Obama was right, most of what was said about him was untrue. But now all of us here must enter the probablistic realm. Demographics, slick schtick. I mean we will hazard a quasi-calculated yet quasi-imagined projection about the artifice of crafted personas and of the "hidden persuaders." We will try to imagine how shibboleth, doublespeak and argot might sway those who have little grasp of the issues. We enter here the realm of groupthink or perhaps the political aspect of the Lebenswelt (unless you can convince me it's outside same).

The Pubs were grasping at straws. They took a gamble. And with media's hooplah endorsement it looks as though it could impinge on an Obama landslide (Obama needs a landslide to counter the Pubs' predelection for election fraud IMO). What kind of mythology it was that got the results Wednesday night I have given my 2 cents on on Liberal Land blog's Wednesday night message board, but Lakoff demonstrates many more aspects right down at the root. Little laymen here just needs to get the obvious off his chest.

"What Democrats have shied away from is a frontal attack on radical conservatism itself as an un-American and harmful ideology." G.L.

Not 100% sure of this, but it would seem the best frontal attack (at this moment) re untruths Palin, Romney, and Lingle laid down [I found time to concentrate on their messages] might be some escalation in terms of explaining what's involved in the relevant issues...as in the Nader and Perot approach. [Perot was probably right only about the size of the debt...just like Peterson] This involves percentages and numbers. David Brooks noted the rad conservativism of Romney too (which I perceived in Lingle and Palin as well...I guess he did too). They are playing it, and it is working a little too well for my comfort. Yes, they're going for extreme ends (even for these times). They're ridiculing the Senate as a source for candidates. Same old schtick; they're extolling CEOs and laughing community work to scorn. Alternative: lay out the extremes of the sinking Titanic that is the US economy AND WHY. If they're going to say what is untrue, there is only one solution. Speak the truth ten times more often...with ten times less sugar coating. Obama's outrage is tamed, sharp, dry, and I can relate. But perhaps he could sort of string the absurdity-exposés together in trains that are longer, faster, and tighter. Just my thought for the evening--maybe God willing there'll be more light tomorrow.

The elites turn off thing is powerful. Michael Young and Lasch tried to explain it to us.

George helps my thinking on all this.

Representative democracy just doesn't work.

FREE AMERICA

DIRECT DEMOCRACY

I suspect that the nomination of Obama was part of Rove's plan. The Wall Street owned media duped the hippies to push Obama through the primaries; they gave him a movie star build-up, convinced the blacks he could win because he'd won the white state of Iowa (never mind that the Obama vote was hippies and GOP crossovers for the day)and the right wing pundits showered him with praise. So now Wall Street, in a year when the GOP is the weakest it's been in years, now has the weakest Democrat ever to run against. How convenient. The Dems who pushed Obama's nomination are now scratching their heads wondering why he still hasn't "closed the deal" with white working class voters. Well, DUH! or DONE. Obama is seen by white working class people as everything they hate, fear and despise. The affirmative action, Ivy League snoot who looks down upon them and would send their job to China in a second.

After reading the comments of umpteen left-leaning blogs I have to ask: Why is there still an unhealthy obsession with Karl Rove? After the 2006 election it should be clear to all that the guy is no better than any other political schlockmeister. He may be as sleazy as Lee Atwater, but he certainly is no genius. Hurricane Katrina convincingly put the lie to the Republican's biggest asset, the claim that they could keep the country safe. They were always one trick ponies, and that trick is played out. He has NOTHING to scare people with now. What I would be worried about is an October surprise in the form of a "terrorist attack". But even they wouldn't be so brazen to actually carry one out would they?

.

Let’s count and then review the Fools in Play…

Three oh, no wait - four!

1. Yes, as always, at the top of the list, the totally gullible and so effortless to manipulate Evangelical ProLife wing of the Republican Party – left standing at the alter every election cycle since their god-on-earth Ronny RayGun first played them for suckers.

The Fool’s Fool, they are used like an old wash rag and then thrown away by the GreedHead wing of the Republican Party to win elections, and lured along EVERY election with the carrot and stick promise of overturning RvW.

2. McFool himself; so narcissistic he actually believes HE is running for President, when actually he was selected from the discard queue to be run in a race that has been PRE-planned to Lose!

Another FoolTool of the GreedHead wing of the Republican Party, he is still the arrogant loser he was when his graduation at the bottom of his class at military school was purchased by his Admiral Father.

Losing the Super Bowl by 21 points his handlers have nothing to lose throwing the Hail Mary Palin long ball. Hell, why not pull a flea-flicker too!!!

3. Palin herself; with insufficient brain power to even qualify as a pawn, is pushed up over the edge of the chess board by the invisible hand of the GreedHead/NeoConJob wing of the Republican Party whose leader KKKarl has cut a back room deal with the biggest fool of all – 4. Dr. Dobson.

The robotically programmed Palin comes to attention, falls in lock-step, and protected by her Lemming Armor dutifully marches directly off the opposite side of the chess board – is buried, and on the third year rises from the dead to run against the Dark Side’s evil Hillary.

Make it so.

.

.

Iknow.. I know!!!

Let's have a beer with her!!!!!

.

Talking about the "bimbo soccer moms". I've discussed this choice with several conservative men, and to a man they all say, awwwww... give her a chance. They've all been suckered in as well, and none of them are particularly religious. They say it's the "liberal "media" who's showing her in a bad light. She's cute and perky, give her a chance. Ok, right. It's actually been the women I talk to who aren't taken in.

.

Rove is several moves ahead on chess board – he knows his party is going down – so he is planning way ahead. This isn’t about winning this election – this is about four years from now…

Righteous anger of the evangelicals over how the good spiritual warrior Palin was horribly abused will be fully available next run for president.

Besides – who would actually WANT to win this cycle???
The cluster Obama will have to clean up defies description;
better four years from now…

.

.

Now it is becoming clearer; KKKarl selected sacrificial lamb to be burned on evangelical alter of media rage, knowing full well Palin would be crucified by press and Dems/blogs – what better way to energize rabid base – and justify the coming loss to Obama.

McDouche and Palin – both sacrificial lambs brought to the alter by Rove.

“Remember the crucifixion of Palin” will be the rally cry four years from now!!!

.

Mr. Lakoff talks about how to frame issues correctly, but he is mistaken when he praises Obama for his approach to framing. Obama talks about the government as the helpmate of the individual. Americans are individualists. We don't want to be dependent on Big Brother. We want to establish a health care system just like our army, our highways and our social security system. That is, as one of the civic duties of government. We don't want help, we want the government to fulfill its mandate- do its job. Government is not our friend, its our servant. Use that frame and the whole socialist, overbearing argument by right-wingers loses its force.

LEEA: (As per your last posting), You buy right into the "packaging." Black man/woman... but the POSITIONS of these candidates does NOT depart from the status quo of militarism and insane domestic policies; I say insane due to the derailment of civil liberties (as if this is the business of a democratic republic, business as usual); the rape of the treasury alloting no funds for USEFUL, constructive pro-citizens' welfare style programs, and the criminal neglect of the environment, as per global warming, in the continuing use of force to procure the very resources that are destroying the natural balances that life (for humans) depends upon. ETC ad nauseum.

Good posts: Rick, Tetti Tatti (7:08 AM), MY Conscience, Kivals, Wsws.org, Musawwir, Tumbleweed and Saila. You've raised a number of interesting points.

Palin was picked because in order to win the election he has to reel in the soccer moms and the Christian Right. (The 2 most clueless areas of the American populace). Since they are unable to understand the issues or comprehend what their vote means, Palin's record will not work against her and she'll be able to draw in that vote.
Palin was clearly picked because the ticket needs a woman. She has no experience, no plan, and a very thin background. In other words, Senator would be a long shot. Vice President is simply a joke. (By the way, Obama wasn't 'picked because he was black'. It took months of campaigning and all states voted the candidate they wanted. Obama was chosen through deliberation. Palin was PICKED for her gender.)
The question facing us and what will decide the election is if the ignorant Christian right and the bimbo soccer moms outnumber the intellectuals and patriots.
Keep your fingers crossed.

I think we are going to find out how conservative men and women feel about a woman for VP or potentially president, we know how the liberals feel about a woman for president, or VP, divided. One half of democratic voters are now hunkered down in the disaffected Hillary stronghold. I bet they will eventually be disillusioned by Hillary if she makes too strong of an attack on Mrs. Palin. Which she will probably need to do.

For the first time in over twenty years for the undecided voter, the disaffected voter, the uninspired voter, and for the first time ever, the conservative voter, will have a new choice that represents more dramatic change than we have ever had. A lot has changed in those twenty years, we are going to have the chance, thanks to the Republicans, to find out just what a woman and a mother can do for us again after a few millennium too many in an ultimately faltering administration. Often called 'empire' by men who would like a return to a more mother earth sustainable reality, minus the mother as represented by women. This is the main weakness and the main frame missing with progressives and their movement.

I think we are going to find out how conservative men and women feel about a woman for VP or potentially president, we know how the liberals feel about a woman for president, or VP, divided. One half of democratic voters are now hunkered down in the disaffected Hillary stronghold. I bet they will eventually be disillusioned by Hillary if she makes too strong of an attack on Mrs. Palin. Which she will probably need to do.

For the first time in over twenty years for the undecided voter, the disaffected voter, the uninspired voter, and for the first time ever, the conservative voter, will have a new choice that represents more dramatic change than we have ever had. A lot has changed in those twenty years, we are going to have the chance, thanks to the Republicans, to find out just what a woman and a mother can do for us again after a few millennium too many in an ultimately faltering administration. Often called 'empire' by men who would like a return to a more mother earth sustainable reality, minus the mother as represented by women. This is the main weakness and the main frame missing with progressives and their movement.

Great column George, but you never got around to making specific suggestions for framing the issues relating to the flip-flopping soccer mom. Give us some examples of how you would frame her and we will go forth and multiply them (abstinence be damned).

John McCain's campaign manager Rick Davis was quoted on Democracy Now this morning as confirming Mr. Lakoff's assertions that this campaign is not about issues, but rather personalities. It certainly does seem as if this a carefully scripted, made for TV, reality show......"Survivor - Washington Island" (aka "Land of the Lost!").

Vote Green locally, Nader globally.

This is an extremely long-winded way of stating that (American) voters do not make a rational calculation when they vote. They vote their guts: their prejudices, fears, superstitions, self-serving myths. Republicans have long recognized and exploited this, but Democrats have yet to figure it out.

To me, it's not exactly a new insight.

&YYY&
Nothing wrong with conservatism, from the individual winners point of view.

For their rules of race and species, in the conflict of life, the winners and survivors take all.

Just the sum of all too many human winners makes life into trash, and cooks the world into stew.

Hell is now full of billions of starving thirsty humans, who are suffering yet living and still do call.

If not all are culled in mercy soon, then whatever is left, even in the Vampire States, will soon fall.

The article was the best I have read recently to explain the fundamentalist Christian mindset!!!! Most of this I can understand even though I don't agree in the slightest with it. But, what really disturbs me is the hypocrisy in the fundamentalist mindset. They tout all of these supposed family value's, moral's, discipline and etc. But, deliberately leave all of the ethic's out of it. In my mind you can not have any form of moral's without ethic's! They walk hand in hand! And I say this because fundamentalist Christian's are good at overlooking duplicity when it serves their cause. The last time I went to Mass lying, cheating, stealing and many numerous other human maladies were sin. In my mind, abortion isn't a big a sin as loss of one's ethic's! Because that is a personal attack on your character and your whole value's system. The current administration has been guilty of so many crimes that go against these people's supposed value's structure. That I am only left to wonder how they can look at themselves in the mirror every day and reconcile themselves to the corruption that has become the Republican Party! How they manage to look the other way and actually vote for this corruption. I couldn't I had to leave their party 20 years ago (and it was nothing compared to what it is today). Is it that these people don't have any moral's themselves? They have the ability to ignore what they would normally consider sin when the price is right (making abortion and homosexuality illegal). Or Christianity in this country has actually sunk to this new low of behavior? To my way of thinking this speaks to the worst that can be found in religion.

American Dream? Why is this dream always stated as being exclusively American? And why when one looks at the reality of that dream, (which seems to be world domination using capitalism as the vehicle.) Would anyone want it?
When at the heart of it,is exploitation of human resources for profit.
The soul of the so-called American dream, is an empty soul. And I think that many in the world have seen the emptiness of that dream, and are slowly turning away.

I cannot believe that the US is considering a person for the potential post of Vice President, who is:
Pro Creationist
Pro gun lobby
Pro capital punishment - very strange for a "Christian" who says they are "pro life".
Anti abortion (for any reasons, including rape and incest)
Opposes same sex partnerships, and would deny same sex couples equal rights to health benefits.
She only received her US passport last year, and her trips abroad have been to Kuwait (to visit US troops), Germany (to visit injured US troops) and a trip to Ireland.
She does not have the credentials to do the job, unless you think that the US should adopt a 14th century viewpoint of the World and it's problems.

The plain truth is this: Republicans are much better at marketing than Democrats are.
Marshall MacCluen, (a Canadian Conservative, FYI), said it best, "The Medium is the Massage".

The racial element will be a huge obstacle for Obama to overcome in this election. The Bradley Effect will mean that he will have to be leading by at least 10 points in the polls on election day to even have a chance of winning. On the other hand, conservative men, and to a lesser extent women, will still not want to vote for a woman, even if she is a conservative. So Palin does not bring much except the appeal to the Christian extremists. They were very important in 2004, but they seemed to have evaporated in the mid-term elections of 2006. It's hard to say what kind of impact they will have this year. That is the wildcard. Will they support a mother who has failed to live up to their ideals? They are true crackpots and I can't begin to imagine how they will react to this woman's problems.

The biggest faling of the Democrats was to not push an end to the war. That's why they were elected in 2006. They are too compromised by AIPAC money to do anything. They may end up paying dearly for this.

As for this article, I find it odd. We are supposed to win over people who don't base their life in reality? With values and symbolism? My thinking is that there has been enough stark reality since 2004, in the form of the war, Katrina, skyrocketing gas and heating oil prices, the bursting of the real estate bubble, etc. to penetrate even the thickest of skulls! Shy away from this painful and powerful reality at your own risk, Democrats. Come up with solutions. Of course, don't forget to dumb down the complexities for public consumption. Average attention span of today's voter is about 4 seconds.

McCain was going to be our next president anyway, regardless of his choice for VP. But the Palin choice was brilliant, the final nail in the Obama/Kerry/Gore coffin. As disgusting as she is, Palin is the face of America. Prejudiced, ignorant, greedy and imperialistic. She'll be our Queen Victoria for the next 16 years.

Whoever wrote that THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY LOSES BECAUSE IT REFUSES TO BE A TRULY OPPOSITIONAL PARTY! is right on the money. Case closed.

to paraphrase his book title, you can't solve 21st century problems from inside the 20th century box. lakoff seems to feel there is some difference between the two parties he speaks of, but this is not the case beyond superficialities. What you have in America (and we have in Canada under different names, and the same in Britain, Australia, and most anywhere) is one business party with two branches, pretending to be something they are quite obviously not. As the old saying goes, one sign of a compromised mental function is continually doing the same thing and hoping for better results. Voting for either of these parties, and expecting someone to do something for the people rather than the banking-corporate rulers is just such a hopeless, repetetive action. To understand things a bit better, if you are really ready to brave the rabbit hole, put down your in-the-box lakoff and turn here - They're Building a Box - and You're In It - http://www.rudemacedon.ca/dlp/box/box-intro.html

Green Island - first we take back our brains, then we take our country

Sarah Palin as Vice President of the USA? You've got to be f'ing kidding me. It's been a few days now since the announcement, and still every time I see a picture of her and try to imagine her taking Cheney's spot - it just doesn't make sense!

Keep the children out of politics.

I am not sure Palin will be McCains running mate at the end of the day.

Ask yourself, why Palin would want to campaign for 2 months as VP for a candidate who is a long shot at best, and with a 5 month old baby, and a daughter who is 5 months pregnant, when she has a pretty good deal already in Alaska (DC is a 12 hr flight, makes commuting hard).

I suspect her role was to put McCain in a good light with the Christian right, and women, gear up some sympathy for the liberal smear job that was to come when the rumours were circulated, and reunite the base against the liberals, since they are lukewarm to McCain. Mission Accomplished

I would not be surprised if she were to withdraw over the personal attacks, and she will say she has now had 2nd thoughts and must protect her family . It may even be that some of the rumours were true, who knows. But McCain still keeps some of his wins in this scenario, and gets to pick who he really wanted.

Rumour has it his first choice was Lieberman. If that happens Obama will have my vote.

I agree with many of the commentators: I don't think this about framing--it's about big business. It's corporations who these politicians are working for, not us. It's the corporate ruling elite who will decide who is in the debates, not us. Corporations decide every day how they will portray or "frame" the issues, not us. Do the Democratic or Republican parties "frame" the issues? To a very slight degree, but really, most of the 'framing' is done by the corporate media, day-in, day-out. To miss this fundamental fact seems odd to me. Perhaps I can see it because I don't watch TV? For those who swim in the corporate media's fetid pool, the nature of the corporate media may be just as invisible as water to a fish. It is simply there... to be taken for granted.

rjmart01, I wish you were wrong too. Unfortunately you are right. I've learned a lot from Lakoff, and comments like yours on CD.

Man is a thing that must be surpassed---Nietzsche

We have yet to hear from Alaskan Native Americans re; Gov. Palin. Every Alaskan interviewed so far seems to be white middle class and middle aged..

Where ARE you, people?

I believe there is a lot of incorrect information and even some more crude gossipy "its really her daughters child" type nonsense going on here.

Best to be sure before you critisize. And because someone doesn't bow to your values it doesn't make them corrupt, redneck, or anything else except on the other side.

I think this article was premature.

commoner3

The problem with Democrats is not that they do not frame the
issues correctly. That is nonsense. The real problem is that there is NO
REAL difference betweenn them and the Republicans neither
in foreign policies nor in domestic policies. The difference is in style
and minor details. So, the people are alienated.
McCain and Obama are the same, both are beholden to big Money/Business
and not to the average Joe/Jane.

Did anyone read the post below? and my response, this post demonstrates what I am saying and Mr. Lakoff fears will happen.

This is exactly the kind of talk that will pave the road to ruin with good intention.

________________________________________
From: bmc1968@googlegroups.com [bmc1968@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of jacsiegel@mac.com [jacsiegel@mac.com]
Sent: Friday, August 29, 2008 2:04 PM
To: BMC1968
Subject: [BMC1968] John McCain's VP nominee

Dear classmates -

As an Alaskan, I am writing to give all of you some information on
Sarah Palin, Senator McCain's choice for VP. As an Alaska voter, I
know more than most of you about her and, frankly, I am horrified that
he picked her.

The most accurate description of her is red neck. Her husband works in
the oil fields of Prudhoe Bay and races snow mobiles. She is a life
time member of the NRA and has worked tirelessly to allow
indiscriminate hunting of wildlife in Alaska , particularly wolves and
bears. She has spent millions of Alaska state dollars on aerial
hunting of these predators from helicopters and airplanes, dollars
that should have been spent, for example, on Alaska 's failing school
system.We have the lowest rate of high school graduation in the
country. Not all of you may think aerial predator hunting is so bad,
but how anyone (other than Alaska wolf-haters, of which there are
many, most without teeth), could think this use of funds is
appropriate is beyond me. If you want to know more about the aerial
hunting travesty, let me know and I will send some links to
informative web sites.

She has been a strong supporter of increased use of fossil fuels, yet
the McCain campaign has the nerve to say she has "green" policies. The
only thing green about Sarah Palin is her lack of experience. She has
consistently supported drilling in ANWR, use of coal-burning power
plants (as I write this, a new coal plant is being built in her home
town of Wasilla ), strip mining, and almost anything else that will
unnecessarily exploit the diminishing resources of Alaska and destroy
its environment.

Prior to her one year as governor of Alaska , she was mayor of Wasilla,
a small red neck town outside Anchorage.The average maximum education
level of parents of junior high school kids in Wasilla is 10th grade.
Unfortunately, I have to go to Wasilla every week to get groceries and
other supplies, so I have continual contact with the people who put
Palin in office in the first place. I know what I'm talking about.
These people don't have a concept of the world around them or of the
serious issues facing the US . Furthermore, they don't care. So long as
they can go out and hunt their moose every fall, kill wolves and bears
and drive their snow mobiles and ATVs through every corner of the
wilderness, they're happy. I wish I were exaggerating.

Sarah Palin is currently involved in a political corruption scandal.
She fired an individual in law enforcement here because she didn't
like how he treated one of her relatives during a divorce. The man's
performance and ability weren't considered; it was a totally personal
firing and is currently under investigation. While the issue isn't
close to the scandal of Ted Steven's corruption, it shows that Palin
isn't "squeaky clean" and causes me to think there ay be more issues
that could come to light. Clearly McCain doesn't care.

When you line Palin up with Biden, the comparison would be laughable
if it weren't so serious. Sarah Palin knows nothing of economics
(admittedly a weak area for McCain), or of international affairs,
knows nothing of national government, Social Security, unemployment,
health care systems - you name it. The idea of her meeting with heads
of foreign governments around the world truly frightens me.

In an increasingly dangerous world, with the economy in shambles in
the US , Sarah Palin is uniquely UNqualified to be vice president. John
McCain is not a young man. Should something happen to him such that
the vice president had to step in, it would destroy our country and
possibly the world to have someone as inexperienced and inappropriate
as Sarah Palin. The choice of Palin is a cheap shot by McCain to try
to get Hillary supporters to vote for him. when McCain introduced her
today, Palin had the nerve to compare herself with Hillary and
Geraldine Ferraro. Sarah Palin, you are no Hillary Clinton.

To those of you who, like me, supported Hilary and were upset that she
did not get the nomination, please don't think that Sarah Palin is a
worthy substitute. If you supported Hillary, regardless of what you
think the media and the democratic party may have done to undermine
her campaign, the person to support now is Obama, not Sarah Palin. To
those of you who are independent or undecided, don't let the choice of
Palin sway you in favor of McCain. Choosing her shows how unqualified
McCain is to be president. To those of you who are conservative, I
guess you have no choice for president. But please try to see how the
poor choice of Palin tells us a great deal about McCain's judgment.
While the political posturing inherent in the choice of Palin is
obvious, the more serious issue is the fact that the VP is, literally,
a heartbeat away from the presidency. Sarah Palin is totally and
unequivocally unqualified to be vice president, let alone president.

I know this is a lengthy and emotional email, but the stakes are high.
I thought it might help for all of you, regardless of political
affiliation, to know something about Palin from someone who has to
live with her administration in Alaska on a daily basis.

Jackie S.

It's one of those days and I don't have much time to read through all of the posts. What I find interesting is how much more information I find at guardian.co.uk than I do reading the American MSM. One article today astounded me - is it anywhere else to be found/read - about Palin's brief membership in the Alaskan Independence party in the mid 90s. "Alaska First - Alaska Always" is their motto.

How does that jibe with McCain's "America First" motto?

May we respectfully plunk Ms. Palin's butt onto an iceberg, to which she can plant any flag she wishes (no doubt posted atop an AK-47) and set her adrift and get back to the business OF ELECTING A PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT?

Goddess give me strength....

I believe that how close one comes to framing the issues in alignment with the overall greater or fundamental truth and reason of our times especially in alignment with moving forward into the new super frame of our times will turn the soil for the new era and plant the seeds for a new humanity. Both of the mainstream political parties of our time have presented candidates that represent this to the mainstream voter, but only one party will win in the CMS (corporate media system, that CMC (corporate media consumers) currently have. The fundamental woodwork that makes up the finishing touches to this framework is the undecided voter, who is watched and pandered to by both parties very closely.

This elusive creature is very difficult to capture, and one party is betting on a mother, and the other party is betting on a well spoken black man to bait this picky eater. Both the mother and the black man will potentially tug at our heart strings,
duty, and remorse will have a heavy hand in tipping the balance.

I simply believe that the mother is overdue, and the most ancient emotion of filial love has as great a chance of prevailing as a desire for redemption for our sins of the past.

Two things we often reach for in trying times, our mother, and our redeemer.

Personally I think the mother is under rated.

This article presents a portion of a long and detailed line of resoning, but don't be fooled! It is total B.S.!

Lakoff is amazing, an entire book devoted to a bunch of elitist, condescending blather whose only purpose is to avoid this simple truth (presented in all caps to represent me shouting it into the authors face):

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY LOSES BECAUSE IT REFUSES TO BE A TRULY OPPOSITIONAL PARTY!

That's it, plain and simple, no need for a book.

Why in the World would people participate in what amounts to a non-choice? Or at least, why would they participate with any numbers or enthusiasm?

Remember the most salient fact of Elections in the U.S. to this point: The third of the Citizenry who abstains from voting in Presidential Election years -and the greater portion who do so in so-called "off-year" Elections for our most Democratic Institution, the Congress of the United States and its entire House of Representatives.

Sure the old Dem strategy of parochial machines and appeals to Labor was a failing dinosaur. Sure the Clintonion stategy of "triangulation" or appeal to independents with a "stay the middle course" of action acheived some minor results.

But it was like the medical benefit of bloodletting -only effective if seen through an idealogical screen, and sure to kill the patient if carried to far.

All of this should be fairly obvious to any student of history or humanity.

And there should be no need to plunge a lot of well meaning people on the political "left" into the kind of cynical and manipulative mindgames employed by advertisers and marketers.

But perhaps I'd do the same to promote a book, who knows, huh?

Have Fun,

-matti.

C'mon now, friends and trolls. Let's not fall in to Fox-Rove's trap. Lakoff says the Palin nomination is going to distract us from the real issues. We're going to get sucked into tabloid land where there is no light, no reason, and no reality.

Whether or not she has demon children, has been abducted by aliens, or is a dimwitted, right-wing puppet, when your mother calls from Indianapolis and is "horrified" that the left-wing media is making so much inappropriate noise about Palin's deformed children, you have to say politely but firmly:

"Mom, do you want this woman from Alaska who has so poorly managed her family life to be in line to manage the lives of everyone in America? Shall we entrust the task of dealing with global warming to these corporate liars, who refuse even to admit that it's happening? Are we going to turn over the land we've made for our children to the extremists who abandoned New Orleans? The choice is not complicated, and your grandchildren's lives hang in the balance. Put down the tabloid and start thinking about those grandkids. Time is running out."

And thus the slaves are duped into voting for thier masters !

wsws:

You are speaking on the subject of reason and truth.

Mr. Lakoff is speaking on political manipulation of reason for personal agenda's and bending the truth to meet these ends.

Mr. Lakoff is also trying to manipulate the readers reason and bend the truth for the the party he champions and believes is the good against evil party of the day that seems to be his super frame of thought.

I don't think he does very well, especially considering his super frame, though I think that the winner of the day will be the group that does the best in this arena.

I would vote for Nader but I don't want to get your children killed.

The Palin choice isn't about substance. It's about symbolism. And to Steve Schmidt and company, a thing's a symbol when you can manipulate it to your own (usually nefarious) ends.

For McCain, Palin brings a lot of upsides, most of which have been mentioned. She's a young, pretty, ostensible reformist hockey mom, anti-abortion, ideologically pure, etc., etc. Her XX-chromosomeness won't actively attract many disaffected Hillary supporters, but it might give a few of them a little less motivation to get out on election day.

But the main symbolic manipulation has gone (to my knowledge) so far unmentioned. McCain can't mention race without paying a penalty in the press (even the lapdog American press). But putting a young-ish white female face on one side of the equation, when there's a young-ish black male face on the other side, means he doesn't have to. Those voters who are susceptible to the juxtaposition will understand the message without it ever being spoken.

I truly wish I were wrong on this one.

Quoting from an article by Donna Volatie entitled "The Obama Construct," http://www.counterpunch.org/volatile08282008.html

"McCain is a war mongering bully who is in your face; Obama, on the other hand, is a smooth talker, whose own Foreign policy positions aren't too far removed from McCain's and one has to wonder which is worse, or indeed if there really is any difference at all. (The idea of voting for the lesser of two evils, McCain being the more evil, according to Obama supporters, seems ludicrous given that both of these candidates will ultimately do the bidding of their masters and the master plan is the same for both parties. This should be quite apparent by now and if it isn't, well, by all means vote for Obama and reap your just rewards...Do you really think 'Obomba's' idea of war will be kinder and gentler than McCain's?...)

"Obama supporters will tell you “but he's honest and so sincere”, and “he's run a clean campaign” or “he's one of us” (that one always gets me) but they remain blinded to what is obvious to many on the radical left and many on the traditional conservative/libertarian right: Obama is a player and he is playing the game of the global elitists.

"Since he has all but secured his party's nomination, he's becoming more militaristic by the minute, in both tone and by his stance on several key Foreign policy issues.

"Obama and his VP Choice, Senator Biden, however, are not the crux of the problem but rather the mainstream voters are the problem as they continue to enable the corrupt two party system by consistently supporting the candidates being foisted upon them by controllers who select them in the first place and who are reinforced by the mainstream media machine in the second. These are not choices, these are lack of choices and if voters continue to participate in this sham, then they truly get what they deserve!

"With Obama supporters, the phrase “blinded by the light” takes on a whole new meaning. What part don't you get?! (This is the party threatening to place demonstrators at the DNC in recently erected detention camps and the party whose House majority leader, Nancy Pelosi, ridicules the anti-war movement and the homeless: “If they were poor and they were sleeping on my sidewalk, they'd be arrested for loitering but because they have 'Impeach Bush' across their chest, it's the First Amendment.” Funny how both parties get upset over that whole free speech thing...)

"What is most stunning about delusional Obama supporters is, when confronted by the aforementioned facts about Obama, they counter with this inane idea that Obama is only “saying” these things, he doesn't really mean them, it's only to get elected and once he gets elected the true altruistic essence of the man will save us all from tyranny! (Can we say reality check?!)

"Their indefensible support of this double talker is beyond comprehension. ...

"If you want to help put a stop to the rigged election game, if you really want to make a difference and you want your voice of disapproval to be heard, then VOTE! Vote for ANYBODY but the two buffoons, who have been pre-selected for you by the global elitist machine. Send a message, loud and clear: We refuse your choices.

"Vote Nader, vote McKinney, vote Ron Paul, vote Bob Barr, write in a vote, do whatever but don't support the corrupt system. Commit to a protest vote. Vote your conscience, do not vote under the “lesser of two-evils” threat because then YOU are part of the problem, not part of the possible solution. (We've been on this trip too many times before...From “hope and help is on the way” Kerry to Obama's constant harping on “Change We Can Believe In”, you have been sold a bill of goods from first to last. For all of Obama's talk of change, his words and actions show quite clearly, he means more of the same...)

"For those die hard Obama supporters who refuse to see the hand writing on the wall... YOU are the problem...For those die-hard Hillary Clinton supporters, promising to vote for McCain because your war-monger wasn't the chosen one, seek psychiatric help immediately.

"And one more thing... Evil is evil, bad is bad, wrong is wrong regardless of sex, race, creed or color.

"And another thing... If you vote for Obama, you are neither liberal nor are you progressive, so let's get that straight. If you vote for Obama, you are a neoliberal, so get use to it.

"Stop making excuses, there are none and time is running out as an even larger war may be in the making.

"Get those blinders off!

"This is your wake up call!"

John McCain finished fourth from the bottom in a class of about 600 at Annapolis. It would be fair to say he's not much more intelligent than George Wanker Bush. That partially explains his weird and hopefully disastrous pick for vice president. Remember that photo of McCain shamelessly embracing The Wanker at some Repimplican hoo-hah as if Bush were The Golden Prostitute who could give him four orgasms an hour? This not too many years after The Wanker dishonored both McCain and his family in 2000 in the vilest possible manner. When McCain blathers on about honor, it makes you want to hurl. Couldn't happen to a nicer gang of Repimplican wretches, pirates and killers.

So basically the author is saying you have to dumb down your political comments so the great stinking unwashed masses can understand it?

"The only means of strengthening one's intellect is to make up one's mind about nothing, to let the mind be a thoroughfare for all thoughts." - John Keats

In the above article, Mr. Lakoff writes: "What is at stake in this election are our ideals and our view of the future, as well as current realities."

Are you serious? Ideals?!

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware of Obama's willingness to invade Pakistan, invade Iran, escalate the war in Afghanistan, and keep US troops in Iraq indefinitely? … With no weapons "off the table" – meaning, the possible use of nuclear weapons.

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that the Iraqi War is costing the American public $15 billion dollars a month, and the Iraqi people over 1 million lives. See the following http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/01/31/6768/

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that Barack Obama wants to *increase* the Pentagon budget -- a budget now totaling over $500 billion a year?

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that in 2006 Obama went out of his way to campaign for Joe Lieberman -- favoring Lieberman over the liberal Democrat, Ned Lamont?

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that Obama has voted to approve every war appropriation the Republicans have put forward, totaling over $450 billion. See http://www.nationalpriorities.org/costofwar_home

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that Obama voted to confirm Condeleeeza Rice, as well as a host of other Bush nominees?

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that Obama voted for the F.I.S.A. bill – after vowing not to?

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that Obama voted to re-authorize the Patriot Act?

-- Is Mr. Lakoff aware that many right-wing supporters were *delighted* with Barack Obama’s post-primary lurch to the right. So delighted was the "Wall Street Journal" -- whose editorial board generally reflects not just the right-wing but the right-wing within the Bush administration -- so delighted was the "Wall Street Journal"with Obama's lurch to the right that on July 2, 2008, they published an editorial entitled "Bush's Third Term." In it, they gloatingly stated: "“Maybe he (Obama) is worried that someone will notice that he’s the candidate running for it (Bush's third term).”

Ideals? Ideals??? ... Yeah, corporate ideals. ... Imperialist ideals. ... Duopolistic ideals. ... Politically opportunistic ideals. ... Wall Street Journal ideals.

But then again, all those phrases are oxymorons, aren't they?

How clever Barack Obama is that there are people out there who actually believe he's a progressive. What a politician! He's the envy of every corporate-financed, corporate-owned political hack in the country. One can see them literally *drooling* over his uncanny ability to fool the public.

The truth is: Barack Obama is *not* a progressive. So get over it, Obama-rationalizers. Barack Obama has more corporate money behind him than McCain does and than Hillary did. Do you think he got all those corporate millions because he's a political idealist; or do you think Corporate America "made an investment in him" -- this Slick Willie clone, this smooth-talking corporate mouthpiece who ... plays the game so well.

Since when does Corporate America back progressive ideals and political idealists? Come on, Obama-rationalizers, cut the crap. Reality beckons.

To reiterate what Mr. Lakoff wrote in the above article: "What is at stake in this election are our ideals and our view of the future, as well as current realities."

By all means, Mr. Lakoff, vote your ideals. Vote for progressive ideals and vote for meaningful changes. ... In short, vote your conscience. ... But, please, don't pretend that progressive ideals and meaningful change are compatible with what Barack Obama stands for. Barack Obama isn't part of the solution, he's part of the problem.

And no amount of wishful thinking will change that.

In the above article George Lakoff writes:

"The (Democratic) convention events and speeches were orchestrated both to cast light on external realities, traditional political themes, and to focus on values at once classically American and progressive: empathy, responsibility both for oneself and others, and aspiration to make things better both for oneself and the world. Obama did all this masterfully in his nomination speech, while replying to, and undercutting, the main Republican attacks."

Mr. Lakoff seems to have forgotten that during the primaries Obama ran as a peace candidate, only to have lurched to the right immediately after he captured the nomination from Hillary Clinton.

Then, trailing in the polls, he quickly "tacked left,” realizing that he had, as the expression goes, "alienated his base."

This may be smart on Obama's part, it may be "realpolitik," i.e., the way the game is played -- but it's also an indication that Obama, if elected, won't do anything fundamental to reform an essentially corrupt political system.

Move to the left, then move to the right, then move back to the left. … This may be "politically astute," but it's also ethically bankrupt. It simply guarantees more of the same.

Moreover, how do we know that Obama, if elected, won't move back to the right?

This is an excellent article. Palin is in every way an ideologue and should be exposed for the dangerous reproduction of the Bush/Cheney model that she and John McCain are.

The symbolism that you say Palin represents doesn't withstand scrutiny.
Skinning animals doesn't necessarily mean you are tough. It could mean you'll do anything to please males, including entering beauty contests and having more children than you can care for.
Her Evangelical roots also point in the direction of having others do her thinking for her.
It seems to me that having two teenage pregnancies in the family is evidence of carelessness and neglect.
The hollow symbolism that Palin represents could easily collapse if the Democrats took time out from stuffing their own pockets and launched a reality campaign. Instead they constantly cave in to the manufactured reality of the GOP and try and beat them on their own shaky ground.
Truth has a resonance that transcends hypocrisy and self serving pandering. Sadly, neither Party is offering any.

During the reign of Bush, everyone (Repugs and Dems) all looked and acted Republican to me. What makes anybody think it’s gonna be different after the election? On top of that, almost all politicians lie to get the votes anyway.

Long live AIPAC, the power mover. Long live military-industrial-Congress complex. Long live the Diebold machines and the fake democracy. The show must go on. Whether you want it or not, one of the two they have selected for you to VOTE (!) would get the White House, and as always, there just ain’t nothing you can do about it. Truer words were never spoken.

Hey! Lakoff: Palin did not REFUSE to have an abortion. She CHOSE not to have an abortion. Wait, nevermind. I just read it again and realize you "framed" it the conservative way.

This article should be required reading for every Democrat, and especially for every so-called progressive anti-Obama poster here on CD. So many anti-Obama/pro-Nader posters here, as well as mainstream Dems, utterly fail to take into account what Lakoff has written about. Elections aren't about the nitty gritty details of this policy or that. They're about symbolism and mindsets. You may not like that, but it IS true. I'd also recommend reading Thom Hartman's Cracking the Code...makes a very similar point.

Governor Palin called the "left wing" reports of her faking a 2 month pregnancy while governor "lewd and utterly false".

How did the governor have a baby at age 44? How come the governor looks so trim? How come the governor lied at first about the whole incident? These three things I can see with my own eyes.

The Daily Kos goes much farther. Bristol dropped out of school for 7 straight months before the baby was due. The governor looked fit and trim until announcing 7 months into her "pregnancy" that she was pregnant. She ran "gut-wrenching" wind sprints (the governor's words). He lists evidence that goes on and on that she garnered great public adulation for carrying her fifth baby while governor, without the trouble of actually carrying the baby.

I don't care what Governor Palin calls people who question her honesty. Her vitriol is her trademark. The same goes for her troll friends.

another thing that the Palin choice shows is the Republican Party is not so D(umb) that they would take their christian conservative base for granted.

"Democrats, being Democrats, will mostly talk about the realities nonstop without paying attention to the dimensions of values and symbolism."

Did the author get that from some Democratic Party handbook of talking points? It is pure garbage. What Democrats do is look to the Republicans, and adopt their program - just look at Barack "I want to expand the war in Afghanistan" Obama's, and the Palestine hater Biden's campaign.

You have to give where credit is due - The Republicans responded clearly to their base's clamoring, the Democrats also responded to the Republican's base.

But that base (and here the article is correct) is not unswayable - and if Obama, instead of, taking on the Republican mantle of more and more war, kill more people, and screw the Palestinian. If they had taken a real patriotic stand of tying the economic down turn to the war, and the billions of $$$ going to aid nefarious regimes such as the zionist entity - they may have won over a significant enough section of that base to win the elections.

Now things are up in the air, with a good chance that the McCain/Palin ticket will demolish the old boys network of Biden/Obama. In fact, if one looks at things, it is McCain/Palin ticket that will *appear* to be a move towards change, because they *appear* and will market themselves breaking with the old boys network, while the Obama ("kill more people in Afghanistan")/Biden (more hate for Palestinians) represents a move towards more of the same.

The problem is not so much with the Democrats, as it is with the horribly short sighted liberal/progressive crowd that refuses to build any real power through voting for people with integrity, such as Nader or McKinney. And instead keep giving their hard earned money to war mongers such as Kerry and Obama. The Republican base was clear, the McCain campaign, if they did not do as demanded would not get the $$$ - and large sections of the party supporters were not going to attend the convention. But the liberals, all they care about is that they call themselves Democrats.

http://almusawwir.org/resistance/

I know people that know Sarah Palin personally and she is loved by the Majority of Alaskans and according to some has around a 90% approval rating. I guess that is all you need to know about her. She may share values that are antithetical to our democracy, but unfortunately----so do many,many Americans.

If Joe Biden is politically savvy and the true public servant we'd like to think he is, he will resign from the ticket as soon as Republicans nominate Sarah----saying to the world in the announcement he is doing so because it is UNFAIR to women everywhere for the "glass ceiling" election to take place without Hillary Clinton in it on one side---and he wants Barack to nominate her immediately for Democratic VP. Women deserve a choice, not merely a GOP "trick". C'mon Joe. Show us what you're made of. (You still can be a "senior" Senator)