Rice and Hughes Convince Bush To Drop ‘Islamic Fascism’ From Speeches

[rodeodance]

...http://thinkprogress.org/?tag=Administration

Kondrake: Rice and Hughes Convince Bush To Drop ‘Islamic Fascism’ From Speeches

Roll Call executive editor and Fox News host Mort Kondrake included this tidbit in his most recent syndicated column:

In a controversial move within the administration, Hughes and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice seem to have persuaded Bush — temporarily, at least — to drop the label “Islamic fascism” from his speeches; diplomats say that Muslims hear it as an attack on their religion, thereby validating the extremists’ false charge that the United States is at war with Islam.

The move is a blow to conservatives, who celebrated last month when President Bush used the term several times in his speeches on terrorism. The phrase is a favorite of right-wing commentators like Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, and Sean Hannity; the AP called it “the new buzzword” for conservatives “in an election season dominated by an unpopular war in Iraq.”

Critics of the phrase, including numerous Muslim-American groups and Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and former Marine Army Ranger Jack Reed (D-RI), were lambasted by the right. The Weekly Standard Stephen Schwartz said people who took offense to the term were mere “primitive Muslims.”......

[bloom]

1. I wonder if that means that Sam Harris will follow suit.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2836698

[BurtWorm]

4. No, because he's a "liberal." He doesn't mean it the same way.

:sarcasm:

[mom cat]

2. Great ! Drop it after it has done its damage!

RE:puke:

[wicket]

5. It's soooooo Bush isn't it?

:puke:

[Captain Hilts]

3. Who thought it was a good idea in the first place? nt

[blm]

7. The Christo-fascists.

.

[xultar]

9. I wanna hear that in some fuckin speeches.

[tenshi816]

6. He needed to drop the term

because it didn't make any sense in the first place. What the hell is an "Islamo-fascist"?

Bush's base doesn't have any idea of what "fascism" is anyway.

[malaise]

8. That Condi ever allowed him to use

the phrase speaks volumes about her academic credentials. The really funny part is that MSM and the rest of sheeple appear to have also received orders to drop it.

[gatorboy]

10. You gotta feel a bit for Hughes on this one.

Bush starts throwing the term “Islamic fascism” around, then he throws her back to the wolves for another Middle Eastern peace trip. I'm sure she'd have a GREAT time defending that one. :rofl:

[Captain Hilts]

11. Yes, Hughes really got sucker-punched on that one. nt

[bullwinkle428]

12. Eh, she's been agreeing to act as his "human shield" for years now,

so I can't feel all that much sympathy for her at this point.

[gatorboy]

13. You never know. That last trip might actually done some good for her.

Bush is stuck in a security bubble where he can just about say whatever he wants without paying the consequences. Hughes on the other hand, got thrown out there to see what it's actually like in the Muslim world.

Who knows. Maybe conversing with so many muslims helped convince her that they're not the devils Bush wants them made out to be. Or she could simply be saving her own ass just in case she has to make another one of those "peace" trips...

[Supersedeas]

14. Another Administration "ooopsie" in the battle of ideas camp