In Defense of Paul Broun: Anatomy of a Smear |
The AP Smears Southern Republican then Conservatives Start Circular Firing Squad |
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Editors published 11/11/2008 6:50:00 PM
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If anything points out the problems with the GOP, this is it. But maybe not in the way you might think.
The Associated Press smears a Republican congressman from the South, then conservatives can't line up fast enough to take turns in the firing squad.
Conservatives from Ed Morrissey at HotAir.com, to Charles Johnson at LGF, to NewsBusters, all fall for the trap laid out by the Associated Press.
Here is the trap.
The title:
Georgia congressman warns of Obama dictatorship
Already, the AP sets up the code words "Georgia" and "dictatorship". Conservative elites rush to distance themselves from those hicks down in the racist Deep South.
And of course, Paul Broun never used the word 'dictatorship', he mostly used Obama's own words.
Let's take a look at the opening paragraph:
A Republican congressman from Georgia said Monday he fears that President-elect Obama will establish a Gestapo-like security force to impose a Marxist dictatorship.
Broun never used the words 'Marxist dictatorship' or 'Gestapo'.
Of course the real issue, that is now successfully deflected by the AP, follows:
"It may sound a bit crazy and off base, but the thing is, he's the one who proposed this national security force," Rep. Paul Broun said of Obama in an interview Monday with The Associated Press. "I'm just trying to bring attention to the fact that we may - may not, I hope not - but we may have a problem with that type of philosophy of radical socialism or Marxism."
"When he's proposing to have a national security force that's answering to him, that is as strong as the U.S. military, he's showing me signs of being Marxist."
Conservatives must stop falling for this same trap over and over.
Paul Broun was smeared by the Associated Press. Stand up for him.
Conservatives have now declared that anyone bringing up the terms 'Marxist' or 'Civilian National Security Force' must have Obama Derangement Syndrome.
These conservatives must be enlightened.
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