Stay on the offense

Jessica Clark

A few choice Bush quotes: "The best way to defeat them is to never waver…constantly stay on the offensive and at the same time spread liberty." "A free Iraq will be major defeat in their ideology of hatred." [Because they hate us for our freedom] Not pursuing a pre-emptive strategy demonstrates a ???pre-September 10th mentality??? ???You better have a president who chases these terrorists down and brings them to justice before they hurt us again.??? "A free Iraq will secure Israel" [whaaa?] Petulantly: ???That???s not what a commander-in-chief does??? ???I know how these people think; I deal with them all the time??I talk to them on the phone frequently.??? [Just check my cellular bill!] ???Our coalition will remain strong as long as I???m the president??? [translation: and weak if you don't vote for me] Why is the post-Iraq cleanup so difficult? ???Because we achieved such a rapid victory" [Mission accomplished?] And don't forget, "it's hard work" [What, isn't this guy getting paid?] ???Osama bin Laden doesn???t determine how we defend ourselves…I do.??? [What's this about loving that war widow? That was a bit creepy.] ???Every life is precious???that???s what distinguishes us from the enemy.??? Bush: a broken record--"a grand diversion" No, wait, did I mention that it's "hard work"? Someone called Allawi ???a puppet?????????that???s no way to treat someone who???s courageous and brave.??? ???They???re fighting us because they???re fighting freedom??? ???By speaking clearly and sending messages that we mean what we say, we???ve affected the world in a positive way.??? Exasperated: ???Of course I know Osama bin Laden attacked us???I know that.??? [well, we were wondering] Those damned "Eye-ranian moolahs" [OK, Eliza Doolittle] Kerry sends "mexed missages" [are you as think as I drunk you are?] ???What I won???t do is change my core values because of politics or pressure.??? [or evidence] ???Disrupting the trans-shipment??? [huh?] ???The military will be an all-volunteer army??? ???I believe in the transformational power of liberty??? [as long as I'm in charge] ???We???ve climbed the mighty mountain, and seen the valley below, and it???s a valley of peace.??? Note from a friend: "On the split screen they are making Kerry and Bush look the same height when they aren't." Isn't that what they're doing every day in the news?

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Jessica Clark is a writer, editor and researcher, with more than 15 years of experience spanning commercial, educational, independent and public media production. Currently she is the Research Director for American University’s Center for Social Media. She also writes a monthly column for PBS’ MediaShift on new directions in public media. She is the author, with Tracy Van Slyke, of Beyond the Echo Chamber: Reshaping Politics Through Networked Progressive Media (2010, New Press).
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