The FEIGNED OUTRAGE from GOPs is good for our Dem candidates?

[blm]

Are we now on to judging a candidate's worth by how quickly they give in to FEIGNED OUTRAGE from the RW noise machine?

I don't get all the mixed signals that people here give. We say we want someone who will fight back against the lies and the spin, and then at other times praise those who give in to the lies and spin and apologize or explain their statement that was twisted because they did so 'quickly' as if that is the way to handle it.

I say - fight the lies and spin. If more Democrats would stop validating and giving in to the RW noise machine, our candidates will not feel the need to to respond to the pressure from FEIGNED OUTRAGE by the GOPs and their media machine.

The candidates don't TRUST that other Democrats will stand up for them or they'd be more like the GOPs and stand their ground.

Hold them to critique when they REALLY screw up, but the business of giving in to FEIGNED OUTRAGE has GOT to end.

[beachmom]

1. Yep. Enough already with the RW attack machine.

They don't talk about real things, they only distract, distract, distract.

Read this Digby Post which hits it all on the nail:

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2007_02_01_archive.html#117134584089190512#117134584089190512

But neither should we ever forget that Clinton Rules apply to all Democrats if they become a threat and, therefore, they should be fought wherever we find it. Nobody can say that the Clinton Rules weren't in effect against Gore and Kerry too. (Hint: it's the trivial tabloid smearing and breathless psycho-sexual armchair analysis that's the tip-off.)

The Rules are named for the Clintons because they were the first successful, high profile baby boomer Democratic leaders to hold high office and so were the first to be subject to it. But if it hadn't been them it would have been someone else because they developed less because of the politicians than because of changes in the media landscape. Although the Democratic narrative was cooked up a long time ago it was during the Clinton years the right wing noise machine learned how to feed a new generation of ratings hungry, 24/7 news media the nasty little tid-bits that allow them to cover politics like celebrity gossip.

Primary season is always a test for Democrats who are tempted to take advantage when the media uses it against a primary opponent. You can certainly understand that --- it's human nature and people are in it to win. But I think it's a big mistake. That is not to say that they shouldn't fight hard for the nomination. But there is a difference between using the media to regurgitate patented rightwing cant and employing legitimate tough politics.

[Firespirit]

2. Thank you!!

I'll judge a candidate by how quickly they give in -- just not in the way that the mealy-mouthed faction would like!

Right now I am supporting Edwards primarily because of Hurricane Katrina. That might change in the future -- however, I WILL NOT support a candidate who won't defend a member of the party, whether a 2008 opponent or not, against smears and "concern trolling" from the Republican activist network, which is what this is.

Here is the donation history of Fidelis America. $5,100 to Man-on-Dog Santorum and they have the nerve to preach about relations between Catholics and Democrats?

  	
Senate Candidate 	Total Contribs
Burns, Conrad (R-MT) 	$100
Ensign, John (R-NV) 	$100
Kyl, Jon (R-AZ) 	$100
Santorum, Rick (R-PA) 	$5,100
Talent, James M (R-MO) 	$100
Total to Democratic Senate Candidates: 	$0
Total to Republican Senate Candidates: 	$5,500

(Reference: Open Secrets information for Fidelis America.)

Highly recommended.

[Old and In the Way]

3. Thanks for posting!

Your comment deserves its own thread. That's all you really need to know about the honesty and integrity of Fidelis - another astroturf group that fronts for Republicans.

[incapsulated]

4. You mistake "giving in" to rapidly responding

No one was suggesting that Obama "give in" but if you think simply ignoring and turning up your nose at responding to this shit will make it go away... I don't know what to tell you.

Obama handled it perfectly. He didn't admit to doing anything he did not do but he did not allow them to concoct a story out of nothing. He diffused it.

[blm]

5. Responding rapidly is fine - when Dems 'apologize' for something that the RW

noise machine CONCOCTED it's another.