Bushists have hired "message shaper" to help win public support for war

[BurtWorm]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/29/AR2005062902792_pf.html

In shaping their message, White House officials have drawn on the work of Duke University political scientists Peter D. Feaver and Christopher F. Gelpi, who have examined public opinion on Iraq and previous conflicts. Feaver, who served on the staff of the National Security Council in the early years of the Clinton administration, joined the Bush NSC staff about a month ago as special adviser for strategic planning and institutional reform.

Feaver and Gelpi categorized people on the basis of two questions: "Was the decision to go to war in Iraq right or wrong?" and "Can the United States ultimately win?" In their analysis, the key issue now is how people feel about the prospect of winning. They concluded that many of the questions asked in public opinion polls -- such as whether going to war was worth it and whether casualties are at an unacceptable level -- are far less relevant now in gauging public tolerance or patience for the road ahead than the question of whether people believe the war is winnable.

"The most important single factor in determining public support for a war is the perception that the mission will succeed," Gelpi said in an interview yesterday.

...

In studying past wars, <key Bush advisers> have drawn lessons different from the conventional wisdom. Bush advisers challenge the widespread view that public opinion turned sour on the Vietnam War because of mounting casualties that were beamed into living rooms every night. Instead, Bush advisers have concluded that public opinion shifted after opinion leaders signaled that they no longer believed the United States could win in Vietnam.

[BrklynLiberal]

1. This is what Rove was starting with his caustic comments in NYC

[BurtWorm]

11. It seems to me that they're extremely vulnerable with this 9/11-Iraq link

strategy, and they get more vulnerable as time goes on.

Actually, Gelpi (not the one they hired, but his colleague at Duke) said something like that, without mentioning the 9/11 ruse:

But Gelpi, whose studies with Feaver have helped influence the White House thinking, said he thinks the president did not truly achieve what he needed to with the Tuesday speech. As Gelpi described it, the American people remained supportive of the Iraq effort despite extensive violence when they saw incremental goals being met -- first the handover of partial sovereignty last summer, and then the democratic elections in January.

Since then, he said, public support has fallen because there are no more intermediary benchmarks. Bush could have laid some out in his speech short of a timetable for withdrawal, Gelpi said, such as setting targets for how many Iraqi security forces would be trained by certain dates. That, he said, would give the American public a sense of moving forward as these benchmarks are attained.

"What's important for him now to keep the public with him is to look forward and say we're going to make progress and this is what progress looks like," Gelpi said. "He may have stemmed the flow for a little bit, but I don't think he's given the public a framework for showing how we're making progress."




The problem with the 9/11 ruse is that it adds an element of confusion. Are we in Iraq to fight the terrorists on "their turf" or to build a stable Iraq? Can "we" build a stable Iraq if we conflate Sunnis with "terrorists?"

I think they're cruising for a bruising with this strategy. The Duke guy they hired (Feaver) may have a brilliant strategy for getting them out of the hole they've dug for themselves, but I can't believe that after becoming married to the 9/11 distraction they'll suddenly switch to the nation-building one Feaver seems to be advocating.

[BrklynLiberal]

2. This is EXACTLY what Lakoff is trying to counter with his approach

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x1897253

[getmeouttahere]

3. What? Rove can't handle it anymore?

Geez, Webster will have to come up with a new dictionary definition of pathetic for these pieces of sh**

[fooj]

7. How about TURDBLOSSOM?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

peace.

[RobertSeattle]

4. The truth doesn't need to be shaped - nuf said.

[lectrobyte]

5. As my great grandfather used to say, you can't polish a turd.

Good luck with the turd polishing, I mean message shaping.

[rodeodance]

9. so, as long as the WH thinks we can win, we will support them. whow.

.....In studying past wars, <key Bush advisers> have drawn lessons different from the conventional wisdom. Bush advisers challenge the widespread view that public opinion turned sour on the Vietnam War because of mounting casualties that were beamed into living rooms every night. Instead, Bush advisers have concluded that public opinion shifted after opinion leaders signaled that they no longer believed the United States could win in Vietnam.

[oasis]

6. Families of the dead or maimed may come to disagree with public relations

efforts. The arrogance of this bullshit administration is astounding.

This flim flam money could be used for up-armoring a few neglected humvees to protect our folks in Iraq.

[patrice]

8. Believe me, there'll be a blogosphere front in their attack.

It will be very very important to their strategy.

[liberal N proud]

10. he's acting like we are at war ??????

Bush drew criticism for repeated references to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in explaining the stakes in Iraq, but White House officials see that as a crucial part of setting the context for the battle ahead. "One challenge we face is that there's a clear pre-9/11 mind-set among many people," another senior official said. "Thankfully, the president isn't one of them. He knows we are at war -- and he's acting like we are at war. That's what commanders in chief are supposed to do."

What a crock of BS that is....

[Zenlitened]

12. Goebbels?

Oh, wait a sec. Nazi comparisons are so tewwibwy tewwibwy mean. Mean, mean wibewals! :cry:

[tanyev]

13. Because it just doesn't matter (to them) if the decision WAS

right or wrong. It's what they wanted to do, they did it, and all that's left to do is tell the American people what to think about it.

[Solly Mack]

14. Winning? Is that really what it comes down to for Americans?

What a sad pathetic thing...

[BurtWorm]

18. I can't believe that's what it really comes down to.

It may come down to extractability, though. By now most Americans do not seem to view Iraq as a revenge war for 9/11 and one that must be won for that reason, which is clearly how the Bushists want us to view it, my evidence being the most recent split in the polls. The rabid right sees it as the Bushists want them to. But the rest of the country seems more interested in the question of how long we're going to have soldiers there and for what purpose are they dying and being wounded.

[Solly Mack]

20. many in Congress continue to talk in terms of "winning"

I do agree that a lot of Americans think in terms of "why?" & "how long?"

I get so disgusted by it all.

[BurtWorm]

24. Joe Biden is one who talks in those terms.

CHRIS MATTHEWS: Senator Biden, did the president make news tonight?

SEN. JOSEPH BIDEN (D), DELAWARE: Yes, I think he did make news tonight.

He asked the American people for more time. He acknowledged that support was waning. And he distanced himself from his vice president and his secretary of defense by making it clear that we were far from over. The insurgency wasn‘t on the run, but we could if we—if we move hard and fast, we can—we can win. And we must win.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8404912/

Brilliant, Biden. :eyes:

[FreedomAngel82]

28. Clark said the same thing on fox

Clark said how Bush didn't have to fight Iraq because Saddam was no part of 9/11 and didn't have WMD's. He said we're there now and have to succeede. :eyes: He pointed out how he's worried we're creating more terrorist and taking skill in combat they've learned against us and they're flowing out. There have been reports of terrorist's leaving Iraq, going through Syria and ending up in Europe where they'll be plotting against us in the near future. Clark said if we didn't enter Iraq then these people coming in wouldn't be terrorist and that is the case. You can see Clark's interview on page four at dembloggers.com He also said that you have to succeede but you have to be honest with yourself too. They're creating enemies and it's worsen. He also said you have to have a regional board to stop the terrorist's and have to work with other countries to help take control of the boarders and keep them from coming in and recruting.

[newportdadde]

23. Yes thats what it comes down too.

If you told them it would take another 1700 but we would 'win' they would be okay with it. Hell they would probably go for 10,000 as long as it wasn't anyone they know personally. What they hate now is the stalemate, its almost as bad as 'loosing'.

See we as a public are finally at the stage of realizing we fucked up.. and now we are in the denial stage, that stage were we just know we can still 'win' if we only try harder. We are like the gambler heading back to the tables, we just know if we gamble some more we can 'win it all back'.

Only when we admit we are loosing will be finally pull out our troops.
And loosing for the American Idol, Island voting off, Football Fan chickenhawk couch warmer is a fate worse then death.

[FreedomAngel82]

29. I think so too

I think we're also in denial. Look at all the recent poll numbers. People are clear that they're not happy with Iraq and maybe even realize it was a mistake. Bush and his team said it wouldn't be very long and they clearly lied.

[FreedomAngel82]

27. It is sad

Reminds me of the jock in high school who thought he was the tough shit and all that.

[Double T]

15. bush and his band of clowns have been bending, twisting, shaping and...

reshaping their fraudulent messages ever since this idiot ran for office. What they haven't figured out yet is not EVERYBODY is a stupid as they are. We aren't buying the bull any more!

[FreedomAngel82]

30. I also think

a lot of people have just turned the tv off when it concerns news and talk shows. Haven't their raitings been low? I remember reading Fox's raitings haven't been very good since November 2nd, 2004. Maybe that's why they brought on Clark. To get some democrats in to view or something.

[donkeyotay]

16. Judging by the analysis of B*'s speech, I think the public is tired

of spinmeisters and message shapers. I think it's dawning on Red State America that they've been played for fools. I think they've strapped on their BS detectors, and would like to hear something vaguely related to reality, the truth, perhaps a recognition that real people are suffering from the plans and judgments of fakers and opinion makers.

[pgh_dem]

25. Oh no, no...they just need to put a pretty foil package on that bullshit

And it'll sell like HOTCAKES!

[Old and In the Way]

17. How about hiring a real President?

Isn't this supposed to be a function of the Presidency? Obviously, these poll driven clowns are incapable of presenting a coherent vision for Iraq's future. Why do they think a PR flak is going to somehow change things?

[FreedomAngel82]

31. With them they probably think

since it worked in the past it'll work now. Hopefully not.

[drm604]

19. And how are these hired "message shapers" being paid?

Presumably with our tax dollars. If so, they're spending our money to figure out how to sway our opinions. And they're doing it for political purposes. :grr:

[FreedomAngel82]

21. A Clinton staffer now working for Bush????

Interesting.

[KansDem]

22. "Opinion leaders?"

They must mean the White House cheerleading squad who pass themselves off as "journalists" and "political commentators?"

Leave it to George "I trust the people" Bush to fall back on a PR firm to "sell" his war to the "untrustworthy" people.

When the truth fails, time to rally the "opinion leaders..."

[Up2Late]

26. Such sad BS, why don't the just hire "The Barnes Review" to do

their "Issue Shaping" or what we used to call "History Revisions."

[Patiod]

32. The MSM is already on board

Last night (maybe the previous night) ABC news did a piece on how the Iraqis are back in charge of Haifa Street, a main drag in Baghdad.

Sort of like "the turnover of Iraq to the Iraqi people is proceeding apace! See!"