Was Zell part of a broader Republican strategerie?

[jmowreader]

We'll call it the Shithouse Rat Strategerie.

How it works: Bush needs to do several things to retain his office. One is to demonize Democrats.

A quick way to demonize them would be to prove that all Democrats are crazier than shithouse rats. A quick way to prove it would be to find the craziest fuckin' high-level DINO they can get their hands on and make him the keynoter for the RNC. Good moderate, undecided voters will see this Democrat implode on national television and they will decide that all Democrats are just like that uncle no one talks about at the dinner table...and vote Republican.

Couple the Swiftboar liars, who "proved" before the convention that John Kerry was pulling your leg about his Nam service, to Senator Zell Miller, CSR, and you've got a can't miss setup. Too bad the SBVT are a Bush front and the Democratic Party has distanced itself from our weird uncle.

[ramblin_dave]

1. Did you read the letter from Jimmy Carter to Zell?

Check it out at Josh Marshall's blog:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_09_05.php#003438

[Blayde Starrfyre]

2. No, Zell backfired

Republicans were trying to say "Look! A Democrat who supports Bush!" And really it was good for them to have a high-profile Democratic senator behind Bush in theory. The problem is, I don't think they really did their research. And so while in the abstract it's good to have Miller behind them, they made the mistake of exposing the reality of Zell Miller: he's nuttier than squirrel turds. So the only point they proved is that flip-flopping lunatics who once praised Kerry and now vilify him with faulty logic they can't defend and want to shoot Chris Matthews support Bush. Not the message they intended.

[Disturbed]

3. Or...

The knew Zell would come off as a vile nutcase and make Dumbass appear sane & compasionate in comparison.

[jmowreader]

4. Zell makes Charles Manson appear sane & compassionate

So what's your point? :evilgrin:

That might have been an alternative, but it leads to the same conclusion: the Repugs knew he was absolutely insane and used it.