"the criminalization of politics" is new far right buzzword

Nightwing

(489 posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Oct-24-05 05:51 AM
Original message

"the criminalization of politics" is new far right buzzword

Edited on Mon Oct-24-05 05:57 AM by Nightwing

You'll hear it all over Faux News, Limbaugh, Buchanan, Kristol et al.
May as well get used to it; It's the newest propaganda coming from the far right hypocrites.

Here's a few examples:

Fox News Pushing “Criminalization of Politics” Talking Point

Conservative defenders of Karl Rove and Scooter Libby have settled on their No. 1 talking point: the grand jury investigation into the CIA leak scandal represents the “criminalization of politics.”

In other words, they say, the outing of a covert CIA agent in a time of war to punish a whistleblower is just everyday “politics” — nothing out of the ordinary, certainly nothing criminal. In fact, according to conservatives (as articulated by the National Review), the “criminalizing of politics” is actually “the most dangerous fire of this ordeal.”

To spread this talking point across the nation, the right has received a major assist from Fox News. According to a database search, every single television reference to the CIA leak scandal as the “criminalization of politics” in the last 30 days has been on Fox. Even more stunning: on every occassion, the phrase was introduced into the segment by a Fox News anchor or correspondent, never by a guest.

Below, a compilation of clips featuring Fox anchors Chris Wallace, Sean Hannity, Stuart Varney, Bill O’Reilly, and correspondent William Kristol:

Link: http://thinkprogress.org/2005/10/18/fox-criminalization/
---------------------------------------------------------------------

BUCHANAN: I mean, really. I was talking with a friend of mine in the green room last night, and we were talking about this -- you know, the criminalization of politics is appalling. It used to be good enough that you'd go out there, and you beat the guy, fair and square. And he's out for four years, and you have a good laugh. But, now's it's, uh, it's not satisfactory or if you can't beat him, you put him in prison.

Link: http://mediamatters.org/items/200510130001
---------------------------------------------------------------------

The website Think Progress posted Kristol's quote, with the additional comment, "Someone like Bill Kristol doesn’t get information like this by accident. It’s being fed to him so, if there is an indictment, he can prepare the base." They also noted that Kristol appeared to begin his effort in that regard, declaring that, "I hate the criminalization of politics." TP's acerbic comment: "The best way to stop the criminalization of politics is to get the criminals out of politics." - ST

Link: http://www.infowars.com/articles/us/rove_prez_circle_indictments_coming.htm
---------------------------------------------------------------------
And from Count Novackula

This is the criminalization of politics. Democrats appear to be as frustrated by being out of power in the House the past 10 years as the Republicans were four times that long in the wilderness. But it is a process that never seems to end. Sources in the House GOP leadership say ethics charges are contemplated against House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi for allegedly working with outside groups (which she denies) to get DeLay.

Link: http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/14/criminalized.politics/