Here's the Gingrich "contrasting" Thom Hartmann is talking about...

[madfloridian]

This is just one of the ways they used language against us. Us vs them. Manipulation. Look up more on the topic, and we surely have been played.

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/capitalgames?pid=24751

"In 1990, GOPAC, which worked with Republican candidates across the country, sent a memo titled "Language: A Key Mechanism of Control" to GOP contenders. The memo started:

"As you know, one of the key points in the GOPAC tapes is that "language matters." In the video "We are a Majority," Language is listed as a key mechanism of control used by a majority party, along with Agenda, Rules, Attitude and Learning. As the tapes have been used in training sessions across the country and mailed to candidates we have heard a plaintive plea: "I wish I could speak like Newt."

That takes years of practice. But, we believe that you could have a significant impact on your campaign and the way you communicate if we help a little. That is why we have created this list of words and phrases. The memo then provided two lists. One was a set of "Optimistic Positive Governing words and phrases to help describe" the GOP vision for the future; the other was a list of "Contrasting words to help you clearly define the policies and record of your opponent and the Democratic party."

The positive words were hardly surprising; they included "caring," "freedom," "liberty," "moral," prosperity," and "strength. But the "contrasting words"--which GOPAC said should be applied to Democrats and their proposals--were rather hard-edged: "betray," "bizarre," "cheat," "corrupt," "destroy," "disgrace," "greedy," "incompetent," "intolerant," "radical," "shallow," "sick," and "traitors." (Hartmann mentioned the word "failed"...which they never "fail" to put before the words Democratic candidate. "failed")

This is to say that Gay Hart Gaines, the number two on the CPB's board as of this week, was a leading official of an outfit that advised Republican candidates to brand Democrats "traitors." She now is in a position to search for bias in public radio and public television programming.

These days, it may seem that GOPAC was merely ahead of its time, given the harshness of the current political discourse. (After all, I wrote a book in which I applied one of GOPAC's "contrasting words" to George W. Bush: "lie.") But the GOPAC list was a clear attempt at putting propaganda ahead of substance. The memo did not tell GOP candidates to make sure they could back up their sharp assertions. The point was to turn name-calling into a strategic political tool. This was a (further) debasement of politics, and Gaines was apparently not put off by GOPAC's tactics. After the memo's existence was revealed by press reports, she did not leave GOPAC. In fact, three years later she became its chairperson."

He was just talking about it, and I thought I would look some of it up. There are many more words, like liberal, that they have simply turned into hate words.

[AndyA]

1. These terms describe the Republican Party beautifully:

"betray," "bizarre," "cheat," "corrupt," "destroy," "disgrace," "greedy," "incompetent," "intolerant," "radical," "shallow," "sick," and "traitors."

That almost perfectly sums up the last six years of GOP leadership.

Oh, you can add "murderers" and "sexual predators" to that list as well.

[madfloridian]

2. A more complete list of "contrasting" words...

http://web.utk.edu/~glenn/GopacMemo.html

Contrasting Words

"Often we search hard for words to define our opponents. Sometimes we are hesitant to use contrast. Remember that creating a difference helps you. These are powerful words that can create a clear and easily understood contrast. Apply these to the opponent, their record, proposals and their party.

abuse of power
anti- (issue): flag, family, child, jobs
betray
bizarre
bosses
bureaucracy
cheat
coercion
"compassion" is not enough
collapse(ing)
consequences
corrupt
corruption
criminal rights
crisis
cynicism
decay
deeper
destroy
destructive
devour
disgrace
endanger
excuses
failure (fail)
greed
hypocrisy
ideological
impose
incompetent
insecure
insensitive
intolerant
liberal
lie
limit(s)
machine
mandate(s)
obsolete
pathetic
patronage
permissive attitude
pessimistic
punish (poor ...)
radical
red tape
self-serving
selfish
sensationalists
shallow
shame
sick
spend(ing)
stagnation
status quo
steal
taxes
they/them
threaten
traitors
unionized
urgent (cy)
waste
welfare

[AndyA]

3. All of those terms apply to the GOP. It could be their platform for 2008!

Of course, they don't want to be "honest", "truthful", or "accurate". :rofl:

No wonder they want to use them against us first, the Kool-Aid drinkers are less likely to see the truth that way.

[calimary]

5. You forgot "criminals". And "war criminals."

But yes, ALL those words have MORE than been earned by the disloyal opposition. The Keystone Kops do Demolition Derby. Or maybe Armageddon.

[omega minimo]

4. Not "ahead of their time." They crafted these Orwellian times we're in

[burythehatchet]

6. I have a few subtle ones

"douchebag, scumbucket, asswipe"