More on right wing “outrage” over Wellstone Memorial Service
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So, for those of you keeping track at home, I know it can be confusing, trying to keep track of what is and is not allowed in politics. In order to help, I thought I would pass on what appears to be the right wing’s approved list:
Accusing the Senate of being unconcerned about American Security: ok
President’s chief advisor urging Republicans to “run on the war”: ok
Waiting until the after the labor day before midterms to start a new marketing campaign on going to war in Iraq: ok
Accusing Senators who questioned the reach of the PATRIOT act of aiding terrorists: ok
Running ads linking Daschle and Saddam Hussein: ok
Running ads accusing a disabled veteran of being soft on national security: ok
Using the suicide of a White House attorney to advance a political cause: ok
Using a memorial service to encourage people to remember the life and cause of a fallen Senator and to honor his memory by making his cause their own: vile and despicable
Oh don’t start playing this game. Even eighteen wrongs don’t make a right. Either the post-memorial rally was either wrong or it wasn’t. But using examples your opponents wrong-doing to say they aren’t morally fit to pass judgment is the exact thing moral conservatives have been doing for years. Don’t sink to that level — the rest of your arguments are too good and deserve better company.
Comment 10/30/2002
Maybe you are right, but I am angry. I am tired of listening to partisians who approve of the things above suddenly being outraged that people laughed at a memorial service. I am tired of being held to a higher standard than they hold themselves.
I did not intend to use a “18 wrongs make a right” argument. Now that I have calmed down, though, I can see how it can be read that way. I am not sure what to do about it, though. The point is not that becasue the Republicans do wrong, then we are excused. In no way do I think the Wellstone memorial was wrong or inappropriate. I was trying to get across that the carping about the “partisian” nature of memorial was largely motivated by partisian sniping, not genuine outrage. Obviously, I did not do it well.
Comment 10/30/2002
I think the point is well made. I don’t think it’s a case of their many wrongs making this right. Nor do I think this event was really “wrong” To remember the man’s life and work and try to use it to build something? To bring the party together over ideas? I find all politics a bit crass, but really this is to be expected. It is a week before the election, and frankly the Republicans would have done the same thing (only without O’Reilly, et al barking at them afterward).
Honestly, I wouldn’t apologize for pointing out the Right’s double standard on things like this. I pray Reagan doesn’t pass away tonight. The rest of the week all schools and businesses would be closed, and there would be 24 hour adulation of the man on the news networks from now til the elections. Republicans everywhere would rally, Democrats would switch parties to prove they loved America, and you’d have the first 100-0 Senate in history.
I joke, but Republican duplicity on this kind of thing is really stunning. When the sniper compelled a few Dem candidates to criticize Republican candidates for aligning themselves with the President and his hard right line on guns, all the Conservatives screamed bloody murder (and got the media to go along with it) at the Dems for being opportunists. But you couldn’t find one of those candidates - not one - who doesn’t have a 5 second snippet of video of himself standing next to the Pres in their campaign commercials. “I can use the President to rally votes and raise money, but you cannot criticize me when his his policies begin to smell bad.” I am beyond tired of that double standard.
You see it take seed throughout the day. None of the news analysts watching the Wellstone event last night live raised any objections. They thought it was compelling television. They discussed the issues raised for the first time in years, things like health care that have almost dissappeared from the National dialogue. They were caught up in the excitement of a big, exciting political rally, as were those who were there and those who watched it. By this morning the right pundits had shamed everyone into being embarrassed about this. And tonight the prime time Conservatives on Fox and CNN are putting the icing on the cake. Maybe we should ask if it was appropriate, but I’m not going to do so just because Rush Limbaugh says it was bad manners.
I’m sorry, maybe your anger has passed… mine has not. So the Dems stoood on the shoulders of Paul Wellstone for one night. OK, I’m not 100% pleased about it either (especially in that Wellstone was so marginalized even among his fellow Dems who suddenly love him). Bush has been standing on the rubble and bodies at the WTC since September of last year. Political opportunism may turn our stomachs at times, but let’s not let the Right pretend they’ve never run with the ball.
Don’t forget also, when Wellstone’s plane went down, Trent Lott and other conservatives were the first to go on TV clalming to love and respect the man who they regarded as their greatest enemy in Congress. Wellstone was a sincere, authentic poltician (relatively), and politicians on both sides are eager to linger over the body in hopes some of that perception will rub off on them without them actually having to earn it.
JB
Comment 10/30/2002