A lesson from LBJ in how to smash an opponent.

Legend has it that LBJ, in one of his early congressional campaigns, told one of his aides to spread the story that Johnson's opponent fucked pigs. The aide responded "Christ, Lyndon, we can't call the guy a pigfucker. It isn't true." To which LBJ supposedly replied "Of course it ain't true, but I want to make the son-of-a-bitch deny it."

Today's Democrats could learn a lesson from this. The Repukes did.

See: http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/archives/individual/2006_09/009566.php or run this through the Google machine: "Lyndon Johnson" pig quote deny

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4 replies	Author	Time	Post
A lesson from LBJ in how to smash an opponent. (Original post)	hifiguy	Apr 2012	OP
And this is a good thing?	RZM	Apr 2012	#1
politics is a tough business	datasuspect	Apr 2012	#2
Exactly	loyalsister	Apr 2012	#3
Absolutely. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, our side doesn't do it.	Octafish	Apr 2012	#4

Response to hifiguy (Original post)

Wed Apr 18, 2012, 03:23 PM

RZM (8,556 posts)

1. And this is a good thing?

Sounds like pure sleaze to me. I happen to think calling the president a Kenyan Muslim is asinine. Turning around and encouraging the same thing in reverse is, well, you know

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Response to RZM (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 18, 2012, 03:27 PM

datasuspect (26,591 posts)

2. politics is a tough business

if it was easy, everyone would be in it.

in some ways, "pigfucker" is pretty apt for most politicians i've come across.

both sides.

they only do that democrat/republican crap to entertain the nimrods. behind closed doors, they're thick as thieves.

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Response to RZM (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 18, 2012, 03:29 PM

loyalsister (13,390 posts)

3. Exactly

Now that we can do our own fact checking, the liar and the believers come out looking dumb.

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Response to hifiguy (Original post)

Wed Apr 18, 2012, 04:15 PM

Octafish (55,745 posts)

4. Absolutely. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, our side doesn't do it.

Of course, the GOP continues the practice, although things have gotten more sophisticated.

In 1988, Pruneface Reagan, on behalf of Poppy and Potatoeboy, gave his thoughts on Michael Dukakis seeking psychological treatment after Dukakis' brother was killed in a hit-and-run accident. "I'm not going to pick on an invalid," Reagan said, and then smiled and winked at someone in the crowd where he said it. At the time, Duke had the lead in the polls. For some reason, Willie Horton and Boston Harbor included, it steadily diminished thereafter.

About the best I can find, sans Lexis/Nexis:

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1370&dat=19880804&id=z2YVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=aQsEAAAAIBAJ&pg=2567,320427

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