Health care debates: "That just isn't true!" = total wussy, unconditional surrender

[eridani]

You think that the sociopaths disrupting meetings know or even care one way or another what is or is not true? Denial is always, ALWAYS utter craven surrender. It is equivalent to shouting as loud as you can "I'm wrong and my opponent is right."

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/john_gonzalez/20090519_Gonzo___Rigging_voting_for_Raul.html

It went like this: When LBJ first ran for Congress, he was getting hammered by his opponent and instructed his campaign manager to spread word that the other guy had carnal knowledge of his pigs. (Actually, in the original version, LBJ used a far more graphic and profane term. But since I'm constantly reminded that this is a family paper, it's probably best not to repeat it here.) Johnson's adviser balked and said, "But, boss, that's not true."

"I know," LBJ supposedly shot back, "but let's make him deny it."

Whether that happened doesn't matter. Hardened pols know smear tactics are a useful campaign tool.

Why are Democrats not going on the attack? Refusal to do so is probably going to cost us any chance at health care reform. There are at least 100 Dems with safe seats who should be saying "Reupublicans who don't want change are killing 22,000 people a year! The only death panels we have in this country are private insurance companies."

Obama is the one Dem who shouldn't be doing this, of course. He should continue to be the calm voice of reason that he is now being.