The Face of Scare Politics (NYT on Ad vs. Dean)

[Khephra]

Let's hope that this week will mark both the beginning and the end of the use of Osama bin Laden as a prop in political campaign commercials. The current TV ad starring the most infamous face in terrorism is part of a "stop Howard Dean" movement from his fellow Democrats. Perhaps the true originators — whose identities are as murky as Qaeda operatives' — can be persuaded to cease and desist as a holiday present to the people of New Hampshire and South Carolina.

That ad's message — that Dr. Dean, the former Vermont governor, lacks foreign policy experience — is fair enough. But it is delivered with low-blow stealth as the ad's graphics dwell entirely on the sociopathic bin Laden stare. The screen shows floating scraps of scare phrases, "Dangerous World . . . Destroy Us . . .," and finally the tag-line bodkin alleging that Dr. Dean "just cannot compete with George Bush on foreign policy."

more...........

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/17/opinion/17WED2.html?ex=1072648192&ei=1&en=83bf083eeea65898

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Anyone who looks at the last sentence quoted

and doesn't think that this ad isn't supporting Republicans and the Bush agenda is not thinking clearly. I was glad to read that both Kerry and Gephardt have disowned this ad, btw.

What's really funny is that Bush's foreign policy experience before stealing the White House was even less than Dean's. Dean, I believe, can find France on a map.

[DemExpat]

2. Why do I get a sneaky feeling that the NYT isn't really

condemning "scare politics".....since that is all the Bush regime has done so far....

but just publishing this to give Dems in general more negative publicity? It's almost as if this piece CONFIRMS the sentiment of the ads while wagging a finger at Dem tactics!

Dems...scare politics......murky identities.....the ad's message fair enough...but low-blow stealth....Dr. Dean anti-war......Bush making the nations more secure....perfectly legitimate in campaign debate....ad run by supporters of Kerry/Gephardt......

That's my take on this, anyway...really smelly article.....

DemEx