Enemies Home And Abroad: Playing The Fear Card
By Madison Powers, CQ Guest Columnist
The clear implication of the controversial Hillary Clinton “3 a.m.” attack ad is that Barack Obama is not ready to take on the role of commander in chief. He is inexperienced and these are too dangerous times to gamble on someone who is not tested.
Recent remarks by Clinton in her stump speeches go further. Her expanded claim is that both she and her Republican rival John McCain are ready, but Obama may not be. The background assumption of these remarks is that these are dangerous times. And of course, that’s the premise of McCain’s whole campaign.
The appeal to fear is one of the oldest political tricks in the book. Contrary to the oft-quoted line from Bill Clinton, it is not true that when voters are given a choice between hope and fear, they will choose hope.
Bill Clinton, of course, uttered that line as part of an attempt to inoculate himself from the very same sort of criticism regarding lack of foreign policy experience that Hillary Clinton is now lodging against Obama.
(Continued here.)
The clear implication of the controversial Hillary Clinton “3 a.m.” attack ad is that Barack Obama is not ready to take on the role of commander in chief. He is inexperienced and these are too dangerous times to gamble on someone who is not tested.
Recent remarks by Clinton in her stump speeches go further. Her expanded claim is that both she and her Republican rival John McCain are ready, but Obama may not be. The background assumption of these remarks is that these are dangerous times. And of course, that’s the premise of McCain’s whole campaign.
The appeal to fear is one of the oldest political tricks in the book. Contrary to the oft-quoted line from Bill Clinton, it is not true that when voters are given a choice between hope and fear, they will choose hope.
Bill Clinton, of course, uttered that line as part of an attempt to inoculate himself from the very same sort of criticism regarding lack of foreign policy experience that Hillary Clinton is now lodging against Obama.
(Continued here.)
Powered by Blogger
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home