Tuesday, June 10, 2008
You're An Awful Person; Let's Talk.
One of the ironies of modern American politics is how much Democrats complain that Republicans are mean practitioners of the politics of personal destruction. Why can't Republicans just talk about the issues? Why all the personal attacks? So go the lamentations.
Yet Democrats regularly talk smack about Republicans, and in a very matter of fact way, as if the ickiness of Republicans is as obvious and ordinary as the sun in the sky during the day and darkness at night. For instance, get a load of this comment by Lorena Gonzalez, a labor leader in San Diego, about Carl DeMaio, a newly elected Republican member of the City Council. "'Do I think he cares about poor people? No,' she said. 'But I think I can have a relationship with him.'" (Here.)
First, Gonzalez attacks DeMaio's character by accusing him of having no compassion for the poor, then, in the next breath, she expresses hope that she can work with him. Priceless.*
-tdr
* For the record. I appreciate negative, personal politics. How a candidate reacts to personal attacks says a lot about that candidate's strength of character. Elections are about placing particular people into positions of power not platforms or issue papers. The personal character of a political leader is as important an issue as there is.
Yet Democrats regularly talk smack about Republicans, and in a very matter of fact way, as if the ickiness of Republicans is as obvious and ordinary as the sun in the sky during the day and darkness at night. For instance, get a load of this comment by Lorena Gonzalez, a labor leader in San Diego, about Carl DeMaio, a newly elected Republican member of the City Council. "'Do I think he cares about poor people? No,' she said. 'But I think I can have a relationship with him.'" (Here.)
First, Gonzalez attacks DeMaio's character by accusing him of having no compassion for the poor, then, in the next breath, she expresses hope that she can work with him. Priceless.*
-tdr
* For the record. I appreciate negative, personal politics. How a candidate reacts to personal attacks says a lot about that candidate's strength of character. Elections are about placing particular people into positions of power not platforms or issue papers. The personal character of a political leader is as important an issue as there is.
Labels: America, Elections, Politics
