QandO

July 27, 2004

Anybody But Bush
Posted by Dale Franks

Jonah Goldberg marvels at the Democratic Party's discipline, which, fueld by a an intense hatred of George W. Bush, has them fawning over a candidate they don't particularly like.

This is the logic of hate. It lets convention delegates who by every measure are far to the left of the mainstream of the Democratic Party, let alone the American public, cheer a candidate who has spent the past few months holding something of a fire sale on Democratic principles. According to a New York Times survey of delegates, 9 out of 10 say they think Iraq was a mistake and 5 out of 6 say the war on terrorism and national security aren't that important; yet Kerry is surrounding himself with soldiers to the point where it wouldn't be shocking if delegates were required to wear camo fatigues. Even Ted Kennedy would be hard-pressed to play a drinking game in which players had to swig every time the words "Vietnam" or "war hero" come up in Democratic speeches...

The real test will be to see how well the discipline holds.

Howard Dean is already throwing things at effigies of Bush, Cheney & Co. and popping the veins in his neck as if he's just about to turn into the Hulk. And Mrs. Heinz Kerry is already decrying "un-American" activities and telling journalists to "shove it" when they question the Democrats' script. The Democrats' smiley masks are doing the job, but they aren't comfortable and they come off quite easily.

The Democrats are always tempted--a temptation that Bill Clinton ruthlessly quashed--to put on another 1984, San Francisco deal that sends the public recoiling in shock and disgust. You may remember that in 1984, Walter Mondale promised us from the convention podium that, if elected, he'd raise our taxes. The delegates cheered and stamped and whistled, ecstatic at Mondale's brave truth-telling.

Based on the fact that Mondale then proceeded to lose 49 out of 50 states in the presidential election, one presumes the rest of the country was less affected by his honesty.

So now Kerry is trying to hold a convention that keeps the appropriate Clintonian--that is to say, dishonest--tone. No one will be allowed to, say, make comparisons of George W. Bush's last name to her own pudenda. No "Bushitler" signs will be in evidence. The whole point of the exercise will be to disguise the most deeply-held politicial opinions of the delegates, in order to present the most unthreatening face possible to the electorate.

It'll be interesting to watch, just to see if he can pull it off.

TrackBack