Bill Maher strikes me as making an interesting point here when he states that "Republicans have created an entirely fictional President [Obama]" that they are running against instead of running against the real Obama. The things the Republican candidates are saying about Obama are simply not true, but are widely believed by the Republican Base.
According to Maher, this is largely a Republican thing. That is, the Democrats by and large did not make things up about Bush when running against him, but Bush made things up about Kerry when running against him.
I think Maher might have a point. And, if so, I wonder how much of the situation could be owed to the Republicans having their own media outlets in the Fox News Network and Clearwater Communications. Neither one of those outlets provides a fair and balanced view of the world, but rather puts a conservative spin on things, which could go far in allowing the Republican Base to live in a little bubble, rather than to confront reality.
But what do you think? Is there any truth to what Maher says?
It's not that no Democrat has ever fibbed or exaggerated with respect to an opponent, but the Republicans do seem to be taking it to a whole other level. For years now, Limbaugh has had no problems departing from the truth to stir up his fans, with the case of Ms. Fluke being one of the most recent, well known examples. It seems to me that many of the Reps are taking a page from his playbook. This is about manipulation; stirring people enough to motivate them to vote, if not out of liking the Rep candidate then out of fear of what may happen under a Dem, Obama in this case.
ReplyDeleteThe candidates themselves just represent the tip of the iceberg. My step father is a Rep who forwards to me the political emails he gets. I would say that they are, on average, only 30-40% fact based, but nearly all of them are brimming with disgust and fear regarding Obama.
I, too, get a few of those political emails. I would be much less disgusted if they were more factual. That is, I don't worry so much about someone disagreeing with my opinions, as I worry about people who can't seem to get their facts straight.
DeleteMust be catching; our own Conservative party is getting on that wagon and they even, now, have a news network, Sun News TV, sounding much like Fox and own by Pierre-Karl PéladeauSs Quebecor, based in Toronto.
ReplyDeleteI once heard -- rightly or wrongly -- that there were Canadian laws requiring truth in reporting that had kept Murdoch out of Canada. Is there anything to that?
DeleteI loved the Bill Maher clip - I hadn't seen it. I also had no idea who Saul Alinsky was until I heard Gingrich repeat his name as the bogeyman behind the sinister Obama philosophy. This really got my interest. Who was Alinsky? On youtube I looked for all the videos I could find - and one was from a TV documentary (Canadian television I think) where Alinsky meets with Native Americans living on a reservation who wanted to bring their grievances to national attention but for whom 'organizing' went against their non-confrontational approach to life. The debate (in a cafe) between some of the young Native Americans and Alinsky (who explains that as beautiful as their philosophy may be, it won't lead to change in the world we live in) is pretty interesting. Aside from the silly theater of Gingrich and Glen Beck trying to imprint an Obama-Alinsky association into our minds, it seems to me that there are worse people to be associated with than Saul Alinsky.
ReplyDeleteGlad to have the Cafe of the Cosmic Dance back on-line and stimulating our thoughts!
A large part of me wishes the Native American way was the norm, Jon. I know Alinsky was right to steer them towards a more practical route, but our culture would be better off if it were less focused on confrontation and more on cooperation. I suppose that presumes a greater degree of shared values though.
DeleteIt's good to be back. Thanks!
Yes! I'm glad you're back, Paul. In some Republican circles, Obama is the Muslim who wrecked the economy. I think you're right that media bubble is partly the cause. In Utah where the LDS Church owns so many of the media outlets, residents are led to believe that the church is this highly respected all-powerful entity -- unless they read or watch outside sources.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words, Donna. It's good to be back!
DeleteIt sometimes seems to me that Utah is a theocracy in all but final fact. Is there any truth to that?
Welcome back, Paul!!!! And yeah, I think Bill Maher is right on this.
ReplyDeleteThere was a study that determined that those who watch Fox News are less informed than people don't watch the news at all!
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-11-22/news/30431182_1_fox-news-results-show-viewers
Thanks!
DeleteI've seen two or three of those studies, Kay. Scary!
Damn few people are well informed about politics these days. If they weren't, then opinion polls on how well Obama is doing as President would be almost a mirror image of what they are. He's doing as good a job of advancing conservatism as the last president did, yet liberals overwhelmingly approve him, and conservatives overwhelmingly disapprove.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree, Cujo. Most genuine liberals have very little in common with Obama, yet seem to support him anyway. No wonder liberals are ignored!
DeleteBoth?
ReplyDeleteThey're probably more against the fictional Obama, but I doubt most religious conservatives would vote for the real Obama either, anymore than the Taliban would.
The shame is that liberals like myself are probably going to have to vote for him though he seems more interested in being re-elected than it enacting any real liberal policies. Once again, I'll end up voting against someone rather than for someone.
It is indeed a shame, Loren. I am getting quite tired of voting against people. I need a break: Someone to vote for.
DeleteI think Maher pretty much hit the nail on the head. It's astonishing how many conservatives are absolutely convinced of the most amazing calumnies and have a totally skewed view of American politics and history.
ReplyDeleteThe US is in the grip of a powerful, organized and well funded propaganda machine.
For all practical purposes, I'd say you're right, Sey. I don't know whether it's one machine, or ten machines all with the same message, but the effect is the same.
DeleteRepublicans know damned who and what Obama is but they've been on a unreality spin for decades. They also know damned well that they can lie and lie and lie and never get caught out because the American public is so an anaesthetized by Rump Limpball's rhetoric which makes them believe that because they are white American men they are totally superior to everything else in the world.
ReplyDeleteI think the Republican leadership knows who Obama is. I doubt too many of the rank and file do. They seem to live in their own bubble, independent of fact and reality.
DeleteThe Republican's strategy must reflect what (they think) people will respond to. People are stupid. 'Nuff said.
ReplyDeleteIf lying and creating is the same thing,yes then the republicans have created a fictional president.
ReplyDeleteI am deeply distressed by just how stupid people can appear to be. It makes me despair for the future of our species.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Pjevs! I guess lying is a kind of metaphorical creation. It doesn't really create anything, but can be thought of as doing such.
ReplyDeleteIt's true, and it's a serious problem because (in general) the party/people in power need public scrutiny. There are very real things to criticize about Obama, but the real criticisms hardly get a public airing since the opposition is too busy battling this fiction.
ReplyDelete