Gore Says Bush Abused Trust, Played Politics of Fear

[hedda_foil]

Gore Says Bush Abused Trust, Played Politics of Fear
Fri Feb 6,12:26 AM ET Add Politics to My Yahoo!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20040206/pl_nm/campaign_gore_dc_1

By Larry Fine

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Former Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) on Thursday accused President Bush (news - web sites) of abusing the trust of Americans by playing on their fears as he led the United States to war against Iraq (news - web sites).

<snip>
"Fear was activated on Sept. 11 for all of us," he said. "And it was exploitable for a variety of purposes unrelated to the initial cause of fear."

<snip>

Gore said the Bush administration had no scruples about using fear of terrorists as a means "to punch holes in the basic protections of the Constitution, to create a class of permanent prisons and to make it possible to imprison American citizens without due process."


<more>

[Sticky]

1. Go Al!

....just heard bush brown-noser Wolf Blitzer say earlier that Al Gore is jeopardizing his credibility by saying such things.

Blitzer is a die hard war-loving repub......I can't stand to even look at him anymore.

Is it possible these so-called journalists are going kicking and screaming into the Iraq questions because the invasion got them so much travel and air time? It seems all the correspondents who went to Iraq are resisting David Kay's findings.

[wellstone_democrat]

2. "jeopardizing his credibility" with whom?

CNN or Fox's audience? With Blitzer? Who the hell cares what Blitzer and his Blind followers think? This is a man who joins the "Hallelujah" Chorus on Bush: "A godly clean-living man who doesn't drink or cuss!"

Then the same sources (Like Time magazine) print the "Fuck Saddamn..." line without a trace of irony.

Get a fucking clue Wolf: Gore is being far more restrained than he should be under the circumstances. Albert Gore is the rightful President of the United States and this citizen appreciates his speaking out about the usurper George Bush.

Screw you Wolf and all the robots watching Fox and CNN.

[11cents]

3. These WHORES

... so-called journalists still trying to act as grand arbiters of what we're permitted to say and think about the Royal Chimp. I repeat, they call themselves JOURNALISTS. God. Damn.

[maryallen]

4. Gore: Sue Blitzer/CNN for Grand Theft Election ...

and slander.

If that woman can sue CBS regarding Janet's boob, I would think that propagandizing and lying to help Stupid steal a presidential election is worthy of the same judicial consideration.

Wolf's report on Gore was outrageous!! He called Gore everything but a Communist; said Gore had taken a "left" turn; lost his credibility;, and had marginalized his influence with this speech. That damn Ron Brownstein joined in the chorus, too. Despicable!

Gore's best line was that Bush's administration reminded him of Nixon's administration. You're damn right it does:
Watergate on Steroids!

Tell it like it is, Albert Gore. I salute you!

[joeunderdog]

9. Wholesale media rebuttals of anti-Bush comments are getting rarer.

It's hard to maintain any semblance of credibility whey you are backing someone who is so obviously lying his ass off. Even his backers are squirming because they know he's cornered big time.

How different this all feels from when saying anything even the slightest bit anti-Chimp would get you called Unpatriotic.

Go Al. Can he still run for President?

[AlGore-08.com]

15. Not in 2004, not unless he's drafted at a brokered convention

Which was always a slim possibility and almost certainly won't happen now.

He is young enough to run in 2008 or even 2012.

[Cooley Hurd]

13. More about Saucy George's language...

The Globe and Mail

<snip>
The Canadian side, while aware of the President's penchant for religiosity, had been expecting to talk more about softwood lumber than the Ten Commandments. The Canadians didn't expect the morality play. Nor did they expect that, almost in the same breath, Mr. Bush would be filling the air with the f-word and other saucy expletives of the type that would surely leave the Lord perturbed. Nor did they anticipate a pointed attack on French President "Jack Cheerack," as Mr. Bush called him, for his views on the Middle East.
</snip?

[UpInArms]

7. seems Blitzer has it ass-backwards

*Co jeopardized the US's credibility.

[indepat]

8. I can't stand to look at Blitzer either so I never

[deutsey]

5. Look: I voted for Gore in 2000

but he now stands up and tells us Bush is betraying our trust? Bush betrayed our trust in the democratic process in 2000 and Gore (and all the Democrats in Congress except for the Congressional Black Caucus) let him get away with it.

I like Al, but I believe this kind of talk is too little too late. Those of us who protested Bush's coronation in January 2001 knew the score back then. Why are all these Democrats suddenly realizing what a threat to our system of government Bush poses?

[Pathwalker]

6. He's BEEN speaking out. Even before Dean,

Gore was speaking out against His Chimperial Highness, so it's not as if he just started. He's been doing it all along - I guess not everyone noticed. I did. Must be that damned Librul media again! ;-)

[AlGore-08.com]

14. I wrote about this on another thread a couple days ago

And rather than point out exactly what Gore said about Bush in 2000 (and what the media said instead of reporting what Gore actually said) and rehash the Florida recount for the millionth time (for those who have forgotten, Gore did everything legally possible to get the votes counted and the only other option Gore had was to start a civil war) I'm going to restate what I think is the biggest problem we Democrats have: we constantly blame the victim.

We've watched the media run with GOP smear campaigns and destroy elected Dems for over twenty years, and we still blame the one who gets destroyed every time. Gary Hart was hounded from the 1988 campaign for being a moral hypocrit (does anybody else remember that Hart was outpolling Smirk Daddy?), Dukakis was sunk with Willie Horton and the "wimp in a tank" meme, Clinton was painted as the most corrupt President ever, super-boy scout Gore was smeared as a big fat liar on no evidence, Jesse Jackson was branded with a great big scarlet "A" days before he was going to lead anti-coronation protests in Florida, Tom Daschle was painted as an obstructionist, Max Cleland was defeated for being unpatriotic, Gray Davis was sunk with a completely phony budget deficit and a car tax that he had nothing to do with, Howard Dean was painted as mentally unstable... they even launched a successful smear campaign against Paul Wellstone's funeral.

And how do we respond when the GOP attacks a Dem?

We kick them when they're down. Then we turn our backs on them, rushing after a fresh face - - somebody who has absolutely no flaws and always wins in a landslide and never screws up on camera and has never even thought about voting the "wrong" way on all our personal hot button issues. Guess what? That person doesn't exist. But that won't stop us from rushing off to find him/her - - and blaming them when they become the next victim of the GOP.

And the GOP loves it. We're doing all their work for them. We toss aside every Dem who manages to get a national following and our bench gets shallower and shallower and shallower.

In Florida, Gore could have done what John McCain did after the South Carolina primary - - he could have shrugged off the vote fraud, conceded quietly and spent the time since then pretending that it never happened. Instead, he did everything he legally do to get the votes counted. After the campaign, Gore could have done what Bob Dole has done - - sold his celebrity to the highest bidder, making "humorous" TV commercials and retired from politics. Instead, he speaks out against the Bush administration constantly. He was the first to speak out against the impending war in Iraq, he spoke out against the right wing control of the media (and is trying to launch a cable news channel), he spoke out against Bush's environmental policies (and global warming), against the civil rights abuses of the Bush administration, he constantly points out how Bush is bought and sold by his donors, he points out constantly that he actually won Florida - - I could go on and on. Perhaps most importantly, when Gore decided to give his first speech at Moveon.org, he made them legitimate in the eyes of the corporate media for the first time. Now the corporate media reports on Moveon.org's activities, and even calls them "the Christian Coalition of the Left".

And what does Gore get in return? "Scr@w Gore. He isn't pure enough."

Is it any wonder 99% of the Dems play it safe, when this is how we treat the ones who take risks?

[WENSTJDON]

16. thank you for saying this.

Very well said. I totally agree with you.

[peacebuzzard]

17. Gore won then, but lost to fraud.....

and he would win again, anytime. The man has brains and brawn and we all miss his public inputs. Too bad we live in a nation run by a ship of fools.

[cybildisobedience]

19. wow...

excellent points -- the only thing Gore could have done was allow all those groups who apparently wanted to show their support in the streets to do so. He was a gentleman, unfortunately -- a statesman at a time when thugs prevailed.
I think he's seen the error of his judgment since then, hence the strong words and fearless speeches. He is to be commended, and you're right -- we need to remember who the enemy really is -- the people who unleash the hounds of hell upon these candidates, not the candidates themselves for being only human.

[Lisa]

21. maybe he suspected a Plan B?

This is an unpleasant scenario, but that rent-a-mob in Florida got me thinking. It wouldn't have been too hard for people with ulterior motives to stir up some violence -- and get one or more demonstrators injured or even killed.

Democrats bleeding in the streets .... or better yet for certain people's purposes, Republicans. Then Rove and Co. could have shrieked about "Gore's mobs", and framed him for inciting murder.

A bit extreme, sure ... but my ex recalls anti-war protests in the 70s where a particular activist intentionally led a protest the wrong way, into police lines, and caused a riot. When confronted about the injured, the guy shrugged and said, "well it got us media coverage, didn't it". We already know that there are people in the administration who are pretty unscrupulous about taking advantage of tragedy.

p.s. I recall that Gore turned down Democratic Party offers to organize mass protests on his behalf -- could this have been on his mind as well? I would like to believe that George W. isn't the kind of human being who would allow this ... but he's already sent people into danger on account of his policies, so evidently a whisper from Rove or Cheney is sufficient to overcome any scruples he has.

[Borgnine]

22. You're damn straight!

Right on, brother. I agree with everything you said one hundred percent.

[DemonFighterLives]

24. Heck of a post

You provided an excellent history of the smears. I think the populace is to blame for allowing what went on in FL. Gore could have done better at the debates and could have fought harder when the thugs got going. I think such un-american ways took us by surprise. Also Lieberman drug the whole mess down. He gave up the fight and we did too and now look at the pickle we're in.
Go Gore! or Dean or Kerry or whoever. It is time for this bunch of bad apples to go.

[Just Me]

10. I am sick of unsolicited opinions being spewed by news journalists.

It's unethical, unacceptable and cheap!!! When it comes to news media, my personal motto has become "Turn It OFF!!!" *LOL* It's my way of withdrawing support for those who fail to at least AIM at an objective presentation of a broad range of facts allowing ME TO DECIDE. :argh:

With respect to Al's position and belief, I agree with him and I acknowledge him for succinctly stating his position. I basically reached the conclusion that the people were being manipulated by "fear tactics" a few short weeks after I could tell that a "marketing" campaign for the war was taking place. I hope Al keeps talking and ignores (even chides) all those who would prefer he shut up.

[Bonobo]

11. If he had sounded like that in 2000...

I would have voted for him.

:shrug:

[tibbiit]

20. he did sound like that in 2000

you just believed the Thug smear.
No fault to you, the game was rigged.
tib

[w4rma]

12. Go Gore! (n/t)

[Lisa]

18. Al Gore didn't buy into the "Bush is such a nice guy" facade ...

He distrusted George W. and the people behind him. When he tried to warn the country that a Bush adminstration would be a big fat hairy oceangoing disaster, various media pundits accused him of having some irrational hatred of Bush, and even implied that Gore was jealous of Bush's "common touch". That Atlantic Monthly cover of him with vicious-looking fangs? Even that time he walked over to him during the debate was spun as bullying poor George. (Regardless of all the hype about Bush being a 6-foot-tall Texas-tough athletic superstar.) Every policy critique was made to look like some kind of mean-spirited personal attack on Bush.

When the two of them met at the VP residence, some pundits noted how brief the meeting was, and basically accused Gore of being a bad sport and not being professional enough to make nice. The same "sour grapes" label is going to be trotted out again (see! they DO believe in recycling) because Bush's supporters have found it to be such a convenient way of dismissing somebody. Meanwhile, if their guy is feeling that people are giving him a hard time, he just pretends he's Sir Winston Churchill.

And Gore's supposed to be the one with delusions?

[Snappy]

23. Smear

The Neo Fascists smear Dems then the Media parrots them. Then the Dems follow suit. No wonder the Rethugs win more elections now.

[trapper914]

25. Bush wasn't the first

"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
-- Herman Goering at the Nuremberg trials

[mumon]

26. "By Larry Fine???"

Really?