September 12, 2004
CAN THE SENATOR WEAR WHITE TO THE INNAUGURATION?:
Republicans Pack Punch. Democrats Take It. (For Now) (JOHN M. BRODER, 9/12/04, NY Times)
DO Republicans play a rougher game of politics than Democrats?The question has been tossed around since Vice President Dick Cheney, in apparently unscripted remarks, suggested last week that electing the Democratic ticket in November would invite a devastating terrorist attack.
The Democrats cried foul, but of course there's no referee in politics. And neither party has a monopoly on ruthless, unscrupulous campaigning. It just seems that the Republicans are, today at least, more adept at the black art of attack politics, according to historians and flummoxed Democratic partisans.
"I don't think there's any question they're better at it than we are," said James Carville, the Democratic warrior-consultant who admitted to being envious of his Republican counterparts' merciless brand of campaigning.
Even as guys in funny elephant hats were still stomping on balloons in Madison Square Garden, Senator Kerry violated political tradition and staged a political event at which he personally attacked the Vice President's patriotism. But only when Mr. Cheney pulls the knife out of his own back and shoves it in Mr. Kerry's gut do we have an official foul? The Democrats have taken on the ironic (or absurd?) quality of Madonna singing Like a Virgin. Posted by Orrin Judd at September 12, 2004 9:23 AM
The Dems really don't understand the stakes in this election. They are treating it as an exercise in power - how do we get our guy elected. The Republicans are treating it as a crossroad in America's future - do we win the War on Terror or lose it. That is why Cheney's comments are not out of bounds.
Posted by: Robert Duquette at September 12, 2004 9:56 AMWhat the Democratic Party can't admit is that the Republicans are better because their ideology maps more accurately to reality than the the Democratic Party ideology. Facts are pesky things.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at September 12, 2004 11:41 AMThe Republicans are so "good" at eternally sliming their opponents that when Barney Frank gave a speech during the Lewinsky scandal mentioning that he, too, had once been accused of a serious crime, Rush Limbaugh had to ask his listeners what the hell Frank was talking about the next day.
Please -- the Dems are much more ruthless than the Republicans. That's because they've immanentized the eschaton. Politics is everything to them, which is why only leftists hold mass rallies. Republicans, who see politics as a hobby, don't normally "do" protests -- we have lives.
Posted by: Matt Murphy at September 12, 2004 9:10 PMExcept Robert, Cheney never said what the article says, and they know it.
Posted by: genecis at September 12, 2004 10:14 PMGenecis: You know that, I know that. Why doesn't the reporter at the NYTimes know that? Stupid question. I stoped rading that article after the second paragraph.
Posted by: Robert Schwartz at September 13, 2004 2:49 AM