Why is it everyone, EVERYONE understands the term "swiftboating?"

[Robb]

There is no problem with understanding whenever someone uses the term, as in "he got swiftboated." I see it all the time, not just here, but out in the world, in the news, in conversation.

It's a term that has found roots. I expect (given the new lax standards for such things) it'll make the dictionary soon as a verb.

Yet there are still people, lots of them, who believe every word the Swift Boat Vets said. :wtf:

There's cognitive dissonance on my cognitive dissonance.

[JohnnyLib]

1. "cog diss on my cog diss" LOL

This would be a great discussion point for Psychology 101

[Breeze54]

2. It has made the dictionary! lol!

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Swiftboated

Swiftboated
So controversial were the Swift-boat group's tactics, the term "Swift Boating" or "swiftboated"
has been used to describe a politically motivated smear campaign using "cherry-picked" half-truths
taken out of context, innuendo, and lies, particularly against critics of the administration.

;)

[indypaul]

3. With empasis on "lies". n/t

[Breeze54]

4. Hell yeah!

;)

[BlueManDude]

5. That's a good point. They understand "Swiftboating" means to unfairly

smear - yet they don't belive the actual "Swiftboating" was a smear.

Weird country we live in.

[Abenoxious]

6. Same as "Borking"

In reference to Robert Bork, a nominee to the Supreme Court
who, despite being very qualified was not appointed to the
court due to partisan reasons. 

 

[Robb]

7. No, remember Bork was a toadie of Nixon

...You'll recall Nixon told his AG to fire the Watergate special prosecutor. That AG resigned, as did the next one appointed and given the same order. Bork was third in line, and fired Cox. He also advocated a Constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to override the Supreme Court.

His conservative views aside, he was not qualified.

[newyawker99]

9. Hi Abenoxious!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[BlueManDude]

12. Where'd you get that definition - FreeperPedia?

Bork was a loon.

[annabanana]

8. Getting into the lexicon like this, as smearing liars...

It couldn't happen to a more deserving crew, IMHO

[SmokingJacket]

10. Shows what they mean by "believe"

I don't think those people ACTUALLY believed the swiftboaters for a minute -- they just saw them as a useful tool for defeating Kerry.

What rightwingers mean by "believe" is "supporting an idea that is beneficial to me, whether it has any basis in reality or not."

Other things they "believe":

Bush is a moral Christian.
Poor people are lazy.
Democrats hate America.
Etc.

[sandnsea]

14. no, they do believe that shit n/t

[Bake]

11. Everyone knows what it means

Everyone knows it's sleazy, lying, etc. The difference is that the Pukes think it's perfectly acceptable.

Bake

[sandnsea]

13. What you might be surprised to know

is the number of DUers who regularly posted that there must be some truth in the claims or those vets would worry about libel and not be writing a book and making documentaries. It was really quite appalling to have to fight campaign slurs more on DU than I did in the real world.