The Double Standard

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Registered: 09-06-2008
The Double Standard
5
Wed, 09-10-2008 - 11:58am
Or, The Lay of the Land in modern American politics:


Atrios's Law

by tristero

UPDATE: Video link to John McCain putting lipstick on a pig

Digby yesterday repeated an aphorism so true I believe it should be called Atrios's Law:
Even Republicans all know it's full of crap, but they don't care. It pisses off liberals! And that's really all they care about.
Here's a another example of Atrios's Law:
The Atlanta Journal Constitution reports that Rick Goddard, a retired Air Force major general running against conservative Dem Congressman Jim Marshall, referred in a radio appearance to "a very uppity newscaster" who had a testy TV exchange with Newt Gingrich at the Republican Convention. This appeared to be a reference to MSNBC reporter Ron Allen, who is black.

The Goddard campaign didn't deny that he was discussing Ron Allen, telling the Journal-Constitution that Goddard "simply evoked a word -- that by definition -- described the reporter's demeanor as being superior, arrogant and presumptuous."

This comes after Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) told The Hill that he believed both Barack and Michelle Obama were "uppity," then denied that there was any racial connotation to the word.
There is more to this than simply pissing off liberals and reminding African Americans that Strange Fruit awaits those get too uppity.

The effect is to simultaneously expand the language the right can use while shutting up those who oppose the right. A Republican called Clinton a "bitch" and John McCain snickered. A Republican called herself a violent bitch and an entire convention roared in approval. Imagine the uproar if the situation was reversed. Imagine if I had written that Secretary State Rice was getting uppity in an interview. Imagine the press frenzy if I asked Obama or Biden, "how can we get that nasty bitch?" at a campaign rally.

Republicans feel no compunction about using racist language - no, not racist code words, racist language - while objecting furiously if Barack Obama warns his audience that they will be doing just that.

Because of the way conservatives constructed the playing field, and no one jumped all over them in time to stop it, liberals aren't allowed even to use common phrases like "lipstick on a pig" to describe an opponent's plans. But describing blacks as "uppity" is fair game.

At the risk of losing my temper at some decent, honest commenters, this is the reason why Democrats should have jumped all over the convention the Friday afterwards and said loudly and clearly that they were perfectly happy to have Sarah Palin call herself a violent bitch and would honor her self-description by repeating it again and again and showing how, in oh so many ways, she was telling the truth. This is why you never, ever, let a Republican dominate a news cycle or set the terms of a rhetorical encounter. This is why every lie and distortion must be treated to a loud howl especially when our side misses the point or an opportunity to attack. This is why the race is a nailbiter.

Folks, we are way beyond the gentle wordplay of Alice and her Humpty Dumpty, despite his obvious visual likeness to so many GOP delegates. This is a war in which one side, ours, is being deliberately and systematically disarmed. How many times does this exact same scenario have to play out, before Democrats get it?

UPDATE: Josh sees the racebaiting, finally:
...today McCain comes out with this rancid, race-baiting ad based on another lie. Willie Horton looks mild by comparison. (And remember, President George H.W. Bush never ran the Willie Horton ad himself. It was an outside group. He wasn't willing to degrade himself that far.) As TPM Reader JM said below, at least Horton actually was released on a furlough. This is ugly stuff. And this is an ugly person. There's clearly no level of sleaze this guy won't stoop to to win this election.

And let's be frank. He might win it. This is clearly a testing time for Obama supporters.
Indeed it is. And staying above the fray fails the test. It is time for donkeys to kick ass. Hard.

Now in darkness, world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has sturck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling Begging
iVillage Member
Registered: 08-27-2003
Wed, 09-10-2008 - 12:34pm
Great article. Makes some valid points. I think democrats, many times, try to take the high ground. While morally that's all well and good.... I would think we should have learned by now that that does not win us elections. I hate Rovian politics, but we really do need to find a way to push back with some force without selling our soul or compromising who we are too much. It's a cunundrum.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2008
Wed, 09-10-2008 - 1:19pm

Yep, we do. The problem, though, is that it's actually quite difficult to do so effectively if you wish to stay within the bounds of general ethical behavior. This is what has made a string of Republican political consultants so effective over such a sustained period of time, in fact. Oh, they're also smart and have good political instincts, but so do a lot of other people in the political world. Karl Rove and Lee Atwater aren't anything particularly special in the smarts or the prescience department. They're good, sure. But they're not the "once-in-a-hundred-years" sort of genius that they're often given the credit for - at least not in the smarts or perspicacity department. What's given them that "special edge" - their "secret weapon," if you will, that nobody else has - is their willingness to operate in ethical territory most people aren't comfortable entering. It's like being the only race car on the track with that special "nitro" boost, for those times when you REALLY need it. Rove and Atwater and their contemporaries in this mold are often good enough to win campaigns simply using conventional methods. But when the chips are well and truly down, and the outcome's not looking like it's in their favor, they've got that "nitro" or "turbo" boost that no one else has (or, said better, that no one else is willing to employ) to fall back on for that desperately needed "extra kick" which has often propelled them, at the last moment and against the odds, across the finish line just barely ahead of the competition. Which, in their minds, is justification in and of itself for whatever it is they did to achieve it. No matter the lives shattered and careers ruined (hello, Don Siegelman!), no matter the lines crossed, or the besmirching of the national discourse in general: that stuff's for the historians and the nerds. They've won, and that means until the next election, they get to do whatever they want. Unfortunately, that's the dirty little secret of such campaigning - it usually gives a pretty good window into how a candidate will GOVERN, to watch how they CAMPAIGN. And it's for this reason that I think the modern-day John McCain, who has abandoned both his pledge to run a "clean" campaign, AND nearly every "maverick" position he's ever supported, should on no account be allowed near the levers of power at the Presidential level. He wants it too badly, and he's willing to bend in areas where he should not in order to get it.

On a semi-related note to your notion that we need to develop SOME kind of effective means of fighting back, I offer the following, though more as a bucking-up story than an actual plan or suggestion. It's not really something one can use as a campaign tactic, and its effect will probably be zero....but it sure does feel satisfying, and doesn't cross those ethical boundaries:

This morning I called Georgia Congressman Lynn Westmoreland's office:

Them: Good morning, Congressman Westmoreland's office.

Me: Good morning, I would like to make a public comment.

Them: Yes, sir, what is your comment?

Me: I would like to compliment Congressman Westmoreland on his comments yesterday about Barack Obama. We need more people like him to call a spade a spade. You crackers in Georgia must be very proud.

Them: Sir, there's no need to be insulting.

Me: I'm sorry, but how did I insult you?

Them: There is no need to call me a cracker.

Me: I've never heard that term used in a derogatory sense. It is important to note that the dictionary definition of "cracker" is "a thin, crisp biscuit." That's what we meant by cracker when we used it in the city where I grew up.

Them: Well, that's not how you meant it.

Me: Oh, so what you're saying is that you don't like being called names. Now you know how it feels.

Them: Sir, I have to take another call."

Now in darkness, world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has sturck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling Begging
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2008
Wed, 09-10-2008 - 2:35pm
I am going to kick hard by voting for Barack Nov.4th, and in the meantime reminding everybody that McCain = Bush43 = Palin. Or is it Bush43 = McCain + Palin. Or is it Bush43 = McCain = Palin? lol. They all apply. Simple equations. Simple economics. No way, no how, no McCain! lol.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-06-2008
Wed, 09-10-2008 - 5:32pm
Yep - and I'm already canvassing. :o)

Now in darkness, world stops turning
Ashes where the bodies burning
No more war pigs have the power
Hand of God has sturck the hour
Day of judgement, God is calling
On their knees, the war pigs crawling Begging
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2008
Wed, 09-10-2008 - 5:38pm
That's fantastic! I love the way our communities (being lead by galant people) are reaching out to each other to reach a common goal. Elect Barack so the democrats take back the WH from these ineffective republicans.