The RNC gets a little touchy

March 30, 2008

On Friday, John McCain’s campaign unveiled its first general-election TV ad — the one that uses the word “American” one too many times — and the Democratic National Committee did what was expected: it responded by criticizing John McCain. It’s what national parties do.

It wasn’t even an especially hard-hitting criticism. The DNC statement quoted Howard Dean calling McCain “another out of touch Bush Republican who promises four more years of the same failed leadership.” In light of the interrogation footage from Vietnam included in the ad, Dean added, “While we honor McCain’s military service, the fact is Americans want a real leader who offers real solutions, not a blatant opportunist who doesn’t understand the economy and is promising to keep our troops in Iraq for 100 years.”

This seemed pretty routine, which is why I found the Republican National Committee’s overheated response rather odd.

A senior Republican Party official demanded that Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean apologize late Friday afternoon for calling Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) “a blatant opportunist” who has “cast aside his principles.”

Frank Donatelli, the deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), sought to drive a wedge between Dean and Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) over the comments.

“Howard Dean owes John McCain an immediate apology and both Senators Clinton and Obama should unequivocally denounce this disgraceful attack,” said Donatelli.

The RNC added that Dean’s remarks amounted to a “character smear.”

Really? The Republican National Committee, of all people, believes it’s beyond the pale to call someone a “blatant opportunist”? Especially when the person is a “blatant opportunist”?

I’m having trouble wrapping my head around all of this. For one thing, the RNC has been the source of some of the most ridiculous campaign attacks in recent memory. For the RNC to accuse anyone of engaging in “character smears” is deeply ironic.

For another, by raising a fuss about routine criticism, the RNC is actually doing the Dems a favor — they’re drawing attention to the criticism, which Dean and the DNC are anxious to disseminate. Indeed, I hope the DNC realizes it’s hit one of McCain’s sore spots, and uses the RNC’s response as a reminder of where to attack next time.

But most importantly, the RNC may protest, but McCain is probably the most shameless “blatant opportunist” in American politics today. Have Republicans even seen McCain’s flip-flop list? Does it not occur to them that he abandoned his principles — including rejecting legislation that he’s personally co-sponsored — for partisan gain?

DNC spokesperson Karen Finney noted that the party recently conducted a focus group and found that McCain’s support dropped the most when voters learned about his habit of “shifting his positions to make them more acceptable to the right wing of the Republican Party.” In other words, people like McCain less when they learn about his flip-flops.

So, it’s a pleasant surprise to have the RNC wade into this one so enthusiastically. If the RNC wants to have the debate, let’s have it — Is John McCain a blatant opportunist, or has he flip-flopped on most major policy issues in recent years for some other reason? Ideally, both sides can issue dueling statements on this every day for the next several months.

The more both parties keep this debate front and center, the better. Maybe Dean can send the RNC a gift basket or something for helping us out on this one.

I fully expect to see overly-sensitive reactions to any criticisms of republicans from now until the election. They know their “brand” is in the tank and they hope to resurrect it by playing the victim.

  • Howard Dean should issue a one-line press statement to wit:

    “A senior Republican Party official can bite me. Love, Howard.”

  • McCain has impressed me with his ability to say anything and do anything to be President.

    I’m not sure I’d call it flip-flopping. It’s more like he’s got the morals of a snake, and that might be a bit tough on snakes.

  • Sounds to me like the RNC is beta testing a “you can’t attack him, he’s a war hero” meme. Me, I think the American people are smarter than that and will differentiate between McCain’s service 50 years ago and his economic policies today, and this line of defense will backfire. At least, I hope so.

  • I think this illustrates a point relevant to the Dem campaign as well. It is one thing to call a person a name, such as opportunist, and entirely different to show how his campaign positions have been inconsistent and changed to woo voters or support. The latter lets the words and actions speak for themselves without attaching a label to them. The former is name-calling. I found myself confused by what was meant by the term “opportunist” applied to a man who has run several times before and clearly earned his nomination via the Republican primaries. How could he be called an opportunist when he was just carrying out the next logical step in his career? Then when I saw the examples, I understood that by “opportunist” or “unprincipled” they meant someone who changes his message to attract voters. To me the term opportunist means something different, and unprincipled refers to someone who takes bribes not someone who changes a political opinion, but that is not the point. The point is that Republicans are likely to interpret the terms differently than Democrats, and may not agree that the evidence justifies the term. They see it as namecalling accorded to someone who has some stature as a candidate. I’ve seen the same thing happening between the supporters of Clinton and Obama, where a set of actions are described using some negative term that does not have the same reference (meaning) for the two groups (e.g., what is lying and what is misspeaking). It is safer to describe the reference than to use these mediating terms, which come across as just unjustified namecalling to anyone who doesn’t already dislike a particular candidate.

    That said, I don’t think any apologies are necessary.

  • Is this the same Republican party that uses Rovian tactics to smear everyone who opposes them? Did they ever apologize to McCain for what they did to him in 2000? Once again the GOP proves they have two sets of standards, one for them, and another for everybody else.

  • Maybe Dean can send the RNC a gift basket or something

    Perhaps he could—a basket of antifreeze-laced puppy chow, a few lead-smothered toys, and some boiled eggs injected with enough growth hormone to kill an elephant. we can call him “the Easter Dem.”

    This is the one thing that ReThugs fear the most; that Dems might actually decide to counter trench warfare—with trench warfare. If they play the “woe-is-us” card by portraying themselves as “the victim,” then there’s 40 years of dirty tricks that can be rolled out (from Nixon, to today).

    Bring it, GOPers—we’re hungry for a turkey shoot!

  • I fully expect to see overly-sensitive reactions to any criticisms of republicans from now until the election. They know their “brand” is in the tank and they hope to resurrect it by playing the victim.

    OK smiley, we’re not talking about Hillary this time. 🙂

    If I were Dean, I would hold up three fingers, and then tell the RNC to read between the lines.

  • A senior Republican Party official demanded that Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean apologize late Friday afternoon for calling Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) “a blatant opportunist…

    Wah, Waah, Waah!! Mommy, Timmy called me a name!! On my God, will the RNC get over it and grow TFU already. They, and their ilk, are the Kings of Smear. Look what they did to brave veterans of our great country like John Kerry, Max Cleland, JOHN MCCAIN! (AND his “drug addicted” wife, not to mention his ‘Black baby” (circa 2000 and thanks to KKKarl, ,et. al.) What a bunch of smarmy, sophomoric, RANK hypocrites. Every damn one of them.

  • Mary @ 6

    Your argument makes sense when you’re talking to people with an IQ to understand. Unfortunately the majority of the general public; don’t want to take the time to actually listen or read the examples of the flip flops. Hence the need to use ‘bumper sticker’ slogans the masses can understand.

    The Republicans have been the masters at this for decades. I’m glad that Mr Dean is giving them exactly what they understand best: A bumper sticker slogan that may be interpreted in different ways, but mostly negative.

  • Calling someone an opportunist is slander, but saying a young woman is ugly and that her father is Janet Reno is…what? entertainment?

  • I seem to be lost as to exactly what McCain’s principles are, especially since he casts them aside well enough on his own based upon which group he is addressing.

    And the RNC is having a Boner moment. Will the tears come next. Boo frigging hoo! Cry me a river.

    And I am so sick of YOU MUST APOLOGIZE! for every word spoken. Screw that! Stand strong for that is what makes principles!

  • Calling someone an opportunist is slander, but saying a young woman is ugly and that her father is Janet Reno is…what? entertainment?

    Shucks, he’s just a straight talker. Don’t you get it?

  • Lew Scannon said: “Is this the same Republican party that uses Rovian tactics to smear everyone who opposes them? Did they ever apologize to McCain for what they did to him in 2000?”

    That’s what Howard should say: “You want an apology for John McCain, You First!”

  • IludiumPhosdex said:

    “How do we know the GOP isn’t insistent on nothing less than hagiographic treatment for John McCain…”

    Deification of the leadership. No shit. Odd to arrive at this post right after reading an interview with John Gorenfeld at DKos about his book:

    Bad Moon Rising: How Reverend Moon Created the Washington Times, Seduced the Religious Right, and Built an American Kingdom.

    http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/30/82321/2396/689/486448

    Reading this post felt like a continuation of the interview. Or at least the same feeling of disbelief and wonder at how normal it is in certain mindsets to make stuff up and then fling it against the wall so hard and so often that either it sticks or the wall comes down.

    If McBush is to be the next figurehead then it’s time to start burnishing the crown and laying down the rose petals. And smiting the hell out of whoever has the audacity to question the chosen one’s qualifications or moral grounding. Incompetence and immorality be damned.

    Shruby has been a useful, tissue thin cartoon since he was lifted from the casting couch and placed on his path to glory. McBush is a bit more of an action figure with his verifiable military background but he’s no more substantial than Shruby. His robe is being fitted. The magic shoes which he will wear while “leading” during his walk down the path of Commander in Chief have been tied on and will not be taken off until he leaves or dies.

    McBush is whatever they say he is and anything said in dissent to that narration will be considered heresy regardless of how preposterous the claims on McBush’s behalf may be. The greater glorification of McBush is just beginning.

    He is the Perfect American to lead this Perfect Nation.

  • Wow. I do know for sure that when I get my economy stimulating rebate check, I’m heading straight for DivaVillage.com. How did they know that their demographic was hanging out here at TCR?

    I feel so……special.

  • Yeah, I’m thinking a rhetorical club over the head is probably the best way to counter St. McCain in the press. If we can have a few McCain vs McCain discussions sprinkled with a debate over “blatant opportunist or complete dolt,” maybe the media will be forced to look at the straight facts instead of straight talk.

    Don’t give ’em any quarter, Howard.

  • A senior Republican Party official demanded that Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Howard Dean apologize late Friday afternoon for calling Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) “a blatant opportunist” who has “cast aside his principles.”

    Dean’s response should be, “I am indeed very sorry that John McCain is a blatant opportunist who has cast aside his principles.”

    This would make a nice ad, followed by a reference to a website that offered lots of supporting details.

  • I’m surprised the Repugs aren’t saying, “How dare these Democrats insult the wounded war hero? How unamerican!”
    Look for a lot of this BS as this circus warms up. It will be all over talk radio.

  • Most Republicans in the 21st century are just worthless lying partisan hacks, that have been happily sieg-heiling Bush for the last eight years and now are praying that we will swallow more GOP swill from McCain, the canalzonian candidate…I’m voting Hawai’ian this year, for the Hawai’ian born Barack H. Obama.

  • War hero! War hero! War hero! Neener neener neener!!!!
    I suppose we are all to forget two things:
    1) Being a POW does not make one a war hero. By definition, it makes one a war victim.
    2) The purple bandaids at the 2004 repub convention – easily one of the most despicable partisan stunts I have ever seen.

    I’d like to see Dean say, “We don’t mock McCain’s service with cynical props like purple bandaids, so I have no idea what they’re on about. Republicans would probably be better served by issuing apologies, as opposed to demanding them.”

  • Mary @6, please stop. You’re a grown adult admitting that you didn’t know what the terms “opportunist” or “unprincipled” meant? That’s just embarrassing. Equally, that you didn’t know the difference between “lying” and “misspeaking”? I don’t mean this as an attack (though I’m sure it sounds like one), but you really need to spend more time listening and less time talking. I just asked my fifteen year old daughter (who definitely isn’t an A-student or wordsmith) if she understood what I meant by “blatant opportunist,” and while she couldn’t give a textbook definition, it was obvious she got the general gist of the phrase.

    If nothing else, you need to stop spending so much time embarrassing yourself like this. I’m serious. Again, I understand if you are offended by what I’m writing, but it’s the truth: You really make yourself look dumb with every comment you write. That’s not to say that you are dumb, just that this is the impression you leave with everyone.

    And as far as what you said, no, I don’t think Dean should waste time highlighting what he’s talking about, as it would take too long and wouldn’t be heard by hardly anyone. When writing this stuff, we’re looking for soundbites. If someone is interested in the details of why he’s saying these things, they’re all over the Internet. But when issuing a statement like this, it’s much better to use terms like “blatant opportunist” than to actually explain everything. Even if they don’t know the exact meaning, they’ll get the general impression. And there’s nothing wrong with name-calling if the names are correct.

    If we want, we can spend all our time explaining everything without using labels, but the Republicans will kick our butts with soundbites and bumpersticker slogans. Remember the rule of KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid. It’s much better to use a soundbite to convey your message than to bore everyone with long explanations. That’s the reason the RNC responded as they did. Not that they don’t know what these words mean, as I assure you that they do. But because it was an effective and they don’t like that. They’d much rather that we explain everything than to use basic words that even a highschool freshman would understand.

  • You beat me to it, Dr. B. When I read that baloney about people having different understandings of the words “lying” and “misspeaking” I could hardly believe it, until I went back to the top and saw that it was Mary writing it. I would have guessed it (though it could have been Greg, I suppose). Mary, just for the record: When someone completely fabricates an incident and repeats it from prepared remarks several times, it’s not misspeaking. It’s called “lying.” Very simple. I hope I cleared that up for you.

  • The point is that Republicans are likely to interpret the terms differently than Democrats […] — Mary, @6

    I expect you’d know. But, let me ask you this: don’t you use the same dictionaries as us Dems do?

  • …apologize late Friday afternoon for calling Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) “a blatant opportunist” who has “cast aside his principles.”

    Which ones?

    deputy chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC), sought to drive a wedge between Dean and … and Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)

    Well THAT ain’t a “Stretch Goal”

  • libra @ 29 –

    given that they have their own Wiki, I’m thinking the honest answer to your question is “no.”

  • I’m going to start making regular people in my daily life start denouncing and rejecting things…anything. It’s good practice for living in a Stalinist paradise.

    I’ll start with the poor guy working at the gas station: make him reject and denounce his association with the oil companies. (which may not be that hard) WalMart would be a fun place to demand rejections and denunciations…and even repudiations. I’ll just start picking things out of other people’s carts at random and reciting litanies of the vile practices the governments and corporations who produce whatever consumer good i’m holding…and then demand R/D/R on everyone who makes the crap, right down to the poor Chinese slob making just enough to eating half-rotted house cat once a week.

    I will definitely make these damned kids and their ipods R/D/R that blasted rock and roll…or whatever they call it nowadays. What they need is a little more Jesus (unless the minister of the Jesus needs a little R/D/R too) and a little less sex, drugs, and rock and roll. And everyone i know or meet will now have to R/D/R Jimmy Buffet…just friggin’ because.

    Now if you’ll excuse me, i think its high time for a long look in the mirror so that i can reject, denounce, and repudiate myself. I’m hoping for a job in a shock brigade.

    * It’s not “flip-flopping” when he moves to the right; it’s good Party discipline. Sen McCain has practiced to the point of mastery. He’s ready for the Stalinist paradise.

  • I’m going to start making regular people in my daily life start denouncing and rejecting things…anything. It’s good practice for living in a Stalinist paradise. — Lex, @32

    For an American born and bred — even one who’d lived in Russia for a while — you do have an uncanny way of distilling/synthesizing the essence of the “good old times” under the red regime 🙂

    Don’t really know how it was in Russia but, in Poland, we were called upon to “cut ourselves off from” (“disassociate ourselves from” would, I think, be a good translation) the un-approved thinking (and people) with monotonous regularity. With all the warrantless wiretapping that’s going on I was already beginning to feel quite “at home”; this new wrinkle just adds to the “comfort”…

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