Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Two Kos Diaries:Moveon's Idiotic AdAnyone else think this Moveon.org ad is over the top?From the dictionary: betray
–verb (used with object)
1. to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty: Benedict Arnold betrayed his country. Instead of "General Petraeus or General Betray Us?" they could have resisted the pun and used a different title. The focus should always be on Bush and the Republicans; castigating the military has limited or negative political utility. Personally, I'm indifferent to the "Betray Us" line, but it's stupid politically. And it wasn't just a query in the title, the last line of the ad ( pdf) is: Today, before Congress and before the American people, General Petraeus is likely to become General Betray Us. Likely. And where in the ad is mention of Ambassador Crocker, who is the point man on the (dismal) political situation? There is none. MORE: publius over at Obsidian Wings: With legs still wobbly on the GOP side, the administration (and thus Petraeus, their dependant subordinate) have a single strategy -- reassure the base. [...] For that reason, Petraeus is going on outlets like Hugh Hewitt and Fox News.
The second point -- and this is more cynical and speculative -- is that I suspect Bush/Petraeus may be purposefully provoking liberal outrage by appearing on Hewitt/Fox News/etc. After all, nothing rallies the base like attacks from liberals. And even if stirring up liberal hornets’ nests undercuts Petraeus’s credibility to the nation, it tends to increase his credibility with the conservative base (which at this point is all that matters to them). In this respect, MoveOn’s tasteless headline was literally a godsend for Bush.
posted by Quiddity at 9/11/2007 06:40:00 AM
3 comments
Over the top? Perhaps. But why is it that the Reich-Wing can use the traitor ALL THE TIME referring to people who disagree with them. Do they have a monopoly on the term?
Yes the ad lets them stomp all over us, and Dems like John Kerry say it's over the top. Like I said below, where is the outcry when the Swiftboaters falsely accused Kerry, who came close to being General Petraus' Commander, of shooting an un-armed Vietnamese boy in the back? Where is the outcry when the VP says a vote for a Kerry will aid AQ?
There are thousands of examples. The double standard drives me crazy. They can crap all over us, but we still must mind our Ps & Qs.
I agree with the previous posters. E.g. They can crap all over us, but we still must mind our Ps & Qs.
Furthermore, while I trust your citation of the first definition of betray, there's also (according to dictionary.reference.com):
2. to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling: to betray a trust.
3. to disappoint the hopes or expectations of; be disloyal to: to betray one's friends.
7. to deceive, misguide, or corrupt: a young lawyer betrayed by political ambitions into irreparable folly.
8. to seduce and desert.
I'd say all of those are accurate in the case of Petraeus.
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