RNC careful not to humanize Clinton, Obama
By Steve Benen Tuesday Feb 05, 2008 3:50pm
Once in a while, it’s worth taking a moment to realize how very, very odd Republicans can be.
There’s a new rule at the Republican National Committee. Refer to the two leading Democratic presidential candidates simply as “Barack” and “Hillary” and you’ll be fined $10.
The reason: Using first names makes the candidates sound more likable but calling them “Senator Obama” and “Senator Clinton” makes them sound more distant and bureaucratic.
“I don’t think people are actually being fined,” says one insider. But everyone is being “encouraged” to follow the rule.
It’s like a swear jar in which people who use profanity are supposed to be put money in a pot every time they use profanity. It’s supposed to be a deterrent.
Only at the RNC, the swear jar is a humanizing-Democrats jar.
No, I usually don’t understand Republicans, either.
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think of repubs like ranchers
and we are the cattle
Sounds childish as hell to me. These are adults and they have to be told how to speak?
Must they manipulate everything?
You can call them whatever you'd like. Just call them landslide winners in '08.
LOL, that is so incredibly messed up! You have to admit, their crazy tactics are psychologically viable. Hell, I think I just heard a bell and salivated.
A little "fucking" difference...
(anyone who can tell me where that's from gets the prize of the day and it proves you're smart)
That's soooo retarded. The problem really is that when you use the Senator title it gives them credibility. The first names are worse. Hillary constitutes Bill and thus the evil philanderer is reincarnated. Using Barack is a foreign name, not at all similar to Bill, Ted, Frank, George and thus constitutes evil foreigner and a muslim one at that.
Stupid Repukes just don't get it.
This is why Republicans are better campaigners than Democrats. Everything is war to them and rule #1 of war is to dehumanize your adversary.
How funny. What the RNC should be doing is trying to keep Republicans from switching parties which is happening at an astonishing pace. We had a "recovering Republican" that just change his party affiliation speak at the Democratic County Committee meeting this past weekend and he gave a speech supporting Obama. It was amazing to watch. He told me that he made many calls to Republicans and Independents who are switching parties just so they can vote for Obama in the April primary. And the RNC is worried about calling Hillary, Hillary and Barack, Barack. Ha! :lol:
It's easy to understand republicans. You remember that weird kid in the neighborhood who pulled the wings off flies, burned ants with a magnifying glass, harassed neighborhood cats and set little fires for 'fun' ? The one that cried and screamed like an infant and bellowed "It's not fair!" whenever he got caught causing his usual mayhem?
That's a republican.
What. Ev. Er.
Republicans by and large are just the well-dressed, functioning retarded. These children are running country.
2009 can't arrive fast enough.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpVVpSM5_YU
I hate, hate, hate, hate Hillary. Here's why... (satirical).
By that logic in November it will be either Senator Clinton or Senator Obama against John. So who would you trust to run the government? Senator xxx or John?
Looks like the end to the Reagan era. Liberal is the new "IN" word. All the new, young voters want to be called "Liberal".
Barack. Barack. Barack.
Hillary. Hillary. Hillary.
Oh, well. What's $60 to a rich Republican?
*stuffs a Ben Franklin in the swear jar*
Keep the change.
Only stuck up old white guys could be this creative. It must of been someone in Mitt's camp. Oops I made him appear likable.
They run the RNC like capitalists run companies...like a kindergarten.
Imichael @ 15:
Ha! Not possible.
Wonder if Rove has started a similar jar at Fox yet!
I think it is a great idea! The idea of "President Bush" disappeared 2002 and he just became "Bush" I think that "Senators Obama" and "Senator Clinton" is deeply respectful even if it is not intended to be.
Who doesn't want to have those days back when you did respect those you elected?
This is so cool I'm turning the fire up!
MargeAggedon @ 9:
That little shit lives behind me. I guess he can grow up to be president some day or at least a good republican.
What's weird is that saying Senator Clinton or Senator Obama is a title of respect. If I were to meet them I would address them as "Senator". I certainly wouldn't presume a first name familiarity with them.
I wonder what the fine is for saying "Democratic Party" instead of "Democrat Party".
what about "Hill-dawg"?
"It’s like a swear jar in which people who use profanity are supposed to be put money in a pot every time they use profanity. It’s supposed to be a deterrent."
I saved enough for a vacation in my swear-jar during bush''s idiotic administration.
Way back at the beginning of this war from hell, I asked a family member if she and her husband supported the war. She replied, "We are good Republicans".
What is a good Republican? One who asks no questions and does as they are told? I guess if you have to put money in the swear jar, you're not a real good Republican.
Wait, so what's their policy on Ron, John, Mitt, and Mike?
I don't know why, but I don't usually refer to any of these by their first name... not something I thought about till now.... but a fine?
Is the RNC that hard up for individual donations?
Just this afternoon I heard Hannity (I know, I know. I'll claim is in a "know thy enemy" policy) and a number of callers/guests calling them "Hillary" and "Barack." Guess the memo didn't reach him yet?
Tom @ 27:
So sorry for you Tom, were you forced to watch that by someone with a gun?
There is an aspect of human nature into which Republicans have learned to tap: the pack-animal instinct. Most humans, it seems, have an unconscious desire to follow some alpha-human (sadly, usually an alpha-male). It seems that, like dogs, humans would rather follow a leader than be in the terrifying position of being in charge of your own life and not having a fucking clue what to do. Read John Dean's "Conservatives Without Conscience". He talks about the studies that show the authoritarian instinct at work in the Republican Party.
Republicans don't actually like democracy. They're really monarchists at heart. They choose their leaders based upon emotional artifice -- I mean, for crying out loud, Saint Dutch was a divorced Hollywood actor who worked with a chimp, dyed his hair and wore make-up, and they STILL manage to deify him into the Great Manly Man Who Defeated the USSR *and* Liberals! They prefer comforting lies to the honest truth (I believe they despise Carter as much as they do because he went on TV and told them that they needed to grow up and accept things the way they were, which they never want to do.) and they prefer to, as "Bob" Dobbs put it, "relax in the safety of [their] own delusions!"
Combined with a fetish for anti-intellectualism (read: ignorance), racism and fundamentalist religion, it's a very powerful and hard to shake combination. I mean, could you imagine Archie Bunker ever waking up one morning and going, "Wait a minute -- being prejudiced is a terrible idea!"?
We should all decide on how to address McCain from here on in then. I vote for McShit-head...
Ok, fair enough. In '08, I'll just refer to McCain as that unemployed, batshit craze ex -Senator.
They do know that human instinct is to call people by as short a name as possible right?
Ok, here's my $10, Mc Lame is an assh***. Here's $10,000 for what I have said about bush/cheney.
pissed off patricia @ 25:
Ummm, a dead one?
Butt Pimple Limbaugh recently called Obama a "spade" and Clinton a "ho" -- and now the Repubics are trying to denigrate them by referring to them as "Senator."
Is it because they think that calling anybody a senator is far worse than slamming them with a rascist or sexist epithet?
When I think of "Senator" McConnell, and "Senator" Frist, and "Senator" Santorum -- I can see their point!
Looks like the Rethugs understand Marketing and Branding.
Calling them by a single name would help them to establish and reinforce their Brand Identity. i.e.: Obama=Change
It's like refering to a United States Citizen as an "American."
Branding elicits an emotional response from the target audience, that is why it is so highly effective and why people get degrees in Marketing.
Bangkok Bob @ 28:
Nope, it was the radio show. I used to work in political satire, so for some sad, inexplicable, deranged, masochistic reason, I continue to gather material.
Speaking of swear jars, an oldie but a goodie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJJL5dxgVaM
Excellently stated, Clavis.
What's the big deal? At least we know Republicans are our opposing team, unlike Obama...who's like a Trojan Horse:
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/obama_directly_a...
What's the big deal? We know republicans are our opposing team; unlike Obama who is a Trojan Horse:
http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/obama_directly_a...
Speaking of swear jars (an oldie but a goodie): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJJL5dxgVaM
I understand Republicans quite well. Winning elections for Republicans trumps every other interest that could possble exist.
Just look at the 11th commandment. This is supposed to be a positive commandment in that under no circumstances do you criticise another republican. Take this to it's logical conclusion. As a republican, and you see another republican as wrong for america and wrong for humanity, you need to shut up because of the 11th commandment? Thus, you put the republican party before the country? Before the planet?
If you are republican, yes, you do.
They relabelled the "Reagan Quotes" jar.
Tom @ 41:
Sorry for the sort of double post. This one failed (I thought). If only I had a swear jar.
it's ALL about LANGUAGE people, and by far the republicans PARTICULARLY current administration are the masters.
it's all about language, inculcating the minds of the public by subtle often subconscious suggestions of words.
it's ALL about language... which can actually completely alter perceived reality.
Allowing piles of cash near these people has in the past proven to produces at least a few investigations, if not jail time.
My guess is, as soon as that jar gets filled with enough cash, and one of those weasels figures out a way to sneak the jar out of the building, this policy will change.
Josh @ 40:
lol
obama is our party's only hope--- our Obe Won Konobe to clintons darth vader
No. 1 comment, 'They're the ranchers, we're the cattle', still the best. Much as I hate to admit it. Repubs are top dog when it comes to pernicious frames. We soak 'em up and repeat 'em. (cf Much of the anti-Clinton stuff, 'partial birth abortion'....don't get me started!)
Clavis @ 29:
I think you just answered my question about "what is a good republican" that I asked in comment #25. Thanks so much. :)
I thought the Republican house rule was to call them Shrillary and Hussein.
even people who don't like them refer to them by their first names.
In a related story, the DNC is urging its members not to refer to John McCain as "that crazy old bastard". They feel that it might underscore McCain's experience and remind voters of his "maverick" approach to getting things done inside the beltway.
Yo E Rock says:
"Wait, so what’s their policy on Ron, John, Mitt, and Mike?"
Who's Ron????
"No, I usually don’t understand Republicans, either."
I doubt you are moral less, corrupt, crazy or a religious zealot. In order to understand them it helps to be like them.
The Nazicon "dehumanizing" punishment is a beautiful and concise example of just how thoroughly the Republican establishment want to dictate every moment of our lives, as well as how deeply they feel the need to punish anyone, even their own, who does not live every moment of their lives and by the Party's dictates.
George Orwell's got to be loving this one!
Remember, under Newt and then DeLay, any Congressman who said 'Democratic Party' got fined $50. "It's DEMOCRAT PARTY!"
Actually performed a great service, as this meme was picked up by Faux News and most of the VRWC punditocracy. Whenever you hear/read an unknown pundit refer to the "Democrat Convention", "The Democrat Senator" or "Democrat Policies" you know (a) that they're Republican shills, and therefore (b) they're lying.
It makes listening to XM130 "Potus '08" channel so easy. 90% RNC Shills, 24/7/349 (days left in the Junior Administration.)
Josh @ 40:
Wait a second, this Talking Points Memo article has a very good point. Sure, Bill Clinton got elected to office as a Democrat, but his presidency is by no means a legacy. We should aspire to do more than he did, and we can see that Hillary has moved all of the Clinton-era ideas a step to the right. And why on earth would you call Obama a Trojan Horse? Because he works with people who don't think exactly like him? This is how to avoid deadlock in congress without a clear majority.
I just have to say they are F---ing pathetic and a wee bit nuts...
The Carpenter @ 5:
All right Mr., I'll Show you!
Season three, Show six- "Please Don't Kill Me"
Introduction: Swearing Jar- They're trying to make a little fucking difference.
Fealin Shmart is aprise initsef', yuk yuk
It's like the "ic" thing in Democratic - I noticed Ari Fleischer on CNN last night was doing it all night, right in front of Carl Bernstein, and Democrat"ic" strategist and Paul Begala. But one said a word about the fact that he was pronouncing it wrong, even though he was appearing on the broadcast in an analytic capacity. It's like it going to hurt him to say the "ic" or something.
Assholes the lot of 'em.
Hey, isn't it the Republic party? Or am I wrong about that :)
So now it's mutual because I, for one, do not consider Rethugs as human either.
is there a $10 reward for calling Cheney "Dick"?
I have the opposite reaction.
When Obama started calling everyone by their first names it sounded phony. It still does.
These people are not our buddies.
I read about this yesterday morning, so while I watched the primary returns I switched back and forth between the cnn babbleheads and msncb giggleheads to see who got the memo. Russert and a couple of the others stumbled and corrected themselves over and over. It is hard to make that kind of word change so abruptly. Wolf went with full names, no title, for Senator Obama and Senator Clinton most of the time, and used Senator McCain most of the time, without a stumble. Some of them had clearly not gotten the memo, but it was fascinating to see who had.
To have a democratic reference jar sounds pretty self-defeating, however, if they put money into the jar for every scandal they are caught of, wouldn't that help get us out of the economic recession? KO mentions these "Bushed -gates" every night now. Bad enough that it may be too late to impeach Bush since he's in the home-stretch of his term, and the democratic-led congress took it off the table a while ago.
What about that 63 year-old, whiny, bald-headed geek Boortz from Atlanta, who calls Sen Clinton, Thunder-thighs or the Hilda-Beast! Armed only with a high school education, this faux wanna-be Rush, thinks he's being cute using those names!
He's so smart that he got caught trying to rig a poll at Newshounds, by linking the poll to his web site and asking his lame, sycophantic admirers to flood the poll, voting for him! Within a hour or so of trying to rig the voting, he was caught and disqualified!
Now that's a example of a real Republican "Dung for Brains" Loser, all though he calls himself a Librarian, I mean Libertarian!
Red Bear Walking Slow @ 68:
Yeah, real mature callin' people names Kneel suxonCox bWarts!! Oh, wait...
Steve:
"Once in a while, it’s worth taking a moment to realize how very, very odd Republicans can be"
Since when does group affiliation determine individual choice?
You may think this is trite, but Marx's class theory permeates our minds in many ways that we are not even aware of. Calling oneself "a democrat", or "a republican", does not automatically tell you what goes on in that person's mind.
For if what you say is true, that it is somehow "worth it" to take a moment and make conclusions based on group affiliation, then you have to make this true for all groups. That's very dangerous to do and causes great harm if what goes on in your head gets translated to action.
e.g. Leiberman used to call himself part of the "democrat group". Does this mean he automatically thinks "good" things?
e.g. Paul calls himself part of the "republican group". Does this mean he automatically thinks "bad" things?
I find it somewhat ironic when you say "the RNC careful not to humanize Clinton, Obama", when your "taking a moment to realize how odd..." statement itself is dehumanizing, because it ignores person and exalts party affiliation. I think this is what Jung had in mind when he described the loss of individuality in large group-think.
It would be better to say that "the current group of republicans have created a new rule". By saying republicans as a class are dehumanizing democrats is actually dehumanizing to some republicans. So "dehumanization" does not seem to be the problem, it is "democrat dehumanizing" that is offensive.
I wouldn't fight an evil by joining in and playing the same evil game.
Hell, I'd stick $100 in their lousy jar if all the RNC staff would eat shit and die off.
Boartits just likes nikname'n. He's even got a few for hisef':
"The Talkmaster" - rhymes with... Let's just say Foley, Haggard and Craig are big fans.
"Mighty Whitey" - refers to his core audience
"The Mouth of the South" - see "rhymes with Talkmaster"
"America's Rude Awakening" - yeah... ya don't really wanna really have a sleepover at his place unless you're an aforementioned big fan.
"High Priest of the Church of the Painful Truth" - ('insert' Catholic Clergy reference here)
What a boor-tz.
I'm sure they probably get twenty bucks every time the use Obama's middle name and maybe another five spot for saying the "Democrat party."
Maybe we should start calling McCain "Gramps."
WOOHOOO..... HERE ARE THE OTHER RULES FOR THE $$$$$
1. IF YOU GET CAUGHT SUCKING DICK IN A BATHROOM STALL, TAKE $20 OUT OF THE JAR
2. IF YOU GRAB A PAGES ASS, TAKE $20 OUT OF THE JAR
3. IF YOU BELIEVE IN GLOBAL WARMING PUT $30 INTO THE JAR
4. nothing happens and the next player spins
5. the player takes the entire pot
6. The player takes half of the pot, rounding up if there is an odd number
7. THe player puts one marker in the pot
8. Find something about you that reminds anyone of Ronny Reagan, take $40
9. Find out you are queer, put in $3
10. Sing bombbombbomb bombbombiran and you get to be president
Republican fund raising hits a new low....
Hey guys, news is that it's been confirmed by a London-directed IIACSS study that George have killed about a million Iraqis directly or indirectly as a result of the 2003 invasion.
Oh, I am sorry. Did I humanize him by calling him George?
Sounds rather Orwellian to me.
The GOP is made up of a bunch or Rotten Bastards. That is why I don't want Obama, ior anyone else, "bringing us together". I do not want to be together with those insane rotten criminals. Got that Barack? NO TOGETHERNESS.
I'll vote for you (not Clinton though), but cut the hope and unity shit. We don't need it, or want it. Lets send the Rethugs into the desert for 1000 years.
If I hear anything about you putting a Rethug in your Cabinet (except Mr. Mitt Secretary of "Lookin Good") you LOSE MY VOTE! Got it. That will be enough to lose my vote. So, don't do it. There are plenty of competent, honest and committed Dems and Independent, no shortage of them. So don't give a Rethug a place when you have all these good people working for you--reward one of them if elected. We've suffered 8 years of their absolutely traitorous and criminal behavior and actions. It will take decades to just purge them from their positions. Get going with THAT first.
Yep...childish is a word that comes to mind as regards this RNC rule... childish and spoiled... These people are beginning to sound just like spoiled rotton five year olds who can't get their way so they pout and throw tantrums....JD
they should call their own juan mcamnesty, mike fuckawasp and shitt romney the three demented stooges.
Well, that's not what I heard, Steve Bennen.
I heard that the GOP are planning to make a point of using the name "Hillarycare" in an attempt to belittle Senator Clinton's health care proposals.
Which makes me wonder why we Dems never thought of something similar: it's probably too late to hang it on Bush, but what do you think of calling Iraq "the GOP War"?
That's ok, I only refer to republicans as "douchebags".
This is comparable to the Repugs saying Democrat Party instead of Democratic Party, which is really kind of childish and infantile on the part of the Repugs.
Which, actually, seems only fair because I always say the Fascist Republican Party instead of just Republican Party, especially with two such outstanding Fascist Republicans having resided in the White House over the past seven glorious, Fascist Republican years.
Hey, I'd stop calling them Fascist Republicans if they'd stop acting like a bunch of right-wing fascist anti-democracy thugs, hell-bent on establishing an authoritarian corporate kleptocracy through the illegal, immoral and insane machinations of a "permanent Fascist Republican majority." Dream on, mofos, dream on.
pissed off patricia @ 25:
"good" republicans" is an oxymoron.
fwacbar @ 30:
no, no, no!
It doesn't matter what we call them Repuglicans... I'll never vote for them!
RE: MargeAggedon
TOUCHE to the nth degree of power!
RE: MargeAggedon Says: It’s easy to understand republicans. You remember that weird kid in the neighborhood who pulled the wings off flies, burned ants with a magnifying glass, harassed neighborhood cats and set little fires for ‘fun’ ? The one that cried and screamed like an infant and bellowed “It’s not fair!” whenever he got caught causing his usual mayhem?
That’s a republican.
Ronnie Rgaygun "was a divorced Hollywood actor who worked with a chimp, dyed his hair and wore make-up, and they STILL manage to deify him into the Great" Girly Man ...
LOL
Everything is a domination game to Republicans. Governance as institutionalized sadism.
Maybe that's why so many masochists seem to be drawn to the Democrats...
What? I can't call it Preznit Junior no more?
And will will Junior make some more of those Hee Haw
shows?
How many times has McCain tried out for the presidency.
How many times has he actually had his party's acceptance after DESPERATELY wanting it. [See "Phil Gramm's asian wife" for clues.]
How many nutGOPs want their guy and no one else's.
It's a simple idea to drag the dems down since Bill's race-baiting worked so well. And Karl didn't have to write a single memo.
wrong wrong wrong... i'm voting for OBAMA... !!!
equilibrio @ 36:
Thanks for remembering this. The rationale aside, this is a fine and telling example of the degree of messaging discipline that the Republicans have developed. If only the Democrats were half as organized. As Moveon says, we may still lovse this one, despite the situation this country finds itself in.
[No, I usually don’t understand Republicans, either.]
Be very, very glad.
Oh, I understand them, I just don't like them. Not this type, anyway.
On the topic of first names, when did we switch from referring to America's enemies by names like Stalin, Kruschev and Castro, and start calling them Saddam and Osama?
Perhaps when the world became no more real to the average American than a soap opera.
Cats r Flyfishn @ 13:
Isn't that what we called "yuppies" back in the day? Obama brings up the 60's and beyond just as much or more than Rudy Giuliani with his 9/11!!! Anyone see a similarity there?
It doesn't make them odd, it makes them cold and calculating, and much more likely to stage an upset than the dems. Until you people start thinking dirty with these motherfsckers you're dooming yourself.
I'm giving them kudos for addressing them as "Senator"- a respectful title that acurately denotes their status. For eight years, the Ratpublicans made it a common practice to refer to the president as "Clinton" or "Bill Clinton", but NEVER, EVER "President Clinton". In fact, Newt Gringrich actualy said on television back in '93, "He's not our president." These people are petty and small and they aren't about to lose gracefully. Expect to hear lots of names during this campaign that are a lot more offensive than "Senator".
Mr. Anon @ 7:
EXACTLY!!!!
And Democrats are to nice and tolerant to the enemies of America. "The republicans"!
Everybody knows that Reslugs. aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer.
I wonder how much they made off of the swear jar for "freedom fries."
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