If plastic keys are waved at the Convention, here's information to rebut possible GOP spin

[ProSense]

McCain has been down this road before. During his 2000 presidential run, responding in part to questions about his temper and what effect, if any, his 5 1/2 years as a POW had on his psyche, he released about 1,500 pages of his medical and psychiatric records, which presented a clean bill of mental health.

link

If McCain's temperament isn't PTSD related, then it must be attributed to the fact that he's a mean and nasty person by nature.

Thing is the GOP can't have it both ways: he can't be fit (as the piece above claims) and then portrayed as unfit (as some of you fear).

It's a great idea to wave keys to spotlight McCain's seven to 12 houses.

Let the GOP try to conflate keys with McCain's alleged PTSD if they want to. It's not going to work.

[flamingdem]

1. What is your real agenda? You are posting constantly about this issue nt

[ProSense]

3. Do you have a comment about the topic of the OP? n/t

[flamingdem]

17. In the face of all the evidence that the keys are at best a confusing symbol you keep pushing it nt

[AuntPatsy]

2. I like it, though I hope it's just rumor and won' t happen, good rebuttle

to any spin from he GOP and the gop media outlets

[cali]

4. how many threads have you started on this, hmmm?

Don't you think you're getting a little weird about it?

[ProSense]

6. No, but

this OP seems to have you concerned.

Care to comment on the topic?

[AuntPatsy]

9. Wow Prosense...ummmm, I think it's a good idea considering his rumor

is not going to go away on DU, just won't happen, anything to keep people from being in a good mood about today's event, even the media is trying to keep us all down..so I for one realize that if you can't fight it, might as well join in the fray in a productive manner which I feel you have...

[ProSense]

40. We could use those keys. n/t

[IntravenousDemilo]

5. Anyone who has managed to amass 1,500 pages' worth of medical and psychiatric history...

... is probably either to old or too sick to be President of the United States.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

34. McCain's bound medical and psychiatric history:

[Vinca]

7. This is simple. If they make a stink about waving keys it will be

an admission that McBush suffers from PTSD and is not fit to serve as president.

[mzmolly]

8. I supported it until I realized that it could be used against us. I'd rather not be

placed in a position to defend a potentially tasteless, disrespectful act.

[ProSense]

11. How is it

a "potentially tasteless, disrespectful act" if it isn't real?

No one suggested house keys to go after McCain's alleged PTSD, as it will possibly be spun by the GOP.

The outrage about the keys here is ridiculous.

[mzmolly]

13. Do you really want to get into defending our convention against a supposed POW smear?

I don't. The "outrage" here should tell you something, in and of itself.

[ProSense]

16. "The "outrage" here should tell you something, in and of itself." Yes,

it tells me people not only fear the GOP, but that they also jump to conclusions without facts:

No one knows if the keys will happen.

Everyone knows that the keys are symbolic of McCain's seven to 12 houses.

No one knows if McCain actually suffers from PTSD.

Everyone agrees that if he does, it would make him unfit to serve

Yet everyone is dreading a hypothetical scenario in which the GOP portrays McCain as suffering from PTSD.

There is a post on the front page of DU denouncing the "key-rattlers," which presumes that all the unknowns above are true, and that Democrats are being delieberately nasty and malicious.


I find all this disturbing.


Edits in bold.

[mzmolly]

18. Again, I'd rather not see Headlines this week that require Democrats to spend days on end

"explaining" the nuance of the keys as you have above. I'm no longer interested.

[ProSense]

20. Well, they're going to spin something.

They're working on the Ayers link right now.

I'd rather Democrats be prepared to debunk them, than sit around worrying about what they're going to try to spin.

[mzmolly]

23. Again, I'd rather we not come out of our Convention having to defend

a stunt that appears to have Rovian undertones.

[ProSense]

25. You believe they're not going to spin the Convention?

"appears to have Rovian undertones"

Again, it isn't real.

[mzmolly]

26. You believe we should give them anti-POW, anti-troop, anti-war hero fodder?

? I'm done with this ridiculous hypothetical. I simply hope the key rumor is false.

[ProSense]

33. As if they need fodder? Maybe it's time to try something new:

As dozens of Democrats prepare to address their convention in Denver over the next four days, three themes have become clear: hope, change, and John McCain's seven houses.

Barack Obama's convention is shaping up to be the toughest — and most negative — in the Democratic Party's recent history, a gathering modeled more on the Republican Party's attack-themed conventions than, in particular, on the determinedly high-minded Democratic National Convention in Boston four years ago.

"You'll see folks in no uncertain terms lay down exactly the differences between Barack Obama and John McCain," said Obama's press secretary, Bill Burton, who said that contrast would be one of the convention's two core messages. The convention's goal, he said, will be to "make sure the American people know who Barack Obama is and where he's going to take this country. And let people know the crystal-clear choice between Obama, who wants to fundamentally change business as usual in Washington, and John McCain, who is just more of the same."

link

You can best believe the RW is going to spin and allude and conflate and distort, but they are not going to get away with it.

[mzmolly]

37. I prefer T-Shirts or signs

to make our point.

[golddigger]

10. Just plaster band-aids all over your face with keys on them. I'm sure the world will be more happy

for it!

[ProSense]

12. .

Preposterous

[snooper2]

14. To many if's there...

If Condi was caught sucking on McCain's ear :rofl:

[jenmito]

15. I don't think either the MSM OR the RNC would try to claim we're trying to ridicule PTSD as it

would be an admission (if true) that he's "unfit for command." And that goes against his entire message. It's SO OBVIOUS that the plastic key gimmick is to make fun of the FACT that he JUST SAID he didn't know how many houses he owned.

[mzmolly]

19. I put nothing

past them. I hope it doesn't happen, and I did not start out feeling that way.

:shrug:

[jenmito]

21. But it's not in THEIR interest to do that-to call attention to his PTSD (if he DOES have it) since

it WILL make people seriously think about his fitness to serve-especially fellow veterans.

[mzmolly]

22. They only have to call attention to our "cruel" attempt to

"smear and insult" POWs.

[jenmito]

27. They'll have to explain WHY we're attempting to do that...

especially since the raising of the keys will only be done each time they mention "7 houses" and since Obama ALWAYS says he honors McCain's service. I think it's neither in their interest nor would it stick if they tried.

[mzmolly]

28. Sorry, I'd rather come out on the "has too many houses" vs. the "cruel, disrespect of our troops"

side of that argument.

[jenmito]

32. Then you're in luck because that's why they're doing it. And everybody knows it...

no matter WHAT the Repubs. MAY say about it.

[pecwae]

24. Are you in Denver?

Will you be waving keys there? Just wondering if you're taking your own advice, that's all.

[depakid]

29. It's people learned NOTHING about this sort of deal from 2004

Let McCain and his surrogates whinge and moan- it makes them look weak (just as it makes Obama look weak- and made Dukakis look weak).

It also ends up begging the question- is McCain fit for office. Should that sort of a person, bless his heart, be the person with the fingers on the button?

I don't fucking think so- and neither would the vast majority of Americans.

[CampDem]

30. They would love to make POW=PTSD=McCain deserves sympathy

Millions of Americans have PTSD and it does not make them unfit to work. Fox would love the chance to drone endlessly about the similarities between McCain and our returning veterans with PTSD wouldn't they? They would love to call us unpatriotic, commie, terrorist sympathizers who would purposefully choose to mock his PTSD trigger by jangling keys. Who will remind them that our point was to mock his houses?

Marrying PTSD to POW would allow them to create a lot of sympathy for McCain and connect him to the thousands of Iraqi veterans struggling with PTSD. I have worked with these PTSD sufferers on overcoming their triggers and nightmares. Their journey is very compelling and well documented. We do not want to go there and need a different narrative to exploit the 7 houses thing.

[ProSense]

31. Tell that to

Max Cleland. The Swift Liars who attacked him are probably working for McCain.

Cleland's PTSD was real, and he was Senator.

The narrative is about houses. If the GOP wants to create another, rebut it, but don't pretend that it will automatically endear McCain to Americans.

[CampDem]

35. I see what you mean, and I agree that it is unfair

They get away with twisting things around all the time. The narrative on Fox will be what ever Hannity and O'Liely want it to be "The democrats knew that McCain was triggered by jangling keys so look what they did at the convention" cue video. They will distort and lie and dredge up endless loops of bullshit to blather on about. Sure, we could count on Keith and Rachel to reinforce that they keys were referencing McCain's houses and rebut them etc. Allowing Fox the opportunity to suggest we mocked PTSD sufferers would not strengthen us IMO.

[ProSense]

36. They cannot

advance that spin without claiming that McCain suffers from PTSD. That would be a huge leap without a connection.

People know about HouseGate, they have no clue about keys and PTSD. So I think the assumption that they will do this with devastating consequences is overthinking.

[CampDem]

38. They would pull that medical report stating that jingling keys bother McCain

True, the report does not say McCain has PTSD and they may not go there. They could say that the democrats knew that it triggered McCain and did it anyway to mock his "POW time". It is more risky to bring up PTSD, but since they have PWNDed the entire M$M I think they could pull it off. They can advance the "democrats are mocking a POW" without mentioning PTSD, but I don't think Hannity is afraid to go further. Fox and CNN are Neanderthals and will spin anything, leap or not.

[ProSense]

39. Why does it matter what those assholes will do?

Fox and CNN are Neanderthals and will spin anything, leap or not.

Then the answer is to fight back, not cower in fear.

[LostInAnomie]

41. Who the hell would honestly make that connection?

That is too long of a road to follow to somehow link PTSD with keys for 90% of the voting public.

Shake those keys all you want people. Republican whining will make them look weak.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

42. If you gotta plan to explain it before you even do it, it already didnt work.

:*

[ProSense]

43. Plan to explain what?

Shake the keys, wear the keys, just get the symbolism up. Shake up the media coverage.

[A-Schwarzenegger]

44. Try reading your own OP.

You know, the first post in this thread. Or not.
Are you going to be there shaking your keys?