Boston Globe: The death of a taboo

[thepurpose]

by Sasha Issenberg September 4, 2008 08:41 PM
ST. PAUL -- One of the most enduring taboos in American politics, the airing of graphic images from the September 11 attacks in a partisan context, died today. It was nearly seven years old.

The informal prohibition, which had been occasionally threatened by political ads in recent years, was pronounced dead at approximately 7:40 CST, when a video aired before delegates at the Republican National Convention included slow-motion footage of a plane striking the World Trade Center, the towers' subsequent collapse, and smoke emerging from the Pentagon.

The September 11 precedent was one of the few surviving campaign-season taboos. It is survived by direct comparisons of one's opponents to Hitler.

http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2008/09/the_death_of_a.html

[BrklynLiberal]

1. They have no shame whatsoever.

To them 9/11 was nothing more than an opportunity and photo-op.


IF I had been watching, I certainly would have turned it off at that point...

[BrklynLiberal]

3. Bob Cesca. Live Blog from RNC..comment on 9/11 video

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bob-cesca/liveblogging-the-republic_b_124072.html

8:56PM
I was watching O'Reilly and missed it... Was the 9/11 video as exploitative as I imagine? I seriously believe that the co-opting of 9/11 by the Republicans -- even though it happened on the watch of a Republican president and Congress -- is probably the most disgusting, cynical aspect of the Bush-Rove legacy.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Another telling comment..

9:20PM
Chuck Todd saying that many down-ballot Republicans are urging the McCain campaign to not talk about Iraq. Todd saying the word "stubbornness" in reference to McCain several times. So not only does the McCain campaign have NO ground game, but they're also angering down-ballot candidates. What that means is that no matter how close the national polls are, the November 4 results might -- and I underscore might -- be much wider.

[ColbertWatcher]

2. So true. n/t