Reply #39: The right wing damaged Gore in 2000 and their efforts are still paying off [View All]

[jean]

Today the Right is hitting 'refresh' and summoning up their destructive crap from 2000 that successfully ruined Gore's stature.

The Republican Noise Machine by David Brock documents the Right labeling Gore a "liar" and "untrustworthy, mentally flawed" after RNC polling showed bush would lose the 2000 election on the issues.

The result, after 18 months of smearing Gore, was (quoting Brock- pg 5):

"According to an ABC exit poll, of personal qualities that mattered most to voters, 24% ranked 'honest/trustworthy' first - - - and they went for Bush over Gore by a margin of 80% to 15%. Seventy four percent of voters said "Gore would say anything" while 58% thought Bush would. Among white, college-educated, male voters, Gore's 'truthfulness' was cited overwhelmingly as a reason NOT to vote for him, far more than any other reason."

If you want to be pissed off all over again, which we really need to be right now, read pages 4-7 in The Republican Noise Machine. I bought it and am now reading how this evil crap started with Nixon. You could easily digest these few intro pages about Gore while standing in the bookstore.

Here are some comments (mine) after reading this section -

The Right accused Gore of saying things he NEVER said - the main one was "I invented the internet."

The Right broadcast this crap incessantly via talk radio, op-ed pieces, Fox News, Christian right wing TV and radio, books and Drudge (who gets millions of hits a day from wingers looking for the daily pablum of smear).

Bill Bennett, David Horowitz, George Will, Stephanopolous and others all chanted "Gore is a Liar!" Later Newt Gingrich admitted Gore never said it, after the damage had been done.

They morphed the 'liar' attack into "Gore is: 'uttering bizarre things, is delusional, has a nervous or mental disorder...' casting doubt on his mental stability. Bob Woodward asked whether Gore 'could comprehend reality' and Tweety said 'Isn't (he) getting to be delusionary?'

Blech. They are exquisitely organized and funded and have turned our media into their personal propaganda tool.