What Clark needs to do to beat the caricature wars

[mot78]

Clark is now regaining the momentum he lost in October. Fortunately for him, he's had time to NOT be spun by the media whores and the RNC. But beware, the whores are awakening to Clark's momentum. Clark needs to preempt * on every RNC attack. The easiest one to neutralize will be of him "praising" Bush. He could paint himself as someone who's apolitical, who's tired of Washington politics. He could actually use the footage of his "praising" in regions like the South. The commercial would consist of using the footage, and Clark would say someting about how we were all dupped by the Repugs, and then ring off in right-leaning RHETORIC how are deficit and spending are increasing, and other issues Repugs are mad at.
If he adopts a preemptive policy and defines himself before the media defines him, then he'll grow a layer of teflon on his body.

[arewethereyet]

1. its a nice plan

but it won't work. they'll see noting after they see him praising the Bush Gang because they'll be saying 'ah caint bleve mah eers Marthah, that Jenrul Clahk just LOVES Bush and them all'. By the time they look back, commercial over. Subtlety is not the method of choice.

[Lefta Dissenter]

2. Jeez, stereotype much? (eom)

[QC]

3. Some stereotypes are O.K.,

even in the most stringently liberal circles. Southerners, country people, poor people (if they're white), fat people, etc. Even the "pink tutu" bit, which manages to be both homophobic and misogynist at the same time, gets a free pass here.

[arewethereyet]

6. I didn't bring up the south, the poster did

so eliminate the slang and the principle holds firm. I'm a southerner and when people actually SEE and HEAR him say it, they will not believe anything else he has to say. Yu see if you say something down here you're believed to mean it.

[Printer70]

4. Hard to pre-empt when Clark says things like...

"All Americans, even if they're from the South and 'stupid,' should be represented." - Wesley Clark

Oh yeah, he's going to do great down South.

[JVS]

5. He said that? Wow.

[arewethereyet]

8. he rivals Dr Dean with some of this stuff

and thats saying something

[Printer70]

10. Yes

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/135064p-120343c.html

He claims it was a "joke" but that doesn't rescue him, in my mind. What's funny about that? A bigoted stereotype doesn't constitute a joke.

[jonnyblitz]

7. LOL, did he really say that?

:wow:

[QC]

11. No, he didn't say it. See below.

[Printer70]

12. Here is the quote

Someone here is trying to claim the "context" saves him- you can judge for yourself.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/135064p-120343c.html

He claims it was a "joke". I don't see what's so funny about it.

[QC]

15. Actually I said nothing about context.

I said that you presented a "fixed" quote as the actual one.

What I left unstated is that you obviously cut out the part that would have robbed the quote of much of the impact that you wanted it to have.

[QC]

9. Printer70 did some creative editing here.

Surely it must have been an accident!

Here's the actual quote:

Q: And what is Clark's reaction to former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's pandering comment that that he, Dean, wants the votes of Southerners, i.e. "guys with Confederate flags in their pickup trucks"?

A: "Well, he shouldn't have said those things. I think all Americans - and this is a joke! - all Americans, even if they're from the South and 'stupid,' should be represented."

edited to add link:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/gossip/story/135064p-120343c.html

[Printer70]

13. It's just a "joke"

Which means what? That it's ok to denigrate a whole group of people and laugh it off?

[QC]

14. I think he was referring to the common perception that Dean stereotyped

Southerners as knucklegradding Neanderthals, and yes, a lot of people here did take it that way.

But the point here is that you presented a mangled quote as though it were the actual, verbatim quote. That's known as "lying," when it's done deliberately, which I have no way of knowing in this case. But at the very best it's misleading.

That's the point, and I can understand why you're trying to change the subject.

[Lefta Dissenter]

16. a: he PREFACED it with saying it was a joke,

and b: I'll go along with him if he wants to call people who sport the confederate flag on their truck 'stupid.'

Let's not get back into the whole confed. flag issue, again... I think Dean would prefer we just leave that one alone!

[QC]

17. Exactly. And prefaces matter.

It would be like you saying:

Well, a few more drinks like this one and I might get so ripped I'll vote for Bush.

and me quoting you as:

Well, I'll vote for Bush.

[mot78]

18. 'stupid'

sounds like he was using quotations when he said 'stupid'.