The West Wing and Chairman Dean.

[yebrent]

Howard's latest comments remind me of one of my favorite episodes of the West Wing. Bartlet is giving several televised interviews. He is speaking to a reporter when the camera is supposed to be off, and makes this comment about a potential opponent in his reelection bid.

"Richie is a 22 caliber mind in a 357 magnum world"

The press attacks Bartlet, and Republicans and Ritchie demands an apology. A big hubbub is made of the "gaff", kind of like the frenzy currently around Chairman Dean's comments.

Later we find out that Bartlet knew exactly what he was doing. He was waiting for a reporter to ask him "off record" questions with the camera on. The damage to Bartlet was peanuts compared to the REAL damage to Ritchie by calling him more or less a moron, and having the statement repeated over and over in the press.

Dean may be taking a lot of heat for his comments, but it is nothing compared to the damage to the Republicans by the press repeating his comments over and over again.

Just my opinion of the situation.

on edit: I think Dean probably learned more than all of us the full power of mass media repetition during the scream incident.

[Demit]

1. Eggs-actly!

[Donailin]

14. if this is the case

it's fucking brilliant

[Blue Belle]

2. So you're saying...

That if the press keeps repeating, "The Republican Party is the party of White Christian Men" over and over that it will stick?? Interesting. It could work...

[yebrent]

3. That is what I am saying.

And yes, I think it could work.

Of course Dean could very well have not thought of this stuff at all, but with his intense interest in Lakoff's framing work, I have to believe that some of this is preplanned.

[w13rd0]

4. When people look at the leadership of the GOP...

...that's what one sees, white "christian" self-righteous corporate-shill Bush yes men. Men willing to give a pass to a lie that kills thousands upon thousands, men that advance an agenda that seems to move forward the agenda of those that "hate us for our freedoms"... That's what people should be able to recognize. Why wasn't Tom Delay fighting for Shiavo for years, why the last minute opportunism? Why is Bush such a lying, arrogant, incurious bastard?

[Blue Belle]

10. I think that the imagery this "White Christian Male" statement...

envokes could work to our advantage.

When I think of "White Christian Male" my mind flashes to a KKK Grand Wizard (I apologize in advance if I offend anyone - that is not my intent). I don'tknow why...it just does.

[Clarkie1]

5. What about potential white male Christian democratic voters?

:shrug:

Worse, it insults every Republican who is not white, male, or Christian.

[yebrent]

6. There are always some trade offs.

IMO, the chance of losing white Christian Democrats to the Republican party over something like this is highly unlikely. If something like this upsets white Christian democrats that much, then they would have been Republicans a long time ago.

The real goal here is to remind potential minority Republicans and independents that the Republican party doesn't have your interests in their hearts and minds. A vote for the Republicans would be a vote against your self interest.

[Clarkie1]

7. How insulting

to minority Republicans and independents it is to imply that they couldn't possibly have chosen to vote Republican for reasons that may still be valid to them.

Basically, it implies they are sheeple and imbeciles. Generally, people don't appreciate that kind of implication.

These kinds of divisive attacks are not helpful to our cause.

Edit: It also implys there is something wrong with being white, Democrat, and Christian. Last time I checked, most of our party leaders fit that description, as will as a large portion of the Democratic party.

[yebrent]

11. Believe what you want.

I doubt we are gonna agree. IMO, these kinds of divisive attack are exactly what this party needs to be doing. The average American has a very difficult time seeing past the deeply ingrained frames that describe the Republicans and the Democrats, no matter how accurate they are. To be effective, we need to re-frame both what it means to be a Democrat and what it means to be a Republican. Republicans have been framing what it means to be a Democrat for 20+ years now, and they weren't subtle about it. And you know what? It was a very successful strategy, despite being extremely insulting.

[CAcyclist]

20. I agree with you

Also, I am reminded of the analysis of why Republicans are trying to reach out to minorities and have minority tokens in positions of power. Several analysts have said that it's not so much that Republicans want the minorities in their party - but the leadership doesn't want the more moderate white Republican to get uncomfortable being in an all-white party - they want to be able to point at their "efforts" and their minority exceptions as proof that the Republican Party is inclusive and representaiv of America, when,in fact, it's not.

So I think Dean's comments serve multiple purposes.

One, to inflame the Republicans and ensure that Dean will have face time on the news

Two, to get everyone to repeat the amazing stat that 82% of Republicans are both white and christian

and Three, to make the moderate Republican more aware of just what kind of party they are in.

and of course, Four, to remind minorities, that the Republicans don't, in fact, represent them and won't actually help them.

[yebrent]

21. Good point.

You are right. Dean's message does also remind the moderate white Republicans of what kind of party they belong to. As the Republicans have gained ground with people of color, I'm sure it has given comfort to a lot of white Repubicans to believe that they do not belong to a racist party.

[Donailin]

15. whatever reasons they had for voting for Bush in the last election

have evaporated and they are now realizing they've been taken for fools.

I know five people whp personally feel betrayed, and it took courage for them to tell me. And what they say about Bush makes Deans comments seem complimentary.

[stickdog]

22. It doesn't imply anything of the sort. He said Repukes were pretty much

white Christians. This statement tells us something indisputably true about the universe of Repukes. But it says NOTHING WHATSOEVER about the universe of whites or Christians. That you would suggest otherwise shows you don't understand even the most elementary principles of logic.

Nor did Dean say anything about minority independents. Where the hell did you come up with that?

As for minority Repukes and would-be Repukes, he simply reminded them that Democrats embrace diversity a lot more than Repukes -- a fact that they are almost certainly already very aware of.

So please explain who Dean insulted and how he insulted them.

[CTLawGuy]

9. how does it insult them?

it's an observation not a judgement of character.

[AntiCoup2K4]

12. yeah, but those 6 people will understand

They have to feel more isolated than a vegan at a Texas BBQ as it is.

[truebrit71]

17. They're republicans...

...so fuck 'em.....

[thebigidea]

23. do you think Republicans every worry about insulting Democrats?

[Pithy Cherub]

8. Excellent analogy! Dean is sending several messages.

First, in a famous paraphrase: The reports of the Death of the Democratic Party are greatly exaggerated.

Second, to make the media play bobbing for quotes - they are getting wet swimming to find stuff, not him.

Third, here is some plain speaking that regular folks like and will be the topic of conversation everywhere causing oops oh my discussion. Every marketer tries to get that elusive - BUZZZZZ! Dean's got his mojo workin'!

Fourth: Inviticus, - I am the Captain of my Fate, so Dean will use this time and this place to make a stand - showing spine to the base.

Fifth: "How do ya like me now..." more...

Go Dean! ;)

[mainer]

13. "Annoy a Democrat -- Get a Job and Earn a Living."

I saw that on a bumper sticker the other day. Apparently it's okay for Republicans to call Democrats a bunch of unemployed welfare queens, but it's not okay to call Republicans the party of white male christians. So what conclusion are we to draw from this? That Republicans are insulted by the idea that they're white Christians? Are they ashamed of it? Are they revealing that it's not okay to be a white Christian?

I wish someone would print up this bumper sticker:

"Annoy a Republican -- Think for Yourself."

[yebrent]

16. Since Dean's comments are still a hot topic today.

I am bumping my thread.

[sundancekid]

18. great connection that you make ... recommended

I had the same instinct, but then I had to hear all those look-at-me democrats STILL playing into the repig trap who simply couldn't shut the fudge up (Biden, Edwards and Richardson plus Pelosi should eat shit and die) -- and, btw, this is one voter who won't forget their divisiveness come the primaries -- these selfish, self-serving politicos look like pea (or is it "pee") shooters in a magnum 357 world!

[yebrent]

19. Let them distance themselves.

If they think it helps them. The frame that Dean's comments create will last much longer than the attacks on Dean and people remembering who and who didn't distance themselves from Dean.

[truthisfreedom]

24. Dean has taken it to the echo chamber where it can do the most damage.

we need outrage. real thug outrage. keep 'em busy, keep 'em preoccupied, keep 'em on the defensive. that's where the losers belong... listening to DEAN's message being repeated again and again, as they slowly come to grips with the fact that it is sadly true.