Bush* is an honest, down-to-earth, God-fearing, war hero.

[Q]

- Of course, none of this is true.

- But this is the IMAGE the Democratic party will be campaigning against...not GWB* the bumbling, lifelong drunk and crooked businessman who cheated to become president and LIED to rush the US into war so that his friends and family could profit.

- The 'corporate takeover' of the US media is now nearly complete. They can make or break politicians by manipulating and distorting the information that reaches the American public. They can withhold damaging stories about politicians they support...or highlight a story (24/7) to smear a politician they don't support.

- Democrats shouldn't try to fight the IMAGE the media will create for Bush*...they should use the TRUTH to break through the facade and counter the phony arguments about his great leadership skills.

- Bush* is a creation of the US corporate media. Dems must do everything they can to make sure the American people understand the difference between the IMAGE shown by the media and the real person behind the facade.

- Dems must speak out against Bush* or they'll get their asses kicked again by a corporate media that wants one of their own to control our government.

[ewagner]

1. Cardinal Rules of Politics

There are many but chief among them is the axiom Perception is reality

As long as Dems alow the Rove cabal to set the agenda, the perception of Dubya as you described will persist and he will have the support of the massive portion of the uninformed public.

Dems need to set the agenda. Dems need to define who and what Bush really is. An earlier thread talked about the Dems targeting Cheney's misdoings as opposed to Bush. This would be effective in framing a guilt by association argument.

That's just one way of accomplishing a change in public perception.

[Q]

4. The CIA calls it 'perception management'...

- I agree that Dems need to set the agenda...but they also need to frame the debate.

- Many Americans don't seem to understand that something 'really bad' happened when the Neocons were able to get rid of the Fairness Doctrine during the Reagan years.

- When the Fairness Doctrine disappeared...so did the networks 'responsibility' to make sure both sides had access to the public 'airwaves'. Now...'news' networks can air one side of a story without a counterpoint or any kind of rebuttal.

[pansypoo53219]

9. juxtapose pictures of *

on the flight deck in front of MISSION ACCOMPLISHED with aWol in his early DRINKING days and a few of soldiers in Iraq.

[CBHagman]

15. You're so right. A real veteran can get voted out of office.

Witness the UNCONSCIONABLE treatment Sen. Max Cleland (D-GA) got from that (very bad word) Saxby Chambliss and his minions.

Really, we're stuck in a sort of advertising claims/photo opportunity approach to the status of the whole freaking world. Anything uncomfortable is swept under the rug; PR ("Laura Bush is a big supporter of education and libraries!") is taken to be the gospel truth, even if it's disproven; and genuine accomplishments matter little.

[Cha]

2. I agree "the Dems must speak out against bush"....

And the Soldiers are speaking out, too. There is the "Military Families Speaking Out" on c-span @ 10:00am today!

And this article on DU's homepage http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/08/13_starve.html

"Bush Eats Barbecue... Soldiers Starve"
August 13, 2003

"As our soldiers suffer in Iraq with inadequate water, food, sanitation, and shelter, President George W. "Bring 'em On" Bush treated his top fundraisers to a private barbecue near his ranch."

It's despicable! the man has no conscience as any sociopath wouldn't.

[rwork]

3. Never has a candidate

had so many things to use again'st him. Harkin oil insider trading, AWOL, cocaine felony. Not to give cheerleaders a bad name, but he was a *ucking cheerleader.So much for his false man'ly image.

[Q]

6. True...but Dems are fighting against the PUBLIC PERCEPTION...

...created by a media beholden to those in power. That's why GWB* can imply that he saw action in Vietnam and have a 'top gun' doll modeled after him.

- It's no fluke or accident that the corporate media has made a 'war hero' out of Bush* and characterized Gore (who served in Nam) as a 'liar'. Without the Fairness Doctrine in place...the corporate media is in a position to make or break any politician by how they report a story.

[JohnyCanuck]

8. Yup, he was a cheerleader

and if you were disgusted by KB toys AWOL as an Ace fighter pilot action figure, courtesy of MWO you can get the cheerleader action figure instead to give all your freeper friends and relatives. Actually it's just a spoof, there is no Dubya cheerleader doll (as of yet anyway).



We proudly introduce the latest issue in our Elite Force series of authentic and historically accurate 12-inch figures, George W. Bush in Phillips Andover Head Cheerleader uniform. Exacting in detail and fully equipped with authentic gear including pom-poms and megaphone, this limited-edition action figure is a meticulous 1:6 scale recreation of the Cheerleader-in-Chief leading his squad in cheering the Andover Varsity Boys' Volleyball Team on to a championship victory. A peppy Bush participated in a death defying 6-man pyramid stunt, then thrilled the crowd with a series of courtside cartwheels.


www.mediawhoresonline.com

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Cocoa]

7. I hope the Dems ridicule him regularly

Respond to every attempt by Rove to pump up Bush's image. Maybe hire a comedy writer from the Daily Show, or something like that, to really zero in on exactly how much of a fraud Bush is.

[LoneStarLiberal]

10. Where is the Democratic Karl Rove? Time To Fight Back

Because the Democratic Party and whoever wins the nomination needs one.

In the absence of the Fairness Doctrine, which we can safely say will never see the light of day while the FCC is run by a "big media" whore like Powell and our wider administration does its damnedest to bolster corporate welfare at every turn, we have to fight back. Fight fire with fire.

For the past two years society in general has the impression that Rove and his strategists are protected by some kind of bad juju that makes them invulnerable. This is patently false. They **ARE** vulnerable, big media in their corner or no big media in their corner. See, just because big media is in their corner now doesn't mean they will be tomorrow...we just have to give them better stories, better spin, stuff that will have people tuning in to their channels. Because when people tune in, profits go up, and one thing about corporations is that they are whores to profit; give them a more profitable alternative to stumping for the administration and they will take it.

I propose the following: The Democratic Party needs to prepare a media Blitzkrieg to begin immediately after the primary season for WHOMEVER wins the nomination. Use Rove's focus groups against him; find out what Americans think about Bush in different regions and run those negative impressions into the ground. This is classic Rovian strategy. Total Information Awareness sounded too creepy to his focus groups so it became Terrorism Information Awareness. Voila!

Hit the Bush administration again and again on the core issues they have failed this country on, not just Niger yellowcake: The failure to stabilize Afghanistan and Iraq, the failure to come up with a strategy for the war against terrorism through which we can win this war, the decay of financial security under this administration, the decay of civil liberties under this administration, and, most importantly, this ad campaign should RECLAIM CLASS WARFARE.

What moron (or group of morons) allowed the blue-blood Republican elitists to turn this rhetoric in their favor? You're damned right it's class warfare and this administration has waged it with a relish and audacity not seen for two decades. Reclaim class warfare and put the onus on the Bush administration to prove it doesn't hate poor people; make them talk about their tax cuts for the wealthy, their dismantling of federal social programs, and their secrecy and lies about sending poor kids off to die in Iraq and how these make the poor better.

If the Democratic Party wages this war, Bush will need all the fundraising he can gather to counter it. But most importantly, in order for this to be successful, it must stress a viable alternative message to Bush and his administration of lies and pocket-lining for the rich. Criticizing him IS NOT ENOUGH BY ITSELF; we must offer an alternative.

[ewagner]

16. Well said

n/t

[Bucky__Badger]

11. here's the way the discussion went with my in-laws Monday (excerpted)

MIL = mother-in-law, a reactionary non- thinking "soccer grandma"
FIL = father-in-law, a wise, kind, and inexplicably loyal Republican


FIL: Well at least there's some hope for Liberia now...

ME: You mean, now that the Marines are there?

FIL: Well, yeah, and now that their dictator is gone.

ME: I don't know all that much about Liberia, but it sounds like it's been a mess for a long time.

MIL: Well if Clinton hadn't messed it up so much...

ME: You can't really blame Clinton for...

MIL: He set such a bad example... with Bush they know that being a dictator won't be tolerated

ME: If you've got oil

MIL You still hate Bush so much. I hope you don't teach that to Sarah (my 10 month old daughter)

Now keep in mind that we have agreed to NOT discuss politics...


ME: Well I do hate Bush. I won't teach Sarah to hate anyone.

FIL: He's the president, and he's doing the best he can in a hard situation. (trying to smooth it over)

MIL: and he sets a good example. HE'S CHRISTIAN, HE DOESN'T DRINK, HE SERVED HIS COUNTRY IN VIETNAM, AND HE HAS FAMILY VALUES

Me: I give up. You're right. Bush is christ and Clinton is Satan.

then a nasty verbal fight ensued. My wife joined in. It ended with her crying and me red-faced with anger (at her Mother)

HOW DO YOU FIGHT THIS PERCEPTION THAT BUSH IS SO DAMN VIRTUOUS???

[Q]

12. Interesting...

...but once again there is a disconnect with reality...promoted by a media purchased over the last few decades by Neocon interests.

- I think it's a mistake to try to correct the record on Bush* AND defend Clinton at the same time. But that's how the media has framed the debate. You could start by debunking the obvious mistaken perceptions by asking for proof. Bush* never served in Vietnam...never even got NEAR any kind of combat. He was GROUNDED from flying and went 'missing' during his last two years of 'service'.

- Bush's* history and record shows that he's not 'virtuous' or honest...and spent MOST OF HIS LIFE drinking and snorting...until his wife threatened to throw his ass in the street if he didn't stop. That's when he 'found' God.

- Don't allow anyone to play the Bush* vs. Clinton game with you. Both should be able to stand on their OWN record.

[LoneStarLiberal]

13. Use a Rovian Tactic

Rote repetition of rhetoric.

Unlike Rove, however, you can just repeat facts by rote instead of repeating fictions by rote ("Iraq has tried to purchase uranium from Africa..."). Here are a few I would flesh out if I were you:

1. Bush NEVER served in Vietnam. Give facts about his National Guard service and his AWOL ending to it.

2. The Bush administration wages war against the poor. Give facts about the cuts in public services and tax cuts. Ask how waging war against the poor is Christian.

3. Bush not only tolerates but embraces dictators. Our most complicit "allies" include General Pervez Musharraf and the al-Saud family, both of whose countries are autocratic and complicit with al-Qaeda.

4. If you really want to give your mother in law a hoot, ask her how Pat Robertson, a good God-fearing man of the Lord, did business and supported the dictator in Liberia?

The key to all this, and the key to engaging non-thinking conservatives in general is that you cannot allow yourself to loose your temper with them. The moment you scream at them or lose your composure in any way you are living down to their expectation of the wild-eyed liberal radical that conservatives expect from liberals. Stick to careful, methodical, rote argument.

Deliver facts time and time again in a balanced manner and you will win.

[cap]

14. you need to show what his true character is...

and debunk each assertion:

He's a Christian. NOT! Family Values, NOT! A Christian does not get 4 women pregnant and have his daddy cover his tracks by paying off women and their doctors. All this was done BEFORE Rove v. Wade when abortion was illegal. If you are a real right-to-lifer you would never have done this.

Bush also has a homosexual lover, Victor Ashe. Also covered up by Daddy's money.



He doesn't drink. We aren't sure about that one either. He says he doesn't but there are enough red faces of Bush on the Internet to raise suspicion.

He served his country in Vietnam, NOT! Never even visited the country as a civilian. Was trained to fly a plane that was never ever used in Vietnam. In fact, he was AWOL from the National Guard unit that his daddy used his influence to get him into. In fact, he scored very low on pilot aptitude tests. Bush was AWOL due to a drug problem and couldn't show up for the flight physical. Daddy's money got him out of that scrape. Bush won't release his military pay records.

Real pilots do not walk around with their privates splayed. The way that Bush wore his flight suit on his flight deck photo op is a way that no pilot wears it. It is too uncomfortable to walk around that way. They normally unclip their parachute gear as soon as they can.

To add insult to injury, Bush and the Bush machine have gone after veterans like John McCaine (by hinting he was mentally unstable) and Max Cleland. Bush has cut VA and military benefits. The military is not a big fan of Bush. They hate him and Rumsfeld.

He has family values, NOT! Look at the way Jenna and Babs have turned out. Getting so drunk in public that they lose their balance and fall on the floor. Patting his wife's ass in public. Having a wife who doesn't say two words and walk behind him is not a family value. Demeaning his wife in public. His family is just not that bright -- they can only managed tightly controlled situations, otherwise we would see them for the rubes that they are. That is not the model American family. I would hate to be a Laura Bush. The rumor is that Laura is on tranquilizers. Barbara Bush is mean. I've met people who've dealt with her. Behind that grandmotherly image is one mean woman.

Tell them the story of the Bush family -- About Prescott who funded the Nazis and Auschwitz, Neil and the looting of the Savings and Loan. Marvin and flogging educational software (funded by the Saudis)
Halliburton and the looting of defense money.

All of his photo ops with the needy or children have been with programs that he himself cut funding so that his family can loot the national treasury.

Remind people that Pharisees are "Christians", too. Jesus rightly excoriated hypocrites. There is a piece of the Gospel that reminds people to be faithful in a private manner (I forget the chapter and verse; but it is read on Ash Wednesday in the Catholic Church).

George W. Bush, the best Christian money can buy.

[Brian Sweat]

17. No one who knows me

would dare say, "He served his country in vietnam." If you MIL is not to utterly terrified to spout such an obvious lie, you haven't been doing your job.

[Bucky__Badger]

20. you're right...

I haven't done my job.


But then if I were to explain the Nat'l guard stuff, she'd just dismiss it and probably think I got it from some "liberal newspaper." If I cited the source she'd never look.

Then she'd tell me how Clinton dodged the draft.

[DulceDecorum]

21. W is being led by an Impe,

I am not sure whether he knows all of the prophecies and how deep of a student he has been in God's Word, but I was contacted a few weeks ago by the Office of Public Liaison for the White House and by the National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to make an outline. And I’ve spent hours preparing it. I will release this information to the public in September, but it’s in his hands.

He will know exactly what is going to happen in the Middle East and what part he will have under the leading of the Holy Spirit of God. So, it's a tremendous time to be alive.
http://www.jvim.com/qotw/index.html

We are all going to die.

[Q]

22. Ah...the old 'liberal media' excuse....

...used by those incapable of thinking on their own.

- Don't let anyone use Clinton as a means to escape discussion of Bush*.

- But...keep in mind that Nixon was elected to a second term and most 'conservatives' absolutely loved him right up until the time he was forced to leave DC in disgrace. Many Neocons still blame 'liberals' for Nixon's demise AND for 'losing' the Vietnam police action.

[Brian Sweat]

18. War hero?

If we allow them to get away with this lie, then we deserve to rot in hell.

[PATRICK]

19. Describe the real world

surrounding the photo op. Eventually the photo op will become an offensive joke. Taking the image dead on might be irritating and mystifying otherwise, like an armchair critic of a bouncy TV commercial
that the rest of the crowd sort of likes. Wer do it every day with Bush. We don't slap them down in the midst of one of these partriotic trances. We start bringing up the long palpable list of real world facts.

When they come down from that weak emotional high(which in its throes cannot last physically more than an hour or two)they need a a more sound, still positive which is the trick, facing up to the truth.