Where have all the attacks gotten us?
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Judy Mastrangeli
Published: October 12, 2008
In 2000, George W. Bush reached the presidency through the use of personal attacks on his opponents. First, in the South Carolina primary, Bush’s slime squad falsely accused John McCain of fathering
a black child, causing McCain to lose the primary. Then in the general election, a Karl Rove-generated campaign ridiculed Al Gore’s attire, his speaking style and other personal qualities that had nothing
to do with his ability to serve as president. A brilliant man was seen as a laughing stock by many because of these ugly personal attacks.
In 2004, the Swift Boat guys attacked John Kerry’s Vietnam service while George W. Bush, the candidate with the truly questionable military record, got a free pass. Kerry was accused of being elite, not
a “good old boy you could have a beer with” like Bush and generally mocked and ridiculed.
Now we are in the midst of the 2008 election season. It would be wise to examine what attack-dog politics got us in the past — two terms of a failed presidency that have left most of us far worse off now
than we were in 2000.
It is ironic that a man who was the victim of this kind of politics now says, “My name is John McCain and I approve this message” to TV ads that distort the facts and lie about Barack Obama.
When we hear a candidate being cheered on for calling herself a pit bull with lipstick and then feeding the crowd with a series of lies, is this what we’ve come to? Is this what we want in our leaders? It has
been suggested that Mr. Obama return the attacks in kind — is this what we want?
I want the candidate who has proposals to solve our problems to be my president, not the one with the sharpest tongue. I hope other undecided voters will cast their votes for civility and honor; not for
meanness and dishonesty.
JUDY MASTRANGELI
Manassas
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Posted by ( phdee ) on October 14, 2008 at 5:02 pm
Poor John McCain. In 2000 when running for Pres., he got smearedmby fellow Repubs smear mmachine, causing defeat. He was even accused ofmfathering a black baby. (Those Repubs like sex issues.) The bushies even allegecd he was mentally ill.
Anyway, his own party hass been the smearers.
Today, McCain’s campaigh is doing the same thing. In 2004, we had the Swift boat smearers.
McCain’s Ms. Piggy it seems is now getting her lipstick smeared.
This for McCain is his last hoorah. It’s win now or forget it. He thus has to do anything to win at any cost. Desperation has set un for his campaign. After this campaign, it will be “Old soldiers fade away” ... to oblivion.
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Posted by ( raywilliams ) on October 13, 2008 at 8:22 pm
And for this we have George W Bush and Karl Rove to thank. Win at all costs, then figure out if you can do the job.
Well, heck of a job Bushie.
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Posted by ( gwenandgary ) on October 13, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Considering the current state of campaigning, I’m beginning to think neither candidate is worth voting for.
The longer this goes on, the stonger my feelings in this regard become.
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Posted by ( QuestionAuthority ) on October 13, 2008 at 12:44 pm
It’s a shame that John McCain so quickly and easily abandoned his assurance that he would not engage in negative campaigning.
But as soon as it became obvious that Obama was winning the war of ideas, McCain went back on his word, turned his “Straight Talk Express” into the “Hate Talk Express” and sent his lipstick’d attack dogs out to “swift-boat” Obama. They’ve done such a good job whipping up the base that the Secret Service is investigation death threats against Obama yelled out at a McCain Rally and many of his base truly believe Obama is some kind of terrorist.
This is not just negative campaigning, this is negative campaigning on steroids! And we’re still 22 days away from the election.
Common-sense voters from both sides of the aisle are saying “Enough!“ Enough of the politics of fear and viscous personal attacks. Enough of this decade of Republican leadership (this is not your parent’s Republican party) that inherited a budget surplus and ran up the largest debt in US history long before Nancy Pelosi took over as Speaker of the House. Enough of this corrupt, arrogant, incompetent government that has bogged us down in war with no end in sight. Enough torture orchestrated from the White House. Enough of out of touch politicians who talk big about immigration reform and energy independence but do nothing.
Just say no to the party that inherited Ronald Reagan’s shining city on a hill and carelessly kicked it into a ditch.
Common-sense voters of both parties know that it’s time for leadership that includes all of us, appeals to the best in us, and cares for the least among us.
Join us in turning our country around and making the 21st century the best in Americas history.
Vote for Obama on November 4th!
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Posted by ( spanky ) on October 13, 2008 at 8:09 am
Thats politics…..its after the election when one party is a sore loser and cant handle what the voters have chosen is when the trouble starts
We are divided at a time we need to be united or we are in serious trouble as a nation. We need to acknowledge there are life changing challenges and that all opinions are not equal.
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