Time To Gather Round DU, and Talk About Political Hit-N-Run Tactics

[berni_mccoy]

How many people's reputations have to be destroyed before the people here at DU realize that when a RW hack organization like Faux News breaks a story that a Democrat is Ethically Challenged, that you don't take it at face value? Does it really need to be said that when the RW attacks someone with a sensational claim from 26 YEARS AGO that the first instinct isn't "Damn, why did our guy do that?"

Think of these people's reputations destroyed by the RW attack machine:
John Kerry (labeled as coward)
John McCain (african american daughter)
Max Cleland (labeled as coward/incompetent on defense)
Jim Webb (failed attempt to label him as a pedophile using his book)
Gray Davis (utility failure setup by Enron/Cheney/Schwarzenegger)

the list goes on and on and on. And now many here are wrapped up in believing the complete bullshit story CREATED by FAUX NEWS on Murtha. People, people, people.

When you stop believing at face value 5-second clips taken completely out of context used to try to destroy someones reputation, then you will have gained some valuable wisdom.

Remember, when crap like this comes out, research it, hold judgement until all the facts are out, then defend our guy against the RW attack dogs.

Stop buying into these Hit-N-Run tactics from the Right.

[texpatriot2004]

1. Hear hear! nm

[DisgruntledVet]

2. Murtha

I don't know, I watched the full 58 minutes, and it's kinda sketchy. Besides other than Iraq, he's not really all that Progressive. He is after all the original sponsor of that ridiculous right wing Flag Amendment.

[berni_mccoy]

3. Puleaze, You'll have to do much better than that.

:popcorn:

[ThomCat]

5. And he has a 0% rating from Planned Parenthood and NARAL.

He's a dem, but he's not progressive.

[Ian David]

9. But we also need to keep the BlueDogs onboard, too.

While I'd love to have a Democratic Party where the Progressive Caucus held all the leadership positions, we still have to worry about keeping "The Red States" with us.

There are a lot of conservatives who voted Democratic for the first time this year. They need to be represented, too. But that doesn't mean I want them calling the shots.

I don't mind throwing a few bones to a handful of token conservative, BlueDog Dems.

[dogday]

16. Can't help but see the vet in your name

Do you know how much Murtha ministers to the soldiers, to the wounded? He practically spends all his time with them... I would think as a vet, you could appreciate this... I know my Son just returned from Iraq and I want more than ever to see this war ended before he is called up again... I feel Murtha will do that for us....

BTW Welcome To DU :hi:

[midnight]

32. Good to know. Those vets need an advocate like this man,

I didn't see the news coverage on this man. Wasn't this stuff that was FBI investigated nothing at all?

[Mister Ed]

4. K&R

[Ian David]

6. I have great respect for Murtha, but I also trust CREW

And while I'm skeptical that Murtha has done anything horribly wrong compared to the day-to-day functioning of the GOP, I also think that we need to promote people who are honest, and who also are free of even the impression of impropriety.

I think the whole AbScam thing is bogus-- Murtha just wanted to get them out of the room. "Don't call me, I'll call you."

But CREW raised a red flag for more recent actions. That worries me.

[tnlefty]

12. Thanks for stating that so well.

I don't give a flying fiddler's fig about ABSCAM either, but I have other concerns. I also have concerns about Hoyer.

[Virginia Dare]

13. I agree with you on that...

let's hold those in our party to a higher standard.

[berni_mccoy]

25. CREW is also subject to being duped. They running a headline on Murtha that is based on a MISQUOTE

They've jumped to the conclusion that everyone else has without knowing the facts.

Of course, if you READ the report they had on Murtha, you'd see statements like this:

If Rep. Murtha accepted campaign contributions from the PMA Group and its associates
in return for legislative assistance by way of federal earmarks for the lobbying firm’s clients he
likely violated 5 U.S.C. §7353 and House Rule XXIII.

You see, even CREW doesn't have the FACTS. IF they did, then Murtha would be in JAIL by now.

Should this issue be looked into? Certainly. But the way to do that is NOT by PROMOTING A BLATANTLY FALSE STORY on FAUX NEWS that SLANDERS his credibility.

[Ian David]

28. Very good point. n/t

[rman]

7. McKinney, anyone?

[mhatrw]

29. And that "screaming" Dean. And the "lying" Gore.

Anybody who speaks out forcefully against the regime in power.

[Junkdrawer]

8. A coordinated attack on DU to mold our opinions?

Shocked! I am shocked!

[rman]

19. Hard to believe anyone would actually come up with such an idea,

isn't it?

[kentuck]

10. That's the way they play politics...

Can we now talk about the minimum wage and increased funding for education??

[KittyWampus]

11. Murtha is a fucking idiot who somehow thinks Congress can police itself?

After an election where Americans cited corruption as their top issue?
Where Pelosi is using this opportunity to pass legislation to change bad behavior amongst Congresscritters and lobbyists AND influence public perception.

Murtha is a homophobic, anti-choice pork-lover who is totally a DINO.

And his opposition to the Iraq War came way LATE.

[ThomCat]

14. Right on all points.

I may be willing to let him have a position with a bit of prestige and little influence as a compromise to keep the party strong, but I do not support this guy's positions. We have to make sure that he does not swing the party on anything important.

[Virginia Dare]

15. I don't buy hit-n-run tactics from the Right...

but I'm not naive enough to think that Murtha doesn't have issues when it come to ethics. Lots of them do, in both parties, to varying degress. Democrats are back in power now. Time to clean it up.

[underpants]

17. Great irony-Hannity attacking Hoyer for supporting the bankruptcy bill

and taking donations from banks and creditors.

Seriously he and Michael Reagan teamed up on some young woman from Young Dmeocrats last night-that was actually one of their talking points that Hoyer supported the bankruptcy bill. Granted from our side that should be damning but their side is the one that was going to vote it in anyway.

It is no longer amazing.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

18. Is CREW A Freeper Front Group Or a FAUX News Trojan Horse?

http://www.citizensforethics.org/


http://www.beyonddelay.org/


Resorting to ad homimem attacks and implying all your opponents are wingnuts is McCarthyism stood on its head...

[mmonk]

20. It was a hit campaign and it worked.

I also cautioned people not to take things said too seriously while power politics is playing out.

[rinsd]

21. Yeah CREW and TPM, those wily rw fronts

:eyes:

[hfojvt]

22. my sources were WaPo which I took with a huge grain of salt

and then David Corn on commondreams.org said essentially the same things.

[MarkTwain]

23. Yes, straight from the Desk of Karl Rove...

... onto the Blogs of Marshal and the press releases of CREW!

:)

Key-rhist, how stupid and paranoid can some people be that they see Captain Rove at the helm of his SwiftBoat tacking at every marker on the political sea?

[berni_mccoy]

26. CREW is also subject to being duped. They running a headline on Murtha that is based on a MISQUOTE

They've jumped to the conclusion that everyone else has without knowing the facts.

Of course, if you READ the report they had on Murtha, you'd see statements like this:

If Rep. Murtha accepted campaign contributions from the PMA Group and its associates
in return for legislative assistance by way of federal earmarks for the lobbying firm’s clients he
likely violated 5 U.S.C. §7353 and House Rule XXIII.

You see, even CREW doesn't have the FACTS. IF they did, then Murtha would be in JAIL by now.

Should this issue be looked into? Certainly. But the way to do that is NOT by PROMOTING A BLATANTLY FALSE STORY on FAUX NEWS that SLANDERS his credibility.

[rinsd]

27. He at best walks an ethical tightrope

And Murtha is the one saying he was misquoted and his 2 separate practiced explanations for it that he displayed on Hardball lead me to believe that his stuck his foot in his mouth and realized what a tactical mistake it was.

[mhatrw]

30. At most, it was a bungled phrase. Why do we partipate in these

media-hyped gotcha crucifixions?

[Swamp Rat]

24. Good! Also, instead of fighting instinct... 'adapt to win.'

"...the RW attacks someone with a sensational claim from 26 YEARS AGO that the first instinct..." - Stop right there! See how the spinmaisters have put us in the position of fighting instinct, making us go on the defensive? Well, two can play at that game so I say let's go on the offense! We actually have the upper hand, once we become familiar with all the 'hot buttons,' because their supporters are trained like Pavlov's dog.

"Stop buying into these Hit-N-Run tactics from the Right." AND start doing it ourselves, but even better. ;)

[bobthedrummer]

31. ~

"Reality vs. perception management"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x71919