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Goodbye Fear and Loathing

Hunter S Thompson added to our political lexicon when he used the term “Fear and Loathing” (or rather re-used – he’d already used it a year earlier to describe some ugly Las Vegas doings) to describe the 1972 Nixon campaign trail. It was singularly appropriate for Nixon. The only ambiguity at all was whether it was a description of the reaction in liberal media and academic circles to Nixon’s nasty cheap populism. Or whether it was in fact the aim of Nixonian politics to invoke those feelings among voters against other different Americans. It was, alas, this latter.

Firstly to those unfamiliar with him, Richard Nixon can best be described as a political endgamer, a high-powered version of John Howard. He saw every issue in terms of how to exploit his opponents. He was dog-whistling and wedging long before the terms were invented. In the post-war period he entered Congress and quickly became a member of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC). The Republicans were especially keen on such groups and nonsense like Loyalty Oaths to undermine the dominance of the New Deal Democrats, who had become the natural party of government.

Although less sensationalist than Senator Joe McCarthy’s wild allegations about communists taking over the State Department, HUAC was arguably much more effective. Nixon, perhaps because he was a Californian, realized the immense publicity that HUAC could get by focusing on Hollywood: the stars, the writers, the directors. And that’s who they went after. HUAC got ready cooperation from the owners and tycoons of Hollywood. Many were Jewish, and having just witnessed the Holocaust were very anxious to prove their loyalty and patriotism.

Having Hollywood as the focus guaranteed almost daily publicity. There were just enough neo-leftists around Hollywood in the Depression-era 30s to have the Republicans sniffing for blood. Among other sins, many were in trouble for expressing sympathy or support for the Spanish Republicans during the civil war in Spain. The question, “Are you now, or have you ever been, a member of the Communist party?” was especially loaded.

Although the Constitution in theory protected these people, non-cooperation led to charges of perjury and to the owners banning them from work. Many had to leave the industry or the country. Even those who cooperated lost friends and self-respect by public confessions. It was a win-win for Nixon, paving the way for his elevation to the Senate and then to the Vice-Presidency.

In the early 60s Nixon suffered setbacks. He lost the 1960 Presidency to JFK, and two years later failed to win the Governorship of California. But like Howard much later, he learned from mistakes and adjusted his game.

He saw a great opportunity in the 60s with the Civil Rights movement and LBJ’s Great Society. With LBJ firmly committed to it (something even FDR shied away from) the attack on institutionalised racism would almost certainly lead to a reaction against the Democrats, who until then ruled the South. In addition, the fundamentalist religions of the mid-West and the South felt threatened by the anti-censorship charge of the 60s and the general sexual, feminist and black power liberation movements.

Nixon could see a new Republican hegemony from the remaining racist elements of the South and the conservative religious movements. These had never quite got over their defeat in the Monkey Trials of 1925 which led to the overrule of state laws banning the teaching of evolution in science. In origins, they too were often Democrats. So it was a big alliance Nixon was planning. Little wonder he made Billy Graham his chaplain when he did make it to the White House. Nixon mistrusted the old Eastern Establishment, despite the Kissinger alliance, and for that reason forged new alliances in the West – what was to become known as the Sun Belt areas.

The Watergate scandal put a temporary stop to the Republican dominance but not to the alliance pattern Nixon forged, which was capitalised on by Reagan and the Bushes. The Democrats realized too late the bind they were in. Their only counter-attack was to promote popular Southerners as their nominees. So, loosely based on the Nixon strategy the Republicans have had the President for 28 of the last 40 years. I know that the last 8 is a lot more questionable after the fiddles in Florida in 2000 (abetted by the Supreme Court) and Ohio in 2004. But it was Democrat ineptness that led to the contests being close in the first place. Carter and Clinton were treated like usurpers and only Clinton, among all the Democrat nominees was prepared to call their bluff.

The alliance, diverse as it was, made it easier for the Republicans to define what they were against. So liberalism became a dirty word; scholarship and scientific enquiry was wasteful; any government spending, except on armaments or business was likewise wasteful; climate change warnings were alarmist and interfering in God’s prerogatives. One other Nixon legacy was to manipulate foreign affairs activities for domestic adversarial politics. He sent word to North Vietnam to delay acceptance of peace talks in order to stymie LBJ. Later, Reagan aides would do similar in talks over the Irianian Embassy hostage crisis, leading to Carter looking helpless.
One area where Nixon differed from his New Right successors was in economic and financial management. Nixon was relatively prudent. The others, especially Reagan and Bush II, have been utterly reckless – no doubt egged on by the Sun Belt equivalent of the White Shoe Brigade, and the Pentagon-related industries.

It should not be forgotten that the Reagan Administration’s first effort at deregulation led to paper money merchants getting hold of savings and credit union groups assets and siphoning them off. Had it not been for Depression-era federal government guarantees for small peoples savings in such institutions a lot of people would have lost their life savings and retirement funds. As it was, the government picked up the tab for these losses, at enormous taxpayer cost. Increasing military spending by large amounts while reducing the wealthy’s tax payments will never help balance budgets. No wonder Bush I, who had some semblence of responsibility, failed so badly. It was too big a lemon he was stuck with.

Newt Gingrich deserves the prize for brazen hypocrisy when he demanded that Clinton present a balanced budget or face impeachment. Clinton, of course, did just that and ran rings around them in economic management. I often think the bile directed at Clinton was because (like Keating in Australia) he did the things the Republicans only talked about.

So we come to the Bush II regime. It seems clear now that in terms of incompetence, arrogance, corruption and dishonesty this regime is setting alltime benchmarks. The Nixonian adversarialism has been passed on to Rove, and has become even more vicious.

With such a consistent record for anti-intellectualism, it is not so surprising that foreign policy, at least for a very long time, should pass to the neocons and other crazies. It is also hardly surprising that this lot should approve torture of suspects. There is not enough scope for reasoned argument, and anyway torture seemed to work in “24”.

9/11 also warrants mention. At the time of the attacks I think I counted up to 7 agencies that failed then. Given the distance of agencies from the Administration, Team Bush need not necessarily be blamed. But surely these failings should have been of greater interest than the audacity of the crime. But no, all effort is already turned to a revenge attack. Rove and co wanted to turn attention away from any question of neglect. In addition, others had seen an opportunity. Here was a bogey to replace Communism. Hence the War on Terror. The Anthrax Scare (which did start from a Langley Virginia batch) was used to whip up anti-Middle Eastern feelings. In the general welter of confusion, Saddam could be linked without many thinking it was odd. Other issues in that sorry saga are too lengthy to mention here. Unlawful detention, rendering, torture, war profiteering – the list goes on.

Kirri has given better accounts of the economic train wreck of the Bush II regime. I am more interested in the remnants of that Nixon alliance. On the New Money side, many like Enron have bitten the dust and their ringleaders face charges or convictions. The most galling thing is that so many of these executives still have exorbitant packages, unconscionably siphoning off shareholders, employees and retirees funds. It is a disgrace that politicians and media alike have ignored this pillaging for so long.

The Bible Belt has made little headway with Creative Design, although under Bush they have manged to slow down stem cell research and so on. The Republicans have not delivered them much and it is not so surprise that some are at last defecting. It is similar with the old White Privilege South. They’ll still be around, but their influence is waning – as is the Republicans.

That alliance is not what it was. Barack deserves most credit for overcoming those barriers. He has had wide appeal and he has used the new weapons of the net well. We should not forget Howard Dean, who first attempted to use the net and appeal to the disengaged in 2004. He didn’t overcome the Democratic machine then, but he paved the way to how entrenched interests could be overcome.

As to Hillary, it should be clear by now that the most successful method for overcoming both the alliance and the ‘play safe’ Democrat machine attitudes, was as Barack did: appeal to those unengaged or alienated from the process. He did this brilliantly.

Here’s one final thought. Dubya’s often given the impression that he was ‘called by God’ for a mission. Perhaps it is true. The Republicans look headed for annihilation. Given the Nixonian legacy, and the end (at least for now) of Fear and Loathing that is not a bad result. It is a pity it took the wrecking of the economy and Mesopatamia, but the Lord works in mysterious ways.

925 replies on “Goodbye Fear and Loathing”

Very interesting read Don. thx.

Glad to see Howard Dean get a mention. He will be remembered as a pioneer of a new way. He first embraced the netroots. Now Barack’s database is KING.

Oh and i guess we should thank Al Gore for inventing the whole darn internet thingy too lol

COL, COL*!!
In another impeccably timed act of political suicide, another bent GOPper, this one’s a Senator, bites the dust; or more metaphorically correctly, eats yellow snow.

WASHINGTON — Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens has been convicted of lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor. The Senate’s longest-serving Republican, Stevens was found guilty on all seven counts of making false statements on Senate financial documents.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/27/stevens-convicted-on-all_n_138287.html

* cheers out loud*
:mrgreen:

E-Day minus eight and all’s well. G’day, Gang!

Yup-Yup Press Shirker palling around with pre-convicted felon on July 2, 2008 ie. pre her McTap:

There’s a big difference between reality and perception regarding our (Teddy & Me) relationship.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YptTFDsktVQ&eurl=http://www.dailykos.com/

Teddy Boy is the longest serving GOP Senator. Guess he’s been at it (corruption) for quite some time. Hard to know what the right word is this week: avalanche, landslide, tsunami?
Here’s lookin’ at you, Chris B!

Thanks for those kind words, Ecky, Harry and BO. I think it’s me that is honoured to join such a marvellous bunch. I only wish I could be in Brissie next week to join the party … but work and distance gets in the way.

Never mind. I’ll still be listening, counting and celebrating. If amid the celebrations you can stand some serious music on such an occasion…

Try the last few minutes of the 1812 Overture. As it builds up to the big da-da-da-da-dum-da-da, amid the cacophony of sound and cannons firing, there is the triumphant ringing of church bells.

Well, I’m not all that religious, but the church bells pealing seemed to me a symbol of liberation. I thought of that when Howard was finally beaten, and I’ll think of it next week. Liberation!

What a brilliant post to wake up to.
Congrats and many thanks for all that work Don.
Quite lost for words.
Time for a coffee and a loud cheer of delight.
To think that Ted Stevens, has finally been pinged for a long career of shameless scamming……….Oh Yessssss!! 🙂

Great stuff Mr Wigan, sure wasn’t expecting that when I fired up the home page this morning, Terrific read!

New Polls:
Obama ahead in Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Colorado and North Carolina
McNasty ahead by only 5 in Arizona

I’ll still be listening, counting and celebrating. If amid the celebrations you can stand some serious music on such an occasion…

Try the last few minutes of the 1812 Overture. As it builds up to the big da-da-da-da-dum-da-da, amid the cacophony of sound and cannons firing, there is the triumphant ringing of church bells.

Well, I’m not all that religious, but the church bells pealing seemed to me a symbol of liberation. I thought of that when Howard was finally beaten, and I’ll think of it next week. Liberation!

Don, the following film metaphor seems prescient, apt and multi-resonant; ’tis indeed the harbinger of tyranny’s fall.

My eldest daughter gave me the comic book by Alan Moore and David Lloyd for my birthday some years back; She wrote on the inside cover:

Dear Dad, hope you enjoy this as much as me, Keep fighting the good fight, Love, J.

http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=SlU1HLkdmNk

What would be the icing on the cake – Obama winning Arizona & Alaska! OK, not likely, but you never know!

Love your work, Don. It’s a great read. Makes me want to read more about American political history. But it also reinforces the sense of history making we’re all feeling now as Obama edges towards victory.

Goodness me, that Obama fellow certainly does a fine speech.
I’ve not been able to find a video of this one yet. But it’s a cracker.

Remarks of Senator Barack Obama
“One Week”
Closing Argument Speech
As Prepared for Delivery
Monday, October 27th, 2008
Canton, Ohio

One week.

After decades of broken politics in Washington, eight years of failed policies from George Bush, and twenty-one months of a campaign that has taken us from the rocky coast of Maine to the sunshine of California, we are one week away from change in America.

In one week, you can turn the page on policies that have put the greed and irresponsibility of Wall Street before the hard work and sacrifice of folks on Main Street.

In one week, you can choose policies that invest in our middle-class, create new jobs, and grow this economy from the bottom-up so that everyone has a chance to succeed; from the CEO to the secretary and the janitor; from the factory owner to the men and women who work on its floor.

In one week, you can put an end to the politics that would divide a nation just to win an election; that tries to pit region against region, city against town, Republican against Democrat; that asks us to fear at a time when we need hope.

In one week, at this defining moment in history, you can give this country the change we need. ……..

Full text here.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/amandascott/gGgfGj

Crumbs Don, what a freakin’ marathon. I thought I was lost in War and Peace for a minute. Then I realised it couldn’t be cos yours was interesting.
An epic saga of fear and loathing and it’s ultimate demise. My thanks to you Don.

Progressive @ 10: “McNasty ahead by only 5 in Arizona”.
Need I remind you that Obama is “ahead by only 5” in many polls.

Paddy @ 14. Indeed a great speech, Paddy. But what’s with this ‘middle class’? Americans are so 19th century. Don’t they know it’s ‘working families’ now?!

Well Ferny
I guess “working families” just reeks of …..Gasp….SOCIALISM! 🙂

Meanwhile, over at 538, Nate’s offsider Sean has a great post up.
http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2008/10/three-ashleys.html

There’s a fascinating clip of Dubya from the 04 campaign. Doing his I’ll protect yah from terrorism shtick.
The contrast between the old Repub slick BS, compared with McCain’s current train wreck is stunning.

You’re definitely in the pits when your best friend tells you he will not vote for you.
A very interesting radio interview with a navy guy who was at college same time as McStupid and a POW for eight and a half years.

Interview: McCain’s Former POW Roomate & Naval Academy Classmate Explains Why He Won’t Vote For McCain

I would expect him to be bellicose to other countries like Iran, I would expect him, if he took a notion, to launch missiles if something irritated him or something ticked him off.

I just would expect him to be a hair trigger kind of President; I would expect him to not really see the world of nations in all of their complexity, in all of their cultures, in all of their religions and all of the different points of view in ways of doing life, I could not expect John McCain to be a student of that, and to try to understand it, just like George Bush has not done.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Interview-With-Phil-Butler-by-Rob-Kall-081027-613.html

And so democracy at work keeps on keeping on!
50,000 voters purged from roll in Georgia.
“some of teh words Ferny has used fifty times”

College senior Kyla Berry was looking forward to voting in her first presidential election, even carrying her voter registration card in her wallet.

“Vote suppression is real. It does sometimes happen,” said Daniel P. Tokaji, a law professor at Ohio State University.

But about two weeks ago, Berry got disturbing news from local election officials.

“This office has received notification from the state of Georgia indicating that you are not a citizen of the United States and therefore, not eligible to vote,” a letter from the Fulton County Department of Registration and Elections said.

But Berry is a U.S. citizen, born in Boston, Massachusetts. She has a passport and a birth certificate to prove it. Watch some of the concerns of voting experts »

The letter, which was dated October 2, gave her a week from the time it was dated to prove her citizenship. There was a problem, though — the letter was postmarked October 9.

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/26/voter.suppression/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

This one specially for the Virginia dumbfuckers voting fraternity.
If you believe this your vote will not count.
Very Kellyish one might say.

Due to the larger than expected voter turnout in this years [sic] electoral process, An [sic] emergency session of the General Assembly has adopted the following emergency regulations to ease the load on local electorial [sic] precincts and ensure a fair electorial [sic] process.

All Democratic party supporters and independent voters supporting Democratic candidates shall vote on November 5th as adopted by emergency regulation of the Virginia General Assembly.

All Republican party supporters and independent voters supporting Republican candidates shall vote on November 4th as precribed [sic] by law.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause but felt this was the only way to ensure fairness to the complete electorial [sic] process.

The plods are seeking the flier’s provenence!
No doubt the plods will be members of the GOP.

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/10/phony_virginia_flier_tells_dem.php

Ferny

Thought you might like this from Hitchens today.

This is what the Republican Party has done to us this year: It has placed within reach of the Oval Office a woman who is a religious fanatic and a proud, boastful ignoramus. Those who despise science and learning are not anti-elitist. They are morally and intellectually slothful people who are secretly envious of the educated and the cultured. And those who prate of spiritual warfare and demons are not just “people of faith” but theocratic bullies. On Nov. 4, anyone who cares for the Constitution has a clear duty to repudiate this wickedness and stupidity.

Sarah Palin’s War on Science – Christopher Hitchens
http://www.slate.com/id/2203120/

Hiya Diogs! Yessir it’s a powerful piece. Loved this line: “It has placed within reach of the Oval Office a woman who is a religious fanatic and a proud, boastful ignoramus.”

In fact, I said something similar myself not so long ago in the midst of loudly pondering when ignorance became a virtue.

I’ve a feeling there’s a war about to engulf the GOP. With their loss of power will come a battle between the religious wingnuts, the traditional neocons and the moderate republicans. Who will win the soul of the Grand Old Party?

I see that Adam is spruiking the view that Palin WILL BE (he’s always so definite) the GOP nomination for Prez in 2012. I do hope he’s right! It will be fun to watch another shelacking. But it will all depend on who wins the coming civil war. The wingnuts and the neocons may continue in their unholy alliance against the moderates – in which case Palin may well get up – and take them down again. Perhaps that’s what it will take to loosen their grip.

Another scenario sees the wingnut/neocon alliance disintegrating in recrimination and finger pointing at Palin’s almost single-handed destruction of independent support. In which case a moderate champion may emerge. I suspect, however, with human nature being what it is, the civil war will take most of next term and whoever emerges as nominee for 2012 will be a very exhausted compromise.

So when the main event is over next week, don’t leave your seats. There will still be plenty to watch. KR – pass the bloody popcorn!

Ferny

They’re already saying there are three factions as you say; the wingnuts who want Palin, the neocons who want Romney and the moderates who don ‘t have a champion yet (Maybe Ridge, Crist, Lieberman). It’s going to be just like here after Howie lost.

And I know some of you are sceptical about Adam’s conversion on the road to Damascus but he posted this yesterday.

After initial reluctance, I have accepted that Obama will make a better president than McCain, who has been a big disappointment. But I’m not going to follow Julie down the yellow brick road to Obamalalaland, in which The One makes the lame to walk and the blind to see, the oceans to rise (or is it fall?) and the lion to lie down with the lamb. He’s a very talented politician, he may or may not be a good president – but he is not the Messiah.

Ok, it’s not about politics but there’s just so many things wrong with this I don’t know where to start 🙁

Boy shoots self with Uzi submachinegun in fairground game

AN eight-year-old boy has died after shooting himself in the head while firing an Uzi submachine gun at a fair in Massachusetts.

Christopher Bizilj was firing the gun under the supervision of a Certified Instructor when he lost control of the weapon and was hit in the head.

He’s 8 ffs!

Christopher “was shooting the weapon down range when the force of the weapon made it travel up and back toward his head, where he suffered the injury”.

Well, who’d have thunk’d it? and under 16’s get to shoot for free!!!
Simply, un-fucking believable

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,24563504-38198,00.html

Morning all. Good thoughtful post DW. Progress is steady towards the likely demolition next week. The Stevens conviction will be a bonus for Dems and another blow for Repugs. Just one request to site managers – the DW intro post is appearing in fairly large print and double spacing on my computer – could check be made to see if it could be a bit more screen friendly or let me know how I could change it.

29 Diogs,
Crist is the best of that list. Hell….stick an ‘h’ in his name to keep the theocrats happy. If Obama sounds too much like Osama to the wingnuts then I’m sure they’ll have no trouble voting for a bloke called Christ.

As for Lieberman – no credibility whatsoever. He won’t be a contender for anything more than floor sweeper after Nov 4.

32
Wakefield

The post looks fine here using firefox, but after switching to IE turns it into crap as you describe.

32, 34, 35

The reason for the font issue is that the first and last paragraphs have been set to font size 13.5 and Times New Roman.

Also, the post needs to be divided up for the main page.

Paddy @37 First time I’ve seen Sylvester in an Irish accent “”deshpickible, begorrah””
But seriously, folks, If that Cindy McCain played her cards right, I’d mount her..in my insect collection.

Ferny

You mention Crist as a leading candidate for 2012.

Put aside the gay rumours for the time being.

My question is America may be ready for a Black President, it may be getting ready to be ready for a Woman President…but will America ever be ready for a Single , Childless President?

Me thinks being single and childless is a way bigger presidential obstacle than race or gender.

Wow! Guy Rundle is in stunning form in Crikey today.

Though it’s true that there would be a few extra per cent for the Democrats had Hillary, or any white person, been the candidate, the extra effect of sheer lassitude at having to campaign for Clinton royalty would have undercut it. For many, it would have been a hardcore, leaden-feet effort, acknowledging that the best option was to have American ruled by two powerful families for a generation.

Truth is, the Obama movement is not only a revolution within the Democratic party, it is something that has dwarfed that party by spreading beyond it, to the vast networks of progressive groups — even when a “group” is nothing more than a bunch of consumers linked online — which have taken the place of party politics in the DisUnited States of Dissocia. Though Democratic professionals attached themselves after the primaries, and were responsible for much of the candidate’s disastrous missteps in August and September, a few of them then disappeared, and there seemed to be some sort of revolution within the revolution.

That has been dismaying to sections to the left, as it has been to the right. Barack Obama is a centre-right figure, at least in his current rhetoric, especially around foreign affairs, and Ralph Nader is right to say it. But no-one can deny that he has created the first mainstream movement willing to pony up actual money — often from very straitened wages — in huge numbers to actually see this candidate elected. This is not a liberal funded by Hollywood, unions and service industries, passively assented to. In America, where twenty per cent of people regularly choose between food, medicine, heating and latterly, gas, many have unbelievably added a fifth demand, that of making a donation to ‘change we can believe in’.

BTW Gippslander@39 ….Not Fair with that “insect collection” punchline. I’d only just finished wiping up the mess from watching the clip. 🙂

40 Harry
I didn’t say he was the “leading candidate”. I said he was the best on that list. Whoever emerges as the leading candidae will depend on who’s left standing after the internal war the GOPpers are about to have.

“Though it’s true that there would be a few extra per cent for the Democrats had Hillary, or any white person, been the candidate…,”

Nice to see Crikey now applying the same standards of bland uncritical acceptace as the MSM to this load of absolute crap.

To his credit, he then goes on to contradict himself. Whether or not there would be a ‘few extra percent for Hillary” or whether more would have voted for a white guy, is conjecture that simply can’t be proven either way.

It’s highly likely that Obama’s widespread appeal and his new-age, state of the art campaigning has trumped anything Hillary could have come up with. Obama’s positives thrash Hillary’s negatives and he would have flogged her in the main game just as he did in the preliminary.

So enuff of the Hillary would have dun better bullshit – cos that’s what it is.

Harry H @ 40.. Buchanan, 1857-61 was single, and reputedly childless.. but,hey, that lead to the civil war!. I’m not sure, but off the top of my head I don’t think Wilson had children.. and that led to WW1 (as far as the septics are concerned).

Remember FDR’s famous inauguration speech in 1933…”The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

I’ve a feeling Obama’s inauguration speech will be another that’s still quoted for generations.

A Daily Kos article about Josephine McCarthy:

MN-06: Ha ha ha ha ha.

“U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann wrote a letter last year recommending a federal pardon for a major campaign contributor who was once convicted of felony money laundering, firearm and drug charges on the basis he had reformed.”

OK. Sounds good so far. “Reformed” is good.

“This month, she withdrew that recommendation on behalf of Frank E. Vennes Jr., eight days after the FBI searched his Shorewood home and office and confiscated documents, money, art, coins and jewels that agents think may be related to a $3 billion investment fraud scheme in which Minnesota business mogul Tom Petters has been charged.”

Oooooooops.

Yes, that good and decent Bachmann campaign contributor, and “reformed” convicted felon, is back to his old tricks.

But surely, you say, guilt by association isn’t fair or right? Well, Michele disagrees:

“In the last week, Bachmann also has said numerous times that relationships and advisers of candidates for public office such as Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama are “fair game” for public scrutiny, as they may affect the candidates’ views and beliefs.

“The media needs to do their job in vetting,” she said following a St. Cloud Rotary Club luncheon last week. “Those associations are certainly fair game and something the media brings up.””

Hoisted by her own petard.

Don,

liked the way you drew the parallels between Neocon John Howard and Tricky Dicky. As you point out, Johnny was a little leaguer compared to RMN. Howard had bugger all common touch despite his pathetic attempts to be seen as “one of the boys”, he never was.

HST told a story of how Nixon once asked Dr Gonzo to sit in his limo during the 72 campaign and talk about pro football only. Tricky just wanted to chill for an hour and knew HST was a sporting mensch. The encounter really blew Hunter away. Nixon had an encyclopaedic knowledge of players, form, tactics and strategies of the NFL and knew the strengths and foibles of all the big league players. Hunter was first and foremost a sports journo before he stumbled into political journalism and blazed a trail matched by few and imitated by thousands.
El Rodente was always a forgazi, a dilettante when it came to footy and he should have known better than to feign interest.

Interestingly, The Kid is about to claim much of Nixon’s “Sun Belt” States in The West.

One area where Nixon differed from his New Right successors was in economic and financial management. Nixon was relatively prudent. The others, especially Reagan and Bush II, have been utterly reckless – no doubt egged on by the Sun Belt equivalent of the White Shoe Brigade, and the Pentagon-related industries.

Your tie-ins to Oz Politics are so deliciously apt, especially the Paulie/Bubba similarities.

We should not forget Howard Dean, who first attempted to use the net and appeal to the disengaged in 2004. He didn’t overcome the Democratic machine then, but he paved the way to how entrenched interests could be overcome.

Abso-freakin’-lutely! Fiscal zealots like Citizen Rupert (Fox) and their MIC/PNAC/neocon pals can no longer control the message. The stupid schmucks grew lazy with power and literally didn’t see Obi coming until it was too late. They kept on with the Alwater/Rove/Schmidt slime and smear schtick despite clear evidence that is was not working this election season. But they kept doing it anyway. Copybook STOOPID!!

Don, your article is worth submitting to The Monthly. It’s outstanding.

Don’t you love watching the rightists frothing at the mouth and fulminating from the pulpit of capital or religeon. This one is Dennis Prager connected to RCP:
“From Karl Marx to today’s Democratic Party, the left everywhere has manufactured villains to slay — starting with the bourgeoisie and land owners to today’s “special interests” (though not, of course, left-wing special interests, such as labor unions, teachers unions and the trial bar), “the rich,” drug companies, oil companies, neocons, evangelical Christians and, of course, the myriad racists, sexists, Islamophobes, homophobes and xenophobes.

That’s why the left is so passionate about “change.” In fact, if I believed America had become what the left believe it has become, I would be, too. But what they believe about America is not true; America remains the greatest country in the world. It needs to be fixed where broken, but not changed. Those who want to change it will make it worse. Perhaps much worse.”
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/10/why_the_left_wants_to_change_a.html

“McCain’s repeated references to “maverick” have drained all meaning from the word, but it’s true that he’s an iconoclast with little reverence for Republican orthodoxy. Why he chose, in an election that was always going to be decided by independents and Reagan Democrats, to campaign on a platform of slavish devotion to Republican orthodoxy is beyond me”:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2008/10/mccains_missteps.html
A great analysis. The thing that made McCain a potentially formidable opponent was his ability to win over independents. I wonder whether the post-election analysis will uncover why he decided to cloak himself in a party on the nose, from Rove-like campaign tactics to chosing Sarah Palin. What the HELL was he thinking???

I have been trawling the net, trying to find out a little more about Woodrow Wilson.
IMO he’s not a great president, but he does have some great quotes and all relevant to the current campaign.:
“A conservative is a man who just sits and thinks, mostly sits.”
“I have long enjoyed the friendship and companionship of Republicans because I am by instinct a teacher, and I would like to teach them something.”
“I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.”
“If you want to make enemies, try to change something.”
“The government, which was designed for the people, has got into the hands of the bosses and their employers, the special interests. An invisible empire has been set up above the forms of democracy.”
And how about this for advice which Obama and Dean seem to have taken to heart

“Never attempt to murder a man who is committing suicide. “

55 EC

Many thanks for that analysis and praise, Ecky. (Also for that amazing youtube clip you came up with at 11.)

And to the others offering praise, I also offer thanks. Singling out is a bit unfair, but I especially appreciated Ferny’s comments. It is only the other day that I identified very fully with one his rants on the other post.

Cheers

Great post on 538.com (long)

[‘ Ole Forsberg said…
@PorridgeGun (8:04pm)
“”
Why do people keep telling me to relax? It’s not my country that has the biggest clusterfuck of a ticket in American history within 5-7% of quite possibly the most intelligent and rational presidential candidate since John F. Kennedy. … It’s fucking embarrasing that it’s even a race at this point.
“”

PorridgeGun: At the risk of overly simplifying things, here is the rub:

Americans (we) have an inferiority complex. We fear those weaker than ourselves. We fear those stronger than ourselves. We fear those smarter than ourselves. We fear those dumber than ourselves. We fear those different from ourselves.

We do not want to feel inferior to others. Therefore, we have the best military in the world. We use it the most of anyone in the world. We deride those who are smarter than we (individually).

We do not understand the world. We fear it. Finding any good in another country means we are weak. We cannot be weak.

Palin mentioned that Obama wants us to be like Sweden. She focused on Sweden’s socialism. She knows not Sweden. Sweden is very capitalistic. Sweden is very prosperous. Sweden does not have a persistent underclass. Sweden is very environmentally friendly. Sweden has the second best navy in terms of technology. Sweden is not spending billions weekly in a war that it sought.

God willing we were Sweden.

I am an American. I would not give up being an American for anything. I am proud of what we stand for. I am proud that we are (still) a beacon to the world. That liberty flows through our blood.

I am thoroughly embarrassed that stupidity completes with that liberty, that we want to elect someone who is obviously not prepared to be the president, someone who is obviously not prepared to be vice president, someone who does not show any intellectual inquisitiveness, someone who is willing to sell his soul to get the office, someone who does not understand the economy, someone who offers NOTHING except divisive tactics.

PorridgeGun, no matter who wins, I am an American. I will remain an American. I love America.

But I may weep bitter tears on November 5.’]

60 – Gippslander
Good quotes 🙂
I prefer Adlai Stevenson though for some gems.
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/a/adlai_e_stevenson.html

[‘Every age needs men who will redeem the time by living with a vision of the things that are to be. ‘]

[‘I have been thinking that I would make a proposition to my Republican friends… that if they will stop telling lies about the Democrats, we will stop telling the truth about them. ‘]

63

From Wikipedia:

Stevenson’s wit was legendary. During one of Stevenson’s presidential campaigns, allegedly, a supporter told him that he was sure to “get the vote of every thinking man” in the U.S., to which Stevenson is said to have replied, “Thank you, but I need a majority to win.”

Wikipedia: Adlai Stevenson

66
Following up that theme, Ghost, in the anti-intellectual climate of the 50s, Stevenson was once accused of ‘being an egghead’.

His response:”Eggheads of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your yolks.”
When I studied politics in the 60s, there was a popular theory that American voters didn’t like a leader with a sense of humour.

Apologies if this has been posted already

8 reasons why Obama might not win

In January 2005, just after Barack Obama was sworn in as a United States senator from Illinois, I published eight reasons why he’d run for president in 2008. Then in January of 2007, just before he officially announced his candidacy, I published eight reasons why he’d win the Democratic nomination.

This week, to finish the cycle, I’ll give you a pair of eight-reasons columns about Obama: Today, why he might lose Nov. 4. And Thursday, why he’ll win.

I hedging? No. I’m looking at the same polling data everyone else is but saying I can still see Republican John McCain pulling an upset. Why?

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-zorn-28-oct28,0,4206913.storyAm

71
“I see, start off a new thread and leave me talking to myself all day.”

Sorry about that ChrisB. I suspect it’s probably my fault. Had to send a couple of emails to Ecky setting up; then Ecky was a bit worried about making corrections without crashing the system. So left the final formalities to Catrina – closing off the last thread and correcting the proofs on mine.

Still, we might have helped Jen set up the record for number of posts. When did you find out, by the way?

61 Don Wigan Yes Don, it’s brilliant. The Three Amigo’s must be going ape shit at the moment. They wouldn’t allow such stuff to be published. 😈

58 Katielou We’ll I always thought America was ageist.
The poll in KatieLous link said 8% of people were worried about Obama’s race, whereas 49% of people were worried about McCain’s age.
My opinion is that having Sarah Palin as VP, highlighted McCains age. The MSM kept referring to Palin having to replace McCain.
Palin = Very dumb move for Republicans.
Very handy for the Democrats. 😆

About an hour ago. But I had been very busy doing other things, and not putting much thought into why no one else was there. So I didn’t post as much as usual. I did try changing my deodorant.

81 Chris B Those two advertisements are extremely effective, especially if they run in high rotation. Any similar advertisements running in other senate seats will certainly swing or tie up those seats. I hope something similar is running in Maine, Texas, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Alaska was wrapped up today.

And again:
Stevens guilty on 7 counts.

Alaska senator maintains his innocence.

Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, one of Congress’ most powerful Republicans, was convicted Monday of lying on financial disclosure forms to conceal his receipt of gifts and expensive renovations to his house, just eight days before he faces voters.

The 84-year-old lawmaker, the first sitting U.S. senator to go on trial in more than two decades, sat quietly as a federal court jury foreman read the verdict after less than a day of deliberations: guilty on seven felony counts, each with a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

The senator, who probably will face a less severe penalty under federal sentencing guidelines, left the courtroom without answering reporters’ questions.

In a statement, Stevens maintained his innocence, accused Justice Department lawyers of “repeated instances of prosecutorial misconduct” and vowed to fight for re-election to a seventh full term.

That’s right Ted, take the party down with you. That’s what we like to see. Keep an eye on the polls in Alaska. 😈
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-stevensoct28,0,3992258.story

Obama ‘target of assassination plot’ by two white supremacists.

SECURITY concerns about the safety of Barack Obama are growing after US federal authorities yesterday charged two white supremacists with plotting to assassinate the Democratic presidential candidate.

Prosecutors in Tennessee charged the two men, Daniel Cowart, 20, and Paul Schlesselman, 18, with planning to kill Mr Obama as part of a “killing spree” targeting African Americans.

Both men were arrested following an abortive robbery last week, after which authorities found details of their plot which included plans to shoot or decapitate 102 black children at a state high school.

http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Obama-39target-of-assassination-plot39.4634450.jp

1351
Chris B Says:
October 28th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Hello…..

All the way to

1369
jen Says:
October 28th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Hey CB- did you know there’s a new thread??

LMFAO… ROFL…LOL and any other acronym you can think of

No offense intended Chris – But that’s the funniest fucking thing I’ve seen on a blog for a long long while 🙂

In regard to Ted Stevens, I thought Obama had to lose one big one, before the election. Obviously not this one.

And forget the Three Amigo’s mate, everybody else has. You’re a treasure round here and have my utmost respect and admiration

even before you decided to break out into comedy 😉

lol(really, I am) its soo funny mate… a classic…

I’ll stop now (well, posting about it) I’m still giggling in RL 🙂

Barack Obama, Joe Biden look to get out the vote in ‘Red States’.

For Barack Obama, the White House race is no longer about conquering new battlegrounds – it’s about securing the ones he’s winning.

The Democrat will spend the last days of the campaign in a handful of traditionally red states where Republican John McCain is on the ropes, senior Obama aides told the Daily News.

“We’re going to the states where we are ahead, and we’re going to lock those states in,” said one top adviser, referring to polls that show Obama tied or ahead in a dozen or so major battlegrounds.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/10/28/2008-10-28_barack_obama_joe_biden_look_to_get_out_t.html

Don,

A great article. It gives a very good account of Nixon’s political cunning in persuading the the Southern Democrats (the Dixiecrat wing of the party) to jump ship. That movement began with Truman’s policy announcement on Civil Rights for the 1948 campaign – remember that 1948 Dixiecrat presidential nominee was Strom Thurmond, who it later turned out appears to have fathered a child with an African American woman. (Oh the hypocrisy.)

The reason that the South was Democratic after the Civil War was primarily that the Republican administrations of Johnson and Grant sent Northern politicians to the South to administer the reconstruction (the Carpetbaggers)

“The Union Army occupied the states of the former Confederacy, enforcing federal law protecting the rights of blacks, many of whom were freed slaves. Reconstruction abruptly ended in 1877, obliterating many of the gains that had been made in securing political and civil rights for blacks.” (Wiki)

And the South has not been known for forgiveness over the real or imagined slights from this period.

It was pointed out to the Dixiecrat wing that Truman’s policy was the same as Roosevelt’s. I think it was Thurmond who fulminated “Yes but Truman plans to implement it!”

Unable to break a filibuster, the one thing that Truman could do was to desegregate the armed forces which he did by regulation in his first term.

Still, it is interesting that it was not Clinton who broke this awkward coalition of liberal-conservatives, racist, god botherers and wingnuts. Rather it seems that the fatal push has come from a combination of a dignified, cerebral and pragmatic candidate of both African and European descent combined with the financial meltdown caused by the deregulation idiocies of Reagan, the Bushes and the biggest twit of all, Alan Greenspan – who didn’t realise (????) that where money is concerned, greed is an overriding emotion in financial markets. (What planet was he living on? He just had to look at the obscene salaries and bonuses available on Wall Street to people who would make Barbie Caribou on a bad day look bright.)

This headline won’t go astray in Florida.
Jury finds Stevens guilty on all counts.

A federal jury on Monday found Republican Sen. Ted Stevens guilty on seven counts of lying about thousands of dollars of gifts and home renovations on his financial disclosure forms, a verdict that ended in disgrace the four-decade Senate career of a man whose imprint on Alaska dates to before its statehood.

It’s an almost unprecedented conviction by a jury of a sitting U.S. senator and the Justice Department’s highest-profile felony conviction in a sweeping four-year federal investigation into corruption in Alaska politics.

Having the words Republican and lying together in the one sentence won’t go astray either. In fact the first two paragraphs are devastating for the Republican Party.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/744075.html

94 Catrina Thanks for your support Catrina.
It’s good to give people a laugh occasionally.

Don, a good coda to your piece could be the article in Salon by Gary Kamiya, which concludes:

The GOP stands at a crossroads. Republicans can pretend that nothing has really changed, that this is still a “center-right” nation, and that only an ill-timed economic meltdown cost them the White House. This means leaving their party in the hands of the “movement conservatives” who have dominated the GOP for decades: the demagogues of reaction and resentment, the Christian rightists, the “values” voters, the anti-tax, anti-government zealots, the nativists, anti-rationalists and anti-secularists. The culmination of this approach would be to nominate Sarah Palin as their presidential candidate in 2016. Or they can move to the center, accept that progressive taxation is not just necessary to run a country but that it is a legitimate part of the social contract, accept that markets need some regulation, and try to reach out to all Americans, not just their base.

If Republicans choose the first option, the GOP will be taking the first steps toward becoming a marginal party, one that will eventually end up an object of curiosity in the historical display case along with such extinct specimens as the Know-Nothing Party. If they choose the second, they will not only save their party, they could help heal the grievous wounds their divisive politics have inflicted on the country.

If conservatives’ track record over the last 40 years is any guide, they will choose the first. And I won’t be putting any flowers on their grave.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/kamiya/2008/10/28/gop_shipwreck/

…it’s a very clear analysis of why the GOP is taking down McCain, and will find itself in the political wilderness for a very long time. McCain never stood a chance.

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