MOTHER JONES BY E-MAIL

«--Previous Post | Blog Index | Next Post--»

Clinton Ad With Osama bin Laden: Meh

The Clinton ad at right is getting a ton of play because it includes an image of Osama bin Laden. Obama fans and some other portions of the left are questioning whether it is tantamount to waving a bloody flag. The outrage writes itself: Using images like this one to scare voters is a Karl Rove tactic!

Personally, I don't think it's all that bad. The point is that the next president faces immense challenges — finding bin Laden and stopping men of his ilk are two of those challenges. I understand the subtext is pernicious: the whole ad relies on fear, and it paints the likely Democratic nominee as soft on terror (or at least softer than Hillary Clinton). But politics ain't beanbag, and frankly if I'm going to get all worked about fear-mongering, it's going to have to be a lot more blatant than this.

What do you think?

Update: The Obama campaign blitzed reporters with this October 2004 quote from Bill Clinton: "Now one of Clinton's Laws of Politics is this: If one candidate's trying to scare you and the other one's trying to get you to think; if one candidate's appealing to your fears and the other one's appealing to your hopes, you better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope. That's the best."






Comments

You have to think that Mrs. Clinton is still the best qualified candidate we have. We also have to remember just because she is white, she cannot claim Florida. She won in that state and that should be considered. If it is Obama, I bet you he will not stop until he claims the states he won. I think we have to count Florida for Hilary.

Posted by: lvida on 04/22/08 at 6:49 AM  Respond

The Bin Laden video was a gaffe. I'm reasonably sure that including Bin Laden with pictures of Pearl Harbor and gas lines was just an attempt to bring a contemporary reference to a series of crises. However, Bin Laden and 911 have been used frequently by Republicans against Democrats in an attempt at fearmongering, whereas Pearl Harbor doesn't have the same partisan connotations. It might be overreacting to say "How dare you!" over this ad, but that the Clinton campaign didn't realize that is a mistake like the "bitter" gaffe. It unfortunately plays into the complaint that Clinton is running a Republican campaign against Obama. If she hadn't been doing things like bringing up Farrakhan out of nowhere in the debate, it might not matter.

"I'm Hillary Clinton and I approve this message."

What message?

Posted by: kirkbrew on 04/22/08 at 10:50 AM  Respond

Senator Clinton said that she would totally obliterate Iran with a nuclear holocaust(if they attacked the Jewish State). Clinton is a warmonger. If we attack Iran, Iran would destroy one of our cities.
Israel has no oil. We lose a city. The Arabs have the oil, Israel just has some religious sites that the Christian Zionist wackos value. Senator Clinton must be in the pocket of John Hagee like Senator McCain. Vote for Obama for a real change.

Posted by: Latasha on 04/22/08 at 11:09 AM  Respond

Count Fl for Hillary, lvida? She won by default on name recognition by the kind of margin that Obama has proven able to easily eliminate with an actual campaign. I as a Floridian would never vote for a candidate like Clinton who has shown again and again in this campaign that she has an amazing ability to crawl through sludge muck and trash while trying to damage her opponents. She positively thrives on garbage and lies, and given that you are what you eat, well... you know the rest. Why would anyone still want to hand the campaign to someone who has consistently lost and who is so disliked and divisive?

Posted by: Michael Z. on 04/22/08 at 1:05 PM  Respond

I'm a long time reader and Mother Jones fan. I'm a bit surprised at how biased MJ has been with Hillary bashing. Please try a little more objective reportage.

Posted by: Victor Guinto on 04/23/08 at 8:55 AM  Respond

Hillary's supporters appreciate her and are helping her win by not stepping up and allowing her to use race, religious differences and fear mongering to win an election. Unfortunately this is the same tactics that the GOP uses. This is what happens when people cannot intellectualize the facts. I really think we will loose the country to these type of people since they put Bush in office 2x. They dont want change, if Obama is going to win he has to mobilize his base and get the young,over 70 and african american vote to vote in force. Hillary got her base to come out and support her better than Obama did.

Posted by: Itsok on 04/23/08 at 9:01 AM  Respond

Post a comment





 

RECENT COMMENTS

Partition in Iraq: A Serious Problem With Biden as VP? (23)
massimo wrote: It's an Israeli plan Danny And I didn't make it up & you ... [more]

McCain's Bizarre Undiscovered Foreign Policy Ideas (12)
Drunk Philosopher wrote: To Jim, quote: "The "insightful" Zakaria calls Iran and No... [more]

The Campaign Goes Christian (3)
Sharon wrote: Vote for Ralph Nader for real change. Obama is a hypocrite... [more]

The Rooskies Are Out to Get Us! (6)
Emphyrio wrote: 5. They think it's the state of Georgia where the Atlanta ... [more]

Troops Abroad Give to Obama 6:1 (2)
Jeugenen wrote: LIBERAL OBAMA OR NEO-CON/NEO-LIB MC-CAIN The political st... [more]

Speedo's $600 Swimsuits: Made in America, Bought by China (45)
Brandon wrote: Tech has not gone too far. This is simply another geegaw ... [more]

Why is HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt Blogging About Abortion? (1)
PeaceNick wrote: I think what Secretary Leavitt and the Bush administration... [more]

Under for Fire for Pastor's Remarks, Obama To Give Major Speech on Race (11)
Acomplia wrote: Generic Acomplia is an Anti Obesity Drug that is Best Weig... [more]

Responding to MoJo, Huckabee Campaign Explains Difference Between Homosexuality and Necrophilia (19)
dış cephe wrote: teşekürler.... [more]

Ginsburg's Famous White Gloves Finally Come Off (21)
dış cephe wrote: teşekürler.... [more]

XML RSS Feed

Powered by
Movable Type 3.33

Jail.org - Inmate Search
Criminal records, instant public records & people search & current court records. www.jail.org

U.S. Public Records Search
Search County & State Court Records, Criminal records, Vital and Adoption Records www.PublicRecordsInfo.com

Records.com - People Search
Public Records and Background Checks. Instantly Search Criminal Records, Addresses and Court Records www.Records.com

Court Records & County Records
Find Instant Public Records, Criminal Records as Well as County Property Records Search. www.PublicRecordsIndex.com

Real Viagra, Cialis Levitra Deal
Dare to compare our competitive prices. Free overnight delivery to new patients in the US. No catch 22!

Bob's Red Mill Organic Flaxseed Meal
In addition to its great nutty flavor, our flaxseed meal is high in fiber and packed with essential Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

PEACEFUL HOLIDAY GIFTS
Items featuring the 1958 peace symbol shirts, buttons, hoodys, signs, stickers, pins...more.
union made • detroit peacebuttons.info

End the genocide in Darfur
Every day, Darfuris face rape, murder, and starvation. Be a Voice for Darfur: tell Obama to end the suffering.


















Holbrooke to Pakistan?

Chambliss Wins

Miscellaneous Felix Salmon Review

Remembrance of Houses Future


More MoJo voices...



bookIN PRINT

CLICK HERE
for more great reading

headphones IN TUNE
New music every issue

CLICK TO LISTEN

Advertise Liberally

This article has been made possible by the Foundation for National Progress, the Investigative Fund of Mother Jones, and gifts from generous readers like you.

© 2008 The Foundation for National Progress

About Us   Support Us   Advertise   Ad Policy   Privacy Policy   Contact Us   Subscribe   RSS