Reeves: The year of campaign lying

[bigtree]

By Richard Reeves, Syndicated columnist
GHS
Posted Sep 14, 2008 @ 12:25 AM


President Bush came to power when the United States was called the world's only superpower - militarily, economically and morally. He will leave us a nation with greatly diminished military power and will, deep economic uncertainty, and a reputation for torture and the denigration of the legal safeguards written into our Constitution. Nice job!

I do not envy Sen. McCain and his running mate inheriting that legacy. So far, their only strategy is to pretend none of these things are true. They have to lie - and they are. A former McCain strategist, Dan Schnur, now a colleague of mine at the University of Southern California, put it this way in an interview with The Associated Press:

"McCain tried it his way. He had a poverty tour and nobody covered it. He had a national service tour and everybody made fun of it. He proposed these joint town halls" with Obama "and nothing came of it. Through the spring and summer, that approach didn't work. You can't blame him for taking a step back and reassessing."

Yes, I can. And I am not crazy about Schnur's implication that the press made him do it. John McCain is not good at taking steps back. But he has retreated, taking on proteges of the tactics of Bush's "architect," Karl Rove, who apparently believes in the power of lying and repeating lies.

It seems to be working at the moment . . .


read more: http://www.dailynewstribune.com/opinion/x2070801598/Reeves-The-year-of-campaign-lying

[LaStrega]

1. At least it ends on a lighter note ...

"I don't think campaign lying will work this year - government lying is another story - because both candidates and the press are using the "L" word, a no-no in politer times. "Lying" is being called by its true name in press conferences and headlines. It's about time: Lie if you will, candidates, but be prepared to be called on it this time."

:thumbsup: