paint your opponents as violent nuts. But Democrats would be wise not to link threats and acts of vandalism to Republicans. It’s not only unfair; it sets you up for the day when some of your own supporters go rogue.

    Unfortunately, judging from the op-ed comments section, it appears the point is lost on a lot of people, which makes me agree with DRJ @ #4, it wouldn’t make a difference whether you had a list, or actual video. The narrative is set. Period. These are not people given to critical thought…just more sheep gone astray.:)

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  13. snips does not get it. “You do it too” is a defense when the claim is that Republicans’ rhetoric is beyond the normal rhetoric. Democrats participated in setting the standards.

    But then, when one really does not understand one’s talking points, you get incoherency like snips’.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  14. The faux outrage by Democrats is best dealt with by collecting facts, as Andrew Breitbart has done, and daring the other side to prove their lies. This appears to be the theme for this election along with the race card. It will be interesting to see how effective this is. I suspect that the only people impressed will be dedicated Obama voters anyway.

    The race card is very dangerous stuff to play with. If the great American middle perceives that Obama is the “black president,” they will not accept that well. He campaigned as post racial. Blacks are 13% of the electorate. He is playing with fire. Especially Clyburn who orchestrated the antics during the tea party demonstration.

    The left does not understand that their ideology is accepted by a very small minority. ABC has made a fatal decision, for example, to hire Christiane Amanpour as the host of This Week. George Stephanopolis made that a top Sunday show by being fair to the conservatives. Jake Tapper has done the same. She is incapable of being fair to the right and will destroy the program’s ratings.

    Why would they do that ? They just don’t know any better.

    Mike K (2cf494)

  15. Remember the finger muncher from the West Coast last summer? He was one of yours snips.

    The Purple People Beaters serve a purpose at those public functions for the Democrats and Andy Stern is getting his $60 million back in trade. The Craig Becker appointment is just the latest example.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  16. #8 Mark:

    Scratch below the surface of the guy currently in the White House and he looks trashier than even I perceived him to be previously.

    Pure, unadulterated thug.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  17. “‘You do it too’ is a defense”

    Not when nobody believes you.

    Sarah Palin’s listeners are far more likely to be armed.

    snips (6a0094)

  18. Sarah Palin’s listeners are far more likely to be legally armed.

    FTFY. Have you wet the bed yet?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  19. snips – UAB-Huntsville professor Amy Bishop was pretty handy with a gun for an Obamaphile, plus she took out all minorities. What was up with that?

    daleyrocks (718861)

  20. Snips is quite used to the feeling of nobody believing it. That feeling is nearly unanimous here. Aggressive ignorance and/or being willfully obtuse is so not pretty.

    JD (9d466a)

  21. Snips is worried about the midterm elections. So he acts out. That or he is quite ignorant of the DNC nonsense over the last decade or so.

    Most likely? Just another troll. Worried about the polls. Hope and change, Andrew! I mean, snips.

    Eric Blair (3f8c1e)

  22. Sarah Palin’s listeners are far more likely to be legally armed.

    Moreover, beyond the thug-sounding quality of the “we bring a gun” rhetoric of Obama, there is the irony and oddly satirical nature of his two-faced limousine liberalism…

    blogs.wsj.com:

    They also mentioned that Obama said he would use a gun that would be illegal under Obama’s plans to cut down on illegal firearms.

    Mark (411533)

  23. snips, we could compare crime rates of Palin supporters to Obama supporters.

    But after you got your backside kicked yet again, you’d just retreat to some more cries of racism or some such.

    You are not the better quality of troll we’ve been hoping for.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  24. SPQR – Strictly D-List.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  25. #24 daleyrocks:

    – Strictly D-List.

    LOL! Naw, this one is so far down off the list and the evolutionary scale that it needs an astronomy ‘scope to look up to scum.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  26. “I want you to argue with them and get in their face.”

    That is figuratively and literally encouraging disruption of free speech. I don’t think Palin or any other responsible Conservative encourages listeners to actively disrupt others’ speech, but rather to refuse to back down when they are not allowed their say. As far as the louder town hall meetings, if elected officials held a meeting to “listen to people’s concern” and then proceeded to tell people what to think, I consider shouting them down as demanding truth in advertising.

    “If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said in Philadelphia last night…

    Not only is the wording explicitly about knives and guns, but the reference is to literal knives and guns, or guns and bigger guns, in the context of Chicago and organized crime.

    Currently we should expect continued unfair treatment in the press and persistance at it. I must say, if we respect the left for nothing else, it should be for their determination to never give up a fight until they get their way; if they appear to give up, expect it to be just that, an appearance for tactical advantage. Those of us who go by the rule of law and do not “make things up as we go” tend to think that once the discussion has been had and the point won, it is a settled deal; but they say, “we’ll do it our way anyway until you stop us”- like appointing people to newly invented positions and recess appointments/executive orders.

    By the way, has there been any visual evidence of Obama’s executive order that he promised Stupac?

    MD in Philly (59a3ad)

  27. MD in Philly, this is the executive order. It makes some statements about the contents of the reform legislation that I believe are untrue.

    SPQR (26be8b)

  28. WE acknowledge it, but why should one respect it, they demonize their enemy, in like fashion if not equal intensity, to that of other people’s states
    like the ‘Wonderful Democratic revolution” that the likes of Mark Lloyd are so proud of. Their crime control policies against innocent law abiding citizens, only empower the criminal element.

    ian cormac (349188)

  29. “That is figuratively and literally encouraging disruption of free speech.”

    MD in Philly – A good point. Conservatives are regularly prevented from speaking on college campuses by mob action and tactics of progressives, which is seldom reported in the national press. Not a very tolerant lot, our progressive bretheren.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  30. This morning on Reliable Sources, only Howard Kurtz thought the criticism of Palin’s targeting congressional seats was ridiculous. The three liberal guests all thought is was comparable to leading a lynch mob to the jails.

    When Howard Kurtz is the voice of reason on an issue, you know the media has swallowed the DNC talking points hook, line and sinker.

    MU789 (bfc2e9)

  31. “Snips is worried about the midterm elections.”

    Not really.

    I think the Democrats will pick up seats in both Houses.

    snips (6a0094)

  32. “Pure, unadulterated thug.”

    Effete arugula loving liberal one minute, unadulterated thug the next. As the narrative demands.

    imdw (6eb217)

  33. You should have quit after “I think…” snips, because it is quite apparent that you were not.

    Care to place a wager on that?

    JD (b7daf6)

  34. imdw – Or Kenyan Usurper as you yourself have called him on this site.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  35. BTW, did Eric ever pay up on his bet?

    JD (b7daf6)

  36. The frustration is that the MSM inflames the rhetoric with their continual unsupported stories. It’s the same tiresome act over and over again. Today Frank Rich has the whole list and they are facts – no matter if there is no evidence to support all the charges. It no longer matters. Evidence is superfluous; the narrative supersedes all else. Rich even goes a bit Godwin:

    How curious that a mob fond of likening President Obama to Hitler knows so little about history that it doesn’t recognize its own small-scale mimicry of Kristallnacht. The weapon of choice for vigilante violence at Congressional offices has been a brick hurled through a window. So far.

    Now if one is a journalist concerned with even-handedness and accuracy, wouldn’t one also want to say the same of the left and report that they too have committed its own small-scale mimicry of Kristallnacht:

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Police are investigating vandalism at the Albemarle County Republican headquarters.

    The Daily Progress of Charlottesville reports that someone threw bricks through the headquarter’s windows, breaking three of them. The vandalism was discovered Friday morning.

    Albemarle County Republican Chairwoman Rachel Shoenewald says people are angry on both sides of the political spectrum.

    In November, someone glued the county GOP headquarters’ doors shut on Election Day.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  37. Dana – The NY Times stable of opinion writers has been worse than my high school newspaper for years.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  38. Effete arugula loving liberal one minute, unadulterated thug the next.

    Nope. Unadulterated arugula loving thug.

    A Marxist revolutionary steeped in the Chicago way who sees nothing inconsistent about his being first among equals, comrade.

    It is his (and your) narrative, after all. Nothing inconsistent about it.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  39. I understand that, daley, but it is the NYT and a majority of Americans still see it as the paper of record. The point being there is simply no standard left: Make up a narrative, push it as truth, and if it’s on the pages of the NYT, it’ll take root as truth.

    Dana (1e5ad4)

  40. #39 Dana:

    there is simply no standard left: Make up a narrative, push it as truth, and if it’s on the pages of the NYT, it’ll take root as truth.

    I don’t know if there ever was a standard: witness Duranty’s reporting of the Soviet Miracle.
    Is anything different?

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  41. […] this evening in a post titled Comparing the Rhetoric, I looked at some of the ways Barack Obama fired up his supporters and compared them to a recent […]

    Patterico's Pontifications » Dana Asks for Fairness From the LA Times (e4ab32)

  42. You mean you folks still read, listen to, or watch the MSM, and pay attention to what they have to opine/report/distort? It must hurt so good…

    Horatio (e2e328)

  43. Again, more PC efforts by the left to control and intimidate.

    snips knows we’re going through an aggressive soft tyranny. ‘ This is what change looks like,’ Obama said in contextual reference to squashing a Republic and installing socialism.

    Palin’s contextual response was basically to say, like hell you will. It’s strange to explain this to the hard left, as supposedly they view themselves as exceptionally bright and gifted with nuance.

    But cut the PC crap. Palin nailed it, the crowd got it, and your charge of inciting violence is just manipulation to try to control the narrative.

    I’m surprised (but happy) that the LAT understood, even if their readers pretended it was oh-so-dangerous.

    Vermont Neighbor (0e568c)

  44. I watched this morning’s main stream media shows Meet the Press, etc. All of them assumed that all the threats last week to the Dem’s gavel walk were true.

    More media pig pile.

    Alta Bob (e8af2b)

  45. “snips knows we’re going through an aggressive soft tyranny”

    Sounds like a fancy dessert.

    I can’t take Palin’s folksy screech for more than a few seconds so I’ll have to take your word for the subtle greatness of her oratory.

    snips (6a0094)

  46. Simple politics, my friend.

    Oh yeah… and these are your words. Not mine.

    the subtle greatness of her oratory.

    Vermont Neighbor (0e568c)

  47. S’alright. Can’t stand your bullshit at all.

    EW1(SG) (edc268)

  48. After snips changes his bed sheets he can continue preparing for the great Democratic victories he is predicting in November and then get ready to vote in his first presidential election in 2012, when he will be old enough to legally drink.

    daleyrocks (718861)

  49. I like this whole “bet” thing with the snipster. The only problem is, by the midterm elections, he will have had his cover blown, as a previously banned troll.

    Anyone care to bet on that one?

    Eric Blair (21af67)

  50. Snippy – $100 on your idea that the Dems will pick up seats?

    JD (a67da8)

  51. 27.MD in Philly, this is the executive order. It makes some statements about the contents of the reform legislation that I believe are untrue. – Comment by SPQR — 3/28/2010 @ 8:2

    Thank you, SPQR.

    I would not have been surprised had he not fulfilled his promise, but as discussed previously, there is plenty of reason to believe this will not stand a challenge (as well as being subject to revocation).

    This is the same old stuff as when the news reported on the “attacks on black churches a few years ago” that wasn’t as advertised.

    Anyone know of a good book that documents some of the “commonly known history” that isn’t?

    At least snips chose a good handle; reminds me of “nips”, like an annoying little dog nipping at your heels.

    MD in Philly (59a3ad)

  52. Snips is worried about the midterm elections.

    More likely he’s scared out of his mind by any woman – especially one that knows how to shoot a gun, no less. Run, snippy, ruuuuuuuuun!

    Dmac (21311c)


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